Maximus

I have not played Warmahordes for a while, as I have really been using my limited gaming time to play Dystopian Legions, however, there has been a recent release that is drawing me back into the game. That release? Maximus.

I do like the idea of the Farrow in general, but not enough to get a  whole army of them. I have enough factions, but the idea of kitting out a Farrow like a Doomreaver? That is both insane and genius at the same time.

So as a little present to myself, I went out and bought him. Them in three consecutive evenings, built, based and painted him, Somewhat of a record for me.

Thankfully, he can be fielded with my Legion army, he can see play immediately. The sculpt is both simple enough to be fast to paint, but elegant and dynamic at the same time. What is not to love?

Here piggy piggy...

 

 

Now he's done and out of the way, I can start on my challenge for 2015. At least he started me off with some red armour and Khador stylings.

Colore ton Monde: Alten Ashley II

Alten Ashley is fully finished now. I found his sword, it was stuck to the paper towel I use to wipe my brush. Just as well for me I reuse this paper, otherwise the sword would be long gone.

I also redid his hair after seeing his close-ups I tried to redo his eyes too, but I don't think I made any improvements there. The face looks good from arms-length, but the closer you look, the more flaws you see.

Here are the final pics.

Colore ton Monde: Alten Ashley I

Some WIPs for this month's Colore ton Monde challenge mini. I went with the monster hunter angle, rather than the monster itself, which is of course covered by the always flexible monthly theme (go here to see October's theme). So here are the first shots of Alten Ashley.

Alten is very much close to being done. These are only WIPs for two reasons. First off, I started painting his sword that sticks onto his back at the same time I started painting him, but by the time I got round to finishing him, I had misplaced the sword. This is very annoying, and I hope it turns up, however, if Alten is ever using his sword in a game, that game is not going well for him!

The second reason is that, as always, I was very happy with the way he was looking, till I saw the pictures. My eyes are just not what they used to be. So, I'll be going back over the mini, mainly to sort out his hair and face.

The plants on his base are some chopped up plastic aquarium plants that I recently re-purposed (all the fish have finally passed on in our tank, so I had to doe something with all the bits). They work rather well I feel. I went with thistles, as they are purple and cream, which fits in with my other mercs, without me having to give him a garish purple coat, thereby breaking his camouflage. There is also a little purple on his boot-knife, just to keep him on theme.

Here's a close up of the face. I was trying a couple of new things here. First off, the stubble, and secondly, giving a tint to the bottom lip. Both f these to give more character to the paint job. However, I'm not sure either works with my normal way of doing eyes, i.e. ignoring them and letting the inks do the job of suggesting the presence of eyes.

It was this picture that convinced me I'll have to go back and get out the little paintbrushes before I'm happy with this guy.

Feralgeist

For the Oldies Holiday Painting Exchange, we each put a mini into the pot, and drew for which of the minis we would paint. I drew a Feralgeist. I won't post any pics of the final mini for the draw here so as not to spoil the surprise, but I would like to post the finished pictures of my own Feralgeist. I painted this first, as a means of testing what I wanted to do, and also as a test for the Testors fluorescent enamels that I wanted to try an use. This was the first time out using enamels since way back in the day when I used humbrol paints to paint up my Airfix aircraft back when I was a kid. Man that was a ling time ago.

Anyway, he seemed to work out alright:

I have since gave him a coat of 'ardcoat, and don't plan to use any dullcoat, as I want him to be a bit shiny. I think it works with the fluorescent paint, and the spectral look.

I'm going to hold off posting the second one until I have handed it back to it's rightful owner. Don't want to be giving away the surprise! However it's not a huge leap from here to imagine what the final exchange mini looks like.

Holiday Painting Challenge

My regular gaming group, the Oldies, is running a painting swap for over the Christmas holidays.

It was somewhat of a challenge to come up with a miniature I wanted someone else to paint. Not because I am under any delusions that my painting is of superior quality, quite the opposite in fact. It was more to do with having a mini that could be painted up in any scheme that the other guy wanted (we didn't put in a request as to what we wanted done with the mini, so it is fully at the discretion of the other guy).

