"One Tiny Crack In The Hull..."

"...And our blood boils in thirteen seconds."

This Terran Large Transport vessel is by "Fat Dragon Games", and was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer. It can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file as part of the company's Expansion Set Three for "Battlefront Valkyrie", and has been printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.1mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished model.

As with my previously painted Terran Transport freighters I decided to forgo the usual predominantly "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey palette I have been using on my (not) Federation starships, and make the cargo-carrying spacecraft stand out by giving it a double helping of "Citadel" Rakarth Flesh as an prime/base coat instead. The miniature was then washed using some slightly watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed with (more) Rakarth Flesh to help bring out all its details. As a final touch, the transport's propulsion unit was 'picked out' using my tried and tested combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Talassar Blue.

The Imperial Fists get in close and personal, whilst the Sons of Horus form a line near a water feature.

Alongside my latest addition to my Terran fleet, I have also managed to squeeze in a battle using my homemade 15mm science fiction collaborative rules, "M.I.S.S.” - once again using a load of Xenomorphs by “Ground Zero Games”, 10mm Face Huggers by “Pendraken Miniatures” and Ion Age figures by "Alternative Armies". The game centred around an old ruined complex being infested by H.R. Giger’s famous aliens, and saw the Emperor deploy a combined force of Sons Of Horus and Crimson Fists to eradicate them.

For much of the onslaught the Space Marines were able to simply hold a line and whittle down their attackers with some impressive displays of ranged fire - The Warmaster's Legion doing a particularly fine job with its dreadnought whilst hugging the edge of a lagoon for added protection. However, a particularly strong horde of alien warriors did manage to reach the Crimson Fists quite early on in the game, and required the presence of the Chapter's white-helmeted Veteran Squad to finally be vanished.

Both Space Marine forces become embroiled in plenty of close combat towards the battle's end.

Indeed, the Crimson Fists seemed to become far more embroiled in the battle's close combat shenanigans for most of the fight as they pushed ever further forward so as to reach one of their main objectives, and even had their Sergeant charge into a small horde of Xenomorphs when the deadly extra-terrestrials threatened the Sons of Horus' main transport tank.

Ultimately though, even those who followed "the most favoured son of the Emperor" found themselves knee-deep in acidic alien blood, as the assault upon Mankind reached its climax, and the Space Marines managed to push on to capture the final goals needed to assure their victory. This was a cracking way to spend an afternoon, and perhaps unsurprisingly has resulted in my making a little order with "Alternative Armies" for some Ion Age reinforcements...

"Crudely Built But Capable Of Taking Quite A Beating..."

"...The tank crushes and barrels its way around a battlefield."

These two 15mm scale Space Goblins' vehicles are sold by “Alternative Armies” and can be purchased as Pack Code IAF046 Infernus Tank - Malig Ball Tank from the company’s "The Ion Age" range. Supplied as a multi-piece metal and resin kit, they are armed with both Charon Fire Projectors, Maia Guns and also come with a 50mm resin scenic base.

However, once assembled each model was actually super-glued on to a large-sized plastic "Flames Of War" stand by “Battlefront Miniatures”, and subsequently primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black. They were then base-layered in "Vallejo" Gunmetal. I did momentarily consider using "Vallejo" Heavy Red - as that seemed more in keeping with a Goblin force. But in the end decided to stick with the 'official' colour scheme instead; at least for these first two miniatures.

"It's two hull halves spinning while the centre remains stationary."

"Often deployed in support of Malig Tesserans", the assault rollers were drowned in “Citadel” Nuln Oil, before receiving a heavy dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. I next splodged some heavily watered down "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna over their 'hull halves' and later pigmented the centre portion with pure "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

To be honest, the most difficult part of getting these quite hefty Infernus Tanks tabletop ready was attaching the two outer parts of the vehicle to their (stationary) middle. All of these pieces were made of cast resin and without any guide-markers or slots, it was rather hard to get each ensemble properly aligned with one another before the super-glue set fast. In the end both of the models were a little wonky, so I ended up using some green-stuff on their base to help balance them up for the human eye not to notice.

"Alternative Armies" WIPs - The (backwards) Runner Drone and Female Retained Veteran

In addition to these formidable additions to my evil Shia Khan Legion, I have also begun work on a much smaller stand of infantry for my Prydian Army - largely inspired by a female Inquisitor adorned in power armour from the "Warhammer 40K" universe. Resultantly I am plan to plonk a Taranis (Jammer) Runner Drone alongside a Female Retained Veteran, and use the duo as another 'hero' base for my non-canon games of 15mm Horus Heresy.

