"Do Not Fail The Empire."

"Operative, I have apportioned some experimental Dark Troopers to Tatooine for evaluation."

This 40mm scale model of a Phase-III Dark Trooper is produced by "Atomic Mass Games", and comes as part of the company's "Star Wars: Shatterpoint You Have Something I Want Squad Pack". Based upon "the last and most powerful dark trooper exoskeleton/droid", the exasperating sixteen-piece plastic miniature was eventually assembled using the instructions found on the Minnesota-based manufacturer's website, and glued to one of the tabletop game's 40mm circular bases.

However, due to one of the halves of the machine's left shoulder-pad tearing into two parts whilst I was cutting it from the sprue, this over-complicated 'nightmare' actually ended up taking just as long to put together as the first of Moff Gideon's minions I recently got tabletop ready. Indeed, I ended up having to (plastic) glue to the two damaged pieces together and subsequently file them down as flat as I could before I could properly continue with the rest of the Dark Trooper, and even then there's a very visible dent in the robot's shoulder if you know where to look.

"Beast In The Broch" WIPs - The three remaining Systemic Units

The Imperial droid was originally primed using "Citadel" Abaddon Black and later base-layered with "Vallejo" Glossy Black - which I hoped would do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to how the shiny black killer would appear. To break the overwhelming all-black palette though, I did 'pick out' all the figure's elbow, wrist, knee and elbow joints using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, as well as it's E-450 "Arc Hammer" heavy blaster rifle. Finally I used a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red, "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion for the Dark Trooper's eyes and chest computer.

In addition to this disappointingly time-consuming project, I have continued to plug away at the three remaining Systemic Security models found inside the Systemic Units set by "Beast In The Broch". Due to still being rather taken by Terry Nation's cult "Blake's 7" science fiction television show, I should still be able to get the computer-controlled lackeys completed before the month's end. Albeit, I sadly doubt I'll have the time to pigment the set's Alpha One and Alpha Two as well.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - The OOP figure of Venus Bluegenes

Despite recently listening to some of the "2000 AD" full-cast audio of "Rogue Trooper: Welcome to Nu Earth" over on "Audible", I've still been rather struggling to truly get going with my restarted Rogue Trooper project of late - and not even the chance discovery of my previously purchased five Man E-Corp Unit by "Diehard Miniatures" to use as (not) Southerners. Resultantly, I felt it prudent to set aside Tim Prow's dynamically sculpted Krupps Corp unit blister models (which I was planning to use as Norts), and look elsewhere for inspiration.

Funnily enough, such a mojo maker soon presented itself in the guise of the now long OOP (Out Of Production) figure of Venus Bluegenes by "Wargames Foundry". Now ordinarily I don't like to mix my manufacturers for projects. But when I slapped the "so-called G.I. Doll" on a lipped base besides my aforementioned "Diehard Miniatures", the sculpt appeared to be similarly proportioned overall and only a touch taller - which arguably makes sense for a one woman killing machine who was a "genetically-modified warrior". Regardless, I've found my interest in the project reignited and now hope to get the "female clone soldier created by Milli-Com" finished 'toot sweet'...

"But This Is A Fine Time To Test..."

 "...My newly acquired weapons."

This 140mm tall Inner Core was created using some "Bambu Lab" PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer and can be downloaded for free as part of the Sturmriese Axis Walker by "Warlord Games". Designed to be just one piece of the colossal-sized "Konlikt '47" death machine, I decided it would instead look rather good as an energy pylon on my "Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game" tabletop.

However, the original 3D print did look a little too bare for my liking so I thought I'd add some textured details to the scenic piece via some of the many decals gifted to me by “N-FX Game Design Studio” several years ago. These 'stickers' were sporadically placed here and there - most notably around the transmission tower's lower base in an effort to show that the invention had been occasionally updated and required plenty of air vents for its internal cooling mechanism.

"Beast In The Broch" WIPs - A trio of models from inside their Systemic Units set.

The entire ensemble was subsequently undercoated using a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Gunmetal Blue, almost drowned in "Citadel" Nuln Oil and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal Blue. The pylon's dome was then treated to a lick of "Vallejo" Gunmetal, shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil and subsequently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. In fact, I actually ended up giving the entire 3D a very light dry-brush of "Vallejo" Gunmetal to help better highlight all its edges and features.

I next settled down to the task of patiently colouring many of its vents and details using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I really didn't need everything to contrast as I'm big believer in scenery predominantly sitting in the background of a game, and resultantly I didn't bother varnishing the 'Inner Core' either - so it would hopefully blend in better with some of the other pre-painted pieces I own.

"Atomic Mass Games" WIPs - This Dark Trooper has been assembled, primed and base-coated

With the first of my entries completed for Dave Stone's Season of Scenery over on his "Wargames Terrain Workshop" blog, I have begun pigmenting some of the figures found in the Systemic Units set by "Beast In The Broch". I'm hoping their predominantly black and silver colour scheme will mean they're pretty straightforward to get tabletop ready, so am currently just focusing on three of alien computer network's humanoid minions first.