For my part, I settled on Madelyn Corbeau. A mini that I have never put on the table and therefore is rather far down on my list of what to do next. However, it is a mini that I like the look of, so she will see play some time I'm sure. What's more, as a courtesan, she can be done in any colour scheme imaginable, and still fit the bill. Decision made!

As to the mini I was given to paint, I got a Feralgeist. Again, as a minion model, he does not have to fit in with the scheme of the army he plays with. I have my own one of these, and I have been thinking what do do with him, and had thought to use him as a test model for some Testors fluorescent paints I have. i may have to paint up my own first, rather than spoil someone else's mini with paint I don't know how to use, so that's this holiday's painting schedule booked up!

Victor Pendrake, Adventuring Scholar

The painting challenge for September was to paint something relating to the return to school. I was really struggling, as I had thought to do a mage for my Bretonnian army, and I have even undercoated and based the mini, but I was not able to find the inspiration to actually get on and paint her. Then, whilst clearing out another tray of minis, I found this guy languishing with a mere base coat, and lo, it was decided. What better mini for the challenge than good old Professor Pendrake?

There are a few little bits and pieces I'd like to go back over, but he's ready for the table.

Rask and Bog Trogs

The last edition of No Quarter had a spoiler for a new minion Warlock for Hordes. Specifically Rask, a Bog Trog 'Lock. A run down of his abilities can be found on the Battle College here, and his mini (yet to be released) is here. All of which has got me rather excited about putting together a list. It has been a while since I was so enthused about starting a new faction (which was the start of my Menoth collection a lwhile back), so I'm quite looking forward to it.
As you all know, I have a fully painted unit of Bog Trogs, that I am rather proud of, but who have never seen the table. Now that i have the paint scheme, it should be easy enough to rustly up a Warlock with the same scheme and put them on the table. The only issue is, I don't have any of the other beasts or units that are required to run either a Blindwater Congregation list, or Rask's theme list.



Rask Theme List

All this excitement got me wandering round the web, looking for interesting tid-bits about this guy (by which means I found the theme list and pics) as well as looking for inspiration as to what models work well with this guy, and work well in general for Blindwater lists (in terms of synergy). You could then call this post a summation of my researches, that are completely un tested on the field. A nice review of the theme list from a Gator player can be found here as part of the Rot 'n' Roll blog, which is a great introduction to Gators as a faction.

From posting questions on the PP forums, it seems there's little you can take for the Blindwater congegation that will steer you wrong (except maybe the Boneswarm). However, it seems the base tactics would involve having a minimun unit of Bog Trogs as his 'Body-guard' to be used as fodder for his Call to Sacrifice ability, and one to fill the role they are designed for as ambushers (for which it seems they are more highly prized than I first thought). Otherwise, anything goes, as it seems this guy is good enough to work well with all the other minis available. Whatever else I take, it seems I should get a unit of gators too (if not two), as they're just bad-ass and will of course work with my Legion army.

Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers

Furthermore, there will be a new Bog Trog Unit released with the Hordes: Collosals book, namely the Bog Trog Swamp Shamblers. Not much is known about them, other than they are undead. A cheap unit to use with Rask's Call to Sacrifice ability (which allows him to sacrifice a Bog Trog to not die, and have 1 life point left instead), which in itself is almost enough of a reason to buy them, despite what other abilities they may get.

Shamblers Concept Art

Ménage du printemps: X Bog Trogs

Almost there. One final push, and I've made it to the end of the month. And so, without further ceremony, I present the finished article.

One thing you may note is the double pupil. This was a happy accident, where I was trying to redo one of the pupils I painted out of place. I liked the effect, so went on to put it on the rest of the minis. I think it adds a little welcome alien-ness to the group.

 The swamp bases. Yeah, certainly not the best picture, but I'm happy with the way they turned out. I know the next time to tint the water, as that stuff is clkear as a bell when it dries. Not the aim for a bog.

More pictures and close-ups after the cut.

Ménage du printemps: IX Bog Trogs

Penultimate WIP posting here, all done but for the wrap-up, and sending off of the pictures before thedue date of the 29th. These guys are now finished but for the basing and tidying up. I'm really pleased with the rust-red tint to the underbellies and feelers. They really set the minis off, making them a little more 3-D, if that makes sense (see the last 3 pics for a closer view of this.

