Long Overdue: Update

First post of 2017, Folks... I know, its a bit overdue...

Late last year, I was able to finally put the last touches on the Forest Goblin Spider Riders and deliver them to Karl. They turned out really well and he was pleased. I took quite some time to complete them, but I think they turned out awesome...

Gaming: DBA & HoTT Wednesday Night

I invited Blake to a last minute game night and after a bit of postponing-rescheduling, we actually found ourselves sitting at a table rolling dice. We started off playing some 15mm DBA and then played a game of 28mm Hordes of the Things. I only managed to take some pictures of the DBA game in its first few bounds, but never got any later pics taken (perhaps due to the euphoria of actually playing, I guess).

Blake's Early Bedouin Camel (Cav), including the General stand in the middle. A variety of manufacturers.

The first skirmish on the flank - the Samurai Ashigaru (Aux) charge up the steep hill to dislodge the Bedouin tribesmen (Aux). The Samurai are from Alec's 10mm Pendraken army.

The Bedouin Camel join the fray, led by the army General, but are, in turn, met by the Samurai (Cav), led by their General. 

Though the tribesmen held the hill for several bounds and all the mounted pushed and shoved, the Camel's lowered combat score against mounted eventually worked to the Samurai's favor, and the Bedouin would withdraw from their losses. 

In the 28mm game, by Bug Army took on one of Blake's Empire armies, the Maybe Middenheim army. This Empire army is verrrrry shooty - lots of archer and crossbow Shooters, plus two cannon Artillery. I allowed the cannon to scare my 2 Behemoths into uselessness, and managed to forget (yet again) that Artillery quick kill Heroes (my Bug Hero was also my General). That was my first stand and gave him the win, but we kept playing, me with a -2 to my commands. Nothing ever worked for me and Blake's skillful use of his crossbowmen stand meant that by the time I found the courage to send the Behemoths to try to save my game, it was all over for me, 12 AP lost (incl Gen) to 2AP. 

We really enjoyed throwing some dice and having to look up rules again since, due to both of our busy schedules, we hadn't played in a long while. Looking forward to another Spontaneous Game Night soon!

Reviving Old Minis: Warmaster Bretonnian General

Another mini I recovered from old computer files, painted for Mark's Warmaster army.

Reviving Old Minis

Haven't painted in a while but cleaning some old computer files I came across images of my GW High Elves. These are part of the second 24AP of my Hordes of the Things High Elf army.

Elven Spear - counts as Spear in HotT

Reaper Multi-Bolt Thrower - counts as Artillery in HotT

Lion Warriors - counts as Warband in HotT

Lion Warriors detail shot of their pelts on their backs

Distractions: Bretonnian and la République

Been cranking on the Spider Riders trying to finish up the 10, and finding little side jobs to work on at the same time. Aside from the Super Dungeon Explore treasure chests, I put a Bretonnian standard bearer on my work bench and dusted off some Spartan Games ships from Dystopian Wars.

Bretonnian standard bearer started a couple years ago. Back on the workbench with a couple coats of shading ink. 

A batch of Republique of France ships from Dystopian Wars. 

COMPLETE: (!!!) Super Dungeon Explore Treasure Chests

Finished off 2 more SDE treasure chests - including a 4-eyed Mimic - and varnished some I had finished in the past. Got another 2 on the workbench.

I've also completed two more of Karl's Spider Riders so only seven more to go! Woo woo!

COMPLETE: (!!!) Axles & Alloys Gun Buggy

I've finished another model! Another vehicle for Axles & Alloys!

Gun Buggy

Gun Buggy started off as a Hot Wheels "Enforcer" model and as it is one of a few Hot Wheels that come equipped with weapons, one on each side, I didn't need to add any. I did however, add lots of other stuff which I posted about previously.

After priming, I started painting and weathering, starting with brown washes on the wheels, the underside and the bumpers. When the browns settled into the ribs of the tires it just made them look rusty along with the rusty parts instead of mud, so I fixed the tires with Devlan Brown ink and black washes. Elsewhere, I worked the rusty parts up to a layer of orange washes in the bumpers and under the rear fenders, as well as on the wheel spikes. Once I was pleased with the rust, I went back and added steel and mithril highlights to those parts. 

Rust on the bumpers and under the rear fenders. 

I wasn't quite sure what color Gun Buggy would be, eventually deciding on a green as a contrast to Red Racer. I stippled the green on, using Vallejo Intermediate Green, and highlighting that by adding a bit of yellow to the green. I then stippled dark gray on the edges that would see the most damage and wear, followed by a stippled highlight of a lighter gray.

The air intake that I added got some detailed lines with a sharp pencil by free handing in vertical stripes. It then got a crown of mithril silver and the top was painted Intermediate green also.  For added splashes of color, I painted the spotlights on the roof, one yellow and one silver, outlined in black.

Detail showing the rusty wheel spikes and the air intake, as well as the underside. 

Gun Buggy based to match Red Racer.

In Axle & Alloys, vehicles can be equipped with drop weapons such as spike droppers, oil sprayers, minelayers and napalm sprayers. The sprayer mechanism I added could be for oil or napalm, in a convenient refillable canister. For a further splash of color, I painted the canister in bright yellow, inspired by Monsters, Inc and the fact their yellow canisters are tough enough to hold the potent energy found in children's laughter...  mine should be able to contain napalm, I figure...

Rear detail showing dropper apparatus, all set to spray napalm or oil to thwart would-be threats trailing behind. 

For the glass end of the fuel canister, I attempted a painting technique to hint at the fuel inside. It was more difficult to pull off because of the metal framework, but I think it gives a convincing idea that there is a noxious liquid inside. And it was another opportunity to add a bit of color.

Top detail showing a good look at the noxious fuel level in the rear dropper.

Gun Buggy could benefit from some lettering or symbols painted on, and I've considered dusting it overall with some detailing powders to further weather it, but am very happy with it to this point. Let me know what you think.