"The Xon Poets Claimed That The Boromites Were Set To Wandering The Stars..."

"...Ever in search of their ancient home and that one day they would return to it."

This 28mm metal Boromite Ganger is produced by "Warlord Games" and forms part of the Nottingham-based company's Boromite Work Gang boxed set for "Beyond The Gates Of Antares"; a "science-fiction tabletop wargame written by 40k author Rick Priestley, that pitches technologically advanced human civilisations into a conflict for the undiscovered systems that lie through the gates." Sold "unassembled and unpainted" this "genetically-engineered" miner is the last of five miniatures I required in order for me to field a 123-point costing Work Gang armed with Mass Compactors and Implosion Grenades, and concludes my fifteen month long project to complete a 500-point Scouting Force.

Originally primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, the extra-terrestrial was shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and then had some "Vallejo" Black painted over all its weaponry, ammunition packs and hip-flask. The Ganger's metallic areas, including its firearm's nozzle, were subsequently treated to a combination of "Citadel" Ironbreaker and Nuln Oil, whilst its Mass Compactor had its main body slightly corroded with a light touch of "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash.

Boromite 500-Point Scouting Force

The power lighting on the Boromite's weapon was 'picked out' with "Vallejo" Heavy Khaki and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green, plus his pouch was painted using "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and a splash of "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. Lastly, the figure's yellow(ish) armour, his numerous "multi-functional nanite receptor nodes" and cumbersome tool's distortion compensator were all layered with "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre and washed with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

Alongside this particular unit armed with mining tools I have previously painted two five-model squads of (standard) Gang Fighters, all equipped with Mag Guns and Plasma Grenades, as well as an Overseer Squad complete with Spotter Drone, with which to command my Boromite Army. In addition, I've spent some of my force's points supplementing the infantry units with some "Army Options" such as "Block! - The Order Dice drawn from the bag is returned and another random dice is drawn", "Well Prepared - If you take any single re-roll you can add plus one to the value tested against", and "Superior Shard - At the start of the turn you can remove one of your opponent's order Dice from the dice bag. This means your opponent will have to fight without one of his dice this turn."

Freeborn Feral Squad WIPs - The warriors have been re-primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Blue

Despite taking so long to complete this core force, I already aim to expand my Boromites into a 750-point Skirmish Force by adding some support options, such as a Support Team with X-Launcher (which can fire munitions such as Scrambler, Arc, Blur, Scoot, Net and Grip) or a more straightforward Support Team equipped with a Mag Light. Alternatively, I rather like the look of some of the alien miners' mounted units, and believe a three-model strong Rock Rider Squad would attract a lot of attention on the tabletop for fear of their "Rapid Sprint" special ability outflanking an opponent's army.

Beforehand however, I rather fancy exploring another of the factions fighting within Antarean space, in the form of the Freeborn. These great "merchants and travellers" should provide an entirely new set of challenges to the yellow and grey of the Boromites, and a humble Feral Squad requires only six miniatures to be completed before I can field a simple 100-point unit for some rule-set familiarisation fun...

"Thus The Age Of Chaos Came To The Verdant Kingdoms..."

"...And so began the war to control the fairest and most fertile of realms."

These two 28mm Plaguebearers come from the “Age Of Sigmar” Plaguebearers of Nurgle boxed set, and have been painted similarly to the many other lesser daemons of the Plague Lord that I have recently added to my Befouling Host of Nurgle. Unfortunately the only difference is that, having been annoyingly forced to replace my usual wash of choice, "Citadel" Thrakka Green, with the "Games Workshop" Shade, Biel-Tan Green, this duo have 'turned out' a little greener in colour than their brethren; something which will hopefully become less obvious once I have added several more models to my Plaguebearer Unit...

