(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Warlord Games” August 2023

"I never before got into a fight like this. I thought everything was going on well."

With my interest in 10mm World War Two wargaming finally coming to an end, at least until I play another instalment of my "Battle Of The Bulge" campaign, I thought I'd focus on a slightly larger scale for the coming month by completing my initial Confederate Army for Epic Battles Black Powder. I've rather frustratingly been trying to finish these 15mm plastic Johnny Reb soldiers by "Warlord Games" since they first appeared on the cover of "Wargames Illustrated" over eighteen months ago, But frankly, the time they take me to paint all their tiny, super-fiddly details soon becomes soul-destroying if I'm not too careful.

Happily though, my enthusiasm for the American Civil War range has been buoyed by the project's finishing line being very much being in plain sight. I only have twenty of a Florida-based company left to complete, and many of the troopers have already received a lick of paint here and there. In addition, the force's sole cannon crew isn't that far behind being ready for some varnish either, having been started approximately a year ago. Admittedly, because I've split my ten-stand sprue up into two different regiments I do fancy adding a second (straw-hatted) lieutenant colonel to my force, as well as an extra artillery battery. However, I'll only see to these once my core army is done and dusted.

"This plastic has got unique properties, Mister McDermott. Allow me to demonstrate."

With so many eye-wateringly small figures in my sights, I thought I'd compliment this plan by pigmenting some significantly easier 28mm sculpts, and resultantly have already 'nailed' three more metal models by “Black Tree Design", Available from the manufacturer's "Doctor Who" range as DW1013 - Autons boxed set, these classic monsters were undercoated in "Vallejo" Heavy Blue and shaded with plenty of "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade.

I then dry-brushed the trio with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, before 'picking out' their belt-buckles and hand-gun barrels using a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The extra-terrestrials' hands and featureless faces were treated to a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, and subsequently washed with some watered-down "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Lastly, their fingers, ears, nose, mouth and eye ridges were 'highlighted' with some additional thin lines of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone.

July 2023 - "Warlord Games" returns to the Top Five table after a few months away

Encouragingly, my hobby productivity is definitely back on the rise, courtesy of a number of British and German tanks by "Pendraken Miniatures", as well as a sudden obsession with the Nestene Consciousness from Jon Pertwee's tenure as the travelling Time Lord. Ordinarily, I would find such a mix of genres and sizes distinctly distracting. Yet for some reason, the combination has surprisingly helped motivate me to my second best July since I started recording my output a decade ago.

As to the future, I've already mentioned that I fully expect to at least finish enough "Warlord Games" ACW Epic Battles figures to finally get a low-point game of Black Powder in, and depending on when within the next four weeks those models are completed, I could actually be tempted into doing even more units. I also haven't quite shaken my "Doctor Who" itch, so I expect to crowbar a few more "Black Tree Design" monsters into my painting queue as well...

"The Rifles Wore A Distinctive 'Greenjacket' And Black Leatherwork."

"This was the first attempt at camouflage by the British Army."

These two 28mm scale metal models are sold by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased either as part of their identical eight-figure B081 Riflemen Advancing blister, or the Nottinghamshire-based company's B080 British Riflemen set. I actually found this pair miniatures whilst searching through a long-thought lost pile of lead, and am rather ashamed to say that they date back as far as my earliest days in the hobby, probably some twenty-three years ago.

Indeed, both Riflemen had clearly been previously-painted before (having been glued to two-pence pieces) and subsequently re-primed with most likely "Citadel" Skull White. Just why I decided to undercoat so darkly-coloured a unit with such a bright an acrylic is a bit bemusing, as it definitely caused me some issues when I initially decided to use "Vallejo" Dark Green for the British soldiers' uniform, and after repeated applications still found the white showing through.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - The two Riflemen were painted from the boots up

Ultimately, I therefore went with a "Citadel" Abaddon Black base layer, and used a combination of Wyvern Green by "Duncan Rhodes' Two Thin Coats" alongside plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil for the Greenjackets' attire - hopefully marking them out as 95th Rifles. I also pigmented their water bottles with a little "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade, whilst selecting "Vallejo" Heavy Brown and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade for the models' bread-bags and gunpowder horns.

