"Displacer Beasts Used Their Innate Magic To Bend Light..."

"...Making them appear to be between one foot to three feet from their actual positions."

This 28mm scale PVC plastic (polyvinyl chloride) Displacer Beast is produced by "Wizkids" as part of their "Dungeons & Dragons" Nolzur's Marvellous Miniatures range, and can be purchased unpainted as SKU: WZK72576. Based upon the large cat-like creature found inside the very first edition of the Monster Manual, I believe I bought this model on a whim having seen (and rather enjoyed) Jonathan Goldstein and John Francis Daley's 2023 fantasy film "Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves".

Occasionally described as a panther with six legs and a pair of tentacles sprouting from its shoulders, the miniature was super-glued onto a 50mm circular base and primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black. The entire carnivorous creature was then repeatedly dry-brushed (and later simply brushed in some areas) with "Vallejo" Imperial Blue, before being soaked in "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"There is no beating these troops, in spite of their generals."

I next 'picked out' the Displacer Beast's fangs with some dabs of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and subsequently followed this up by applying a little "Vallejo" Heavy Warmgrey to the inside of the big cat's ears, as well as some "Skulker Yellow" by "Two Thin Coats" onto his pupils. These areas were later shaded using "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson and Reikland Fleshshade as appropriate.

Finally, I gave the monster's sharp, thorny pads a lick of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and darkened the tiny spikes down with some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. However, as I wanted to show off the tentacle barbs - which are apparently deadly "enough to punch through pure steel armour, I gave them a rough dry-brush of (more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats" to help highlight their piercing points.

"Impossible n'est pas français"

Alongside my latest addition to my "Dungeons & Dragons" menagerie I have (finally) completed the two 28mm scale metal models manufactured by “Wargames Foundry" that I needed to field a tiny unit of Napoleonic skirmishers for my games of "Black Powder". The pair can be purchased as part of their FN103 - Grenadiers Or Voltigeurs In Greatcoat Marching set and having been undercoated "Citadel" Abaddon Black, were largely pigmented using "Two Thin Coats" White Star, some heavily-watered down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, plenty of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and a load of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Created in 1804 by Emperor Napoleon", the soldiers' water bottles and straps were picked out in "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, whilst the Frenchmen's epaulettes, lower plumes and sword ribbons were dabbed with a little Ethereal Green by "Two Thin Coats" and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. Lastly, I gave the duo's topmost pom-poms some "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow and shaded them with a dash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

“Salute" Showcase 2026

The doors apparently opened fifteen minutes early - Something I was very grateful for

As I hadn't been able to attend "Europe’s largest wargaming convention" for the past few years, I figured that it was about time to once again travel up to the London ExCel, and once again savour the delights of the South London Warlords' annual show. Indeed, I was so determined to make the event that I actually arrived there with plenty of time to spare (and queue), so spent the first half an hour there rifling through their "legendary and exclusive Goodie Bag" whilst I waited for the venue's doors to open.

Ordinarily, I tackle shows as huge as this one by simply turning right at the door and making my way along the vendors situated up against the building's wall. However, such was the excitement of my travelling companion that I was immediately dragged to the "Archon Studio" stand right near the centre of the hall, and unwittingly exposed to their overwhelming stock of "Starcraft" and "Trench Crusade" miniatures.

Two of the chaps at the "Star Lion Forge" stall

Now having watched numerous "YouTube" videos on both rule systems and their ranges I had a little idea of what to expect whilst perusing the absolutely crammed shelves. Yet I still felt somewhat helplessly compelled to pick up the Polish company's "Starcraft" Two Player Starter Set Founders Edition and take it to the till, even though it was a whopping twenty quid more than I had previously been told it sold for. In fact, perhaps the biggest disappointment of the show was that all of the different boxed sets and expansions for this game that I could see them selling were more than the full-price advertised on their webstore - e.g. I also almost picked up the Protoss Starter Set, which is currently on pre-order for £79 with a Recommended Retail Price (RRP) of £99. At the show "Archon Studio" were charging £100 per box.

The large "Konflikt '47" table at the "Warlord Games" stall

Admittedly, I was ultimately able to walk away from Salute with a big box of miniatures in my hand, as well as not pay international postage and packaging. But frankly this added expense put a bit of a dampener on things for me, and gave me a bit of a mind-funk for the rest of the show - especially as Swedish-based "Free League Publishing" also appeared to be doing a similar sort of thing by disappointingly charging a fiver more for their Alien Role-Playing Game Starter Set than if I ordered it online.

Some of the "Dropzone" franchise goodies on show by "TTCombat"

Happily, despite this quibble there was plenty to see and enjoy at Salute 53, with a number of new manufacturers (at least to me) cropping up all over the place. Furthermore, when I could make my way through the sometimes almost suffocating crowd and physically step up to the front of a stall it was clear just how excited many of these small businesses were to actually be at the event - such as "Star Lion Forge" who enthusiastically showed me all their miniatures for "Aether Punk 28" and "Hypespace".

