"Prince Dracula! The Turks Are Falling Back!"

"They retreat! Sultan Mohammed is defeated!"

This 28mm scale Vlad Dracul is produced by "Wargames Atlantic" and can be downloaded for free as part of a multi-piece set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription service. Based upon the Voivode of Wallachia seen in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 horror film "Bram Stoker's Dracula", the miniature was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer.

Sculpted wearing the Prince's iconic suit of Southern Carpathian armour, the figure was assembled and primed using a double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Red. Unfortunately, despite being desperately delicate with the warrior's lengthy spear whilst putting the blood-thirsty ruler together, it was at this point that disaster struck and I inadvertently snapped off the top of its shaft.

"Mongoose Publishing" WIPs - The Midnight Surfer is slowly having his details 'picked out'

Cursing my awkwardness, I did initially consider trying to super-glue the two parts back together where they broke - something which can ordinarily be quite easily achieved where "Loctite" instant adhesive and "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin are concerned. However, I figured a stronger join might prevent future accidents - especially as the hand-weapon was intimidatingly long. So instead snipped the spear-tip off and filed down the pole in Dracul's hand.

Whilst this re-positioning did add to the weapon's wobbliness, it also allowed the blade's head to slightly snuggle into Vlad's hand, and create a much stabler connection. Following these repairs, the figure was shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson, carefully dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red, and had its helmet's eye-slits 'picked out' using "Citadel" Abaddon Black. Unsurprisingly, the spear tip itself was pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, whereas the shaft was treated to some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - These Iron Brigade troopers still require some detail work

Alongside my second 'Count Dracula' miniature, I have also started working on some dust-covered 28mm scale metal models originally manufactured by “Mongoose Publishing” as part of the company’s infamous 2012 “Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Block War” Kickstarter. I'm hoping to clear a few of these "2000 A.D." comic book characters off of my painting desk before the start of the Fourteenth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC), and decided to go with the Midnight Surfer first.

Finally, I've set about progressing a fourth five-man strip of Union soldiers by "Warlord Games". These particular 15mm Epic scale figures come from their "Epic Battles: American Civil War" range and represent the North's Iron Brigade. Sadly, the little metal infantrymen appear to chip incredibly easily, and resultantly require almost endless 'touch-ups', so my enthusiasm for a massive force of the Black Hats has significantly stalled during the past few months...

"Few Can Forget His Automated Argonauts..."

"...Marching up the steps of the British Museum."

This 28mm scale resin model of a Titan is produced by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” and can be bought as SKU: MINI 93 Titan B (Standing) from their Villains and Monsters range. The kit comes in three parts, including two separate arms. However, as I wanted this particular robot to be carrying a sword and shield, I gave it the appropriate limbs from the company's marvellous Titan Weapon Arms (SKU: DEAL 85) instead.

Having assembled my 'infamous mechanical monster' with some copper wire, green-stuff, and super-glue, the large figure was primed using plenty of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, and later base-coated in Bronze. According to the "7TV" ruleset, this metallic minion is part of Doctor Ulysses Argo’s nefarious criminal arsenal. But, having already painted a pair of unarmed Titans last year, I decided to maintain the heavily-weathered palette I'd used on those - which was inspired by the "living giant bronze statue" seen in Don Chaffey’s 1963 film “Jason And The Argonauts”.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - This Titan has been weathered with “Citadel” Nihilakh Oxide

Resultantly, the miniature was shaded using plenty of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade, before being dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Bronze. Finally, I applied various amounts of “Citadel” Nihilakh Oxide in between its numerous joints and ridges. These areas were later roughly blended back in with the rest of the fearsome figure using a (third) dry-brush of “Vallejo” Bronze. I also considered 'picking out' the robot's sword blade (and potentially round shield) in a steel-colour. However, I liked the notion of the grim-faced golem appearing to be a metal sculpture which had simply sprung to life.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, I have also made some significant progress on a second Titan I have found in my dust-covered backlog. This model is armed with a gladiator-like trident/net combination, and should soon be fully-pigmented in the same well-weathered fashion. Disconcertingly though, I do appear to have bought a third model, presumably equipped with hammer and shield. But having had a good rummage around my more accessible storage areas, I've failed to find hide nor hair of the blessed sculpt.

"Wargames Atlantic" WIPs - These Vlad Dracul figures are slowly having their details 'picked out'

Alongside my somewhat sudden foray into my pile of potential by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", I have also busied myself working on some more Vlad Dracul miniatures produced by "Wargames Atlantic". Produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer, I'm currently toying with the notion of somehow using these multi-piece kits as a Transylvanian force for some Weird War One wargaming - probably as an ally of the German Kaiser.

For now though, I've just been having some fun following actor Gary Oldman's blood-soaked shenanigans as the vampire in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 horror film "Bram Stoker's Dracula" - even if the actor's spear-head didn't snap off in the movie like mine did whilst priming the fellow. The manufacturer is currently producing an awful lot of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files to supplement their plastic Great War range, so I anticipate having many more of their figures on my painting table come the start of the new year...

"God Be Praised. I Am Victorious."

"Let this be a lesson to all enemies of the Cross of Christ."

This 28mm scale Vlad Dracul is produced by "Wargames Atlantic" and can be downloaded for free as part of a multi-piece set of STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from their "Patreon" subscription service. Based upon the Transylvanian Count depicted in Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 horror film "Bram Stoker's Dracula", the miniature was produced using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer.

Sculpted wearing the suit of armour he wore whilst campaigning against the Ottoman Empire, the figure was primed using a double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and shaded in "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. The model was then carefully dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red, before his helmet's eye-slits were patiently 'picked out' using a line or two of watered-down "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

"Forged In Battle" WIP - This Maus has been undercoated using "Vallejo" Surface Primer Brown & Heavy Brown

Dracula's sword hilt was simply pigmented using a combination of "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Whilst the blade was initially base-layered with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, coated in "Vallejo" Gunmetal, washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and finally highlighted with a rough dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal.

Having finished the first of several potential poses I have plannned for the Impaler using the "Wargames Atlantic" STL files, I have somewhat surprisingly started the annual ritual of assembling, basing and priming a myriad of miniatures for the somewhat imminent Fourteenth Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC). To be honest I wasn't planning on participating this year, as I currently have so many half-completed projects littering my hobby desk that I felt dedicating a few months to clearing them would be a much more worthwhile option.

"The Lord Of The Rings" WIPs - Three Black Numenoreans undercoated with "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black

However, having been directly contacted by the event's organiser, Curt Campbell, I thought it would be rude to say "no", and so have committed to my usual target of 500 points by the end of its thirteen-week run. To this end, I have built, based and primed the mammoth 15mm resin Maus by "Forged In Battle" I recently bought from "Westwind Productions" at "Warfare" 2023, as I fancied something reasonably straightforward to start my AHPC entries with.

In addition, I've started assembling the first of twelve Black Numenoreans from "The Lord Of The Rings", which I purchased from "eBay". These 28mm 3D printed 'worshippers of the Darkness' are not officially licenced figures for the "Middle Earth Strategy Battle Game" by "Games Workshop". But having got sick of waiting for the Nottingham-based company to re-release their range of 'corrupted men' for my Barad-Dur army, I finally bit the bullet and bought some proxies instead...

"Bobby Is At The Xavier Institute When It Is Attacked..."

"...And arrives at the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier with the other X-Men and Magneto."

This 32mm scale plastic model of an undead Bobby Drake is produced by “CoolMiniOrNot” and can be found inside the "Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance" expansion set for Zombicide. Unsuccessfully "sent back down to the surface to battle the zombies" by the Leader of the S.H.I.E.L.D. Resistance, this particular incarnation of Iceman was created by Robert Kirkman and Sean Phillips for the May 2007 issue of "Marvel Zombies: Dead Days" by "Marvel Comics".

Originally undercoated using a mixture of "Vallejo" White Surface Primer and their White Model Colour paint, the figure and his impressively sculpted skull-headed base were absolutely drenched in a torrent of Drakenhof Nightshade, before being given several patient dry-brushes of "Two Thin Coats" White Star using an old make-up brush. The founding X-Man's eyes were then picked out with (more) "Two Thin Coats" White Star, some heavily watered-down "Vallejo" Turquoise and two further dots of White Star by "Two Thin Coats".

"Wargames Atlantic" WIPs - These two Vlad the Impaler figures have been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

For the final, gory touch, the brain-chomping zombie's mouth was splodged in "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red, dry-brushed with (even more) "Two Thin Coats" White Star, and subsequently bloodied back up with a dab or two of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. I did consider adding some additional claret to other parts of the mutant-turned-walking dead comic book character - possibly even mixing some extra "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson in with the sculpt's base to better separate it from Bobby. But in the end I felt that less was probably more with this particular miniature.

Alongside this latest addition to my slowly growing collection of Zombicide gaming pieces, I have also managed to 3D print a couple of 28mm multi-part Vlad Dracul figures by "Wargames Atlantic" in "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin. These STL (Standard Triangle Language) files were clearly inspired by Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 movie "Bram Stoker's Dracula", and having read Peter Breau's excellent Weird War One comic "Mud And Madness", in which the Transylvanian Count is penned aiding the Kaiser's army, I thought the Eastern nobleman might make an eye-catching Commander for my own fantasy-based German WW1 contigent using "Xenos Rampant".

"Games Workshop" WIPs - These three Sons of Horus Space Marines have been assembled and primed

I did actually plan on pigmenting a third variant of the model, using some more of the surplus weapon arms which come with the digital product - such as a huge two-handed pike. However, for some reason my Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer wasn't apparently too happy with the third torso on its build plate, so simply produced a flat puddle of semi-cured resin in its spot. Of course, this means I've now got an excuse to make another batch of body parts, and may well take up this opportunity to include some First World War hand-guns or rifles for the Impaler to hold.

Lastly, I've primed another trio of 28mm MK IV former Luna Wolves Space Marines by "Games Workshop". These traitors were assembled using the sprues found in the now sadly Out Of Production (OOP) "The Horus Heresy: Betrayal at Calth" boardgame, and once completed will help form a third tactical infantry unit for my Sons of Horus legion. I really am finding myself to be increasingly enthused to complete this project, so aim to properly knuckle down next month in order to quickly get the Warmaster's renegades battling across the world of Isstvan III.

"Snake Eyes Is Proficient In Twelve Different Unarmed Fighting Systems..."

"Snake Eyes was one of the original figures in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero toyline in 1982."

This 28mm metal miniature of Snake Eyes is from a private collection and therefore not commercially available. Fortunately however, I was lucky enough to be able to acquire a spare casting of "one of the most prominent characters in the G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero franchise" and subsequently decided to paint him as the Ninja Commando's carded action figure appeared in 1985.

Initially primed with two coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, the "hand-to-hand combat instructor" was dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and later heavily washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. His girdle, grenade belt and visor were then 'picked out' with "Vallejo" German Grey, and also washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"A wolf who befriended Snake Eyes while the commando lived in his cabin in the High Sierras."

Snake Eyes' Uzi sub-machine gun was painted using "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey, whilst his katana sword was treated to a layer of "Citadel" Ironbreaker. Both of these weapons were then shaded with Nuln Oil. The handle to the "underwater demolitions" expert was picked out using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.

As my "jungle, desert and arctic" survivalist is based upon the second version of the "Hasbro" toy soldier, and was therefore packaged alongside his wolf Timber, it seemed silly not to also paint-up an appropriate-looking Canis Lupus figure. Luckily, Simon Quinton of "Brummie's Wargaming Blog" came up with the suggestion of using one of the wolves "Leading Edge Games" produced in order to "support the Bram Stoker's Dracula board game (1992) and roleplaying game (1993)".

"...Timber helped his friend, pouncing on Destro before he could shoot Snake Eyes."

As a result I patiently cut away the integral metal base to Snake Eyes' close companion, super-glued him to a typical 25mm plastic circular stand and undercoated him "Vallejo" White. The Creatures of the Night set sculpt was then washed with Pale Grey, before being dry-brushed with more White. 

With the basics finished, I dabbed the animal with plenty of Heavy Bluegrey using a piece of ragged blusher pad, and carefully washed this area with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Finally, Timber was dry-brushed with some additional "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, and had his fearsome fangs highlighted.

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "G.I. Joe" August 2017

"G.I. Joe" WIPs - Snake Eyes and Sergeant Slaughter

This month's themed attempt to try and reduce my ever-increasing horde of metal, plastic and resin models has been severely influenced by the infectious enthusiasm of PulpCitizen ("Eclectic Gentleman Tabletop Gamer") and Simon Quinton ("Brummies Wargaming Blog") for a "line of action figures produced and owned by the toy company Hasbro" called "G.I. Joe". Indeed, the dynamic duo's regular blog posts featuring different members of the G.I. Joe Team, as well as the evil Cobra Command, have proved so persuasive, that I have actively sought out and acquired some surplus miniatures from a private collector in order to let me join in their "ongoing struggle" to keep the Free World safe from the terrorist plots of the Cobra organisation.

Resultantly, I aim to paint up a handful of 28mm scale metal miniatures which are based upon the franchise's characters when they were originally sold as carded 3 3/4 inch action figures back in the early Eighties. This was a time of great change for the "American icon among toys", as it had evolved into "an elite military unit" rather than just a representation of the four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces; so kindly expect some outrageous colour schemes and probably the last thing you'd want to wear if you were genuinely "dedicated to defending freedom against the evil Cobra..." 

Timber WIPs - The wolf has been undercoated, washed, drybrushed and now layered with grey

To start this mini-project off I have decided to paint "one of the original and most popular members of the G.I. Joe Team", Snake Eyes, and the "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" character, Sergeant Slaughter. I've actually managed to make some good progress on "the team's original commando" due to my 'mirroring' of the action figure's 1985 black-grey palette, and additionally, finished the olive-coloured boots on G.I. Joe's formidable drill instructor.

Finally, inspired by a suggestion from Brummie, I've begun work on one of the wolves "Leading Edge Games" sold in order to "support the Bram Stoker's Dracula board game (1992) and roleplaying game (1993)". This particular sculpt is from their Creatures of the Night set, and will hopefully make a perfect proxy for Snake Eyes' wolf Timber. 

Zygon WIPs - The "Doctor Who" monsters have been primed, shaded, dry-brushed and detailed

With so much attention currently placed upon "G.I. Joe" it would be all too easy to believe that my collection of "Doctor Who" miniatures by "Warlord Games" have been left simply gathering dust on my painting table. But instead all I have done is temporarily just re-focus my "Into The Time Vortex" mojo upon some reasonably straightforward painting subjects.

I have wanted to increase the number of Zygons I can field in a game of "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" since the shape-changing extra-terrestrials were beaten by a Dalek invasion force during my recent "Cube Of Death" battle report, and this momentary desire to tackle a less-taxing series of aliens is just the opportunity I need. In fact, two of the "metamorphic humanoids" are already close to completion, with another four miniatures, generously gifted to me, waiting in the wings...