Heresy Dr Hugh figures

Recently I went through all the links on the "miniature manufacturers" page to make sure that they were all up to date. Unfortunately I choose to this shortly after getting paid and even worse whilst I was watching Dr Who on the BBC.

As sure as throwing a rock into a lake causes a splash, surfing in such a way had its obvious effect and I found myself on Heresys' website looking at their Scifi range, and then three days later a small box of figures arrived through my letter box. I have no use for them it gets in the way of all my other painting projects but I could not resist the chance to throw some paint at their "Nerdlord" range.

First up I have to say WOW, I have never before ordered goods and have them arrive so soon, and complete with a giveaway sweet, what more could anyone ask? I ordered nerdlord I, Nerdlord II, Emily Lake, the D06 robot drone basic unit together with its security upgrade (necessary for the dog shaped head).

The models are well moulded with a medium hard metal and relatively small amounts of mould lines. It was necessary to file these down, but generally they were in places were you do not loose too much detail. The "D06" figure had the most amount to remove, but this was very easy. I elected to use the D06 head and place the security panel on top of the unit. This requires a little more filing to get a nice flat fit and I nearly lost it a few times because it is so small! I drilled a small hole through the antennae looking option and pined this to the back of the unit.

I then needed to base the figures. In my rush I went for something that was very easy which was just some platicard embossed with a tread pattern. Not difficult and maybe not the most fitting base, but I wanted to get on with painting as fast as I could. I painted this a blue colour because that appears to match the colour used throughout most of the iconography.

The figures paint up really easily and I managed to get these all done in just two painting days, this is something of a record for me. I guess once you start painting something that is fun, its very easy.

I hope you enjoy the figures, I just need to work out what I am going to do with them!

So far I have resisted the temptation to paint the eyes, I was worried that it might just make them look a bit cartoony. Let me know what you think...

Miniature manufactures: an updated list

I had previously put together a list of miniature manufacturers; but these lists and links tend to get a little old, so I have spent a little while checking that all the links still work and adding new ones.

A few of these sites are still there but are starting to look a little unkempt. This might mean that the site is dead, or that I failed to notice areas where the site owner has updated it. In these cases I have added a little note so that you can see for yourself.

If you think I have missed someone, please let me know....

