From SimonM: Resistance Fighters by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" [Romance] (45 points)

These four 28mm metal figures are manufactured by "Crooked Dice Game Design Studio" and can be purchased as SKU: DEAL 339 Resistance Fighters from their science fiction range. "Flung together in a desperate struggle", these models are clearly inspired by some of the leading characters in Kenneth Johnson's 1983 American science-fiction television miniseries "V".

The quartet were initially primed using a mixture of "Vallejo" Surface Primer Black and "Warlord Games" Pitch Black, before being heavily dry-brushed with “Vallejo” Heavy Charcoal and soaked in "Citadel" Nuln Oil. I then predominantly worked on each figure individually, as I wanted to give them a little colour to their costumes, despite their sculpts being largely based upon their night-time raids against the alien invaders of Earth.

I started with Elias Taylor's lookalike, as played by Michael Wright, and applied some simple "Vallejo" Charred Brown to his trousers, washed them with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and finally dry-brushed the pants with (more) "Vallejo" Charred Brown. The former "street thug and drug dealer" was then given a coat of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna on his face and hands, before these areas were shaded with "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade and highlighted with some tiny amounts of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna.

Juliet Parrish's doppelganger was next, and simply had her trousers 'picked out' using a combination of Cold Corpse Blue by "Two Thin Coats" and "Citadel" Nuln Oil. To try and capture a likeness of actress Faye Grant's hair colour I used some Skulker Yellow by "Two Thin Coats" on her locks, and darkened them down with "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade. Finally, I gave them a quick dry-brush with (more) "Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow.

For Ham Tyler's duplicate I simply gave the figure's pants a lick of "Two Thin Coats" Marine Blue and a splodge of "Citadel" Nuln Oil. Whilst his watch-face and hair were given a coat of "Two Thin Coats" White Star and "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna. These areas were later shaded using "Citadel" Nuln Oil and Agrax Earthshade as appropriate.

Finally, I decided to apply Mike Donovan's 'twin' with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and heavily-watered down "Citadel" Drakenhof Nightshade to provide him with the illusion of wearing faded jeans. I next applied some "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna to the central part of his jacket and Heavy Brown to its sleeves. The entire coat was subsequently shaded in "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade, and then both the torso and sleeves dry-brushed with their previous base colour.

One of the reasons I enjoy "V" so much is the somewhat off-on romantic relationship between Mike Donovan and Juliet Parrish. This was made all the more complicated later on when the founder of the Los Angeles resistance movement was captured by the hamster-munching aliens and brain-zapped - leading to Ham Tyler repeatedly suggesting to Donovan that the 'love of his life' was now unknowingly a pawn of the Visitors, and would betray them all one day.

Resultantly, I though this pair would make an excellent submission for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge's Romance Library desk, especially as A.C. Crispin would go on to pen a 402-page V novelisation for "Pinnacle Books" in 1984, which combined both the original miniseries and The Final Battle into a single tome.

Alongside my extra-terrestrial busting quarter I have also completed a fifth 28mm metal Robomen Guard by "Black Tree Design". As per my previous ones this model can be purchased as Code DW129 Roboman Guard from their "Doctor Who" miniatures range, and is based upon the Dalek's minions from Terry Nation's November 1964 BBC Television story "The Dalek Invasion of Earth".

The fellow was pigmented in precisely the same way as I've previous done his poor brain-washed, comrades-in-arms, except I decided to spend a little more time on him 'picking out' his jacket with a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Sienna and "Citadel" Agrax Earthshade. I also thought I'd mark him out a little more with some "Vallejo" Sombre Grey trousers, which were later shaded with "Citadel" Nuln Oil.

Five x 28mm scale foot figure = 25 Points

Romance Books Bonus = 20 Points

Total = 45 Points

More Sc-Fi goodies from you, Simon, and again a pleasure to see. On these models, I love the jeans and the work in progress photos are a great boon too. I remember watching the V series back in the eighties and I think the V-couple do qualify for inclusion in the Romance Section of the Library. 45 points coming your way.

Speaking of the Library, we really would like to see how your progress is going, so a map would be nice!

Martijn