Rather embarrassingly though, I've already noticed that I have permanently affixed the drone's mechanical legs back-to-front, so the pose's two headlights are now facing to its rear. This error on my behalf is incredibly annoying; albeit I strongly doubt it'll actually be noticeable to anyone who looks at the two-figure unit once its been fully painted, glued together, flocked and had static grass applied to it...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" October 2026

Science Fiction figures once again completely dominated my past month's output

Things have definitely been somewhat off-target painting-wise over the past few months, so rather than try to focus upon a somewhat ad hoc collection of Undead/Survivor themed miniatures for the annual "Zomtober" challenge during October, I thought things might be a bit more productive if I once again simply concentrated upon my backlog of a single, individual company. Of course, where I can I do plan to pigment a grisly ghoul, ghost or zombie, but considering just how badly the last four weeks' output turned out to be, I think I'd rather apply my paintbrush to some figures which inspire me to get them tabletop ready rather than aimlessly 'flit' around my lead mountain looking for something to tie in to a specific event.

Such a decision will hopefully allow me to get enough models varnished and flocked in time for some games of "Adventures in Time & Television" before the end of the year - a self-made solo/co-operative ruleset based upon my M.I.S.S. system. I've recently had to update the core of these homebrew rules to accommodate some of the 15mm figures/vehicles I have completed from "Alternative Armies" The Ion Age range, so bringing them up to speed for 28mm battles shouldn't prove too difficult.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three of the four Alien Legionnaries I've recently found

Resultantly, I plan to predominantly work on a number of sculpts produced by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" in order to obtain a better understanding of what I need pick up from the manufacturer's stall whilst visiting the fairly imminent Wargames Association of Reading (WAR) annual wargames show Warfare. Initially, this'll focus upon more of Karl Perrotton's Alien Legionnaries, which will form the 'bulk' of the opposition for my game - and four of which I unexpectedly stumbled upon whilst having a bit of a rummage through my 'pile of potential'.

I have though also got my eye on some Nautican Warriors I recently purchased, which will give the 'randomly generated' villains a totally different aspect should they enter the contest. I am already working on a pilot piece for this evil underwater race, and will probably pick up their leader, Emporer Poseidus, along with a couple more packs of Nauticans when I attend the aforementioned show in the middle of November.

September 2026 - Crooked Dice Game Design Studio continues to extend their lead in my Top Five Manufacturers

By far the biggest disappointment of September was failing to even get the four Systemic Security miniatures by "Beast In The Broch" finished. Admittedly, the remaining two figures are reasonably close to completion. Yet I am now far behind working on the set's two leading characters: Alpha One (standing) and Alpha Two (advancing), and have vowed not to order the company's latest releases - along with another load of System Security units, until I have them done too.

My fingers are most definitely crossed regarding my output over the next few weeks, as not only do I already have a load more 15mm "Alternative Armies" infantry en route, including enough Retained Knights to significantly 'fill out' my (not) Dark Angels contingent. But I am also awaiting many of the latest Submarine Crew sculpts from "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". However, I do feel as if I will need to get a few actual games in to help maintain my hobby mojo as the shorter days start to draw in...

“You See, Doctor, You’re My Intellectual Equal."

"Almost. I have too few worthy opponents. When they’ve gone I always miss them.”

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought as MINI 2388 Modern Moriarty. Sculpted by Ian Mountain, the figure is clearly heavily inspired by the late Roger Delgado's portrayal of the Master (1971–1973) in the BBC science fiction television series "Doctor Who".

As I've always felt this particular incarnation of the "Machiavellian time traveller" wore an off-black suit, I started out by priming the dastardly villain with a couple of layers of "Vallejo" German Grey and subsequently shading him in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then gave the Doctor's arch-nemesis a heavy dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" German Grey, before carefully picking out his shirt cuffs with a combination of "Vallejo" Dead White and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Raise your hands."

I did spend a while ruminating over the model's goatee beard and slightly receding hair as Delgado's was noticeably greying during his tenure - most notably with some blatantly white areas of facial hair. However, as the miniature was seemingly stroking one side of his beard I felt it would look a little odd to have a small tuft of white sticking out, so stuck with it just being "Citadel" Abaddon Black. This Citadel base colour was also used to make the fiend's shoes and gloves also stand out from his dark grey costume. Finally, I carefully applied a little "Vallejo" Neutral Grey to the edges of the figure's hairline, and blended it in with some "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and a smidgeon of Abaddon Black.

Alongside my latest "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" time traveller, I have also finished another model by "Beast In The Broch" too. This 32mm scale pewter cast miniature of Systemic Security 3 can be brought either individually as SKU: ALI05 or as part of the six-figure Systemic Units set SKU: PAK 07. Digitally sculpted by Carl Stoelzel, I've painted the model up to resemble one of the System's guards as seen in the 1979 television episode of "Blake's Seven" entitled "Redemption".