Kudos to Gareth who did all the original hard work.
15mm
1st Corps
2 Black Dragons
Abandoned Mind Games
Aberrant Games
Ad Astra games
Adler miniatures
Ainsty Castings
Alambic Miniatures
Alexandros Models
Alderac entertainment
Alionas - Page looks very old - visit under caution
Alkemy Miniatures
Alternative Armies
Amera mouldings
Ammon Miniatures
Antenocitis
Andrea Miniatures
Arcane Legions
Arcane Miniatures
Armorcast
Armorum and Aquila miniatures
Artizan Designs
Askari miniatures
Asmodee
Assassin miniatures
The Assault Group
Avatars of War
Aventine Miniatures
Baker Company
Battlefield Miniatures
Battlefoam
Baueda Models
BEF Miniatures
Bicorne miniatures
Blackball games
Black Cat bases
Black Hat Miniatures
Black Orc Games
Black Scorpion miniatures
Black tree Design
Blaze away Miniatures
Blue moon Manufacturing
Boot hill miniatures
Border miniatures
Brigade games
Brigade models
Bronze Age miniatures
Calpe Miniatures
Cannon Fodder miniatures
Castaway arts
Cavalcade Miniatures
Cold war miniatures
Conquest miniatures
Cool mini or not
Copplestone castings
Corvus Belli
Critical Mass - site may be dead?
Crocodile games
Crunch Waffle miniatures
Crusader miniatures
Dark Age Miniatures
Dark Art miniatures
Dark Realm Miniatures
Dark Slave Miniatures
Darkson Designs
Dark sphere
Dark Sword miniatures
D&P Miniatures
Denizen miniatures
Dixon minis
Dream pod nine
Dp Gaming Although the site exists, the links do not work. Use with caution.
Dragon Forge
Dungeon Castings
DUST tactics - now links to fantasy flight games
Dwarf Tales
Dwarven Forge
East Riding Miniatures
EBay
EBay
EBay
Ebob miniatures
El Greco miniatures
Elite Miniatures
EM4 Miniatures
Empress Miniatures
Enigma miniatures
Epicast
Essex miniatures
Eureka miniatures
Ex-Illis
Excalibur miniatures
Exodus Wars
Fantasy flight games
Fenris Games
Fenryll
Flames of war
Flashpoint Miniatures
Forgecraft games
Forged in Battle miniatures
Forgeworld
Four A Miniatures
Four colour figs
Freebooter Miniatures
Front line wargaming
Front rank miniatures
Galloping Major
Games workshop
Gamezone miniatures
Gaming figures
Garrison miniatures
Gazpez Arts
Gorgon studios
Grenadier Miniatures - site looks very old. use with caution.
Grey Matter figures
Gribbly Miniatures
Griffin miniatures
Grindhouse games
Gripping Beast Games
Grubby Tanks
Guild of Harmony
Harwood hobbies
Hasslefree miniatures
Hell Dorado
Heresy Miniatures
Heroes of the Dark age
Highlander studios
Hinchliffe models
Hirst Arts
HiTech miniatures
Honourable lead boiler suit company
Hydra miniatures
Infinity miniatures
Ironclad miniatures
Immortal miniatures
Impact miniatures
Iron mammoth
Ironwind metals
Irregular miniatures
Itars workshop
Javis Scenics
Jeff Valent Studios
JMD Miniatures
Joe K minis
JR miniatures
Kabuki models
Kallistra
Killer Bee Games
King zombie
Kingdom death
Kingsford Miniatures
Knight models
Knuckleduster models
Korwin miniatures
Kromlech
Lance and Laser
Latorre models
Lead adventures
Litko
Little lead soldiers
Maow Miniatures
Mad puppet miniatures
Magister Militum
Maidenhead miniatures
Mantic Games
Masquerade miniatures
Matchlock miniatures
Majestic bear miniatures
Matador Models
Max mini
MCS miniatures
Mercs minis
Megaminis
Microart Studios
Microworld Games
Mindstalkers
Mini miniatures
Miniature building authority
Miniature heroes
Miniature Scenery
Minos Miniatures : Site has not been updated for some time - use with caution
Mississinewa Miniatures
Mithril Miniatures
Monday Knight productions
Mongoose publishing
Monolith Designs -: Site has not been updated for some time - use with caution
Moon fleet miniatures -: Site has not been updated for some time - use with caution
Mountain Miniatures
MSB Toys miniatures
Mutineer miniatures
Mystic Hobby games
Nals Workshop
Nemesis Miniatures
New Bold world
New line designs
Noble knight games
Nocturna Miniatures
Obelisk Miniatures
Offensive miniatures
Old Crow models
Old Glory Uk miniatures
Olleys armies
On the Lamb games
Otherworld miniatures
Outpost wargames services
Pardulon Models
Park Field Miniatures
Pegaso Models
Pendraken Miniatures
Perry miniatures
Pig Iron Productions
Pinnacle Entertainment Group
Plastic Soldier Company
Prince August
Privateer Press
Pulp city
Pulp Figures
QRF Miniatures
RAFM miniatures
Raging heroes
Ral Partha
Ramshackle Games
Rat Trap Productions
Reaper miniatures
Rebel minis
Red Box games
Redoubt Enterprises
Regiment Games
Renegade miniatures
Resina planet
RH Models
Rif Raf miniatures
RLBPs
Rod Langton miniatures
Runic Miniatures
Rusted heroes Page looks very old - visit under caution
Scale Creep Miniatures
Scarab Miniatures
Scheltrum miniatures
Scibor miniatures
Scotia Grendel Productions
Secret Weapon miniatures
Sgt Major Miniatures
Shadowforge Miniatures
Shell hole scenics
Simple miniatures
Sk Miniatures
Smart max miniatures
Soda Pop Miniatures
Spartan Games
Sphere wars
Spinespur Miniatures
Spriggan miniatures
The Square
Stan Johansen Miniatures
Steve Barber models
Steve Jackson Games
Studio McVey
Studio Miniatures
Taban Miniatures
Tabletop World
Tactical miniatures
Team frog -: Site has not been updated for some time - use with caution
Technolog
Terrascenic
Tereny DoGier
Thunderbolt mountain miniatures
Thomarillion
Tins bits
Tor Gaming
Total Battle miniatures
Troll Forged Miniatures
2 hour Wargames
Ultraforge
Urban Mammoth
Valiant Miniatures Clan War page
Valiant miniatures
Venexia Miniatures
Veni Vidi Vici transfers
Victory force miniatures
Victrix models
Viking Forge
Wargames factory
Wargames foundry
Warlord Games
Warm Acre
Warrior online
War torn worlds
Wessex Games
West Wind Productions
What The?! Miniatures
Wyrd Miniatures
Xyston Miniatures
Zenit miniatures
Ziterdes
Zombie Smith
Zvezda Models

