"These Are The Voyages Of The Starship Enterprise."

"Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds..." 

This Terran F-5A Frigate was created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer, and can be purchased as an STL (Standard Triangle Language) file by "Fat Dragon Games" as part of the company's "Battlefront Valkyrie" Starter Set. The two-piece starship has been printed using a 0.2mm nozzle, with a 0.1mm layer height in order to minimise any striation lines on the finished model.

Once assembled, the spacecraft was undercoated using a couple of licks of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then patiently dry-brushed it with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey, before 'picking out' the warp nacelles on its two propulsion units with a combination of "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Talassar Blue.

"...To seek out new life and new civilizations..."

Due to the basic 'look' of the vessel, and the fact that I plan to use these models for some homebrew "Star Trek" shenanigans as opposed to playing "Battlefront Valkyrie" itself, I thought this particular miniature would make an excellent proxy for Captain James T. Kirk's U.S.S. Enterprise. In addition, I've also started working on some of the asteroids which "Fat Dragon Games" include in their aforementioned Starter Set.

These first two lumps of space rock are from their selection of small asteroids, and just like my Terran F-5A Frigate, were created using some "Bambu Lab" Matt White PLA (Polylactic Acid) on an A1 Mini 3D Printer. Somewhat bemusingly though, the debris doesn't sit upon the bases used by the game's starships, and instead has a small circular stand moulded onto the sculpt's bottom. Furthermore, it has an 'arrowhead' pointing out of its base so it can be moved in a specific direction during any "epic fleet battles."

"...To boldly go where no man has gone before!"

As I thought I might use the models for other wargames too, I snipped off the pointers and glued my asteroids to some 40mm round MDF bases produced by "Warbases". I then 'smoothed' down the angle of the remaining plastic stand with a bit of Green Stuff, and gave it a good covering of grit (and PVA glue). Once dry, the entire assemble was primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and later layered using "Vallejo" Sombre Grey.

I then shaded the rocks in "Citadel" Nuln Oil, dry-brushed them with (more) "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, and gave both the asteroids (and their bases) a much lighter dry-brush of Heavy Bluegrey. Finally, the models' stands were washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil so as to tie them in with the Moon/Mars surface palette I use for my "Lunar" miniatures by "Black Site Studios". This final stage also gave me the somewhat controversial notion to add a little 2mm tall Chilli Red flock around the bottom of the debris too, so I could also use them as scatter terrain for any future 'land-based' battles too...

"Remaining In Moscow For Five Weeks..."

"Napoleon awaited a peace proposal that never materialized."

This 28mm scale metal model is produced by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of their RN043 Moscow Militia with Muskets set. The figure is one of eight Napoleonic Russian soldiers sculpted by Alan Perry found in the blister, and is based upon a 'typical' member of the nation's civilian population who played a "crucial, though indirect, role in Napoleon's defeat in Russia."

The chap was primed using a couple of layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and had his trousers pigmented with "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Neutral Grey. I then gave his winter jacket a healthy lick of "Vallejo" Neutral Grey, and thoroughly shaded the coat with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. As a final touch for this particular process, I went back with some (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Grey and dry-brushed the Russian's sleeves and the bottom of his greatcoat.

"As early November arrived, snowfall and frost complicated the retreat."

All of the militia member's numerous straps, his ammunition box, baggage and headwear were treated to some "Citadel" Abaddon Black, whilst his waist sash was 'picked out' using a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. I also took this opportunity to apply a little "Vallejo" Gunmetal to the man's water bottle, musket and hat decoration. These areas were were later washed with a spot of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With a quartet of these particular Napoleonic Russians now finished , I have also found the time to put together an MDF movement tray for them by "Warbases". Admittedly, the four-figure stand will only represent a tiny unit on my "Black Powder" battlefield. But it does mean that I should still be able to play some games of the "Warlord Games" rule-set in the near future.

"You just said the company is coming for it." 