Focusing on all the miniatures' fiddly bits, I slowly worked my way up the two Riflemen, applying "Vallejo" Sombre Grey to their backpacks, Gunmetal to their Baker Rifles and Shako badge, and Heavy Sienna to the odd strap and firearm. All these areas were subsequently washed in "Citadel" Nuln Oil or Agrax Earthshade as appropriate. As a final touch, I picked out the soldiers' scabbard and plume pin with a dab of "Vallejo" Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I'm not sure how historically correct such colours are, but they looked good on the figures shown on the "Wargames Foundry" website.

"The Eye of Horus is upon you as the Sons of Horus march to war!"

I had been hoping this brief, albeit rather detail intense, sojourn into my old Napoleonic backlog would scratch a very definite Battle of Waterloo itch I've recently acquired - mainly thanks to repeated watchings of "The Waterloo Collection" four-part DVD series by "BHTV". However, whilst I'm going to steer clear of a 1:1 28mm scale collection of Napoleon's final battle, I do intend to scramble around my two decades old backlog for some other models to see whether I can assemble two opposing skirmish forces. Plus, I also now plan to visit to a certain factory in East Stoke, near Newark, this September.

Lastly, I've managed to polish off yet another of my 28mm plastic Horus Heresy Space Marines by "Games Workshop". One of ten MK VI Legion Tactical Marines I aim to field as part of my core traitor force, the figure was predominantly painted using "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green, "Vallejo" Gold and Gunmetal, with plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade thrown in...

3D Printing - "Wargames Atlantic" Tribe

"Wargames Atlantic" WIPs - Three of the six N’Glonhgk Infantry currently being worked on

All of these miniatures were created using "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin on a Mars 3 Pro 3D Printer and are available as STL (Standard Triangle Language) files from "Wargames Atlantic" on "MyMiniFactory" under their "Atlantic Digital" umbrella. The figures are all from the company's "WW2 US Navy Landing Party", "Death Fields N’Glonhgk Infantry" and "82nd Airborne" releases.

To be honest, this is only the second Tribe on "MyMiniFactory" which I've ever followed, the other being a short-lived tenure with "Eli3D", and initially, I wasn't all that convinced by the rather range specific selection of extra heads, conversion parts and farm animals on offer. However, these somewhat haphazard objects were just the manufacturer getting started, and these days I actually regret not joining their subscription service sooner as I now need to purchase their excellent-looking Napoleonic Russians in Greatcoats, Victorian Policemen and German Treasure Hunters separately - amongst many other older sets.

"Wargames Atlantic" WIPs - These 82nd Airborne were all printed as single-piece figures

The N’Glonhgk Infantry are probably my favourite of their releases so far, and are actually the digital files which first made me decide to financially support their content. I don't admittedly own any of the Death Fields plastic kits, nor necessarily intend to in the future. But there was something about the frog-faced extra-terrestrials which cried out to me to buy them, and having recently acquired a copy of "Xenos Rampant" by "Osprey Publishing", I thought the bulky aliens would make for a marvellous science-fiction skirmish force à la "Bucky O'Hare and the Toad Wars!"

The number of poses possible from this kit is impressively diverse, with the STLs containing five torsos, numerous heads, eight different weapon-carrying hand/arms and a variety of open-handed left limbs too. Furthermore, one of the beauties of 3D printing is that the figures can simply be 'mirrored' in "Chitubox" to essentially double the possibilities. Assembly was also very easy for my squad of intergalactic amphibians, with the various pieces of "Elegoo" Water Washable Resin forming a stunningly solid bond with one another when adhered using superglue.

"Wargames Atlantic" WIPs - The join of the heads to neck seemingly creates each model's hairline

Perhaps the most modeller-friendly set I've so far encountered though, are the miniatures from the 82nd Airborne Division, which have an option of being produced as a small team of single-piece soldiers. Obviously, even with a bit of pre-processing software jiggery-pokery this does mean the poses are pretty limited. However, it has meant that I've been able to print, base and prime a handful of "All-Americans" in quick succession - potentially as opposition to a Weird War Two invasion by the N’Glonhgk.

Lastly, I've taken the time to assemble and undercoat a group of sailors from the WW2 US Navy Landing Party kit. These figures come with the option of already being stood on puddles; something which makes basing them an absolute joy, and are presented with an array of M1-Garande rifle-carrying poses. I was a bit disappointed that there is no option to readily print the miniatures with the heads already in place upon the shoulders. But I suppose it does provide that additional variety option I've already harped on about, and means that later on I may well be able to add some helmets to the landing party too...

