A Hobbyist's Blog

Precision Drilling and Magnets

2015-12-02T21:54:00.001+00:00

I've magnetised quite a few PHR models for my DropZone collection. Mainly because I like to have my walkers attached to my dropships, and it looks cool on the table top. The thing about doing adding all those magnets to the models is that it involves a lot of drilling, and those drilled holes need to a precise depth.

So here is a quick trick to help you get the perfect depth of hole for your magnets every time. In my case the magnets I'm using are 2mm deep. So I use a bit of brown parcel tape (you can use cellotape) and wrap it round the drill bit so that I can see when I have the depth bang on.

Preparing your drill

At the moment I'm adding magnets to my Scourge starter set (which I got at a very good price from eBay). One of my big regrets I have for my PHR was that I did not magnetise the turrets on my Junos, so I'm going to mobile turrets on my Scourge.

Drilling out a hole, exactly 2mm deep

Another quick tip is to use you scalpel / Xacto blade to score the centre point you want to drill to act as a guide.

3 Turrets all drilled with a tiny bit of greenstuff

Once drilled, put a tiny amount of greenstuff, in the hole, followed by a small dot of superglue. Push the magnet in and allow the greenstuff and glue to take hold.

3 Turrets with magnets

Take care to line your magnets up correctly, if done right, any turret will be able to attach to any hull. If done wrong you have to deal with the frustration of trying to work out how to get your magnets back out of the model.

Always check which way your magnets should be aligned

Drill out, greenstuff and place aligned magnets into the tank hulls.

Magnet set into the tank hull

Below is the complete tank... with a turret that can traverse... easy!

The finished Scourge tank

November Progress

2015-12-01T20:27:00.004+00:00

This should be the worlds shortest post, because November was a month in which Real Life imposed itself. So I've achieve a lot this month, but just not when it comes to painting miniatures.

DreadBall Monks Team

So in Real Life:

I replaced (with a little help) the oil tank for my central heating.
Wrote and submitted the first draft of Supers City RPG
And did a bunch of other writing.

None of which counts for anything on this blog because they are not miniatures related... oh well.

I have done a little work monks team for DreadBall, but that is it, and they are still not finished.

On Sale: Skorne Army on Ebay (Revised)

2015-11-06T06:29:00.000+00:00

I've been mulling over finding my Skorne a new home, and now I've finally got them up on Ebay. Here is the link to the auction

Walocks

Heavy Warbeasts

Light Warbeasts

Units

Cavalry

Solos

Mercs

The army comes with the following models (all metal, no plastic)

Warlocks

Lord Tyrant Hexeris

Lord Arbiter Hexeris

Archdomina Makeda

Master Tormentor Morghoul

Lord Assassin Morghoul

Tyrant Xerxis

Dominar Rasheth

Supreme Aptimus Zaal + Kovaas

Heavy Warbeasts

Bronzeback Titan

Titan Gladiator

Molik Karn

Light Warbeasts

Basilisk Krea

Basilisk Drake

Razor Worm

Cyclops Shaman

Cyclops Savage x2

Units

Immortals (6 models)

Praetorian Swordsmen (10 models + Officer + Standard)

Nihilators (10 models)

Pangiver Beast Handlers (4 models)

Venator Flayer Cannon (+ crew)

Praetorian Ferox (3 models)

Solos

Hakaar the Destroyer

Aptimus Marketh

Ancestral Guardian x3

Extoller Soulward

Agonizer

Void Spirit x2

Mercs

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew (2 models)

Totem Hunter

Orin Midwinter

Feralgeist

Saxon Orrik

October Progress

2015-11-05T06:48:00.001+00:00

October has been a funny kind of a month. So busy, yet so little actually getting finished. The games I've played at the local club have mostly been DreadBall Ultimate some DropZone Commander thrown in to the mix. I'm fining that DreadBall Ultimate really works well when you have an odd number of players looking to pick up a game so having between 3 and 6 players round the table makes for a fast fun and chaotic game.

But since we are really only playing pickup games we have been playing with standard teams, no campaign rosters an MVPs. As a result I've been inclined to make a start on painting up yet another team for the game. Below is a picture of my "Mad Monks" team. These guys are all Jacks, which is not the sort of team I'd usually want to play with I much prefer to have Strikers and Guards. Though these guys have the ability to telekinetically move other models on the pitch, either their own team or the opposition. While I think they will hold their own in regular DreadBall the more limited number of actions in Ultimate may well play against them more than other teams.

Another Team for DreadBall

At the moment I've got the base coat on the robes, going for a brown Jedi robe sort of a look.

My love of DropZone Commander has continued to grow, though I still have a tone of PHR to paint my way through I picked up a Scourge set of eBay at a bargain price. The extra APC in the pack will likely be cut up and turned into an objective marker for a "Blackhawk Down" type scenario.

Scourge for DropZone Commander

Evil Tron PHR Poseidons

2015-10-31T06:53:00.001+00:00

Sometime – well fairly often – the best intentions have to give way to the needs of real life. These guys should have been finished of last week, but then life happened and little to no painting go done during the intervening time.

But now I have a pair of shiny PHR heavy dropships ready for action. So the question is... what shall I paint next for my PHR? And how dow I strip the original paint scheme off my Neptunes? I've never stripped paint of resin models before.

Post Human Republic Poseidon

Post Human Republic Poseidons

Evil Tron PHR Junos

2015-10-14T20:50:00.001+01:00

Continuing my Evil Tron colour scheme for my PHR. This time its my Junos that are complete, a pair of the A1s equipped with the huntsman laser cannon, and a pair of the A2s with the infantry chewing miniguns.

Though if I'm being honest I've never fired those miniguns in anger, the huntsman is the weapon you want to bring if you have to deploy Junos. I say if you want to bring Junos, because I'd rarely deploy Immortals by Juno when I could put them directly into a Triton A1.

Still its nice to have them done.

PHR Junos

Evil Tron PHR Athena

2015-10-13T21:30:00.001+01:00

The ultima in air superiority, and the only choice available to the PHR. This is a hypersonic attack craft that can hunt enemy aircraft, dropships and armour. It suffers from only one small flaw... it can do everything, and thus cost a fortune in points. There in lies the flaw, with the capability to do everything and only a limited number of passes over the battlefield it is vastly over costed for what it will actually be called upon to do.

By way of comparison, a UCM player can (for a few more points), put two intercepters and a bomber on the table. Both optimised for what they will actually be doing and thus more worthy of the points invested into them.

In short the PHR need some cheeper fast moving aircraft that are more specialised in their battlefield role.

All that said, I do love my Athena, its a great model, and it when it reaches the table top my opponents feel the fear.

PHR Athena

DreadBall Excavator MVP

2015-10-06T06:41:00.001+01:00

Another quick and dirty paint job to get some MVPs on the pitch. This time I've gone for the dwarf mini-tank mining robot thing, all because of one of the guys at the club can be sold on playing just about any game if their are dwarves in it for him to play.

Priming: GW White Primer then washed with GW Nuln Oil

Basecoat: GW Red Gore and a wash of GW Agrax Earthshade.

Highlighting: GW Red Gore, and GW Evil Sunz Scarlet, add a little GW Blazing Orange for the extreme edge.

DreadBall Excavator MVP

DreadBall Brute Force MVP

2015-10-05T07:04:00.001+01:00

Who could resist the chance to paint up Rippley in a Power Loader? Well I don't have a model of Rippley in said Power Loader, but I do have Brute Force a DreadBall MVP who comes a close second.

Painting this girl was really easy and very fast.

Undercoat: White Spray, with GW Nuln Oil Wash.

Basecoat: GW Averland Sunset for the power suit, then wash over with GW Agrax Earthshade

Highlights: First coat with the base coat then add a little Vallejo Bleached Bone to the base for the edge highlights. Paint in some additional shadows with a little more Earthshade and paint up the skin and goggles. Simple.

