(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Konflikt '47" December 2016

"Secrets Of The Third Reich WIPs - The regular British infantryman is almost finished already

This month's randomly themed attempt to try and reduce my ever-increasing mountain of metal, plastic and resin models has been somewhat surprisingly superseded by an impulse purchase of a rule-book at last month's "Warfare" wargames show in Reading, and a subsequent rummage through a box of partially painted miniatures which has stood unattended for a couple of years. Consequently I intend to try and dedicate myself for the next few weeks to a batch of "Secrets Of The Third Reich" figures by "West Wind Productions" and some 'World War Two' models by "Warlord Games", in order to be able field a couple of 'sizeable' forces suitable for "Konflikt '47".

Indeed, as far as previously painted "West Wind Productions" miniatures are concerned, I already own enough 'Weird War Two' figures to deploy a minimum-sized 199 point German reinforced platoon for the "standalone game inspired by the hugely successful Bolt Action"; one which contains both a Leutnant and his two Wehrmacht Infantry Squads, as well as seven "animated corpses of the Totenkorps...

A basic "Konflikt '47" reinforced German platoon, with accompanying Totenkorps Squad

Disappointingly however, I do not yet currently own quite enough finished "Secrets Of The Third Reich" models to field a similarly-sized British contingent. Although I am only short of a single (regular) Tommy equipped with a carbine rifle, and two red beret-wearing, identically-armed, members of the Airborne Infantry.

As a result of these slightly frustrating omissions I am initially focusing the majority of my attention upon three of "West Wind Productions" characterful Commando sculpts, two of which have had their Gas Mask heads swapped for British Para Heads in Berets with Gas Masks. Eager to play my first game of "Konflikt '47" these figures have already all been based, primed and worked upon, with my 'missing' regular Infantryman already close to completion.

British Matilda Mark I Infantry Tank WIP - The vehicle needs to be based before much more work can be done 

One of the real attractions of Chris Hale's alternative World War rule-set is the fact that players can additionally also utilise any of the ('historically accurate') units found within the "Bolt Action" Army books. This has rather inevitably led to me returning to an 'old' metal and resin "Warlord Games" model of a British Matilda Mark I Infantry Tank I actually started painting for a game of "Savage Worlds" a couple of years ago.

Having dusted off "the first of the infantry tank concepts to see production and combat", I have given the 'slow and under-gunned' motor vehicle a generous double-coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Green, and started work on both its turret-mounted Vickers heavy machine gun and accompanying commander. Unfortunately, I don't though currently own any more of the "Games Workshop" 120mm x 92mm oval bases I predominantly super-glue such transports upon, so once I've finished painting its underbelly I'll have to wait until my new stands arrive through the post before I can make any more progress on it.

The Mausoleum WIPs - Three long-dead swordsmen in various states of completion

Such a 'healthy' obsession with "Goblin Clockwork Miniatures" brainchild and all of its 'Weird War' shenanigans does not however, mean that I have forgotten my plans to paint ten skeletons with which to re-enact The Mausoleum scenario from the "Frostgrave" rule-book, and I have still been busily putting pigment to plastic on the first three of my Undead warriors by "North Star Military Figures". Indeed, I have even found time to locate a number of old "Games Workshop" Dwarven shield emblems with which to decorate the bony antagonist's rather bare and formerly uninteresting wooden shields.

"...Often Called 'Foo Dogs' In The West..."

"...By the Sixth Century AD they were already popularly depicted as guardian figures."

These two large and characterful 28mm scale resin Chinese Guardian Lions are made by "Wargames Terrain Workshop" and can be purchased from their Oriental Scenery range as a "pair of Temple Dog Statues." Measuring approximately 53mm in length, 28mm in width and 48mm in height, the models were based upon two thin-lipped 50mm circular bases so I can use them as scenery/objective markers for some "Busido" influenced games of "Song Of Blades & Heroes" I have planned.

Initially I did contemplate painting my "Shi" similar to the stone statues recently posted by Andy over on his excellent blog, "Da Gobbo's Grotto". However, in the end I decided to go with a somewhat bright, metallic colour scheme that would not only help the pieces really stand out on my tabletop, but would also give me the opportunity to once again use my current favourite paint - "Citadel" Nihilakh Oxide.

"The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron."

As a result both models were primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and subsequently treated to a double coat of Brass. The protective idols were then heavily washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, before being dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Brass.

With the basic painting of the imperial guardians finished, I turned my attention to 'weathering' the traditional Chinese monuments by applying plenty of "Citadel" Nihilakh Oxide over the models, and then giving them a second dry-brush of "Vallejo" Brass. Afterwards I undercoated the statues' stone plinths with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before roughly highlighting it in "Vallejo" Dark Grey and lastly Heavy Bluegrey. As a final touch though I dripped some Strong Tone Quickshade down the sides of the podium to give the faint impression of damp slime, and actually glued some static grass to parts of the stone slab in order to suggest the statues have stood fixed upon their bases for a long time...

