"Every Country Has Their Experts..."

"...When it comes to investigating the supernatural."

This 28mm scale metal miniature of a Supernatural Investigator is sold by “North Star Military Figures", and is one of eight models which can be found inside their TSB031 - United States Unit box for The Silver Bayonet. I recently picked the set up whilst at "Colours 2024" and was rather pleased to see that the sculpt actually fits in perfectly well with my ever-growing Napoleonic range by "Wargames Foundry" - which happen to be a little smaller and stockier than many modern-day releases.

The monster expert was undercoated using my bog-standard mixture of "Warlord Games" Pitch Black and Vallejo Surface Primer Black, before having his shoes 'picked out' with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and his trousers pigmented with "Vallejo" Earth. The moustached man's pants were later shaded with some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"North Star Military Figures" WIPs - This Rifleman is just having his final details 'picked out'

I then applied some "Two Thin Coats" Cold Corpse Blue to his jacket, darkened the coat down with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed it with (more) Cold Corpse Blue by "Two Thin Coats". The chap's saddle-bag was efficiently painted using some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I also took the time to patiently splodge each of the Investigator's buttons with a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Gold and a dollop of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

Finally, the miniature's scarf was treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and the pages of his book given a lick of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and a weathering of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I did toy with the notion of making the tome's cover red or brown. But in the end kept it pure "Citadel" Abaddon Black - suggesting it might actually be a bible rather than a diary of some kind..?

"Black Site Studios" WIPs - Three primed Soviet Cosmonauts

My plan is to actually have the contents of the United States Unit box entirely painted before I attend the Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre in November for this year's "Warfare" wargaming show, so with this in mind I have already got going on the set's Rifleman. I must confess that this soldier's dark green and red uniform has really ignited an enthusiasm for the "Wargames Foundry" War of 1812 range, so I may well 'sneak' some Americans into my next Napoleonic order with the Newark-based manufacturer.

Something which has caught me completely off-guard though, is my discovery of the old Lunar - Core Game I pre-ordered from "Black Site Studios" way back in July 2021. This box has been sat in a cupboard since it arrived, as frankly I was rather put-off by all the tiny resin cast pieces the astronauts came in. But as I fancied something simple to paint alongside my Napoleonic soldiers - and these astronauts will receive pretty straightforward colour schemes, I thought I'd invest some considerable time in assembling the five Soviet Cosmonauts which were in the set...