My 40K projects, Progress YTD

 I mentioned earlier that I have been working on a lot of 40K this year. How much? The following is a list of all that is finished. Almost every mini was purchased this year, and all have been painted this year. “In progress” indicates minis that have been started but are not finished. I did not include any minis still on sprues or in boxes, etc.

Crimson Fists, 3rd Company and Reinforcements:

• Captain (Tactical Marine with some kitbash bits)
• Captain in Terminator Armour
• Primaris Captain (Indomitus)
• Primaris Lieutenant with Auto Boltrifle
• Primaris Lieutenant (Indomitus)
• Judiciar
• Apothecary
• 1st Squad. 10x Tactical Marines
• 2nd Squad. 10x Tactical Marines
• 3rd Squad. 5x Intercessor Marines
• 4th Squad. Intercessor Sergeant
• 7th Squad. 3x Space Marine Bikes, 1x Attack Bike (Multi-melta)
• 7th Squad. 3x Inceptors (assault bolters)
• 9th Squad. 5x Hellblasters
• 2x Rhino APC
• 1x Predator Tank (with extra turret)
• 1x Razorback
• 1x Venerable Dreadnought with two alternate weapons
• 1st Co., Squad A. 5x Terminators, + 1 extra heavy weapon Terminator
• 1st Co., Squad B. 5x Terminators
• 1st Co., Squad C. 5x Assault Terminators
• 9th Co., Squad 10. Hellblaster Sergeant
• In progress: Librarian in Terminator Armour, 5x Assault Intercessor (8th Co., Squad 8), 10x Assault Marines (8), Chaplain, Librarian, 2x Rhinos, 4x Hellblasters (9th Co., Squad 10), 5x Devastator Marines (Sq. 10), 5x Infiltrators (5), and plans for more.

Ursus Phratrie, custom Space Marines Chapter, 4th Company

• Captain in Phobos Armour
• Lieutenant in Phobos Armour
• Primaris Librarian
• Squad 1. 5x Intercessors
• Squad 2. 5x Infiltrators
• Squad 3. 5x Infiltrators
• Squad 7. 5x Assault Intercessors
• Squad 9. 5x Hellblasters w/ Heavy Plasma Incinerators
• Squad 9. 3x Suppressors
• Squad 10. 3x Eliminators
• Squad 10. 3x Eradicators
• Redemptor Dreadnought 
• In progress: Nothing at the moment, but I have plans to expand. Oh my, yes. Heavy Intercessors, another Lieutenant, a vehicle or two...

Space Wolves

• 5x Reivers (Kill Team)

Van Saar Gang (Necromunda)

• 10x Van Saar gangers

Goliath Gang (Necromunda)

• 10x Goliath gangers

Escher Gang (Necromunda)

• In Progress: 10x Escher gangers

Orlock Gang (Necromunda)

• In Progress: 12x Orlock gangers

Cult of the Four Armed Emperor Genestealer Cult

• Patriarch w/ 2 Familiars
• Magus
• Primus 
• Sanctus
• Nexos 
• Kelermorph
• Iconward Acolyte
• 5x Hybrid Acolyte
• 10x Hybrid Neophytes
• 10x Purestrain Genestealers
• 12x Brood Brothers
• In progress: Achilles Ridgerunner

Tau Vior’la Sept

• 5x Fire Wariiors (Breacher)
• 5x Fire Warriors (Strike)
• 1x MV-1 Gun Drone
• 1x MV-7 Marker Drone
• 1x DS8 Remote Support Turret
• In progress: 40x Kroot Carnivores, Kroot Shaper

Eldar Craftworlds

• In progress (all older metal sculpts, since I don't do "Fine"cast): Striking Scorpions Exarch, Swooping Hawks Exarch, 5x Swooping Hawks

Terrain

• Lots of it. I have painted Killzone platforms and terrain, a lot of third party/3D printed stuff, Tyranid bioterrain, Promethium Relay pipes, Battlefield in a Box rocky hills (added tufts and some paint, etc.), Armoured Containers, etc...
• In Progress: 8x 3D printed bulkheads, 2x 3D printed buildings, 6x Sector Imperialis Objective Markers

So, as you can see, the shutdowns have been helpful in my painting, as have contrast paints, which really speed up my process.

