I bought this set of terrain so long ago I can't remember when I bought it. Probably pre-covid. The box got put somewhere safe, and then it kept slipping out of 'what I intend to paint next' list, or more truthfully, I forgot about it.
Something about getting older and being forgetful.
So, Gale Force 9 market this as pre-painted, ready to plop down on your table and go, but it all looked a bit flat to me. Hence this repaint.
So first off, paint a brown-black enamel wash (my own recipe: just a mix of left over Mig Ammo brown and black wash into one pot).
While people rave about enamel washes, and they do have their uses, on
the whole I'd rather mix my own enamel washes using old pots of left
over Humbrol paint when I feel the need for them.
Got to let these dry, which is my main complaint as they seem to take forever to do so properly.
Then I painted black on the edges and in the cracks to increase the contrast.
And finally I add more texture to the bases.
Still more to do, but now I have to let the texture paint dry. It's a sad life, but it's my life. And I love my life.
Three insurgent Technicals surge forth. Again, I painted these a while back, but hadn't gotten around to doing a glamour shot.
I still have the white one I converted into a command crew cab to finish, delayed because it made its bitch while I was painting it white.
Still, not all is lost as I can say, check out these civilian commercial robots.
And a final glamour shot of MAPCOMs Alpha Echo Romeo Tango Two team portrait. This is the team that walked in circles and went back through the pillars and were lost.
They may of course return to haunt MAPCOM in a later story. Who knows? Not I. I just write down what the voices tell me.
After losing track of taking some glamour shots of previously finished
models. All can I say is I'm easily distracted, but I finally got around to taking some pictures.
And the insurgent improvised attack robot too.
Here are a couple of pictures of the Gunstriders next to a Peter Pig Technical for size comparison.
What is a wargamer? And is it different for everyone? A tongue in cheek response.
Setting: A club room where theGrognard, an old wargamer is listening to classical music, sat with a brush painting lace and facings on some Napoleonic figures, with an open reference book at hand.
[Sound effect: a knock on the door]
The Grognard says, "Enter!"
A portly wargamer enters, wearing thick rimmed glasses and asks, "Is this the old Grognard wargaming club meeting room?"
"Yes it is. I am the Grognard. As you can see, I am the wargamer who always has a reference book open, while painting lace and facings on Napoleonic figures.
"I see."
Grognard continues. "I am also the wargamer who says, playing with toy soldiers doesn't mean we're childish warmongers."
The Portly wargamer replies, "I am the wargamer with a mean streak to my character. You will find that I am always rolling my dice, [rolls two D6 on the table] like so. I disapprove of other wargamers who paint lace and facings on their figures. And I am always the one who checks the rule book [as he opens a rulebook] and shouting, that's not what the rules say!"
[Sound effect: a knock on the door]
The Grognard says, "Enter!"
A young wargamer, dressed in a black leather jacket that has the name of a heavy metal band on the back enters, sneers, and says, "Old Grognard wargamers, allow me to introduce myself. I'm the young unconventional wargamer who unsettles everyone in the club by playing science fiction and fantasy wargames. As you can see I sneer at wargamers who obsess over historical details."
[Sound effect: a knock on the door]
The Grognard says, "Enter!"
A slightly effete, well dressed wargamer enters the club room. "Good evening gentlemen. I am the wargamer who cares not for tradition and silly superstitions about lucky dice.
Everybody says, "Welcome!"
"However, you will notice I wear a cravat, and well fitted clothes. I have bathed before coming and therefore lack any unpleasant body odours. I have spent many happy hours painting terrain, and discussing Clausewitz's the science and art of war."
All: [sentimentally] Aaah.
"The reason for wearing a stylish cravat and my effete manner is never explained."
[Sound effect: a knock on the door]
The Grognard says, "Enter!"
Paint it Pink enters. "Forgive my late arrival, I bathed before coming and took time to dress well..."
The stylishly dressed wargamer, clearing his throat, says, "No, I am afraid that role is already taken, I'm sorry."
"... But of course." Changing tack she says, "I wear a black leather jacket and play science fiction and fantasy wargames."
The young wargamer interrupts, "I think you will find that is me, old woman."
Then Paint it Pink says, "I'm the wargamer who picks up the rule book and..."
The portly wargamer shouts out, "That's not what the rules means!"
Desperate to find her role she says, "I am the wargamer who always uses reference book, while painting my figures..." But stops speaking as she sees the Grognard reading a book with a paintbrush in his other hand. And asks, "...while listening to classical music?"
The Grognard, apologetically says, "I'm afraid so."
"You leave me no other choice! I am the wargamer who is outwardly calm but, subject to sudden [slams fist on table] and inexplicable 'fits of temper'!"
All: Aaaaah!
THE END.
With apologies to Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones, and any wargamers who might feel seen.