A few of the goodies on display by "Mammoth Factory" and "Anvil Industry"

Of course, the show's stalwarts were also out in force, with "Warlord Games" showing off some of their fantastic models for "Konflikt '47". Their display table featuring all manner of mechs and zombies was a real treat for the eyes, and certainly seemed to be generating quite a buzz. Likewise, "TTCombat" brought back a lot of memories of when "Dropzone Commander" was first launched at the London ExCel several years ago. This game's universe appears to have been greatly expanded, and I was particularly intrigued by a 28mm incarnation of it sitting upon a tiny tabletop.

Just some of the models on sale by "Tabletop 3D Printing Services"

Similarly as tempting were the number of companies I ordinarily associate with producing STL (Standard Triangle Language) files on "My Mini Factory" actually selling physical products. I own a fair few figures sculpted by both "Mammoth Factory" and "Anvil Industry" (or rather "Anvil Digital Forge"), so was rather surprised to see both manufacturers present with lots to models boxed up ready for customers to just pick up and walk away with.

Some of the figures on show by "Warp Miniatures" and "Crow Industries"

Ultimately though, I simply didn't spend as much as I was anticipating (and had saved up for). Yes, I did succumb to "Archon Studio" and their rather hefty "StarCraft: Two Player Starter Set Founders Edition". But such a large (and frankly heavy) purchase right at the very start of the show meant I had little cash for much else, and so nibbled away at stalls such as "Diehard Miniatures" and "Sarissa Precision" until I decided in the early afternoon that enough was enough...

"Enterprise Is Cleared For Launch."

"Hailing frequencies open, sir."

This 32mm scale resin model of Lieutenant Uhura was bought as part of the Star Trek Adventures Original Series Miniatures Set by "Modiphius Entertainment" and is sadly no longer available as a physical figure. However, the sculpt, featuring an excellent likeness of actress Nichelle Nichols, can still be purchased from the company as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file from their Print At Home range.

The Bridge Officer was initially primed using a layer or two of "Vallejo" Heavy Red before having her uniform shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. This clothing was then dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red, before it's iconic insignia and Nyota's rank wrist stripes were carefully 'picked out' using a little "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"This is not merely a fight for survival."

I next painted Uhura's boots and hair with pure "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna to her legs, hands and face. As I wanted to suggest that the linguistics specialist was wearing tights, I gave her legs a wash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil, whilst the rest of the woman's flesh was treated to some Agrax Earthshade. Finally, I dotted Nyota's earpiece and Type-2 hand phaser with "Vallejo" Gunmetal and darkened the devices down with a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

In addition to Lieutenant Uhura I have also completed a second 32mm scale Bomb Coffin by "Trench Stench". As with the first Sarcophagus Mine I recently completed, this model was downloaded for free as part of their three-figure set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from the company's "Patreon" subscription service.

"Perry Miniatures" WIPs - These four confederate soldiers have had all their different areas 'boxed'

Forming part of their Ghosts of the Nomansland range for "Trench Crusade", and produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on my Mars 5 3D Printer, the miniature was predominantly pigmented using "Vallejo" Bronze and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade over a "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna undercoat. In addition I used White Star by "Two Thin Coats" and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green for the sculpt's spooky spectral flames.

Despite all these 'distractions', I haven't forgotten about the first four Confederate soldiers from my recently acquired the American Civil War - Battle in a Box starter set either, and have managed to spend a little time on the "Perry Miniatures" 'boxing off' all their different coloured areas. This process has certainly made me rethink my technique for future American Civil War combatants - as they're all going to be primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black from now on...

Heretic Troopers..."

"...Can be encased in suits of thick armour that have been filled with explosives."

This 32mm scale Bomb Coffin is produced by "Trench Stench" and was downloaded for free as part of their three-figure set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from the company's "Patreon" subscription service. Forming part of their Ghosts of the Nomansland range for "Trench Crusade", the Sarcophagus Mine was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on my Mars 5 3D Printer.

Super-glued onto a plastic 30mm circular stand, the figure was primed in "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, base-coated with Bronze, and shaded using some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. It was then lightly dry-brushed with a little (more) "Vallejo" Bronze, before I set about 'picking out' all of the various flames rising up around the casket's base using some White Star by "Two Thin Coats".

"Wizkids" WIPs - This Displacer Beast has been primed, and had its based worked on

To be honest I did initially consider pigmenting this area just using "Vallejo" Neutral Grey and some "Citadel" Nuln Oil, as I thought they were supposed to be the trails of smoke pouring out of the coffin's bottom as its internal fuse sparked away. However, having done some research I felt that the fire was probably more likely to be some sort of unholy, spectral energy which was helping to lift the deadly sarcophagus across the battlefield towards its enemies. As a resultant, I simply washed the flames with "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green, and carefully caught its edges with a smidgeon (more) "Two Thin Coats" White Star.

