Paint Experimentation: Vallejo .. Things other than paints, inks and washes.

What's this? What's this? Other things apart from paints, washes and inks from Vallejo. Whatever next and what do they do? (see below):

The "Retarder Medium" this slows down the drying time of the paint which gives you longer to blend colours together. I think this may be of use in larger scales and models (tbc). I do remember some painting blogs extolling its virtues.

A few drops of the "Matt Medium" makes the colour more transparent, increase paint (i.e. runnier) and produces a 'matter' finish. To me this has WWII 20mm (plastic and metal figure) potential to get a dirty camouflage look!

Lastly the "Metal Medium" again mixed with metal paint gives a paler metallic shade and can be also used for metallic highlights. I was thinking 25/28mm Wars of the Roses (Perry's), Renaissance (Perry's, Warlord Games) and other plastic 28mm ranges such a Normans, Vikings and Saxons - even up to Crusades (FireForge, Conquesr and Gripping Beast).

Watch this space for some results ;) 

Saga: Anglo-Saxons (The Good Guys)

Attacking the "Plastic Mountain" update: 

Now the 28mm plastic Sparabara have been assembled (though not yet painted) I am looking at the other plastic 28mm figures left "in the loft". Next up was a box of unmade unarmoured Anglo-Saxons (from Wargames Factory) to bulk up the old metal Gripping Beast collection (started circa 1999, finished painting in 2005) and the existing Wargames Factory plastics I have already made (but not yet painted), with the intention of creating a Saga Warlord Faction of six units (see below):

The "Yaeton" Faction Order of Battle:

• Unit 1: 12 x Unarmoured Levy Spear/Sword/Axe (Painted)
• Unit 2: 8 x Warriors Armoured Spear/Sword/Axe (Assembled but unpainted)
• Unit 3: 4 x Hearthguard Armoured Spear/Sword/Axe + 1 Warlord (Painted)
• Unit 4: 4 x Hearthguard Armoured Spear/Sword/Axe (Assembled but unpainted)
• Unit 5: 8 x Warriors Armoured Spear/Sword/Axe (Assembled but unpainted)
• Unit 6  12 x Unarmoured Levy Spear/Swords/Ax (Unassembled)

Spares: 

• 1 x Unarmoured Man with Horn (Painted)
• 2 x Unarmoured Spear/Sword/Axe (Painted)
• 2 x Armoured Spear/Sword/Axe (Assembled but unpainted)
• 4 x Unarmourd Bow (Unassembled)

Note: I would have liked to form a unit of Levy Bow (12 figures required), but I need to acquire 8 more figures. Missile weapons although not a direct battle winner as per the Persian army would at least weaken selected foes prior to the hand-to-hand and make your opponent initiate the attack in disadvantageous circumstances.

The Warlord's Hearthguard Formation is shown in close-up (see below):   

My other fully painted formation is the Levy Spearmen (although I could also mix in a couple of painted axe and swordsmen for a little variety). These go back to when I was trying to perfect the three-tone technique as promoted by the Games Workshop paint range of yore in the early 2000's (see below):

Note: The shield patterns came specifically from the Shieldwall Warhammer Historical booklet.

The goal remain to have at least assembled a "full force" and play a game of Saga. A middle term goal is to acquire enough (8) unarmoured bow from some source to field a missile unit too. 

The start of a new Saga ... Saxons

These are figures from days past, Gripping Beast metals circa 1998, twenty Saxons that cost me a tenner though they took me a good ten years to paint (see below):

The shield designs were painted from the Historical Warhammer "Shield Wall" booklet (see below):

Now behold the 28mm plastics from the Wargames Factory, some armoured Saxons (see below): 

And then there are some unarmoured boys (see below):

All destined for the Saga Rule Set with those funny dice I think, or maybe even "Dux Bellorum" games rules from Osprey, there  ;)