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

Last month's output ranged from spacecraft to spacemen, and even a small bit of terrain

Having already completed a quarter of my latest Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP) I thought I'd spend the next four or so weeks focusing upon a number of 28mm plastic soldiers produced by "Warlord Games" - which frankly have been gathering dust on my shelves for far too many months. The majority of these figures will be World War Two Italians, as having bought the Nottingham-based company's "Bolt Action" Third Edition rulebook, as well downloaded their Italy Army List [dated September 2024], I thought I might finally finish a force of Benito Mussolini's fascists I've previously assembled, based and undercoated.

In addition, I couldn't resist recently picking up a copy of Issue 454 of "Wargames Illustrated" as it had a sprue of US Firefly Jump Infantry 'cello-taped' to its front cover. In the past I've experimented with "Konflikt '47" using my quite considerably-sized collection of "Secrets Third Reich" miniatures by "West Wind Productions". But never got on with that range's Jet Soldiers - finding the sculpts significantly smaller than the rest of my models. So thought I might try the 'official' figures for a change, and maybe even pick up half-a-dozen Axis Stahltruppen Heavy Infantry as opposition if the mood takes me.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - Three of the six US Firefly Jump Infantry I've assembled for "Konflikt '47"

I'm also eager to continue working on the brood of Zeek Scuttlers by "Artisan Guild" I have produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on my Mars 5 3D Printer. With my unit of Burrowers now finished and ready to represent a Tidal Swarm for the Trident Realm Of Neritica in "Kings Of War", I plan to get both my army's leader and a couple of basic infantry units completed 'toot sweet.'

Lastly, I haven't forgotten how badly my Napoleonic project has started floundering in recent times. I was fully expecting to have doubled the number of French skirmishers and Russian militia I could field over the past few weeks. However, disappointingly I haven't finished a single one, and now enter a year in which I had planned to solely focus upon cavalry units rather than (more) infantry. As a result I hope to get the eight outstanding soldiers finished as soon as I can, and then potentially look at only doing a handful of horsemen before plunging back to more muskets and bayonets.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - This Napoleonic French skirmisher is now close to competition

There can be little doubt that my productivity over the past few months has been somewhat low when compared to my output of previous years. To be fair a lot of this has been down to the sheer variety of miniatures currently available to me - something which has caused me to leap from one manufacturer to another with little rhyme or reason. The number of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files I now own in embarrassingly high and means I now spend a lot of my hobby time tinkering with my 3D printers rather than actually putting a brush-tip on a model.

Somewhat disconcertingly I don't see that changing any time soon either, as I have now started printing and painting scenery too - something I've always tried to avoid in the past. Of particular note has to be the numerous pieces of scenery I just acquired from "Saucermen Studios" via their "Beyond The Trenches Of Despair" Kickstarter. Whether it be ruined walls, trench systems, bunkers, towers or concrete barricades, I am currently slowly producing as much of this stuff as my "Bambu Lab" A1 Mini can cope with - and then I'll be moving onto another terrain project concerning various sewers, dungeons and pyramids following the success of "Death x Tiles: The Lost Temple" campaign by "Cast N Play"...

"Though Nearly As Large As Their Adult Kin..."

"...They lack cunning or posture, serving instead as diggers and expendable fodder for the hive."

This 32mm scale Zeek Burrower is produced by "Artisan Guild", and was created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer. The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file for the figure comes as part of the company's October "Guildhall" subscription release, and represents an immature Zeek Scuttler.

Armed "with powerful mandibles" which can "carve through soil and stone" I bought these insectoid-shaped thieves to represent the Trident Realm Of Neritica for "Kings Of War" by "Mantic Games", and thought that a trio of these particular sculpts would be ideal to represent a Tidal Swarm. However, rather than super-glue all three models together on a 120mm x 40mm rectangular base, I decided to keep each miniature separate on a round 40mm stand simply so I could potentially also use them for other game systems.

"All are hoarded in the lair of their Hive Queen, who rules from atop a growing mound of stolen treasures."

As with its two brethren, the Zeek Burrower was primed with lots of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, shaded in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. It was then sporadically sploshed with a little "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green so as to create the illusion of algae sticking to the crab-like creature's limbs and lower carapace. These areas was later blended in with a second dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown.