With the first of my Trench Crusade force completed, I have been busy working on another model I pulled out of the plastic drawer I recently randomly chose for this month's main painting project. Unlike the other figures I selected though, this particular sculpt was from "Wizkids" Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures range for "Dungeons & Dragons", and would make a welcome addition to my ever-growing wandering monster menagerie.

"Perry Miniatures" WIPs - These four Confederate soldiers have had their shoes blocked in

For now I've only managed to permanently plonk the Displacer Beast upon a "Games Workshop" 50mm round base, prime the "monstrous predator" with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and finish dry-brushing the large rock its standing upon. But I should be able to get the "Lawful evil" creature completed reasonably quickly whilst working on some of my more time-consuming models during the next couple of weeks.

Lastly, I have managed to get the 'groundwork' completed on the first four Confederate soldiers I have assembled from my recently acquired the American Civil War - Battle in a Box starter set by "Perry Miniatures". My plan is slowly 'pick away' at this quartet area by area over the coming month whenever the opportunity arises, and, much like my ongoing Napoleonic project using "Wargames Foundry", get five to six Tiny (four-figure strong) units completed for each side before settling down to some basic battles of "Black Powder"...

"I Will Not Be President Of A Ruined Empire!"

"There are no women like me. I am unique."

This 28mm scale piece of scenery is comprised of the Desert Shrine Scatter Terrain by "CobraMode" and the 1:21 scale resin miniature of The Leader by "Totters Yard Customs". The sanctum was created using some "Bambu Lab" PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer, whilst the 'statue' was very kindly gifted to me by its manufacturer to use on this project due to it failing their rigorous quality control standards - Not that I could see anything wrong with it myself.

Having been super-glued on a 120mm x 90mm oval MDF base by "Warbases", the altar was primed using plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey to help bring out all the sculpt's marvellous details. I then set to work aging the piece by 'picking out' all of the dirt which had accumulated around it with a combination of "Citadel" Doombull Brown, Rakarth Flesh and Agrax Earthshade. I also added a bit more colour to the piece by applying some "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to the two bowls located near the central plinth.

"Modiphius Entertainment" WIPs - Q, Sulu and Uhura

In order to make the statue appear a bit battered by the ages, I decided to initially give it a couple of licks of "Vallejo" Bronze, shade it with "Agrax Earthshade", and highlight it back up with a patient dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Bronze. I next carefully applied some streaks of the "Citadel" Technical Paint Nihilakh Oxide to its numerous folds, and later blended these areas in with (even more) "Vallejo" Bronze.

Finally the model and its stand were drilled, and pinned together using a little (too much) super-glue, green-stuff and an old drill bit. Obviously the more eagle-eyed will doubtless guess that this piece of scenery is destined for my "Blake's 7" tabletop as part of the President's Garden on Earth - where doubtless in the near future the likes of Roj Blake, Avon, Jenna and Vila will encounter Servalan, Space Commander Travis and a whole host of Federation troopers.

"Perry Miniatures" WIPs - Four Confederate soldiers assembled and primed

Sticking with Science Fiction I have also managed to get a little work done on three "Star Trek" miniatures by "Modiphius Entertainment" as part of my monthly random drawer challenge. I'd actually already started pigmenting this trio a few years ago, so I am hoping the likes of Uhura, Sulu and the ever enigmatic Q won't actually take all that long to complete.

Furthermore, I've taken a bit of a plunge by picking up the American Civil War - Battle in a Box starter set by "Perry Miniatures", and assembled four of its Confederate soldiers. This purchase was almost solely influenced by a recent rewatching of the 2020 American television miniseries "Grant", and will almost certainly be something of a slow-burn project over the coming months...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Modiphius Entertainment" April 2026

Last month's output was surprisingly dominated by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" and Super-heroes

Having successfully completed my four-month long Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP), and rather pleasingly managed to better last year's 'score' of 246 points by a further 13 points, I thought I might turn to a range of 28mm "soft resin" models I haven't paid much attention to for six years. Indeed, it's been so long since I last picked up one of the Star Trek Adventures Tabletop RPG figures produced by "Modiphius Entertainment" that the entire range appears to have subsequently been 'shelved' as a physical product, and are now only available as part of their "Print at Home" STL (Standard Triangle Language) files.

Perhaps slightly disconcertingly I haven't actually decided to pigment a quartet of these figures over the next few weeks through choice either. But rather as a result of a D12 dice roll, which saw me number a dozen of my hobby drawers and then randomly pick one for this month's project. However, as luck would have it, the particular container chosen was simply packed full of all sorts of goodies, so in the end I did have some say in what my brush-tip would be tackling throughout April.

