Copplestone Ngoni Female Archers WIP

One of my long-term projects is painting some forces for Congo, and to that end I purchased some mixed Copplestone Africans quite a while ago.

As I also want to play some Paleo Diet in Africa, I thought I would add some archers to the spear-armed Zulus I painted back in 2016 (time flies!); I have four Zulu riflemen almost ready for primer, but I do not wish to use firearms in Paleo Diet.

It also struck me that I can work on an African warband for SAGA Age of Magic, and thus keep myself motivated for getting some minis painted from time to time.

This batch I intend to use for small breaks from Rohirrim, whenever I need some change, but I hope to get the eight Royal Guards painted fairly soon, as I need them to have a 'pure' six-points Rohan warband (and Age of Magic seems to use larger warbands than 'historical' SAGA does, so I shall see myself adding some riders to the mix this summer, too).

Paleo Diet, Etc.: Boars Based

All but ready for primer (just need to clean up the filler a tiny bit).

Paleo Diet, Etc.: Boars Being Based

I did not realize that the boars have nasal rings until I started cleaning mold lines; technically that makes them domesticated, and not really suited as Pre-Historic hunters' prey, but who is counting buttons... 😁

I have to get the bases done ASAP, as the Victrix Greek archers have arrived, and I need them finished  vvery soon, so they can spur me on, getting the Argonauts ready for Broken Legions.

C29, Culchan: Carnivorous Bird

This very old Citadel mini is now finally about to get some love, due to my Paleo Diet project(s - plural, because I work on both an African as well as a Pre-Historic setting).

I should be able to get it cleaned and based relatively fast, as soon as I have finished cleaning and basing the three boars I posted a couple of days ago.

I am still eagerly awaiting the Victrix shipment, but until it gets here, I can just continue working on small side projects like this alongside Operation Cleansweep...

Paleo Diet: Preparing for Cooler Climate

As mentioned earlier, I have a couple of bears, and some wolves that can be used for when I get some pre-historic hominids for Paleo Diet, and I vaguely remembered having these boars from an old Jes Goodwin Wood Elf beastmaster pack (one of the bears is from a similar source), so I dug them out to be cleaned and based one at a time in between other stuff.

I really like these models, and I wish they were still available, but maybe I gan find some on the second hand market...

More African Critters

As with many others shown over the last couple of month, I have had these chimps for ages.

They were based on too large washers, so I chopped them off, and put them on 20mm ones instead.

I have another seven of them, enough for a family to hunt, I think, and very soon I shall get them onto the prepping station, but I have some plastic Hobbits, and Perry Miniatures French HYW spearmen to get moved along, first (the goal is to steadily reduce the amount of miniatures sitting on the workspace).

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.

Paleo Diet - Recommended!

I purchased Paleo Diet - Eat or be Eaten from Ganesha Games yesterday (while waiting for Ulolkish to arrive), and I have now finished reading it through.

It is a game of pre-historic hunting - a genre I have always liked when playing it at conventions.

Like SS&SS it is well suited for solo play, and I expect many hours of fun with it.

Mechanics are also similar to SS&SS, using d6 instead of d20, and Reaction Tables instead of Event Cards (like TUSK, if that game is familiar to you), giving greater variety in the way, different types of prey react to the hunters, which is a good thing in my book.

I have to paint some animals to hunt, but I can use my painted Zulus as hunters (until I get some Cavemen - and probably also the Simians from Lucid Eye).

Although I have not yet played the game, I recommend any fans of pre-historic mayhem to get Paleo Diet, if for no other reason that:

Half of all author royalties generated from sales of these rules will be donated to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency who protect and assist individuals and families displaced by war and persecution.

IN AN UNFORGIVING WORLD, THE CHOICE IS SIMPLE...

Ostrich Basing WIP

Been trying to bring the bird up to speed with all the other WIP basing projects, and I am almost there.

This concludes the progress shown for today, as the rest of my work was mostly just dull filling of washer holes on the bases I already put some filler on yesterday (no reason to show pics of lying minis with filler sticking out of the underside of their bases, methinks).

I expect to clear about 20 models from the prepping station this weekend, and then work should continue on some of my current painting projects (I really need to get one of those riflemen done for the Big Battalions Painting Club at the LAF done).

Birdy, Birdy, Nam, Nam!

This Honoured Lead Boiler Suit Company mini has been lying around on my prepping station ever since I painted another ostrich from the same pack for a painting club at the LAF.

As part of my plan to get some stuff cleared from the prepping station, I cleaned it up and glued it to a washer.

I intend to get Ganesha Games' Paleo Diet game, and a flock of ostriches would be a viable game objective for a group of Paleolithic hunters.

HLBSC has stopped trading in 28mm minis, but most of their ranges were picked up by Nick Eyre at North Star Military Figures, and it should be possible to get another couple of packs (and some antelopes, or other game).

USUTHU! - The Mandatory Group Shot

Lots of down-time today, as I actually have not felt all that well (my mood is low, and it influences my level of energy, and my interaction with my family).

I have started re-basing a couple of minis which I expect to be able to show one of the next days, and I am collecting ideas, digging out minis, and finding sources for additional minis for a new long-term project - but more about that in a later post!

I hope to finish painting my Copplestone Santa tomorrow or Tuesday, and I shall continue re-basing models for a fresh look along the way, too.