"Sweet Christmas!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 "We come to kill, by sun or moon."

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

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

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

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

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

Miss Fantorical 2025 - An "Undercoat" Painting Pageant

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

June - Doop by "CoolMiniOrNot" - June 18th

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Sauron Is A Fearsome Mutated Pterodactyl."

"Look on me, ye humans, and despair!"

This 40mm scale model of Sauron 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. "The alter ego of physician Dr. Karl Lykos", the energy vampire was created by Roy Thomas and Neal Adams, and made his first appearance in the September 1969 issue of "The X-Men by "Marvel Comics".

Primed using plenty of Ethereal Green from "Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats" paint range, the super-villain was shaded in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and thoroughly dry-brushed with (more) Ethereal Green. I then 'picked out' his mouth using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, before highlighting his tongue (so as to better 'mark out' it out) with some additional "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - These two Austrian infantrymen are almost finished

The notorious "enemy of the X-Men" subsequently had his mesmerising eyes dolloped with a splodge of "Duncan Rhodes Two Thin Coats" White Star, and plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Violet plastered over Lykos' trousers. This garment was later shaded using "Citadel" Druchii Violet, and given a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Violet. Lastly, I applied some "Vallejo" Neutral Grey over the figure's pre-sculpted base, sploshed it with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and highlighted its rocky crags with (more) "Vallejo" Neutral Grey.

Along with my latest addition to my roster of models I plan to use with the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game, I have also been dutifully plodding away at the remaining four Austrian fusiliers I wish to add to my Coalition army for "Black Powder". These figures all come from the blister AN002 German Infantry Marching by "Wargames Foundry", and will double the strength of my current unit from tiny to small (using my home-rules for unit size).

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - A trio of Beastmen in the early stages of being painted

In addition, I've also been dabbling with a quartet of Beastmen by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" which I believe I picked up when the company first released their 7TV Dracula Feature Pack. I'm not particularly planning to use them for Karl Perrotton's skirmish rule-set, but rather "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games" - utilising them as either Cultists or perhaps even Ghouls.

I would though like to get quite a few of this manufacturer's backlog cleared from my drawers over the next couple of months - as I do seem to have collected quite a mountain of their metal models. So hopefully I can get this particular foursome tabletop ready "toot sweet", and then move on to several of their Alien Legionaries which I recently stumbled upon whilst searching through a wooden cabinet...

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

Last month's output was largely dominated by "Games Workshop" and "Wargames Foundry"

Sadly there can be little doubt then when compared to some of my past January outputs, the last four weeks have proved pretty disappointing productivity wise. Indeed, I didn't manage to pigment even half of what I achieved just a couple of years ago in 2023. Having said that though, a lot of time was lost due to a slow start, and currently my enthusiasm for the hobby is so strong - especially for "Wargames Foundry" and their Napoleonic range, that I fully expect to make up some ground throughout February.

In addition, I've temporarily postponed a couple of new projects I had begun to 'scratch away' at, in favour of firmly focusing upon my Partially-Painted/Printed Pledge (PPPP) and making far more in-roads towards my target tally for that. Last year I managed to finally finish 246 points worth of semi-completed figures, and was planning to better that this time round. However, having just past my personal challenge's half-way stage, I've only got 119 points tabletop ready - so have set aside my plans for Napoleonic cavalry and cannon units (some of which have literally just arrived through my letter box), and swapped them out for a sizeable selection of already-based Austrian Fusiliers, Moscow Militiamen and Frenchmen marching in greatcoats.

"In military operations, hours determine success and campaigns."

To get things off with something of a bang I have finally managed to get a coat of "Vallejo" Matt Varnish on an eighth skirmisher I have had loitering around my painting desk for quite some while. Found inside the “Wargames Foundry" blister FN054 - Light Infantry Chasseurs Advancing, the miniature Frenchman was undercoated using a little "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before having his uniform/cuffs layered in "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade.