DreadBall Brute Force MVP

September Progress

2015-10-01T06:46:00.000+01:00

A shot of my painting desk

September turned out to be quite a busy month and quite a productive one for me with lots of completions. I finally got out from under my Aleph, there is something very daunting about painting those models, and moved on with other projects.

The pic above should give you some idea of what I'm going to be doing over the next month.

I am quite inspired by the way my Evil Tron PHR turned out on the test models I did. So I have moved on to a second wave. This time I'm going to be tackling a pair of Poseidon heavy dropships, 4 Junos and my Athena. As you can see above I've just finished the airbrushing stage on all these models. I'm also inspired the imminent arrival of DropFleet Commander to Kickstarter.

Also if you take a close look at the picture you will see a few DreadBall models sitting on the table that need my attention. Rather than painting up more teams, and I do have 6 teams yet to paint, I'm going for a few of the MVPs in the hope that these models will inspire other people at the club to pick up a team of their own.

Frostgrave is currently on hold, pending all the other stuff I have one, though you can make out my custom demon conversion at the back of the table next to the barrel terrain.

In other news I'm busy writing a little miniatures game of my own. I'm sure that as gamers we all try this a few times in out lives. So I've been hunting through my lead mountain looking for models that might fit my purpose.

Thats it for now.

DreadBall Ada-Lorana Team

2015-09-30T06:43:00.002+01:00

I have an expression of interest from some of my fellow players at my club for DreadBall later this week. One of whom was excited by the look of the Ada-Lorana. Since I had them sitting in my DreadBall box since the close of the KickStarter I though I'd get them painted up so that they can hit the turf.

Ada-Lorana Team for DreadBall

This is the first time I've 'painted' a model cast in transparent plastic. My first mistake was to try and use polycement to bond the parts, no, just stick with superglue it will work and hasn't discoloured the plastic, which is what I was afraid of.

In terms of actual painting these are about the easiest models ever. Paint the base of the model black, then I washed them down with a little violet wash to bring out the body lines. Finished.

So that was easy.

Evil Tron PHR Colour Scheme

2015-09-26T07:06:00.001+01:00

Progress on my PHR has been glacial, and I think the main problem I have is that I really didn't like the original attempts at a colour scheme. I have looked with envy at some of the lovely PHR that other people on the net have done. Specifically I'd like to give call outs to:

Novus over at Green Stuff Industries blog, who has painted his PHR in a fantastic grey and orange scheme. http://greenstuffindustries.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/my-phr-are-ready-for-lvo.html#more

And to Edchop on the Orbital Bombardment blog who inspired me with his Tron blue scheme. http://dzcblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/laying-grid.html

In the end it was time for me to bite the bullet and do a few test models to try out my Evil Tron scheme, which is of course a flagrant rip of of Edchops example, only I've go for an red / orange scheme over his blue / white.

PHR Evil Tron Scheme

For my painting test I decided to paint up my light dropships. Six Tritons in all, 4 A1 troop carriers, and 2 equipped as drone carriers. I still need to do some detailing but the core of the scheme is in place.

Evil Tron PHR Tritons and Drones

The basic painting formula is as follows:

Undercoat with GW Black Primer.
Airbrush the upper hull with Tamiya Gloss Black (leave the under hull in the primer matt black)
Airbrush the edges and engines with Tamiya Gloss Red (just enough to tint)
Paint in the hull lines with GW Evil Sunz Scarlet
Highlight the hull lines with GW Orange (I forget the exact name)
On the upper hull only further highlight the hull lines with a little GW Yellow (again I forget the exact name)
Finally use a little GW Chaos Black to tidy up the panels.

Evil Tron PHR Triton carrying Drones

Of course I magnetised my Drones so that they attach to their respective Tritons.

Evil Tron PHR Drones

Retribution Shyeel Artificer

2015-09-19T06:47:00.002+01:00

Its been a long time since I felt any desire to paint any Warmachine models, but then having finished my Aleph I didn't feel like diving straight into another large project. Instead I picked up a random part painted model of my desk and decided to finish it.

Usually I paint in batches five to ten models in the same theme at a time. Just painting one felt like a nice change of pace. Of course I still have quite a few other Retribution models awaiting my attention, not sure if I'll get to another one done any time soon, I have another project in mind right now...

Retribution Shyeel Artificer

Aleph Dasyu

2015-09-15T17:30:00.000+01:00

The Dasyu, a thermoptic camouflaged killer, though I question the deployment of TO camo hackers. I mean the point of TO camo is that you get the drop on your opponent. Given that hackers can operate within Zone of Control or through repeaters why do you need to spend extra points hiding them when they are already out of Line of Sight?

Still, I like the model, so what can I say?

Aleph Dasyu

Aleph Asura

2015-09-14T21:17:00.000+01:00

My second Asura, this one armed with a spitfire. I have always been in to minds about this model, the roundness of her face seems very babyish and at odds with the normal Vedic aesthetic. The spitfire is an awesome weapon at close to medium range.

Aleph Asura

Mission Objectives: Combined Army Strike Team

2015-09-14T05:30:00.000+01:00

Now that I've got my Aleph Team out of the way time to think about my 300 point Combined Army based on the starter set. This is the last of outstanding objectives for 2015. I've pitched for a mixed vanilla force with Morat and Shasvastii alongside the forces of the EI. Based on the models I have sitting around unpainted.

You might just be able to make out a bunch of primed ready to paint Combined Army at the back there.

For the team Lieutenant I've selected the Morat Kornak Gazarot. He is very much a lead from the front type leader, but NWI should help to keep him alive. If he does manage to make it to close combat then his impressive CC coupled with Berserk and a DA close combat weapon will make a bloody mess of what ever he gets hold of. For ranged work he is packing a MK12, better than the normal combi-rifle.

Heavy support comes in the form of the Sogarat touting an HMG. With heavy armour and multiple wounds this guy is a very serious threat at medium to long range, and very survivable to boot. Of course this nasty package comes at a cost and that cost is points and SWC.

The Umbra Legate is one of the new models from the starter set. Not only is it a fantastically sith like model but he is packing a few surprises. This one is packing a boarding shotgun, but is also equipped with a Hacking Device Plus, giving him something to do on the way in. A DA close combat weapon ensures that most people are going to want to avoid getting to close to him.

The Fraacta is one of the new Sygmaa (Dark Tohaa) and is carrying a jump pack very similar to the one sported by Ko Dali. It is an awesome model. Being an air deployed backfield trouble maker I've gone for the Boarding Shotgun version for close range fire fights.

The Maakrep is the second of the new Sygmaa, of the two I prefer the sculpt of the Fraacta, but its a nice model in its own right. A MSV2 model equipped with an HMG is not something you can ignore. Great for hunting enemies in camo or with ODD. Try not to get in to close with the HMG medium to long range is this weapons friend.

Three Unidrons with a standard Plasma Carbine form the line troops of this list. Nothing special here except the fact that they are line grunts with plasma. That is bound to hurt. That and the new models are fantastic to look at, wouldn't really have mattered what the stats were I'd put these guys in the list. I have the SWC box to go with them and I'd have put all 7 into the list if it wasn't for the AVA limit.

The first of my Shasvastii, the Gwailos, again equipped with the Boarding Shotgun, but I picked him for the nanoscreen. Any model that brings his own portable cover to the table is a model I want to have more of. The presence of cool alien forcefield tech is going to attract attention and make him a target. basically I want him to draw fire and I think he will.

My second Shasvastii is the Caliban, I've taken him simply because I need a model with the engineering skill. As it is this list is low on specialists so I need one that will count. The automedkit will keep him alive if the unthinkable happens.

Last but not least is the Ikadron, selected to fill the last few points in the list and provide a Repeater for my hacker. I also happen to like the model quite a lot.