With just two more "footsoldiers of Nurgle" left to complete before my current unit stands at an impressive, though far from finished, twenty miniatures, I have momentarily taken some respite by applying my brush to the "Warlord Games" figure of Dr Sim. The sculpt to this villainous extra-terrestrial is arguably as underwhelming as the plot to the 2016 Christmas television special, "The Return Of Doctor Mysterio", from whence he originated, but it has resultantly meant I have made some 'quick-time' progress on the model's painting.

Doctor Sim WIPs - The extra-terrestrial has had his trousers and shirt painted in different tones of grey

Indeed, I'm now hoping to use the brain-swapping member of The Shoal of the Winter Harmony as the lead antagonist for the first in a series of "Doctor Who" related scenarios using the "Mutants And Death Ray Guns" rule-set by "Ganesha Games". Admittedly, on paper the 'New York businessman' himself isn't going to prove all that formidable a foe, being simply armed with a pistol (and perhaps the mutation Terror. Yet as the leader of a Zygon invasion Dr Sim will potential be able to "activate a group of two to five models with a single die roll. A special ability which could cause even the Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones and their Judoon allies a few headaches...

Moving on to my current "Beyond The Gates Of Antares" project, I have finished assembling and undercoating the remaining metal miniatures from the Mhagris Feral Squad boxed set. Two of these Freeborn soldiers carry the unit's obligatory mag weapons. But in addition, one of them is armed with a magnetic X-launcher; a firearm "which can hurl shot over the heads of enemies and drive targets from cover."

Freeborn WIPs - The Feral Fighters have been based and undercoated

All of these models have initially been primed using "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, and will subsequently have their clothing, pouches and undersuits 'picked out' with Heavy Brown and Steel Grey. I'm hoping this colour scheme will provide a stark contrast to the orange and grey palette of my Boromites, and with the "war-like savages" white hair and their tribal markings, genuinely make them stand out on the tabletop.

"They Live Throughout The Wilderness Of Antarean Space..."

"...In regions inhospitable and void of habitation."

This 28mm metal model of a Ganger is produced by "Warlord Games" and is the second of three miniatures which can be found inside the Boromites' Overseer Squad blister pack. Protected by his reflex armour, and carrying a plasma carbine, the model was predominantly painted similarly to the first of my Overseer's bodyguards.

However, this particular figure did have a couple of additional details which made him stand out from my Scouting Force Commander's other 'close protection' Ganger, such as some delicately sculpted wires leading from the soldier's right shoulder-pad onto a small disc-shaped 'heart-monitor'. All of these 'leads' were 'picked out' using "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and washed with "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade.

Freeborn WIPs - The Feral Fighters have been based and undercoated

Sticking with "Beyond The Gates Of Antares" I have slowly been prepping and priming some miniatures from an alternative faction, the Freeborn, in order to break up the monotony of my Boromites and their "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre and Heavy Bluegrey palette. The first of these 'distractions' are from the Mhagris Feral Squad boxed set, and features a Feral Leader, holding a mag gun, and two similarly armed Feral Fighters.

For now, I'm simply busying assembling a 500 point force of the "great merchants", so I can see just how formidable a painting project they will be. The Feral Squad are apparently "typical of these war-like savages" by being "armed with relatively simple and cheaply made mag weapons that spray splinters of metal at their target", and appear predominantly blue in colour, with some tan brown accessories...

Ballista WIPs - The Engineer's captain is slowly having all his gears, pouches, tools and equipment painted

Finally, I have once again been slowly 'chipping away' at the last of my 30mm "Guild Ball" Engineer miniatures by “Steamforged Games Ltd”. Team captain Ballista has proven to be an incredibly cumbersome sculpt to progress due to his unbelievably complicated detail, and resultantly has taken an eternity to progress.

However, knowing that once he is completed I'll have the makings of a 'match-fit' amateur side to face-off against my Union squad, is buoying me along. I've even gone so far as to purchase a couple of extra players for both sides in order to help bolster their future rosters and allow me to play the rule-set's larger "mob football" matches.