The soldier's various leather straps were treated to some White Star by "Two Thin Coats", before being 'weathered' with some watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Furthermore, I 'picked out' all of his extra details, using colours such as as "Vallejo" Heavy Green and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green for the man's epaulettes and sabre-briquet ribbons, "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil on his bedroll, and "Two Thin Coats" White, Skulker Yellow, and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade for the Frenchman's helmet plume.

January 2026 - "Blood Bowl", Napoleonic Soldiers and Super-Heroes dominate the current chart

Alongside my burgeoning Black Powder collection, I am also planning on working through a number of primed "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" models I've had lurking in a drawer beside me for many a month. Whether this encourages to return to the company's skirmish ruleset "7TV" I don't know. But there's a good chance many of the figures will make an appearance on my "Silver Bayonet" tabletop as I primarily use Karl Perrotton's miniatures for any encounters my warband might have with wandering monsters, the Undead or musket-carrying bandits.

Lastly, I'm still very much in the mood for producing various items of scenery with my "Bambu Lab" A1 Mini, and am quietly working away in the background on some of the terrific terrain I received as free STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from "Steamforged Games" as part of their Warmachine 3D: Gravediggers release in April 2025. I've also got a bit of a backlog building courtesy of "Saucermen Studios" and their "Beyond The Trenches Of Despair" Kickstarter. So expect to see a fair few Whether ruined walls, trench systems, bunkers, towers and concrete barricades appearing over the coming months.

"Miles Morales’ Spider Powers..."

 "...are significantly different from his counterparts in other dimensions."

This 40mm scale model of Miles Gonzalo Morales was produced by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was released during the company's highly successful February 2020 Kickstarter for "Marvel United" when it achieved a whopping $2,866,168 in funding. Based upon  Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli's "modern reimagining of the popular character" Spider-Man for "Marvel Comics", the figure can be found inside the boardgame's "Enter The Spider-Verse" expansion set.

"Hailing from an alternate world in which Peter Parker sacrificed his life to protect the city", the figure was primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black and then had all of the webbing covering his costume (very) patiently picked out with a line of "Vallejo" Heavy Red. In addition, the Afro–Puerto Rican teenager's fingers and chest emblem were also treated to a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Red, before the entire miniature was given a wash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"During the Crusades, a heretical band of Templars dared defy the Almighty, unleashing the forces of Hell upon the Earth."

Spider-Man's eyes were carefully base-coated with "Two Thin Coats" White Star, shaded in "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and subsequently highlighted back up with (more) White Star by "Two Thin Coats". The model's rubble-strewn base was largely treated to a combination "Vallejo" Heavy Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst the dislodged drain was pigmented with "Vallejo" Gunmetal, "Citadel" Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade.

Alongside Miles Morales, I have also finished working on a second Concrete Defence Wall which was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer. Produced by "Saucermen Studios" as part of their "Beyond The Trenches Of Despair" Kickstarter, the scenic piece was undercoated using "Vallejo" Neutral Grey, base layered with a coat of the somewhat darker Sombre Grey and covered in of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - This Frenchman is close to completion

I then dry-brushed all the concrete with (more) "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, before giving both the numerous spikes and crosses a base-coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. These areas were later 'picked out' with a little "Vallejo" Gold, and a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

Finally, I am pushing on with a sixth 28mm scale metal model from the “Wargames Foundry" pack FN054 - Light Infantry Chasseurs Advancing. I've got every intention of getting eight of these Napoleonic French skirmishers tabletop ready by the end of the month - if not sooner - as I fully intend to work on some cavalry units by the Newark-based manufacturer for the majority of this year...

"Bah! Everywhere It Is The Same!"

"I live in a world too small for me!"

This 40mm scale model of Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm was produced by "CoolMiniOrNot", and was released during the company's highly successful April 2021 Kickstarter for "Marvel United: X-Men" when it achieved an incredible $5,988,089 in funding. Based upon Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's human mutate for "Marvel Comics", the figure can be found inside the boardgame's "Fantastic Four" expansion set.

