"Bloodletters Are Horrific Lesser Daemons Of Khorne..."

"...That specialise in close combat fighting."

These five plastic 6mm scale Bloodletters were made by "Games Workshop" for their tabletop wargame "Epic", and sadly are now long Out Of Production (OOP). However I was fortunate enough to purchase a small tub of second-hand lesser daemons of Khorne from a stall whilst perusing this year's "Colours" at Newbury, and resultantly hope to paint enough figures up to at least give me eight stands worth (250 points) to use with the "NetEpic Gold" free-to-play rule-set.

The tiny figures were initially all super-glued to a thin strip of wood, and primed using two coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Red. They were then washed using "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Red.

Some Undead models from "Dungeon Saga: The Dwarf King's Quest" by "Mantic Games"

I subsequently 'picked out' their loincloths and horns with some Black and applied a layer of Heavy Sienna to their Hellblades. Later I pigmented their hand-weapons using a combination of "Vallejo" Brass and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and finished the blades off with a delicate dry-brush of more "Vallejo" Brass.

Originally I had intended to permanently base my Bloodletters upon a circular lipped stand, as I've seen "Epic" Space Marines based this way before and really liked the look of them. However, having gloss varnished and cut the miniatures off their painting branch, found them far too fiddly to assemble together as a 'bunched up' fivesome. So in the end decided to go with a small "Flames Of War" rectangular stand by "Battlefront Miniatures".

"The Ion Age" WIP - The Adder Combat Lifter has been completely base-layered

In addition to finishing my "Epic" test-pieces, I have also managed to complete the second of the scythe-carrying Skeleton Warriors found inside the "Dungeon Saga: The Dwarf King`s Quest" boxed game by "Mantic Games". I've now finished re-basing all of my previously painted models for this boardgame onto the smaller Undead square stands used for "Kings Of War", and hope to add to their total over the next few weeks... 

Finally, I've made some significant in-roads on my latest resin vehicle by "The Ion Age". As the 15mm science fiction range has a real "Rogue Trader" feel to it, I've been painting up some Prydian Army models as Crimson Fist Space Marines, and felt their infantry would appreciate the additional firepower of an Adder Combat Lifter in their fight against the Xenomorphs XX121.

"...The Arm Of A Zombie Reached Up And Pulled A Lever."

"Clanking mechanisms that had lain dormant for ten centuries creaked into life."

These two 28mm scale Ghosts form part of the "twenty six detailed and fully assembled miniatures in coloured plastic" found inside the "Dungeon Saga: The Dwarf King`s Quest" boxed game by "Mantic Games", and initially appear in the boxed set's sixth adventure, "Turned Around". Each desperately dragging a heavy ball and chain, the restless spirits haunt the corridors of an ungodly crypt located at the farthest end of the scenario's rotating rooms and are able to "Walk Through Walls"...

Initially primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Black, both figures were heavily dry-brushed with Heavy Charcoal before having their crippling encumbrances 'picked out' using a combination of "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil. As I wanted the metallic objects to appear somewhat ancient and soiled I then applied some "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash to them, and blended it in with the help of a delicate dry-brush of (more) "Citadel" Ironbreaker.

"The Ion Age" WIPs - The Muster Patrol Trooper has had all his base layers blocked in

I've rather embarrassingly actually owned an unpainted Undead "Kings Of War" army for several years now, and one of the main reasons I bought "Dungeon Saga" was so I could paint up a number of its decaying denizens and subsequently use them for "Mantic Games" tabletop mass battle rule-set. As a result, I've found myself becoming increasingly irked by the large paving stone bases upon which the Necromancer Overlord's minions stand, and with these two miniatures finally decided to take the plunge and re-based them upon the 20mm square bases predominantly used by Undead infantry troops.

In addition to finally finishing my pair of Ghosts, I have also made some significant progress on the first two Muster Patrol models I want to add to my current meagre-sized 15mm Prydian Army by "The Ion Age". Approximately four years ago I actually decided to start a weekly painting challenge for three months by 'picking' a painting subject based upon the turn of a playing card every seven days, and perhaps unsurprisingly ended up painting a small collection of figures from across a variety of ranges. These days I'm more concerned with monthly painting targets, yet felt the principle was still sound, and so have set myself the target of finishing forty points worth of the marvellously characterful science-fiction figures over the next thirty-one days instead.

"Bolt Action" WIPs - A German soldier, Rommel and a British Tommy

I have actually 'borrowed' the points system from the annual "Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge", and have been using its methodology to track my painting output over the past few years. For 15mm scale models I'm going to need to paint up a fair few foot soldiers as they only weigh in at two points each. However, as vehicles are worth six points apiece you can expect a handful of vehicles to promptly appear too so as to supplement my total tally over the next few weeks. To begin with though I'm hopeful this nearly-finished Standard Bearer, along with his Captain, will get me off to a reasonable start...

