“The Harbinger Cannons’ Hunter-Killer Rounds…”

“…Enable the squad to spike to target enemy models that are not even in their line of sight.”

This 35mm scale metal Paladin Annihilator is made by “Privateer Press” and is the last of three figures which can be found inside the SKU: 83008 Paladin Annihilators – Iron Star Alliance Squad for Warcaster: Neo-Mechanika. The multi-part figure carries a rapid-fire weapon “that can hit up to three models with every attack” and “ignore cover.”

Once the warrior’s weapon arms and Arc receiver were super-glued in place, the miniature was primed in "Citadel" Abaddon Black and given two coats of "Vallejo" Gunmetal. It was then shaded using "Citadel" Nuln Oil and dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal using a large make-up blusher brush.

“These smart rounds will curve around walls to hit their mark.”

Sticking with the slightly 'clean' metallic look of the Paladin’s previously painted battle brothers’ mechanically enhanced compound armour, I patiently 'picked out' the Annihilator’s knee-pads, central chest plate, elbow-pads, and the majority of his Harbinger Cannon’s housing in “Citadel” Abaddon Black. In addition, I applied a layer of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna over the soldier’s spats, shoulder-pads, face-plate, and thigh-joints.

These areas were later given a coat of "Vallejo" Brass, a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and some delicate dry-brushing with a smidge more "Vallejo" Brass so as to bring back some of their shine after being shaded. I also painted part of each Paladin's Arc receiver with "Vallejo" Brass and washed them with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - The 6mm Bloodletter is slowly having its details picked out

Finally, as I wanted this heavy support Paladin to stand out from the run-of-the-mill Enforcers, I decided to apply a combination of “Scalecolor” Cobalt Alchemy and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade to the model’s helmet and shoulder-plates. To be honest, I would have liked to have employed this palette on some additional areas too, but chose to stick to just those pieces of armour which I could easily reach with a brush-tip on all three of the miniatures.

Having finished another of my Weekly Challenges, I am already making excellent progress on the next. Somewhat embarrassingly, I’ve actually been ‘picking away’ at a tub of “Epic” Khorne daemons by “Games Workshop” since I first bought it from the second-hand stall, “Lesley’s Bitz Box”, whilst visiting "Colours" a few years ago. Next year I may well try to dedicate an entire month to the now long out of production (OOP) “tabletop wargame set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe” and actually paint some Adeptus Astartes or Squats. However, the plan for the next couple of days is to simply add a few more Flesh Hounds and Bloodletters to my burgeoning Chaos force, and maybe assemble some of the cardboard buildings I recently discovered inside a long-forgotten box of second edition “Space Marines”.

"Removed Surgically Before Embryo Implantation.”

“They killed him getting it off.”

This horde of ten 10mm scale metal Manumala noxhydria are produced by “Pendraken Miniatures” as part of their Science Fiction range, and are available either as code SFC8 Face Huggers, or as part of code SFC-AP Alien Creatures Army Pack. The parasitoid models are clearly strongly influenced by Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror flick “Alien” but are arguably much too large in size compared to the rest of the extra-terrestrial creatures manufactured by the Middlesbrough-based company. Indeed, despite me personally using the xenomorphs alongside a number of 15mm scale aliens made by “Ground Zero Games”, I’d argue they’d work very well alongside 28mm models as well.

The single-pose models were attached in pairs to a small sized “Flames Of War” base by “Battlefront Miniatures” and primed using “Citadel” Abaddon Black. Each figure was then treated to a double application of "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre, followed by an initial wash of "The Army Painter" Quickshade Ink Strong Tone and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade.

"Terrain Tiles" WIPs - The Quarter Cliff Outside Corner has been assembled

I had actually hoped that these Face Huggers would prove super-quick to complete. However, the rather flat sculpts required a lot of patience to be properly ‘picked out’, especially as the “Vallejo” Heavy Ochre was a little too runny when taken straight from the pot, so tended to simply spill down the model’s sides if not allowed to congeal a little on my mixing plate first.

With another of my Weekly Challenges finished, I took the opportunity to assemble a 6” x 6” MDF Quarter Cliff Outside Corner by “Anomalia Games” which was freely handed to me to try out during my recent trip to “Warfare” 2021. The multi-part kit was reasonably straightforward to build, although due to its very precise engineering I’d strongly recommend assembling it all at once as opposed to waiting for parts of it to dry separately, that way it is much easier to juggle some of the parts together so they properly fit inside a few of its holes.

