All (Ancient) Greek to me! Mortal Gods - My Reboot

I purchased Mortal Gods a while back in pre-Covid days with noble intentions of painting up a warband or two of Ancient Greeks but alas it languished on the plastic pile of shame for years. No more. Their time has come (see link below for more details):

https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/270626/mortal-gods-skirmish-games-in-ancient-greece

I have the basic boxed game set and have assembled the basic miniature (Victrix) that came with it, which is a start. Sadly (as of time of writing) the Athenian and Spartan "special" boxes are now hard (nay impossible) to come by, bar purchasing individual separate components by Footsore Miniatures, so it look as if I am "bog standard" Greeks - which is fine by me (see below, the starting point of Mortal Gods): 

Dusting off the Mortal Gods box from the loft, I chose into two opposing sides to paint up (see below, two Lochos and their respective warbands, I am calling one Athens and one Spartan [as per the figures look and feel] despite not having the "special" faction attribute cards): 

Given I was in the 28mm Greek "make it mode", I decided to also assemble the Warlord Games 28mm hoplite miniatures I acquired from a "CoW Bring and Buy" sale [although I mostly do the buying]. They fit in well alongside Victrix (see below, I hope to give Mortal Gods a run out at CoW 2026); 

The figures are PVA-sand based and "washed" brown (see below, they are now also in their Mortal Gods movement trays which are a nice touch to the game system): 

Starting with the light psilio slingers it is time to paint them in the Greek fashion (see below, I deliberately chose the "light forces" to get my eye in, I am also resisting the opportunity to use contrast paints but rather I am using Vallejo Game Colour with MiG Ultra Matt varnish to dull everything down): 

The slingers are coming along nicely (see below, in Mortal Gods a group of three figures together on a base are referred to as "companions" - not to be confused with "The Companions" of Alexander The Great): 

Light troops are based on circular bases (see below, they move together as one block in the rules, which cuts down nicely on the level of "fiddle" moving figures about, all told there are approximately 12 [small game] to 25 [medium-largish] figures per side in a typical Mortal Gods game): 

An unusual figure in "Greek" sides in Mortal Gods (yes there are rules for Persians), is the archer, although Athens has its special "Archer Marines" that can come ashore from triremes (see below, this chap is from Victrix): 

The lights for "one side" are done (see below, all possible types - one companion base of each comprising of (3) slingers, (3) javelinmen and the more useful (3) peltasts, but the the archer is a generally just a singleton [as there were just not that many archers in a typical warband], it does not attract the eros passion from the ladies):  

Time to move onto the hoplites, the sexy side of the warband (see below, the first companion base of hoplites is in the centre of the pack on a triangular base, but more on that later): 

A close up of some javelinmen (see below, a rather bedraggled and opportunistic set of characters who are best at throwing pointy things at and then running away [fast] from dangerous things or sneaking up on flanks or from behind): 

A closer "close-up" (see below, I took my time and really enjoyed doing these javelin man, but because there were no really hard or difficult areas to paint they were done fairly fast): 

Meanwhile, the hoplites were up next and the magic number of hoplites is nine (see below, three bases of hoplite companions can "join together" to form a "phalanx"- which is classed as a combat gift/skill, allowing the troops to absorb more punishment and perform more actions because of the trained cohesion of the troops - but the phalanx can only go straight forward or pivot [powerful but awkward to handle]): 

The basic painting is done, but I returned and experimented with the Little Big Man Studio shield decals (see below, I was really impressed with the results - once I got the hang of putting them on [I did use Micro Sol and Micro Set] and repainted over bits to blend it in to the figure):  

Finally these Greeks are getting dressed and ready for battle, let's do those hoplite shields next!

(1/72-1/76-20mm) Homage to the LRDP and SAS

These were my originals, salvaged from the loft, in a "North Africa Box" - I think they had been lying there for over a decade. The classic Revell-Matchbox LRDP Chevrolet and Jeep, plus a a bunch of Dixon 20mm metal SAS miniatures. They had been mostly base coated so I completed "the gaps" in the coverage (see below, their "potential" is evident): 

The same kit slightly different angle, there must have been a trigger happy cameraman on duty (see below, note the original paints were Tamiya, I toyed with using the  (partial) Tamiya collection I still have, but decided to move onto the Vallejo Game Colour range - partly because it is easier to squeeze out the paint after shaking):  

I decided to add a basic brown/sepia wash (from the dregs of a large Vallejo dipping pot - which I liberally dipped more water into, as not to spoil everything with a tarry residue instead of a light wash) spread over the base paint and then repainted the base colour back over (sparingly) after which I would then follow up with "spot highlighting" later (see below, my frequent chats with the "good" painters from various GW shops seemed to be paying a dividend, transferring 'fantasy techniques' back to historical WW2 and why ever not; a little close up of the detail):  

 

Panning out with the picture to see a wider scope and the "weather worn look" is what I was hoping to achieve (see below, a nice little "nuisance and mischief making" LRDP/SAS combination to harass the Italian and German DAK rear areas): 

Note: The exact painting sequence of these shots might be out of order. 