Lastly, I had the pleasure of attending "Warlord Games" Open Day on Saturday 22nd September 2018, and amongst my loot managed to not only bag the event's two free "Bolt Action" miniatures entitled "War Without Hate", but also their Western Desert Campaign Book's special figure of Rommel. I actually ended up buying quite a bit from the Nottingham-based manufactuer's Second World War range, as well as a few "Konflikt '47" weird war infantry units too, so expect plenty of vampires, werewolves, zombies and armoured exo-skeletons in the near future.

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "The Ion Age" October 2018

"The Ion Age" WIPs - An Adder Combat Lifer, Muster First Patroller and an Adder Combat Car

This month's randomly themed attempt to try and reduce my ever-increasing collection of metal, plastic and resin miniatures will heavily focus upon several of the incredibly detailed 15mm scale science fiction models produced by "The Ion Age". I've not actually painted any of the figures or vehicles from this genre for a couple of years now despite owning a sizeable number of their seemingly "Rogue Trader" influenced sculpts, so my plan is to 'flesh out' both my previously pigmented Prydian Army and Muster First Patrol with some additional infantrymen and resin vehicles. 

In the past I've used a palette similar to that of the Adeptus Astartes chapter known as the Crimson Fists for my Prydians, and the original light grey uniform worn by the Imperial Guard for my Muster men. As a result I intend to paint their corresponding vehicles in similar colour schemes, possibly 'touch-up' a few of my older miniatures, and then hopefully re-fight one of my earliest Battle Reports against H. R. Giger's Xenomorphs (as manufactured by "Pendraken Miniatures").

"Dungeon Saga" WIPs - Three re-based Skeleton Warriors at various painting stages

Of course, that doesn't mean I've given up working on several "Dungeon Saga" figures by "Mantic Games". This project momentarily stalled following my decision to re-base all the plastic models from "The Dwarf King's Quest" starter set onto the somewhat smaller square stands needed to play the company's mass combat rule-set "Kings Of War".

With hindsight I really should have done this at the start of "Saga'Tember" as I was never happy with the large stone-paved bases which the skeletons, ghosts and heroes came on. But with them now re-based my flagging enthusiasm for these classic dungeon crawlers has been significantly rekindled, and I have even gone so far as to make some additional purchases to add to my future Undead Forces...

"Necromunda" WIPS - Three House Goliath gangers assembled, based and primed "Vallejo" Black

Lastly, I have finished assembling my seven-figure Goliath gang for "Necromunda" by "Games Workshop". These multi-part miniatures have proved somewhat more time-consuming than I anticipated as I actually tried 'kit-bashing' a couple of my members instead of simply following the 'load-outs' in the boxed game's instruction manual.

Fortunately, I didn't do any lasting damage to any of the figures and have subsequently been able to weaponise them as per the Nottingham-based company's suggestions. These three final figures will simply be the grunts of my force, and, as with my other "hulking brutes", will be painted up so as to  loosely represent the Harkonnens from Frank Herbert's "Dune" universe.

"Let Them Try And Deal With The Banshee."

"She would be their doom..."

This 28mm scale Banshee is one of the "twenty six detailed and fully assembled miniatures in coloured plastic" found inside the "Dungeon Saga: The Dwarf King`s Quest" boxed game by "Mantic Games", and is sculpted to represent the "restless spirit of Elshara". Bound by the Necromancer Mortibris to the confines of an underground room "dominated by a huge stone pillar", the spirit is the four heroes' main adversary in the rule-set's third adventure "Restless Guardian".

Undercoated with a double-layer of "Vallejo" Dead White, I actually decided to step away from the Undead creature's 'official' all-blue palette and instead rather mercenarily used the figure as a test-piece for an upcoming "Games Workshop" Nighthaunt faction for "Age Of Sigmar". Resultantly, she was shaded using some "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green and dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Dead White.

Goliath WIPs - The ganger is slowly being painted using "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and "Citadel" Ironbreaker

Finally, as I wanted the Banshee's unruly flowing hair to stand out somewhat from the rest of her ethereal form I subsequently washed it with a spot of "Citadel" Reikland Fleshade and Agrax Earthshade, before trying to 'blend' these areas in with even more delicate "Vallejo" Dead White dry-brushing. The model's square cobbled stand was treated to a combination of "Citadel" Doombull Brown, Rakarth Flesh and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade so as to better fit in with all my other basing, but I'm not convinced it really works all that well to be honest and may therefore re-base all my "Dungeon Saga" figures for "Kings Of War" should I ever decide to use them for that mass combat tabletop game.

