"Those Who March With Us Will Certainly Face Abuse..."

"...Misunderstanding, bitter animosity, and possibly the ferocity of struggle and of danger."

These two 28mm metal miniatures of Sir Oswald Moseley's bodyguards can be bought, along with their British Union of Facists leader, as Code 403012203 from the "Warlord Games" German Army range, and are "modelled upon Mussolini's fascist party." Costing an additional 13 points per man, the Blackshirts' rules can be found within the "Bolt Action" book "Campaign: Sea Lion", and accompany the former "Conservative MP for Harrow" everywhere on the battlefield.

Initially undercoated with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, the para-militarists were highlighted with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and later washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The bruisers' belt buckles were painted using a combination of Ironbreaker and (more) Nuln Oil, whilst their hair was 'picked out' using either "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre and "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade or "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

Judoon Ghost WIPs - The Fisher King's minion has been washed and dry-brushed

Finally, one thug's club was pigmented with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and his companion's knuckleduster was given a lick of "Vallejo" Brass. Both of these areas were then treated to a wash of "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.

To be honest, despite the straightforward palette, I found both of these miniatures quite a struggle to finish on account of their faces, and particularly their small eyes. I know that some hobbyists prefer to avoid painting pupils by simply applying a dark wash into a sculpt's facial recesses, and I've never been so tempted to follow such a technique as I was with these two chaps. In the end though, having found it impossible to pinpoint two spots of white for each eye, I settled for just the one and hope they don't appear too cross-eyed as a result.

Snakeskin Harvest Marker WIPs - The dead "Guild Ball" player can be used as an alternative sculpt on the pitch 

Sticking with "Warlord Games", I've been asked to pen an article for their "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" website as to how I went about converting my two Judoon ghosts to accompany their towering Fisher King miniature on the tabletop. As a result, I've spent a bit of time progressing the final figure's paint-job, and thus hope to have the undead extra-terrestrial mercenary finished and ready for posting by next week.

Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, I've also found myself momentarily drawn back to "Guild Ball" by "Steamforged Games Limited". The company recently released "The Dark Harvest" boxed set as a seasonal special edition to celebrate Halloween, and as soon as I saw it contained deceased versions of the players who have so far been killed whilst playing the medieval sports game, I knew I had to paint them up...

"Garrek Gorebeard Delights In Taking Severed Heads..."

"...Scalps and other trophies from those he has slain, brandishing these grim souvenirs to stoke his... bloodlust."

This 28mm scale "push-fit, red plastic" miniature of Garrek Gorebeard comes as part of the "Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire" starter set by "Games Wokrshop", and, rather usefully, can also be used to represent "the chieftain of a murderous band of Khorne-worshippers" in the Nottingham-based company's "Age Of Sigmar" tabletop wargame as well. Earning "the title of Gorebeard after ascending to his position by biting the throat of a rival, staining his beard in blood", the mighty warrior is not only the first of my Khorne Bloodbound warband to be painted, but the second of my four weekly submissions for this year’s Mo’Vember Challenge.

Initially primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone to mask the model's vividly red coloured plastic, the war dog's trousers were painted with "Citadel" Abaddon Black and his leg armour, shoulder pad, wrist bracelet and symbolic belly plate were all subsequently treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Brass and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. In addition, Garrek's numerous chains and incredibly well-detailed double-axe-head were given a layer of "Citadel" Ironbreaker, before being generously washed in Nuln Oil.

Demon Bunny WIPs - The large rabbit has been primed, washed and dry-brushed

The mortal Bloodreaver's belt, numerous straps and wrist-guard were 'picked out' with some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and Strong Tone Quickshade, whilst his "Grisly Trophy" was originally undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Warmgrey and then shaded with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson and a little more Strong Tone Quickshade. As Gorebeard has the impressive ability in "Age Of Sigmar" to "add

1 to the Attacks characteristics" of his unit’s melee weapons for the rest of the battle whenever he "slays any enemy Heroes", I decided to give the severed head's lifeless eyes an especially haunted look using a tiny dollop of "Vallejo" Dead White.

I created Garrek's infamous bloody beard by highlighting its "Citadel" Abaddon Black undercoat with "Vallejo" Heavy Red and then washing the various strands of hair with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. As a final touch, and in order to ensure the miniature fitted in with my Chaos Host for "Age Of Sigmar", I painted its highly-detailed based with "Citadel" Doombull Brown, Rakarth Flesh and (even more) Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter". This colour scheme is what I use on all my bases these days, and whilst it did seem somewhat a shame not to 'pick out' all the numerous skulls littered around Gorebeard's feet, it does mean the (allied) model can be readily included within my Tallyband of Nurgle.