No website of their own; (can be found on Coollminiornot.com, Fantization.com, Nobleknight.com, FRPgames or Artemisblacks.com)

Name
Degra Miniatures
Dragonblood miniatures
Euphoria miniatures
Thugz Miniatures
Celtos Miniature
Magnificent Egos
Dragonrune miniatures
Velard Miniatures
Yedharo Models
Base X of War
Mad Puppet Miniatures
Pegasus models
Ares Mythologic
Behemoth Hobbies
Cowboy wars
Epic Buildings
Crunchy Frog Enterprises
Fasa Corporation
Four colour figures
Leading edge games
Roadkill Miniatures
Spyglass miniatures
Mannequin miniatures

Tomb Kings scenery

You know what it is like. You attend a show and any money you have on you, starts burning a whole in your pockets. Next thing you know you are walking around with a bag of goodies.

In my case the goodies in question was a selection of resin scenery from a company called The Square. Although they have a website, they only sell if you send them a cheque or meet them at a show. Whilst I was at Legionary on Saturday, I took advantage of their attendance. Although they have quite a broad range of nice looking pieces, I choose to go for a number of desert style resin casts to complement the Tomb king armies that are no doubt going to appear at the club in the coming weeks.

The figures are excellent value with a nice selection brought for a little over £15 (the advantage of club discount and a nice smile).

The resin is nice and dense and should stand up to a good amount of rough handling. I opted to add real sand to the base before painting. There are a number of air holes that could do with filling, but I elected to paint without making good and I don't think they are too excessive to distract from the quality of the pieces.

Size wise they are great for warhammer figures, but I plan to use the Sphinx figures either side of the steps of a building.

The sand was painted using the guide given on page 56 of WD377. To paint the sandstone terrain I started with vermin brown, worked up layers of drybrushing through 1:1 vermin brown & Tausept Ochre -> Tausept Ochre -> 1:1 Tausept Ochre & Dheneb Stone -> Dheneb stone. I followed this with a liberal wash of Ogryn flesh.

Broken needle base 

 Cleopatra's needle

 

that's a nice pair of sphinx you have there sir!

I have added a random skeleton figure to give a sense of scale.



Legionary 2011: Photos of the show and demo games

This Saturday saw gamers throughout the south west of England swoop down to Exeter for Legionary 2011; a combined show and tournament. Numbers through the door far exceeded expectations as hobbyists sought out the large number of traders and games that were available.

All considered it was a great day.

The traders included:

Angel Barracks
Baker Company
Black Scorpion
Dreamholme Scenics
Grubby Tanks
Heroes of the Dark Age
Ironclad Miniatures
Lesley’s Bits Box
KR Games 
KR Multicase
Plastic Soldier Company
Reid wargames
Space Vixens from Mars
The Square

Special thanks must go to Lesleys bits box who went "above and beyond" when helping out with prize support.

The bring and buy sale was bustling with activity, but I never saw if a massive space ship complete with working lights ever went. At £30 it looked a bargin, I just could not think how I would ever use it!