I have finished the refurbishment of the Chopper terrain, and decided that I needed to make the ruined factory match, so I've made a start as can be seen above. Still a fair way to go, but I'm pleased, and more importantly, enjoying doing this project.
Not seen here are the trees, which I'll shoot pictures of when I finish.
I'm noodling what to do next? Do I re-base and refinish some old 6mm building, or start on my new 15mm buildings that were lost, but now found?
Start on that jungle I've been wanting to make, but got distracted from starting.
Decided I'm going to need another piece of terrain to pose models on and decided to refurbish this town board from my Newten project from years ago.
Loving how it looks. Doing this has renewed my enthusiasm for doing more terrain.
I'm thinking about plans for: forest/jungle bases (waited for far too long to do); refurbish some 6mm buildings (for play-testing); and; redo my current 15mm building to be more flexible (taking them off terrain boards and basing them instead).
Having survived another year around the sun it's that time for resolutions, except I don't do them because the reality is that it is very hard indeed to keep to resolutions that require substantial change.
Above is the current state of affairs on my workbench, sadly mostly neglected over the holidays, though I did do a small amount of painting to make some older models painted yellow pop a bit more.
Which means paint some
miniatures, and keep
doing because they're fun things I enjoy doing.
TFL Painting Challenge: Second April Update
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A second April update to keep on top ofall the entries coming in.
First up, Mr Helliwell, who switches his attention back to 15mm Napoelonics
with a larg...
Okay for AK...47
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We played AK47 Republic (classic edition) back in January after a break of
a few years. As we were likely to have an even number show for this week's
gam...
The New Man Cave + Terrain Musings
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*If the blog seems a bit dead,* it is a combination of (a) school busyness
(b) moving house and (c) Google's 2FA (ok, the latter seems a bit lame but
it ...
Second World War German Fallschirmjager in 20mm
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German Fallschirmjager units served throughout the war and in several
theatres, so for that reason alone they've warranted adding to my Second
World War ...
ShireCon 24
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While lamenting the loss of our No 1 Wargaming apprentice (who regularly
kicks our arses on the table, just to show what fantastic instructors we
are), S...
Dark Places
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Okay, I have an old scenario of mine, Body & Soul, featured in Dark Places
published by John Curry.
You can get your copy from Amazon.
What can I say, ...
The Canadian Wargamer Podcast Is Back
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James and I catch up after a few months off, in a conversation that
includes the recent Hot Lead event, Henry Hyde's new horse and musket rules
Shot, Ste...
Sharp Practice: Silencing Singh the Sniper
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Despite the successful defence of the Mission House at Pershawarinan, the
rebellion continues and large numbers of Europeans seek shelter within the
garr...
Not Quite Back Yet
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My work crazyness finally ended mid week, though it could pick up for four
weeks at any moment. Things had been busy since last October and stepped
up a...
The Miller's Tale - Episode 9
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Episode 9: in which Mike once again attempts to remember how the heck the
Heath Robinson-esque collection of RSS feed generator, local webspace and
heave...
Williamsburg Muster
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I ran the Speeder Bike game again with a few minor adjustments to the
track and the rules. I put a gate on the other side of the Hutt palace, to
create ...
Happy New Year
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Hi everyone, normally I would be posting my "review of the year" today and
my plan for 2024 tomorrow.
But as some of you may know I'm poorly in hospital...
A different kind of convention (for me anyway)
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Earlier this month, my wife and I went to our first ever science fiction
convention: ArmadilloCon here in the Austin area.
My wife did confess that at f...
More Freakin Hexes
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About ten years ago I had this idea for terrain hexes. About five years ago
I started making some when i got my first laser cut. Then I had a thirty
five...
BIG Chain of Command Free to Download
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Recording the latest Oddcast, I suddenly realised that I couldn’t find the
free to download BIG Chain of Command file on the web site. So, here it is.
It’s...
More Cleaning
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If I ever pick coding back up, I should:
- rebuild my "History of BattleTech" chart to be dynamic and interactive;
- make a widget which scrapes my b...
The Sumos 2021*
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You know what the asterisk means. Again. I have played more games this year
than 2020, but am still well down on my usual 200+. However, I am back to
twent...
Review: Oathmark Goblin Wolf Riders
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The Goblin Wolf Riders are the first Oathmark models I have bought and I
purchased them specifically to add hobgoblin light cavalry to my Chaos
Dwarf a...
The Genie is Out of the Bottle.
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More minis from the box of shame.
This time a trader with his camel train and somen beastmen to waylay him.
I also made some table funishings and a table...
Kerensky Fried Chicken
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3D printing is a lot of fun, especially when applied to BattleTech. This is
the first of many models I will probably be printing this year and shows
just a...
I had the good fortune to be asked to write for the BattleTech universe by Sam Lewis. I had written to him suggesting a TRO to cover ...
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