Anyway, on to the pics...

Ménage du printemps: VIII Bog Trogs

Almost there. 2 layers of highlights, which i think is the most I've ever done. So much for these guys being a quick paint job, I seem to be taking my time with them. I think what's making me go slow with them is the fact that I can't varnish them after I put down the water effects, as a blast of matt varnish will ruin the clear water. Thus I have to go at them all in the right order, knowing I can't go back and do touch-ups later (post varnish).

Still, a few details to add, and they're ready to be entered into the competition.

Ménage du printemps: VII Bog Trogs

Basecoat finished and ink done. In total, a 3 hour painting stint last night. I recieved a heads-up that there was only a week to go for the painting challenge, which focused my mind on the task. I think that's the longest I've stuck to painting one unit. I made sure to stay focused by not taking any of the others minis that may distract me out of the gaming cupboard.
I'm happy with the results, although by the end of the evening I was making quite a few slips with the highlighting due to tired eyes. That can all be fixed with the highlighting on the scales and detailing, which I will try to do this evening.

Pics after the cut.

Ménage du printemps: VI Bog Trogs

Phase 2. Undercoat done. The easy part, although I should have given a coat of watered down PVA to all the wood and lichen that I added to the bases, as they started to flake when I gave them a coat of paint. No matter.

Ménage du printemps: V Bog Trogs

 I suffer from shinybloodyitis. It's a common condition for us miniature gamers. There are more nice models out there than we have time to devote to them, so, we start one project, and are distracted by another before we finish the first. This means that instead of finishing the Deadlands miniature I had started, when I sat down at the table yesterday I pulled out some Bog Trogs I had, who weren't even put together. The reason is two fold. Firstly, I have been planning to use these guys for some speed painting I want to try out, they should work really well if I get it right, with a light undercoat, some very watered down paints and ink layers. With them being scaly, it should turn out well. The second reason is that I bought some Vallejo Still Water, and am itching to try it out, of course, to do so on some swamp bases means I have to first paint the minis, so last night I prepped these guys. I had planned to undercoat them too, but I had to wait till the white glue on the bases has dried.

Ménage du printemps: Start

First post in this series (at least the first containing pictures of miniatures). I have put aside these 5 minis as the ones I'll be trying to complete first. A selection of varying minis, all 28mm, but all ones I really like, and feel the need to have painted.

Saxon Orrik and Kommander Strakov

 The first two are Privateer Press Minis. One from Hordes and One from Warmachine. Saxon Orrik is a minion, who will work for just about anyone. I really love the miniature, and the desert feel, but his rules don't fill any gap that I have in any of my armies. Since i am painting for the sake of painting, and not to put anyone on the table, he's in Kommander Strakov, however, should be seeing the table often, if I get my way. I bought a whole pile of Assault Kommandos to field with him, I even scratch built a pile of trenchwork bases for them all. It would never be a competition winning army, but I do like the theme.

Mad Scientist and Sascha Dubois

The next two are Reaper minis. The Mad Scientist, from their Savage Worlds range, and Sascha Dubois, Time Chaser from their Chronoscope range. I may have mentioned before, I have a hankering for the Deadlands background, due to a loooong running campaign I was a part of back in the old ountry. (It still runs now, 6 years later, I just don't play in it any more). The Time chaser was one of the first of the Chronoscope figs, and was very much in the theme of the next guy, which is why I picked her up

Dr Malcolm Ecclescake

The last figure, is Dr Malcolm Ecclescake, otherwise known as "not the ninth Doctor". A love of Doctor Who, the release of the RPG, and finding these very nice minis meant I could not pass. I have "not the Master" and "not the tenth Doctor" as well, but Ten is already partly painted, so doesn't count for this competition, and the Master, well, you don't start with the master, you start with the Doctor, then you paint the Master.

So there you go. The start of this month's challenge. If I get these done, I'll move on to my Kayazy Eliminators, who are not yet built, as I'm waiting for a missing part. After that, if there's still time, we'll see.