"Lucid Eye Publications" WIPs - Two primed 'Hype Nifty Gifty Fifty Give Away' figures

Overall I was very impressed with the wooden board piece (valued at £4), and, should my plans to grit, flock and appropriately decorate the corner satisfactorily prove successful, intend to purchase at least a few more of the “Terrain Tiles” kits so as to build a small 2’ x 2’ skirmish board in the New Year. Of particular note is the fact that the company’s website has an excellent 3D builder on it which not only allows you to assemble a board from scratch, but then both orders and costs all the pieces required to build it.

In addition, I have based and undercoated the last two ‘Hyper Nifty Gifty Fifty Give Away’ figures I have previously been given by “Lucid Eye Publications” for the upcoming “Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge.” The 28mm metal models were freebies to anyone who made a large enough order, and is now sadly out of production (OOP) having been replaced by an updated sculpt of a wizard sat upon a dice. However, I was lucky enough to get five in total before they were withdrawn, and resultantly have been painting them as objective markers.

“Boy With Spitfire.”

“You can almost hear him crying out, budda-budda-budda as he plays being a Spitfire ace."

This 28mm scale metal commemorative figure of the Battle of Britain was given away as a freebie by the “South London Warlords” at this year’s “Salute”, and was sculpted by Paul Hicks. I’ve seen the miniature beautifully pigmented by the incredibly talented Kevin Dallimore as an actual school boy playing with his toy aeroplane, and whilst I was momentarily tempted to try to replicate such a paint-scheme, I eventually opted for something far more straightforward which would hopefully enable the model to see much more tabletop time as an objective marker.

To begin with though, I felt the ‘statue’ should at least be placed up on a pedestal some kind, and having scoured through my collection of resin pieces, found just such a plinth cast by “Telfer Model Design”. Unfortunately, the block’s top was just too small to ‘house’ the model’s detailed base, so rather than build a wide enough ledge myself I simply resorted to flipping the stand upside down instead and hoping that my subsequent paint-job would fill/cover the quite visible casting bubbles on show.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three Kobolds primed with "Vallejo" Heavy Red

In addition, I had a slight issue with my “Loctite” super-glue whilst placing the figure on its stand, as my previous brand of cyanoacrylate always allowed me a few moments to slide a miniature into position. This new “precision max” variant provided no such leeway, so just as soon as I touched the model down on its column it became stuck fast, and the only thing my frantic tugging and pulling was ever going to achieve was for the sculpt to snap at the ankles – something I quickly decided I didn’t want to risk. As a result, the ‘statue’ is slightly off-centre on its plinth, albeit I think you’d have to look quite closely to spot the mistake.

Luckily, I had no such issues gluing the resin foundation to one of the thin-lipped 40mm plastic circular bases I use for all of my objective markers these days, and once dry set about priming the ensemble with “Citadel” Abaddon Black. The figure was then layered with “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, before being given a coat of Brass and a generous drowning of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three Sorcerous Sentinels primed with "Vallejo" German Grey

Due to wanting this statue to look reasonably well-maintained, I decided against adding any patina or weathering to the figure, and simply highlighted it back up with a dry-brush of (more) “Vallejo” Brass. Admittedly, this did make the miniature look a little too shiny for my liking, so I dulled it down a bit more with a second application of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade. The model’s plinth was pigmented using some “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey, which was later shaded in “Citadel” Nuln Oil (as well as the odd drop of Agrax Earthshade), before being dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” Heavy Bluegrey.

Alongside this objective marker, I have also been steadily prepping and priming a number of miniatures for the upcoming Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. This includes some more of the “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” Kobolds I purchased at “Warfare” 2021, as well as the three (final) Sorcerous Sentinels I own, which I intend to pigment “Vallejo” White to represent some elite Fortress Guards…

(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge” December 2021

"Slayers! To arms!"

This month's effort to diminish my ‘peak of potential’ will be significantly shaped by Curt Campbell’s Twelfth Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC), or at least the obligatory painting desk clearance push I need to complete prior to the event’s start on December 21st. This means both an end to my own personal weekly painting challenges which have kept me so motivated over the past few months, and a concerted effort to polish off some of the figures still remaining unfinished from them.

Perhaps the biggest of these mini projects, randomly chosen by the turning of a playing card, was the nine 28mm Sorcerous Sentinels by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio” I initially elected to pigment last month. Despite being predominantly “Vallejo” German Grey in colour and being split into three digestible-sized batches, these ‘Slayers’ have taken a lot longer to complete than I first thought. But I have now finally got some “Vallejo” Matt Varnish on the last two and flocked the bases.

