(Lead) Mountain Musings - "G.I. Joe" August 2017

"G.I. Joe" WIPs - Snake Eyes and Sergeant Slaughter

This month's themed attempt to try and reduce my ever-increasing horde of metal, plastic and resin models has been severely influenced by the infectious enthusiasm of PulpCitizen ("Eclectic Gentleman Tabletop Gamer") and Simon Quinton ("Brummies Wargaming Blog") for a "line of action figures produced and owned by the toy company Hasbro" called "G.I. Joe". Indeed, the dynamic duo's regular blog posts featuring different members of the G.I. Joe Team, as well as the evil Cobra Command, have proved so persuasive, that I have actively sought out and acquired some surplus miniatures from a private collector in order to let me join in their "ongoing struggle" to keep the Free World safe from the terrorist plots of the Cobra organisation.

Resultantly, I aim to paint up a handful of 28mm scale metal miniatures which are based upon the franchise's characters when they were originally sold as carded 3 3/4 inch action figures back in the early Eighties. This was a time of great change for the "American icon among toys", as it had evolved into "an elite military unit" rather than just a representation of the four of the branches of the U.S. armed forces; so kindly expect some outrageous colour schemes and probably the last thing you'd want to wear if you were genuinely "dedicated to defending freedom against the evil Cobra..." 

Timber WIPs - The wolf has been undercoated, washed, drybrushed and now layered with grey

To start this mini-project off I have decided to paint "one of the original and most popular members of the G.I. Joe Team", Snake Eyes, and the "G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero" character, Sergeant Slaughter. I've actually managed to make some good progress on "the team's original commando" due to my 'mirroring' of the action figure's 1985 black-grey palette, and additionally, finished the olive-coloured boots on G.I. Joe's formidable drill instructor.

Finally, inspired by a suggestion from Brummie, I've begun work on one of the wolves "Leading Edge Games" sold in order to "support the Bram Stoker's Dracula board game (1992) and roleplaying game (1993)". This particular sculpt is from their Creatures of the Night set, and will hopefully make a perfect proxy for Snake Eyes' wolf Timber. 

Zygon WIPs - The "Doctor Who" monsters have been primed, shaded, dry-brushed and detailed

With so much attention currently placed upon "G.I. Joe" it would be all too easy to believe that my collection of "Doctor Who" miniatures by "Warlord Games" have been left simply gathering dust on my painting table. But instead all I have done is temporarily just re-focus my "Into The Time Vortex" mojo upon some reasonably straightforward painting subjects.

I have wanted to increase the number of Zygons I can field in a game of "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" since the shape-changing extra-terrestrials were beaten by a Dalek invasion force during my recent "Cube Of Death" battle report, and this momentary desire to tackle a less-taxing series of aliens is just the opportunity I need. In fact, two of the "metamorphic humanoids" are already close to completion, with another four miniatures, generously gifted to me, waiting in the wings...

"I Now Have Control Over You, Doctor."

"All I need do is threaten the woman's death for you to obey me."

This 40mm tall metal Cyberman figure is sold by “Warlord Games” and forms part of their awesome "Nightmares In Silver" Cybermen Collector's Set 1966-2013. Sculpted to resemble the "race of cyborgs" after the programme's designers "opted to use converted flight suits for their bodies which were painted silver", this miniature depicts the Doctor's adversaries during the March 1982 television serial "Earthshock"; a four-parter which not only saw the Cybermen crash a space-freighter into the Earth, but also the death of long-running companion, Adric.

The miniature was initially primed with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before receiving two layers of Ironbreaker and a wash of Nuln Oil. The figure's eyes and square-shaped interior chest-piece were then darkened with a small amount of Abaddon Black, before the entire model was dry-brushed with more Ironbreaker.

Sea Devils WIPs - The Aquatic Silurians have had their legs layered, dry-brushed and washed

Encouraged by the sight of the model's "Into The Time Vortex" publicity photograph, which shows its cyber-gun containing a beautifully detailed red glow, I subsequently painted the area on my figure's weapon similarly using a little "Vallejo" Heavy Red. Alas my own brushwork was far from as successful, and, upon returning the firearm to its earlier 'silver state', I settled upon a compromise, courtesy of a couple of "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson washes...  

"Warlord Games" continue to tantalise and tease with its "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" miniatures range, boasting that both a "Time Warrior" and an Eleventh Doctor & Companions boxed set are potential September releases, now 'they've been approved by the BBC.' This seemingly frantic forthcoming release schedule is genuinely proving a real motivator for me to get my half dozen Sea Devils finished, and resultantly, I've already got all the slimy lowers limbs of Jon Pertwee's famous 'Sea Silurians' painted.