For the creature's top-most carapace I applied a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, washed the chitinous armour in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. The monster's hopefully cruel-looking eyes were subsequently picked out with a little Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats" and darkened down with a tiny amount of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, the entire figure was treated to a heavily watered-down layer of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to help smooth down all of the dry-brushing.

"The road to the stars is steep and dangerous. But we're not afraid."

Sticking closely to my present obsession with 3D printed miniatures, I have also completed another pair of 32mm Soviet Cosmonauts by "Black Site Studios". The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file used for both of these Spacemen is from the company's Two-Player Digital Starter Set, and were slightly upscaled by 1% so as to better match the size of the slightly bulkier cast resin sculpts I already own.

The Russians were primed with plenty of "Two Thin Coats" Sanguine Scarlet, drenched in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and dry-brushed with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Sanguine Scarlet. I then applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to their helmet visors, before 'picking out' their firearms in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil...

"The Larval Stage Of The Scuttler..."

"...Burrowers crawl low on six chitinous limbs, their bodies pressed close to the ground."

This 32mm scale Zeek Burrower is produced by "Artisan Guild", and was created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer. The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file for the figure comes as part of the company's October "Guildhall" subscription release, and represents an immature Zeek Scuttler.

According to their creator Andrea Tarabella these insectoid-shaped creatures are constantly building "a growing mound of stolen treasures" from those who reside within the Scourgelands, and are foolish enough not to protect their property. However, I plan to use them to represent the Trident Realm Of Neritica for "Kings Of War" by "Mantic Games", and have resultantly been pigmenting a trio of these younglings to represent a Tidal Swarm.

"Fat Dragon Games" WIPs - Two small Cargo ships and a Kurgun C3-A Heavy Cruiser  

The figure was therefore super-glued onto a 40mm circular base and primed with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. It was then drenched in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, and dabbed with a little "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green so as to create the illusion of algae sticking to the crab-like creature's limbs and lower carapace. These areas was later blended in with a second dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown.

For the creature's top-most carapace I applied a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, shaded the chitinous armour in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. The Zeek's eyes were subsequently picked out with a little Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats" and washed with a small amount of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, the entire model was treated to a heavily watered-down layer of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to help smooth down all of the dry-brushing.

"Saucermen Studios" WIPs - One of two Concrete Defence Walls currently being painted

With my KoW Tidal Swarm now two-thirds completed, I had intended to move on to finishing some of the remaining Soviet Cosmonauts I have left over from an impulsive stretch using my "Elegoo" Mars 5 3D printer. Somewhat disconcertingly though I have now developed a real love of producing spaceships and terrain with my "Bambu Labs" A1 Mini 3D printer instead - in particular I have utilised my .2mm nozzle and churned out another Kurgun vessel along with a couple of small cargo craft by "Fat Dragon Games" from their "Battlefront Valkyrie" range.

In addition, with my .4mm hot-end fitted, I've begun merrily manufacturing the first pieces of scenery I recently received from "Saucermen Studios" as part of their "Beyond The Trenches Of Despair" Kickstarter. Clearly aimed at fans of "Trench Crusade", I have printed/primed one of their impressive Concrete Defence walls, with the intention of creating a suitably-sized collection of terrain pieces for some future science fiction battles...

"From The Ashen Wastes Of Aera..."

"...The Zeek Scuttlers creep endlessly, seizing all they can."

This 32mm scale Zeek Burrower is produced by "Artisan Guild", and was created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer. The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file for the figure comes as part of the company's October "Guildhall" subscription release, and represents "the larval stage of the Scuttler."

In the official lore these creatures are insectoid-shaped thieves who steal "old tomes, precious metals, equipment and supplies" from whatever hapless races they encounter. However, I plan to use them to represent the Trident Realm Of Neritica for "Kings Of War" by "Mantic Games", and intend to pigment a trio of these younglings to represent a Tidal Swarm.

"Black Site Studios" WIPs - These four Soviet Cosmonauts have been primed and shaded

Resultantly, the model was super-glued onto a 40mm circular base and primed with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. It was then utterly sploshed in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, and sporadically dabbed with a little "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green so as to create the illusion of algae sticking to the crab-like creature's limbs and lower carapace. These areas was later blended in with a second dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown.

