"Nine He Gave To Mortal Men..."

"...Proud and great, and so ensnared them."

This 28mm scale metal model of a Nazgul is produced by "Games Workshop", and these days can only be bought as part of the Nottingham-based manufacturer’s nine-piece resin Nazgûl boxed set. Luckily, I was able to purchase my 'dreaded ring-servant of the Dark Lord Sauron' separately at a wargaming show's second-hand stall several years ago.

The Ringwraith was quite embarrassingly still primed from when I had planned to enter it into last year's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC), so I simply smoothed this out with a single application of "Citadel" Abaddon Black. I then robustly dry-brushed the figure with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal before drenching it with “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"Artisan Guild" WIP - This Giant Clay Golem is slowly having all its details 'picked out'

The Nazgul's armour and sword were ‘picked out’ using a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. These areas were later dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Gunmetal. Finally, in order to better tie-in the palette with that of his master Sauron, I applied a little “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade to the former King’s armoured gloves and boots.

With my latest submission for the AHPC completed I have made some more progress on the 80mm tall Giant Clay Golem (Kneeling) by "Artisan Guild" I plan to field as a 45-point unit for "Age Of Fantasy: Skirmish". This 3D printed monster has now had its impressive bulk layered, shaded and repeatedly dry-brushed with a handful of "Vallejo" primers/paints, and now predominantly just needs all its numerous runes to be carefully 'picked out' with the "Citadel" Contrast colour Flesh Tearer's Red.

"Nyverdale Tabletop" WIPs - These four B2 Droids have been primed, and shaded.

Alongside my Golemmar Gnomes' 'slow moving strider', I've started another small-scale project using some STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from "Nyverdale Tabletop" on "Cults". All of these "Star Wars" Super Battle Droids can be found for free inside Duncan's B2 Droids Collection (Fan Art) and probably demonstrate both the best, as well as worst, aspects of semi-professional 3D printing.

The figures themselves are absolutely excellent, with the set containing no less than  fifteen different B2 Droids. However, their pre-supported versions are all quite bizarrely placed face down onto the build plate, so suffer quite horribly from the pimple/acne effect of their struts. Admittedly, the fact the miniatures are so low to the ground does result in a fast print-time, yet this is debatably off-set by their rafts' significant footprints only allowing five models per batch. So with hindsight, I may well have been better off standing them upright and supplying them with my own supports using "Chitubox" Basic...

"Bound To The Unrelenting Will Of The Necromancer..."

"The Castellans of Dol Guldur are mindless spirits born out of malice." 

This trio of 28mm scale Castellans of Dol Guldur are produced by "Games Workshop", and can be bought as a three-figure blister from their Dark Powers of Dol Guldur miniatures range. Sculpted to be "formidable Minor Heroes" for "The Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game", I actually plan to use them as Black Númenóreans for my Barad Dur army having discovered that the Nottingham-based company no longer manufacture specific figures based upon the "fallen group of Númenóreans descended from those who were loyal to the Númenórean Sceptre but in opposition to the Valar and relations with the Elves."

All of the metal "mindless spirits" frustratingly required some considerable cleaning prior to priming as their casting appeared to have resulted in some significant flash and spikey tags. They were then given a double-helping of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, feverishly dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and had their belts lined with "Citadel" Doombull Brown. Each piece was subsequently drenched in “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

"Artisan Guild" WIP - This Giant Clay Golem has been primed, layered, shaded and dry-brushed

In addition, I picked out the miniatures' ornate armour, swords and any Morgul Blades using a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil. These areas were then dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Gunmetal. Finally, so as to better tie-in the palette with that of their master Sauron (which I painted last year), I applied a little “Citadel” Reikland Fleshshade to the ghostly warriors' armour plates, helmet, gloves and boots.