"What is your name..?"

Furthermore, I have also finished another 28mm scale white metal model by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” for the Angry Piper's "Forced March" painting event over on his "Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging" wargaming blog. Available either separately as Alien Legionary 1A, or as part of the company's four-figure Alien Legionnaries set, this Ernst Veingart sculpt is clearly strongly influenced by Danilo Donati's costume design for the Emperor Ming's minions seen in Mike Hodges' cult 1980 movie "Flash Gordon".

The trooper was predominantly pigmented using "Vallejo" Heavy Red, "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson and Abaddon Black. However,  his belt buckle and shoulder epaulettes were treated to a little "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, whilst his gloved hands received a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

March 2026 - The battle between "Wargames Foundry" and "Games Workshop" is hotting up

Unfortunately, the previous month has been the worst March I've had productivity-wise since I first started noting my output well over a decade ago, and disappointingly I fear a lot of that inactivity has been due to my trying to push on with older projects as opposed to cracking on with newer ones. True, I have made a bit of a dent in my backlog (in some places). But a lot of the models I have finished won't see the tabletop on account of me still not having enough miniatures from that range for an actual game.

I'm therefore really hoping that my idea of randomly mixing up my painting subjects with some more recent purchases/3D prints will "Gee me [back] up". In recent years this month has been a rather slow time for me, so it should also offer me a good opportunity to get back on track with a few long-term gaming plans (e.g. Fielding some more Napoleonic units by "Wargames Foundry" for "Black Powder). In addition, despite my best intentions I still haven't got many actual battles 'in the books', and firmly believe that these spur me on when the hobby mojo is weakening...

"They Seem A Pretty Subhuman Species."

"Yet the master race."

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately as Beastman 3C, or as part of their DEAL 397 Beastman 3 four-figure set. Despite being by sculpted Ernst Veingart, I must confess to not being the greatest fan of this particular miniature as I dislike the patches of furry hair on the savage's chest forearms - something which arguably appears all the more bizarre-looking by the 'official' light-skinned paint-job.

As a result I decided to undercoat mine with a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and splosh him with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I then went back with some highlights of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna on the brute's facial features and fingers. This colour scheme definitely helped mask the aforementioned details I disliked without me having to resort to filing them off - which is something I did actually consider.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - The three remaining Beastmen

The Beastman's loincloth was hit with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, before I 'picked out' the heavily-ornated belt threaded around the fellow's waist with a little "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I did think about subsequently dry-brushing the animal fur with a little more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. However, as I wanted to use these models as cave-dwelling savages for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games" (using the Cultist or maybe Ghoul rules), I felt they'd probably be extremely dirty, so left the piece of 'cloth' lone.

To finish off my test piece, I used some "Citadel" Rakarth Flesh and Agrax Earthshade on the brute's formidable animal bone, and later dry-brushed the hand-weapon with a tad more Rakarth Flesh, as well as a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Dead White. I also dropped a little "Vallejo" Gunmetal along the metal ring sticking out from the implement's bottom, and darkened it down with a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"CobraMode" & "Totters Yard Customs" WIPs - This statue has yet to be base-layered and weathered

Perhaps unsurprisingly, having completed the first of my fearsome quartet I have carried on working on the remaining three Beastman I bought. Disappointingly though, due to my dislike of some of their details I am finding the trio rather hard work to progress, and am now unsure whether I will get the rest tabletop ready in time for the Angry Piper's "Forced March" painting event over on his "Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging" wargaming blog.

To mix things up a bit I am also tackling a piece of terrain I predominantly made using some "Bambu Lab" Jade White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer. The Desert Shrine Scatter Terrain itself is by "CobraMode". Whilst the resin 1:21 scale miniature of The Leader which I'm using as a statue, was incredibly kindly sent to me by "Totters Yard Customs" so I could use the ensemble for some future "Blake's 7" gaming...

"Hi..! I'm Squirrel Girl.!"

 "Yeah. Neat name, huh.?"

This "super rare" 28mm scale pre-painted plastic model of Squirrel Girl was produced by “Wizkids” and is miniature number 056 from their 2011 Marvel “Heroclix” Captain America expansion. Born with "a genetic anomaly which gives her the ability to communicate with squirrels", Doreen Green was created by Will Murray (writer) and Steve Ditko (artist), and first appeared in the Winter 1991 edition of "Marvel Super-Heroes".

