Saturday 7 January 2017

From MilesR: Frostgrave Monsters, Taliban, LRDG, Bigger Monsters & Blood Bowl (435 Points)

A very eclectic set of subjects for this weeks posts - buckle up, this one gets a little confusing  First up, some more baddies for Frostgrave and my convention game (from left to right):

2 Frostgrave Wraith Knights (28mm metals from Northstar) - cleanly cast and very easy to paint

6 Mummies from the Reaper Mini's Bones line, also in 28mm.  These are the first human sized figures I've painted from the Bones line and I have to say they're just not the goods and no fun to paint at all.  Maybe it's because the flexibility of the casting material shows up more with thinner sculpts.  You can see some others in the background (upper right) that I doubt I'm going to paint.  If it's not fun why do it?

As you will further down in this post, the larger Bones sculpts are much better IMHO and you can't beat the price for the entire line - oh well live and learn.

 Next we have 26 Taliban figures plus a motorcycle,  These are 28mm figs from the Empress Miniatures lines and they are fantastic.  Empress is challenging the Perry's for number one in my fanboy book.
 Close up on 12 figures
 and then the other 12
 Close up up their "mechanized support"

 and another group shot, this time with the motorcycle on the left.  I'm sure you all agree having the cycle on the left side does make the group look completely different!
Next up a LRDG force in 28mm from the Perry's - 3 Jeeps and two gun trucks.


These were a blast to paint and like everything else in this post will be featured in one of the games I will be running at Historicon this year.

 I think the vehicles are cast by Blitzkreig Miniatures and they really were very easy to assemble and paint up
 Ok to be honest, I had planned these for the first bonus round, since I thought it was about "Vehicles".  Sadly Curt informed me that it's really about "armor" so I'm painting something else up tonight... Dohhhhh!!!!
I suppose next Curt will tell me there isn't either a North or a South round round.
 More Dungeon baddies in the form of 2 Frostgrave demons and three rather large models from Reaper Bones - an armored Troll and two Giant Scorpions
 The Frostgrave figs were given a very basic paint job but will be serviceable on the table top.
 I really like the Scorpions and may get a few more just because one really can't have too many of them.  Simple paint job but effective.
I spent a good bit of time on the Troll.  As I indicated earlier the soft plastic that the Bones are cast in doesn't really work all that well for smaller/ thinner models but holds up pretty well on larger ones.  I did replace the ax handle with a wooden dowel - I just couldn't get it to stay straight.
 These are a lot of fun to paint up.  I spent a little bit more time on the basing and used some Liquitex texture (black sand) for the ground cover and added a little more details.
 The Troll is pretty big - He'd be 60cm tall if he had better posture

An "action" shot with some 28mm scale US Rangers to give a better impression of the size o these figures.  It kind of look likes the plot from one of those awful SciFi Channel movies - thats just the feel I'm looking for in the upcoming con games.

I then took a painting break to play Blood Bowl with my son, but couldn't resist....


 Painting up the Orc's Blog Bowl team.  Rather than use the decals that come with the kit, I decided to hand paint the position names and uniform "numbers".  The decals just weren't "Orky" enough for me and, apparently, my painting penmanship is just that bad to look sufficiently "orky".
Close up of the Black Orcs - I went with hash marks from numbers rather than arabic numerals - these are Orcs, not Oxford deans.
The throwers

  Blitzers - I might tone down the yellow or add orange to make it look like flames....


 and finally, the linemen.  These are really fun miniatures to paint.
Some action shots about 3/4's the way through painting.  The constant transfer from the painting bench to the playing field did not make the painting process efficient but we've had a whole bunch of fun with the figures.

There seems to be a team that needs some pigment therapy....

This lot should net me a small total of 60 points, but I've had a great bunch of fun with them.

So that's all I got this week, which should push me over 1,000 points.  While I fell short in the "first to 1,000 points challenge" (well done AlexS!) at least I can take solace in knowing that I've met one of the Dux's criteria for success in life....

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Holy Smokes! What an eclectic mob of miniature goodness! Absolutely fantastic stuff Miles.

Your Frostgrave baddies look very good. Too bad about your experience with the Bones line, I've not tried them myself but I've heard very similar opinions from many other people. It's too bad as they offer some nice figures and are very affordable. This all being said I really like these mummies with their rotting linen wrappings and nasty khopesh swords. 