BUF Bodyguard WIPs - This pair of "Bolt Action" bruisers have had all their different areas layered 

To help this "Age Of Sigmar" assimilation even further, I decided to also flock the base with static grass despite it actually depicting the chieftain being stood on some sort of dried mud-bank. This is an extremely straightforward process whereby the stand's paint-job is covered in a protective layer of PVA glue, and I then dab some more of the adhesive primarily around my figure's feet before depositing it in a large tin of static grass. Whilst the glue is still wet and the model is literally suffocating in flock, I gently but firmly push down onto the grass in order to ensure the small threadlike particles are well and truly embedded in the PVA; a process I might repeat on two or more occasions if I feel its coverage is still too 'spotty' after a couple of hours drying.

With such a 'patience-testing' piece finished, I have turned my attention momentarily towards a couple of much easier mini-projects, such as a "Horrorclix" Demon Bunny by "Wizkids", and a pair of "Warlord Games" British Union of Facists' bodyguards. I've already managed to get some basic priming, shading and dry-brushing done on my 'Rabbit of Caerbannog', whilst Sir Oswald Moseley's thugs now simply need to have some shades applied to them before they are finished...

"We Know That England Is Crying For A Leader..."

"...And that leader has emerged in the person of the greatest Englishman that I have ever known..."

This 28mm metal miniature of Sir Oswald Moseley can be purchased, along with two bodyguards, as Code 403012203 from the "Warlord Games" German Army range, and represents the BUF leader at a time when "Adolf Hitler apparently had plans" for him should Great Britain fall. Described as being "dangerously charismatic", the Anglo-Irish aristocrat appears as a (veteran) Imperial Commander in the "Bolt Action" book "Campaign: Sea Lion", and is the first of my four weekly submissions for this year’s Mo’Vember Challenge.

Primed with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, the Sixth Baronet of Ancoats was roughly highlighted with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and later washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Moseley's trousers were painted using a combination of "Vallejo" Dark Grey" and (more) "Citadel" Nuln Oil, whilst his arm-band was treated to a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

Garrek WIPs - Gorebeard just needs his axe to be shaded and 'ponytail' painted before being finished

Sadly I did subsequently somewhat struggle to 'pick out' the British Union of Fascists emblem on the one-time Conservative politician's sleeve, and having never seen a decal with such an insignia, eventually decided to 'flub' the issue by simply giving it a coat of "Vallejo" Dead White and then shading it with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Admittedly, this 'botch-job' doesn't look anywhere near as impressive as the delicately-lined symbol clearly visible on the advertised "Warlord Games" official figure, but it did help me keep my sanity...

Having finished such a relatively enjoyable and straightforward paint-job, despite the contentious background of the character in question, I have made some significant progress on another of my Mo'Vember Challenge pieces, Garrek Gorebeard. This "Warhammer Underworlds: Shadespire" plastic model really is proving to be a patience tester, on account of all his fiddly chains, armour, belts and less-than-helpful pose.

"Rumbleslam" WIPs - Waaarrrior, an Orc and Ronnie Salvage still need plenty of work

Fortunately, the surprise arrival of the "Rumbleslam" superstar, Waaarrrior, from my regular miniatures store "Dark Sphere" has not only given me something a little easier to paint, but also motivated me to actually finish off both the Orc Brawler and Grappler from the "TTCombat" product's starter box. Indeed, the sports game's "fan favourite", clearly influenced by the late James Brian Hellwig, has already got me thinking about re-enacting the Ultimate Warrior's pay-per-view main event match with "Macho Man" Randy Savage at Summerslam 1992, where the duo fought for the WWF World Heavyweight Championship.

I have still have a bit of work to do on my sculpt of the dwarf, Ronnie Salvage, yet hope over time to build up quite the stable of "Rumbleslam" figures who are based upon World Wrestling Federation, and World Championship Wrestling characters. Certainly "TTCombat" don't appear to be too shy in matching a plethora of superstars' likenesses to their miniatures, and that hopefully means in the future that I'll be able to re-play a number of my favourite bouts from the late Eighties and early Nineties...