Produced in a light blue hard plastic, the Thing was primed using a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, washed with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. His "flexible, rock-like hide" was then patiently dry-brushed using a little "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone in order to really pick out all of the super-hero's chitinous plates.

"Saucerman Studios" WIPs - This Concrete Defence Wall is almost finished

Admittedly, this didn't make Ben look as orange as he has been depicted in the comic books. However, having previously pigmented a 28mm plastic "Heroclix" model of Aunt Petunia's favourite nephew almost twelve years ago - predominantly using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Orange and some rather uncontrollable Umber Shade, I wanted Grimm to look much more earth-coloured on this occasion.

As a penultimate step I applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Blue to the miniature's shorts, shaded this area with "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, and later carefully dry-brushed the clothing with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. Lastly, I 'picked out' the exceptionally skilled pilot's eyes and mouth with some White Star by "Two Thin Coats", and applied a little "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to help better show his individual teeth.

"Big Mr Tong" WIPs - These three Power Armoured Troopers have been primed and base-coated

With my latest "CoolMiniOrNot" figure finished, and now ready for some games of the Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game, I have also found the time to make some progress on a second, and significantly longer, Concrete Defence Wall by "Saucermen Studios" for my Trench Crusade tabletop. I've actually now produced a few barricades from this set using "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on my A1 Mini 3D Printer, so hope to work my way through them all as the weeks go by.

I've also found the time to upscale five Power Armoured Troopers by "Big Mr Tong" on "Citubox" Basic in order to sate a sudden interest in "Fallout" - which has largely been caused by the PC Game "Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7" currently running an event to tie-in with the American post-apocalyptic drama television series. Created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer, these models are now 42mm in height, so as to match the size of the 'official' Brotherhood of Steel models produced by "Modiphius Entertainment" for "Fallout: Wasteland Warfare"...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

https://rantingsfromunderthewargamestable.wordpress.com/

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

Cheers Roger.

"When They Jerk Into life..."

"...Their sickles twitch relentlessly looking for a fresh harvest."

This 28mm scale white metal model is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought as MINI 431 Mast Beast B from the company's Folk Horror range. Sculpted by Steve Saleh, and presumably inspired by some of Evil's henchmen in Terry Gilliam's 1981 British adventure film "Time Bandits", the miniature was originally going to be one of my entries into Angry Piper's "Monster May(hem)" monthly challenge over on the "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging" blog. But as that particular event concluded several weeks ago, I've simply finished painting him up to use as a ghost for "The Silver Bayonet" by "Osprey Games".

The model was undercoated with plenty of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before being heavily dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal. It was then shaded using "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and had it's sickle treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and (more) "Citadel" Nuln Oil. In addition, the blade was sploshed with a little "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to try to weather it a bit, and later dry-brushed using (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Luke Cage's flesh is being base layered, washed and highlighted

I next applied some "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand to the creature's ox-shaped skull and skeletal arm, washed them with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and applied a little (more) "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand as a highlight. However, this didn't make the bones stand out as well as I had hoped, so I slowly drew a little White Star by "Two Thin Coats" across the uppermost parts of the skeleton in an effort to create something closer to the bleached effect I was aiming for.

Having now finished both of my Mast Beasts, I have found some more time to focus upon my "Marvel United" Luke Cage figure by "CoolMiniOrNot". This particular 40mm hard plastic model is one of several pieces from the boardgame which I currently have in my painting queue. However, it is also the one I most want to finish before my next game of the "Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game" (MMRPG) - so it shouldn't be too long before Power Man is ready to battle the forces of Hydra.

"Fat Dragon Games" WIPs - A Terran Light Cruiser

By far my biggest news hobby-wise though has to be the purchase of an A1 Mini 3D printer by "Bambu Lab", and my desire to produce all ten of the starships found inside "Battlefront Valkyrie" by "Fat Dragon Games". I actually bought this digitally downloadable game a while back, with the hope that my "Elegoo" Mars 5 resin printer would be able produce the models, bases and stands satisfactorily. But sadly, things didn't go to plan, with my aspiration to print the vessels flat on my build plate ending in a bit of a disaster.

