Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Ogrun Bokur WIP

A WIP from my Highborn Covenant Mercenary army. An Ogrun Bokur to accompany Ahslynn's Army in the ousting of the Khadoran occupiers from her homeland. With the help of Menoth who just happen to be there on their Northern Crusade. This large gent is not the Bokur as sold for WM, but the Ogrun adventurer from the Iron Kingdoms range. The simplest conversions I feel are the best. In this case, I snipped off the gun that came with him, to make space for the Khador MoW Kovnik shield he as picked up from a fallen foe. A menoth Exemplar shoulder pad adds a little more armour to his weapon arm. Both items he'd find close by, according to the fluff. He's armoured in the Purple and White in other places to tie him in with the theme of my Highborn Army. I like the design of the original armour on this mini. It almost has a bamboo/oriental feel to it in places. I was almost sad to cover it up on the arm plate, but I feel I have improved upon the original, at least as far as using him in WM is concerned.





Painting Everblight 2

Two minis to show off here. My first painted Legion model was also my first Legion 'Lock. Lylyth. The mini is simple and yet does everything it needs to. It's not as spindly as the Nyss models that followed, and as befits a warlock, has presence on the table. I'm rather proud of this one, especially the mud on the back of the cape, and the use of the white and blue feathers on the cloak to draw the eye to an otherwise drab coloured mini. The skin tone isn't one I have since used on my Legion troopers, not preferring a bleached look, but it kinda works enough for me to leave as is.








 
The second Legion mini to show off is my Blighted Ogrun Trooper. I bought this just before the release of the Blighted Ogrun Warlord, who in MKI kicked all kids of ass with the Rhyas list I was running into the ground at the time. There's a slight conversion in the addition of a spare Nyss Hunter head as a trophy. I think there's just enough gore splattered to be effective. The snow is white glue and baking soda. Works like a charm.


Crane Courtier

A Crane Clan Courtier from a Legends of the 5 Rings range, possibly by Reaper. An old mini, but I have a passion for L5R, and although I have never played the card game, nor the minis game. Nor do I use minis for RPGs in general, I couldn't pass on this mini. A lot of the ranges that came out for L5R over the years have been rather lacking, but this one is simple, and yet with nice clean lines and sharp features. I notice that with my new camera, I'm able to pick up on flaws in my painting that I can't make out with the naked eye. Maybe I should get one of those magnifying light up goggles thingies.
Yes, the base is to be finished. Maybe some floorboards, as a courtier like this shouldn't be walking around in the mud.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Caledonian Highlander Army WIP

Here's the WIP shot of the Caledonian Highlander Army I'm working on. The SAS  has been quickly finished to less than table- top, but is the most complete. Next up is my piper/medic for my Caledonian Volunteers. The mini is Piper Bill Millin, from the Warlord Bolt Action range, but he fits in perfectly with the scale. I would have prefered if he were wearing a glengarry, like the rest of his squadmates, but I can live with the beret as I have yet to source heads wearing glengarries. I'd also like to add a rifle, like his comrades, just to bring the mini up to the same tach level as the rest of the group, but I don't really think it'll be an issue, afterall, the Highlanders in this game seem a little behind the times technologically speaking. Also, from my limited exposure to the game, the mini doesn't have to replicate exactly the arms he is allegedly equiped with in game. A red cross on one of his packs and we're good to go.

You can see I've started to try the tartan on the volunteer on the far right of the threesome. They'll be wearing government issue, or Black Watch tartan. I found a neat little tutorial on how to paint it and other tartans here. I think I'll be using my fine point marker for the black lines, to tidy up the join between blue and greed, and also to keep the line uniform. However, there's a sheen to the marker pen from some angles I'll have to work around. Maybe a layer of matt varnish at the end to tone it down.

 


Hawk of the Flame

Here are some old pics of a conversion I was rather happy with. I took a Daughter of the Flame body, a sculpt I was always happy with, and added Hawks arms. The Hawk mini always left me a little cold. She was this kick ass swords-mistress, and yet her guard always seemed off. I think sticking her arms on this body works well to fix this.

The conversion isn't so much a conversion as an arm swap. but I think it works.

She's painted up to fit in with my Amon Idrian list. Not that I felt Hawk would ever fit in this list, but that was the only Menoth I had when I decided to make this conversion. I don't think she's ever seen the table.

I was never convinced by the MKI rules for the daughters. I hear MKII did them proud, but I haven't yet got round to trying them out. With the new Caster, solo, and even a character jack, I'd love to run a Daughters list. Maybe, this version of Hawk would even see the table in that army. Then again, maybe not.






Painting Everblight



A couple of years or so ago now, I decided to finally get round to painting my Everblight army. I got as far as doing this harrier as a test model. I was quite pleased with the result, although I really should have made a note of what I did to achieve this scheme, as it's been a little too long now, that if I wish to go back and do the rest of my beasts, I really would be starting from scratch.
Also, I need to work on my photography, the pics are a little bleached out compared to the mini in real life.

Starting Infinity

I finally caved, when my FLGS got in a selection of the starter armies for Infinity that includes the Caledonian Highlander Army. I've had my eye on this game for a while, and after the release of William Wallace as a character for the Ariadnan faction it became no longer a question of if I would buy into the game, but when.

My first playtest of the game, with 2 other novices, showed up that there's likely to be a steep learning curve to the system. Mainly for 2 reasons. First off, the rule book is badly laid out, and secondly, each model has a list of skills and options that you have to go back through the rule book to reference. Obvioulsy, the second problem will be reduced with time, especially if I stick to one faction, and the first, Ihave circumvented by the use of youtube videos describing the basics.

I've added 2 proxies to bulk up my force to almost 200 points. This guy on the right as William Wallace until I get the real mini, and Piper Bill Millin from this blister as a Caledonian Volunteer medic, which makes it more of a conversion than a proxy, at least it will once I stick the right kind of rifle onto his pack.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Wha'll be king but Charlie?


Another addition to the list of gaming I don't have the time to do, but whilst buying a piper from Warlord Games to use as a medic for my new Infinity Caledonian Highlander Army, I succumbed to temptation, and bought the first two character models from the Warlord Jacobite Rebellion line for their Last Arguement of Kings supplement to Black Powder. I've heard good things of the system, but I doubt I'll use it. I just wanted to have the minis. Bonnie Prince Charlie, the 'foppish Italian midget' as Billy Connelly once described him, and the Butcher of Cumberland.
I'm searching around now for a standard bearer and a piper to use to make a little vignette for Charlie. The ones available for the highlanders in Warlord's Pike and Shotte range are a little too active for what I have in mind.

Note to self, Front Rank also do Jacobite Highlanders. Must look them up if I ever get round to playing.

The bare metal doesn't show up well, but they've been cleared of flash. I'll hold out to see how I'm going to pose them before they get their base coat. The Butcher comes with 2 hand options for the right hand, a glass of brandy, or a riding crop.



Rourke's Drift

Don't throw those bloody spears at me!
It may be a bit of a pipe dream, but wargaming Rourke's drift has always been something I've hankered after. That dream has come one step closer now, due to the magnificent Warlord Games, in conjunction with Empress Miniatures. They have released 2 affordable box sets of Rourke's Drift. One basic, and one deluxe. The recent increase in availability of plastic minis making this whole thing possible. Packs like this one even maye the running of the Battle of Isandlwana withing the budget of even a small gaming group.

Of course, that still leaves the current lack of people to play against, but like I say, one step closer