Stone Golem WIPs - The "archaic, armoured warrior" has been undercoated, shaded and highlighted

Despite so much focus upon my collection of "Into The Time Vortex" figures, I have still managed to get cracking on a couple of Stone Golem's by "Reaper Miniatures". These construct creatures are from the Lake Dallas-based company's "Bones" Range, and will hopefully spend their time, once flocked appropriately with grass or snow, trampling down adventurers in both my "Metamorphosis Alpha" and "Gamma World" campaigns. 

For now however, the instantly recognisable "Dungeons & Dragons" monsters have simply been primed, washed, and dry-brushed, as well as had the base layer of their aging bronze adornments applied to the relevant areas. To be honest, I was partially tempted to simply leave the 'towering stone automatons' entirely "Citadel" Charadon Granite in colour, but the formidably-sized plastic models arguably deserve a far more impressive paint scheme.

"Hey! Who Turned Out The Lights?"

"It's a swarm in a suit. But it's learning."

Officially approved by the BBC, these six metal models of the Vashta Nerada are "designed" by "Warlord Games" for both collectors and the company's "Doctor Who: Exterminate!" Miniatures Game. Based upon the microscopic beings from the May 2008 television story “Silence In The Library”, these sculpts depict the "shadows that melt the flesh" inhabiting the 51st Century spacesuits of River Song's hapless archaeological team.

Initially primed with two layers of "Vallejo" White, "the piranhas of the air" were all subsequently washed with Pale Flesh and heavily dry-brushed using more White. I then shaded the vents of their Archeological Expedition Suits with some Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter" and 'picked out' their former occupants' skulls with "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand. Finally, I washed the grinning cadavers with some additional Strong Tone Quickshade and delicately gave each 'face' a light dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand.

"It's how they hunt. They latch on to a food source and keep it fresh."

Noticing that my clumsy paint-jobs had already seemingly eradicated any trace of the miniatures' tombstone-like teeth, and spotting that on "Warlord Games" publicity paint-jobs they had not only been individually highlighted white, but also superbly shaded florescent blue in order to replicate the spacesuit's interior lighting, I was then left with something of a dilemma. Did I boldly try something similar and potentially risk ruining an area of each figure which was already rather 'soft' in visible detail and 'filling up' with pigment fast, or simply leave well enough alone, and settle for their deep set sockets to draw the gamer's eye to their sinister faces and "inspire a fear of the darkness"..?

Tricky decisions aside, I have started working on a number of the Nottingham-based manufacturer's other "Into The Time Vortex" miniatures in earnest. Apparently next month will now only see the release of Ashildr (from "The Woman Who Lived") and the Ogrons, as a result of the Slitheen being delayed in order for their pack to contain the extraterrestrial family's appropriate gaming cards for "Doctor Who: Exterminate!"

"Into The Time Vortex" WIPs - Sea Devil, Zygon, Judoon and the Twelfth Doctor

As a result I won't be quite as 'pushed' as I thought to get my current "Warlord Games" metal mountain reduced, so alongside my six Sea Devils (from Jon Pertwee's Seventies era), I have added both some Zygon reinforcements, and the Twelfth Doctor himself. I've also got some additional Judoon and Silents in the paint queue, as half a dozen miniatures seems to arguably be the acceptable minimum when using a faction in "Doctor Who: Exterminate!", and I am therefore somewhat keen to ensure I can field at least three Recruitment Cards of these 'Nu-Who' monsters.

Of course "Warlord Games" announcement that the Slitheen will now probably accompany models (and cards) for the Movellans, Victor Kennedy, an Abzorbalovian, the Genesis Ark, Supreme Dalek and Special Weapons Dalek means that September and October could well see a torrent of 'essential' purchases. To make matters 'worse', the company have also confirmed that "cards will be produced for all existing sets" and "be available as downloads and physical card booster packs" in the future; something which will undoubtedly encourage me to finally tackle my backlog of Tetraps, Clockwork Droids, Professor Yana and the Ghost.

"You Are Outside Your Function."

"Our victory is inevitable. The Doctor will come to us and Peinforte is a simple savage..."

This 40mm tall metal Cyberman figure is produced by “Warlord Games” and can be found within the company's marvellous "Nightmares In Silver" Cybermen Collector's Set 1966-2013. Sculpted to replicate the spray painted, cricket glove-wearing cyborgs seen in Kevin Clarke's 25th Anniversary Special "Silver Nemesis", these "cybernetically augmented humanoids" attempted to take control of a statue made of living metal, originally created on Gallifrey.

The miniature was initially undercoated with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before being given a double layer of Ironbreaker and a wash of Nuln Oil. The figure's eyes were then darkened with a small amount of Abaddon Black and the entire model dry-brushed with more Ironbreaker. As a nod to the Cybermen's chrome like paint finish during this 1988 three-parter, I tried to make it's head and chest-piece standout all the more by subsequently dulling down everything else with a second shade of Nuln Oil.

"Nightmares In Silver" WIPs - The Cybermen have all been primed, painted silver and washed with black shade

"Warlord Games" seemingly have some big plans for Kit Pedler's co-creations, following their recent announcement that they will be releasing four of the "overhauled" Mondasians from the 1967 television serial "Doctor Who And The Tomb Of The Cybermen" "in a few months alongside the Cyber Controller." In addition they have 'leaked' some "concept cyber stuff" from "N-FX Studio" which shows both the outside and interior of the Cybermen's Telos tomb in all its chilling glory...

Such tantalising teases have really helped enthuse my desire to finish painting the remaining "exquisitely sculpted pewter" figures I own; in particular the BBC programme's "original" design for the Cybermen from 1966. I had at first thought I would base this cumbersome-looking version with snow flock, so as to replicate its adventure at the Earth's South Pole, but having recently endured "The Doctor Falls" I'm now tempted to utilise that episode's somewhat less monochromatic palette and turn the miniature into companion Bill Potts' converted self.

"The bleak pale sun that glittered so blindingly from the ice-fields and snow-covered plains struck sheens of silver..."

Lastly, I have finished working on the second of my 28mm scale resin Crushed Cars by "Wargames Terrain Workshop". Available from Dave Stone's Post Apocalyptic and S.D.Z.A. accessories range, this hefty piece of scenery was painted in precisely the same manner as my previous one. However, rather than flock the piece with "Games Workshop" Static Grass, I instead used some "Citadel" Snow.  

As a result this particular rusty wreck will feature somewhat prominently on my "Metamorphosis Alpha" tabletop, and represent one of the many anachronistic objects that will be discovered during my medieval/fantasy adventurers' travels on board James M. Ward's starship Warden. Indeed, as my fur-clad company explore the outer decks of the "generation spaceship" I plan for them to encounter several more of the company's highly detailed, yet well-corroded, futuristic scenic pieces.

"If You Can't Fix What's Broken, You'll Go Insane."

"As the world fell, each of us in our way was broken."

This large and wonderfully detailed 28mm scale resin Crushed Car is made by "Wargames Terrain Workshop" and can be purchased from their Post Apocalyptic and S.D.Z.A. accessories range. Measuring approximately 115mm in length, 55mm in width and 20mm in height, the model was super-glued onto a laser cut 120mm x 90mm oval MDF base simply to increase its 'footprint' on the tabletop as a piece of scatter terrain.

The model was initially primed with a coat of "Citadel" Abaddon Black, and then treated to two layers of "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey. It was then heavily washed with "Citadel" Nuln Oil before being heavily dry-brushed with more "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey. Sculptor Dave Stone actually provides a painting service for this car (as he does with so many of his products), but as I wanted the ruined vehicle to be part of my "Gamma World" terrain, I decided to stick to the bare metal and rust palette I've chosen for the entirety of the project's scenery.

Boromite Gang Fighter WIPs - The mining extra-terrestrial now just needs his rocky hide re-shaded with black ink

Resultantly, I liberally applied some "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash over all the sculpt's detail, and subsequently set about blending it in with the rest of the transport's paint scheme via a second "Vallejo" Gunmetal Grey dry-brush. I then picked out the automobile's four tyres with "Citadel" Abaddon Black and 'dirtied' the whole ensemble up by dabbing the entire model with a piece of sponge that had been dipped in some Strong Tone Quickshade by "The Army Painter". As a final touch the wheel trims and tyres were aged/dulled with a slight application of watered down "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash.

"Warlord Games" are currently releasing a number of excellent miniatures for their "Beyond The Gates Of Antares" science-fiction tabletop wargame, and my (in)ability to resist these new temptations has not been helped by the company's recent 'voucher offer' of 15% off their entire range. Perhaps unsurprisingly therefore, I now have some Isorian reinforcements already heading in my direction, and thus am determined to finish painting my initial Boromite 500-point Scouting Force before they arrive... Or at least before I start working on them.    

