Some Work from Zach

A collection of Zach's works

The Great White Ape of Barsoom

He did a good job on the white fur

Woola, the Calot

I forget which Barsoomian critter this is... 

A Chaos Warrior

Also, the flank of a Banth (Barsoomian lion)

 Chaos Beastman Army Centaur Banner

Another Chaos Beastman. Zach has an entire army of these fellows

LPL Round 5, 6, and 7...

Strike...
Strike...
Strike...

Dammit.

Round 5: Red Sun Boyz

   I was up against a very strong entry this round, I admit. But the final score was downright humiliating. A friend tried to console me by mentioning there might be an anti-Games Workshop bias. Which is true, that almost certainly did cost me a few votes. But still. The only thing I can think to have done better on the painting of this one would be to have made the red sun on the banner larger. As it is, it kinda looks like an afro. I did at least get the bonus points for non-horse animals and riders.

Loss: 427 - 17.

Round 6: Mechanized Chuhuac, 15mm

   These are more of the 15mm Chuhuac from Loud Ninja Games. This time it's a trio of scouts on grav bikes and two support units in the form of heavy armored walkers. In the background is their dropship, which bears an uncanny resemblance to a Firefly-class transport.

Loss: 364 - 105


Round 7: The Orcland Raiders (15mm)

   These are figures from the Portaball 15mm fantasy football Kickstarter. The Orc team, obviously. I know that one mistake was that the background overwhelmed the minis. I got killed in the voting, too. Not a strong entry, to be honest, so I'm not as upset about losing this one as some of the others where I thought I had done better.

Loss: 398 - 50

At last check in, I was winning Round 8 by a narrow margin. Wish me luck...

Lots of Objectives

15mm Black Faced Sheep

Objectives/Scenics

Food sources are a great target for a raid.

25mm Native Pots

Objectives/Scenics

   Each of these is numbered on bottom. The number corresponds to a chart. On the chart is the result for searching the objective: friends, foes, treasures, or traps! I stole this idea from Frank Chadwick. So you know it's good.

15mm Swine

More Objectives. See Sheep, above.

A new tree, and a Marksman of Miragliano.

A little scenery and another trooper.

The tree has four more like it. Steel base, too.

LPL Rounds Two and Three!

  My Round 2 entry consisted of five Empress Miniatures Zulu Wars British figures. The title was Canal Patrol on Mars, or something similar. It lost, sadly. I think partly because the photo isn't the greatest, but a lot of it had to do with the other guy's entry telling a better story, as well. Painting skill wise, I thought we were fairly evenly matched. Dropped from #7 to #20 - I got my butt kicked, real hard.

"Blimey, sir, but it's 'ot out 'ere!"

  Round 3 was another winner for me. Some older  Warhammer Fantasy battle figures, circa the late 1990s if I remember correctly. Maybe as recent as the early 2000s though. At the end of Round 3, I am in 16th place. If I am forecasting properly, I believe I will lose this next round, and will probably drop to about 22-23 of 40.

Old School Bases - Green!

The Humble Powder Monkey

   The sculptors at Games Workshop/Citadel Miniatures produced, once up on a time, a small little figure of a monkey with a powder barrel. This was intended, as far as I can tell, as just a little piece of scenic fun. However, what if the powder monkey had a purpose in the game? I propose three options.

Option 1: Extra Crewman (4 pts)

   Because it sucks when you lose the crew and you can't shoot your Great Cannon any longer, let's give them a  bit more staying power. The powder monkey acts in all respects like a regular Human crewman for a gunpowder weapon. Simple. I actually use my powder monkey this way because I lost a crew figure.

Option 2: Safety Monkey (4 pts)

   Because it sucks when your Great Cannon blows up, we have Safety Monkey. The monkey has adulterated the gunpowder for your war machine. Now, if a Misfire result is an explosion, roll a die. On a 4+, the powder was no good instead, and the gun is out of action this turn and the next as the crew draws the ball, kicks the monkey, reloads, etc.

Option 3: Monkeying with the Powder (no points)

   Because it sucks when your powder is serpentine and you have a monkey mixing it up for you, we have Monkeying with the Powder. Monkeys really shouldn't be relied upon to mix gunpowder in a consistent or safe manner. Therefore, every time you fire the weapon to which the monkey is attached, you roll a die. 

1. Thanks to poorly mixed powder, the weapon fails to fire. Reload and fire again, losing this turn.
2. The weapon performs as stated in the rules.
3. The weapon performs as stated in the rules.
4. The weapon performs as stated in the rules.
5. The weapon performs as stated in the rules.
6. Extra strong powder, causing the weapon to act erratically. The effect depends on the particular weapon, but is as follows:

• Cannons and Great Cannons: Add 4" to the 'bounce' roll.
• Mortars: The fragments hit at +1 S (S4).
• HellblasterVolley Guns: Extend both short and long range by 3, i.e. short is now 0-15, long is now 15-27.
• Hellstorm Rockets: If Artillery die was not a hit, deviate twice, re-rolling Misfire results.