In addition, after battling to (plastic) glue together another 40mm scale Phase-III Dark Trooper by "Atomic Mass Games", I'm delightfully in a position where I just need to paint the "Star Wars: Shatterpoint" multi-part droid. My difficulties in assembling these monstrosities is really starting to eat away at my enthusiasm for the models. But in an effort to maintain my interest in George Lucas' galaxy (far, far away), I have now dusted off a few "Star Wars: Legion" miniatures to add to my hobby queue...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Beast In The Broch" September 2026

Science Fiction figures dominated August's output

Due to something of an upturn in my productivity last month - predominantly due to a week working on a trio of "Blake's Seven" inspired sculpts from "Beast In The Broch", I thought I should probably maintain my focus for the next four weeks upon "the tentacled lovechild of games designer Graeme Dawson" as opposed to 'flitting off' after another range or three. Resultantly, I hope to paint the entire contents of the company's Systemic Units set throughout September and then be in a position to add some additional black-suited Systemic Security models to my next order with them.

In addition, I aim to finally finish off the first of my entries to Dave Stone's Season of Scenery over on his "Wargames Terrain Workshop" blog, and follow that up with a couple of other pieces I've 3D printed from the free Fallout: Wasteland Warfare - Print at Home - STL (Standard Triangle Language) Sampler Set released by "Modiphius Entertainment". These generators aren't anywhere near as large as the "Warlord Games" Sturmriese Axis Walker piece I'm currently working on. But should still be good for my upcoming games of Matt Forbeck's Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game.

"Beast In The Broch" WIPs - Three of the models found inside their Systemic Units set.

I also haven't forgotten about 'slogging through' the rest of the 40mm scale multi-piece miniatures found inside the box of "Star Wars: Shatterpoint You Have Something I Want Squad Pack" I recently purchased. Admittedly these "Atomic Mass Games" sculpts are proving a bit of a time-consuming nightmare to assemble. Yet once (plastic) glued together, I believe they should be pretty-quick to polish off due to their largely black-coloured palette - especially the remaining Phase-III Dark Trooper and accompanying Death Trooper Escort.

Lastly, despite already owning a mini-mountain of untouched figures by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", I have got some additional 'reinforcements' coming in following their latest release of heinous Temporal Travellers. Rather embarrassingly, I couldn't actually say which of the models from this range I don't own, due to my collection being stored away in a rather haphazard manner. However, as I'm currently watching at least one episode of classic "Doctor Who" daily, I'm hoping my enthusiasm for all things "timey wimey" will spur me on to getting a fair few of this backlog completed before the year is done.

August 2026 - Crooked Dice Game Design Studio extends their lead in my Top Five Manufacturers

As aforementioned, I owe a significant debt to "Beast In The Broch" for helping me shrug off a serious 'funk' before August came to a close. Indeed, without the manufacturer's marvellous FedSec Command 2 Set I'd almost certainly be looking at an output which frighteningly would have been even less than the dismal showing seen in July. Happily though, that situation was soon averted, and along with a couple more Beastmen 3 by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" I was able to attain a much more acceptable tally.

Whether my excitement for the six figures found inside Graeme's Systemic Units set will have a similar effect upon my mojo remains to be seen. But I do have a fair few partially-painted projects sat lurking around my hobby desk presently - in which case any one of them may well be 'picked up' upon a whim and finished within the span of a dedicated session or two, including a number of "Star Trek" and "Judge Dredd" miniatures I still need to complete from my momentarily postponed randomly selected plastic drawer challenge...

"You're About To Face Off With The Dark Troopers."

"You had your hands full with one."

This 40mm scale model of a Phase-III Dark Trooper is produced by "Atomic Mass Games", and comes as part of the company's "Star Wars: Shatterpoint You Have Something I Want Squad Pack". Based upon the "elite, experimental third-generation battle droid manufactured by the Imperial Department of Military Research", the infuriatingly overcomplicated sixteen-piece plastic miniature was eventually assembled using the instructions found on the Minnesota-based manufacturer's website, and glued to one of the tabletop game's 40mm circular bases.

To be honest, this figure actually seemed to take longer to (plastic) glue together than it did to paint, and on several occasions was close to being shelved when one of its tiny parts inadvertently slipped from my grasp and ended up temporarily lost on my floor. Just why the sculpt needed to be so 'over-designed' I have no idea. But all my enthusiasm for the remaining three Imperial infantry units found inside the box has been almost irretrievably destroyed.

"Beast In The Broch" WIPs - These two FedSec Commanders are almost finished

"The black and silver-plated droid" was initially primed using "Citadel" Abaddon Black and subsequently base-layered with "Vallejo" Glossy Black. I did momentarily toy with the idea of giving the model a delicate dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal too - in an attempt to highlight the miniature. However, in the end I thought the oils and greases caused by my handling of the Dark Trooper tabletop would, over time, also provide a suitable effect.

To break the overwhelming all-black palette though, I decided to 'pick out' all the figure's elbow, wrist, knee and elbow joints using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, as well as the robot's E-450 "Arc Hammer" heavy blaster rifle. Finally I used a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red, "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion for the deadly droid's eyes and chest computer.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - This scenic piece has been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

Alongside this surprisingly time-consuming project, I have also continued plugging away at the two remaining officers from the FedSec Command 2 set by "Beast In The Broch". As I'm currently in something of a major "Blake's 7" mood I was actually hoping to make a start on the company's Systemic Units set this month too. Yet now I find myself needing to really focus just upon these (not) Federation officers if I'm going to get the trio finished before August is done.

Lastly, I've managed to get some basic layers of paint upon my first entry into Dave Stone's Season of Scenery over on his "Wargames Terrain Workshop" blog. This 3D printed part from the "Warlord Games" Sturmriese Axis Walker was meant to be used for "Konlikt '47". But instead I'm aiming on using it as an energy pylon for some games of Matt Forbeck's Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game...

"Ready Launchers Three And Seventeen."

"Fire."

This 28mm scale lead free pewter model of FedSec Base Commander is manufactured by "Beast In The Broch" and can be brought either individually as SKU: FED18 or as part of the five-figure FedSec Command 2 set SKU: PAK08. Digitally sculpted by Carl Stoelzel, the miniature is clearly inspired by the one-eyed Quute as played by actor Christopher Neame in the 1981 television episode of "Blake's Seven" entitled "Traitor".

"A colonel in the Federation force on Helotrix", the senior officer was primed using a couple of coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, heavily dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, and shaded using plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then picked out all his uniform's rather lavish rank insignia using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and (more) "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - This piece of Sturmriese Axis Walker has had several stickers added to it

Ordinarily I would also use these colours to 'pick out' the Federation's standard issue carbine. However, as I wanted to make a break from all the black and silver already on show, I decided to pigment the hand-weapon using a basecoat of "Scale 75" Decayed Metal and subsequently wash it with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. This seemed to be a much better match for the on-screen colour scheme too.

With the first of my FedSec Command Team completed, I have once again turned my attention to Dave Stone's Season of Scenery over on his "Wargames Terrain Workshop" blog, and started work on a rather large piece of a Sturmriese Axis Walker for "Konlikt '47" I printed using some "Bambu Lab" PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer many moons ago. The "Warlord Games" STL (Standard Triangle Language) is just piece of a rather complicated looking "colossal Rift-tech construct" and frankly put me right off producing any more parts. But I did think it looked rather good as some sort of energy pylon.

"Atomic Mass Games" WIPs - This Dark Trooper has been assembled, primed and base-coated

Indeed, my recent purchase of the "Secret Wars" expansion book for the "Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game" has put me in need of just such an objective/scenic piece, so I thought now was the ideal time to get it painted. However, it did (understandably) look a little bare for my purposes, so I dipped into my slowly-dwindling collection of 3D decals given to me by “N-FX Game Design Studio”, and 'spruced' it up a bit first.

In addition, I've been battling the first of two Dark Troopers I recently bought as part of the You Have Something I Want Squad Pack for "Star Wars: Shatterpoint". This 40mm scale multipart plastic Imperial super-soldier by "Atomic Mass Games" took forever to assemble due to its overcomplicated design and incredibly fiddly small parts - the number of times I had to hunt around the floor on my knees looking for a tiny piece I'd dropped whilst trying to glue it to a similarly-sized part almost fried my poor brain. Luckily though, I have managed to persevere and finally get the first of the box's four figures ready for some paint...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - Forgotten Heroes June 2026

A trio of "Titan Forge" Death Dogs were completed for "Monster (Mayhem)"

Having at least managed a far better May than I have during the past couple of years, thanks largely to my participation in Angry Piper's "Monster May(hem)" monthly challenge over on his "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging" blog, I thought I'd dedicate some of this month's hobby time to visiting "Carrion Crow's Buffet" and helping Jez celebrate the Tenth Anniversary of "Forgotten Heroes" event. This is an annual affair I really enjoyed being involved in during its formative days, and resulted in the creation of many of my Howling Commandos of S.H.I.E.L.D. predominantly using various "Wizkids" plastic pieces from their numerous "Heroclix" lines. 

In recent years though, I've not been quite so inspired to cobble a figure together using bits and pieces from various manufacturers due to what I want being available as STL (Standard Triangle Language) files, and so my interest (as well as my participation) has disappointingly waned. This time however, I thought I should go back to its roots, hack up a metal figure or two, and pin an ensemble together.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - This 'Rick Sanchez' has been kit-bashed from a couple of figures

Fortunately, I already had just the very model in my collection, having chopped up the body of a Investigative Academic by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", stuck the company's Crackpot Inventor head on its shoulders, and added a Robo-Minion weapon accessory to use as a portal gun. This gave me a rather agreeable looking Rick Sanchez from the animated science fiction comedy franchise "Rick And Morty", and a solid start for "Forgotten Heroes" too.

Furthermore, I also thought I'd do a third drawer challenge for this month, even though I still had plenty to do on the "Citadel Miniatures" blister Don Uggie And His Ape Gang from May. Somewhat coincidentally, my random roll picked a drawer absolutely packed full of more of Karl Perrotton's figures, so I'm reasonably confident I should be able to both complete the gangsters I didn't finish last time, as well as polish off a fair few more miniatures from "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" as well.

May 2026 - "Modiphius Entertainment" finally enters the Top Five

The past four weeks certainly saw an odd mix of subjects being pigmented, with a couple of blasts from the past being treated to a lick of my brush simply because they brought back some nostalgic memories. Of particular note for this were the two Wookie Warriors by "Fantasy Flight Games" I got tabletop ready having purchased them on the spur of the moment second-hand. Now admittedly I don't have any current plans to play "Star Wars: Legion" any time soon. But I may well polish off the two remaining fur-covered rebels in the near future simply for completion's sake.

