A Small Witchland Tomb - a 28mm Masterclass

Barking Irons Online is featuring my latest Masterclass - a Small Witchland Tomb where I build both a smaller, simpler tomb and some grave markers. The initial models and article were both constructed and written at the same time as the earlier Witchlands Tomb in an attempt by me to increase the number of Witchlands/Undead terrain pieces in my Flintloque/Deadloque collection.

I still have some white-metal gravestones and grave markers which I should base and paint up.  Maybe this will be my next project.

Tony

I would hope that these articles have inspired followers to build their own terrain pieces and if so please include links in the comments section.  I would like to see them.

Harbinger Magazine

Earlier this month I was sorting through some boxes in the attic and came across a box file of Harbinger Magazines. A full set of all 25 paper published magazines.

When Harbinger first came out in August 2003 it really was a 'breath of fresh air' in a market that was truly dominated by Games Workshop.  I eagerly picked up my copy from W H Smiths and within two or three issues decided to subscribe.  In the very early days there were special limited edition miniatures offered to early subscribers - miniatures that I still have to this day.

At just £3.50 per issue I read each from front-to-back and absorbed the articles and review with some relish.

Later I allowed my subscription to lapse, but as you can see I still supported the publication, right up until issue 25. The last paper published magazine (2005).  I am aware that there was at least one On-Line edition which was available via www.harbingermagazine.com although recent attempts to access this site have been unsuccessful.

The main reason for this post was to have a look-back at this publication and try to assess what it was that called to me when this magazine was originally launched.

I spent a week or two reading the articles and reviews and in truth was a little disappoint. It could be that this magazine 'was of an age' and has not lasted as well as others, but I found the articles to be less enjoyable than I had expected or remembered.  I am not suggesting that I will sell-on my collection. I think I am too sentimentally attached to the memory of the earlier editions and looking back through 'rose-tinted' glasses am a little blinkered.  I find that earlier White Dwarf's still hold some fascination while Harbinger is just a reference read and a look back at what-was.

I would be interested to read what others think of this now long gone magazine and if they like me find the memory of the writing greater than the fact?

For anyone not familiar with the magazine I would suggest that you pick one or two up (there are a number available via e-bay) and have a read. They are fun, informative and give a very good overview of what game designers and figure manufacturers were working on back then.

Finally I long for a truly independent fantasy miniature/gaming magazine, but I also think this role has now been taken over by the Internet, suppliers web pages and forums.  How I long for holding a paper edition of these electronic magazines - but as time moves on I firmly believe that the electronic Web based magazine, Blog and Forum is the real way forward. I may not like it, but I doubt if there really is room or a market for such a paper based publication today.

Tony

Flash Gordon Molemen - part two

In part one, I gave some background to this long stalled conversion/modelling project however with my re-kindled interest in 40mm Flash Gordon I thought it was time that I started work on my Molemen.

Photo One - A metal miniature from the Reaper Dark Heaven/Legends range.  GarravanK the Ghoul King (number 03388) bought from e-bay.  The miniature stands 36mm tall (head to toe) and is quite a hefty lump of lead.

Photo Two - After a long e-bay search I came across this HeroClix miniature URSA MAJOR (102) - A huge brown Bear with enormous claws that I thought would be ideal for this conversion. This figure stands over 50mm tall.

Photo Three - The first part of the conversion.  I have cut both hands off the Reaper Miniature and attached the claws from the Ursa Major bear figure.  Both claws have been pinned and superglued in place.

I have not attempted any major animation, preferring to keep the pose the same. The base is a 40mm 'premium round' base with the groundwork built up from broken cork and Milliput. I have also added a layer of 1mm plastic card under the figures metal base to raise the height of the model.

At this moment there is no fine or detailed sculpting, just some Milliput around the joins between the metal arms and the plastic claws.  I intend refining the sculpting once these initial conversions have fully set.

In part three, I will detail some of the refined sculpting - this figure still looks like a ghoul with huge hands while I am trying for something more akin to the Wyrd Miniatures Molemen see in part one.

If I ever get around to modelling the other two Molemen I will have to animate the base GarravanK miniature a little more.

Tony

Grand Manner Buildings at Crisis 2011 Antwerp

I have just seen this photo report of Crisis 2011, Antwerp by dhcwargamesblog see THIS LINK 

Featured in image one and two are the recently completed Prussian Church that was originally built by me for Grand Manner see THIS LINK

The display is put on by THS (Team fur Historische Simulationen) - Leipzig 1813.

While image three shows both the European Windmill, LINK  and some of the Town Collection Link both of which are cast from my initial models.

I should add that the images have been used without permission to show some of the models I have designed and built for GM.  It always gives me a thrill to see these models both painted and used in games.

Tony

IPMS Scale ModelWorld 2011

Just one week to go before the IPMS Scale ModelWorld show at Telford.  I intend visiting on Sunday October13th - and look forward to a great day out.

Here are just a couple of images from the IPMS show last year. For full details go to THIS LINK

Tony

Flash Gordon - Molemen

My latest On-Line Build is a Moleman for my 40mm Flash Gordon project.  For over three years I have been adding to my collection of 40mm Flash Gordon characters and creatures and this is one that I have been wanting to model for most of that time.

The 40mm Jim Bowen/Cliffhanger miniatures that started this fascination have a group of four Molemen (see earlier posts) but for some reason they have never appealed to me and I have been searching out suitable proxy figures to model/sculpt and paint.

This image shows some Molemen sitting astride a jet-cycle and firing their acetylene guns. In fact I believe these creatures are a group of adversaries for Superman and not Flash Gordon.

Previous posts have detailed my plans - so far fruitless plans for a group of three Molemen. I originally looked at the Cliffhanger Molemen, but they were too simple, too cartoon like. I then looked at these Wyrd Miniatures Molemen, but after purchasing them realised that they were way to small to sit alongside my 40mm collection and so I sold them on and it was 'back to the drawing board'.

Previous Molemen entries can be found here;
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2009/10/molemen-for-flash-gordon.html

and here;
http://dampfpanzerwagon.blogspot.com/2009/10/molemen-for-flash-gordon-update.html

This time I am determined to see it through and rather than set myself an unachievable goal I intend to convert/sculpt just one test model and then looking to increase this group to three at some possible later date.

In part two I intend giving some more background and detailing the donor models used.

Finally for this post, I thought I would tempt readers and particularly the loyal bunch of Flash Gordon followers with a list of still un-modelled Flash Gordon characters and creatures that I have plans to add to this collection at some future date;
Fire People
Panthermen
Tuskmen
Droks
Horn-Snakes
Horn-Horses
Ice-Bears
Squirlons
Octosaks/Octopoids
Tigrons
Wolverons

(List taken from People of Mongo and Creatures of Mongo - Flash Gordon)

Tony

Images used without permission to illustrate text and context.

I Shall Wear Midnight by Terry Pratchett

I'm back in love with Pratchett. Last year I started reading Unseen Academicals but for the first time with a Pratchett book I did not enjoy it or finish it. I Shall Wear Midnight (the 38th Discworld Novel) has rekindled my enjoyment of Terry Pratchett and he is back to the top of his game.

I found this book in a charity book early last month and almost from page one it was non-stop roller-coaster of fun and humour.  Highly recommended.

Full details,
ISBN 978-0-385-61107-7

I know that there is a new Pratchett book (the 39th) called Snuff which I am looking forward to reading. Part of the Vimes themed story series.

Tony