Knock, Knock. Who's there?

Whilst painting up some graveyard scenery last week for my RPG game (the sepulchre is visible in the previous post) I did a quick paintjob on an old Frankenstein mini that had been sitting on the shelf for a few years. My (poor) memory seems to think that is was a ebay purchase listed as an old Foundry figure, but the sculpt is pretty rough by usual Foundry standards (the hands and sleeves are the very basic) so I'm having second thoughts. There were no manufacturer marks on the figure base before he was glued to the plastic one you see in the picture. Can anyone help?

Back to the RPG

After a break for the festive season and weather I was glad to welcome back the group (including a new member) to continue with our 1st Edition Warhammer Fantasy campaign. We're about halfway through the "The Enemy Within" Campaign and much enjoyment is to be had, even if the published campaign trail can be a bit tenuous at times. As a picture I give you a crypt robbing scene from last nights game:

Note that the Dwarf in the foreground ("Geddi") is not actually keeping watch but more trying to distance himself from the fact the party are looting the tomb of a venerated hero of Sigmar in the crypts of a Temple Of Sigmar. Such paranoia - I don't know why? Strangely he's become the moral voice of the party in the last couple of sessions since he changed career from drink obsessed Troll Slayer to Judicial Champion (albeit still obsessed with drink).

Skaven warband - Planning ahead

With the final stages of my current project underway I find my mind wandering to the next great thing - a Songs of Blade and Heroes warband. I have 3 non human ones lined up in my mind, although I don't have all the models yet. Goblin, Skaven and Wood Elf. Of the 3 I have way more old plastic Games Workshop goblins in a painted state already so they whould be quite quick to add a few more models to, but I think that Skaven will be the ones for few reasons:

1. Skaven are dirty mutated vermon. This will obviously be reflected in the paint job - so I can quickly get them table ready with a base coat and a dip.
2. I want to theme the warband around the pack/swarm/horde/mischief of rats feel - so lots of warriors/scouts rushing in groups (to take advantage of their gregarious special rule) with a couple of personalities.
3. My Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying group are just about to get back and I've been short of decent skaven models to throw at them so far. (RPG Disclaimer: Please note to those in the group this does not mean you will meet skaven in the next couple of sessions!)
   

After a trail through ebay I've picked up these which should the job. The "new" GW skaven are full of character and variety. With so few models on the table I want a variety of poses. I also wanted a mage like figure, and this plague monk Lord Skrolk fits the bill well without being too OTT. In a box somewhere there are also sitting a few old giant rats (Citadel perhaps), so a Skaven Beastmaster with his Rat Pack (or perhaps controled swarm?) will give something different within theme. I'm sure there will be a conversion friendly figure in the group that I bought to keep costs down.

Off to the cupboard to get the paint removal products (Dettol)

Ral Partha 2 Headed Ogre (1982)

A quick post with a 1982 Ral Partha 2 Headed Ogre painted at the same time as my Dog Soldiers Squaddies. This had been sitting undercoated on the paint table for a few months so and it's double glare finally wore me down.

The "high contrast" paint effect attempted on the Werewolves had gone quite well, so thought I'd try it again on this figure as the body structure was defined, but more subtly than more modern sculpts and I didn't want it lost. Wasn't too thrilled when I finished it, but happily the more I come back to it the more I like it. Nothing like a bit of cooling off time on a paintjob.

I actually thought it was an old 2 headed Giant (or 2 headed medium by today's scale creep standards), but Megaminis put up the 1983 Ral Partha catalogue online (with a good few others) which corrected me. I don't know if it would have affected my colour choices if I'd known before hand or not...

Dog Soldiers Update - Squaddies

Barring the final coats of varnish the squaddies are now done. They are Gripping Beast Falklands Marines with the woolly hat head option. I've tried to stick as close to the weapon descriptions in the scenario as possible (3 MP5s, 1 G-3 AR and a shotgun), but without a shotgun option I've just gone with heavy machine gun as a proxy. As long as it's distiguishable as a different weapon I fine with that.

To be honest I'm only so-so about the finished result here. I'm a bit out of practice so I'm not overly keen on the face painting (I also found the heads uber-fiddly to get filed to shape and stuck on) and it's been my first attempt at painting DPM. I suppose I feel they look un-spectacular which is what is grating me, which is sort of the point of camouflage at the end of the day I suppose. I'm sure they'll grow on me. And I REALLY need to sort out my photography!

