More 28mm Medievals

Although autumnal tasks kept me from painting much this weekend, I did finish some more medievals for my 28mm DBA/HoTT army.

I knocked off the last two knights I need for the DBA list I'm working towards. One of these guys needs a standard so we can tell it is the general stand--perhaps tonight if I get a moment.

As I had two extra knight figures, I based them up as heroes. Dang, I am tired of painting knights! As you can perhaps tell from the uninspired paint jobs. The fellow on the left is a minor conversion--I swapped out the lance for a big-ass sword. Typical of the Zvezda figures I took the sword from, the hand/pommel piece is separate from the hilt/blade piece. That was a hassle to get straight--why would anyone build a set like that? If I ever wanted a separate blade or hand, I could cut them apart. But why make everyone glue them together?

I did two 4Bw bases. The one in king's livery is for the list and the other group of peasant bow is for some extra flexibility in HoTT. While the Zvezda figures fill a gap in the existing 28mm plastics ranges, they are a lot of work to paint when compared to the GW Bretonnians. It is hard to describe, other than the Zvezda are just plain fiddly.

I also did two bases of psiloi, one for DBA and one extra for HoTT (as I had some left-over figures).

Finally, I based up a Heroscape dragon for kicks. I have left a cleric for the HoTT side and (I think) an artillery piece for the DBA army, both of which I am waiting on. That will leave a few extras so I might do another unit of spear or two and a foot hero for HoTT.

Up next: A 15mm late Roman DBA army is underway along with some DBA terrain. Then maybe some 28mm legionnaires for a camp I have been dithering on finishing.

FS 28mm HoTT Skeleton army

SOLD!

I have completed painting up all of the skeletons I acquired this summer and have parted the results into two Hordes of the Things armies: one I'm keeping and one I'm selling. This is the army for sale. It comprises 9 bases of foot (30 figures) and 5 bases of mounted/flyers (8 figures) and comes in at 30 AP.

First up are three bases of riders. These give the army some mobility and are one of the better units in HoTT. These are GW plastics (tomb kings, I think) with 60mm frontages.

The army also includes a chariot. This could be played as a rider general or as a knight--I think the latter is a better for for the model. Again, a GW tomb king model.

The army also has three shooter bases of archers. This creates a good rough-going group and also gives good protection against other mounted units (unless you roll ones...).

The core of the army are five bases of blades (could also be spear or hordes, depending on your desires). These are GW vampire counts and are sweet models.

I have includes a close up to show off some of the detail.

Every skeletal army needs a lich and we have a hero, cleric, or magician (your choice). this is a vampire count with a custom-made staff (jeweled) and cloak (putty).

Finally, there is a unit of bats as flyers. This is a metal Reaper model.

these are from a smoke- and pet-free home if that is a concern for you and have been painted by me with acrylics and sealed with floor wax. They will be shipped with each base bubble wrapped and floated in peanuts. I'm asking $100 OBO plus $20 shipping in Canada or the US. Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca

Up next: A coiuple of commissions are en route but in the meantime, I have made a start on some littoral terrain (maybe I'll do a tutorial) as well as a 15mm late Roman DBA army that I found in a drawer. Perhaqps some stock taking is in order? I also have some 28mm plastic medievals that I am basing.

FS: 28mm HoTT Mech Army

SOLD!

Tired of your HoTT opponents mocking your elves' pointy ears or dwarves' "gamer girth"? Give them a surprise next week by trotting out the MECH DEATH ARMY! This army includes 21 bases worth 45AP. All figures are 28mm plastics on bases with 60mm frontages.

Leading the charge through the worm hole or stargate are two huge mechs that would be suitable as behemoths. You could also use these are artillery.

There are also four smaller mechs that would be good as knights.

There are three bases of mechanized body armour. These could be used as riders or as flyers.

The core of this army are nine bases of three-man shooters. Each team includes two with submachine guns and one with a larger support weapon.

This is a front-back close-up.

There are also three special units. Left to right, there is a magician (technical wizards--could also be fielded as a cleric), a hero (with sidekick), and a lurker.

I'd like $100 OBO for these figures. Shipping in the USA and Canada will be $25. I'd love a description of your first game with them! Figures will be bubble wrapped and floated in a box of peanuts. Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca .

DBA trouncing

I swung by Bruce's house the other night for some DBA and he hauled out some Crusader and Saracen armies. I don't think I have ever played this period before and took the locals against Bruce's religious imperialists.

Game one saw III/65 v IV/7. I felt I played okay and lost largely because I rolled three one's as our lines came together. Overall, a swirling cavalry battle and a lot of fun, with the crusaders winning 4 v 2.

Game two I switched to IV/6 and played Saladin, alas very poorly. I had a devil of a time with his knights. The first game I lost 4-1 including my general stand.

The second game I tried a different strategy but again used my cavalry (losing 3G-1). I wonder if the trick is to use the terrain and the weak foot elements more effectively.

