Skeleton Guards for WoE (Oathmark Revenants)

'Tomorrow' became 'the day after tomorrow', because, real life, but here they are.

I experimented a lot with Citadel Contrast Paints on these, had to highlight the purple with a drybrush and shade the 'skin' and a few details with Agrax Earthshade, but all in all a relatively quick and easy paintjob.

The metal parts are Agraxed Vallejo Old Gold; works a charm for bronze!

I shall have to build and paint five more of these to max out the Skeleton Guard unit for Warlords of Erehwon, but right now my butterfly mind has set itself on getting some LotR stuff ready, and preparing for some Sellswords & Spellslingers (I have to make a new set of cards, as I cannot for the life of me remember where I've put the set I made years ago - AND the printed deckholder 😒 )

Reinforcements Have Arrived!

Last weekend I ordered these two items from Miniaturicum in Germany, and they arrived during today's game.

Ten of the the Revenants are destined to become 'Skeleton Guard' for Warlords of Erehwon (they wear some kind of ancient armour) - among other purposes along the way.

I already washed the sprues and started cleaning up the first five, so that I can get a minimum sized unit ready for use as soon as possible, although I shall probably not get them done in time for Wednesday

'Oathbreakers' is necessary for using Undead forces in Oathmark, and I haven't completely given up on that game, although I find that it plays a bit too slowly for massed battles.

I look forward to reading the rules and get an impression of how the Undead work in the game, and maybe try out a smaller solo game to get a hands-on experience.

More for the Plastic and Lead Alps

Earlier today, I received my June order from North Star Military Figures. The Gnolls are (primarily) for my 'remixed' version of Rangers of the Shadow Deep, the Goblins for mixing in with my LotR Orcs (and providing extra archer arms for the Gnolls), and the Halflings are for my 'Frodo's Quest' Shire spin-off (more about it in a later post).

The Hell Crows are for RotSD (some kind of Crows, the name eludes me right now), and the Frostgrave Barbarian with the two-hander is for Emil's Sellswords & Spellslingers warband.

The Magmites and the Thief are just bonuses, but I shall probably find some use for them.

And then They were Two....

I speed-pained this very old Jes Goodwin bear (a Wood Elf Beastmaster companion) today, as Ulolkish may need a couple of Quadruped Creatures to go with his Dwarves in SAGA Age of Magic tomorrow.

Next time I get something from North Star Military Figures, I shall include their rearing bear in the order, to bring the sleuth up to three members (and probably enough for Sellswords & Spellslingers).

Some Loot from North Star Military Figures

This time it took 13 days for a parcel to reach my secret lab from Lenton, UK - seems that delivery times go up by a couple of days for each successive order 😆

I have been stockpiling rulesets lately, mainly because I need some small games to motivate me for painting a few minis here and there, and partly because the summer holidays is a great time for reading, as when sitting in front of the camping trailer somewhere in central France, I cannot rush off to search through some obscure box for some long forgotten mini I suddenly see a use for.

I have been wantint to get those (Frostgrave) Rangifers ever since they were released (I have a lot of ideas how to put them to use), and I took the opportunity to order them along with Thud & Blunder.

As soon as I have painted a Mines of Moria plastic Gandalf and a metal Moria Goblin Shaman, I shall assemble and paint the Rangifer Shaman (you can never have too many Magic-Users for small-scale skirmish gaming 😈), but I need a Wizard for my Gondor SAGA AoM warband (and also for Age of Fantasy Skirmish, for all that matters), and the Goblin Shaman is also sorely needed for both games.

All in all, I am pretty content with today, as I have both printed a lot, finished some re-basing (later post), blogged quite a bit, and received this little lot (and it is even hot and sunny outside!).

SAGA: Age of Magic Dice

Today, I received a parcel from Lenton, UK. This time 11 days from dispatch to arrival (with one day being a Holiday), still is not bad, considering the domestic delivery times of PostNord.

I ordered two of each set of the Age of Magic Dice, so that I can cater for both sides, no matter whar factions are played.