Bloodletter WIPs - These Khorne Daemons now need to have their Hellblades painted "Vallejo" Gold

Having unashamedly found myself since August, drawn to some of the "mighty battles" found within the "Age Of Sigmar" rule-set by "Games Workshop", I have slowly been building up a Befouling Host of Nurgle unit by unit, month by month. This current 'motion of the Moon' has seen me attempt to whittle my way through an allied warband of ten Bloodletters. But with December fast approaching I've realised that I needed to somewhat 'step up my pace' in order to finish my Slaughter-kin as planned.

Fortunately I've managed to dedicate a fair portion of my recent hobby-time to both a couple of the remaining Khorne daemons, and the group's Icon Bearer; an impressively tall model which has had to have its base heavily weighted down with lead shot on account of him carrying a formidable-looking "Gore-drenched Icon"... 

"It's The Aliens Again, I'll Bet My Pension."

"What do you want this time, you green swine?"

This 28mm scale "pewter" model of the "Donna Noble's grandfather", Wilfred Mott, is produced by “Warlord Games” and forms part of the five-miniature strong "Tenth Doctor And Companions" boxed set. "Unusually open-minded about the extraterrestrial", the "strongly patriotic former soldier" was first seen in the 2007 BBC television story "Voyage Of The Damned" and is the fourth (and final) of my weekly submissions for this year’s Mo’Vember Challenge with Dick Garrison (of “Rantings Under The Wargames Table” fame).

Initially undercoated with a double helping of "Vallejo" Charred Brown, the elderly stargazer's shoes were picked out with a combination of Heavy Sienna and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, whilst his trousers were painted with German Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. In order to give the tenth Doctor's final companion a splash of colour, and in order to stick with Mott's colour guide as per the "Into The Time Vortex" website, his jumper was treated to a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, his shirt collar Iraqi Sand and his hat Heavy Red. These areas were then washed with "Citadel" Asurmen Blue and Carroburg Crimson respectively.

The Mausoleum WIPs - Three long-dead swordsmen in different states of completion

Somewhat frustratingly, considering that the figure is based upon the likeness of actor Bernard Cribbins, Wilfred's model comes clean shaven, and as a result I had to try and build-up the illusion of whiskers on Gramps' face using paint. In the end I had to settle for a base-coat of "Vallejo" White, with a wash of Pale Grey, and then finally some more White. But overall I was very unimpressed that such an instantly recognisable characteristic of the Tenth Doctor's final companion wasn't included as part of the sculpt...

Moving away from "Warlord Games" "officially approved by the BBC" wargame, and turning instead to this month's "Frostgrave" theme, I have finally started to make some progress on the first of ten plastic "North Star Military Figures" skeletons I want to finish so as to be able to re-enact The Mausoleum scenario from the skirmish game's rule-book. Initially I was planning on painting the Undead warriors as colourfully as their live counterparts but have subsequently changed my mind and instead used a far more sombre, decaying palette of browns and greens.

James Kirk WIP - The Captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise has simply been primed for now

Announced back in July 2016 by "Modiphius Entertainment", as part of the development of "Star Trek Adventures", this 32mm soft resin miniature of Captain Kirk had successfully eluded my attempts to acquire it until the recent "Warfare" show in Reading, when I was finally able to sign-up for the playtest of "the first new official Star Trek role-playing game to be produced in more than a decade" and collect one for free. Eventually the model will apparently become available in "collector's blisters as well as crew packs giving you whole away teams or bridge crews from different eras". But for now I simply wanted to get hold of one just so I could see how well the range will paint up.

"Blos So Folt Do No Cro Blo Cos So Ro."

"Language assimilated. Designation Earth English. You will be catalogued."

These three "finely-sculpted" somewhat over-sized 28mm scale "pewter" models of the "mercenary intergalactic police force" known as the Judoon are produced by “Warlord Games” and were some of the first miniatures made available as part of the Nottingham-based company's "officially approved" "Doctor Who: Into The Time Vortex" range. Slightly two-dimensional in their poses, the figures are based upon the "black armoured Rhinoceroid bipeds" first seen in the 2007 BBC television story "Smith And Jones" and as a result will help represent the Shadow Proclamation on my "Doctor Who" tabletop.

Initially primed with two layers of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, the "logical but stupid" mercenaries were subsequently dry-brushed with "Vallejo" German Grey and heavily washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Their collars and toecaps were then 'picked out' using a combination of Ironbreaker and more Nuln Oil, whilst their equipment (energy-weapons, scanners and translator devices) were painted using "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

"Troop five, floor one. Troop six, floor two. Identify humans and find the transgressor. Find it."

Lastly, the Judoon commander had his bare head coated with "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand and washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. The "single-minded" extra-terrestrial's teeth were then highlighted with "Vallejo" White and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. 

Having taken the step to start collecting this somewhat oddly-scaled range of "Doctor Who" miniatures, and use them to play some games of "7TV" by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio", it seemed obvious to me that I was inevitably going to need to purchase at least one of "Warlord Games" Doctor and Companions boxed sets. As a result I picked up the models of the Tenth Doctor, Martha Jones, Rose Tyler, Wilfred Mott and Donna Noble from "Caliver Books" at "Warfare".

"Doctor Who" WIPs - The Tenth Doctor, Wilfred Mott and Martha Jones

Despite being somewhat static in their poses, these figures really do capture the likenesses of their television counterparts rather well, with Sylvia Noble's father, as portrayed by Bernard Cribbins, proving an especially endearing sculpt. Indeed, I have been so taken with the elderly National serviceman that I've already started painting him up as my fourth and final Mo'Vember 2016 submission.

"The Bloodletters Form The Core Of The Vast Legions Of The Lord Of Battle."

"They each wield a murderous Hellblade."

These three 28mm Bloodletters have been assembled from the "finely detailed plastic" Bloodletters of Khorne kit produced by “Games Workshop”, and have been based upon "Citadel" 32mm Round bases. Led by my previously painted Bloodhunter, the Blood God's followers are the first of nine (additional) Khorne daemons I need to complete in order to field an allied unit of Slaughter-kin as part of my ever-growing Host of Nurgle for “Age Of Sigmar”.

Having built the models, each 'deadly warrior' was given a double undercoat of “Vallejo” Heavy Red and subsequently heavily washed with "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade. Next, the “Warmongers of Khorne” were dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Red and had their horns, hands, hooves, spines and sword hilts 'picked out' with “Citadel” Abaddon Black.

"As a host, they march as one, in formations with supernatural precision."

The majority of these areas were then blended into the daemonic soldiers' surrounding red flesh by the gentle application of some more "Citadel" Abaddon Black using a "Winsor & Newton" Galeria '00' round brush. In addition, the Bloodletters' Hellblades were undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna before being repeatedly coated in Gold.

The great two-handed weapons, which Hit on a 4+, Wound on a 3+, and are Rend -1, were then all washed with "The Army painter" Strong Tone Quickshade and finally dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Gold. As these swords are capable of causing a "Decapitating Blow"; which inflicts a Mortal Wound instead of its normal damage on a Hit Roll of 6 or more, I paid extra attention to ensure that their edges were especially shiny.

As a last touch I picked out all of the Chosen of Khorne's teeth with White and their snake-like tongues with Heavy Ochre. These areas were then washed with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and Reikland Fleshshade respectively.

Zygons WIPs - The "Doctor Who" aliens have been undercoated with "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone

One of my few purchases from "Warfare" 2016, was a couple of boxes of Zygons produced by "Warlord Games". This "fictional extraterrestrial race in the long-running British science fiction television programme Doctor Who" has recently seen something of a resurgence in popularity, and as a result the "Into The Time Vortex" 28mm sized miniatures were at the very top of my 'Buy List' for the annual wargames show.

Bizarrely however, I didn't actually end up buying my metal shape-shifting aliens from the "Warlord Games" stall, as the Nottingham-based manufacturer was selling the figures at full price and wasn't offering any show deals - "especially for the Doctor Who miniatures." As a result I simply visited the "Caliver Books" stand right beside them and picked my Zygons up from them for £1.99 less per box... 

"Apprentices Offer A Huge Degree Of Tactical Flexibility..."

"...Players who no longer have apprentices on the table may not activate any figures in this phase."

This 28mm model of an Enchanter’s Apprentice is manufactured by “North Star Military Figures” and can be bought together with his wizard as code FGV103 from their “Frostgrave" Range.  Able to activate “up to three soldiers within 3 inches of the apprentice”, the novice spellcaster is the third of my four weekly submissions for this year’s Mo’Vember Challenge with Dick Garrison (of “Rantings Under The Wargames Table” fame).

Initially I had planned for this formidable-looking figure to be similar in appearance and colour to the miniature photographed within the “Frostgrave” rulebook published by “Osprey Games”. But as I also wanted his clothing to be similar to that of his ‘master’ I eventually decided to go with the same combination of greys I had used on the Enchanter, and therefore used both "Citadel" Adeptus Battlegrey and “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey on his leggings and great coat. These areas were then washed with “Citadel” Nuln Oil, before I ‘picked out’ the great hammer wielder’s red trim with Vallejo” Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson.

