Leaf and Scale

The Swordsmen from the Galadhrim by themselves could be on the fragile side, but when backed up by spears, those additional attacks would force the issue against lower fight skill units.  Even with higher armor, losing fights again and again will put you in a bad spot!

I did spend a few extra points here and there to give the swordsmen shields, in the event that they would not have the pointy sticks behind them.

The katana shape of the blades made them interesting to paint.

The leafy pattern in the armor plates allowed for some interesting color reflections and contrasts!

The Raven in the Forest

Before I posted the finished images of this figure from Albino Raven Miniatures, I thought you might like to see the base in its raw form.  

He is a 54mm figure, with all the details you would expect from ARM.  Such details make a painter's life easier, and that is always fun!

There are many articles on the blog showing how I create the "Bark 'n Branch" bases.  Larger figures such as this one are a interesting to create, as I have enough space to add the larger branches, and utilize the smaller branches to get that forest look.

These are also bargain basement cheap materials as well... as in mostly free.    Grab branches and bark that's sitting there on the ground... pieces of mulch, all kinds of goodies!  Stay tuned for the finished pictures!!

Nightengale

I had a lot of fun painting this figure from Twisted Game, called Nightengale.

Everywhere I looked, there were all kinds of amazing details, such as the filligre on the apron.  I didn't put any additional freehand on this piece so that people could see it was part of the actual sculpt.

The metal wings were a nice area to offer a bit of contrast, and reflect the light of the lamp.  This meant that I could do the cool vs warm color contrasts as well.

The base is from the Secret Weapon series.  I wanted to keep this base as close to the bases you see in the game play images, but this one in particular allowed me to do something for the first time.  As you can see in these images, I was able to reflect the lamp light in the ripples of the water.

In all my years of basing and painting, I had yet to try something like that.

Yes indeed, it's never too late to try something new.  I'm just glad that I'm getting a chance to paint these fantastic miniatures!

Here's a link to the kickstarter itself, where you have the options of rules, unit cards, and even wonderful terrain pieces!

How to train your Fire Drake

I was hoping to include a few Clan Lords on Fire Drakes in the Salamanders army, since the primary theme appears to be fire!

I already have one ridden carnosaur figure painted on a lava style base, so why not give him a buddy?

I believe this is the Ork Wyvern from the Azhag set.  Since it really looked like a fire breathing dragon to me, I was hoping that I might be able to add the plastic carnosaur rider to it.

I had to do a lot of green stuff work anyway during the assembly process, so I tried to build up the area that would hold the throne.  I made a simple chain mail texture to fill it out.

There were some additional head pieces in the set, so I chipped away and modified one to fit the rather flat, squarish head.

Lo and behold, that rider and throne fit on here better than the original figure!  I have some additional straps and other decorative pieces to apply, so I will try to get some images once those are placed and it's been primed.

This is going to be very fun to paint!!  I will probably have glowing wings on this one, just as I did with the original years ago.

Charge!!

Now for a peek at some of the Galadhrim cavalry.  They served me quite well, despite being very few in number.

Once I paired them up with Gwaihir, their effectiveness went through the roof.

Gwaihir would fly over the top of a line of orcs in order to remove any spear or pike bonuses that might be used against the cavalry charging from the front.

He's also here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/-/322023565787?

Mad Dog!!

More doggies!  I am really digging the black fur with the armor tones!

While I enjoyed painting the red ones, this has been a nice break from that.

The wolves you are seeing here are all metal, and the details have been nice and solid.

Stay tuned for more!

Swarms and Scavengers

With the first tournament just a few hours away for the reborn Empire of Dust, we see some last minute adjustments.  That is in the form of Swarms, which have an all important trait of Vanguard. 

Not only have I witnessed the importance of such a trait in a number of battle reports, but I have felt the sting of massed amounts of vanguard units standing on the center line of the table before I have even had a turn!

I had already added two such units... a Scorpion husk and a Swarm regiment.  Some carrion bases were left over from a bygone age, so they were repurposed with some Reaper BONES figures.

This one is mostly painted.  I think it had been 2-3 years since I had last painted these kinds of bases for the original army.

The Eye of the Chaos God still watches over the lands of the Ahmuntites.  Just as with all the other movement trays, the glyphs warn that "All those who enter the Tomb Cities of Pseusennes shall suffer a fate worse than death".

The original broken columns were carved from baked sculpey, and then cast so that I would not have to spend many more hours doing the same thing over and over!

These swarms will take the place of the Screaming Skull catapult on the old army board, which will finally be used again!!  Very excited about that.

The old Carrion Birds didn't sit on a tray in the original configuration, but I will leave them that way now.

This is one of my favorite scenes on the army board.  I will take some new images later in the week and fashion a new post for you.

We shall see if this third vanguard unit offers any help.  It was exchanged (and a Bone Giant as well) for a pricey Guardian warrior unit which did nothing but get in the way until it died.  This will give me one additional drop, and a monster that can actually charge into the terrain and do some damage.

The nerve value and defense are higher, so I am also hoping the combination of these two new units makes it possible for me to stay in the same area code as the nastier tourney armies that will be at Draxtar this Sunday for the Adepticon Primer.

Wish me luck!  Gonna need it.