Indeed, this month may well see me 'finish off' a number of models I've been toying with over the past few weeks rather than plonk them away on a drawer for another day. Along with Don Uggie's minions and the aforementioned Wookies I have also got a rather sizeable Banderhobb by "Wizkids" to put the last touches too - something I'm especially keen to do so that the monster can participate in some of the games of "The Silver Bayonet" I have planned for the coming months...

"The White Costume Worn By Natasha Romanoff..."

"...Is a specialized suit designed for cold-weather environments and stealth in snowy landscapes."

This 40mm scale plastic figure of Natalia Alianovna "Natasha" Romanoff was made by “Atomic Mass Games” and could be found inside the original Marvel Crisis Protocol Core Box set. However, I actually bought this particular miniature second-hand from "eBay" way back in  November 2020, so I could paint the Avenger up wearing her white suit as seen in the (2009-2010) four-issue miniseries "Black Widow: Deadly Origin" by Paul Cornell.

"A product of the infamous Red Room", the entire model was probably originally primed with a double-helping of either "Vallejo" White or it's "Citadel" alternative for that time. I then went over the entire costume using some heavily-watered down "Citadel" Nuln Oil in an attempt to create some shadows. To be honest this approach seemed to work reasonably well on her legs. But by the time I started applying my 'mix' to her arms and back the "Citadel" Nuln Oil had turned all sticky and goopy - Frustratingly a problem I repeatedly experience with this latest incarnation of the Shade.

"Fantasy Flight Games" WIPs - These old Wookies have all been primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna

As a result, I ended up dry-brushing over the Russian's "sleek, white, tactical bodysuit" with some White Star by "Two Thin Coats". This managed to remove much of the mottled effect the "Citadel" Nuln Oil had caused on the figure. However, it also gave it a somewhat chalky look - which is precisely what I had been trying to avoid in the first place. With the Black Widow's stealth costume finished I quickly moved on to her leg straps and gun holster with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.

Lastly, Natasha's automatic pistol and zipper pull tab were pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst her electroshock wrist weapons, and circle-covered belt were initially layered with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, before being coated in Gold and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. The secret agent's famous hair was simply treated to a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Red, a dash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and final a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"Citadel Miniatures" - All of the detail on Don Uggie is being 'picked out'

Having completed the third incarnation of Natasha Romanoff I now own for Marvel Crisis Protocol, I have settled down to working on all four miniatures from the old "Wookie Warriors" Expansion Box for "Star Wars: Legion" by “Fantasy Flight Games”. I actually painted up this exact same set over seven years ago. But saw the preassembled models on sale for a reasonable price second-hand and simply couldn't past them up.

I'm also slowly making some progress on my old Don Uggie figure by "Citadel Miniatures". Now all the criminal's sleeves and spats have been 'picked out' I'm reasonably happy I know what colours to pigment the rest of the extraordinarily well-dressed Ape. In addition, I have made a tentative start on the gorilla's biggest enforcer Joe Bananas - albeit I am tempted to put the bruiser in a lavender suit as opposed to the tan one I originally envisaged him wearing...

"King T'Challa Is The Black Panther."

"A sacred title that must be both inherited & earned by the current Wakandan ruler."

This 40mm scale model of the Black Panther is made by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was unlocked during the company's highly successful February 2020 Kickstarter for "Marvel United" when it achieved a whopping $2,866,168 in funding. Based upon Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's "protector of the fictional African nation of Wakanda" for "Marvel Comics", the figure can be found inside the boardgame's Season One expansion box entitled "Rise Of The Black Panther".

Produced in a light blue hard plastic, this particular incarnation of King T'Challa appears to be have sculpted by the "Bigchild Creatives" team to be similar in appearance to the character's cinematic outings rather than his comic book adventures, and this caused me a few headaches when deciding what colour to paint the incredibly frustrating vibranium bands encircling most of the super-hero's body. I really wasn't a fan of the almost luminescent purple hoop paint-jobs I saw, nor the dull grey ones.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Some of the final stages painting the Black Panther

In the end I therefore decided to go with a metallic silver look which also seemed to be quite popular with my fellow painters, and also tied in quite nicely with Black Panther's appearance in the Russo brother's 2016 movie "Captain America: Civil War". Resultantly, I primed the miniature with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and then dry-brushed it with "Vallejo" Gunmetal - so as to help me see all the cords, circles and swirls. Sadly, this didn't really work out as I'd hoped, as some of the vibranium simply seemed to blend back into the legs as if the sculptor didn't know where it actually ended, and also there were a few nasty-looking casting flaws on the figure which would need careful navigating/hiding.