I have been working slowly and steadily on the Skeleton Archers, but now I think it is about time I get some of them - preferably at least eight - ready for the table!

Tomorrow, we shall be visiting my mother-in-law, so I shall not get much hobby time in, but Sunday I should be able to splash some paint on the deadites (unless, of course, the weather suddenly decides to become agreeable, in which case I shall have to do some work in the garden).

I have to take some classes Monday and Tuesday, so this week I shall not be able to make gaming appointments those two days. Hopefully Thursday, I can get an appointment with Emil for some Age of Fantasy, and then perhaps SAGA or Grimdark Firefight with Ulolkish Friday (I shall be at work Fri-Sat-Sun nights), but we shall see about that, he may have other plans, I only got my schedule for the week two days ago.

SAGA 2nd Edition and Age of Magic

I ordered these two from North Star on May 1th, and they arrived here on May 8th!

I have been wanting to play some SAGA Fantasy for quite a while, but I have not been able to convince anybody of playing A Fantastic SAGA with me, although I think that fan-powered project is quite remarkable.

I have also been holding off buying 2nd Edition as I like 1st Ed. a lot, and I have almost everything for it, but with Age of Magic coming out, I had to take the plunge...

I have been reading a lot since Wednesday, and that is the reason why I have not yet started painting the Rohan Royal Guards, and also did not yet find the time to assemble the Renedra Saxon Tents.

I have no firm grasp of the rules, yet, but Age of Magic seems to bring back strongly flavoured Battleboards, which has been a thing complained about missing from 2nd Edition.

Tomorrow, the weather should be dry and sunny, and I shall probably have to spend some time in the garden, but I hope to also start rebasing some Skeletons I dug out of a box in the garage attic yesterday.

Please, Bear in Mind...

I did quite a quick and dirty paintjob on this, as my hobby time is very limited at the moment.

Originally part of the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company's North Amarican Wildlife range, this is probably meant to depict a Grizzy, but I opted to try painting it as a European bear.

I am not sure if it turned out a bit too dark, but it will have to do as is for now, as I hope to be able to squeeze in another game of Sellswords & Spellslingers with Emil before Christmas, and I need a bear to be able to turn up as a Complication in the scenario I have in mind (In Search of Rare Herbs).

More pics of the teddy below.

Bear with Me!

I need an angry bear for the Sellswords & Spellsligers scenario 'In Search of Rare Herbs', so i dug out these two.

The running specimen was originally made by the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Company, but is now produced and sold by North Star Military Figures, and the other one is from an old Jes Goodwin Wood Elf Beastmaster blister (hence the torc around its neck) from Citadel.

Basically, I shall have to experiment a bit with the colours, as I am not certain how to achieve the predominant colour of the European bear. I hope to mostly paint the first one coming Monday, so we shall see how it turns out...

SS&SS: More Characters Ready for Painting

Three different minis, three different manufacturers, all possible contestants for a position in a warband for Anna, should she decide to play with Lea and me (and, perhaps, Ulolkish).

The Hedge Witch is from Red Box, Ladgerda from Hasslefree, and the War Dog is from North Star's very useful Frostgrave range (I don't play Frostgrave, but the minis are great for many purposes!).

They are going into the 'primed' box for storage, until it is time to paint one or more of them, as I have plenty of pending projects at the moment.

African Wildlife to be Painted!

I had an old Chaos Black primer working overtime this early afternoon - first the Minas Tirith archers, then these critters, soon to be found in a great many settings and games (they might even appear in games of Sellswords and Spellslingers as random encounters or complications).

I shall paint one when I have finished the first member of Lea's SS&SS warband - I would like to try out Paleo Diet in an African setting ASAP, and I think three ostriches and three baboons is just about enough for 3-4 Zulu warriors to hunt, for starters.

When the critters are all done, I shall probably start working on some giraffes or cape buffalos I already have in my possession, and I would also like to expand my collection of ostriches, as I have an idea for some special rules regarding the 'hiding' ones...

Baboon Family to Go

The baboon family is now also ready for primer, and I expect to get it sprayed alongside the Minas Tirith archers and the ostriches. I may paint the prey animals in between the characters for Lea's SS&SS party, as the Hasslefree fantasy mini is dragging on, and I need some variation (and to get something finished a bit faster).