As a result I've been waiting to get hold of a .2mm nozzle to give the STL (Standard Triangle Language) files a go using some PLA (Polylactic Acid), and have been rather thrilled with the results. I did originally print one of the Terran Light Cruisers out using the machine's basic .4mm hotend, simply to see how it turned out, and so now intend to paint the pair of them up together for comparison so I can show the reduction in striation lines which the much smaller Hotend provides...

"Being Discovered By Spider-Man During The Secret Wars..."

"...It bonded to him and assimilated his powers into its own genome."

This 40mm scale model of "the symbiotic being known as Venom" was produced by "CoolMiniOrNot", and 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 Randy Schueller, Jim Shooter, and Mike Zeck's extra-terrestrial for "Marvel Comics", the figure (and his twelve cards) can be found inside the boardgame's Season One Promo Box.

"Spawned at some point during the reign of the dark elder god Knull", Eddie Brock's 'partner-in-crime' was initially primed using a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and had his intricate spider-symbol and eyes 'picked out' with White Star by "Two Thin Coats". These areas were then treated to some watered-down "Citadel" Nuln Oil, before being tidied up with some additional lines of "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Luke Cage's jeans have been base-layered and shaded

Venom's sharp teeth were carefully given a lick of "Two Thin Coats" White Star, and later dirtied down with some "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. This (hopefully) gave the anti-hero's fangs a distinctly different look to his aforementioned eyes and spider-symbol. I also applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson" to the alien tentacle-like tongue, and subsequently highlighted it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

Originally, I had been planning on dry-brushing the bulk of Venom with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal or maybe even Heavy Blue, and then shading him with plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil to dampen the colour down. However, in the end I settled on just having the symbiote appear as a monotone black mass, and tried to give the entity a slick, oily look by protecting my paint-job with an application of "Vallejo" Gloss Varnish.

"Big Head Chibis" WIPs - The bases of these three Hydra Soldiers are almost finished

Sticking with "Marvel United" miniatures by "CoolMiniOrNot", I have also made some progress on the boardgame's Luke Cage figure. I wasn't planning on getting Power Man painted any time soon until very recently, when I figured my games of the "Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game" (MMRPG) might prove more manageable if I predominantly stuck to the rule system's 'street level' crime-fighters for my scenarios. The New Avenger fits this bill rather nicely, and despite his famous yellow silk shirt, is proving reasonably straightforward a project.

Likewise, I've been 'chipping away' at a trio of Hydra Soldiers sculpted by "Big Head Chibis". These 40mm minions of the Red Skull will inevitably prove a much tougher challenge than Luke Cage - especially as I want to be able to field at least ten fully-finished terrorists in the near future. But I'm hoping that I'll soon figure out a way to efficiently work through their difficult yellow and green uniforms before my enthusiasm for playing MMRPG 'peters out'...

"I'm Strong As The Hulk!!"

 "I can do anything!! I'm Master of the World... of the whole Universe!!"

This 40mm scale model of the Abomination is made 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. Originally created by Stan Lee and Gil Kane to be "bigger and stronger than the Hulk", the super-villain first appeared in the April 1967 issue of "Tales to Astonish" for "Marvel Comics", and his figure can be found inside the boardgame's Season Three Promo Box

Produced in a hard red plastic, Emil Blonsky's alter-ego was undercoated using a couple of layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Green, doused in plenty of "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green, and given a hearty dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green" so as to help bring out all his sculpt's marvellous details. Agent R-7's trunks were then treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, before being roughly highlighted using (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - Luke Cage has been primed, as well as had his stand base-layered and shaded

The Abomination's tongue was simply coated in "Vallejo" Heavy Red and shaded using some "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, whilst his teeth were 'picked out' in "Two Thin Coats" White Star, and later dirtied down with a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I also applied a thick line of "Two Thin Coats" Emerald Green" along the figure's eyebrows, and toned them down with plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Finally, the monster's eyes were dotted using Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats", darkened down with a little "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and finally spotted with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow.

