"Well... Not Bad!"

"At least the mask should spare me any personal embarrassment."

This 28mm scale pre-painted plastic model of Monica Rambeau was produced by “Wizkids” and is miniature number 210 from their Marvel “Heroclix” Sinister range. Able to convert her body mass into any form of energy of the electromagnetic spectrum, Captain Marvel was created by Roger Stern, John Romita Junior for the August 1982 Annual of "Amazing Spider-Man" by "Marvel Comics".

Mercilessly clipped from the figure's 'clicky' base and super-glued upon a plastic 25mm circular base, the harbor patrol officer was given a couple of licks of "Vallejo" White and splash of some heavily watered-down of Carchardon Grey by Two Thin Coats”. She was then enthusiastically dry-brushed with "Two Thin Coats" White Star, before having her black leggings and hair 'picked out' with "Citadel" Abaddon Black.

"Big Mr Tong" WIPs - This Laputian Robot Trooper has been primed, base-layered and shaded

I also attempted to apply a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade to her lower face, as well as give the Avenger's former chairwoman some eyes with a little "Citadel" Abaddon Black. However, despite trying to make my acrylic coats thin, the figure's thick pre-paint job had already decimated any trace of detail on the super-hero's head; including her eye sockets. Indeed, to my alarm I actually noticed some of my layers starting to crack and flake over the top of the model's original goopy pigmentation.

I therefore decided to simply leave well enough alone, and focus upon placing a small black star from US-112 US Armour Stars w/Stencilled & Solid Circles by "Decal Details" on Monica's chest. This wasn't quite the emblem Captain Marvel usually sported. But I hoped due to the sculpt's overshadowing pose, that it would suffice - and that perhaps at some point in the future I might attempt to improve upon it with a few thin lines of "Citadel" Abaddon Black. Disappointingly though, there was no way I could apply the transfer in the right place without it disintegrating, so for the second time I gave up upon a notion for Monica's miniature in order to retain my sanity.

"Games Workshop" WIPs - These Space Marines have been primed and shaded

Overall, this has to be one of the most frustrating models I've ever put my brush-tip too, and having initially been seen as a 'quick win' to help get my hobby mojo back, has actually turned out to have caused me to lose even more enthusiasm. If I can source a second copy of the miniature I may well try again at some point, as Rambeau is one of my favourite comic book characters from the Eighties, even if the New York City-based publisher has desperately attempted to retcon her origin story so as to better suit her modern-day exploits as the woeful Photon.

Thankfully, my aforementioned trials and tribulations haven't completed eradicated my hobby time, as I have made some progress on a pair of 28mm scale Laputian Robot Troopers by "Big Mr Tong". Furthermore, I've found a little time to dilly-dally with some more Sons Of Horus Space Marines by "Games Workshop" for my Horus Heresy traitor's legion...

(Lead) Mountain Musings - Monster May(hem) 2024

'A monster is a type of fictional creature found in horror, fantasy, science fiction, and mythology.'

As I'm currently struggling with my hobby mojo somewhat, I felt it might be prudent to forgo trying to focus upon one (or two) specific manufacturers this month, and simply join the colossal carnage which is the Angry Piper's annual "Monster May(hem)" challenge over on his marvellously titled "Dead Dick's Tavern and Temporary Lodging" blog. This will hopefully help recharge my ailing batteries and potentially make some big circular base-shaped holes on my painting table.

In addition, the move may jump-start my flagging interest in 3D printing, which has perhaps unsurprisingly stalled on account of all the STL (Standard Triangle Language) files I currently collect monthly from the various subscription services I support on both "Patreon" and "Tribes". Obviously as mere digital sculpts my backlog is effectively 'out of sight and out of mind' - at least until I visit my library on "MyMiniFactory". But I also have a few boxes stacked full of grey-coloured cured resin ready for a lick from my brush-tip as well - a visible deterrent if ever there was one for producing anything more.

"Big Mr Tong" WIPs - This Laputian Robot Trooper has been primed, base-layered and shaded

As a result I have already hooked out a few big beasties to pigment over the next four weeks. The rules for the challenge are quite simple in that "any monster will do", regardless of it being a non-fantasy figure or sized at any particular scale. To begin with I therefore thought I might see how quickly I can progress a couple more 28mm scale Laputian Robot Troopers by "Big Mr Tong". I first printed/painted one of these mechanical monstrosities back in November 2023, and have frankly been itching to get some more tabletop ready ever since.