Basing the Baboon

As promised yesterday, here is an update on the basing experiment.

The male Baboon has been glued to the double-base, and some filler has been applied.

Tomorrow, I shall file away the excess filler, and apply some more where needed, and we shall have a final result of the experiment - which already looks promising!

Monkey Business

And I mean it!

As part of my preparations for Paleo Diet in Africa, I have been busy prepping the baboon family.

This included sawing off half of the integral bases. to avoid the finished minis to sit on slotta-base like plinths.

The base of the male baboon is so oblongish that it would take a far too large single washer to fit, so I have started an experiment gluing 15mm washers in pairs to cereal packet cardboard; I then intend to cut around them to create a pill shaped base.

I should have the result of the experiment tomorrow.

The baboons should do sterling service as random encounters in all kinds of Colonial and Pulp games, so they will make a welcome addition to my collection!

Paleo Diet - Rounding Up the Prey

As mentioned, I am going to play some Paleo Diet as soon as I have enough painted animals to hunt, so I have been digging out  some of the wildlife I have amassed over the years (and making sure to find some of the African animals, as I am going to use some Zulus as hunters for a start).

I painted this ostrich from HLBSC (now North Star) some time ago for a Painting Club at the LAF, and I have another couple of those big birds form the same set ready for paint, so I should start on those as soon as I get Lea's SS&SS party finished.

From the same company came the baboon family, and they will be the next animals painted. When they are done, I should have enough for a first game, so I can focus on getting some jungle terrain done (I have loads of plastic palm trees and aquarium plants, so I shall not have to purchase anything to get stuck in).

This bear is from an old blister with a Wood Elf Beastmaster, and the collar/torque is really making it look too domesticated, but I shall probably use it, anyway, at a later point, when I get some proper cavemen painted.

The second bear is from the long OOB MEGA Miniatures of Johnny Lauck, and much more fitting for a wild beast.

Both bears are going to get new bases, I think - I have just ordered some thin greyboard 25mm x 50mm pill shaped bases from Sarissa Precision to place on top of two 25mm washers for mounting cavalry and the likes, and the first bear might fit on one of those, while the second one can probably use a single 30mm or 35mm washer.

Lastly, for now, I have two crocodiles - I think they can make hunting along rivers or in swamps a tad more interesting, and predators should always be part of the conditions to be faced by primitive tribes trying to carve out a place in an unforgiving environment.

Copplestone Penguins

I have no idea, actually, what to use these for, but I thought I'd better get them cleaned and moved along with the snowmen...

For some reason, they make me think of Stirges, so maybe they are a special breed of aquatic bloodsucking critters?

Better not catch their attention then...

Oooops. Too late!

Elsa & The Snowmen (Nice Band Name...)

I'd like to see the Orc that would not think twice about eating her... Just a bit more filler on the bases, and the warband is ready to be primed. If I can slip them in, I may add the two frisky penguins that came with the Snowmen, just for laughs.

My Frozen Warband Grows

Another snow goon cleaned and glued to a washer. Nuff said.

Warband With a Frozen Theme

This teen frost-blasting witch is getting some minions in the shape of snow goons (run, Calvin, run...).

I think they should be immune to cold-based, but vulnerable to heat/firebased attacks, which should cancel each other out, points-wise.

I have two more of these 'Copplestone Collection' minis, and as rather lowly characters, I should have plenty of XP to make the witch a formidable foe for the Monsters.

Africa: Something to Raid

The last set from my recently arrived Caliver order was three North Star African Cattle (AA20). They are of course destined to be objectives to be stolen/defended, or just to provide some nice atmosphere.

Tomorrow I am going to begin work on my two planned God of Battles Skeleton Horde units, and I expect that project to take up at least half of January. After finishing those, I expect to resume work on my In Her Majesty's Name Zulu Impi. Plenty of work to do for now, before I go back to the Dark Ages (although I expect to do some work with Anna on the longhouse in between).