"Alternative Armies" WIPs - These two Infernus Tanks are close to completion

The guard was undercoated in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and later shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then used plenty of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil on the chap's visor and chest area (front and back), before tackling some of his finer details - like pigmenting the communications bracelet in "Scale 75" Decayed Metal and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, his hand-weapon in "Vallejo" Dead White and Pale Grey, and the minion's front-facing tubing in "Two Thin Coats" Ethereal Green and a smidgeon of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green.

Furthermore, I've managed to get most of the colours finished on two of the three 15mm Infernus Tanks by "Alternative Armies" which I'm currently working on. Unlike the third and final of these Malig Ball Tanks, this pair of rotund vehicles don't have their space goblin pilot peeking out from inside the deadly contraption, so should soon be ready for the tabletop...

"The Dark Angels' Terrible Secret Is This."

"During the Horus Heresy, some of their brethren were turned to the side of Chaos."

These three 15mm metal miniatures are from "The Ion Age" range by "Alternative Armies", and come from their IAF008 Retained Knight Post Charlie multi-figure set. Super-glued upon some wooden chop-sticks for more months (if not years) than I care to remember, I recently dusted them down and decided to paint them as part of my small collection of "Rogue Trader" era Dark Angels space marines.

For openers the trio were simply undercoated with a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Dark Green and shaded using plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then gave each model a brusque dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Dark Green, before patiently picking out their Angis Rifles with a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Alternative Armies" WIPs - These Infernus Tanks have been assembled, primed and shaded

As a final touch I carefully added a line of pure "Citadel" Abaddon Black to their visor slits, and also applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to any pouches I could spot. Having recently used my quite sizeable collection of "The Ion Age" figures and vehicles on the tabletop, I spotted I wasn't always quite as robust at spotting these leather-made additions to my Retained Knights, so I made doubly certain on this occasion to get the ammunition pouches properly pigmented.

Perhaps understandably, as I am currently rather taken with this splendidly-sculpted range I have started work on building and priming a squadron of three Infernus Tanks. These Malig Ball Tanks will finally provide my opposition with some vehicles, and hopefully encourage me to finally build up enough enemy units to properly challenge my Retained Knights and/or Muster of the Prydian Army.

"Modiphius Entertainment" WIPs - This Generator is ready for some washes and weathering

Unfortunately, my plans for this 'sudden turn to 15mm' has taken a bit of a backward step as I simply cannot find my box of unpainted miniatures by "Alternative Armies". I know inside it I have several nearly-finished figures, as well as an embarrassing truckload of models taken from several of "The Ion Age" armies. However, I have located my resin vehicle small-box - together with a plastic bag filled with a variety of the range's various special edition sculpts. So for now I have more than enough to be getting on with.

Lastly, I've got some paint on the last of my entries for Dave Stone's Season of Scenery over on his "Wargames Terrain Workshop" blog. Originally I was planning to prime both of these 3D prints from the free Fallout: Wasteland Warfare - Print at Home - STL (Standard Triangle Language) Sampler Set released by "Modiphius Entertainment" in "Vallejo" Gunmetal Blue. But then felt I might as well use the "Citadel" Abaddon Black base layer as an undercoat for all the areas on the two generators I want to appear "Vallejo" Gunmetal...

Miss Fantorical 2025 - An "Undercoat" Painting Pageant

Another twelve months have flown by and once again I have been asked to do a review of the "Fantorical" miniatures painting blog for the year just gone. As has become traditional, I have picked a miniature for each month and then picked an overall favourite. My choices are based on the paint job, the miniature itself, what I think is interesting and some other factors - such as quirkiness, and how unusual they are. Some months had some straight forward choices, whereas others proved to be a much harder decision with multiple models that would ordinarily have made a straightforward pick in a different month. Rules are rules though, and unfortunately some great painted miniatures therefore didn’t make it onto this list.

January - Megalodon Dorsal Fin (Submerged) by "Loot Studios" - January 13th

This is such an interesting miniature. It is a 3D print of a shark fin cutting through some water, and as well as being a really nice miniature with some excellent water effects, it also conjures up some iconic images. Indeed, the music of John Williams just comes into my head when I see it. The paint scheme is simple. But I think the water has been painted especially nicely.

February -  Sundance by "Great Escape Games" - February 28th

Moving from 3D prints to an old school metal miniature we have a wild west figure that I thought was different and very charming. I have been tempted by Dead Man’s Hand for a while after playing a demo game at a wargames show, so maybe that is why I picked this particular miniature model. The painting is great, and you are drawn to the face as you always should be. I just really like this one and not a Stetson in sight!