This list does have some obvious short comings; low number of specialists, a lot of close range fire power in the form of Boarding Shotguns, though I hope the presence of a pair of HMGs will counter this to some degree. The Gwailos will hopefully draw fire, while the Fraacta takes down enemy cheer leaders and gives the rest of the force space to advance.

Combined Army
Points : 299 SWC : 5 Orders : 11 Troopers : 11

KORNAK GAZAROT, MORAT SUPERIOR WARRIOR-OFFICER

ISC: KORNAK GAZAROT, MORAT SUPERIOR WARRIOR-OFFICER

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	22	14	13	14	3	9	1	2

Berserk, Kinematika L1, Morat, Strategos L1, V: No Wound Incapacitation

Name	BS Weapon	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
KORNAK Lieutenant	Mk12, Light Flamethrower	Pistol, DA CCW	1	41	1

SOGARAT TEMPEST REGIMENT

ISC: SOGARAT TEMPEST REGIMENT

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	19	13	15	13	6	3	2	5

AutoMediKit

Morat

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
SOGARAT	HMG	Pistol, AP CCW	2	56	1

UMBRA LEGATES

ISC: UMBRA LEGATES

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
6-2	21	12	13	14	1	3	1	2

Advanced Deployment L1, CH: Mimetism, Kinematika L1, Martial Arts L4, V: No Wound Incapacitation

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
UMBRA LEGATE Hacker (Hacking Device Plus)	Flash Pulse, Boarding Shotgun	Pistol, DA CCW	0.5	43	1

FRAACTA DROP UNIT

ISC: FRAACTA DROP UNIT

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	14	12	12	12	1	3	1	2

AD: Combat Jump, Transmutation, V: Courage

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
FRAACTA	Nanopulser, Boarding Shotgun	Pistol, Knife	0	28	1

MAAKREP TRACKERS UNIT

ISC: MAAKREP TRACKERS UNIT

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-2	15	12	11	13	2	3	1	2

AutoMediKit, Multispectral Visor L2

Sixth Sense L1, V: Courage

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
MAAKREP TRACKER	HMG	Pistol, Knife	1.5	33	1

UNIDRON BATROIDS

ISC: UNIDRON BATROIDS

REM

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	STR	S
4-4	5	11	10	12	1	6	1	2

G: Autotool, V: Dogged

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
UNIDRON	Plasma Carbine	Pistol, Electric Pulse	0	14	3

SHASVASTII ARMED IMPOSITION DETACHMENT GWAILOS

ISC: SHASVASTII ARMED IMPOSITION DETACHMENT GWAILOS

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-2	15	13	12	13	2	0	1	2

Nanoscreen

Shasvastii

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
GWAILO	Boarding Shotgun	Pistol, CCW	0	21	1

SHASVASTII SABOTAGE AND DESTRUCTION UNIT CALIBAN

ISC: SHASVASTII SABOTAGE AND DESTRUCTION UNIT CALIBAN

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-2	13	12	12	13	2	3	1	2

AutoMediKit

Shasvastii

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
CALIBAN Engineer	Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, D-Charges	Knife, Pistol	0	26	1

IKADRON BATROID

ISC: IKADRON BATROID

REM

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	STR	S
6-2	7	11	10	13	1	6	1	2

Baggage, Repeater

G: Autotool

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
IKADRON	Light Flamethrower (2), Flash Pulse	Pistol, Electric Pulse	0	9	1

Aleph Strike Team Assembled

2015-09-13T07:19:00.000+01:00

It was a bit of a slog, but finally I've got it done and off of my painting desk.