For the Burrower's top-most carapace I simply applied a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, shaded the chitinous armour in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. The Zeek's eyes were subsequently picked out with a little Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats" and washed with a small amount of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, the entire model was treated to a heavily watered-down layer of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to help smooth down all of the dry-brushing.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - These Frenchmen have had their muskets repainted

Perhaps somewhat impulsively, I've also begun work on four more 32mm Soviet Cosmonauts by "Black Site Studios". I'm still rather enthused for the American company's "Lunar" range, and want to build up a sizeable Russian contingent which I can then use as random encounters for some homebrew battles based upon "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games". I aim to use several of this particular sculpt as basic (Moon) Bandits, so want a good half dozen or so tabletop ready just in case during a scenario someone rolls for an ambush.

In addition, I'm still slowly plugging away at the four Napoleonic Infantrymen by "Wargames Foundry" I had hoped to have finished by the end of last month. Unfortunately, I recently realised that I'd stupidly mis-painted their muskets (pigmenting the barrels in "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and the wooden parts with Gunmetal), so have had to rework all of their firearms before moving on to their epaulettes...

"Spurred On By A Feeling Of Manifest Destiny..."

 "...The United States was able to rally its people behind a new desire for space heroes rooted in a nation's pride."

This 32mm NASA Astronaut is produced by "Black Site Studios" for their "Lunar" skirmish game, and was created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer. The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file comes as part of the company's Two-Player Digital Starter Set, but has been both 'mirrored' and quite heavily converted in order to represent an experienced fighter on the Moon's surface.

Indeed, as I plan to use this range of miniatures for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games" - with some lunar surface homebrew amendments - I thought this model would make an excellent Veteran Hunter for my American faction, so subsequently kitted him out with some extra shoulder pads, a Markam S11 pistol and some spare oxygen tanks. All of these additional 'bitz' were taken from the remaining cast resin pieces I had left over from the aforementioned Starter Box.

"Artisan Guild" WIPs - These Zeek Scuttlers have been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

Once assembled the astronaut was super-glued onto a "Citadel" 30mm circular stand, undercoated with "Two Thin Coats" Celestial Blue, positively drowned in "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, and dry-brushed with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Celestial Blue. I then applied a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade to the piece of insulation material running along the edge of the astronaut's backpack in order to slightly break up the monotony of the spaceman's palette a little bit.

Of course at this point I realised that in 'mirroring' the STL on Chitubox I had inadvertently moved the tubing to the American's left side. However, I don't think it's terribly noticeable or distracting from the figure himself - and perhaps could be seen to denote the chap is simply left-handed..? The miniature's hand-weapons were quickly treated to a lick of Citadel "Abaddon Black", layered in "Vallejo" Gunmetal and later shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Wizkids" WIPs - This old "Heroclix" figure has been dusted down so its details can be 'picked out'

In addition to finishing my veteran NASA Astronaut, I have also been busy pigmenting a quartet of Zeek Scuttlers I aim to use for "Kings Of War" by "Mantic Games". These insectoids will hopefully make good proxies for the Trident Realm Of Neritica, and should prove pretty straightforward to get tabletop ready on account of their predominantly brown (with a little bit of green to represent sea algae).

I'm also very much aware that my annual Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP) challenge is aimed at getting many of my long-forgotten, half-started projects tabletop ready, so with that in mind I've picked up an old plastic "Heroclix" Bat Sentry miniature I began working on way back in February 2020. This 75mm tall model comes from "Wizkids" DC HeroClix Unleashed expansion, and is one of the random encounters I have planned for a campaign based around Batman's main villains fighting for territory against one another in Gotham City.

The Plague Is A Highly Virulent Form Of Alien Bio-Weapon."

"Once the Plague starts to spread on a colony or planet, the only way to stop it is via blockades, Deadzones and planetary isolation."

This pair of 10mm scale Plague Lords are manufactured by "Mantic Games" for their "Epic Warpath" wargame, and were produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer. The STL (Standard Triangle Language) file for the figure comes as part of the company's Epic Warpath Plague Army. But I actually picked mine up as a freebie from the Nottingham-based company's current Epic Warpath - The Battle for Phrovox campaign on "My Mini Factory", and simply mirrored the pose so as to create a little variety on the battlefield.