These issues caused me to carefully apply a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black in between all the vibranium, and highlight the "rare metal" with a line of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. However, as I wanted T'Challa's necklace to especially standout, I ensured this area was much more strongly coated in "Vallejo" Gunmetal, before applying some "Citadel" Nuln Oil to it. Finally, I carefully 'picked out' the claws with a combination of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Atomic Mass Games" WIPs - Jango Fett's base has been base-layered, shaded and dry-brushed 

With the Black Panther finished, I have found the time to make some more progress on my plan to paint several 40mm "Star Wars: Shatterpoint" plastic models. As with my previously completed Count Dooku miniature by "Atomic Mass Games", this Jango Fett figure comes from the skirmish game's Twice the Pride Squad Pack. However, along with a Magnaguard, its assembly using the unhelpful instructions on the manufacturer's website, actually put me off the entire hobby for a few days.

Indeed, those with sharp-eyes may well spot that the Mandalorian bounty hunter isn't standing as he should be upon the piece of scrap metal glued to his base. This is because I was actually going to use the base for a Magnaguard I put together, as the incredibly frustrating multi-part combat droid appeared to be so fragile that I was going to use the terrain piece to bolster its connectivity to its stand. In the end though, I changed my mind. But by then the debris was firmly fixed in place, so I couldn't match up Fett's foot with the hollow designed for him to stand in...

"I Sense Great Fear In You, Skywalker."

"You have hate. You have anger. But you don't use them."

This 40mm scale model of Count Dooku is produced by "Atomic Mass Games", and comes as part of the company's "Star Wars: Shatterpoint Twice the Pride Squad Pack". Based upon the physical likeness of the late, great Sir Christopher Lee, the eight-piece miniature was assembled using the instructions found on the Minnesota-based manufacturer's website, and glued to one of the tabletop game's 40mm circular bases.

The "sinister Sith Lord" was first undercoated with a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before having his trousers pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then 'picked out' his belt and cloak with some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, and doused the two areas with plenty of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Korg's base layers have now all been applied

I applied a little smidgeon of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil to the once a respected Jedi Knight's lightsabre, and carefully (because it feels as fragile as anything) drew some "Vallejo" Heavy Red along its plasma blade. This particular part was later shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson and delicately dry-brushed with a little (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

I also gave the hair and beard of Grand Master Yoda's former padawan a touch of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and a lick of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. As I wanted to try to capture Darth Tyranus' whiskers, I subsequently went back and dabbed at the sculpt's detail with (more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats". Finally, I gave Count Dooku's cape a thorough dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna in order to add some shade in its folds.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - This Galactic Explorer is almost finished

With the first of eight planned "Star War: Shatterpoint" figures I have purchased finished, I have continued with my cunning plan to paint a number of Marvel United gaming pieces to use with the Marvel Multiverse RPG (MMRPG). My hobby desk is currently absolutely swamped with these Chibi-like 40mm plastic models by "CoolMiniOrNot". So to try and keep sane I am just focusing upon the Kronan gladiator Korg, who is encountered at the start of the MMRPG's Escape From Planet Hulk starter scenario.

In addition, I have found a few moments to potter away at one of the Galactic Explorers I quite recently purchased from "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". I admittedly picked this particular (not "Galaxy Quest") figure as something different from all the larger-scaled stuff I'm presently focused upon, so I'm not really sure when I'll finally get the fellow tabletop ready...

"Information About Doop's Origins..."

"...As with anything else about him, is difficult to verify."

This 40mm scale model of Doop is manufactured by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was unlocked during the company's highly successful April 2021 Kickstarter for "Marvel United: X-Men" when it achieved an incredible $5,988,089 in funding. Created by Peter Milligan and Mike Allred, "everyone's favourite talking blob" (and his hero cards) can be found in the boardgame's Season Two Promo Box.

Produced in a light blue hard plastic, the X-Force's official videographer was primed using a mixture of "Citadel" Abaddon Black and Ethereal Green by "Two Thin Coats". The artificial being's rubble-strewn base was then layered in "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and finally dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey.

"CoolMiniOrNot"WIPs - Korg is being painted from the base upwards

I then began working on the sculpt's camera equipment by patiently picking out all its metallic components with a smidgeon or two of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and a splash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. In addition, I managed to get a dollop of "Vallejo" Heavy Red onto the actual shutter button, and later darken it with a bit of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. 

Doop himself was washed using plenty of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green, before being dry-brushed with (more) Ethereal Green by "Two Thin Coats". The ally of Howard the Duck's X-Symbol was subsequently carefully traced out with some "Citadel" Abaddon Black. I did consider adding a little dark green to the emblem - as seen in a couple of the comic books. But in the end decided to leave it plain - which seemed to be the predominant canon colour scheme. However, I was convinced to add a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson" to the Krakoan's eyes, as well as dot the pupils with "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

"Atomic Mass Games" WIPs - Count Dooku is almost finished

Sticking with my plan to paint a number of these Marvel United gaming pieces to use with the Marvel Multiverse RPG, I have set to work on Korg. The Kronan gladiator is one of the first allies encountered in the MMRPG's Escape From Planet Hulk Starter Set, so before I dive into that beginner's adventure I thought I'd better get him tabletop ready.

Furthermore, I've managed to make a little more progress on my aspiration to paint several of the figures from Star Wars: Shatterpoint by "Atomic Mass Games". To begin with I plan to simply focus upon a few of my favourite characters from the Prequel Trilogy, starting with Sir Christopher Lee's Count Dooku. I really don't know how many of these rather expensive plastic 40mm miniatures I'll get finished. But I currently own eight of the multi-part models, so would certainly like to get them done before I purchase any more...