   So, there you have it. These rules, of course, are in no way endorsed or approved by Games Workshop, and are certainly not 'tournament' legal. They are just a bit of fun, the sort that should be agreed upon amongst players prior to a 'friendly' game, similar to the themed armies presented in the army book.

More painting finished...

  I know that you have all been awaiting this post with bated breath (not baited, right? That would smell fishy, I think... anyway, sorry about the ADD kicking in there). More painted stuff! Yay!

  I finished up some more Nordlander spearmen, so I took a picture of the unit so far. I just need to paint up three more spearmen and the champion, and they are all currently on the table.

   I also finished two more Combine Ogres, a Mk. I and a Mk. II. The Mk. I was manufactured in the Houston autofac. The Mk. II is out of the autofac near Mexico City, in Toluca. It's designation BTOL led to the nickname "Beetle."

HOU-65-I-22

BTUL-69-II-2, aka "Beetle 2"

"Beetle 2", a Mk. II Ogre.

   SOme more assistance for my fledgling Cygnar Warmachine army. This is a Squire, a very special and really helpful little warjack, although useless in a fight.

   Last of all, a couple of figures for the Lord Curr's Incorrigibles Company for the VSF skirmish game In Her Majesty's Name. These will go along with Mohan Singh, whom I introduced a few days ago.

"Mad Mick" McFarlane

Sam Warburton, 'ard 'un.

The Imperial Army of the North (Well. part of it)

   I recently uncovered some old plastic Warhammer Fantasy Battle spearmen, for the Empire. This is a pretty good thing, because that is the army I have been building over the past few years. I will probably have it ready to go for my sons about the time the youngest one goes off to college, but that doesn't matter.

   Problem: They are already partially painted, and for the Grand Barony of Nordland, whose colours are blue and yellow, rather than for either the City-State of Talabheim or the Grand Duchy of Talabecland, in red and white and red and yellow, respectively, which are the colours and patterns in which the rest of my army to date has been painted.

   Solution: The Grand Army of the North. Instead of just the first two regions, I am making the army a consolidated force of multiple provinces and city-states. Which makes incorporating Knights Panther and Knights of the White Wolf a little easier, story-wise, anyway.

   Here are the first five, all done. I've another 11 or 13 to finish up, including command.

Right shoulder... ARMS!

The Lions of Dietershafen

Warmachine Update # 4 Plus Handgunners

   I managed to finish a few things tonight: the Cygnar Warcaster and a unit of twelve Empire handgunners from Talabheim. The handgunners have been languishing on my painting table for several months now - maybe even a year. So I am glad to be done with them. The warcaster also finished off the starter box of Cygnar models that Zach gave to me. Early, no less! I had promised to try and have them done by the end of March, and here it is with a week left to go in February. Miracles never cease.

   Enjoy the photos, and, as always, any tips or comments are appreciated.

Cygnar Warcaster - Don't recall the character name, honestly.

A view of his Steam-Magic Armour Powerplant

Command Group (Flute and Standard)

These are added when not using the unit as a detachment.

The "Violent" Violet Regiment

A Sharpshooter takes deadly aim...

   I think the handgunners will normally serve as a detachment, but I wanted to be able to field them effectively as an independent unit, hence the standard bearer and musician.

Just a Quick One, then...

Random, but cool: A Bentley near the house.

Burning Hitlerite tanks (FOW)

Burning Soviet tanks (FOW)

My 8th Army Brit objective marker (FOW)

Unfinished Empire Marksman (Talabheim)

Unfinished Talabheim Musician

Unfinished Talabheim Banner

Another shot of FOW objective

GW Powder monkey, part of my Empire Great Cannon crew

And from behind. Mutant two tails...

The Empire Paints Back

   Okay, it is only a moderately clever title. But I have been painting again, last week mostly. The work has been aimed at the Warhammer Fantasy Battle Empire army I started about two years ago for my sons. The army is a mix of Talabheim and Talabecland troops, with some random extras thrown in. I finished up the Kislevite horse archers and flagellants last year, and the start of two units of state troops (swords and halberds).

   I finished up another five swordsmen, and ordered the remainder. These are Talabecland troops, in yellow and red. I finished the Warrior Priest of Sigmar a couple of months back, as well, which lets me field the flagellants. I also finally finished the two crewmen I had for the Great Cannon, so that is ready for the field. I am painting up a powder monkey to act as the third crewman for now. I am almost finished with the Talabheim halberdiers, as well. Five more are about 90% done. I need to re-do the banner for that unit, since it is a Reikland banner, but that is a pretty easy fix. The rest of the unit of 20 are on order as well.

   On the table right now are the powder monkey, a champion (for the soon to start Talabecland Spears), and a unit of Talabheim handgunners. Plus odds and ends of other projects.

