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| Oathmark metal Dwarfs - a thing of beauty. |
and on the sidelines -
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| That's a lotta fur... |
So the main area is taken up with both blisters of the metal Oathmark Dwarfs (Available here) which are beautiful sculpts. Like, really beautiful. Very distinct lines and so full of character. I hope I enjoy the plastics as much once I get to them.
The astute amongst you will have noticed that I have used standard lipped bases for them, rather than the 25mm squares that Oathmark will be using. Three reasons for this; firstly, I really like the look of lipped bases, secondly, they now match most of the minis I have painted up, and thirdly, I'm planning on using them for a Fantasy Saga army once the sourcebook is released, and if I can shoe them into an Oathmark force, well, that's good too.
I have the King and Wizard on 40mm bases to use as a Warlord and Priest respectively, and the Musician was added to the Champions pack to make a unit of Hearthguard. Sadly, I didn't get in on the Nickstarter, so I missed out on the limited edition one, or he would have made it in there. (insert begging shoutout to any kind soul reading this that has a spare)
Let's have a closer look at a few of them. First up is the King, in a static, yet, commanding pose, sword help aloft, massive beard tied just above knee level (probably for tactical reverse manoeuvrers). His cloak is probably crying out for some freehand work, but I've already pushed the boat out by going for a half 'n' half red and and cream colour scheme on the tunics (Did I ever mention I hate painting red?). This will be repeated on the shields. Purple cloak, because nobility, and that blue beard, because I was missing painting fur... In all seriousness, it's a good base for an aged look. He's also rocking a ring on his right hand, probably magical.
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| It's good to be king |
Next up we have the Wizard with his attendant Raven. It might be a Rook, but I'm going with Raven because these guys are Norse in my head. Again, gorgeous sculpt, so full of character. I love his huge beard, plus the braids. Standing in a static pose, arm outstretched, no doubt surveying the battlefield, the sculpt is an absolute joy to paint. Lots of nice cloth lines, plus a variety of fabrics across his tunic, tabard and whatever you call that thing around his neck.
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| He doesn't have a bad attitude, he's just giving you the bird. |
Last one for the moment, the champion with great axe. Again, so much character in such a small... I was going to say face, but really, it's just eyes and a nose.Standing firm in a stoic pose, he looks ready for business. Once more we have the flowing beard/braids combo, and a heavy mail shirt over his tunic. I've gone with the split the way it is, because Red and Right both start with R, so, it should be easy enough to remember.
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| Axe me that one more time... |
Thursday saw game 19/100 played. Some midnight Saga, because having a messed up sleeping pattern is a thing. Played 6pts V1, as I didn't have the new Viking Age book and boards. Sarah borrowed some of my Frostgrave Barbarians and a couple of other figures to add 2pts of Hearthguard to her force so that I could try out my newly painted stuff. In short, my shooting achieved absolutely nothing, my Mounted Hearthguard were massacred by Berserkers and a large Hearthguard unit, and after hiding behind a building for about 4 turns, her Viking Warlord charged into my Norman Duke, and cut him down in the last activation of the game.
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| It "almost" looks like her army is painted from here... |
I also spent a bit of time working up the whites on the Reaper Bones Griffon, and I finished off the Warg and got it varnished.
Friday saw me finish off the Griffon, and base that along with the Warg. Planning on using the Griffon for Dragon Rampant alongside my Normans, and the Warg is the start of a Jotun Warband for Blood Eagle. Despite my initial reservations about the jelly nature of Bones minis, both were fine to work with, in fact, I'd consider getting another griffon to paint up with a rider. Did my standard "blue" fur on the Warg, and went with a mind's eye cross of bald eagle and mountain lion for the griffon. I could have used some real world reference material, but hey, it's fantasy, does that giant half bird/half lion have to look real?