March - Ned Kelly by "Great Escape Games" - March 12th

Now, I don’t really like to pick two miniatures from the same range, and certainly not one after the other, as variety and unusual choices are part of my picking process. However, sometimes things just work against that! This is a model of an iconic outlaw that I remember from a television show when I was young, and whose appearance is both unique and very different. His inclusion in a cowboy game was a great idea, and he just has so much to like about him from the painting, to the quirkiness and the nostalgia.

April - Moscow Militia by "Wargames Foundry" - April 18th

I do have a soft spot for Napoleonic miniatures as "The Silver Bayonet" is one of my favourite games at the moment. This one is slightly unusual in that the bright colours you would normally associate with the period are replaced with grey and brown - which I thought was very interesting. It is the painting on this one though that really grabbed my attention, especially the face. It looks absolutely amazing with superb eyes, and a truly stoic/determined expression that really appeals. Great painting on this one.

May - Retained Knight by "Alternative Armies" - May 30th

This was picked with a massive amount of personal bias as I just love the Blood Angels Space Marine Legion in the Horus Heresy era, and as these "Ion Age" miniatures were painted to represent them I was hooked straight away. We do though move from 28mm to 15mm in scale, and I have to say the detail picked out on this smaller sculpt is very impressive. Just look at the loin cloths and shoulder pads. But it is the gold armour of the hero that really stands out here. Massive personal bias but who cares!

June - Doop by "CoolMiniOrNot" - June 18th

Tough month this one, with some lovely miniatures to pick from and I went for one I had never heard of before! Why? Well, he just looks fun and I think that the vibrant green paint scheme just makes him really really pop. At first I thought it was slimer from Ghostbusters, so after reading the posting it made me go and look up this comic book character. Interesting little mini and really good painting.

July - Space Marine Praetor by "Games Workshop" - July 14th

Another tough pick as I really liked Abomination painted/posted during this month. But my love of the Horus Heresy just pipped him to the post with this monster of a space marine ("Games Workshop" does mess up scales a lot!) hero which was slightly converted from the plastic original. I think the Sons of Horus paint colour is excellent and he does look so cool.

August - Hungarian Officer by "Wargames Foundry" - August 21st

More Napoleonics you say? Yes, I reply. I can just hear the theme music to "Sharpe" as I type! This fella is a complete contrast to the previous Russian choice with bright colours and lots of golden bling - Much more like it! I think it is the unusual white and blue colours that I like about this one too, which look so good and make him stand out in my opinion.

September - Andre the Giant by "Hasbro" - September 4th

One of the reasons I enjoy browsing "Fantorical" is the unusual miniatures that you come across, and this one appeared from way out of left field. I don’t know much about wrestling. But I have heard of this gentleman - helped enormously by a memorable appearance in "The Princess Bride". So, a miniature based on an action figure? Interesting and very quirky. However, it is the painting on this one that won me over as the skin and face are just top notch. Excellent painting on full display here.

October - Killer Croc Thug by "Knight Models" - October 20th

I really like Batman and have a soft spot for the excellent sculpts of "Knight Models", so this one was always in contention. I think this is a good example of a photograph not doing full justice to a painted miniature as it looks so good in the green scaly flesh. As well as the excellent reptilian skin, the colour of the jeans is a particular standout for me as they look so good. All round just a nice sculpt and a nice paint job.

November - Plague Lord by "Mantic Games" - November 24th

A 10mm scale model of what appears to be a bit of a giant monstrosity on the battlefield. I just love the way these have all been painted. They all look so good in my opinion that I had to include one of the three posted on "Fantorical".

December - Bat Sentry by "Wizkids" - December 12th

"Heroclix" miniatures are sometimes a bit ropey when it comes to the sculpt and the material. However, this one looks excellent and I thought it was actually produced by "Knight Models" at first. This is a lovely looking model that has been painted so well Just an overall great combination of miniature and paint job.

Well, that is my top 12. My overall favourite is……

The unusual and quirky and exceptionally well painted Andre the Giant by "Hasbro"! Just very different and so well done.

I am sure my choices were not always the same as yours so feel free to say what your favourites of 2025 were and may your pile of unpainted miniatures reduce in 2026!

Top Ten Miniatures Of 2025 - A "Rantings From Under The Wargames Table" Viewpoint

It’s that time again folk’s, when once a year Simon lets me play fast and loose with his blog and pick what are in my opinion the ten best miniatures he has painted in 2025. Each year this gets harder to do as there is just so much good stuff to choose from. So without further ado let’s get stuck in to the real stars of the show…the miniatures.

No. 10 - Plague Lord by “Mantic Games” - November 18th

If you're only an occasional visitor to this blog you could be forgiven for thinking it’s all just 28mm stuff. But regulars will be more aware that Simon does tend to “dip his toe” into other scales as well, and a perfect example of this are these smashing 10mm scale versions of Mantic Games' “First Generation Plague Lord” figures. Now I have the 28mm version of a figure very similar to this, and I have to say my painting of that is no more detailed than this tiny rendition - truly outstanding stuff!

No. 9 - Late Line Infantry Flank Company Shouldered Arms by “Wargames Foundry” - November 10th

Simon’s continued efforts within his Napoleonic project cannot help but be admired. As something I flirted with many years back I am well aware of how taxing and soul destroying gazing upon rows and rows of intricate infantry can be, so each time another of his perfectly pigmented Napoleonic protagonists appears on his blog I have to tip my hat both to his exceeding good paintwork, and his resilience. I chose this British line infantry soldier for the Top Ten, as he sums up perfectly both the period and quality Simon has put into it.

No. 8 - Falklands British Infantry by “Pendraken Miniatures” - August 30th

More British infantry at the number eight spot too. Though this time we jump forward over a hundred years and down a scale or two, with these sublime versions of troops dispatched to the Falkland Islands during the 1982 conflict. Painting 10mm figures looks easy, but I know from experience that to get results as good as this requires a lot of skill and a steady hand to pick-out all the details - something that has been done with real aplomb here.

No. 7 - Dalek by “Black Tree Designs” - February 24th

Daleks. The scourge of the universe! Who doesn’t love a Dalek? Well basically anyone who has to paint them. It’s the domes that are the killer, and of course there are so many of them too - fifty six in fact! And they all have to be perfect. Luckily the ones on show here are as is the classic dark grey colour scheme made popular by “Genesis of the Daleks”. I have great admiration for a well painted Dalek, and Simon’s are some of the best I’ve seen.

No. 6 - Kurgun C3-A Heavy Cruiser by “Fat Dragon Games” – September 24th

Always one to cut his own path when it comes to starting a new project, Simon decided to do some “Star Trek” universe gaming, But rather than use “Official” miniatures he found some that though conveying the flavour of the original television series, were in my opinion much cooler looking! This was never more evident than in this version of a Klingon Heavy Cruiser. The ship's design is awesome, and the dark green colour scheme is both alien and menacing in equal measure. Absolute top work!

No. 5 - Gell Guard 2 by “Black Tree Designs” - January 20th

Well I was mightily impressed with the painting of this miniature (and the other two also painted about the same time) - both when they appeared for the first time, and again when I set about compiling this Top Ten. But it was when I saw the actual episodes of Doctor Who it appears in again this week on “U& Eden”, due to them re-showing "The Three Doctors" over the festive period, that I was struck by just how incredibly accurate Simon’s rendition is. Seriously 'Google it' and be amazed! I like my figures to be finished with a matt varnish, whereas Simon prefers a gloss finish and I have to say it works a treat on these guys. They could have glided straight out of the story. Beautifully done!

No. 4 - Retained Knight by "Alternative Armies" - May 30th

I’ve already mentioned my admiration for Simon’s ability to find alternatives to official figures to play games with, and perhaps my favourite version of this is his 15mm take on “Warhammer 40K” using miniatures from Alternative Armies “Ion Age” range. Figures for this project have made my Top Ten before in previous years. But this “Special Character” clad in gold with “Blood Angels” red accents was just too good to pass over this year, and has again got me perusing the “Alternative Armies” website!

No. 3 - Andre the Giant by “Hasbro” - September 4th

Though the classic era of the World Wrestling Federation “WWF” passed me by, I did of course know who all the main players were as they were pretty much household names and popular toys at the time. And it was the “toy like” appearance of this lovely figure that really spoke to me. This is hardly a surprise as he was scaled down to just (just?) 70mm tall by Simon, but still a massive figure by our standards. The painting is of course up to Simon’s normal high standards and even more impressive due to the increased height of the model. It really brings the character's oversized personality to wonderful life.

No. 2 - Korg by “CoolMiniorNot” - July 7th

If you like your superheroes  “Chibi” style then you’ve come to the right place, as there have been many super (pardon the pun) large headed versions of all your Marvel favourites appearing on this blog over the last twelve months. Indeed, it was our mutual love of all things “Superhero” that originally brought Simon, myself and our respective blogs together in the first place. Resultantly, it would just be so wrong of me not to include at least one of this genre in my Top Ten list, and it was a difficult choice too as they have all been so good. But the absolute perfection in colour palette and execution of Korg, along I admit with him being a favourite character of mine, just edged him above the rest.

No. 1 - Bat Sentry by “Wizkids” - December 12th

So we come to the top of the tree, the big kahuna as it were, and what I hear you ask could keep the beautifully painted miniatures above from the Number One spot? Well strangely enough I did put a Batmobile in my Top Ten last year. But this is on a whole new level! The Batmobile/Bat Sentry is a sort of “Transformer” that I didn’t even know existed until I read Simon's post (see you learn stuff here as well as basking in the lovely painted miniatures!). Of course I’ve waxed lyrical about his exceptional skill with black coloured miniatures before, and that is on show in spades here too, contrasting to perfection with the radiant yellow Bat symbol that fair glows upon its chest, as well as the red menacing eyes. Then add in the dark metallic’s on the joints and accents, and you have what looks like a simple black miniature, but is in fact covered in small yet important details. Like good movie music it is there but it don’t shout, just subtly enhances the whole viewing experience. Absolutely gorgeous, and a perfect example of Simon’s work, this is my number one of 2025!

************************************************************************

So there you go, ten wonderful miniatures from a blog full of wonderful miniatures, and if you follow the links some damn fine reading as well! So grab a cup (or glass) of your tipple of choice and go back to enjoy a year’s worth of great blogging. It’ll get you in the mood for all the wonder that is no doubt to come over the next twelve months. If you want to read some good writing and see some not so good miniatures, then you can check out Simon’s take of my last two years work (yes I’ve been much less prolific than him I’m afraid) here…

https://rantingsfromunderthewargamestable.wordpress.com/

All that leaves me to do is first off thank Simon once again for letting me “tend his baby” for a night. I hope I haven’t turned away too many of his followers, and of course to wish all of you out there in blog-land the very best New Year. I hope all your endeavours, be them gaming or otherwise, are as successful as you wish, and the year proves to be healthy, safe, successful and secure for us all.

Cheers Roger.

"A Legendary Hero..."

"...To lead your Blood Angels into battle."

This small stand of two 15mm miniatures by "Alternative Armies" is comprised of a figure taken from their "The Ion Age" limited edition pack IAFL01 Hackett and Tasker, and one from Code IAF008 Retained Knight Post Charlie. The sculpts are designed to be used with the company’s “Patrol Angis” rule-set. But I’ve based and painted mine as a (proxy) Blood Angels Legion/Chapter Special Character for a home-brew game I've somewhat loosely based within the early Warhammer 30k/40k universe.

Perhaps understandably, it was the model of "the highly ranked Knight Commander Hackett" which took most of my attention, and not just because the little chap "is restricted to 500 numbered packs after which the moulds with these miniatures will be destroyed." As a result he was primed using a couple of licks of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, base-layered with plenty of Gold, and finally heavily shaded in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Two Mast Beasts and a Strawbear

I then dry-brushed the leader with (more) "Vallejo" Gold, before settling down to the rather time-consuming task of picking out all the micro-details on his space-armour. This largely meant carefully tracing out Hackett's shoulder-pads with "Citadel" Abaddon Black and "Two Thin Coats" White Star, as well as dotting the odd piece in "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson". I also carefully picked out the model's sword hilt using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

Finally, I decided against making the figure's sword blade particularly colourful, as I didn't want it to clash with all its gold armour. So stuck to simply pigmenting the Octa Sword with "Vallejo" Gunmetal and a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I also chose not to give the sculpt's robotic arm any special attention, preferring instead to leave it gold so it would just mingle in with the rest of the colour scheme.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Two Tunnel Spiders and a Goat Kin

The Retained Knight was much more straightforward to get tabletop ready, having been undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Red. The 'beaky' space marine was subsequently heavily washed with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red. Finally, the crouched guy's hand-weapon was layered with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and later treated to a combination of “Vallejo" Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

Despite getting these two miniatures finished in a reasonably quick time period, I have disappointingly not made much progress on a number of metal figures by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" I was hoping to submit as entries into Angry Piper's annual "Monster May(hem)" monthly challenge over on the "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging" blog. Quite bizarrely, I've probably been wargaming more than painting over the past few weeks. But do still intend to get a number of these weird creatures finished in reasonably quick succession, as I want them as super-natural encounters for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games". 

"Although The French Ultimately Captured Moscow."

"They could not hold the city in the face of a looming winter."

This 28mm scale metal model is manufactured by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their RN043 Moscow Militia with Muskets set. The miniature is one of eight Napoleonic Russian soldiers sculpted by Alan Perry, and is based upon the peasants who relentlessly pursued "Napoleon’s battered forces" during the winter of 1812.

Originally undercoated using a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, the figure's trousers and rolled-up blanket were treated to a combination of "Two Thin Coats" Dungeon Stone Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I next applied plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Green to the chap's jacket, and drowned the garment with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. It was then carefully dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Three of the ten Austrian Jaegers purchased off "eBay" last year

I subsequently gave the Russian's rifle butt, axe-handle, hair and somewhat bushy beard a touch of "Vallejo" Sienna, before darkening all these areas down with a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. At this point I also spotted that the fellow was actually wearing a glove on one of his hands, so promptly pigmented the 'mitten' with a lick of Dungeon Stone Grey by "Two Thin Coats" and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With the latest addition to my Moscow Militia completed, I have started turning my attention towards a quartet of Austrian Light Infantrymen which I managed to buy from "eBay" in October last year. All of the identical-looking models are from the "Wargames Foundry" blister AN038 Jaegers 1805-15 Running, and due to their somewhat dynamic pose come with separate firearms.

"Alternative Armies"WIPs - A Trio of Retained Knights destined to become (not) Dark Angels

I actually managed to snag ten of these second-hand miniatures, and only paid an extra pound more than the current cost of the Newark-based company's eight-figure packet. However, I presently just have plans for four of Jaegers - to act as a screen for an upcoming Austrian force I've recently based, so the other half-dozen have been plonked into one of my many infamous hobby drawers for another day.

Furthermore, I've discovered a trio of long-forgotten 15mm metal models from IAF008 Retained Knight Post Charlie by "Alternative Armies", whilst sorting through some of my smaller scale backlog. These guys were instantly super-glued onto some wooden chop-sticks, and are destined to be the start a (not) Dark Angels infantry force using many of the sculpts from this particular "The Ion Age" range pack...

"The Origins Of The Robots Employed By The Imperium..."

"...Harken back to the earliest days of Human technology."

This stand of three 15mm miniatures by "Alternative Armies" comes from their "The Ion Age" code IAF081 Taranis Runner Drones, and consists of two Field Repair Drones and a single Transmission Jammer Drone. The sculpts are designed to be used with the company’s “Patrol Angis” rule-set, and provide additional support for the heavily armoured Taranis Tank. However, I’ve both based and painted mine so they can be used as a (proxy) unit of (close combat) Imperial Robots for a home-brew game I've somewhat loosely based within the early Warhammer 30k/40k universe.

Due to wanting this particular trio to form part of my (not) Crimson Fists force, the models were initially primed using a couple of coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and subsequently base-layered in "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. I then carefully pigmented their mechanical legs and arms with some "Vallejo" Gunmetal, before absolutely drowning each model in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The figures' limbs were later dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal.

"He is our shield and our protector!"

At this stage I was actually somewhat tempted to leave the basic colour scheme alone. However, as these particular robots were supposed to form part of "a Second Founding Successor Chapter of the Imperial Fists Legion", I thought I'd make that a bit more noticeable by applying some "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson to the Field Repair Drones' claws. This would (hopefully) tie them in with the Crimson Fists, and also mark them out as the deadly hand-to-hand combatants I was planning to use them as.

As a final touch, I decided to patiently 'pick out' all their optic sensors using either Skulker Yellow or Ethereal Green by "Two Thin Coats". These areas were then shaded with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade or Biel-Tan Green as appropriate. I also used a smidgeon of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Vallejo" Pale Grey to create the illusion that all three mechanical monstrosities had head-lamps.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - (Yet) Another member of the Moscow Militia being progressed

In addition to my current obsession with proxying "The Ion Age" range for my own nefarious designs, I am continuing to work on more 28mm Napoleonic Russians by “Wargames Foundry" - namely from their RN043 Moscow Militia with Muskets blister. Last year I disappointingly fell badly short of my goal to paint at least forty-eight of their Black Powder miniatures (working on the plan of painting just four a month), so am absolutely determined to get back on schedule for a similar roadmap throughout 2025.

Resultantly, on paper I should have at least sixteen new additions battlefield ready by the end of this month, and unfortunately at this present time I can only boast of three. To try and make up this ground, I now intend to focus on just coalition soldiers for the next few weeks, and probably wade through some of the Emperor's Frenchmen in May. I'm also going to focus on four-figure tiny units, so I don't get too bored with repeatedly putting my brush-tip to the same old cuffs and straps - something which quickly drains my enthusiasm for the period full-stop...

"Unlike Regular Army Regiments..."

"...The Opolcheniye was composed of civilian volunteers."

This 28mm scale metal model is sold by “Wargames Foundry", and can be bought as part of their RN043 Moscow Militia with Muskets set. The miniature is one of eight Napoleonic Russian soldiers sculpted by Alan Perry found in the blister, and is based upon the peasant masses who historically would rise up "in response to foreign invasions or internal turmoil."