Vashta Nerada WIPs - The dead astronauts have had their skulls 'picked out' with "Vallejo" Iraqi Sand

In addition, the Nottingham-based manufacturers are about to imminently add to their already formidable "Doctor Who" catalogue by selling miniatures of the low-intelligence, ape-like hominids the Ogrons, three versions of Ashildr (from "The Woman Who Lived") and the "massive, bipedal extraterrestrial" family Slitheen. To make matters worse "Warlord Games" have also 'leaked' pictures of a fully-painted Astrid Peth, Bannakaffalatta and the enormous Fisher King... 

Judge Dredd, Mad Max and Imperator Furiosa battle T-800 Terminators in the Cursed Earth

I have therefore momentarily turned all my attention towards completing the six Vashta Nerada models I recently started painting and begun 'shadowing' in their spacesuits' breathing vents and nightmarish fleshless skulls. Once these are finished I hope to get cracking on half a dozen Sea Devils, which will then leave me with a bit of space on my hobby table for some more "Into The Time Vortex" goodness. Did I mention I've seen the 3D 'work in progress' sculpt of an Ice Warrior too..? 

"What Is The Doctor's Message?"

"Seal levels twelve, thirteen and fourteen. Prepare to engage."

This 40mm tall "exquisitely sculpted pewter" Cyberman figure is produced by “Warlord Games” and can be found within the company's excellent "Nightmares In Silver" Cybermen Collector's Set 1966-2013. Sculpted to replicate the fictional race of cyborgs as they appeared in Steven Moffat's 2011 television story "A Good Man Goes To War", these particular artificially modified Mondasians formed part of  the Twelfth Cyber Legion; a "Cyberman fleet that monitored their local galactic quadrant and was positioned twenty thousand light years away from Demon's Run."

The model was first undercoated with "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before being given a double layer of Ironbreaker and a liberal wash of Nuln Oil. The figure's eyes and mouth slit were then darkened with a small dab of Abaddon Black and the entire model subsequently dry-brushed with more Ironbreaker. As a final touch both its formidably-large cyber-gun, waist, neck, inner thighs and elbows were treated to a coat of Abaddon Black, and dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal so as to bring out the sculpts' detail in those areas.

Vashta Nerada WIPs - The figures have been primed, washed and dry-brushed

Alongside this latest addition to my completed "Nightmares In Silver" collection, I have plonked six Vashta Nerada miniatures from "Warlord Games" "Doctor Who" range into my painting queue as I'm hoping they'll be relatively straightforward paint-jobs. I've actually previously converted four Advancing ARC Astronauts by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" into versions of the "swarming, carnivorous beings" by removing all of their astronaut heads, and swapping them with some plastic skulls taken from the old 'out of production' "Games Workshop" PBS5 Skeleton Army Boxed Set.

Vashta Nerada - Converted in April 2011 from "Crooked Dice" and "Games Workshop" pieces 

Sadly, this particular project was soon side-lined when I encountered problems replacing some of the astronauts’ hands and limbs with skeletal variants. Ultimately, I did manage to ‘securely’ super-glue one plastic skeletal fist in place, but the arm's subsequent re-positioning left the model in a rather uninspiring pose, and shortly afterwards "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" released their own metal 'sold on a sprue' version of the "microscopic beings" Astronaut Heads...

Finally, I have succumbed to the allure of "Warlord Games" one hundred and twenty-four page ‘What If?’ "Bolt Action" Campaign book "Operation Sea Lion"; which not only brings the Second World War to the shores of England and The Home Guard, but also contains the disconcertingly unpatriotic opportunity to field a Fifth Column Reinforced Platoon under the Anglo-Irish aristocrat Sir Oswald Mosely. 

Operation Sea Lion WIPs - These "Warlord Games" sculpts have simply been primed and dry-brushed

Quite delightfully, the publication also includes a free casting of "the most stalwart of British Prime Ministers" Sir Winston Churchill. Armed with "the .45 calibre Thompson Sub Machine Gun" its abundantly clear that the British statesman "isn't going down without a fight" and thus seems entirely appropriate to lead my British "Konflikt '47" force in some super-soldier conflicts inspired by the "Avatar Press" comic book series "Uber".

