tabletop miniatures
What’s on my table? 19th July 2015
so, I had planned for this to he a regular weekly post but Iv been a little lax. Then again I have been busy painting so have a lot to catch up on
A few WIP shots of Miedo a Morir for the Brotherhood faction of Freebooters fate. The plan had been to kep his cloak dark, but I liked the red cloaks I gave to my other models amd kept food one in place. I may go back and darken it soon.
Mining drill for the Resistance of Dropzone Commander. I haven’t played the game her, but I’m not that fussed and only really like the models. This drill was really fun to paint, and games workshops Ryza Rust paint is excellent.
Some Welshmen for Saga. A bigger post on this will be coming soon as I put together the full force.
A few other projects I will put into seperate posts as they have a lot of pictures in them
I also finally mastered the Basius, using green stuff made it so much easier than milliput as its not grainy. My entire Wild West Exodus faction is now based with unique homestead bases and now just need painting (as with everything else)
Hobby, what’s on my table? 21st June 2015
so,it’s been a busy couple of weeks since my last table update meaning I haven’t done a huge amount of hobby stuff, but here’s an update of what I have been able to get done.
My Welsh Warband Levies for Saga have been basecoated and shaded using army painters quick shade. I hadn’t used this before and haven’t decided if I like it yet, I need to get some Matt spray to take the shine off and see how it looks. I do like the ease of shading the detail on hair (a particular problem area of mine) but I’m not yet convinced the games workshop shades I’m used too wouldn’t do the same.
An undead pirate from Black Scorpion designs. This was another test of quick shade, getting a quick paint and then dipped (the standard practice) to get a thick layer of the shade. I feel like this has ‘scruffed’ up the details I’d painted so really need to get the Matt spray on it to be sure.
Some converted cars for a Mad Max style car wreck game- full post coming on this soon. This was my longest hobby session this week, as I really enjoyed the conversion work and cutting things up.
A few dropzone commander troops (not sure which factions infantry this is without comparing), I didn’t enjoy painting these a great deal as the details too small/ non existent to do anything decent, but keeping it simple has left the, looking unfinished.
I also got a little more work done on my Freebooters Brotherhood, leaving only one model for this faction to do.
Kickstarter, @wargamesbakery basius 2 homestead pad part two
So, you’ll have seen previously my basius 2 homestead pad arrived from wargames bakery, that post is available here.
I had a few concerns about the pad, the loss of some detail and the seeming overhang of some of the more prominent sections. I also had a concern that the thin sections would affect the longevity of the pad but having had a poke I believe it will only be an issue if I use the pad incorrectly.
With my pad here I assembled supplies to test it out, unfortunately not having any green stuff I was having to use Milliput, which I’m less a fan of. In addition I needed water and a toothbrush to keep the pad wet and clear loose milliput. Also Arrow as background noise.
Going straight for it I mixed up some epoxy and attached it to a base. Wetting the pad (perhaps overly cautious) I push the base into the mould and pull it away.
The left is the first one, with clear lines but blank edges and fingerprints. The right is the second attempt, with no fingerprints (or at least minimal) and less blank space.
Pleased I got to poking at different part at the pads and soon had these finished, with a few minor lessons as I went about placement, angles and pressure.
The overhangs were on the lower left bases, clearly having minimal effect on the process. A few of the deeper bases I need to prepare for with larger blobs of epoxy but that’s getting closer
A few more. The trapdoor handle is frustratingly unclear and the teddy less defined than in the stock picture.
Edit: having rechecked the teddy is as defined as it is in the stock photo.
Close up of the bear and something else (maybe a rock or barrel)
With the overhang clearly not an issue the lack of definition on the details is, whilst the bear is an easy paint fix the handle is going to need a look at of I want an intact one.
Looking closely I think with a sharp knife I can reshape the intended space for the ring, so I’ll take a look at the weekend.
Overall the pad will do its job. The thinness won’t be an issue, the overhang doesn’t affect presses enough to worry and hopefully the lack of detail is something I can overcome. I’m looking forward to starting to get the bases onto models and seeing how they look with paint on them.
Kickstarter, @wargamesbakery basius 2 homestead pad
So, my first backed kickstarter project has arrived (overwhelming numbers prompted a several month delay understandably). The Basius 2 Homestead basing pad from Wargames Bakery. Designed to help create unique bases this was really interesting, here’s what the campaign had to say about my pad
I chose the Homestead pad for its mix of bricks and rubble, suitable for pretty much anything.
The reverse side has already been earmarked for my Wild West exodus lawmen as a significant upgrade on using agrellan Earth from games workshop. 
The sheer detail on the pads provides an effectively infinite variety of options.
Full prints of what can come out look good, I won’t be doing anything quite as large but it’s nice to see the full board.
So, as I said mine has arrived ready for use
Of course, as a pad I can’t tell much, I need to use it to get a proper impression (no pun intended) of the base, but the bricks and rubble look to be well defined
Again, without using it I can’t be certain, but this side looms a little less clean cut- a few of the details look masked and more worrying what looks like plastic/resin flash seems to be overhanging in places so I’ll have to see how it comes out.
The trapdoor handle covered over by ‘flash’ preventing a clear cast as shown in the stock picture.
Some of the overhangs on the planks, I worry they’ll ruin the definition of the planks.
My final worry, the thin sections look as though damage could be caused with extended use. Hopefully with the pad being a stronger material than anything being pushed into it it can take the pressure.
I plan on playing around with this tonight and will update then.