   One problem I have is that the halberds and swordsmen I have are of an older plastic pattern, and the spearmen and the last fillers are of the newer sculpts. Not a huge deal for the swordsmen, but the 2006 sprues for state troops are a lot different from the spearmen and halberdiers, especially in how they hold their weapons and all the feathers! Feathers snip off easily enough, but re-positioning the arms and hands for the halberdiers is not. May have to hit eBay for more of the older ones.

End of May Review

   In short, May was a horrible month for painting. Too many guests, too much work, etc., etc. The excuses abound. But the fact is I only sat down at the table for about three hours in the entire month. Here's the official tally:

• MG Platoon Goal: 15mm Indian Machinegun Platoon for FOW. Primed only.
• Great Cannon Crew Goal: Finish these two buggers. Untouched
• Free Taffy Goal: Finish these ten sods, too. 90% complete. A few touchups and basing.
• 6mm French Walker Goal: Epic GW Eldar War walkers, x4. (new!) Still in packing
• 6mm British Walker Goal: Epic GW Imperial Guard Sentinels, x5 (new!) Still in packing
• 6mm Rocket Goal: Epic GW Pulsa Rokkits, x2 (new!) Still in packing

  In addition, I started work on a 25mm scout aeronef from Ironclad Miniatures. You can find out more about that on Victoria's Boys in Red. Finally, I did work on a random piece, just sitting there looking for some work to be done. It was a GW Epic Squat Overlord airship. Well, I suppose it still is one, just with some fresh paint and a new purpose: to serve l'Empereur. Yes, a French airship for 6mm VSF. It is actually quite small, but heavily armed for its size, with six field guns, a few Mitrailleuse, and an assortment of bombs.

6mm French Armoured Zeppelin

April 2012 Goals

   As prophesied yesterday, here are this month's goals:

1. 6mm British WTNW Goal: Finish last two battalions from March.
2. VBCW Regulars Goal: Finish the unit of 10 Free Welsh Republic Army Regulars.
3. FOW Indians Rifle Platoon Goal: Finish the last section of the platoon. And the new stuff...
4. Brass Soldaten Goal: 7x Parroom Station Clockwork Soldiers I purchased at Historicon 2011 Flea Market.
5. WFB Empire Gunners Goal: Finish two gunners for Empire Great Cannon.
6. FOW Indians MG Section: At least one section of HMGs to support the Indians.

    I know its a lot of goals, but two of them are mostly finished, and one is a simple project. I have another, super secret project that I am not ready to unveil just yet, that I hope to have more work done on over the next few weeks. I'll reveal that when the time is ripe...

Goal Update

   After the whinge-fest I indulged myself with on Friday, I thought I would Do Something About It today. The results were favorable, for a first day of getting back on the wagon.

6mm British Battalion

   The Zulu Basing Goal stands at about 41% completed. That is, I have 41 out of 101 totally done. Yes! I like that. The other 60 are in various stages, so I suppose I could claim that I am further along than 41%, but considering that 20 of them need to be removed from their old bases first, and that I am out of superglue to attach to the washers right now, I am going to go with only what is actually done on this goal. But a 25% jump from yesterday is a good start, I think.

   The Indian Rifle Squad Goal is now about 15% done. I have most of the base coat down on the MG section, but I thought I had a Rifle section with NCO primed. Wrong! Had to clean up another Rifle section and get it primed. That's done now, though. I might do the Platoon HQ base as long as I am after this. But I do have one major problem: lack of two paints! And the LGS does not carry Vallejo - I've asked, they are basically a GW pimp. I suppose I could prostitute my love for Vallejo and just get the equivalents in GW pots, but that hurts. So a start, but a good bit to go still.

   The Steamtank Turret Goal is almost done, call it 95%. Just waiting on that superglue to attach the gun barrel to the turret front, then I can spray the whole tank with Testor's ModelMaster dullcote (my clear coat of choice these days) and it will be table ready at last.

 Ironclad Miniatures Steam Tank

   In addition to the above, I also finished off a Warrior Priest for our WFB Empire army, and the first battalion of 6mm British for my long-stalled 6mm When The Navy Walked project (top photo).

  In all, a good day. I think though, that instead of instituting monthly goals, I might want to do weekly goals instead. Shorter range, more targeted. Something I want to think about at least.

WFB Empire Paint Projects

 Well, I got a couple of things finished yesterday. Thought I would post a couple of pics before I take off tomorrow. First up is a champion for a Talabecland regiment. Second is four of the five Kislevite horse archers. Number five is done, just waiting on a nice fresh can of clearcoat. Maybe tomorrow I can get him done too.

   I am not really happy with how the horses came out on the Kislevites, but it was time to stop mucking about with them. So now I have two regiments really finished for that army, after only two years. Well, three if you count the Talabheim Halberdiers, but I really need to do another ten of them, and I have eight swordsmen done for a detachment. Maybe that counts as another regiment. As far as this project is concerned, I think I'll do more swordsmen.