IPMS Scale Model World 2012 part three

Part three - a photo report that I have entitled Sci-Fi. Starting with some GW or Forge World models and then some classics.

This Nautilus from HLBS was huge - 60cms at least.

More to follow.

Tony

S.P.Q.ORC - Pax - Bochemannica - the Halflings part four

My three Halflings for the new game S.P.Q.ORC - Pax Bochemannica are finished.....

.....I added the shields, the two round ones came with the miniatures, while the square one is a lid of a metal chest, I thought it added some variety.

After at least one false start the three little critters are finally varnished and based. I used Ronseal Gloss Varnish for the main protective coat and then three coats of Galleria Matt Varnish. the static grass and static grass tufts are added over uPVA glue.

The Boche Halflings are mounted on to 1p coins.

With less than a week to go before the official launch of the boxed set, I can't wait to see the reaction to the miniatures going on sale.

Here are the three Halflings individually posed to show the fantastic sculpting, well done Dave Toone.

Finally, a comparison shot of one Orc Legionnaire, facing off against a 'rabble' of three Boche Halflings.  It will be a tight call as to which side comes of worse!

For more information, go to this link. The miniatures were great fun to paint and full of character, I would recommend the set to anyone looking for something a little different and quirky.

Tony

Christmas Lights for Wargame Terrain

This particular post is not meant as a 'How To', more a reminder that at this time of year many stores will be selling battery operated LED Christmas lights, sometimes priced as low as £1.99 a set.

As an example of what can be done with these low powered and small LED lights - here is a single photo of a cut-away WWII ship - A Fowler Class Corvette which is internally lit with LED's. The image was taken at the recent IPMS Scale Model World show held this November at the International Centre, Telford.

For anyone unsure as to what to look out for, here is an image of one such set of Christmas lights, run off three AA batteries.

I have used LED lighting on one piece of terrain - The Amber Shrine, which uses orange coloured acrylic plastic as the core of the central standing stone or monolith. The acrylic box is filled with LED Christmas lights and the batteries are housed in a small box built in to the bottom of the terrain board.

This final image shows The Amber Shrine lit from within and with the image taken in an unlit room, the effect is less striking than the cut-away ship in the first image, but illustrates how I used these cheap lights to illuminate a gaming board. Details of how I built and painted this skirmish terrain board can be found here.

Other uses could be landing lights on a Sci-Fi rocket base or landing pad, a Cthulhu themed cave, A Victorian street scene or individual lights illuminating resin cast houses. The tiny LED's can be inserted into pre-drilled holes and due to their small size and low heat will be ideal as spot features on terrain.

I hope that this short post gets you thinking about how you might be able to use such lighting features and effects in your games or terrain pieces - buy them now as within weeks they will be gone.

Tony

IPMS Scale Model World 2012 part two

My first selection of photos from the IPMS Scale Model World show at Telford which took place this November is a collage of images taken from the competition hall and features some stunning modelling of large Russian aircraft. I believe that all four models have been built by the same modeller and show what I think are some of the very best scale model aircraft on display on the day.

Just look at the surface detail on this metal-clad monster - stunning. More to follow.

Tony

S.P.Q.ORC - Pax - Bochemannica - the Halflings part three

I have painted the bases and the all-important braces!  There are still some bits and pieces to finish off, but the figure painting is now nearing completion.

As with the Noman Orc Legionaries the bases have been painted with a slightly darker brown than I usually use and washed with Badab Black. The small stones were picked out in dark Grey and again washed.

In the next post I will detail the metallics and small shields or 'bucklers'.

The Limited Edition Box Set is now available for pre-order, for full details go to this link.

Tony

S.P.Q.ORC - Pax Bochemannica - the Maveryc Games site

The Maveryc Games site is up and running. For full details go to this link. I will say that it is a bit intermittent at the moment with periods where it is being updated but at long last we have an official site and details of the Starter set, see this link.

I am looking forward to seeing more.

Further updates on my three Boche Halfling test miniatures will be posted very soon.

Tony

The Society of Fantasy and Science Fiction Wargamers

Earlier this week I found myself commenting on some posts over on The Notables where members were talking about Ragnarok, the in-house magazine of  The Society of Fantasy and Science Fiction Wargamers (SFSFW). Regular readers and followers know that I am a great advocate of the magazine believe it to have some of the best fan-written articles currently available. However I am ashamed to say that I am not a member! I have picked up my copies from Leisure Games in London or via the Internet.

As I sat at my computer bemoaning the poor regularity of the magazine I felt a little ashamed. This was further exasperated when I read this post from Steve Blease (founder of the Society and sometimes editor).....

.....I thought - "It is about time I did something about it." And I have now joined SFSFW.

Details of how to join are here and at just £18.00 per 6 issues of Ragnarok (thats £1.50 per month - if the magazine is published once a month or £3.00 per magazine), I think it is tremendous value for money.