Final Few Posts Of July 2023 Posted On Wix Website

The final few postings of July 2023 are now up on the Wix website which replaced this blog a couple of years ago. These include a handful more 28mm "Doctor Who" monster figures by "Black Tree Design", another strip of 15mm ACW plastic Confederate infantry from "Warlord Games" Epic Battles range, and another 28mm Sons of Horus tactical Space Marine from my "Games Workshop Horus Heresy boxed set.

Furthermore, I'm continuing to grow my 10mm "Pendraken Miniatures" Early War project with an Axis Panzer III tank. I'm planning on featuring period of the Second World War in a Battle Report soon, along with another focusing upon my ongoing Battle of the Bulge campaign.

Lastly, I've even completed a bit of scenery for a future game of second edition "Frostgrave" by "Osprey Publishing". Please click the link below to pay me a visit and see all the updates for yourself.

https://www.fantoricalwargaming.com

"Florida Participated In The American Civil War..."

"...As a member of the Confederate States of America."

This frontline of ten 15mm scale plastic Confederate soldiers are produced by “Warlord Games” and came free on a sprue accompanying Issue 397 of "Wargames Illustrated". The soldiers are part of the Nottingham-based company's "Epic Battles: American Civil War" range, and complete the first of two stands I am to field representing the 1st Florida Infantry Regiment.

Due to my picking these figures back up after a good twelve-month sabbatical, I simply had to dust down their  "Citadel" Abaddon Black undercoat and patiently started picking away at all the strips’ numerous details from the ground up. This process started with an application of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to a few pairs of shoes - just to try and break up the otherwise monotonous black leather look of the miniatures' footwear.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - Three Autons awaiting a final "Citadel" wash or two

I subsequently did something similar with the models’ trousers too, as I didn't just want all of them to be marching in the same colour pants. This caused me to pigment several with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil, a few others with Vallejo" Heavy Sienna or Heavy Brown and "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade, and a single Confederate with “Vallejo” Steel Grey and “Citadel” Drakenhof Nightshade.

For the soldiers’ jackets I exclusively went with a combination of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I wanted to keep the unit's colours as stereotypically Confederate as I could due to the "Warlord Games" booklet entitled "Black Powder Epic Battles American Civil War" mentioning that the Florida units wore straw hats. I thought such an eye-catching and colourful novelty would be more than enough to mark the regiment out on the tabletop, without my needing to spend extra time fiddling about with alternative palettes for their jackets.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - These MK IV Space Marines have been primed in "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green

I also stuck to giving all the soldiers' Kepi hats a dash of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. But did mix up their blanket rolls a smidgeon with some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Heavy Red or Heavy Blue. These areas were later sploshed with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, Carroburg Crimson or Drakehnof Nightshade respectively. Finally their hands and faces were layered with "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, shaded in "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and later highlighted with extra dabs of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone.

With half my 1st Florida Infantry Regiment finished, I have taken a short break from the smaller scale sculpts in my backlog, and returned to some more "Doctor Who" figures by "Black Tree Design" - which whilst being a bit 'old school' in shape, are definitely a lot easier to put a brush-tip to than the Confederates. Furthermore, I have managed to get a couple of layers of "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green on some MK IV former Luna Wolves Space Marines by "Games Workshop". These traitors will make up a third ten-man unit of tactical infantrymen, and complete the core of my Warmaster's legion...

"The XVIth Legion Has Always Had A Reputation For Aggression..."

"...And employing swift overwhelming shock assaults against enemy forces."

This 28mm plastic miniature of a Space Marine is produced by "Games Workshop" and is one of the forty MK VI Legion Tactical Marines found inside the Warhammer: The Horus Heresy – Age of Darkness boxed set. The multi-piece figure has been assembled to form part of a (second) ten-man strong tactical squad for my five-hundred-point Sons of Horus traitor force and comes armed with a standard Boltgun.