Bloodletter WIPs - These Khorne Daemons now need to have their Hellblades painted "Vallejo" Gold

As the ‘wannabe’ wizard was absolutely festooned with an assortment of chisels, pouches, pliers, blankets and metalwork, I decided to ‘tap into’ a selection of my paints, utilising “Vallejo” Heavy Blue, Heavy Brown and Heavy Green, as well as "Citadel" Ironbreaker. All of these items were then washed with either "The Army painter" Strong Tone Quickshade or "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With the recent completion of my “Games Workshop” produced Bloodletter Champion, I am finally making some significant inroads with the rest of the plastic Khorne daemons I want to use for “Age Of Sigmar”. These multi-part “Slaughter-kin” will initially be allied to my Host of Nurgle, and as such I need to be able to field a minimum unit of ten figures; ideally including a (gold-horned) musician and standard-bearer.

Temple Dog Statue WIPs - These resin models now just need their stone plinths and bases finishing

To be honest I had hoped that their predominantly red and black colour scheme would make such a painting target perfectly feasible within the space of a month. But the inclusion of a large golden sword, as well as the ‘gentle’ blending of their hands, horns and hooves with the rest of the “Chosen of Khorne”, has significantly increased the time it takes to finish just a single Bloodletter.

Alongside my miniatures I am also making some good headway on the two Temple Dog Statues I recently bought from "Wargames Terrain Workshop" for some oriental-flavoured games of "7TV" by "Crooked Dice game Design". Having successfully applied some of the "Citadel" technical paint Nihilakh Oxide to the fair-sized pieces of scenery, I now just need to finish off weathering their stone plinths before I can finish off their 50mm circular bases and flock them with some tufts of grass.

“I Give You The Mausoleum Of All Hope And Desire…”

"The final and funniest folly of the rich."

This excellent 28mm scale resin model of a Mausoleum is made by "Wargames Terrain Workshop" and can be purchased from their Graveyard Scenery range. Shipped as a single cast piece “with hollowed out core”, the building is 100mm long, 80mm wide and 58mm in height, and will provide me with an impressive central scenic piece for when I want to re-enact The Mausoleum scenario from the “Frostgrave” rule-book by “Osprey Publishing”.

Initially undercoated with “Vallejo” Dark Grey and washed with both Nuln Oil and (patchily) "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, I tried to bring out the rectangular structure’s grainy-bricked detail with a heavy dry-brush of more “Vallejo” Dark Grey, as well as a subsequent lighter highlight of Heavy Bluegrey. As a final touch I then picked out the crypt’s wooden door using a combination of Heavy Sienna washed with Strong Tone Quickshade, and “Citadel” Ironbreaker shaded with Nuln Oil.

Apprentice WIPs - The amateur Wizard 's numerous tools and pouches are slowly being 'picked out'

With Mo'Vember now well underway I have continued to apply myself to the third of my four submissions and the physically intimidating “Frostgrave” Apprentice (Enchanter) cast by “North Star Military Figures”. This wonderfully detailed magic user had somewhat ‘lulled’ me into a false sense of security by sporting a rather bare-looking front-facing upper apron. However, the detail sculpted onto the Transmuter’s back more than makes up for this, and is absolutely packed full of water bottles, pouches, blankets and metal-work. Indeed, if anything this figure is even more complicated than the Imbuer’s fur-clad master.

Equally as difficult and time-consuming to paint will doubtless be the first of my ten multi-part plastic “Games Workshop” Space Marines which I have assembled in order to play the company’s latest version of “Kill Team”. These three “Warhammer 40,000” models are comprised of parts taken from the boxed game’s Tactical Squad sprue and the Ultramarines Upgrade Pack, and will provide my force with a Veteran Sergeant (armed with Powerfist and Bolt Pistol) as Team Leader, as well as my Guerilla and Indomitable specialists.

Ultramarines "Kill Team" WIPs - The first of ten space marines destined to battle Nurgle

Admittedly the last thing I currently need is to be lured into the dark embrace of Rick Priestley’s “dystopian science fiction universe.” But the requirement to simply field just 200 points worth of miniatures, along with the skirmish feel to this “stand-a-lone two-player game”, has really swept me up; especially as my current “Age Of Sigmar” Nurgle Host already boasts enough models to create a legitimate Plaguebearer warband.

In addition, I love the idea of fitting out each model with lots of extra kit and details in order to personalise them on the battlefield. This is particularly true of my "shrewd and experienced commander", and the three 'uniquely talented' specialists I must employ as part of my Tactical Squad. As a result, my bare-headed but heavily decorated Guerilla specialist is adorned with all manner of honours such as a laurel and parchments, as well as numerous purity seals. Whilst my Indomitable plasma-gun carrying Adeptus Astartes proudly wears an Iron Halo upon his right shoulder pad; a “special honour badge given to a Space Marine who has shown exceptional initiative or bravery on the battlefield.”