Bugman command

Here is a 'blast from the past', a group of early Games Workshop/Citadel miniatures - Bugman Rangers, including the great brewer himself, his personal standard and a musician.

The figures were painted many years ago and originally individually based on 20mm x 20mm card bases, however some years later I saw a beautifully painted display piece at the Games Workshop store in Merry Hill, Dudley, West Midlands. A group of cossacks on a rock and snow base and after discussing the piece with the manager I wanted to try out the technique.

I cut two GW 40mm x 40mm bases and glued them back together as a single 60mm x 40mm display base. (You need to strengthen the underside of the base or it will warp). The three miniatures were first glued onto small blocks of scrap balsawood, while the groundwork was built up from actual rock and Milliput before being painted and varnished. Later when I was sure the base was fully dry I added the snow - white PVA glue and caster sugar!

When set I added some highlights with pure white acrylic paint and varnished the snow with acrylic varnish. The final step was adding static grass.

I had intended building and painting more dwarf displays using the same technique, but after painting a group of Gripping Beast Dwarves, and mounting them in the same way (painted with black and white uniforms, as featured on the GB website and a red dragon pendent) the urge subsided! The Gripping Beast Dwarves were later sold at a 'bring-and-buy' stand.

I still have very fond memories of actually gaming with these pieces nearly twenty years ago!

Tony

The black background was a test suggested to me by my son. I think it looks OK, but I'll be sticking with my pale blue backdrop in future.