In addition, I've completed another three 10mm metal endoparasitoid extra-terrestrials by "Pendraken Miniatures", which I recently stumbled upon whilst searching through some plastic containers. These models can be purchased from the company's old Science Fiction range as SFC1 Medium creature, type 1, or as part of their SFC-AP Alien Creatures Army Pack.

Due to my wanting these sculpts to replicated the dog-like Xenomorphs seen in David Fincher's 1992 movie "Aliens 3", they were predominantly painted using "Vallejo" Charred Brown and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Albeit, I also applied a couple of coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black to the domes of their heads as well...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Black Site Studios" November 2024

"Lunar is a skirmish game that pits rival crews of astronauts against one another."

Whilst I was extremely tempted to dedicate another month of hobby time towards my ongoing Napoleonic project using "Wargames Foundry" 28mm figures - especially when I've just received plenty of reinforcements from both "eBay" and the Newark-based manufacturer themselves - I thought it might be more prudent to focus upon my slow-burning collection of "Lunar" miniatures by "Black Site Studio" for November instead. To that end I'm planning on not only completing my force of Soviet Cosmonauts. But also assembling, pigmenting and getting tabletop ready a similarly-sized team of American Astronauts too.

In addition, I picked up plenty of resin scenery whilst visiting Colours 2024 in September, and intend to turn the various packs of unpainted Shell Holes by "Magnetic Displays" into various clusters of moon craters. This should at least give my spacemen something to fight over, as I continue to contemplate picking up some of the digital STL (Standard Triangle Language) file downloads "Black Site Studio" offer on their website - including a 110mm tall Soviet LK Lander and a crashed Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV).

"Warbases are proud to present these simple movement trays for your troops."

Of course, that doesn't mean for a second that I'm totally dropping my interest in the Napoleonic era for the next four weeks, as I have a quartet of partially-painted British figures taken from packet B041 Late Line Infantry Flank Company Shouldered Arms earmarked for completion. I've actually been a bit remiss when it comes to putting my brush-tip to any Redcoats, having always been put off by the red and white colour combination. So hopefully, this particular handful of soldiers will help me devise a method for tackling many more similarly uniformed infantrymen in the future.

Furthermore, I've started working on a number of MDF movement trays purchased from "Warbases" so I can hopefully play some games of "Black Powder" (lite) in the near future. To begin with I have only bought some four-figure (tiny unit) and eight-men (small units) stands, as I don't currently envisage having any larger units that these. But before this five-year project has concluded I'd like to think I'll be combining a few trays to make significantly larger companies for my tabletop.

October 2024 - No change in the standings for my favourite manufacturers over the past month

Somewhat disagreeably, the past month has not seen me as productive as I would have hoped. This lack of fruitfulness is an issue I lay somewhat squarely at the feet of the time-consuming, and occasionally intimidating, early Nineteenth Century historical models I'm currently obsessed with. Though I had felt that the much more straightforward "Lunar" offerings would somewhat off-set the time it takes me to finish the likes of a Dutch Grenadier - even when I omit many a brass button and baggage strap.

November should be a little different as I have several much more simpler sculpts to pigment, including a load of 3D prints by "Lost Heresy Miniatures". Indeed, I'm planning on cranking out quite a few resin creatures using my Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer, including a few mutilated monsters for the currently highly popular Trench Crusade universe - such as a Lord of Tumors and gaggle of disgusting Grail Thralls...

"Do Androids Dream Of Electronic Sheep?"

"Stories written before space travel but about space travel."

As this year's 'entry fee' for the Seventh Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge, participants were asked to work in groups and create a collaborative offering for the organiser, Curt. Fortunately for me, Clint quickly shepherded a flock of us together and after a brief email exchange with Ian and Kyle, it was agreed that we would all paint up some sheep.

However, as with all such simple ideas, our mini-scene soon blossomed into a considerable diorama, which then later metamorphosed into a fantastic display piece based upon the 1968 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, and later made famous by the 1982 motion picture "Blade Runner". This particularly innovative interpretation of Rick Deckard's post-apocalyptic adventure has also allowed us to submit our 'Curtgeld' into the challenge's final Theme Round: Character(s) and/or Scene from a Movie, TV Program, Book or Piece of Music.   