Separated from her 'clicky' stand and super-glued onto a plastic 25mm circular base well over a decade ago, this figure actually then sat unattended in a plastic drawer for a further five years before I finally primed over its pre-existing paintjob using some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. For some reason it was then rather disappointingly consigned back to the shadows until very recently, when I decided to dig the Great Lakes Avenger out and get her tabletop ready.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three of four Beastman slowly being progressed

As a result I 'picked out' Doreen's leotard with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, before applying some "Two Thin Coats" Sword Hilt Burgundy to her waist pouches. As far as I can tell from the artist sketches I was using as a colour guide these bags are supposed to weave in and out of the super-heroine's furry costume. However, I simply couldn't see any such detail on the sculpt, so eventually just went with picking out the utility belt's buckle with a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

I next applied some "Citadel" Doombull Brown to Squirrel Girl's curly mop, and followed this up by sploshing her hair, as well as the human mutate's fur, tail and pouches with plenty of Agrax Earthshade. The majority of these areas were later carefully dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna or "Citadel" Doombull Brown as appropriate. As a last touch I gave the squirrel sat upon Green's shoulder a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and a dash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil - thus hopefully suggesting her trusty companion is Tippy-Toe.

"Trench Stench" WIPs - These Bomb Coffins are now about two thirds completed

Alongside my latest "Heroclix" miniature, I have also been busy tackling four Beastmen by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". This quartet haven't been in my collection for quite as long as Squirrel Girl. But have still probably been quietly gathering dust for a good three years, and as I fancy using them as Cultists in some future battles of "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games", I thought I'd better continue slapping some (more) paint on them 'toot sweet.'

Finally, I am still plugging away at three Bomb Coffins from the Ghosts of the Nomansland range by "Trench Stench". These "heavily armoured, tormented figures" are taking a lot longer to complete than I first anticipated on account of their swirling, somewhat fiddly to reach spectral flames - which I admit I initially intended to simply pigment grey as I thought it was supposed to be smoke...

"Summoning Her Strange Sonic Powers..."

 "...Black Canary hurls a whistling whammy at the retreating hearse."

This 28mm scale pre-painted plastic model of Black Canary was produced by “Wizkids” and is miniature number 036 from their DC “Heroclix” Cosmic Justice expansion. "A metahuman who possesses a unique ability known as the Canary Cry", this comic book super-heroine was created by Dennis O'Neil and Dick Dillin, and first appeared in the November 1969 issue of "Justice League of America".

Somewhat unsympathetically chopped from her 'clicky' base and super-glued onto a plastic 25mm circular base, Dinah Laurel Lance had her rather thick previous paint-job primed over with a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, before being doused in "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade. The figure's clothing and boots were then dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue to bring out some of the sculpt's detail.

"Bring it through safely. Land it."

I next applied some "Vallejo" Neutral Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to her tights in an effort to suggest that these were at least slightly transparent, and 'picked out' her rectangular belt buckle using a little "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Lastly, I gave Black Canary's hair as many coats of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow as it needed so it stopped looking green, sploshed the area in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and subsequently tried to build back some of its colour with (more) Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats".

In addition to Dinah Lance I have also finished another 28mm scale white metal model by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio”, which can be bought either separately as Alien Legionary 1A, or as part of the company's four-figure Alien Legionnaries set. Sculpted by Ernst Veingart, the miniature is clearly strongly influenced by Danilo Donati's costume design for the Emperor Ming's minions seen in Mike Hodges' cult 1980 movie "Flash Gordon", and is part of an embarrassingly sizeable and is part of a unit I'm currently working on for the Angry Piper's "Forced March" painting event over on his "Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging" wargaming blog.

"Trench Stench" WIPs - These Bomb Coffins have had their spectral flames 'picked out'

The trooper was predominantly pigmented using "Vallejo" Heavy Red, "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson and Abaddon Black. However,  his belt buckle and shoulder epaulettes were treated to a little "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, whilst his gloved hands received a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

I've also hopefully completed the 'larger part' of three Bomb Coffins from the Ghosts of the Nomansland range by "Trench Stench". These STL (Standard Triangle Language) files were produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on my Mars 5 3D Printer, and are already part of an embarrassingly large pile of grey (resin) I have made for my games set "in a horrifying alternate timeline of World War One..."

"Strange Object In The Imperial Vortex."

"Object entering our control range, approaching the Sea of Fire."

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately as Alien Legionary 1D, or as part of their four-figure Alien Legionnaries set. Sculpted by Ernst Veingart, the miniature is clearly strongly influenced by Danilo Donati's costume design for the Emperor Ming's minions seen in Mike Hodges' cult 1980 movie "Flash Gordon", and, along with a number of its scarlet-coloured comrade-in-arms, has rather embarrassingly been sat awaiting some attention on my painting table for a couple of years now.