Having already had this gamma-powered maniac suddenly appear in one of my recent games of the "Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game" (MMRPG) as a random encounter, and watched helplessly as he absolutely flattened the 'good guys' before they could rescue all the hostages, I've decided to focus on building up my roster of super-heroes for a time. Admittedly, I currently want to steer clear of many of the better-powered crime-fighters, as I'm still getting to grips with the rule-set, and they inevitably appear to bring with them a multitude of new abilities.

"Big Head Chibis" WIPs - Three Hydra minions undercoated and waiting for a wash

But I thought Luke Cage's Power Man would make a solid fighter, who could at least give the Abomination a little 'pause for thought' before he got beaten senseless. In addition, I'm hoping the "Marvel United" miniature will help me get to grips with a decent yellow, before I go all in on a sizeable force of Hydra troopers sculpted by "Big Head Chibis".

I've actually rolled out a number of these 40mm scale terrorists already, using my "Elegoo" Mars 5 3D printer - including a couple of leaders and one armed with a whopping rocket launcher. However, I've been a bit reluctant to tackle them with my paint-brush due to their costumes being predominantly green and yellow, so have rather lazily just been 'fielding them' as bland grey resin lackeys for my MMRPG battles so far...

"Spaceknights!"

 "We have only won a battle, not the war!"

This 40mm scale model of Rum was created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 5 3D Printer, and is available as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file from the "Big Head Chibis" store on "Cults 3D". Clearly inspired by the toy-turned-superhero Rom - which was co-conceived by Scott Dankman for "Parker Brothers" in 1979 - I found the sculpt to be a little under-sized for my purposes, so increased the figure's height to 42.18mm in Chitubox before I printed him out.

In addition, as I wanted the Galadorian spaceknight to 'fall in' with my Marvel United models by "CoolMiniOrNot", I swapped out his 30mm base for one with slightly less height which was sculpted by "Crippled God Foundry". Once assembled, both were subsequently primed using plenty of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and later treated the stone-brick stand to a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"CoolMiniOrNot" WIPs - The Abomination's shorts have been finished, so just his face is left to go

For Rom himself, I wanted to try and capture some of the shine of his famous "electronically supported malleable statis field armour skin", so patiently applied three separate coats of Heavy Metal by "Scale 75" over him. I then mixed up some "Citadel" Nuln Oil, Drakenhof Nightshade and plain tap water together, sploshed it all over the miniature, and finally gave it a dry-brush of (more) "Scale 75" Heavy Metal.

With the majority of the model now completed, I carefully gave the area around the cyborg's "eyesight synthesis device" a lick of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and blobbed a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red over his actual eyes. These two orbs were then shaded with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, and re-spotted with a smidgeon of "Vallejo" Dark Vermillion. I also used a thick line of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson on Rom's Neutralizer too.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studios" - Two more Tunnel Spiders close to completion

Despite being somewhat distracted by "Big Head Chibis" wonderful range of STLs - I've bought and printed a good two dozen of them so far in recent days - I have still somewhat 'stuck to my guns' by making a little more progress on my "Marvel United" Abomination miniature too. Unlike Rom, I actually own the official Marvel Multiverse RPG (MMRPG) statistics for this comic book character, and fully intend to have the "CoolMiniOrNot" sculpt tabletop ready for a game by early next week.

Furthermore, I'm also working on two more Tunnel Spiders by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" which I had initially hoped to submit as entries into Angry Piper's annual "Monster May(hem)" monthly challenge over on the "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging" blog. All the 'basics' have already been done on these oversized arachnids. But I still need to apply some washes and do a bit of a tidy up on the pair before they can be varnished/flocked...