Doctor Who: Exterminate! Report: The Daleks Verses The Zygons - Part Two

THE DALEKS BATTLE ZYGONS AND THE SILENCE FOR THE CUBE OF DEATH

"The story so far... Crafting a stellar converter, which has the power to lay waste to entire solar systems, the Daleks are holding the entire Earth hostage, and planning to turn it into a planet-sized starship. However, a force of Zygons has gained access to the location of the device, and are attempting to stop such a despicable use of their new home world. Momentarily befuddled and bewildered by the Zygons' shape-shifting powers, the Daleks are trying to expel the raiders and resume the stellar converter's activation..."

THE TABLETOP - A STREET ON EARTH

Doctor Who: Exterminate! Report: The Daleks Verses The Zygons

Having withstood the Daleks' opening barrage the Zygons began their counter-attack by focusing their electrical discharges at the Daleks by the southern fencing. These integral weapons were capable of delivering a substantial shock to the Kaled Mark III Travel Machines, but ultimately failed to score a hit. Indeed, even the 'shape-shifted' Zygon disguised as a Silent, was unable to set their sights clearly upon a target.

Fortunately to the northeast the Zygon Elite had more luck, and managed to shock one of the Daleks by debris (2). Meanwhile, the Zygon Leader, unable to shoot anyone within range, moved into melee range of the Daleks travelling south through the fencing. It was time to see just how formidable the alien's "Posion Barbs" would be against the outer housing of a Dalek...

THE DALEKS PREPARE THEMSELVES FOR THE ZYGON COUNTER-ATTACK

The immediate answer was 'very effective' as the Zygon seemingly tore through the Dalek's shell. But due to the Kaled inside being able to tap into the nearby time energies and "Regenerate!" the damage, the extraterrestrial mutant remained unharmed, and was instead simply pushed backwards. The Zygon Leader did attempt to press home his attack, but again his ferocious onslaught merely resulted in his opponent momentarily retreating.

Far less successful was the other Zygon fighting the Daleks by the fencing. Shocked by his pepperpot-shaped foe, the metamorphic humanoid was then immediately exterminated by the Dalek Faction's forfeiture of a Fate Token. The Zygons were slowly starting to lose ground in the southeast corner of the battlefield.

THE ZYGONS START TO FALL AS THE DALEKS PRESS HOME THEIR ADVANTAGE

Enraged by the Zygon's resistance to their overwhelming supremacy, the Daleks once again took the Initiative, and directed their battle computer to ponder those positions which would afford their lethal disruptors maximum damage. As a result only one Dalek moved west to better guard debris (3), whilst the rest of the Kaled Mark III Travel Machines remained stationary and able to utilise the full power of their energy weapons.

Realising that his forces were about to be subjected to a second withering wave of Dalek disruptor fire, and despite his faction's "Tough" trait of being able to negate "Shocked by Shooting attacks", the Zygon Leader moved east behind some fencing. The Zygon Elite in the north similarly attempted to seek safety by lumbering west towards the ruins of a building. Only the sucker-covered alien disguised as a Silent blatantly defied the Daleks, by heading north up to debris (2), and fell just short of discovering what sort of Vortex Node was hidden beneath it.

THE ZYGONS MOMENTARILY APPEAR ABOUT TO SEIZE A SECOND VORTEX NODE

The Daleks in the south opened fire upon the still visible Zygon Leader and would have exterminated him, if not for the character's "Wounds (1)" trait. The same could not be said for the Zygon/Silent shape-shifter who was theatrically Shocked and Exterminated by the combined firepower of three Daleks. In the north, the Daleks by debris (2), led by their Patrol Leader, Dalek Sec, continued to 'pin down' the Zygon Elite by the ruins with "Under Fire" tokens. 

Incredibly, the Zygons had survived a second Dalek salvo, which had seen many of the extraterrestrial mutants rolling eight dice an attack. It was clearly time for the former inhabitants of Zygor to possess "at least three Vortex Nodes" and take a step closer to thwarting the Daleks' plan. Sensing this moment was upon them the Zygon Elite in the north sauntered west towards debris (1), whilst their wounded Leader made his way to tree (2).

THE DALEKS DEMONSTRATE JUST HOW DANGEROUS THEY ARE IN MELEE

Unfortunately, such optimism was badly placed, as Dalek Sec immediately charged into the nearest Zygon Elite, and quickly shocked the metamorphic humanoid unconscious; one expenditure of a Fate Token later and the Zygon was exterminated. Similarly, a Dalek in the south attacked the Zygon Leader in melee, and soon overcame the already bleeding commander.

With their Leader so gruesomely dispatched, and their Faction in tatters, the surviving Zygon retreated, and the Daleks were left to continue their evil machinations for the planet Earth. For the time being at least...