I have these very same Taliban figures from Empress awaiting in the Lead Shed and I agree they are beautiful castings. Your's look terrific and you've done a great job on their basing as well (and that motorcycle team looks like it's right from some action movie).

The LRDG vehicles are probably my favourite from this post. Wow. I just love the rough and ready attitude of these vehicle teams and you've done a very good job with all of the crew, their weapons and heaps of stowage. Such iconic models.

More Frostgrave baddies? Check. Nicely done and I particularly like that huge ogre with his humungous axe. Shrek he is not.

And finally more Bloodbowl goodness. I've never played the game, but I heard it's a lot of fun, and I know (from reading his blog) that it was a Christmas break favourite for Miles and his son. These orks look the business, especially in their wonderfully vibrant blood red armour.

Again, wow, that is an impressive amount of hobby fun to have produced over a weeks time. Miles, you are a Machine! 

32 comments:

  1. Great submission, very eclectic. I also love the LRDG vehicles, I have the chevy gun truck and it's a great figure

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    1. Thanks - The LRDG stuff was a lot of fun to do - I really recommend the Perry kits

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  2. I am indeed thrilled for you that that you are not "an abject failure in all aspects of life", though I note that the author of that comment has yet to reach the necessary level of figure completion himself...

    A great collection of hobby happiness there Miles - well done!

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  3. Yowza quite the eccectic paint bomb Miles. Bonds figures are hit or miss but you've done well with yours. Love the LRDG stuff and the moderns. Well done.

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  4. An eclectic mix indeed Miles and all top-notch :)

    Just speculating that your convention game could involve a convergence of the dimensions with the Taliban, LRDG and Orcs all finding themselves thrown into the lost city of Felstad :)

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    1. Being a historical purist, I'll be running different versions of the game - some with WW2 figs and some with moderns. It will hopefully be just some silly fun

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  5. WoW! What level of productivity! If you achieve the same at your work you must be the CEO of your company by now...

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    1. ummm, I am already - no-one else would hire me!

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  6. What a load of points!!!! LRDG are the keepers for me, great work

    Ian

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  7. That's quite an ensemble you've got there Miles!

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    1. I'm still just a pale immolation of your 4,700 point year

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  8. Wow that's a lot of stuff! I do like the Taliban motorcycle guys. What a fun mini.

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    1. It's pretty neat - I should have painted the crew before glueing them on the bike!

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  9. Damn, that's a *lot* of great stuff! You annoy me ;-)

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  10. Congratulations Millsy - you are worthy. Cripes you've been busy! That must win a prize for the most eclectic entry. I love them all, but particularly the LRDG. I'd like to see them shooting up the scorpions.

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    1. Oops! Just realised I wrote Millsy instead of Miles. Too early in the morning.

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    2. They'll get there chance to take on the scorps

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    3. Oops! Just realised I wrote Millsy instead of Miles. Too early in the morning.

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  11. Good lord man, one week's output? Amazing! I do especially like the blood bowl team, I just can't decide if it's a game I like or not...

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  12. I'm really having fun with the game - the strategy is being to come to me

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  13. Ooh LRDG are cool. I am going to have to get some. A great overall submission Miles

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  14. Wow - nice paint bomb! SAS and LRDG make great subjects and you nailed it.
    Congrats
    --Jim--

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  15. Congratulations Millsy - you are worthy. Cripes you've been busy! That must win a prize for the most eclectic entry. I love them all, but particularly the LRDG. I'd like to see them shooting up the scorpions.

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  16. Several things really do float my boat. There is the perceived "romance" of the LRDG, although they would not say so all gritty hot and unpleasant. The modern Taliban which the media portray as the new Nazis and some fantasy stuff as well. I just don't get on with Bloodbowl but I still like the figures.

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  17. Boom what a bomb, you might as well tell me what period you need a general from for our side challenge not sure I have enough vehicles to catch you. Great to see you so productive I love seeing how far people have moved on in the 3 years i have been away

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    1. Lets call it a tie and paint generals for each other - I still win because you're a much better painter than me!

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  18. Wow! I really like the Talibs, but the details on the LRDG are superb.

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  19. Awesome Milsy, I know when I get bored with unit after unit of the same thing I like to mix it up a bit but you are the mix it up king.

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  20. Well, this is quite the eclectic yet awesome entry! Can't choose what I like the best...

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  21. Incredible output! I really like the LRDG.

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