I actually own various variants of the giant automatons which featured in Hayao Miyazaki's 1986 Japanese animated fantasy adventure film "Laputa: Castle in the Sky", so certainly wouldn't be adverse to working my through the rest of the range if, in the long run, it actually helps build up my motivation to chip away at my perilously tall pile of potential. Likewise, I have a thriving menagerie of creatures previously produced from the STL stalls of "Artisan Guild" and "Titan Forge Miniatures", which I aim to at least pick away at whenever the fancy takes me too.

April 2024 - "Black Tree Design" continues to dominant due to my interest in "Doctor Who"

To be fair April has traditionally always been a time of low productivity in my personal hobbying, as I've usually only just come off the back of a tiring three-month battle to attain my target tally in the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (AHPC). However, as I left that event much earlier than usual this time round, I had hoped that there might have been a bit more air still left in my sails to finally finish off a few long-lingering projects, or at least get a couple more Napoleonics completed.

As for the future I don't sadly see anything particularly grabbing my attention and sending me into a furious paint-brush wielding frenzy. I have rather naughtily picked up some reinforcements for my "Horus Heresy" army, as well as a few more miniatures from the seemingly relentless figure factory known as "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". But all these models have been 'safely packed away' so they don't impinge upon the long line of "Games Workshop" and "7TV" inspired miniatures I already have snaking their way across my hobby table.

"To The Batmobile!"

"This could be the break we've been looking for!"

"Greetings Speed Freaks, and welcome to our latest broadcast of Cars, Crashes and Carnage, which will be providing more insights into some of the vehicles racing across our fuel-scarce, post-apocalyptic landscape. I'm Rex Wonkers, and alongside veteran crude oil seeker Lance Sourdough, I'll be taking a closer look at two more recently announced competitors in the Juice Cup."

"First up is the formidable-looking Dark Knight, which has predominantly been fashioned using the Batman Batmobile 1989 Movie Die-cast Vehicle by "Mattel". The metal "Hot Wheels" model was picked up loose for just a pound at a Vintage Toy & Train Collectors Fair outside the Ashington Community Centre, West Sussex, and was subsequently super-glued to a "Citadel" plastic 90x52mm oval base."

"Hot Wheels" WIPs - The Batmobile was given various plastic armaments

"It was definitely a bargain find, Rex, and once 'tooled up' using some accessories taken from the plastic Implements of Carnage One sprue by "North Star Military Figures", was soon undercoated using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black. It was then give a hearty dry-brush with a little "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal, before being doused in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. The car's wheel trims, side exhausts, bulldozer blade and passenger-side mounted Gatling gun were all later hit with some "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

With the main paint scheme applied, the ride's flamer had its fuel-bottle 'picked out' with a smidgeon of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow, and its rear-firing flares were given a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. Finally, to weather everything up, the entire ensemble was sporadically given a coat of "Mig Productions" Extreme Rust Wash and dry-brushed in whatever the area's base colour was."

"Hot Wheels" WIPs - Solar Eagle III has been primed, base-layered and shaded

"Thanks, Lancey Boy. Alongside this 'Dark Knight' there's also word of an astonishing battery-powered potential participant who'll be using the chassis of a Solar Eagle III (in red livery). This incredibly low-profiled automobile largely consists of a lengthy solar panel. However, its owners have fitted a couple of forward-facing machineguns close to its cockpit."

"And let's not forget that the vehicle will also carry a rather exposed gunman at the rear, Rex. This guy is going to be precariously positioned just south of the car's Kevlar cog belt-driven rear wheel. So let's hope he can hold on tight to something should the 'Solar Rider' ever need to make a quick turn."

"Too right, Lance. And with that we've come to the end of yet another transmission. So, it's goodbye from the pair of us, and we'll hopefully speak to all you irradiated couch potatoes again in the next instalment of our humble sports programme..."

"The Infantry Of Prussia In 1806..."

"...Was 'a museum piece' reflecting the great days of (King) Frederick the Great."

This 28mm scale metal model is produced by “Wargames Foundry", and can be purchased as part of the identical eight-figure PN063 Infantry in Peaked Cap Marching blister. Sculpted by Alan Perry, this Napoleonic miniature has been patiently waiting its turn in my painting queue since I bought him in July 2023, and is hopefully destined to be part of a small Prussian force I can bolster either my French or Coalition army with as a scenario dictates.

The soldier was initially undercoated using a couple of licks of "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, and then essentially painted from the ground up following the colour scheme shown on the Nottingham-based company's website. Resultantly, I applied "Vallejo" Stormy Blue to the tunic and sleeves, and later darkened it down with a splosh of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"Pull. Pull. Pull."