I plan to use the vehicles and figures as follows: a two man team in the Jeep and a three man team in Chevrolet, hence five SAS dismounts (see below, now I do know I have two more kits somewhere in the loft to pull out and make, so that will represent my SAS Squadron as thankfully I have sufficient Dixon metals to cover them too): 

I do like the animation of the original Matchbox figures (see below, slightly smaller 1/76 as opposed to 20mm metal [Dixon size] but their relaxed posture I think is just right, and of course a man with a classic pointing arm!): 

So there it is, thank you BBC "SAS Rogue Heroes", you certainly bought some life into some old toys I had stashed away :) 

28mm Fantasy - Undead Hoards - Skeletons

For reason still as yet clear to me after a short conversation with my eldest teenage son I began painting my massed skeleton (from various manufacturers) collection (see below, HeroQuest [top left], Warlord Games [top right down to bottom], Wargames Atlantic [middle left down to bottom] and there was even some Games Workshop lingering around off camera): 

My colour palette (see below, Army Painter Grey Spray Primer plus the paints shown - Citadel Base Corax White (which I think is a lovely grey), Citadel Contrast Skeletal Horde, Vallejo Game Bonewhite and Vallejo Game Dead White): 

Corax White (see below, looking white, but a grey white to my eyes, perhaps it is the primer coming through - but as a base paint it is rally rich in pigment): 

Skeletal Horde with the Bonewhite highlight (see below, I must confess to using it more as an all over wash than a selective paint so perhaps I am missing a trick here, still I like the end result):  

Dead White ultra-highlight (see below, trying "not to do too much" with a dab, giving a fine-lining highlight effect - which I find the hardest part, just to put enough on and no more): 

Thank is the bulk of the figure done, just a bit of work to do on the weapons and shields. The aim is to produce a suitably rusty grimy effect .. watch this space ;)  

Update (3/10/2022): Swap out Vallejo Game Dead White for the less bright Vallejo Game Off White, the less intense colour works better for the highlight IMHO. 

Something Completely Different: 1:72 Baseball Figures (WIP) Caesar Miniatures

Small but yet perfectly formed sportsmen (see below, as per the normal WWII infantrymen of the same scale they are based and primed): 

Plastic Soldier Review link: http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2283

(Note the final figure in the review(see link for this to make sense) was not included in my box, instead I received three of the penultimate model instead.)

The pitcher is the first up as a tester for a Vallejo "brown dipping wash" (see below, I think it will be a fast ball): 

The team being put through their paces (see below, two teams in fact, the top "washed" section are all fielding and the bottom primed five are all the batters): 

Moving on to the batters, time to put the base colours of the Cincinnati Reds. Here is a Big Red hitting it out of the park (see below, they seem to take a life and character once the paint is applied, highlights still to come): 

The final base and highlights are painted (but not yet terrain based) batting line-up, two batters and three base runners - just in case "loaded bases comes up" (see below, numbers and team logo still yet to be applied): 

A close up of "Smoking Joe" (note, a name I just made up) ready to hit a home run (see below, there are three shades at play, as I followed my standard 28mm painting pattern): 

Exhibition style, once again the Cincinnati Reds Batting team in their away colours (see below, I am pausing for breath before I dare tackle the numbers, some would say searching for a brush small enough to do the job): 

In the meantime I decided to pay some attention to the fielding side, aka the Oakland A's (see below, base colours applied - using Vallejo Game Colour range as they are nice and bright): 

Highlights applied (see below, seems to work well): 

From the reverse side (see below, not a pitcher despite its poised posture): 

Very small front number and team logo (see below, the white 'A' on the hat will come later): 

Finally I make a tentative stab at the numbers (see below, an application of green, followed by touching up areas with white and yellow. It seemed to work): 

It is a slow labour of love. Thanks to "gawd" it is not an American football team with more players on the pitch!

On the workbench: 15mm Macedonian Phalanx (WIP #1)

Once the flash was removed and the figures washed, Airfix Acrylic Primer was applied (see below, six boys, two new Phalanxes):  

Next step apply a Vallejo "brown wash" (see below, a muddy brown "campaigning look"): 

Vallejo Game Colour "Dark Flesh" (see below, small change - a darker brown on a brown background):  

An even darker Vallejo Game Colour, Charcoal/Burnt Brown for the wood bits (see below, everything is getting blurry now - help I need colour):  

 

I decided these boys would have a Vallejo Game Colour Imperial Blue as a "blue" tunic (see below, not too sure how this will work out, but let's see): 

The linen tunic armour gets a Vallejo Plague Yellow as a shade colour (see below, slow progress but getting there): 

Finally the armour, a dark bronze is needed, time to use Vallejo Model Colour  Bronze mixed [50:50] with Vallejo Model Smoke to get a lovely dimmed bronze shade colour (see below, looking sinister): 

Exhausting but I am going to push on. looking forward to the lighter base shades ;) 

The Vallejo 'Game Colour' - "Have you already got this one yet?"

There seem to hold a maximum of 48 (3 x16) different kinds of Vallejo Game Colour on offer (although I suspect white has been doubled up) in this local shop, note not a specialist Hobby Store, but I am glad that this chain (Boyes, UK) chose to carry this stuff at all, it is a noble service to gamers to find anything of use on the high Street. It looks like your standard display rack and I am pretty sure it is not the "full range" (a quick scan at the Game Colour catalogue reveals 155 colours). Great but my dilemma comes from the fact that I know (or rather think I know) that I don't have them all (yet). But which one am I missing (see below, the treasure chest of "Game Colour"): 

So I always came away thinking - "what did I miss, urgh". So (quite cleverly he says in "cunning plan" mode) I took a photo of the stand and thought I would cross-check when get home! Note to self: I was amazed at "the doubling/tripling up" I had managed to achieve with the "Model Colour" and was keen not to repeat with the "Game Colour"! 

Results to follow and obviously the Vallejo "Model Colour" expansion to this game will obviously come later!