Trying out New Contrast Paints

   I usually use Vallejo paints, but I thought I would give the new contrast paints a try. I am using the Goliath gangers from the Necromunda Underhive boxed set as my test subjects.I went with flesh, because they have a good deal of it showing.

Guilliman Flesh over Flat White base

White spray, Strong Tone wash, Guilliman Flesh Contrast paint

Did this based on a Twitter post

Rear view of above.

Guilliman Flesh Contrast over flat white base

   I was skeptical but it seems to work fairly well. I usually use a black basecoat, though, so I guess the next step is to try it over with that.

1st Canadian Air Cavalry GEV

   More OGRE vehicles. This is my prototype paint job for a squadron of North American Combine GEVs. The unit is the 1st Canadian Air Cavalry. I still need to add decals that I plan to buy at Historicon this week. Maple leaf on the vertical stabilizer, perhaps another on the dorsal aft deck.

The GEVs will be suspended slightly above the bases by a short brass rod.

Squadron and vehicle ID numbers will be on the aft lift nacelle.

Dorsal View

Notice the multitude of windows. GEV pilots gotta be able to see!

I would like to put a Combine Hourglass on the GEV somewhere, but I don't have any decals for it, and can't manage to paint it free-hand.

The base is not complete yet.

Presenting OGRE Unit Ashe, of the Coldstream Guards

[##RF-ID: 1/2-V-ASHE-78-14//07112083.155010]

  Regiment Sierra Six, this is Ashe. Request secure connect with Regiment Sierra Four, please.

[##RFID: 2 RCP(S4)//07112083.155100]

  Ashe, this is Sierra Four, Whitley speaking. What can Logistics do for you today? We just topped up your ammunition... yesterday, according to my log.

[##RF-ID: 1/2-V-ASHE-78-14//07112083.155101]

  Captain Whitley? Excellent! Sir, I would like to request a favor. I have a day of leave coming, and I was wondering if you could be so kind as to spare a few men and a spot or two of paint? My regimental flash has gotten banged up a good bit, also my Combine armour badge, and I'd like to have them seen to as soon as possible.

[##RFID: 2 RCP(S4)//07112083.155115]

  Unit Ashe, is there a problem with the armoured section of your conning tower? Is your sensor dome intact?

[##RF-ID: 1/2-V-ASHE-78-14//07112083.155116]

Affirmative, Captain Whitley. I am fully functional.

[##RFID: 2 RCP(S4)//07112083.155119]

  So this is purely a cosmetic job? Are you out of your plastic and fiber-optic cable mind? There's a war going on, if you hadn't noticed!

[##RF-ID: 1/2-V-ASHE-78-14//07112083.155120]

  On the contrary, Captain. I think one should look smart in front of the men, don't you? Good for morale, and all that. This is the Coldstream Guards, after all, not some grubby colonial TA battalion!

   So I have been painting an OGRE. The big guy, my Mk. V. As I was considering paint schemes, I decided that it should be somewhat determined by the AI's personality. So a bit of backstory later, and we arrive at 1/2-ASHE-78-V-14. Reading backwards, we have the fourteenth Mk. V produced in 2078 at Sheffield Factory's Building A, assigned to First Battalion, 2nd Regiment (Coldstream Guards). This particular OGRE is known (as are many of the Building A units) as "Ashe" within the Regiment. He has been attached to the regiment for five years, and has an inordinate sense of regimental and personal pride. Yes, a vain OGRE.

I need an hourglass decal! That handpainted one looks shite!

Conning tower is painted in tactical flash for Guards Regiment.

   Ashe isn't completely finished. I need some decals, and I just thought about painting the sensor dome black with a red plume on the right hand side (not unlike a bearskin!). Otherwise, he is in strict accordance with regulations regarding paintwork. He would be, the insufferable git.

  I will probably paint some infantry to go with Ashe here, and some lighter armour units of the Coldstreams.

Skype Help Needed

   So my buddy Jim has moved 600 miles to the frozen north of Texas (okay, so not so frozen this time of year.) My sons want to continue to game with their godfather (yup, just like the movie). I want to continue to game with my best friend. But a ten plus hour commute just isn't frequently going to be in the cards.