Alongside my latest submissions to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) I have been tentatively working on a rather large 3D print I made some months ago of a Giant Clay Golem (Kneeling) by "Artisan Guild". I've seen this impressive 80mm tall figure selling for a truly outrageous £38.99 on "eBay", so was rather pleased that I got the STL (Standard Triangle Language) file for free as part of the company's Arcanist Guilds "Patreon" subscription service back in October 2022.

3D Breed Miniatures WIP - These Saxons have had their legs/feet layered and shaded

Perhaps somewhat overcautiously, I decided to let the model stand for some weeks due to hearing the horror stories of similarly-sized miniatures splitting open some time after they were produced (and painted) due to trapped uncured resin causing issues inside of them. Touch wood, that now seems unlikely to happen with this piece, so I thought I'd get cracking on it, especially as it'll be my first Golemmar Gnomes unit for Age of Fantasy: Skirmish by "One Page Rules".

Lastly, I have found a little time to finally get some work done on my Battle of Hastings in 10mm using the STL files found inside the Hastings and Stamford Bridge Battles Pack by "3D Breed Miniatures". I'm already a bit behind schedule with this particular project, but having settled upon a fairly basic, tabletop standard for the tiny warriors (using Shades to do much of the heavy lifting as opposed to picking out all the minute details), I'm hopeful I can make up some time before the month concludes...

"My Yeti Can Destroy You So Easily."

"Now listen, everyone. When the Yeti come for you, don't struggle."

These three 48mm tall metal Yeti were produced by “Warlord Games” as part of the Nottingham-based company's "special limited-time offer" Doctor Who: Web Of Fear set. Somewhat controversially given away for free with any orders of £75 or more, the blister also contained figures of Colonel Lethbridge-Stewart and Professor Travers, and was based upon Mervyn Haisman and Henry Lincoln's February 1968 televised story "The Web Of Fear".

Having previously pigment a trio of the Great Intelligence's hairy automatons using a mixture of "Vallejo" and "Citadel" paints, I decided to make these particular miniatures stand out somewhat by solely using colours taken from "Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats" range. Resultantly, the "cuddly but ferocious" models were primed using two layers of Scorched Earth, drenched in Battle Mud Wash, and dry-brushed with (more) Scorched Earth.

"Big Mr Tong" WIPs - Four Sardaukar awaiting a final heavy dry-brush and shade

Furthermore, I gave each of the "servitors" a light dusting of Dust Bowl, and then dabbed each furry monster's eyes with a little White Star. These areas were subsequently carefully coated with Skulker Yellow, shaded with plenty of Flesh Wash and ultimately brightened with an extra dab of Skulker Yellow. I also used a combination of White Star and Battle Mud Wash on the deadly machines' numerous sharp claws.

Alongside these latest submissions to the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) I have managed to get most of the details 'picked out' on the last four Sardaukar troopers by "Big Mr Tong" I plan to enter into the event. This quartet of science fiction soldiers have had their belts, face visors and hand-weapons all base-layered and now simply need to have their protective suits dry-brushed in "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal before being drowned in "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Papsikels Miniatures" WIPs - Two primed Proto Keeler G and a Xeno Brood Sentry

Lastly, I've set about 3D printing and priming three more "Alien" related 32mm scale figures by "Papsikels Miniatures". The first are two copies of Proto Keeler G, whose STL (Standard Triangle Language) file I was given for free as part of their PAPSIPACK Welcome Models subscription set on "Patreon". I actually created a pair of this "Alien: Covenant" inspired xenomorph due to one of its hind legs miscasting on both occasions. There's clearly a slight problem with the this area's supports failing, so I've strengthend the offending limbs with a couple of skulls by "Encounter Terrain".

The last model is the mighty Xeno Brood Sentry, which just about sits snugly upon a "Citadel" plastic 60mm circular base. This STL can also be found inside the PAPSIPACK Welcome Models subscription set on "Patreon" and has already been heavily dry-brushed with Scorched Earth by "Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats" in order to tie it in with my previously painted Cheetah Aliens.