"There Are So Many Of Them."

"So many. We'll never get through unseen."

This rather tiny 28mm scale metal model of Frodo Baggins was produced by "Games Workshop", and could be bought as part of the two figure Frodo & Sam In Orc Armour blister from the Nottingham-based company's "The Lord Of The Rings" range. Now OOP (Out Of Production), I actually picked this miniature up from a wargaming show's second-hand stall many years ago, and only very recently found it again in a long-forgotten plastic container.

Despite the gaming piece already having some sort of black undercoat on it, courtesy of its former owner, I decided to dust it down and give it an additional lick of "Citadel" Abaddon Black. The 'Ring-bearer' was then layered with Thrash Metal by "Scale 75", shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil and dry-brushed with (more) "Scale 75" Thrash Metal. With the basics done, I next started trying to 'pick out' all the small details visible on Frodo's bizarre-looking armour.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - These two Prussians just have a few more details left to be worked on

This resulted in me using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil for the hobbit's sword scabbard and gloves. Whilst I applied some thin lines of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade along his leather belt. In addition, I gave the brave adventurer's fur leggings a little "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, before going back and lightly catching the edges with a smidgeon more "Vallejo Heavy Brown.

One thing which did confuse me about this model was just what parts were actually metal and which were boiled leather, as despite repeated viewings of various movie stills, action figures, and beautifully-detailed statues, I couldn't properly decide. In the end I therefore chose to simply darken Mister Underhill's beak-like helmet with an extra dash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and 'rust-up' both his plate-mail gown, as well as some long-strips of armour/leather which covered his neck, with a splash of Agrax Earthshade.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Early days yet on this pair of French Fusiliers

Despite this brief trip to J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle Earth, I have not been tardy in progressing a few more Napoleonic soldiers by "Wargames Foundry". Due to being rather keen on fielding at least a tiny contingent of Prussians I've been patiently pigmenting all the tiny details on a pair of identical figures from their PN063 Infantry in Peaked Cap Marching blister. These sculpts really are rather time-consuming. But once completed will give me a fine-looking quartet of Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher's fellow countrymen.

As I'm working on both sides of the battleline, I've also got going on a couple of Frenchmen from FN137 - Late Fusiliers Or Voltigeurs In Greatcoats And Assorted Headgear Marching. As with the Prussians, I ultimately intend to get four of these figures tabletop ready before moving on to another element of Bonaparte's Foot, and may well use the one with a bandaged head as a Veteran Hunter for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games".