Progress Report

Next three 15mm Barbarians cleaned up and primed for painting

Progress Report

First three of the red haired Vanir completed.

In the north, golden-haired, blue-eyed barbarians, descendants of the blond arctic savages, have driven the remaining Hyborian tribes out of the snow countries, except the ancient kingdom of Hyperborea, which resists their onslaught. Their country is called Nordheim, and they are divided into the red-haired Vanir of Vanaheim, and the yellow-haired Æsir of Asgard. From The Hyborian Age by Robert E Howard.

Been along time since I painted 15mm, so either I forgot how small they are or I need my eyes checked again! 

I've kept the colours simple and lightened them to reflect I am painting 15mm. The wolf pelts have been painted the same colours I used on the 28mm Wolf Pack.  Start with VMC Flat Earth, Agrax Earthshade for the centre stripe, VMC Tan Yellow to lighten the fur by catching the sculpted fur, I don't tend to drybrush but lightly drag the brush across the sculpted fur to add a high light. Light wash of Seraphim Sepia, VMC Tan Yellow again (in moderation) and finally VMC Silvergray mainly on the edges to represent lighter belly fur.

VMC Tan Yellow was used quite a bit on these figures. The white fur was painted with it as were the shields front and back and inner part of the longer cloak, The shields and inner cloak were washed with Seraphim Sepia then both shield front and yellow fur highlighted with VMC Ivory. The back of the shields received a pin wash of Agrax Earthshade. The inner part of the fur cloak was highlighted with just Tan Yellow.

The rec hair was the main point of concern. I ended up using the following colours..

Starting from left to right; VGC Dark Flesh base colour, then highlighted with MIG Ammo Dark Rust, VPA Light Rust, MIG Ammo Light Rust and washed with Fuegan Orange. Was not entirely happy so highlighted further with MIG Ammo Medium Rust then 50:50 mix of MIG Ammo Medium and Light Rust. Far to many colours for a 15mm figure but I think by playing around with these combinations a while find the right mix or use them for a variation on a theme. 

Not sure how looks in the photos but I'm happy with the hair colour so far. The MIG Ammo Medium Rust gives a nice muted orange colour and is the one worth experimenting with more.

Progress Report

So this blog will now be used for my gaming projects which are not 40K aligned. As with my other blog The Puritanical Heretic I intend to use this platform to record progress on various projects. There should be pieces added to this blog but I may sort that out latter. I do not intend to be to fussy about the photos, since this blog will be used more like a diary to keep me update about what I am have done, doing and have to do for wargaming projects.

First up Vikings....

Three of these models have been pictured before but were on single bases. The figure with the halved shield (second from left) I painted last week. I intend to base them for DBA and this is just a mock up to get an idea of spacing. The base is from Renedra though I picked them up from Arcane Scenery (highly recommend Arcane Scenery, always great service). The base is 60x30mm which I intend to use all close order troops. Having bought DBA V3, there is now a bit of leeway given on basing. The Vikings are classed as Blades, and base size as far as I recall used to be for Warband only. So I intend to base four figures for Blades and three for Warband to tell them apart.

Also prepped the next four figures..

Now its been a long time since I played DBA or DBM. But recently having been playing HotT. Never played the fantasy version before but the mechanics came back to me and been having some cracking games. So hence my intention to base the Vikings then Late/Middle Saxons for DBA. The figures are all from Gripping Beast.

The Hordes of the Things games have been in 15mm and I have no 15mm ancient/medieval armies any more nor any Fantasy armies. But.....suddenly I was presented with an opportunity to buy figures from  the lovely 15mm Barbarica range by Copplestone Castings; so I did. First three figures prepped for painting today. 

 

I intend to base them as Warband (three figures to a base) and base the army on the Aesir/Vanir of Howards Hyboria. Which I think all this range draws inspiration from the Conan stories.

The Vikings will be a slow burn project since the HotT army must take priority.

      

Running with the Pack

A pack of wolves for those wilderness encounters.

These are all Reaper miniatures which I picked up from Miniature Heroes. Very good service, will be using again. Each pack contains three miniatures. There seems to be three different sculpts.

These have been mounted on 30mm bases. I was going to use 25mm, but since each figure comes with an integral base some of them just over hung on a 25mm diameter base.

That's it for now, more to follow soon.

I See the Bad Moon Rising

A Heresy Miniatures werewolf. An excellent model and quite big too!