"Battlefront Miniatures" WIPs - Two partially-painted 7.5cm Tank-Hunter teams

However, I am actually far from finished with the Otherworldly watchers as I plan to expand my collection with three more sculpts during the AHPC. This trio though, will be painted using “Vallejo” White so as to better represent a party of Fortress Guards from Peter Yates’ 1983 “science fantasy swashbuckler” film “Krull”.

In addition, I’m planning on making much more progress on a number of partially painted 15mm plastic models taken from on the “Hit The Beach” starter set for “Flames Of War” by “Battlefront Miniatures”. I have a number of Late War German blisters ready to start prepping for the AHPC, so want to quite quickly progress a number of half-finished bases first. This includes a 7.5cm Tank-Hunter Platoon which has patiently been sat on my hobby table half-done since I originally opened the “ultimate starter set for the Flames of War Series.”

November 2021 - No change to my favourite manufacturers

Productivity wise, the past four weeks have been fairly typical for this time of the year overall. I didn’t get anywhere near as much done as I have during the previous years, but I certainly accomplished more than I achieved back in 2018. Most of this success was due to my finishing an impressive nine 28mm figures from “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio”, including a couple more Simian Minions for my burgeoning “Planet Of The Apes” project.

I’ve also been busy clearing some more wooden painting sticks prior to the AHPC by finishing three old(ish) 10mm dinosaurs by “Magister Militum”, and persevering with my ongoing “Judge Dredd” project by completing my “Mongoose Publishing” sculpt of Oola Blint. To be honest I think December’s output will prove just as eclectic a mix, as I continue to work my way through a load of somewhat forgotten ventures in an effort to be fully focussed upon the AHPC towards the month’s end…

“As Linemen Go…”

“…Dwarfs have some of the most expensive ones in the game.”

"Felicitations Blood Bowl fans, and welcome to a special edition of Tuesday Night Football. I'm Jim Maddenberg and along with Elven Hall of Famer Thom Grassyglade, I’ll be bringing you the very latest news concerning our favourite Fantasy Football game.”

"First up is the successful signing of Bodum Blackbeard by the amateur Sevens club, the Rusty Buckets. The second edition Dwarf Blocker Lineman has been bought out of retirement for an astonishing 70,000 copper pieces, and has already been pictured showing off his team’s colours for the local press.”

"Blood Bowl" WIPs - The Dwarf was primed, dry-brushed and shaded before having his details picked out

“Well Jim, this 28mm scale second-hand metal miniature was (re)primed with a coat of “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, so as to obscure the sculpt’s previous paint-job. The entire figure was then dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Gunmetal, before being treated to a mixture of “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade.”

“Next the Lineman had his boots, belt and beard ‘picked out’ with “Citadel” Abaddon Black. Whilst his trousers and tunic received a layer of “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna and (more) “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade. The Dwarf’s gloves were initially coated with “Vallejo” Heavy Brown, before they too were shaded in “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade.”

"Blood Bowl" WIPs - A Human Catcher, Blitzer and Thrower

“I understand some additional touches of "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash were also used on the player’s spiked knee-caps, elbow-pads, shoulder-pads and helmet, Thom..? These areas were later given a delicate dry-brush of “Vallejo” Gunmetal to add some additional highlights to the aged metal.”

“Quite right, Jim. Of course, the Rusty Buckets are still currently busy working on signing another seven Dwarfs to the team, and that’s not forget that the Human side, the Marauders, are also out there currently recruiting. Indeed, word has it that the plastic players are busy working on hiring a Catcher, Blitzer and Thrower as we speak.”

"Thanks Thom. That just about wraps up this Blood Bowl Sevens special. But please do join us again next time when we'll be taking a closer look at some of this sport's other players..."

“Warfare" Loot 2021

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - A Raging Brute, Divine Mortal and Kobold

This past Saturday I decided to make a trip to the Ascot Race Course, Berkshire, in order to attend the Wargames Association of Reading’s annual show “Warfare”. This two-day event is one of my favourite shows of the year, and was doubly exciting as for the first time in my memory it wasn’t being held at its usual home of the Rivermead leisure centre in Reading.

So major change of venue certainly seemed to help the numerous traders have a bit more elbow room than normally, and whilst the Bring and Buy sale location was somewhat difficult to reach – at least without some guidance from the show’s staff – it was definitely easier to reach the main tables so as to see all the second-hand miniatures being sold. Sadly, I didn’t feel the same could be said for the parking though, which was strangely off-site in a muddy, cordoned off area, which also resulted in punters having to cross a well-used main road during a nasty downpour.