I have to feel sorry for the lads here though. They see those adverts showing exciting times sweeping over trees in helicopters or crashing through countryside with tanks, join up to fight for their country and then they end up stuck in a farm house in Glen Coe fighting off werewolves, with the almost certain knowledge that if they make it back to civilisation there will prpbably be a zombie outbreak (psst. don't tell them, but there will be).

Song Of Blades supplements arrive

Well, to be fair they arrived last week by email (thanks to Andrea for the hard work in getting them to me - warning to others: email accounts still fill up with rubbish during holiday times!) but it's taken until now to get them printed out (I can't stand reading documents onscreen). After introducing a nearby gamer (you know who you are, MacSver) to the rules last week and running through a basic game I though it was time to push the boat out a bit for future games.

Expanded terrain and environment rules in the form of "Song of Wind and Water" and Campaign building with "Song of Deeds and Glory". Can't give you any reviews as they still warm off the printer. I'll going to get all my books (already have the base "Song of Blades and Heroes" and "Song of Gold and Darkness")  spiral bound together, making sure all the race profiles from all the books are collected together at the back for ease of warband building.

All things being equal (and agreed upon) a wee campaign run will be in order.

Out with the old, in with the new (Part 2)

Well with a new year brings a new set of gaming aims and projects. Isn't it funny (or perhaps not) that you can go from one year to the next failing to carry out the plans from the previous year and having no plans to continue them? I suppose thats why so many of us have numbers of boxes of miniatures stashed around the house gathering dust!

So to continue with tradition this years list almost has no connection to last year's list.

1. Finish the Dog Soldiers project. OK, OK I know this was on last years list, that's why I included the "almost" get out clause in the above sentence. As seen from other posts I have the end in sight for this one, and I plan to have it polished off for the end of January ready for playing.

2. Song of Blades and Heroes warbands. Last year I was bitten by the excellent Song of Blades and Heroes ruleset bug (published by Ganesha Games). It's a fun, fast and easy system to play. Perfect for a couple of hours entertainment with my young son, arabiansquire. However the figures we've been playing with have been somewhat limited to those I already have painted up for RPGing. Whilst there are a few to choose from there are a lack of opitions available to make up a more coherent warband. This is to addressed this year.
3. Modern Civilian Warbands. In previous years I've played some of Two Hour Wargames "All Things Zombie", but I have very few figures for players to use. Again bite sized small groups are needed here.
4. Zombies. For #3. You can never have too many and I doubt if I have quite enough (painted of course. I have a box full unpainted on a shelf)
5. Doctor Who. This one has come from a bit left field, but as a break between projects I hope to a least paint a couple of the Doctor Who miniatures I've been accumulating over the past few years. One day I may even have enough to game with...
6. Card Stock Buildings. This is a continuation from an un-official project last year. During my lunch (half) hours I've been slowly putting togther some fantasy card stock buildings. Not only is this good for my health (taking me away from the compter screen) and gives me some mental downtime but keeps my hobby spirits up with a bit of progress.
7. Focus. This is more an aim rather that a project, but to try and focus on one project at a time. Too many good projects are sitting unfinished and therefore unplayed. I love to play, so I need to finish them. It's quite simple really. That's why all my projects this year are bite sized SMART ones (just to use a horrible business term for a second)

As with the best lists there will be unexpected extras depending on what crops up, usually as a result of my Roleplaying, to be fair. But I'll handle (and post) those as I come to them.

Wish me luck.

Wolves and House - WIP

To continue the WIP run of the 28mm Dog Soldiers project I present the setting and protagonists.

Firstly the werewolves:

 The 4 outside mini's are from West Wind Productions "Secrets Of The Third Reich" range, with a central figure being from the recent Doctor Who micro universe line. These are finished except for basing, which I'll do at the same time as my squaddies.

I've also done the cottage, although it's only around 90% complete:

The interior doors still need to be painted, the window barricades (not pictured) need painted, the beds need made (sic) and perhaps the lounge area needs some furniture. The main structure of the house is a box file with foamcore internal walls. The floor coverings/cooker/fridge are WorldWorks. The kitchen table is from Frontline.