"It's Never Felt So Good..."

"...To feel so angry."

This 40mm scale model of Red Hulk is produced by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was unlocked during the company's highly successful January 2023 Kickstarter for "Marvel United: Multiverse" when it achieved an incredible $4,787,626 in funding. Created by Joseph Loeb and Ed McGuiness, the anti-hero figure (and his respective hero/villain cards) can be found in the boardgame's Season Three Promo Box.

Produced in purple hard plastic, Thaddeus E. "Thunderbolt" Ross's alter-ego was primed using a mixture of "Citadel" Abaddon Black and "Vallejo" Heavy Red. The former US military general's trousers were then dry-brushed with some "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, before the entire miniature was drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. As a final step to this stage, I later carefully dry-brushed all of the model's flesh with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Doop now just needs a little tidying up before being finished

With the basics now finished, I set about 'picking out' some of the sculpt's details. As a result, the figure's eyes were first dotted with a little "White Star" by "Two Thin Coats", and subsequently spotted with a smidgeon of Skulker Yellow and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Furthermore, the Red Hulk's hair and moustache were given a lick of "Vallejo" Neutral Grey (so as to provide a little contrast to his "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey base), and sploshed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Lastly, these areas were patiently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Neutral Grey.

I did consider giving the super-strong brute's fingernails a quick layer of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, just like I did way back in 2019 on my "Heroclix" Red Hulk. However, there was some disconcerting 'flash' covering these details on my miniature, so I felt leaving things alone would be the wisest (and sanest) course of action on this occasion. Instead, I simply plonked a little "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion over Thunderbolt's tongue, and darkened it down with a dash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Atomic Mass Games" WIPs - Count Dooku is being painted from the boots up

Alongside the General, I have also made some more progress on the co-operative boardgame's figure of Doop. The actual X-Force videographer himself is a pretty straightforward project, albeit I'm not a fan of the comic book incarceration's red eyes - preferring them to be plain black. But there is a ton of detail on the quirky-looking character's camera which I've been patiently working through.

Furthermore, I've finally decided to take a little leap into the world of Star Wars: Shatterpoint by "Atomic Mass Games". I don't actually own the core set, nor have any intention of doing so. However, as Sir Christopher Lee's Count Dooku is by far my favourite villain from "a galaxy far, far away". I simply couldn't resist picking Darth Tyranus up...

Top Ten Manufacturers Of 2021 - A "Fantorical" Viewpoint

My increasing interest in 3D printed miniatures and the companies selling them certainly had an impact upon my painting preferences across these twelve months. Admittedly, the likes of "Zealot Miniatures" and "Rocket Pig Games" don't even feature in this list, as I never got around to finishing quite enough of them to warrant it. But their impact, both in financial terms (as they were expensive acquisitions) and as a distraction from other fantasy-focused ranges (e.g. Frostgrave) was arguably quite profound.  

Similarly as transformative was an unexpected, and quite sudden change in attitude to my pre-painted "Heroclix" collection - which somewhat inexplicably died a total death during these twelve months. Instead, I became much more enamoured with historical and science-fiction based wargaming, even going so far as to once again try my hand at fielding enough 15mm plastics for a game of "Flames Of War" by "Battlefront Miniatures"...

No. 10 - "Warlord Games" - "Epic Battles: American Civil War"

There can be little doubt that my enthusiasm for this range of 15mm scale plastic soldiers was incredibly high when they were first announced by “Warlord Games”. Indeed, I even went so far as to scour my local newsagents looking for Issue 393 of "Wargames Illustrated" so as to obtain a free sprue of figures. Sadly however, my plans to field a vast swathe of ragged-looking Confederates for Black Powder soon departed once I realised just how unsuited to my 'black lining' painting technique the strips of ten models were, and just how long it would actually take me to 'pick out' all their straps, hats, beards, water bottles and rifles.

No. 10 - "Mongoose Publishing" - "Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Block War"

Whilst I have pottered about with this somewhat 'infamous' range of "Kickstarter" funded figures for some years, I was rather surprised to find myself painting quite so many models from it during these twelve months. Much of this productivity was down to my aspiration to replicate the action depicted within the pages of the “2000 A.D." and “Judge Dredd Megazine” comic book crossover event from 1992 entitled “Judgement Day" during "Zomtober". However, it was actually all started by a trip to the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth a month earlier, where I spent an enjoyable afternoon play-testing some homemade 28mm Judge Dredd rules. 

No. 9 - "Catalyst Game Labs" - "Battletech"

Strangely, despite having never played a tabletop game of "Battletech" I pre-ordered several boxes of these 1:285 scale plastic models just as soon as I saw "Catalyst Game Labs" announce them, and then impatiently waited several months as their release date was repeatedly pushed back. Such situations usually dampen my enthusiasm for a project, but when I did finally get my hands on such sets as the Battletech: Inner Sphere Battle Lance box, I was so energised into crafting a Weird War Two setting where the Axis and Allies fought using giant walkers, that I finished pigmenting over twenty mechs in total.

No. 8 - "Kitbash Games" - "Supers Unlimited"

Having previously dabbled with this range of 28mm scale resin miniatures, courtesy of their creator kindly sending me a couple of characters as a free gift, I suddenly found myself somewhat shockingly preferring to paint these original villains/heroes over my usual mainstay of established "Heroclix" capes and meta-humans. This preference came about because the models matched up so well size-wise with my old “Secrets Of The Third Reich” collection by "Westwind Productions", and resultantly were used to play some skirmish games of Weird War Two at the LVL Up Gaming Store in Bournemouth.

No. 7 - "Atomic Mass Games" - "Marvel Crisis Protocol"

Perhaps one of the biggest disappointments of the year was managing to get a good number of these 40mm scale super-heroes tabletop ready. But not then actually getting a game in. Indeed, one of my main motivators for finishing the likes of Daredevil - who arrived broken and subsequently required some repairs before my project mojo returned - was to complete enough figures to fill out a full roster. Disconcertingly, the rules for this game have now undergone some significant revisions, so many of the cards/statistics which came with the starter set are now out of date and invalid.

No. 6 - "Alternative Armies" - "The Ion Age"

I've always liked the 'beakieness' of the Prydian Army's Retained Knights ever since I first laid eyes upon the 15mm figures, as they remind me of the old "Rogue Trader" era Space Marine from yesteryear. So when the annual “Forgotten Heroes” challenge arrived, I thought it would be a lot of fun to use the sculpts as proxies for Horus Heresy Warhammer 30,000 shenanigans, and started painting up a number of (not) Blood Angels. Admittedly, my deadline for the project slipped quite a bit, but it didn't stop until I had a sizeable number of 'tactical marines', including command and heavy weapons, as well as a couple of vehicles to boot.

No. 5 - "Privateer Press" - "Warcaster"

Due to never really getting on with assembling the multi-part metal miniatures by "Privateer Press" in the past, I wasn't initially completely convinced I wanted to buy any of their 'new' 35mm scale Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika range. However, I soon succumbed when I saw the Iron Star Alliance Squad Starter Set, and rather enjoyed working on all the metallics my colour choice for the 'torchbearers of civilization' contingent contained. Furthermore, the Paladin Annihilators gave me a great excuse to start using “Scalecolor” Cobalt Alchemy.

No. 4 - "North Star Military Figures" - "Frostgrave"

To be completely honest I am not the biggest fan of the sculpting for many of the Frostgrave figures I have ended up pigmenting. I found the look of the White Gorilla, Bear (Rearing To Attack) and Wolves to be both utterly uninspiring, and disconcertingly off-putting when it came to considering putting on an actual game. Yet despite these hurdles, I still managed to build quite the menagerie of creatures and animals for my adventurers to face should they ever once again set foot within the city limits of Felstad's ruins.

No. 3 - "Battlefront Miniatures" - "Flames Of War"

Perhaps I should have realised just how many infantry figures a "Flames Of War" fifty-point force required before buying the “Hit The Beach” Starter Set and getting to work on a German D-Day Defence force, having previously tried to paint up enough soldiers for a British Deserts Rats army. Nonetheless, my enthusiasm for this project not only successfully lead to almost half-a-dozen MG34 and K98 Rifle Teams being tabletop ready, along with accompanying Panzerfaust, Mortar and command bases. But also a couple of small-level games to try out the rules.

No. 2 - "Games Workshop" - "Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game" and "Epic"

There can be little doubt that a return to Middle-Earth Strategy Battle Game halfway through the year completely rekindled my interest in all things "Games Workshop". The Nottingham-based manufacturer had essentially gone right off my radar for well over a year before I returned to J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord Of The Rings", and then later would cause me to enter a 6mm scale plastic painting frenzy with a load of classic "Epic" Space Marines.

No. 1 - "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" - "Colony 87"

Despite never getting near an actual game of "7TV", "Crooked Dice" were almost twice as popular as their nearest rival, and throughout the year caused me to visit a fair few of my favourite science fiction franchises, such as "The Planet Of The Apes", "Blake's Seven", "Ghostbusters" and "Krull". In addition, the release of some more Alien Pets for their fantastic Colony 87 range had me painting all manner of weird and wonderful extra-terrestrials, alongside a carousel of X-Commandos, Great Apes and even a terrifically-tall resin Treant.

Top Ten Miniatures Of 2021 - An "Undercoat" Personal Choice

It is with some trepidation that I pen my choice of 2021 top ten miniatures from the Fantorical blog. The excellent top ten already done by Roger had me smiling with the way it was written so the bar has been set very high. This year highlighted to me the incredible variety of miniatures painted and if there is one thing Simon is good at, it is finding the eclectic and quirky stuff out there. One of the reasons I read his blog is to be shown the stuff that doesn’t always hit the mainstream! This was an interesting year for a number of reasons, but in terms of this blog some of the old favourite model ranges were either absent or vastly reduced in numbers and replaced by some very interesting new stuff!

The choice I have made is a personal one and based on a number of factors including, but not exclusive to, the paint job, how cool or quirky the miniature is, and just that wow factor! So without further ado and no more jibber jabber here it is, in reverse order.

No. 10 - Shrieking Wolves by "North Star Military Figures" - April 9th

These minis were metal oriental dog-like creatures from the fantastic Frostgrave game. Firstly, the concept of them intrigued me and the paint scheme just brought them to life. Secondly, the beautiful weathered metal with the superb Verdigris effect deserves a chef’s kiss. I just adore these. Such a great paint job.