Up next: A very cool 28mm HoTT army for sale. Then perhaps some littoral terrain for DBA. And then some more 28mm medievals.

15mm dwarves

I finished up a small 15mm HoTT army (reinforcements for the purchaser as it turns out). I see the glue is still a bit wet here; such impatience!

The core of the this group are three artillery units.

My favourite figure is the fellow holding the telescope in the foreground. I think these are Black Foundry miniatures.

There are also three bases of mounted dwarves of sabre-tooth tigers (?).

I made one of the command stands into a hero. He is standing on a hill of blue tack (my new favourite things to have on the hobby bench).

The guy on the hill is pretty cool. The hero himself looks like a professional wrestler. But I like him!

There are two bases of bow.

And then three bases of crossbow, including one with a command stand. All told, some nice dwarves and nicer than the ones I painted last fall.

Up next: Some DBA with Bruce tonight to get ready for the fall campaign. Plus an odd 28mm HoTT army is drying--more on that when it is posted, I had a good haul at the Red Claw bring-and-buy on Saturday! Then some more 28mm medievals, I think. Oh, and some 15mm Saxons need to be rebased.

Vikings rebased

The upcoming EDBAG dark ages campaign necessitated some rebasing of my viking army. These were (I think) the first 15mm miniatures that I painted so the painting itself is not the greatest. But better bases really helps!

I'm going to be playing the Leidang (III/40c) list which means I may need to grab a few 3Ax bases if I want all of the variants (maybe from my Irish army) although I imagine I will play the 4Bd options most of the time.

Although the painting itself is lame, I was interested to see how much more experimental I was with shields back when I first started the scale.

Some figures did turnout nicely. The bowmen, for example, are decent enough.

And I'm actually quite happy with the camp (it is a 6mm house from Irregular).

Up next: I hope to have a 15mm HoTT dwarf army done this weekend. I did most of the block painting last night so have only details left. A bit stuck on shield designs though. I also have some more 28mm medievals primed and ready to start. And, while I'm in the rebasing mood, I have a 15mm Saxon army that also needs new bases.

15mm AWI Militia

I completed a portion of a commission last night: Some more 15mm AWI guys. The first unit comprises four bases (12 figures) of freedom-loving militia.

These looked like older figures with nice, simple lines. I quite liked them.

I thought the command stand fairly fetching.

There were also six bases (12 figures) of over-the-mountain men.

I tried to make these bases a bit rougher than those of the regular militia.

Up next: A rebased 15mm viking army is drying. I also have some 15mm dwarves underway, with the flesh, metal and fur (some are riding big cats!) painted. Must now come up with a colour scheme. Then on to some more 28mm medievals: a base of knights, two heroes, some psiloi, etc. And I need to make some littoral terrain.

28mm Medievals

A have had a couple of request to address how I paint figures. I think the question is "how do you paint so quickly?", rather than "how do you paint so well?" :)! For the last batch of medievals I did I kept a quasi photo-journal of the steps. For this purpose, I chose to use a bunch of old GW Bretonnian archers I was doing to make an 8Bw unit.

After building and priming, I usually drybrush the metal first (especially on figures in mail) and then carefully fill in the flesh. The idea is to put a few strokes down that catch the major planes of the face and hands but that leave a black area of shadow between them. This looks cartoonish up close up but great at a distance. Mistakes get fixed up during the wash stage below.

I then block in the main colours. I don't bother with highlighting and just choose a mid- to light shade. I generally paint in the direction that the folds of the clothing run so as to again create shadows. I use a fairly large brush for this and tend to go quickly so as not to over think it.

Same figure from the back. at this point, there are eight colours on the figure.

I then use the "dip", which is a mix of future floor wax, black and brown paint. This wash seals and shades all at once. I have heard good things about the army painter product but am not shelling out $30 a can! The dip darkens and adds a bit of shadow.

Compare the pictures above and below to see the degree of shading. The dip tends to run a bit so you have to wick it off at with a drybrush where it collects (hems of the clock, bottom of a shield). A bit of white glue mixed in will reduce how much it runs if the figure doe snot have a lot of etched detail.

I've dealt with how I base in an earlier post.

This is the result. I won't win a painting competition and my armies look a bit dirty (which is how I prefer them) but boy it goes faster. I think I did 19 figures in about 3 hours (not including drying or basing).

And from the back. Looking forward to giving this army a whirl once I finish a few more elements.

I also knocked off a base of spear from the Zvezda fantasy plastics range.

I like the figures but the building is a bit fiddly. I also did a base of crossbow.

Up next: Some 15mm AWI should be rolling off the assembly line tomorrow evening and I will prime some 15m dwarves tonight if the weather cooperates. I will also be basing some vikings up for an upcoming campaign. Then likely a few more 28mm medievals to complete this army plus some HoTT elements.