Initially primed using a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Red, the trooper was given a dousing in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, before being dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red. The guard then had all of his leather straps and belt carefully 'picked out' with a smidgeon of "Citadel" Abaddon Black. Furthermore, his belt buckle and shoulder epaulettes were subsequently were treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Wizkids" WIPs - Sergeant Rock, Squirrel Girl and Black Canary

In order to create the illusion that the legionary's gloves were made from a different material to his robes, I gave the figure's hands a lick of "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion, before shading them with a quick splash of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. Lastly I applied some "Vallejo" Gunmetal to his face-mask's lenses and shaded the tiny areas with a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With just two more of these Alien Legionnaries left to complete before I can submit the finished unit into the Angry Piper's "Forced March" painting event over on his "Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging" wargaming blog, I've decided to dust down a few (really) old "Heroclix" models by "Wizkids" to help break up the monotony of pigmenting the same, similar-looking miniatures. Indeed, having now finished four of Ming's gas-mask wearing hoodlums in recent weeks, I must confess to losing some of my motivation to get the significantly-sized squad finally finished.

"Trench Stench" WIPs - A trio of Bomb Coffins

I had initially hoped that this trio of 28mm re-paints would prove fairly quick to get tabletop ready. But unlike the Black Canary - who I began progressing late last year, my Sergeant Rock and (to a lesser extent) Squirrel Girl will actually need some significant effort on account of Old Father Time taking its toll upon my earlier work. In fact, DC Comics' non-commissioned officer will effectively need a total overhaul after I discovered the figure was covered in tiny white blotches.

I've also decided to tap into my interest of "Trench Crusade" by producing and undercoating a trio Bomb Coffins from the Ghosts of the Nomansland range by "Trench Stench". These "hazardous battlefield obstacles" were created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on my Mars 5 3D Printer, and should give me another opportunity to devise a reasonably quick method of creating ethereal-looking undead creatures...

"You Cannot Hide. I See You."

"There is no life in the void, only death".

This rather diminutive 28mm scale metal model of Frodo Baggins was produced by "Games Workshop", and could be found inside either the Nottingham-based company's "The Fellowship Of The Ring" boxed set [99111499002] or as part of their Frodo & Sam blister [99061461002]. Now long OOP (Out Of Production), I actually only recently discovered that I had this figure in my backlog of "The Lord Of The Rings" miniatures, and must have picked him up (probably with Sam, Merry and Pippin) second-hand at a show some years ago.

In addition, having already 'properly pigmented' an identical sculpt just last month, I was initially at a bit of a loss as to what to do with it. But then thought I could use it to simply represent the Hobbit actually putting on the One Ring - as per the "Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game" (MESBG) main rule-book. Resultantly, the entire piece was treated to a couple of coats of "Two Thin Coats" White Star, splattered with some heavily watered-down "Vallejo" Neutral Grey, and dry-brushed with (more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats".

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Three of four Uruk-hai armed with crossbows currently on the painting table 

Now admittedly, this may well seem like a bit of a waste of a model to some. However, behind the scenes it provided me with a rare opportunity to experiment with a variety of "Citadel" Shades to establish whether I could suggest that 'ethereal creatures' (such as The Army of the Dead or the "Dead faces in the Dead Marshes") were actually wearing coloured clothing.

Having covered this miniature in a cunning combination of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, Nuln Oil, Carroburg Crimson and Reikland Fleshshade though, and subsequently started giving the halfling a dry-brush of (more) "Two Thin Coats" White Star, it disappointingly became clear to me that my plan using fading inks wasn't going to work. I therefore decided to sadly re-prime Frodo with (even more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats", and apply the far simpler two-tone colour scheme I mention above.

"Trench Stench" WIPs - Three of five Dirt Knights currently being worked on

In addition to providing my Fellowship with a distinctive-looking Ring-bearer, I've assembled, undercoated and progressed a handful more Uruk-hai armed with crossbows too. This all-metal orc unit by "Games Workshop" will be added to my already quite-sizeable Isengard force for MESBG, and also contribute towards the Angry Piper's "Forced March" painting event over on his "Dead Dick’s Tavern and Temporary Lodging" wargaming blog.

Likewise, I have dusted down the five 32mm Dirt Knights by "Trench Stench" I printed and began painting back in October 2025. Recently I've been producing quite a considerable number of the manufacturer's "Trench Crusade" inspired models on my "Elegoo" Mars 5 3D printer, and thought I had better start getting on top of this fast-growing pile of grey before things get too badly out of hand...

"If I Die, I'm Going To Die Historic On The Fury Road!"

 "Do not, my friends, become addicted to water. It will take hold of you, and you will resent its absence."

"Hello Speed Freaks, and welcome to our latest broadcast of Cars, Crashes and Carnage, where we reveal all the latest news concerning the vehicles racing across our barren, post-nuclear landscape. I'm your host with the most Rex Wonkers, and alongside veteran roustabout-turned-roughneck Lance Sourdough, I'll be taking a closer look at the four latest competitors to be announced for the Juice Cup."