So it's all change again here! My little gaming group has decided to plunge back into Fantasy RPG come the New Year. So to get into the mood I'm going to paint a few fantasy monsters and heroes. Starting with the werewolf.

I've decided all my fantasy 'dungeon critters' will be based on a neutral grey base, with no doubt a few variations here and there. This beauty is mounted on a 30mm slotta base. The colour scheme, for the fur at least, is based on a real life black furred Timber Wolf (yes I know black fur is really dark, dark brown!) .

The model comes in six pieces. Body with right leg attached, separate left leg, two arms, head and tail. Goes together well with a little bit of filling needed. Highly recommended.

That's it for now more to follow soon. And to play us out....

Izba No2

This is the second house from the Pegasus Models 'Russian Farm Houses Set'.

Not a lot a can say about it. Simple enough model goes together well. Roof is removable.

Floor made from 1mm plasticard. Again no floor included in the model. Currently reading 'In Deadly Combat' by Gottlob Bidermann., highly recommended. In between decriptions of combat and army life, he gives an interesting picture of different area's of Russia. In which he describes one of the cottages having a hard clay floor. So something to think of for next time.   

Kept the model simpler that the first one, adding only a few details.

I may go back and add some more detail at a later date but for now it is finished.

One thing I will point out is that the rooves on both these models sit very tight and will not fall off even if turned upside down! Good for storage and travel.

That's it for now. More to follow soon...   

 

 

'Like wolves into the fold'

Finally got my Early Saxon warband finished for Dux Britanniarum by the TooFat Lardies.

This project started way back in about 2010/11(?) when I started to build an army for  Warhammer Ancient Battle for use with the Age of Arthur supplement. I completed a small unit of Gedriht (Hearthguard) and some Duguth (Older Warriors) and then it sputtered to a halt.

I'd also picked up 'Glutter of Ravens' by Dan Mersey and did consider using the Saxon's for that and build a small Romano-British army to use against them. But that went no where.Nothing against the rules. There DBA style with a few added twists, and look like good fun.

Then Dux Britanniarum was launched and I decided to re-organise for that rule set. So I completed a unit of Geoguth (Younger Warriors) and a couple of Thegns to use as leaders. Three quarters of the skirmishers and had everything else based. But once again it was put on the back burner.

So, nearly there, a couple of weeks ago I convinced one my of good wargaming bubbies he really needed a Romano-British army and so the seed was planted and nurtured. He then agreed he really needed a Romano-British too! Amazing!

I then completed my Atheling, Champion, my last skirmisher and all the unit bases. Had too re-base some of the older figures (about half ) onto 2p coins which would magnetise, and 'Bob's your Uncle' the basic force is finished. At last!

Atheling- Gripping Beast figure. Penda the last Pagan King of Mercia.

Thegns-First one Gripping Beast

Musketeer Miniatures-aka Footsore Miniatures

When I started this project Footsore where still called Musketeer Miniatures and the Early Saxons I used from their range were just being released. (So I'm not actually sure when I started this project).

Champion-Gripping Beast

Gedriht-Footsore Miniatures

I'ved used a mix of larger shields and smaller bucklers for these. But my intention was to use the army for 4th-6th Centuries. So this would include the Barbarian (Great) Conspiracy of 367 (Great Conspiracy) to roughly the end of the period when Arthur, may, have existed. The accepted wisdom seems to be that the Saxon's fought in a more open style using bucklers for defence/attack during this period and not the shield walls of the later Saxon kingdoms.

The Gedriht were influenced by the Rohan Royal Guard from the 'Lord of the Rings' movies. This was done to give a feeling of unity and back then I was using mainly GW paints so replicating the colours may not be straight forward if I want to add more. Plus of course the Rohan were based on Anglo-Saxon's by Tolkien not Vikings as the film makers would have had us believe. 

Duguth and Geoguth-Gripping Beast

Again I've used a similar schemes on the shields. Black, yellow, white or a natural leather finish, Again to add a bit of unity to the figures. These figures were painted mainly with Foundry or Vallejo colours.

Skirmishers-Gripping Beast

 

Going forward I intend to add a few more figures to use for reinforcements in the game and then get round to painting a Romano-British force. So in another seven years or so I should be finished!

I hope to build the force up to use for larger battles too.

Base  trays are from Warbases....of course.

That's it for now. More to follow...