"Empathy, he once had decided, must be limited to herbivores..."

For my own part in this project I merely painted a couple of Jacob Sheep from "Warbases", and sent them to Kyle for placement upon his outstanding ledge/cliff base. As I was rather inspired by the dark brown wool scheme on Clint's pair I followed an almost identical palette, only realising later that he had in fact, painted a couple of Mouflon Sheep, and that the most common colour for the "rare breed of small, piebald, polycerate sheep" I had selected was actually white and black. Still it was a little late to start crying over some spilt (goat's) milk... 

The ewe was initially undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and washed with “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade. I then dabbed, using a piece from a face blusher pad, some additional "Vallejo" Sienna, Charred Brown and "Citadel" Abaddon Black over the animal's wool and used a combination of Vallejo" White and Pale Grey for its white markings. Finally the sheep's horns were painted using some Iraqi Sand and Strong Tone Quickshade.

Black Panther WIPs - T-Challa just needs his gold belt and base's vines 'picking out'

The diminutive lamb was rather quickly completed by priming it with "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, washing it with “The Army Painter” Strong Tone Quickshade, and then dabbing it with more "Vallejo" Heavy Brown. As with the ewe, I then picked out the young animal's lower legs with White and Pale Grey.

With the anticipated bonus theme points our 'Curtgeld' should be awarded, I believe I have once again successfully attained my 500 point goal for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. However, I still have a couple of miniatures I have been slowly progressing and may well yet complete in time to add to my tally. One such piece is this rather dramatically sculpted "Wizkids" model of the Black Panther, who, having been dry-brushed and washed, now really only needs its vine-covered carved headstone to be finished.

"All Life Shall Perish Under The Reign Of Sutekh The Destroyer!"

"It was a deliberate attempt to block my cytronic control."

This 28mm metal model of Sutekh is manufactured by “Black Tree Design” and can be bought as code DW412 from their "Doctor Who" range. An Osiran "who planned to destroy all life in the Universe, this extra-terrestrial was eventually defeated by his brother Horus and, having been imprisoned beneath an Egyptian pyramid was first seen in the October 1975 BBC Television science fiction serial "The Pyramids Of Mars".

Before painting this miniature I decided to invest a little time and money constructing an Egyptian-flavoured base for the figure, and resultantly super-glued Gabriel Woolf's character onto the (hollowed out) metal throne which accompanies him. I then placed the model upon one of the thin 50mm round plastic bases I use for my larger objective markers, and used two 40mm square "Lord Of The Sand" resin bases as an improvised backdrop. Unfortunately, it was only once I had started painting Sutekh that I realised what an unwise decision I had made...

"Identify yourself, plaything of Sutekh."

To begin with both the immobile Osiran and his basalt chair were painted with two coats of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, whilst the carved wall behind him was primed with "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand. I then dry-brushed Nephthys' husband with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and gave him a wash of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. His throne was repeated with more Abaddon Black in order to make it stand out from the seated figure.

The relief sculpture was subsequently washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand. I did consider picking out some of the characters on the wall with blue, red and gold. However, I felt this would detract from the central all-black figure and draw the eye away from where I wanted it to go. I therefore left the sandstone backdrop alone.

Jacob Sheep WIP - The animal has been dappled with a sponge to blend in its wool's different colours 

It was at this point that I encountered my error in super-gluing the Typhonian Beast in place, as it meant I could no longer get my brush-tip behind the miniature and 'pick out' some of his red piping. This led to my colour scheme taking a couple of departures away from the 'official' televised version, as I could only paint the hands, arms and face of Sutekh with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson; thereby missing out the piping around the waist and on the neck.

With the Seventh Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge approaching its conclusion, I have been finishing off a couple of Jacob Sheep by "Warbases". These miniatures will actually form part of a group effort, with fellow challengers Kyle, Clint and Ian, and, alongside being our entry fee for this year's competition, will also be submitted into the 'Movie/Book' themed round as "Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep"...