"To open with we have the super-sleek Solar Eagle III, which largely consists of the identically-named die-cast vehicle produced by "Mattel" between 1998 to 2001. It's believed that the 20mm scale metal "Hot Wheels" model was purchased loose at a second-hand stall a couple of years ago, and having been kitted out with a couple of forward-facing machine-guns taken from the plastic Implements of Carnage One sprue by "North Star Military Figures", was subsequently super-glued on to a "Citadel" plastic 90 x 52mm oval base."

"Mattel WIPs" - This Duck N' Roll car has been converted using "North Star Military Figures" bitz 

"It was then that the lightweight, teardrop-shaped car was primed in "Vallejo" Heavy Red, shaded using some (disconcertingly gloopy) "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red, Rex. The driver's viewport was subsequently layered with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, whilst the 762 terrestrial-grade silicon solar cells and weapons were treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil."

"In addition, you can't forget the rear-mounted mercenary riding 'shotgun'. The 20mm metal figure was selected from the NSPIoC13 - Corporate Team (Drivers & Passengers) set by "North Star Military Figures" and predominantly pigmented using "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. However, the machinegun-toting lookout also had his helmet picked out with a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson."

"That chap's going to have hold on very tight should the Solar Eagle III start accelerating up to its top speed of forty-three miles per hour, Lance. Of course, this solar car isn't the only headline grabber for this show, with the local Police Department's announcement of their 'Duck of Death' vehicle. Based upon the chassis of a "Hot Wheels" Duck N' Roll, this monstrosity will come armed with a formidable tesla cannon."

"North Star Military Figures" WIPs - Two more 20mm plastic motorcycles are on the painting table

"And let's not forget we also have another pair of 20mm plastic motorcycles found on the Implements of Carnage One sprue by "North Star Military Figures" dropping their dog-tags into the hat too, Rex. These boys are far more reliant upon their bikes' great speed to help them survive the tournament. Though I did spot one of them sporting a gatling gun at the front of their machine."

"Well that about brings our latest transmission to an end, Lancey Boy. So it's goodbye from the pair of us, and we look forward to speaking to all you wasteland survivors again in the next edition of Cars, Crashes and Carnage..."

"Sweet Christmas!"

 "All right... Now it's time to get ugly!"

This 40mm scale model of Luke Cage is manufactured by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was unlocked as a stretch goal during the company's highly successful February 2020 Kickstarter for "Marvel United" when it achieved a whopping $2,866,168 in funding. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas and John Romita Sr., the comic book character made his first appearance in the June 1972 first issue of "Luke Cage, Hero for Hire".

Undercoated using a ton of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow, Power Man's boots and belt were 'picked out' using "Citadel" Abaddon Black. The Hero For Hire's trousers were then given a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, shaded in "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade and later dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. At this point I also decided to apply a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to the miniature's belt buckle and wrist-bands.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Two Voltigeurs at various stages of completion

Inadvertently given "superhuman strength and nearly impenetrable skin," the hero's bare forearms and head were pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, before Cage's fingers and facial features were highlighted with a little (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. I next applied a wash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade all over Luke's shirt and subsequently dry-brushed it with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow.

Unfortunately this process didn't turn out as well as I had hoped - probably due to the "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade being a bit goopy - so I soon re-painted the top in Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats" and this time tried some "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade as a shade. Disappointingly, this didn't work out all that well either, so eventually I decided to give the New Avenger a single coat of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow - which allowed a lot of the darker colouring to still show through - and a heavily watered-down wash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. This seemed to produce the shadow effect I was after, and may well now become my 'go to' way to paint yellow in the future.

"CobraMode" WIPs - This Desert Shrine has been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

In addition to Power Man, I have also managed to make some more progress on the two remaining Napoleonic Frenchmen I need to finish in order to field a tiny (four-figure) unit of skirmishers for "Black Powder". Taken from the "Wargames Foundry" blister FN103 - Grenadiers Or Voltigeurs In Greatcoat Marching, these two 28mm miniatures don't actually need all that much work, so should be tabletop ready in the next week or so.

As a bit of a change I've also started working on some terrain I recently made using some "Bambu Lab" Jade White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer. This Desert Shrine Scatter Terrain is by "CobraMode" and was acquired as part of my subscription when I used to support them on "My Mini Factory". I don't actually plan to use it with any of the other STL (Standard Triangle Language) files of theirs which I own. But instead intend to plonk a sizeable statue onto its daïs...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge” [IV/IV] March 2026

Last month's output was a mixed bag of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Napoleonics

Thanks to a strong showing during the past four weeks, I'm pleased to say that I'm only 46 points short of beating my tally for last year's Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP), and resultantly only need to paint another ten 28mm scale miniatures which I started working on prior to last December. Much of this success has undoubtedly been due to my continuing love of "Wargames Foundry" and their Napoleonic range. But also to a very sudden interest in the original version of the Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game (MESBG) by "Games Workshop" and a group of Hobbits' deadly encounter with lots of Uruk-hai at Parth Galen.  