No. 9 - The Punisher by "Atomic Mass Games" - January 12th

A character from the Marvel comics brought to life in miniature form for the game Marvel Crisis Protocol. I just like this sculpt. It looks great. However, the paint job really brings him to life. I like the eyes, the stubble on his face and the skull symbol on his top. In a year that saw no hero clix superhero models that I recall, Atomic Mass Games filled that void very nicely.

No. 8 - Human Lineman by "Games Workshop" - May 15th

This old school Blood Bowl player was a blast from the past and proved to be a lovely reminder of the history behind this Games Workshop game. The current range of Blood Bowl teams are some of my favourite minis out there for their character and humour so this chap brought a smile to my face. Proving once again that he is a master of painting metallic, I love the simple colour scheme of this player and really want to see this expanded into a full team in 2022 to go along with the fabulously named Rusty Buckets dwarf team!

No. 7 - Twig Fiend by "Rocket Pig Games" - May 31st

This miniature just came out of left field for me. A quirky sculpt that was 3D printed and just oozed charm and character. Something different that highlighted the variety of miniatures out there if you just dig below the surface. A lovely paint job that I don’t think the main pictures do full justice to. Just revisit the posting and look at the other pictures where the woody menace is fighting the Tin Man to get a fuller picture of what this looks like. A quirky mini brought to life with a great paint job, what more can I say!

No. 6 -  Paladin Annihilator by “Privateer Press” - December 8th

Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika is a relatively new range of miniatures from an established company that is moving their IP away from a fantasy steampunk setting to a very high tech sci-fi universe with some nice sculpts, The Iron Star Alliance faction has been painted up throughout last year but these later additions were tweaked with some blue metallic spot colours that just make them stand out from what went before. I really like these a lot. High tech knights in the far future sound just awesome to me!

No. 5 - MG34 And K98 Rifle Team by "Battlefront Miniatures" - September 4th

Now we enter the historical sphere of wargaming with some 15mm World War 2 German soldiers. A different scale to what I have picked previously but this unit of soldiers looks like a mini diorama as the 4 men move across the battlefield on their base. To be honest it is difficult to pick one entry from the Flames of War postings, so this pick should really encompass the whole year’s work. It is the care that has gone into these that amazes me. Black lining them, camouflage on certain helmets etc. I bet these look stunning set up as a whole force. A great addition to the year’s output.

No. 4 - Tin Construct by "Rocket Pig Games" - May 7th

Another quirky miniature. A mechanical man that has clearly taken inspiration from one of the trio travelling the Yellow Brick Road with Dorothy. Firstly, what a great sculpt! So full of character and with so many uses in fantasy games like Frostgrave or home brew rules that frequently get used in battle reports on this blog! Secondly, what great metallics. The rusted and weathered nature of this model is captured wonderfully with this paint scheme. Another one of those that really stuck in my memory.

No. 3 - Bruce Lee by "Mondo Games" - January 19th

Another set of miniatures I had never heard of that sounds bonkers, yet fun where you can match a famous martial artist off against dinosaurs! This is another one of those where the whole package of sculpt, paint scheme and the quirky nature of the game made me remember this one straight away. Great skin tones, well painted eyes (don’t you just hate having to do them!) and an overall paint scheme that just tells you who this is without reading the blog. I just couldn’t leave this one out of the top three.

No. 2 - Yeti by "Zealot Miniatures" - April 16th

Well, I’ve never seen a yeti that looks like this! (I know they probably aren’t real but I meant in film, miniatures etc! It would be awesome if they are real though!) I don’t think I’ve imagined a yeti ever looking like this – all mouth and white fur. What an incredible design. I think this model is amazing. Once again it comes to life because of the way the fur is painted. Two things I think Simon excels at: painting metals and painting fur. A simple paint scheme that is executed so well. Just superb.

No. 1 - American Civil War Infantry by "Warlord Games" - December 21st

These miniatures caused something of a stir when they hit the public in late 2020, early 2021. Designed for the Black Powder game in a new epic scale to really convey the massed battle nature that rule set was created to play. Different scale (15mm), different design (a strip of ten men all joined together) and a lot of talking points for the wargaming community which I won’t go into. Now, why did these diminutive Johnny Rebs take the top spot? Partly because I think the miniatures and the concept of how they portray a massed unit of infantry are brilliant. However, the main reason is the detail and care that has gone into them. Once again black lining between the different areas on such a small scale set of minis is madness but looks great; but it is the way the slightly rag tag nature of the Confederate forces has been captured by different coloured uniform elements that blows my mind! The soldiers have different coloured jackets, different coloured trousers, different coloured boots and different coloured hats! On a 15mm strip of soldiers!?! Boom! Mind blown again. Simon himself admits a bit of a dislike for these and to be honest I don’t think you can keep this standard of diversity up for a whole army in this scale as it would probably drive you a bit potty! I think these are incredible and a worthy winner of my top ten.

So that wraps up my top ten picks for 2021. Plenty of cool miniatures were left out but there was a lot to choose from! I hope these provide a small amount of inspiration for anybody reading to pick up a paint brush and do some painting.