  Tell me about Skype. Will it do what I think it will do for us? I have a large flatscreen that can be used as a monitor on the wall in the game room (helpful when playing ZULU as background while painting, etc.). I have two laptops with integrated webcams and a third computer that could be moved to attach to the TV if needed. I have an older digital camera that shoots video and I think can be setup as a live web camera. We also have three smart phones (one iPhone and two Droids - we are a mixed family, you see...). Almost fitting the Droids should be involved, since we play Star Wars RPG.

   So, can we do this for free via Skype? I would prefer if we could all have our faces individually on his screen, and maybe an additional camera on the field of play. Do I need to get another webcam? Help the techno-challenged gamer!

Goal Update

   After the whinge-fest I indulged myself with on Friday, I thought I would Do Something About It today. The results were favorable, for a first day of getting back on the wagon.

6mm British Battalion

   The Zulu Basing Goal stands at about 41% completed. That is, I have 41 out of 101 totally done. Yes! I like that. The other 60 are in various stages, so I suppose I could claim that I am further along than 41%, but considering that 20 of them need to be removed from their old bases first, and that I am out of superglue to attach to the washers right now, I am going to go with only what is actually done on this goal. But a 25% jump from yesterday is a good start, I think.

   The Indian Rifle Squad Goal is now about 15% done. I have most of the base coat down on the MG section, but I thought I had a Rifle section with NCO primed. Wrong! Had to clean up another Rifle section and get it primed. That's done now, though. I might do the Platoon HQ base as long as I am after this. But I do have one major problem: lack of two paints! And the LGS does not carry Vallejo - I've asked, they are basically a GW pimp. I suppose I could prostitute my love for Vallejo and just get the equivalents in GW pots, but that hurts. So a start, but a good bit to go still.

   The Steamtank Turret Goal is almost done, call it 95%. Just waiting on that superglue to attach the gun barrel to the turret front, then I can spray the whole tank with Testor's ModelMaster dullcote (my clear coat of choice these days) and it will be table ready at last.

 Ironclad Miniatures Steam Tank

   In addition to the above, I also finished off a Warrior Priest for our WFB Empire army, and the first battalion of 6mm British for my long-stalled 6mm When The Navy Walked project (top photo).

  In all, a good day. I think though, that instead of instituting monthly goals, I might want to do weekly goals instead. Shorter range, more targeted. Something I want to think about at least.

VBCW Progress Report 1

   So here's a quick peek at what's going on with my VBCW forces. I started with my Cadet Defense Corps, a unit of young men from a public school supporting the Welsh Independence movement.

Mister Jones (student) and Mister Jones (school butler and Lewis gunner)

Mister Williams (student) and Headmaster Llewelyn

   The young men are led by their headmaster, Professor Llewelyn, wearing the old school tie. They get very valuable support in the field from Great War veteran Robert Jones, formerly Corporal Jones of the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers Regiment of Foot. He has acquired a tin hat and a Lewis gun from somewhere.

  Obviously, they're not quite done yet, but getting close. Hope to finish them off this week if I can find the time. I'm also painting a few vehicles up, including one for the VBCW project, my Rolls Royce Armoured Car.

Projects, Summer 2011

  Okay, a posting on TMP made me think about all the projects I currently have underway. Some are short and easy. Others... not so much. So, anyway, here's a list, under various headings, along with guesstimates at percentage of completion.

15mm VSF

• British - 70%
• Lizardmen - 10%
• French - 25%
• German - 40-50%
• Automatons - 90%
• Martians - 60%

25mm VSF

• British - 20%
• German - 25%
• French - 0%
• Russian - 0%
• Turks - 0%
• Japanese - 0%
• Martians - 10%
• Automatons - 100%. Probably.
• Varduvians - 20%
• Lizardmen - 70%

Other VSF

• Italian Aeronef/SGOM - 90%
• British Aeronef/SGOM - 0%
• German Aeronef/SGOM - 0%
• Martian Aeronef/SGOM - 10%
• 6mm Germans (WtNW) - 10%
• 6mm Martians (WtNW) - 5%
• 6mm French (WtNW) - 0%
• 6mm Lizardmen (WtNW) - 0%
• 6mm British (WtNW) - 0%

Miscellaneous

• 15mm Early Thirty Years War German Catholics - 30-40%
• 15mm Zulus - 80%. Lot of basing to do.
• Battletech - 40%. Maybe.
• Car Wars (Matchbox scale) - 0%
• Warhammer Fantasy Empire - 10-15%
• Various terrain projects and vehicles.