Indeed, spurred on by this enthusiasm for Middle Earth I have already finished work on another 28mm scale Uruk-hai armed with a crossbow. Like a number of similarly equipped miniatures I currently have sat upon my hobby table, this particular metal "Games Workshop" figure had already been primed "Citadel" Abaddon Black from an earlier attempt to make it tabletop ready, so to begin with I just gave the model's armour and weapon/bolts a lick of "Scale 75" Decayed Metal, Thrash Metal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

 "We come to kill, by sun or moon."

I then applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red with a "Citadel” Devlan Mud wash onto the orc's flesh, and carefully applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade over the creature's shoes, loincloth, hair, gloves, straps, belt, pouches and crossbow. As a final step, I treated the brute’s knife sheath to a little “Vallejo” Heavy Brown and washed it with (more) “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade.

Alongside my personal challenge's final month, I thought I'd also participate in Angry Piper's Forced March challenge over on his blog "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging". This means that I'll be predominantly focusing upon getting at least one infantry (or cavalry) unit completed during the month - providing "its more than a one-model unit".

February 2026 - The year already seems to be shaping up into a battle between "Wargames Foundry" and "Games Workshop"

Currently I have a number of such units I want to get finished, not least of which would be a sizeable gathering of Uruk-hai - possibly for the old The Lord of the Rings: War of the Ring mass-battle miniature wargame by "Games Workshop", so this new goal shouldn't really prove too problematic. In fact, my painting area is currently filled full of Napoleonic infantrymen, Alien Legionnaries, Beastmen and 3D prints which would adequately fit the bill if enough are pigmented.

As to whether or not something new might sneak up upon me as "The Lord Of The Rings" has, I cannot say. I have a number of one-off miniatures I would like to finally get finished - before they're probably stored away again in a box until next year's PPPP, and such diversions can invariably cause me to start wandering down yet another rabbit hole of wargaming which I hadn't anticipated venturing down before...

"The Forbidden Zone Was Once A Paradise."

"Your breed made a desert of it, ages ago."

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought either separately as Simian Minion 2B, or as part of their four-figure Simian Minions 2 set. Sculpted by Andrew May, the miniature is clearly strongly influenced by actor Maurice Evans' portrayal of Doctor Zaius in the 1968 film "Planet of the Apes", and rather frustratingly required a partial re-paint at one stage when things went a little sour whilst working on the orangutan politician's coat and trousers.

Originally primed with a lick or two of "Vallejo" Heavy Orange, the Minister of Science's boots and leather shoulder covering were treated to a layer of Heavy Sienna. I then washed the entire model with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and started to dry-brush the authority on simian science's jacket with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Orange. However, despite the "Games Workshop" shade having worked just fine on the aforementioned brown areas, it had somehow turned into a disconcertingly dark, gloopy mess everywhere else.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - Sam, Pippin and Merry have all been undercoated

This strange reaction seems to have been caused by the "Vallejo" Heavy Orange transforming into an almost plastic-like skin once dry, and resulted in me having to reapply the paint all over the Chief Defender of the Faith's sleeves, pants and tunic a second time to cover all the ruddy mess. Disappointingly, I was never able to completely mask this mistake as the Game Color paint is quite transparent. But eventually I got to the stage where I was able to give Doctor Zaius a heavily-watered down wash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and semi-successfully highlight the garment back up with a dry-brush of (even more) "Vallejo" Heavy Orange. 

With the bulk of the model now done, I turned my attention to picking out some of the details, such as simply applying some "Citadel" Abaddon Black to the orangutan's undershirt. I also used a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade on the figure's flesh, and later lined his fingers, cheeks and lips with a smidgeon more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. Lastly, I gave the miniature's hair a brush-tip full of Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats", darkened it down with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and brightened it back up with a dry-brush of (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow and a delicate touch of White Star.

"Big Head Chibis" WIPs - Stan, Amand, and "WT"

Alongside Doctor Zaius I have also found the time to undercoat three more hobbits by "Games Workshop" from the Nottingham-based manufacturer's old "The Lord Of The Rings" range. As with the Frodo Baggins I recently painted, I believe Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck, and Peregrin Took are all from the now long out of production (OOP) "The Fellowship Of The Ring" boxed set - albeit I believe I bought them second-hand at a wargaming show.

Somewhat strangely (and suddenly) I've also found myself in the mood for some more games of the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game, and resultantly recently picked up a copy of its Spider-Verse and Avengers expansion books. This has perhaps inevitably lead to me dusting down some of the 3D prints I produced last year by "Big Head Chibis" - as I have a distinct lack of civilians to use as objectives (e.g. kidnap victims) in my scenarios...