Salute 2015 My Haul
so, I’m not long back from Salute 2015 and I’m exhausted, so just a quick one ahead of a proper post later in the week.
We finally have UK stockists of Wild West Exodus by Outlaw Miniatures so I indulged a little
Also getting free gifts
My big spend done I also picked up a few bits and pieces for other systems
Next week expect a close up of what I picked up and thoughts on the day
Hobby projects, dropzone commander by @hawkwargames resistance starter box building
So, after tearing the box open I tried to hold off the building whilst I finished a few other projects, but naturally that was never going to happen.
As you’ll have seen there’s a lot of variety here from infantry to ramshackle vehicles as well as tanks and large dropships.
First up,
I went simple, getting the tanks together- Hannibal battle tanks. these were simple enough, a turret popped into a hole on the top of the chassis. As you can see there’s a 360° choice for turret facing, but Iv kept it simple for these (anticipating storage).
There was a painful moment as I popped the turret in and the superglue splashed into my eye- luckily I was wearing glasses and most hit the lens- but a drop hit my eyeball giving me a sore burning sensation for some time.
Feeling braver I moved onto a tougher build
The first dropship- the lift hawk medium dropship to get the tanks into position. This was a tougher build, simply because lining up the engines/thrusters to look right and even was tough- and you don’t get a second chance with superglue. You’ll see in the pictures alternate top hatches- either the AA gun or a vent style piece. I was torn between the both as well as leaving the piece off dependent on list, but with it being fiddly went for the gun (if in doubt whack a gun on it).
Next up the easy infantry transport Jackson half tracks. Easy because they’re single piece models, so just needed a minor clean up. I know I mentioned it in the box opening but look again at the undercarriage detail on the 10mm scale models.
The half tracks carry these guys into battle the resistance fighters. Again, single piece models (aside from getting them into the base) but for the scale the details lovely on them.
Another highly detailed model the kraken hovercraft , there was the opportunity to leave the ramp loose, but I glued it into place to make painting easier (my future ones I may leave loose).
Onto my favourite models in the box- the gun wagons. Again highly detailed, and also several parts which are interchangeable between kits.
I settled on three random setups of gun and ram (knowing I’ll have more of these to mix and match in the future) and glued them into place. Again I could have left the guns loose for movement but wanted them fixed for my first painting of them.
Another dropship later and my force is ready for war
Or at least ready for the painting table
Hobby projects, my first kickstarter adventure militia miniatures
so, after missing a whole host of kickstarters for games I’m interested Iv begun to follow it more closely and came across the following models that interested me.
made by Militia Miniatures they were already funded before I jumped on board and had some interesting enough poses that I was willing to invest in them
the kickstarter went smoothly, with the models arriving well within the predicted time (something of a rarity I gather) and the models were these
Connor, a well armoured and seemingly well equipped trooper judgingby the webbing
Charlie, a female soldier who isn’t your stereotypical female miniature (huge breasted and scantily clad) but judging by the casual pose and combat gear she kicks ass
Rodriguez, I can’t help but think ‘machete’ every time I look at this model, I assume it’s a deliberate design choice
Ghost, a camoed sniper. I’m assuming ghost is a nickname due to his ability to slip unseen through the environment in search of his perfect shot.
Mason, another well armoured trooper. This guys definitely getting a red beret.
Bennett, with his backwards facing baseball cap he’s either a cocky american or a civilian turned fighter, I’m going with the latter when I get them painted
Granger, my pick for field commander of the squad, there’s something about the authoritative pose that suggests your standard authority bucking stereotype
Strike, I’m torn on this guy, I initially thought of him as a communications expert, but now I’m thinking that he’s a ‘howling mad’ ace pilot, temporarily seperated from his wings, and his sanity
Anderson, definitely going to be an out for himself character, with just the slightest sliver of a conscience.
By far my favourite of the models, Goldman, I can’t decide whether to think of him as a wealthy employer or an intelligent leader with something to hide. The other option is another civilian, with a briefcase of some value who’ll do anything to protect it.
A couple of extra bits were included in the pledge (I can’t remember if they were stretch goals or just additional but still a nice addition). The sandbags are always going to be useful and the other equipment bits will have uses elsewhere.
overall the quality ork he casts is excellent, with minimal flash and mould lines. There are a few pits on larger flat ares, but nothing liquid green stuff won’t fix in a few minutes. A little pittings to be expected with the process anyway and it’s far less than Iv seen on many other models. It can also work to scruff up the painting of my weary band
The packaging is also nice, simple and clear with a full view of the models inside.
Iv no no idea what I’m going to do with the models once they’re painted- which I had planned to get done before Christmas snuck up on me- but I olay plenty of skirmish games that they’ll find a place in.
When end I do finally get some paint on them a follow up post will be available.
Hobby projects, getting something done
So, here’s the problem
My hobby corner / man cave is a mess, beyond the usual functional mess of any self respecting man cave, this is a whole new level. It’s at the point nothing is getting done, mostly because we’ve moved and I haven’t organised things into selling, keeping, work in progress etc etc, what I have instead is a heap of crap sitting there.
This doesn’t help my motivation to actually get stuff done, because I’d have to clear stuff and then move on to actually get sorted and do something, so tonight I will be making some effort to clear space in the cupboard. Iv forced this on myself, I have pledged that if I can’t get something built and or painted in the next five days I will paint my face, so day one of the five days is clearing space. Another of those days will be date night with my partner so I have to lose a night there too. I also want to get some ebay bits and pieces listed because I have new hobbies things I need to buy.
So I’ll keep you all updated
hobbybutterfly 