"Tangent Miniatures" WIPs - Two of eleven Enemy models and NY Serpent

Purchase wise, I got off to be a bit of a flyer with “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio”, who had a lovely display of all their goodies spread across quite a sizeable area. A couple of their more recent figures quickly caught my eye, such as a resin Raging Brute and a metal Divine Mortal. Both of these models have already been pinned together and primed in preparation for the upcoming Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC); albeit the resin ponytail on not-Goro snapped off surprisingly easily whilst I was simply dusting the multi-limbed ensemble down in my grit tray.

In addition, I couldn’t resist picking up the company’s eight-figure strong 28mm Kobold Tribe. These “craven reptilian humanoids” are one of my favourite dungeon dwellers, and as smooth-looking, single-cast sculpts look set to be a lot of fun to paint in the near future. The horde come armed with a mixture of swords, spears and shields, so have already been efficiently based and undercoated ready for the AHPC.

Three buildings from the now discontinued 10mm range by "Escenografia Epsilon" 

One of my other favourite visits was to “Tangent Miniatures”, where I delighted to be able to swap nine Enemy Commander figures I inadvertently received from them a year ago, for some Enemy miniatures instead. This was superb service, in my humble opinion, as I should have double-checked the order twelve months ago when I first received it. But luckily, the manufacturer were an absolute pleasure to arrange the exchange with. Indeed, I was so impressed, that I ended up buying the remaining Enemy models they had, as well as NY Serpent from their Escape Artists range.

Finally, my biggest buy came from “Pendraken Miniatures”. I already own several of their pre-painted 10mm scenic kits by “Escenografia Epsilon”, so ended up coming away with several more bags when I discovered that the terrain was being discontinued. Despite being a little larger in size than my 1:285 scale plastic “Battletech” models by “Catalyst Game Labs” I figured the different resin pieces would easily allow me to populate a suitably varied 3’ x 3’ battlefield for my upcoming Weird War Two campaign…

“Hello, I’m The Angel Of Mercy.”

“I’ve come to give you both a lethal injection.”

This 28mm scale metal miniature of Oola Blint was produced by “Mongoose Publishing” and formed part of my rewards from the company’s 2012 “Judge Dredd Miniatures Game: Block War” Kickstarter. The now long out of production (OOP) figure was sculpted by Gary Morley and later made available by “Warlord Games” as blister Code JD20169.

“A strikingly beautiful woman” who visited “the lonely, the desperate, and the dejected to grant them the sweet release of a dignified death – whether they wanted it or not”, the serial killer was undercoated using two layers of “Abaddon Black”. She was then dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and enthusiastically shaded with “Citadel” Abaddon Black.

"The Dark Ones guard it by night and by day they call out the Slayers."

To be honest, I was actually pretty happy to leave the mass murderer’s attire at that, and simply focus upon her deadly syringe containing the lethal drug zilocaine. However, having seen the ‘official’ paintjob I became more inclined to make Blint’s cuffs and collar stand-out a little bit from her dark dress; albeit not to the point of pigmenting them white, as this seemed to be at odds with the predominantly black clothing she wore within the comic book pages of “2000 A.D.”

As a result, I used a combination of “Vallejo” Dark Grey and “Citadel” Nuln Oil on her cuffs, collar and hat-feathers, before turning to some “Vallejo” Escorpena Green and “Citadel” Biel-Tan Green for Oola’s aforementioned hand-weapon. Lastly, I decided to step somewhat aware from the cold-hearted character’s usual palette by ‘picking out’ her hair with “Vallejo” Steel Grey. This area was subsequently darkened with a double-dose of “Citadel” Nuln Oil, but still turned out somewhat bluer than it appears on the printed page so as to better ‘break up’ the figure’s largely black colour scheme.

"Gasosaurus is a genus of tetanuran theropod that lived... during the middle of the Jurassic Period."

Alongside my latest “Judge Dredd” related miniature, I have managed to finish another three 28mm Sorcerous Sentinels by “Crooked Dice Game Design Studio”. These “otherworldly watchers” can be purchased from the company’s ever-expanding fantasy range as SKU: DEAL 304 and are clearly inspired by the “race of aliens that serve The Beast” in Peter Yates’ 1983 film “Krull”.

In addition, I have successfully re-based an old DIN109 Gasosaurus model I bought and painted from “Magister Militum” approximately a decade ago. The dinosaur was slightly damaged during its transition, but luckily a little “Vallejo” USA Olive Drab and “Citadel” Agrax Earthshade seemed to fix the problem without any noticeable difference to the figure’s original paint-job.