With a few more "Mantic Games" Undead figures just needing to be varnished and flocked before being posted, I have turned my attention towards pigmenting the first of my Goliaths for a huge “Necromunda” project I plan to take through until the end of the year. I've already had a delivery of more MDF scenery from "Blotz" to go with the few pieces of their "28mm scale sci-fi style wall sections” I purchased at "Colours", and hope to quite quickly get a number of these structures painted in order to represent the corridors of Arrakis.

Goliaths WIPs - Baron Harkonnen, Feyd-Rautha and Glossu Rabban have all been assembled and primed

I'm probably one of the few who thoroughly enjoys repeated viewings of David Lynch's 1984 American epic science fiction film “Dune”, and therefore thought that setting my "underworld of corrosion" on Frank Herbert's desert planet would be a great way of blending two passions together. For now I'm simply going to focus on painting my "hulking brutes" up as House Harkonnen, so have decided upon a predominantly black and metal colour scheme, with some flashes of blue for the basic troops and perhaps a little red for their leader Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, as well as champions Glossu Rabban and Feyd-Rautha. 

Currently I have assembled all three of my gang's central characters, and dished out a number of the rule-sets' status weapons amongst them. This means my corpulent planetary governor will wield a power hammer and Plasma combi-stubber, his sadistic eldest nephew a two-handed 'Krumper' rivet cannon, and the ruthless Feyd a Renderizer. Of course, the "Games Workshop" models themselves require some 'willing suspension of disbelief' to resemble the noble family I have in my mind, but if this project grows any legs then I may well dive into my bitz box and possibly produce some more appropriate-looking figures in the future...

"The Necromancer's Lips Moved Without Sound..."

"...As he caressed the intricate runes and magical symbols carved into the door."

This 28mm scale Skeleton Warrior is one of the "twenty six detailed and fully assembled miniatures in coloured plastic" found inside the "Dungeon Saga: The Dwarf King`s Quest" boxed game by "Mantic Games". One of two identically sculpted figures found within the starter set, the scythe-welding soldier forms part of the Necromancer's initial welcome for Rordin and Orlaf, as the Dwarf and Barbarian heroes undertake their first "introductory" adventure "Journey From The West".

Primed with two coats of "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand, the Undead creature was shaded using "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and subsequently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo Iraqi Sand. I then pigmented his farming tool's curved blade with a combination of "Citadel " Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil, and later dry-brushed that with (more) Ironbreaker in order to give it's curved edge something of a lethal-looking glint.

"Dungeon Saga" WIPs - A nearly finished Skelton Warrior, Ghost and Elshara

The scythe's shaft was picked out using some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter". Finally, I dotted the skull's deep-set sockets with a dab of "Vallejo" Black and then tidied up around their edges with a little line of Iraqi Sand.

Considering the impressive quality of the "Mantic Games" Skeleton Regiment I own for "Kings Of War", alongside the 28mm hard plastic skeletons I've previously built and painted using pieces taken from the Frostgrave Cultists boxed set by "North Star Military Figures", I've found these "Dungeon Saga" skellies to personally be rather flimsy and underwhelming. Something which has greatly disappointed me considering that one of the main reasons I initially pledged on the game's kickstarter was because of the Nottingham-based company's suggestion the game's figures could be used with their large-scale tabletop fantasty wargame.

Intercessor Space Marine WIP - The Adeptus Astartes has been assembled and primed

In contrast to "Mantic Games" "fantasy adventure for up to five players", I have also built and primed the "free" space marine which comes as part of the "Games Workshop" "Getting Started With Warhammer 40,000" soft-backed book. I actually picked the surprisingly hefty yet cheap tome up during a recent visit to the manufacturer's Portsmouth store and rather enjoyed assembling the 'push-fit' six piece plastic model together.

With my enthusiasm for "Kill Team" currently riding rather high, I'm keen to see just how well this 'larger' Adeptus Astartes model turns out, as it may well be the start of an appropriately-sized Intercessor squad. In addition, as my "Age Of Sigmar" Chaos Host readily transfers over to "Warhammer 40,000", I wouldn't be opposed to building a few hundred points worth of Ultramarines to give the rule-sets latest edition a try-out or two...

"But You Don't Understand! It's The Draconians."

"They've got the Doctor!"

This 39mm-tall "pewter" figure of a Draconian Bodyguard is produced by “Warlord Games” and can be bought as part of their "Draconians" boxed set. Based upon the "extraterrestrial race from the planet Draconia", this "tall, reptilian species" made their first appearance in Malcolm Hulke's February 1973 BBC television story "Frontier In Space" and were cited by Jon Pertwee as being "his favourite of all the monsters he had encountered during his time as the Third Doctor."

Originally primed using two layers of "Vallejo" Heavy Green, the articulate alien's limbs and head were painted using Heavy Brown and a wash of "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. The warrior's robes were then shaded with "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green and delicately dry-brushed using (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Green".

Hong Kong Killer Robots WIPs - The automatons have been primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Blue

The Draconian's rather lavishly embroidered Feudal Japanese shoulder pads and golden flowing sashes were simply pigmented using a base of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and subsequently treated to a coat of Brass before being shaded with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. I later carefully drew some additional "Vallejo" Brass over the costume's ridges in order to highlight all the intricate patterns woven onto the material. As a final touch I tidied up some of the adjoining "Vallejo" Heavy Green areas with a thin line of watered-down Black and 'picked out' the soldier's hand-weapon with "Citadel" Ironbreaker and a dash of Nuln Oil. 

Alongside working on my Draconian faction for "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" I have built the last of my Hong Kong Killer Fembots by "Statuesque Miniatures". Originally, apart from an alternative blue uniform, these automatons were going to all look similar to the other faceless androids I've previously painted for my "Ghost In The Shell"/"Terminator" mash-up. But that was before I inadvertently drilled straight through the neck of one of the figures down into my finger. Fortunately flesh heals, however mutilated metal doesn't and my painful mishap left me with one Fembot having a deep gouge running the length of her back.

"Dungeon Saga" WIPs - Straightforward stuff on Elshara, a Ghost and a Skeleton Warrior

To be honest I was tempted to simply bin the broken piece or lay it face-up on an objective base so as to use as a casualty marker of some kind. But a thought then occurred to me that "Statuesque Miniatures" didn't actually produce an obvious rival to their Mei-Lin Mayfair 2.0 model, so I started to think about converting/covering up my damaged bot. A quick rummage through my "Games Workshop" "Warhammer 40K" bitz box, alongside a few cuts with a sharp modelling knife, and my 'kitbash' was complete; including a rather nice spare head which came with the original figure.

With this month also being Dungeon Saga'Tember I have been busy priming and base-layering a few of my Overlord's denizens ready to try out the opening adventure for "Mantic Games" "Dungeon Saga" in a few weeks time. Admittedly, I've gone slightly off-track by incorporating a couple of Ghosts and Elshara the Banshee into the mix, but these plastic models will actually prove useful test pieces for a potential future Nighthaunt host I have in mind for "Age Of Sigmar" by "Games Workshop"...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - Dungeon Saga'Tember 2018

"Dungeon Saga" WIPs - Early days for a pair of Skeleton Warriors and Rordin the Dwarf

This month's randomly themed attempt to try and reduce my overwhelming collection of metal, plastic and resin miniatures has been rather waylaid by Dick Garrison's recent announcement, over on his brilliant blog "Rantings From Under The Wargames Table", that he'll be spending the next few weeks hosting a "Dungeon Saga" Challenge where fellow wargamers should try "to complete as many of the figures from the board game... as possible." Having rather embarrassingly owned "the classic dungeon crawler of swords and sorcery" since its successful "Kickstarter" in October 2015, yet never even taken it out of its cellophane wrapping, I thought now might be the time to give the rule-set a go, whilst simultaneously applying a lick of paint to some of its models.

As a result I've decided to firmly focus my attention upon all six of the figures required to play the game's opening adventure "Journey From The West", and see how far that takes me. Only Orlaf the Barbarian and Rordin the Dwarf are used in this particular adventure, plus four Skeleton Warriors, so I have added the large double doorway which stands between the heroes and their prize into the mix as well.

Hong Kong Killer Robots WIPs - The automatons have been primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Green

Initially preparing the miniatures for painting seemed refreshingly easy, as all of the models already come attached to their slab-stone square bases in the box. But having scrutinised my ensemble it quickly became clear that a few of the plastic skeletons required both a little straightening and better fixing to their bases. I therefore spent a little time re-positioning some of the Undead on their stands and gluing a small smattering of grit around these new joins.

Ordinarily this would make for some odd-looking dungeon denizens but as I plan to paint the bases in the same brown-tan palette I use for the vast majority of my figures, I wasn't too bothered. In addition, "Mantic Games" also produce the "mass combat fantasy" game "Kings Of War" too, and repeatedly suggest that miniatures from both rule-sets are potentially compatible with one another.

Beastmen Runner & Chosen Blocker WIPs - The models are almost finished

Despite this potentially sizeable project ahead, I have continued building more Hong Kong Killer Fembots by "Statuesque Miniatures" for my "Ghost In The Shell"/"Terminator" mash-up. However, rather than simply paint them all using one overall colour-scheme, I have decided to go with a green-gold palette for these three particular automatons; potentially indicating they have different skills or role from their robotic kin.

Finally, I am hoping to 'broadcast' a few more editions of my "Blood Bowl" blog posts "Monday Night Football". Despite some significant hobby-time spent on my Doom Lords team, I've still got eleven more players to finish, so I'm planning on giving this Chaos Chosen club some much-needed attention over the next few weeks as well, and get them 'match-fit' in time for their season opener at the start of October 2018...