Due to the the massive mutants actually being 25mm in height, the heavily infected duo were super-glued onto a couple of plastic 25mm circular bases, undercoated in "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand, drowned in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand. I then carefully applied a delicate dry-brush of "Two Thin Coats" White Star across the topmost ridges each miniature, before 'picking out' parts of their chitinous armour with "Vallejo" Heavy Blue.

"Artisan Guild" WIPs - This Zeek Burrower has been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

These plates were later washed with "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade and dry-brushed them with a bit more "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, before I added a smidgeon of "Two Thin Coats" White Star onto the Plague Lords' teeth, layered their tongues with "Vallejo" Heavy Red over its tongue, and finally washed these areas with a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I was momentarily tempted to use some of the 2mm tall Chilli Red flock I currently use for my "Lunar" models to half-heartedly suggest the astronauts are on the planet Mars. But as I had already unconsciously coloured their bases brown, as opposed to the grey palette I use with my Martian landscape, I decided to stick with my usual green grass instead.

Alongside this foray into "Mantic Games" own miniatures, I have also been rather busy 3D printing some models with which to play the Nottingham-based company's "Kings Of War". However, rather than use their 'official' range of figures, I thought I'd make use of many of the STLs I own by "Artisan Guild". For openers I'm planning on simply fielding a small force representing the Trident Realm Of Neritica, and felt a few of the crab-like Zeek Scuttler sculpts would be nicely appropriate.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - These French soldiers have had all their metallic areas 'picked out'

For openers I've gone with a trio of Burrowers to represent a (Tidal) Swarm as the models really remind me of the Horseshoe Crab. This project really is in its infancy, yet as usual I've allowed my enthusiasm for it to get the better of me and have already got some Scuttlers (Heavy Infantry), Skirra (Siren Hero) and Scuttler Knights sat waiting for some attention on my hobby table.

Lastly, I am still managing to make some progress on a handful of Napoleonic Infantrymen by "Wargames Foundry" I actually started a considerable time ago. All of the identical soldiers come from an old FN054 - Light Infantry Chasseurs Advancing blister I found in my backlog, and I have been doggedly trying to apply my brush-tip to one area on each of them during every hobby session. Currently, I'm working on their muskets - though I have also taken the opportunity to base layer their blankets, and get their gold sabre handles and scabbard tips completed too...

"This Immensely Large Black Wolf Seems As Big As A Horse."

"It has fiery eyes, a thick coat of fur, and spikes crowning the top of its spine."

This 28mm scale Orr'ugs Wolf is produced by "Artisan Guild" and was downloaded for free as part of a multi-piece set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription service. One of four different poses, this impressive sculpt was originally 80mm from nose to tail, but has actually been reduced in scale down to 'just' 45mm in "Chitubox" Basic to see whether it would work as a Dark Wolf for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games".  

Initially I actually 3D printed four versions of the animal, ranging from 30mm, 35mm, 40mm and 45mm for a friend, so they could see which size they wanted to fit onto a 25mm circular base. In the end they went for the 40mm miniature, whereas I liked the notion of a larger beast sitting upon a 30mm circular stand. I still have a couple more wolves from "Warlord Games" Mythic Americas range to paint - to use as Dark Wolf proxies. However, I much prefer these figures in both size and detail, so may well print out another dozen or so at some point to use instead.

"The Kingdom of Great Britain (later the United Kingdom) was the most constant of France's enemies."

Produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer, the 'wandering monster' was primed using "Citadel" Abaddon Black and dry-brushed with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal. It was then shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, before being lightly dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal. The brute's eyes, teeth and claws were patiently picked out using a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Two Thin Coats" White Star, and later washed with some "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson or Agrax Earthshade as appropriate.

In addition to my horror-themed 'test piece', I have also completed a second 28mm scale metal by “Wargames Foundry". Taken from their B041 Late Line Infantry Flank Company Shouldered Arms set, the Napoleonic British soldier was predominantly pigmented using a combination of White Star by "Two Thin Coats" and "Vallejo" Heavy Red. Both of these colours were subsequently sploshed with some watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to add a little shadow here and there.

"Knight Models" WIPs - Batman's base topper along with Peacemaker and Eagly

I also applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade to the figure's water bottle, and a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to the Redcoat's bag. Lastly, I used a little "Vallejo" Neutral Grey on the miniature's blanket, and some Gold on his shako plate. These areas were then darkened down with a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil or Agrax Earthshade respectively.

I've also been busy working on some more of the STLs provided by "Knight Models" as part of their "Batman Miniatures Game" Gotham Lord Tribe pledge on "My Mini Factory". Some of these models come on some incredibly detailed base toppers, so currently I'm slowly working my way through one for the Dark Knight himself, along with Peacemaker and his sidekick Eagly...

Miss Fantorical 2023 - An "Undercoat" Painting Pageant

Better late than never and hopefully a welcome break from elections, sport and hot sweltering days, here are my top picks from the "Fantorical" blog from 2023. Following on from my last set of choices, I have picked a miniature for each month and then picked an overall favourite. My selections are based on the miniature, the paint job, the rule of cool and other eclectic factors, such as nostalgia etc. This means some great models didn’t make the list as it is only one per month and I tried to avoid picking the same type of model if it appeared over multiple months. You may disagree, which is fine, as we all like different things and I encourage you to comment on what your favourite(s) were/are.

January - Cheetah Aliens by "Papsikels Miniatures" - January 18th

These 3D printed miniatures by "Papsikels Miniatures" really caught my eye. There have been a lot of "Alien/s" themed miniatures from this manufacturer's range of STLs. But these ones were different from the more traditional alien we know and love (to run away from!), and the poses were very dynamic too. The painting also captured the xenomorph look. Terrific stuff.

February - E-800 Exterminators by "Papsikels Miniatures" - February 27th

A second choice from this manufacturer - which I have allowed myself to do as it is a different range and we have moved from the organic to the robotic. These miniatures are just awesome and demonstrate that Simon has really mastered the painting of metals and metal work. They look utterly gorgeous and a squad of these on the tabletop would be glorious (and deadly I am sure!).

March - Pak 40 Anti-Tank Gun by "Battlefront Miniatures" - March 31st

This 15mm model is for the "Flames of War" game and, being a bit older, I seem to find myself drifting away from my usual love of sci-fi/fantasy more often towards historical miniatures these days. This model is basically a little diorama of soldiers working a gun on the battlefield and is full of character, life and has no right to be a tabletop miniature as it is so much more. There are ammunition boxes, camouflage and loads of little details that make this a must pick for me.

April - Failed Experimental Battledroid Series 1-B by "Papsikels Miniatures" - April 20th

I get it! I am in danger of being boring here by picking another miniature from this manufacturer. But that just shows how full of character these sculpts are. This model is unusual with some really fine and delicate details. However, it is the cracking painting that really got me here. The metals are amazing as usual. Plus, all the cyborg's wires and other little details have been are picked out too.

May - Groot Thor by "Wizkids" - May 22nd

I know that there are a vast number of Superhero comics, and that includes some weird/whacky stuff and what if scenarios. But I did not know that Groot had this character variant. When I saw it I was like Groot as Thor? What the heck is this!?! It immediately caught my imagination, mainly due to the excellent painting that brought it to life. The tree like details have been expertly painted and it just looks fabulous and full of character. So good!

June - Zombie Silver Surfer by "CoolMiniOrNot" - June 30th

I find the whole Marvel zombies thing weird and intriguing at the same time. It is also great to see heroes and villains as zombies, and this miniature is, quite frankly, awesome. I was wondering how the Silver Surfer could be “zombified” and this is how! I think it is just incredible how a being made of metal can be painted so you know it’s a zombie. Everything about this just screams quality.

July - Napoleonic British Riflemen by "Wargames Foundry" - July 31st

Last year there were an increasing number of Napoleonic miniatures appearing on this blog and they really caught my eye. This period of history looks great on the tabletop, but brings with it untold challenges in terms of the details and colours in those magnificent uniforms. This uniform, whilst not the most colourful, is arguably the most iconic - mainly due to a certain Richard Sharpe I would suggest. I love these. They just look great. I would so love to paint some Napoleonic troops. However, that is one deep rabbit hole to jump down. Hats off to you Sir, these are great.

August - Confederate Soldiers by "Warlord Games" - August 14th

Look at the picture. These are 15mm soldiers. You could be mistaken for believing they were 28mm. This unit is not only painted as a themed Florida unit, but they have different coloured trousers, hats, facial hair etc! The attention to detail is phenomenal and makes these a worthy choice in my opinion because of the effort and love that has been poured into these diminutive soldiers. Finished off by those excellent flags, this little unit looks stunning!

September - Renaissance Knight by "Steel Fist Miniatures" - September 25th

A few of these Italian Wars miniatures were painted in 2023, and were both unusual and full of character. I picked this gentleman as he isn’t sporting the usual steel armour, but a black lacquered set banded in gold. He looks great, as well different and memorable. A great little miniature.

October - Tiger II by "Pendraken Miniatures" - October 13th

This monstrous vehicle is from a 10mm range of miniatures and part of a frightening number of tiny tanks that have been painted on this blog. This one stands out because of its size, and I felt unable to not include a vehicle from this range due to the absolutely phenomenal time and effort that was put into them. A group shot of this army must look glorious!

November - Napoleonic French Fusiliers by "Wargames Foundry" - November 6th

Ooops! I broke a rule and repeated both a manufacturer and genre. I make no apologies as these miniatures look stunning and are so full of character. The Perry Twins are so good at sculpting aren’t they? And the painting has made me believe they are trudging away from Moscow bedraggled and defeated. I must stop myself from ordering a box of Perry Napoleonics…….

December - Orr’ugs Wolf by "Artisan Guild" - December 9th

This is a 3D print from a fantasy range of miniatures that has really stood out for me by giving off some serious World of Warcraft vibes. I also adore this sculpt. However, the painting really brings this to life with the fur looking absolutely amazing. I really love the transition from light to dark with the darker coloured facial features making this wolf look very nasty indeed. I adore the painting on this so much. It is stunning.

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

The Artisan Guild Wolf. I cannot tell you how well painted this miniature is. It is absolutely brilliant. Amazing. Glorious.

Hopefully I will be forgiven for my tardy submission of my review of 2023 as it brought back memories and hopefully inspired you to look at past entries for inspiration. Perhaps you might also now give some of these manufacturers a look too as they are well worth a peep. Goodbye and thanks for reading.

"Larger And Fiercer Than Ordinary Wolves..."

"...They have been trained in warfare tactics and enable Orr’ug archers to shoot arrows with precision."

This 28mm scale Orr'ugs Wolf is produced by "Artisan Guild" and can be downloaded for free as part of a multi-piece set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription service, or alternatively bought via "MyMiniFactory" as part of the company's Nomad Orr'ugs range. The second of four different poses available, this impressive thick-coated steppe wolf is 83mm from nose to tail, and was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer.

Permanently attached to a "Citadel" 50mm plastic circular base, the miniature was undercoated using a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, before being treated to some random applications of Sombre Grey and German Grey. The fearsome beast was then drowned in "Citadel" Nuln Oil and had all its detail 'brought back to life' via a simple make-up brush loaded with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, Sombre Grey or German Grey.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - This Titan is slowly being weathered

To better blend the different coloured areas together, I also took the time to allow the "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey to slightly 'snag' the edges of the animal's Sombre Grey hide, and likewise let the Sombre Grey dry-brush occasionally drift over the German Grey areas too. Finally, I 'picked out' the beast's eyes using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and dabbed White Star by "Two Thin Coats" over all its teeth and claws. These parts were later dirtied up with a splodge or five of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

With my latest Orr'ugs Wolf finished, I've continued to busy myself with a number of 28mm scale figures produced by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". Some of these models, such as two partially-pigmented resin Titans, have rather embarrassingly been sat on my hobby desk for more months (if not years) than I care to remember. But have suddenly re-caught my imagination enough to warrant a serious dusting down with a make-up brush.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Four more 28mm metal figures primed for the AHPC

I actually finished a pair of these 45mm high "bronze behemoths" way back in March 2022, along with their even larger 'boss' Talos. However, despite buying two more of the miniatures, along with some separate Weapon Arms, I never got around to getting them tabletop ready until now. Resultantly, the giant robots have been cleaned-up, dry-brushed in "Vallejo" Bronze and weathered with “Citadel” Nihilakh Oxide. Once completed I fully intend to search out my mechanical Argonauts, and possibly bring an end to a project which has disappointingly sat dormant for many a moon.

In addition, I have also continued to prepare more of the Lincolnshire-based manufacturer's models for the annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC). These figures are a mixture of old and new sculpts, and cover a range of genres like "Doctor Who", "Flash Gordon" and Martial Artists. I'm really hoping to get a good portion of this backlog done over the next three months - albeit for now, all of them have simply been based and primed ready for the AHPC's start on the 21st December...

"The Mighty, Thick-Coated Steppe Wolves..."

"...Have been inseparable hunting companions of the Orr’ug tribes since time immemorial."

This 28mm scale Orr'ugs Wolf is produced by "Artisan Guild" and can be downloaded for free as part of a multi-piece set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription service. One of four different poses, this impressive specimen of Canis lupus is 80mm from nose to tail, and was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer.

Initially superglued onto a "Citadel" 50mm plastic circular base, the miniature was primed using some "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, before being sporadically splodged with Sombre Grey and German Grey. The furry brute was then drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and had all its incredible detail highlighted using a make-up brush appropriately packed with plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, Sombre Grey and German Grey.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Iceman, Cyclops and Colossus have all been primed

I did at this stage also attempt to blend the different coloured areas together by allowing the "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey to 'catch' the edges of the wolf's predominantly Sombre Grey areas, and likewise letting the Sombre Grey dry-brush drift over the German Grey parts. Lastly, I 'picked out' the beast's eyes using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and patiently applied some White Star by "Two Thin Coats" to all its teeth and claws. These were later dirtied up with a dousing of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

Having finished with my first Orr'ugs Wolf, I've found some time to undercoat a handful more of the plastic models found inside the "Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance" expansion set for Zombicide. These marvellous “CoolMiniOrNot” figures feature three of my favourite mutant super-heroes, and are hopefully the start of a determined effort to pigment my way through the entire "cooperative board game" over the next twelve months.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Girl Saturday and three Temporal Travellers

Finally, I have received and immediately based a quartet of "Doctor Who" flavoured 28mm metal figures made by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". Girl Saturday and Temporal Travellers Four, Fourteen and Fifteen are probably destined to wait until the annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC) has started towards the end of December. However, I may not be able to resist the temptation to paint at least one of them in honour of the science fiction television series' sixtieth anniversary.

Surprisingly, my brush-tip hasn't touched many of the Lincolnshire-based manufacturer's miniatures during this year. But considering just how many of their X-Commandos, Mounted Simians, Claws Of Shiva and Lizard Nazi Soldiers I'm currently dusting down, I reckon a fair few will now be headed for the tabletop over the next sixteen or so weeks...

"I Better Drive..."

"...Until you know your way around."

This 32mm scale FKMSA Battle Police Series 5 Sexycop is produced by "Papsikels Miniatures" and was downloaded for free as part of a set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" RoboCorps March 2023 subscription service, The model was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer and is clearly inspired by the "cybernetically-enhanced Detroit Police Department officer" in Paul Verhoeven's 1987 science fiction film "RoboCop".

The miniature was primed with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and base coated in Sir Coates Silver from "Duncan Rhodes' Two Thin Coats" paint range. She was then shaded using Oblivion Black Wash and given a dry-brush of (more) Sir Coates Silver to help pick out all the female robot's detail. I next treated the entire figure to a watered down wash of "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade and a little Druchii Violet, before tying the entire colour scheme together with a second (lighter) dry-brush of Sir Coates Silver.

"The M4 tank went into combat in North Africa with the British Army at the Second Battle of El Alamein in 1942."

Due to wanting the Sexycop's pistol to stand out somewhat from the majority of the miniature's other metallic areas, I applied an additional splash of Oblivion Black Wash over the firearm. I also dabbed a little "Duncan Rhodes' Two Thin Coats" Ivory Tusk across the model's visible mouth, and later gave this tiny area a dash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade and Carroburg Crimson. Finally, the rest of the figure was blocked out with Doom Death Black.