Aleph Strike Team

AlephPoints : 299 SWC : 2.5 Orders : 10 Troopers : 12

DEVA FUNCTIONARIES

ISC: DEVA FUNCTIONARIES

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	14	12	11	15	2	3	1	2

V: No Wound Incapacitation

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
DEVA Lieutenant	Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Devabot (1)	Pistol, Knife	0	23	1
DEVA	Combi Rifle, Nanopulser, Devabot (1)	Pistol, Knife	0	23	1
DEVA Hacker (Hacking Device)	Combi Rifle, Nanopulser	Pistol, Knife	0.5	31	1

DEVABOT

ISC: DEVABOT

REM

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	STR	S
6-4	8	10	10	11	0	3	1	2

G: Synchronized

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
DEVABOT	Heavy Flamethrower	Electric Pulse	0	4	2

DAKINI TACBOTS

ISC: DAKINI TACBOTS

REM

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	STR	S
6-4	8	11	10	13	0	3	1	2

CH: Mimetism, G: Remote Presence

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
DAKINI Paramedic (MediKit)	Combi Rifle	Electric Pulse	0	15	2

ASURAS

ISC: ASURAS

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	18	14	14	15	5	6	2	2

Multispectral Visor L3

V: No Wound Incapacitation

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
ASURA Hacker (Hacking Device Plus)	Combi Rifle, Nanopulser	Pistol, AP CCW	0.5	72	1

SAMEKH REBOTS

ISC: SAMEKH REBOTS

REM

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	STR	S
6-4	8	12	10	13	0	3	1	3

G: Remote Presence

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
SAMEKH	Smart Missile Launcher	Electric Pulse	1.5	18	1

DACTYLS

ISC: DACTYLS

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	16	12	11	13	1	3	1	2

V: Dogged

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
DACTYLS Doctor (MediKit)	Combi Rifle, Adhesive Launcher, Nimbus Grenades	Breaker Pistol (2), Knife	0	23	1

PENTHESILEA, AMAZON WARRIORESS

ISC: PENTHESILEA, AMAZON WARRIORESS

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
8-6	22	13	12	14	1	3	1	4

ODD: Optical Disruptor Device, Motorcycle

I-khol L2, Kinematika L2, V: No Wound Incapacitation

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
PENTHESILEA	Combi Rifle, Contender, Nanopulser	Pistol, Monofilament CCW	0	44	1

NAGAS

ISC: NAGAS

MOV	CC	BS	PH	WIP	ARM	BTS	W	S
4-4	13	12	12	14	1	0	1	2

CH: Camouflage, Infiltration, Multiterrain, V: Dogged

Name	BS Weapons	CC Weapons	SWC	C	Count
NAGA	Combi Rifle, Antipersonnel Mines	Pistol, Knife	0	27	1

Aleph Strike Team: Devas

2015-09-13T07:17:00.000+01:00

This brings me up to a full squad of four Devas. The problem with photographing miniatures is that it can be very unkind to your paint work. What looks fine on the model suddenly looks awful in the picture. Oh well.

Aleph Deva

Aleph Strike Team: Dactyl

2015-09-13T02:00:00.000+01:00

As with many of the other Aleph models I've been painting recently I've opted to go with unnatural hair colours. Much as I did with my Retribution of Scyrah, I've gone with blue, green, and purple hair colours to help portray their inhumanness.

Aleph Dactyl

Aleph Strike Team: Asura

2015-09-12T04:30:00.000+01:00

The Asura is like a human sized TAG. She is awesome. Equipped with MSV3 she sees everything, and the multi-rife gives her excellent medium to long range killer. Looking at the pictures I think I may need to go back and do some touch ups.

Aleph Asura

Aleph Strike Team: Naga

2015-09-10T20:53:00.000+01:00

The next member of my Strike Team, the Naga. Its a very cool looking model that just doesn't get enough field play in Infinity. Of course I like to field these guys with mono-mines if I have the points to allow them.

The model does remind me of the old Hotspur Annuals I had as a kid and specifically the Black Sapper, who was one of my favourites.

Aleph Naga

Aleph Strike Team: Penthesilea

2015-09-09T21:27:00.001+01:00

I'm trying to make a concerted effort to finish up my Aleph Strike Team and off my painting desk. I also have an Infinity game planned for the weekend and I'd like to bring an Aleph team to the table.