   And those are just most of the minis projects. I know there are more, but that's what I can think of off the top of my head. All in all, it looks like I will never finish my current projects, much less start on any additional ones...

   I'm a victim of OOOhhhh! Shiny!-itis.

Quick Note

   Sorry its been so long since last post. Things have been hectic.

   Anyway, I got in some goodies from eBay. More Mage Knight figs to be converted into VSF figures, and some gnolls for D&D, mainly.

   I've painted a little (need to update the log, adding 13 15mm figures). I finished up a battlegroup (battery) of medium field guns for Field of Glory Renaissance, and the command stand for the late tercio infantry regiment. I'll work on pics tomorrow maybe.

   Ordered some 15mm banners for Thirty Years War (Imperials) from a fellow in the UK. I'll review them when I see them, but one cool thing was I received an email asking about the length of the flagstaffs. He is offering to individually scale the banner for the staff length as needed. Pretty cool.

   Still working on the 15mm TARDIS. The 6mm one is done; again, I'll try to get pics soon.

   One last thing: I have put the last of the Praetorian riflemen on my painting table for the final stages of that particular unit of VSF troops. Not a lot to do on them, but I just want to get them done. Maybe next week I can finally call that unit "finished."

   Still alive, still kicking, just not as hard as I want to be.

6mm TARDIS

   In honor of both the passing of actress Elisabeth Sladen (aka Sarah Jane Smith) and the beginning of the new Doctor Who season on BBC America, I decided I needed a TARDIS. Well, two more TARDISes, actually, as I already have the not-TARDIS manufactured by Miniature Building Authority for 25mm.

   Or would the plural be TARDII? Whatever.

   I started with the 6mm one. Not quite done, but I am happy so far.

"Germans Mister Rico! Zillions of 'em!"

   I've been working on a lot of stuff for the last few days. Strangely, a lot of it is Germans, in two different scales and in two different genres. There's also one other thing at the end. But no spoilers. You want to know what it is, you have to work your way down. All part of my sinister plan. Muah ha ha!

   Let's start with my very first base of FoG Renaissance troops. It is a command stand of Thirty Years War Catholic Germans. I'll let him be Johann Tserclaes, Count Tilly when I am using a Catholic League army, and the Tilly's Veterans regiments that come with them. Figures are 15mm Old Glory. I used GW's Devlan Mud wash for shading. Very happy with the results.

Banner is from warflag.com - an excellent resource

    This next batch is all of the 15mm Imperial German line infantry I have right now. I plan to get another twenty in the future, but this, plus the twenty Aetherbattalion (Seebattalion) I already have. In the background is a stone outcropping I have set up for the jungles of Venus.

 Figures are Black Hat Prussian Line Infantry

   A stealthy assault rises up in the midst of a strong fortification! 6mm VSF German tunneling vehicle which can carry a company of infantry (1 base). The wily Hun attacks from below! I only have one for now, but I want more (three more would be great so that I can transport a full battalion).

Figure is GW Epic 40K

   Finally, what you have all been waiting for: the secret surprise! My as-yet-incomplete Martian two-man skiff. Again, 15mm. The crew are about half-done. The motor needs to be finished as well. I have it mounted on a short brass rod and then into a base I built from three steel washers and some putty.

Skiff by Black Hat Miniatures

Weekend Progress

Actually got a bit of brush time in this past weekend.


The Papal States vessels of the Italian Confederation Combined Aeronavy are almost done, even with the changes I made to the paint scheme. All that is left is one cruiser that needs a bit of detailing and a dig battleship that needs touchup. Then all eight vessels are off to be clearcoated.


Also got a good deal of work done on the 15mm Luftschiffetruppen. All that is left is basing on a few (six or so) and then clearcoating. Mark this unit down as 90% complete. Pictures later this week.


I am also in the process of rebasing many of my Mars-based units to a standard style. I did both Sentinels and several other figures (15 in all).


So, with only one weekend left in the month, I am skeptical about meeting my monthly goal. The Zulus are taken care of, though not finished yet. The Nefs are going pretty well, and the Luftschiffetruppen. But I got to get on those ferals!


Oh well. Must sleep now.

Martian Construction Projects

Two New Buildings Begin Construction

Two new native Martian structures are under construction at this time. They are made in the traditional manner, of fitted stone covered in a layer of gritty stucco. They also have the familiar 'dust lip' threshold around the structures to prevent the fine dust deposited by the numerous sand storms across the Red Planet's face from entering the building at ground level.

A manufactory, with large vents in the ceiling to release the heat and noxious gases of industrial production. These vents can be quickly shuttered in case of storm activity. The central node houses the elevator equipment that leads to the subterranean manufactory.

An opulent home in construction. Notice the large water vapor extractor unit on the roof of the building. Luxury indeed, to provide your own water. It is believed the owners may soon begin selling water to their less fortunate neighbors.

[Editor's Notes: These are nominally going to be in 25mm, but nothing scale-specific has been added yet.]

Photos of some of today's efforts...

First up, a blue and yellow Gater... the skin is Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue and the bony scutes are done in Vallejo Intense Yellow. Lots of work still to do on hiim, of course (and on all of these, actually...)

Her Royal Majesty's Viceroy for the Crown Colony of Mars, His Lordship Sir Gerald Blythingham, 1st Earl of Mons Olympus. Working on the tweed jacket and the pinstripe trousers still. And brass buttons on the waistcoat, I should think?The Right Honourable Mister Percival Harlod Windsome, the Viceroy's rather useless son-in-law. Mister Windsome fancies himself quite a rugged outdoorsman, but would sulk terribly if he went on safari without his fine bone china and a decent cup of coffee, as shown here.

Here we see the first glimpse of the High Martians, strange creatures capable of flying! Though obviously related in some way to the more common Martians of the cities, steppes and canals, there are significant physiological and sociological differences. These primitives have retained a fleshy membrane much like a bat's wing, and generate hydrium naturally, which is then stored in the large hairy hump above their shoulders.

Well, that's it for tonight. Hope you liked the photos. I enjoyed getting them done and posted!

He's Back!

I know it has been a while since I last posted on either of my blogs, and I apologize for that to those of you who find either site a source of entertainment and/or enlightenment.

To be perfectly honest, I have done practically nothing gaming related since returning from Historicon. Throw in a week long bout of the crud, and even less was accomplished. Mix in a bit of 'back-to-school/work', and top it all off with a hefty dollop of analysis paralysis and there you have it: the recipe for a total lack of progress.

That's not entirely true, of course. I did do a bit of sorting on projects. Showed my oldest son how to clean up a mini before painting (careful - those X-Acto blades are sharp, boy!), and even got in a game last Saturday (Napoleonics). I did manage to get the three artillery pieces Dane bought at Historicon's flea market based up, and they look pretty nice. Two for Martians, one for the Venusians (catapult).

The paralysis involves basing. Once upon a time, I had the idea of basing troops that were not capable of close order drill on round bases, and troops that were capable on square bases. So, for example, Martian militiamen on round, British regulars on square. I still think it is a great idea. So we come to execution. I have about 100 15mm Martians based on round bases. I used Litko's 0.8mm plywood and then added the flexsteel sheet under that. I like that Litko's stuff is precisely cut. But the flexsteel just doesn't seem to have the 'grab' that something like a plain old washer does. I have lately been using the square steel bases from Wargames Accessories for the square bases, and they grab pretty well. I think what I am going to have to do is rebase all my Martians. This also appeals because I have changed my Martian base material about three times in the last year or so, and rebasing would tie them all back together. I am just hesitant to pull the trigger on a fairly big job that will cost a bit of money (not a lot, but its that much less I can use to buy more lead).

Another new project that is about to take up some of my time is a school project. I am semi-seriously considering a wargaming club at the junior high school where I teach. It will probably have to wait until the spring semester, though. A friend has kindly donated a good number of Napoleonic plastics (1/72 scale, ESCI, Italeri, that sort of thing) and I think I can make it work. I'll need more figures (a little heavy on the French cavalry - anyone interested in some swapping?) and some sort of simple rules. And basing. Painting is going to be very simple at first. I'll spray paint the French a flat blue and the British a flat red. I might go so far as to paint in faces and hands with craft paints, and perhaps even black shakos and boots. I want to go cheap and fast, not hyper accurate. These are for young teens who have little respect for other peoples' property. Once I get a few hooked, maybe we'll do a painting session or two.

Does anyone have any suggestions on rules or anything for this project?

Enough blathering for now. Please let me know if you have any ideas to help get this club off the ground in the spring.

New Month, New Poll...

So, the poll question is this: After Historicon, what VSF project should I concentrate on next?

• 15mm Germans - I have about twenty or so Aetherbattalion [OG Boxer Seebattalion] to paint up already, plus I need to get some regular line infantry, artillery and probably some cavalry as well.
• 25/28mm Germans - I have a few (5-6?) Aetherbattalion KFG troops [GW Mordian Iron Guard] left to paint. Need to buy 8 more fliegerjaegers [Eureka Minis], plus a good twenty Seebattalion to turn into Aetherbattalion regulars, and another twenty or thirty line infantry. Plus artillery, vehicles (already have some hulls for that), and again, thinking about cavalry. Yes, I like cavalry. I just hate painting horses. I could put them on my steam horses, which are already painted [Mage Knight].
• 25/28mm British & Sikhs - Need to finish the R&D Platoon (4-5 left to finish) [GW Praetorians], plus seriously considering the Empress Miniatures to replace my older Minifigs redcoats (20-ish). I have ten or twenty Gurkhas [Ral Partha?] and about 17 Sikhs [Foundry] in bare metal as well. Oh, and 9 more Martian sepoys [RAFM Space 1889]. Get some Bengal Lancers, and mount them on some mechanical cats I already have [Mage Knight], perhaps painted like Bengal tigers?
• 25/28mm Martians - I have ten shield gunners, ten Gashant riders, and twenty archers [All RAFM Space 1889] in need of paint. Plus the previously mentioned sepoys. I want some sverdlinker fanatics [Parroom Station], maybe 20 or so of them. And some plain sword-toting Martians.
• 15mm Texicans - I do need to work on them some more. I have some minis already [Freikorps' SAW American Infantry], but will need more if I am going to fight real battles using the Texicans.
• 15mm Papal Troops - Also not a high priority. I have the lead, but not the focus on them right now. Should I reconsider?
• 25/28mm Masked Minions - These are human mercenaries, originally for Professor Otto Maton. I have ten of them, making one GASLIGHT unit [Parroom Station minis], all bare metal as of now. I want to get ten more, plus an artillery crew, the machine gun team (maybe 2) and some of the weird artillery, and 8 more Clockwork Soldiers [also Parroom Station]. If I do this, I need to get the Weird Scientist artillery crew as well, so I can use the weird science artillery for other armies. While I'm at it, I ought to get more steam spiders [Wyrd Miniatures] and toolbots [Reaper Miniatures, Chronoscope line] for Maton's mechanical menaces. And a vehicle (or two) of some sort.
• 2mm Aeronef - I have about 27 of these in totally bare lead. [Brigade Models] I have five painted up for the Papal States, 2 more almost done (just need flags and dullcote).

Give me your opinions please! Or should I concentrate on something totally different?

Hauptman zu Fliegerjaeger Finished!

I finally finished the first of die fliegerjaeger, Hauptman Johann Grossemund. And the three remaining Seraphim-class aeronefs for the full squadron of five. I'll try to get some photos taken soon.

And I upgraded the Pledge count a few days ago.

I have fallen off the everyday wagon this week, though. I've been very busy with a teacher's workshop that I am attending at Rice University here in Houston, and between getting up early and dealing with traffic, then coming home and doing family stuff, I just haven't had the patience to sit and work on anything this week.

So that's how my progress has been this last week or so. I need to look at projects again and start making some priorities to finish. I have just about got everything ready for Historicon, so I can look at other things now.

[Editor's Note, 06.29.09: German fixed, thanks to Klaus. Thanks Klaus!]

End of May Round-up

So, its the end of another month. I got in two games this month, so not bad. One was a playtest for Historicon that was run this afternoon. I may not have scheduled enough time for the game. Painting-wise, I got a bit of work accomplished this month. Anyway...

• Poll: Most of you think we should keep the Venusian Tales right here. The people have spoken; their will be done (now if only all our politicians would listen so well!).
• Playtest: Automatons need tweaking. Very nasty in a fight, but too prone to breakdown. Honestly, I need more, but that isn't likely prior to Historicon.
• 2mm: 3 Aeronefs pretty well done (need flags), another 4 about 75%
• 15mm: Began painting six pack mules. I hate painting mules and horses. Just need to finish packs and shade, and they're ready for Historicon. Added the boiler section to the scratch-build Aphid wannabe.
• 25mm: Began working on more Scientists and Plantmen, plus the Fliegerjaegerren are shaping up.
• Terrain: Lots of Martian hills and rocks done, again for Historicon. Work progresses on the insulae.

Not a bad month, all things considered. I'll work up a battle report today or tomorrow and post it. Also, will do more playtesting tomorrow evening for an hour or so, once I make some tweaks to the Automatons.

25mm Painting in Progress

Just a quick post full of photos tonight. These are the figures I mentioned working on the other day.

First up is Professor Christophe de Vardu, a noted biologist, who has been very busy on Venus studying the assorted plantlife. You may notice he has German friends around him, and Her Majesty (God Bless Her!) in the far background. [Reaper Miniatures, Chronoscope line]

Next is Professor Vardu's loyal assistant and housekeeper, Mrs. Beatrice Bluefrock. [At least until I get a better name. Pulp Figures by Bob Murch - corrected from Copplestone Miniatures] Mrs. Bluefrock is holding one of Professor Vardu's prized specimens of Venusian flora. Notice what large teeth it has. And a German Aetherbattalion troop is in the far background [Copplestone Miniatures - quite nice stuff he does, don't you think?].

Here we have a mysterious Martian, known only as the Golden Mask (Effin Wakko in Martian). Who hides behind the Golden Mask? A disgruntled prince? A religious fanatic? A rich guy with spots? Only time shall tell... In the background are two German KFG-armed Aetherbattalion troopers. [Parroom Station mini. Can you tell I went to see King Tut's treasures right before I started thinking how to paint him up?]

Fourth up is Herr Kapitan Ludwig von Wappen, the leader of a troop of Fliegenjagerren. Note that he is not wearing his fliegenpak in this photo. He is armed with a fascinating piece of high tech equipment: the broomhandled Mauser with shoulder stock. [Eureka Miniatures]


Finally, a rather bad shot of Feldwebel Otto Bauer. One of Kapitan von Wappen's fliegerjager, he is shown here after having removed the bulky fliegenpak. He is armed with a reciprocator, a sort of light caliber, portable Maxim gun. It fires a hail of bullets, though admittedly it is most effective at very close ranges. [Eureka Miniatures]




Please, let me know what you think. Also, I have started back to work on some Martian terrain, an apartment building. You can find photos and some brief notes on my terrain blog, which has been in dire need of a new posting for quite some time: gamingterrain.blogspot.com

First photos of Papal Aeronef fleet

This first shot is of a Prinz Eugen-class cruiser, now in service with the Papal States. Technically on loan from the Austrian KuK Kriegsluftmarine, the Prinz Eugen and her sister ship, the Herzerzog Karl, are in essence a permanent part of the Papal fleet. The three turrets each mount twin 10" rifled guns.

The two smaller vessels shown are part of a flotilla of five bomb laden aeronefs. Built by Japanese 'Nef yards due to the appalling lack of industrial capacity in the Papal States, these ships are very similar to the Type 97 Bomber. They have been dubbed the Cherubim-class, and are too small to be given names, having numbers only. Pictured are S-01 and S-02.

Another view of the Prinz Eugen, showing the Papal colors on the rear vertical stabilizer mount. Please ignore the giant plantman that appears to be standing underneath the Prinz Eugen.
More photos later.