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| Can't really see the derp eye from this angle. |
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| Not the easiest model to take a picture of... |
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| Which means more pictures. |
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| Drybrushing would have been a lot quicker. |
Not one to rest on my laurels, I also primed and inked the remainder of the Frostgrave Barbarian box, the Oathmark Dwarfs, my Lucid Eye Corelocks and Cro Magnon Chief, the new Dracula's America Werewolfs, a Nameless Horror from Northstar and one of the two Elven Revenants from Foundry.
Saturday saw me do both drybrush stages on all the bases, plus the rims on the Oathmark Dwarfs, Corelocks and Chief, as well as the Werewolfs and Nameless Horror. I also managed to basecoat the metals on the Dwarfs, get the first few stages of fur done on the Werewolves (using the guide for Fenrisian Wolves from the Games Workshop Companies of Fenris book, and do the cloth and start the skin on the Nameless Horror.
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| Not sure natural is better. |
Sunday started well, with me finishing the Werewolfs and Nameless Horror, but a powercut before work put paid to me getting any images of them. I'd also managed to do the basecoats on the tunics, beards, skin and weapon hafts of the Oathmark Dwarfs. Oh, and this was my 12 week #hobbystreak.
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| At least my phone was charged... |
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| One of them looks more like a Werebunny... |
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| Not even a face a mother could love. |
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| Things that go bump in the night. |
I really like the Werewolf sculpts, the natural look is growing on me, just not sure they were the best test for the technique, being a lot finer than the Fenrisian Wolves it was intended for. I might pick up another pack to paint in a more cartoony style. Thankfully they are available in a blister pack as well as the Forsaken Posse box from Northstar. Faceless Horror is now a Nightmare Horror.
Monday saw me get the remaining basecoats down on the Dwarfs, and get them inked, and I got the skin, beards, Raven and wolf pelt layered up.
I also got a nice package from Footsore Miniatures. Must say I was impressed with the quick turnaround as I'd ordered stuff Sunday, it was posted Monday, and arrived Tuesday. I'd been considering an order for a while, as I knew I was going to get the Age of Vikings book for Saga as my reward for finishing at least 4pts of Saga minis. There was a lot of nice stuff, but nothing I really needed, although, I knew I wanted the Gudrun Soultaker model that they were including in orders. So, I hummed and hawwed over it, weighing up the fact the book would be £30 plus shipping, and I'd get 2 free minis, or, if I just spent £50, I wouldn't have to pay for shipping, which appeals to the tight-fisted Scot in me. (Sarah tells a wonderful story of a "scenic" walk across Edinburgh over my refusal to pay about 20p to change train tickets to travel at peak time...)
Anyway... the first of the Norman minis went up on Sunday, so I figured I could just grab more Crossbow armed warriors in the hope of getting something usable (Frostgrave soldiers had furry boots, Gripping Beast ones had furry... everything, including detail) That left me £8 shy of free shipping (gasp) so I grabbed a couple of Odin miniatures, one to use as a 15mm scale God in Of Gods and Mortals (hoping James might come out and play again if I stop using Thor to blast all his cool stuff off the table) and one for her, to hopefully get her to make a start on her army.
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| "What are you going to do, stab me?" - Quote from girlfriend stabbed in the backside wooden sword |
Cursory glance over everything looks good, no excessive flash, nice details. Still have to compare them next to my plastic guys, but hoping it'll be fine. Pretty sure I'll be grabbing the Crusades book from these guys too, not just because there will be a free figure with that too, but because I probably want another Gudrun to paint up as a Necromancer, and some Norse Berserkers. Hopefully the Blood Eagle will be available too, as it would be a cool objective piece.
Today, I managed to do the highlight layers of red and bone on the Dwarfs tunics, and bag up the APRIL FUEL DAZE 2 dice that arrived, and then ferried children back and forth to the school Easter Disco.
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| Less 6's than the average roll of last years dice. |
So, been pretty busy this week, only finished 5 models, but, made good headway on a few more. Planning on getting a lot done before the weekend is out seeing as I'll be back soon with my Month in Review post, which will be the first standalone one of the year, conviently on the quarter way mark.
Cheers,
John
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