So here is Penthesilea, she is fast and I hope deadly. Painted in my regular Aleph colour scheme, though my photographs are a little over exposed.

Aleph Penthesilea

August Progress

2015-09-02T06:55:00.000+01:00

I've had very little to post about in the last month. Little in the way of completions to report, I have not been idle. Frostgrave has been getting a huge amount of attention. We even had an inaugural Frostgrave night at my local club with 8 players trying to get there heads around the rules across 4 games. It seems to play quite nicely though we had terrain limitations.

As a result I've been building / reconditioning models for use with Frostgrave. Actually going back through the lead mountain and using old miniatures that have lain dormant for 20 years is quite a cathartic process. Some have simply been rebased, others subjected to some conversion work, like the Rackham Eclipsanti pictured below, now with wings and turned into a demon. I've also been making a lot of hand sculpted greenstuff bases for my miniatures, every single one of them in fact.

At the moment most of the models are simply sprayed white and washed over with GW Nuln Oil, but I am slowly getting some colour on them.

Converted Frostgrave Demon

Frostgrave Tray 1

Frostgrave Tray 2

Of course the biggest failing we had in the club games we played was terrain. Or the lack of it. So I'm working on some of that too.

Frostgrave Ruins in progress

Of course its not all Frostgrave. I have played some Infinity too. As usual I supply a large number of the models played with at the club because not everyone has funds to buy into a new game. Unfortunately that means that not everyone is as careful with my miniatures as I am...

Smashed Rebot

... some repair work is necessary, but its a major re-pinning operation. Although I've been focused on Frostgrave, I've still managed to move forward (very slowly) with my Aleph Strike Team.

Still a WiP

TicTac Terrain

2015-08-21T16:15:00.000+01:00

I eat a lot of TicTacs. Well perhaps not a lot, but I go through a pack every week or so. So its lunchtime at work and I'm sitting at my desk thinking there should be some kind of use I can put these empty containers too. Then it hits me that with a little bit of design work I could turn them into advertising boards for my Infinity games.

So after a bit of careful measuring I've crafted a quick template and dropped in some graphics that I have sitting about. Printed it off, a few cuts and a bit of glue and I have a sci-fi insert to turn my piece of waste plastic into something I can use.

tictac terrain before and after

So this is the concept, next time I'll work out some cool graphics that will look more futuristic.

If you want to make one of these for yourself, its very easy. The picture below gives you the dimensions you need.

tictac plan

Lastly here is a 4 up version that should print to A4 paper (sorry if you don't use ISO paper).

tictac ready to print

Mantic Delivers DreadBall Extreme Wave 3

2015-08-12T22:36:00.002+01:00

I knew Mantic had mailed out the last of their Wave 3 packages last week, but it was still a pleasant surprise when a box arrived on my doorstep. So lets take a look at whats in the box.

A lot of plastic teams

That is a lot of plastic! Looks like all my teams arrived in the last wave. Two of which are cast in that bright blue transparent plastic. Not sure how I'm to deal with that yet. I mean live it unpainted, paint bits of it so that the blue shows through, or paint all of it. Interestingly its only the teams that are in transparent blue, the MVPs associated with these teams are just in regular grey plastic.

Variable Board

The variable pitch looks interesting, I had thought these were specific to DBX, turns out I was wrong.

Challenge Cup Booklet and tokens

The Challenge Cup offers some interesting scenarios (and one very dumb one, well its fine for DBX but not regular DB). Some interesting MVPs in the pack too.

DBX Expansion Book

Not really sure why the DBX Expansion was not just integrated into the Player Manual its a thin book.

DBX Players Manual

The Players Manual is extremely useful, lost of great content. I would suggest its an auto-include for playing DBX.

DreadBall Seasons 5 & 6

Lastly there is the Season 5 & 6 books for expanding DreadBall. All the usual stuff is in there. Plus a few silly things, like Martian Teams (from Mars Attacks) and Judge Dredd. Did the game need these things? No. But I guess you can just ignore them.