I used a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson for the figure's cuffs, collar, cap band, and gun strap, as well as "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna with plenty of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade on to his rifle and backpack. I subsequently squeezed in some "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil onto the model's metallic areas, such as his gun barrel, its bayonet, and the fellow's water bottle.

Lastly, I applied some "Citadel" Abaddon Black to the infantryman's boots, extra baggage, leather straps and epaulettes. To be honest I wasn't entirely convinced by this choice as the vast majority of illustrations I saw had the Prussians wearing white straps, and none sporting black shoulder pieces. However, I did read that the colour was used to designate Fusiliers within the army, albeit this 'title was honorific rather than implying a specialist or elite unit.'

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Three more Prussian Infantrymen at various stages of completion

In addition to my latest Napoleonic figure I have also managed to pigment another 28mm metal Roboman by "Black Tree Design". Available as Code DW127 Roboman from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range, this sculpt is based upon the Daleks' mindless minions from Terry Nation's November 1964 BBC Television six-episode story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth".

Primed using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, the miniature was heavily dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and drenched in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. His trousers were then base layered in "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, shaded using some "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and roughly highlighted using a careful dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo Sombre Grey. As a final touch, I 'picked out' the Roboman's clunky headset and machine-gun with "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

"I Have Spoken With The Nimon."

"I need no one to bring the sacrifices to me."

This 28mm metal model of a Nimon is produced by “Black Tree Design” and can be bought as code DW428 from their "Doctor Who" range. "A parasitic race who travel via artificial black holes between planets", these aliens were created by the writer Anthony Read and appeared in the December 1979 BBC Television science fiction serial "The Horns Of Nimon".

Promising "the Skonnan leader Soldeed the power he would need to make Skonnos a great empire again", the figure was primed with "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, before being dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Charred Brown. I then applied a wash of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade over the bull-headed extra-terrestrial, and was a bit disappointed (though perhaps not entirely unsurprised) that it didn't have the same impact upon the miniature's skin tone as "The Army Painter" Strong Tone Quickshade did way back in 2017, when I previously pigmented a number of Nimon.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - This Roboman is having all his layers 'picked out'

As a result I gave the evil destroyer of planets a second coat of "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and whilst this was still wet, decided to apply some Nuln Oil over the brute as well. This still didn't darken down the brown as much as it had been on the other figures finished seven years ago, and with hindsight I might have got a bit carried away with its earlier "Vallejo" Charred Brown dry-brush. However, this particular sculpt could easily stand out as the race's leader, so I didn't let the slight inconsistency in colour demotivate me too much.

I next applied a double coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna to the Nimon's loincloth, and then followed this up with a layer of Gold and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. This area was subsequently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Gold, whilst the life-draining extra-terrestrial's eyes were simply 'picked out' with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Red and "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson. Finally, I painted the creature's horns with "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre, shaded them with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and dry-brushed the deadly energy-blasting weapons with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre.

"Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" WIPs - Three Alien Legionnaries

Sticking with "Doctor Who" and polishing off spare models I thought I had finished working my way through, I have found another Roboman in my "Black Tree Design" logjam. Resultantly, the mind-controlled minion of the Daleks was plonked onto a base, undercoated, and slowly had his trousers, shirt and hands base-coated.

Furthermore, I've managed to make a little more progress on three Alien Legionnaries by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio". These science fiction troopers are cleared inspired by Emperor Ming's red-robed palace guards from the 1980 movie "Flash Gordon", and to be honest I was soon cursing both the film's costume designer Danilo Donati for all the detail he created for their gas masked heads, as well as the miniatures' sculptor for taking the time to so precisely replicate all the black trim on the models themselves - most of which need careful, precise tracing in "Citadel" Abaddon Black...

"Early In The Thirty-First Millennium..."

"...The Galaxy is in the throes of the Great Crusade."

This 28mm plastic Space Marine is by "Games Workshop" and comes from the OOP (Out Of Production) Betrayal At Calth stand-alone boxed game. The multi-part model has been assembled wearing MK IV armour, and is another one of the ten figures I need to field my third Sons of Horus Tactical Squad for "Warhammer: The Horus Heresy."

The miniature was initially undercoated with "Citadel" Sons Of Horus Green, before I used a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna, Gold, and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade on its shoulder-pads and anywhere else which I intended to be gold. I then picked out the sharpest edges and numerous rivets in (more) "Vallejo" Gold, before applying some "Citadel" Abaddon Black to the knee-joints and elbow-joints, as well parts of his backpack and Bolter.