Initially eager to follow this figure's official paint-job as per the Newark-based manufacturer's website, I primed him with a double dose of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and subsequently applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to his trousers. I then applied plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Green to the fellow's winter jacket, and gave the lower half a splosh or two of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Another member of the Moscow Militia on the painting table

However, I wasn't terribly impressed with how the Shade looked, so after a moment's hesitation, I decided to give the coat a good dose of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade instead. This seemed to work much better, and I finished the garment off with a well-placed dry-brushed of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green to help bring out its folds. I also took the opportunity at this time to carefully trace out the Russian's waist sash with a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red, and darkened it down using some "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

For the Militiaman's bedroll I used some "Two Thin Coats" Cold Corpse Blue, and plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst his musket (and bayonet) were treated to either a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna or Gunmetal depending if the part was supposed to be wood or metal. These areas were later drenched in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade or Nuln Oil as appropriate.

"Alternative Armies" WIPs - Early days on a pair of Retained Knights

The biggest issue I had with this figure was working out where the chap's moustache actually was on his face, as at first I thought the model's detail actually showed him to have a beard (despite what "Wargames Foundry) painted photograph showed. In the end though, after a splash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade over "Vallejo" Heavy Skintome, I finally saw where it was, and thus applied a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to the soldier's "lampshade".

Alongside my 'big' Napoleonic project push this month, I'm also keen to add some reinforcements to my collection of pigmented "Alternative Armies" 15mm miniatures. Taken from their "The Ion Age" range, I've decided to add a character base to my (not) Blood Angels force, using a figure taken from blister IAFL01 Hackett and Tasker, and one from IAF008 Retained Knight Post Charlie. To be honest, this will probably be the first of quite few models to come over the following few weeks, as a quick trip into my garage recently revealed a shoe-sized cardboard box packed full of more vehicles, robots and buildings by the Scotland-based company...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Wargames Foundry" April 2025

"During the Napoleonic era, bears primarily appear in historical contexts as symbols in art and political cartoons."

With my self-imposed Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP) now over, and a number of old half-finished figures tabletop ready as a result, I thought I'd spend this month once again ploughing on with my rather large collection of unpainted 28mm metal Napoleonic figures by "Wargames Foundry". To be honest I'm already quite a way behind with my Black Powder goals for this year, as I've only completed two of the twelve miniatures I promised myself I'd have done at this point in 2025, so dedicating at least four weeks worth of hobby-time to some flintlock-bearing fusiliers should be a good way of getting the long-term project back on track.

To begin with I'm planning on pigmenting at least enough Moscow Militia with Muskets to field a small unit of Narodnoe Opolcheniye (four models), and add them to my Coalition forces. I was actually rather naughty this past October on "eBay" as I splurged on a twenty-eight man Russian Infantry battalion auction I spotted, so really need to start making some in-roads into these Alan Perry sculpts sooner rather than later.

"Alternative Armies" WIPs - This trio of Taranis Runner Drones are almost finished

I'm also blatantly aware that apart from a few 95th Rifles and accompanying officer, my consortium of Napoleon Bonaparte's enemies isn't at all flush of British miniatures. Much of this deficit is largely due to how badly intimidated I am by the formidable palette needed for Redcoats, and an aversion to anything tartan. However, I think I may well now have some basic colour schemes which will help 'get me over this hump', and allow me to get a fair few of King George III's men battle ready.

Furthermore, I still hope to tinker with some of the remaining 15mm science fiction figures I didn't quite finish for my PPPP. These all came from The Ion Age range by "Alternative Armies", and shouldn't take too long to add to my already quite significant (not) Rogue Trader armies. Indeed, I'm actually tempted to dig out a few more of these old(ish) models to help fill out some of my different forces' more specialist units - particularly their characters.

March 2025 - Two new entries have stormed up into the leaderboard

Historically, the last four or so weeks have always been one of my most productive times and this year was absolutely no exception. A good deal of this success was undoubtedly due to my sudden descent into the Dead Man's Hand range of Wild West gunslingers by "Great Escape Games", and determination to work through some more Russian NBC Troopers by "Athena Miniatures" - albeit not anywhere near as many as I had intended. The big surprise though was the blister-load of "Pendraken Miniatures" 10mm Falklands British soldiers I patiently picked away at over time, and I'm rather hoping I can do something similar with the rest of the Army Pack for this month too.

What will be interesting is whether or not my productivity will now nosedive, seeing as I didn't participate in the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC), and so shouldn't be suffering from any gaming fatigue. Annually, this waning interest in 'applying a brush tip to a model' is always a big disappointment to me, so I am keen to avoid such lethargy this time round, and maybe get a few battles in to help fuel my enthusiasm for the various projects I want to progress...