Demonstration games included the likes of...

Abbeywood Irregulars – 1938 – Very British Civil War
Cornwall Wargames Association – 479BC Plataea
Devon Wargames – Battle of Le Mesnil Patry
Escape Committee (Burnham on Sea) – Napoleonic Skirmish – Song of Drums and Shakos
Exeter Inquisition – Infinity (a high-tech 28mm SF skirmish game)
Exeter Inquisition – 40k Zombie Apocalypse Kill Team
Exmouth Imperials - Napoleonic Plastic Heresy
Gary Mitchell – Space Vixens from Mars
GCN Cornwall - Relics Tor gaming
Ironclad Miniatures demo game – Grubs!
Mos Isca – Flames of War – Push inland from Anzio
Nik Harwood – Blitzkrieg Commander in 10mm - USMC v Japanese
Nik Harwood – Cold War Commander in 3mm
Plymouth wargames - A very british civil war
North Cornwall Beasts and Bionics – Iron Kingdoms Press Ganger games
Portbury Knights – Spears’ Run – Band of Brothers refight
Ryga’s Roughnecks - The End is Nigh (Zombie survival game)
St Austell Wargames Club – Modern day pirates.
Trelawny’s Armies Gaming Society – Secrets of the Third Reich
Tus a’n Orlewen – Somewhere along the Mississippi

The demonstration boards were generally of a very high standard and I could not resist but take photos of a few. Hope you enjoy the pictures and if I can remember which is which I will add some captions.

See if you can spot a white drink cup in each shot!

Tournament ready and still 24 hours to go!

This Saturday see's gamers from across the south western UK heading down to Exeter Legionary, the annual convention largely organised by Rygas Roughnecks and Exmouth Imperials. This year the event is being held at a new and much better venue at the Exeter Matford Center, the event open its doors at 10am and closes once more for another year at 4pm. Tickets are a mere £3.00 on the door, with the usual demo games, trade stands and of course the excellent bring and buy. Three tournaments are also taking part, 40k, WFB and Warmachine - there are still a few tickets left for these, so if that floats your boat I'd get on down to the website now.

I have been working very hard over the last three weeks assembling and painting from scratch a 1500 point Skaven army for the Warhammer fantasy tournament. Amazingly I have actually managed to finish with 24 hours to spare. Which, I guess, means I started a day too early!

As said a coupe of days ago, I have not had a lot of time to blog in this last week, so my normal WIP shots have been missing. I plan to load these up over the next couple of weeks so you can have a good look at the guys. However, in the meantime, here are a couple of overall shots to let you see how they look all together.

I

Skaven: Clanrats with swords and boards

Two weekends ago I started a three week challenge to assemble and paint, from scratch, a 1500 point Skaven army ready for Legionary on 7th May. The project started very slowly with a number of distractions and a tendency to paint figures just in case I decided to include them in my list.

By last Friday some progress had been made, but not enough to help me feel happy that I had a good start on the army. With one week to go, I still needed to paint up two cannons, one doomwheel, 40 odd clanrats, 10 gutter runners and all my characters. I therefore launched myself fully into the project over the last weekend. In England we had a four day weekend because of the Royal wedding and a public holiday, so that would help.

I have excellent news and bad news. With three nights still to go I only have 9 Clanrats to go! However, I have had almost no time to stop and photograph my progress, and no time at all to blog it!

So I will need to spend some time after the tournament to photograph the work I have done....

In the meantime I have a few photographs of 18 Clanrats that I finished that are armed with swords and shields...

I hope you enjoy.

 Once again I have kept with a consistent brown / beige colour for the rags that the rats wear. I have tried to keep to a very narrow number of colours to try and create a united horde feel to the rat force when it is assembled.

 To keep this up I have no colour at all on the shields. I guess you either like the look or not.

As explained in previous posts the rats are supposed to be of the clan Septik, so the metal is intended to be very rusty. I have achieved this by washing the basecoat with both brown and orange washes, then a healthy wash of Devlan mud to tone the orange down a bit...