I have been thinking of joining for some years - always finding an excuse as to why it can wait. However now that I am a fully paid up member, I would recommend that other who have been thinking about joining do so now and like me finally get around to supporting this group of like-minded gamers.

It has been many years since I attended BiFrost (the SFSFW trade show) and still miss it as it was a great show. Similarly I have in the past written for Ragnarok (My Flintloque Steam Tanks or DampfPanzerWagons) and continue to do so (hopefully to be published soon).

I now look forward to receiving my copy of the Rag, as a paid up member and not sneaking in via the back door.

"Pull your finger out and join today - The Rag needs you."

Tony

S.P.Q.ORC - Pax Bochemannica - the Halflings part three

Dedicated followers of fashion. The three Halflings have finally got some 'kegs'. I have used the same technique for all three, just different colours.

The base colour was laid down with two even coats, then given a highlight with a slightly lighter colour. When this was fully dry the white stripes were added by first painting in the stripes with Stonewall Grey (from Vallejo) and then highlighting with Skull White (from Games Workshop). I used a No. 2 Sable mix brush from Rosemary & Co. I have not 'washed' the trousers as I want them to be the 'spot colour' on these miniatures.

In the background 'fluff' for Pax Bochemannica it is said that particular tribes or gangs of Halflings will stick to one or maybe just two colours for their 'trews', I thought the mixed styles worked better and gives this small group of miniatures loads of character and colour.

The Boche Halflings were much easier and faster to paint than the Noman Orc Legionnaires and I look forward to painting more when the game S.P.Q.ORC - Pax Bochemannica is officially launched later this year.

I will post details once I have them.

Tony

Miniature Wargames 356 - The Chapel at Rofenburg, part two

Miniature Wargames issue 356 (December) has part two of my modelling and painting article - The Chapel at Rofenburg. Another three page spread showing how I painted and based the model.

These two images show the gravestones situated to the rear of the building and a couple of early Flintloque duelling Elves for scale. I know from the number of hits that part one received on this Blog that there were many followers and readers who found the construction article of interest. I would hope that the painting article proves just as popular.

Issue 356 - December 2012 from Atlantic Publishing, follows the same layout as the previous issue, however I think the 40mm AWI figures from Front Rank that feature on this cover are better than the Samurai shown on last months issue.

Content has a Morale theme running through it, which I found interesting, however my favourite articles were the Dark Horizons piece by Gary Mitchell and the guest editor article called On the Front Line by Tony Smallwood.

Miniature Wargames issue 356, retails for £4.25. I picked my copy up from WHSmiths in Kidderminster.

Tony

IPMS Scale Model World 2012 - Telford

With Dave Bodley from Grand Manner I visited the IPMS Scale Model World Show at the International Centre, Telford on day one - Saturday, 10th November.

We arrived just after 10.00am, and parked in one of the overflow car parks, which I find easier and quicker than queueing for the official or main car park.

We were through the main doors and into the first hall within a few minutes and were once again struck by the size of this huge show which this year occupied three halls and a further suite for the competitions.

It is my intention to post images of the models over the next couple of months, but for now, here are a few of the 1:1 scale exhibits. First a Daimler Dingo Scout Car.

The nose of an Avro Shackleton MR.1

Westland Lynx HMA.8

Valentine DD  (Duplex Drive) Tank

The whole visit lasted until gone 4.00pm and even then, I'm not sure I saw everything. I did however have a great time. One of the highlights for me is searching-out Ian Sadler and once again thanking him for the hints and tips that he passed on to me last year, the year before and the year before that.

This time around Ian was demonstrating a technique for creating rust and/or chipped paint.  The steps are shown below, but for simplicity sake I have summarised them;

1 Grey Primer
2 Base colour (in this case Soviet Green)
3 Mixed Vallejo Acrylics (Dark Rubber, Smoke, Hull Red, Chocolate Brown, Mahogany Brown, Flat Brown, Red Leather and Orange Red) - The colours are brushed on in a haphazard fashion and built up from dark to light as can been seen in the photo.
4 Spray on cheap (and un-perfumed hairspray) and sprinkle with salt - you can use normal table salt or sea salt.
5 Spray paint with your base colour (again Soviet Green).
6 Use a cotton bud soaked in water to remove the salt, leaving the rusted or chipped areas.

NOTE; Please use un-perfumed hairspray as the perfumed variety can effect the salt. This example was painted with acrylics - the same effect cannot be guaranteed with enamels.

The above tutorial/article was given to me by Ian Sadler, IPMS Armour TAS.

Staying with tutorials, I saw these two images on the Forgeword stand and thought they would be of interest.

Most of my purchases were books and magazines, but I did pick up a whole load of cheap barrels, sacks and terrain pieces to re-stock my 'bits- box'. It always amazed me, how much free stuff I come away with from this show - more magazines, samples and loads of catalogues and information leaflets.

More to follow.

Tony