Alongside the latest addition to my ever-growing collection of science-fiction film-based "Papsikels Miniatures", I have also finished a fifth 10mm metal American medium tank which used to be sold by “Pendraken Miniatures” as Code A10 - Sherman M4A4, no skirts, 75mm gun. As memory serves I bought half a dozen of these armoured vehicles so as to game "The Battle Of The Bulge" using an old version of the "Blitzkrieg Commander" rule-set. However, I now plan to simply use them for either some solo "Flames Of War" learning/familiarisation scenarios or a few fast-play tank battles using my 'tried & tested' homemade rules.

"Artisan Guild" WIPs - This pair of Orr'ugs Wolves have been primed and based layered

The model was initially treated to a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before receiving two layers of "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab, a wash of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab. I then applied a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to its tracks, before repainting some of its prominent wheel mechanisms with (even more) "Vallejo" USA Olive Drab and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

Lastly, I have impulsively 3D printed and primed two huge Orr'ugs Wolves by "Artisan Guild". These specimens of Canis lupus are 80mm from nose to tail, and have been attached to "Citadel" 50mm plastic circular bases. I don't admittedly have any plans for a Nomad Orr'ugs (or rather Wild Orc) army in "Age Of Fantasy" by "One Page Rules". But might be tempted to use the (15-point apiece) figures as Dire Wolves for an Undead force at some point. Furthermore, I'm hoping to use the miniatures as test-pieces for my fur dry-brushing/blending technique before I return to a unit of "Games Workshop" Warg Riders I started pigmenting late last year...

"Nine He Gave To Mortal Men..."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3D Printing - Day Four - "Artisan Guild" And "Age Of Fantasy: Skirmish"

"Artisan Guild" WIPs - Gaki Yhimotto, an Apprentice Arcanist, and Gyros Shipwrecker 

These miniatures were created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer and are available as STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from "Artisan Guild" on "MyMiniFactory". The figures are from the sculpting team's "Arcanist's Guild" and "Golemmar Gnomes" releases, as well as their "Patreon" (free) Welcome Box Bundle - Troubles In Taverns.

I decided to support this particular wargaming content creator because I already owned a number of their very characterful (some might say 'cartoony') miniatures, having previously bought them from a licensed merchant over on "Etsy". One of main motivators for buying a 3D printer was to stop me from paying others to produce the figures I wanted and having calculated what it would cost to just purchase the six Apprentice Arcanists as physical products, it was clear I'd be forking out more than an entire bottle of "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin - from which I could print approximately ten times their number.

Packing a build plate with Golemmar Gnomes and Depth Diggers. But doing the Giant Clay Golem on its own

In addition, I thought the company's range of models would really suit the Age Of Fantasy: Skirmish ruleset by "One Page Rules". I've had my eye on this PDF for quite some time, having been completely bamboozled by the latest incarcerations of Age of Sigmar by "Games Workshop", and resultantly would highly recommend supporting them on Patreon at their Tier 2 Miniature Collector.

Not only does this membership level grant you access to an astonishing number of STL files (currently covering Lust Daemons, Ratmen and dinosaur-riding space lizards), but it also provides you with digital copies of all their different rulesets. Furthermore, "One Page Rules" have a super-handy Army Forge builder which quickly enabled me to compile a 250-point Halfling force - or rather a Gnome mining party using a combination of the figures I received from "Artisan Guild".

"Artisan Guild" WIPs - Two Depth Diggers and a (troublesome) Orc War Shrine

Printing off my miners, their beasts of burden, and colossal golem was very straightforward, as all the miniatures come supplied with pre-supports. As a result, I initially thought it was simply a case of packing my build plate with as much stuff as I could and (im)patiently waiting until my Mars 3 Pro had done its magic.

Overall, this factory-line like approach served me well. But I did encounter some problems when tackling the large pieces of scenery provided with each release. As with the figures, these sculpts came pre-supported. However, I found the supports unable to resist the pull of my resin tank's FEP once the print was approximately a third of the way through, and this caused repeated failures. In the end I only successfully printed out the terrain when it was laid flat upon the build plate, and "Chitubox" Basic had provided it with sturdier supports.