"Wargames Foundry" WIPs - Four Napoleonic Prussian Infantrymen

I next treated the model’s power tubes and firearm to a little "Vallejo" Gunmetal and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. as well as plonked some "Scalecolor" Speed Metal and "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red into each Space Marine's eye slit. Only once all this work was finished did I shade all of the MK IV armour with "Citadel" Nuln Oil, and dry-brush it with (more) Sons Of Horus Green. Lastly, I attached a couple of the numerous decals found on the "Games Workshop" Sons of Horus Legion transfer sheet onto the shoulder-pad and lower-leg.

With almost half of my latest Sons of Horus infantry squad now 'varnished and flocked', I've decided to tackle four figures taken from the blister PN063 Infantry in Peaked Cap Marching by "Wargames Foundry" in order to bolster my burgeoning collection of 28mm painted Napoleonic soldiers. This quartet of Prussians were admittedly predominantly bought due to their 'official' paintjob showing their uniform as having black straps (as opposed to white) - so I thought they might be a bit easier to pigment than normal.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - This Nimon has had all its details base-layered

To be honest though, I'm still in two minds as to whether to stick with the black leather belts as I've not seen that many illustrations of Prussian infantrymen wearing them - albeit my limited "Google-Fu" research has suggested the colour was actually worn by the army's Fusiliers; all twenty-four battalions of them in1806. Regardless of any future decision, I've primed two in "Vallejo" Sombre Grey, and another pair using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, to help establish which provides the best (and by that I mean quickest) base-layer to work up from.

I also can't seem to shake my infatuation with "Black Tree Design" and their "Doctor Who" range, despite recently completing some decidedly ill-defined sculpts of their Cybermen and Mechanoids. This Nimon though is a great model, and emerged from amidst my significant backlog whilst I was hunting around for some 'quick-win' projects. I had thought I'd powered through all these extra-terrestrial parasites way back in 2017. But clearly I missed one...

"A Number Of Cyber-Scouts That Patrolled The London Underground..."

"...Were painted black, making them nearly invisible in the dark tunnels."

This 28mm metal model is sold by "Black Tree Design" as DW533 - Cyberman Firing from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range. Responsible for killing at least two workmen who were inspecting a London sewer, this figure is based upon the reconnaissance cyborg seen in Paula Moore's 1985 television story "Attack Of The Cybermen".

Undercoated using my usual mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, the Stealth Cyberman or Cybertrooper was subsequently given a dry-brush of "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and drowned in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then, having sought some inspiration from the paint scheme used on the cyber-gun for the 1:16 scale figurine by "Eaglemoss", pigmented the miniature's hand-weapon using a combination of "Vallejo" Bromze and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, as well as "Scale 75" White Alchemy and "Citadel" Flesh Tearers Red for its energy ring.

"The infantry during the Napoleonic era..." 

With so straightforward a project, I have perhaps unsurprisingly also finished another of my Napoleonic Frenchmen by “Wargames Foundry". One of eight identical 28mm metal models found inside FN054 - Light Infantry Chasseurs Advancing, the soldier was undercoated using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Citadel" Abaddon Black, before his uniform/cuffs were given a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Blue, a fine drowning in "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade, and a dry-brush of (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Blue.

The light infantryman's various (and genuinely formidable-looking) were carefully trace out in "Two Thin Coats" White Star and weathered with some watered-down "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. Whilst his epaulettes and sabre-briquet ribbon were treated to a dollop of "Vallejo" Heavy Grey and "Citadel" Biel-Tan Green. In addition, I managed to carefully manoeuvre a brush-tip of "Vallejo" Gold over parts of the trooper's sword and "Citadel" Abbadon Black to his cartridge pouch.

"...Provided the majority of the fighting force while on campaign."

Next up was the miniature's back-pack and bedroll. Both these pieces of equipment are covered in white leather straps, which to be fair, probably wouldn't be terribly difficult to patiently cover; albeit time-consuming. Resultantly, I always like to 'cheat' on this area by simply giving the areas a coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and Sombre Grey, along with a sploshing in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and Nuln Oil as appropriate. Such a move will doubtless have many a dedicated Napoleonic wargamer frothing at the mouth. However, my goal is to get as many Nineteenth-Century colourfully-costumed combatants on the tabletop as I can with my sanity still intact.

Finally, I gave the miniature's shako covering a lick of "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, doused it with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and then plonked plenty of "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow on its pom pom. The military cap was subsequently dry-brushed with (more) "Vallejo" Heavy Brown, and the plume hit with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow.