From DaveV: Talisman Adventurers - first post (Limbo) (50 points)

My first post for The Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XV are six classic, pewter Talisman figures from GW, released for their eponymous board game.

(I meant to get these done over the Christmas holidays. Life and circumstances get in the way. Thank goodness for Chinese takeaway on Christmas Day, when most places are closed.)

I started collecting and painting Talisman figures when they were first released to supplement the game tokens, back in 1985(!). In recent years I painted a couple more, including a Warrior for a previous Challenge. Still and all, I only had a dozen painted figures from the game. Last year, after I painted an Elf, I prepared and primed a Troll figure for the Challenge, and looked at the 30-odd unpainted figures I still had, but never got to painting any of them.  

I finally got serious, and scoured the internet to complete my collection of metal Talisman figures. Mostly from eBay, I managed to complete collecting  the set, some 50-odd figures in total - including the ones I already painted. Now I have to paint the rest of them.

Yesterday I finished painting 6 Talisman figures, including that old Troll. 

Below, Talisman Dwarf, Amazon, and Barbarian. The “steel” parts are the burnished pewter of the figure, glazed with acrylics.

Below, Troll, Wizard, and Saracen. IIRC, the Saracen's shield is from Victrix, and the shield transfer from Little Big Men.

A recent article I read showed that prehistoric saber tooth tigers had reddish brown fur, which I rendered on the Amazon's fur, below:

I used zenithal highlights to base coat the figures. I sketched in the flesh tones with acrylics, then highlight, shadow, and blend with tube oil paints. The rest of the figure is mostly acrylic or oil glazes, with details like spot highlights with oils.

The weapon blades etc. were burnished with a soft nylon brush in a Dremel tool, finished with a rounded metal tool, then covered in painters’ tape before base coats.

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I based the figures to also be usable for Steve Jackson Games' classic TTRPG, The Fantasy Trip (comprising "Melee" for fantastical personal combat, "Wizard" for magical duels, "In the Labyrinth" for roleplaying, and various solo quests, adventure modules, and game aids). I based the figures for TFT. The hex bases are painted black, with the front facing sides painted grey for quick reference during battles. Adversaries gain advantages for striking at a model's sides or rear hex faces. 

I recently re-played Metagaming/Steve Jackson solo quest Death Test using my existing Talisman figs, and my 1st ed. rulebook from 1978!

I ordered some more solo adventures from Dark City Games. I also have the Silver Dragon and Unicorn Gold quests from Metagaming from the early 1980's, which I never played back in the day. As I recall, a high school friend did run a campaign for us that included the Metagaming (and now once again Steve Jackson Games') module  Tollenkar’s Lair. 

I look forward to pushing around these new figures in future solo quests. Below, an all-fighter beginning character party for Death Test, or to include in Treasure of the Silver Dragon:

Collecting these figures also prompted me during the past several months to collect, paint, and/or base various adversaries for my murder hobos, many of which I show below (but are not part of the Challenge).

The zom-bear is my favourite baddie, a 3D print I got on Esty.

Below, a rogue's gallery of adversaries I used when replaying the Death Test:

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Painting Challenge Totals:

(6 x 28mm figures) + Limbo = 30 + 20 = 50 points 

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Hey Dave!

Welcome back to the Challenge and what a great first post! (and just in the nick of time ... the dreaded cut off day is near)

It is true that all gamers/painters have such treasures waiting in the lead pile, each mini hoping to be found and wishing to be painted so beautifully. I particularly like both the  troll and the wizard! Your commitment to using oils, acrylics, glazes, burnishing and polishing wlth dremel tools  astonishes me, but the results are totally worth the time!

Well done and 50 points to put you on the scoreboard

Can't wait to see what you show us all next!

- Sarah