Siding with the traitorous Warmaster, the figure was originally undercoated with "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green, before being heavily shaded with Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) Sons Of Horus Green. Following on from this I then applied some "Citadel" Abaddon Black to his helmet's beak area, Bolter, chain bayonet, backpack, and the joints of his Corvus Armour.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - The "Vallejo" Gold areas have been finished on these Space Marines

The Adeptus Astartes' .75 caliber weapon and parts of his rear-mounted power unit were subsequently treated to a combination of "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Furthermore, I gave the miniature's right shoulder-pad a single coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, before applying some "Vallejo" Gold and a splash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to it. These areas were later highlighted using some additional touches of "Vallejo" Gold along the edges and rivets.

As with all my Sons of Horus I lastly applied some "Scalecolor" Speed Metal to the figure's eye lenses. These were subsequently given a lick of "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red respectively and tidied up with some "Citadel" Abaddon Black. I also applied a couple of the many decals found on the "Games Workshop" Sons of Horus Legion transfer sheet onto the model's bare shoulder-pad and leg.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - These three Autons have been primed, shaded and dry-brushed

I've still got a few more Space Marines from this particular unit to finish, and have been using them to establish whether there's an easier (or at least quicker) method to pigment them. One of my biggest frustrations with the Sons of Horus palette I'm using is the fact that I am constantly having to return to each figure's armour to tidy it up having inadvertently caught it with my brush-tip whilst doing another area. This has proved particularly true when it comes to dry-brushing the "Vallejo" Gold shoulder-pad - which invariably flicks tiny metallic specks everywhere.

Lastly, having had a good scrounge around my "Black Tree Design" backlog, I have discovered three more 'possessed' shop window dummies from their "Doctor Who" range. To be honest I'm not sure all (if any of) these particular 28mm metal figures come from their DW1013 - Autons boxed set, as their 'weathered' condition suggested they were a bit older than that, so I probably bought them as individual pieces - most likely when they were actually being sold by Dean Edwards' "Harlequin Miniatures" in the early Nineties...

"What Is A Nestene?"

"A Nestene is a ruthlessly aggressive intelligent alien life form."

These 28mm scale metal models are sold by “Black Tree Design", and can be purchased either as part of their DW1013 - Autons boxed set, or (potentially) individually  as DW313 - Auton Dummy Firing from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. "The living plastic foot-soldiers of a formless entity known as the Nestene Consciousness", the plastic shop-window mannequins first appeared in Robert Holmes' January 1970 BBC Television story "Spearhead From Space".

Originally primed with a double-helping of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, the "soldiers" were doused in "Citadel" Drakehnof Nightshade and later dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue. The Autons' belt-buckles and hand-gun barrels were then 'picked out' using some "Vallejo" Gunmetal and their neckerchiefs layered with "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey. All of these areas were later shaded using a little "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - This strip of Florida "Straw Hats" are almost finished

The extra-terrestrials' hands and faces were treated to a couple of coats of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone before being washed with some quite heavily watered-down "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, their fingers, ears, nose, mouth and eye ridges were 'highlighted' with some additional thin lines of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone so as to better bring out each sculpt's disconcerting 'vacant-staring' facial detail.

Alongside my latest "Doctor Who" additions, I have been steadily plodding away at a couple of stands of 15mm scale plastic Confederate soldiers by "Warlord Games". This somewhat ragtag-looking unit will form part of a Florida "Straw Hats" infantry regiment, and are really helping me develop a painting technique which should assist in getting many more of the ten-man strips fully-painted before me American Civil War mojo evaporates.

"Warlord Games" WIPs - This Confederate Command Unit has been worked on for two hours

Resultantly, I've been basically fighting my way along a line which I had previously started pigmenting last year, whilst simultaneously starting work on the Rebels' command strip using any lessons learnt. The battle with this older plastic formation has definitely been a hard one, as I've found myself repeatedly having to go back and tidy up areas I'd already finished due to mishap after brush-tip mishap - most noticeably on the soldiers' jackets.

Luckily, a lot of this pain hasn't been too noticeable on the officer-led strip, though I am still two hours in on its paint-job, and probably only halfway there. However, the decision to undercoat them "Vallejo" Sombre Grey - the colour of their jackets - has definitely helped, and I reckon I can save some additional time by painting the odd pair of shoes brown after I've finished their trousers next time around. Furthermore, I have splurged out on a box of "Artis Opus" Series M brushes, which should make carefully 'picking out' each trooper's webbing with "Citadel" Abaddon Black a bit easier...