Blazing Sun HQ Gyro for Dystopian Wars

Fresh from the paint table and another submission for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge.

Raijin Class HQ War Gyro. Resin and metal, 1:1200, made by Spartan games.

This flying ship of doom also comes with a floating Node Projector thingy token (it appears near enemy fleets and the Gyro uses it to shut down Generators). This model comes in the Strike Flotilla box along with models from a previous submission so now the box is completely painted and I am satisfied.

As usual I paint flying craft in my fleet with the Top Side Green, underside light pale blue with pointy front bits and side areas in colours from my Naval vessels.

The underside is an area I paint very plainly as I figure it is not really seen during games. It's interesting and cool that they sculpted the underside to look like a belly that is ready to drop robot subs into the ocean though. But it does mean a little more detail to paint. It doesn't appear to co-relate to any game functionality though.

Cheers from Brendon

Odin's Wolves (Novel)

Odin's Wolves by Giles Kristian is the third novel in the Raven series. Raven is the main hero of the story and it's really his Saga as he goes on a leisurely cruise (goes a Viking) in the Dark Ages with his oath sworn brothers. After reading the first two I was more than happy to find this in a local secondhand bookshop and out of all three novels I enjoyed this one the most.
It does not contain the epic historical pitched battle warfare of a Bernard Cornwell Novel but it has plenty of action and fights as the characters travel into the Mediterranean on the way to Miklagard (Constantinople). They even stop in at Rome and take in the touristy things to see there. It's good fun for a wargamer like me who is really liking Dark Ages themes at the moment. It just helps with the immersion experience.
Hopefully the Raven saga continues and all his injuries heal in time for the follow up.
I give it 4 axes smashed in your face out of 5.

Cheers from Brendon

Dystopian Blazing Sun Flotilla

It turns out Spartan games have produced even more designs and after being inspired recently to re-look at the range I came across a new Empire of the Blazing Sun Strike Flotilla. New TOYS! Pretty, Shiny....no way I can resist the urge! I had to get it and add them to my Fleet
After painting all of them except the HQ War Gyro (stay tuned for a future post) I looked in my box of Dystopia and discovered three Destroyers unpainted! It didn't take long to get them completed after working on Auxiliary Rocket Cruiser ships.

 Small Destroyers above, swimming short range chemical flame death below.

 These Robot Submersibles above I actually painted with a bright greeny blue before the Brass but you can't see that detail in these images. The foam is just white dots and I gloss varnished the water and robots.

Turns out these Rocket ships have an Attachment Model Assigned Rule (MARs). Not in the original rule book but after a PDF download It means they attach out to other squadrons. Sounds good to me.

When I looked at my older Blazing Sun models I realised that I actually painted the ones above much brighter. I think I actually like this brighter looker better and I will paint any future additions the same. It will slightly set them apart from the older Veterans of the Fleet perhaps.

I contacted my supplier about getting some more blisters in particular of a new Gyro I don't have but the reply was interesting. Most Blisters are no longer available with Box sets the only way to get the models I am after. I tracked them down through another supplier who still had stocks. So might be a few changes to Dystopia World in 2014. A possible 2.0 rule book.

I am still behind in re-posting my Painting Challenge submissions here so there will be more random not in any particular order posts soon.
 
Cheers from Brendon

Casualty bonus round entry

Another few figures that sat in my 'round to it' area. Perfect for the Painting Challenge theme bonus round of Casualty(s). Plastic 28mm, Conquest Games Normans. The knight comes with the Knight box and the other fellas with guts ache from the infantry box. They really are a great little bonus in those kits. As you can see I also created a couple of bases with a some battlefield junk. The downed knight is on a 50 x 50 base which handily is the same size as two mounted knights so a good base to increase the size of a unit of Knights (or decorate a large unit perhaps).
Go have a look at other entry's here. Some amazing efforts among them.
I have another Dystopian model to post soon but it has to be posted on the painting challenge first so come back soon.





Basing the others on 25mm rounds means I can use them as space fillers and add a bit of interest to my warbases unit trays. They can perhaps be used as exhausted tokens in Saga as well.

I had a classic bonehead moment when I went to matt spray these and some other figures. Wrong can! Panzer Yellow instead!. Fortunately it only took a little work to fix the areas of light spray. Lesson well and truly learnt!

Cheers form Brendon

Battleship (Blazing Sun Dystopian Style)

Greetings. I am still playing blog post catch up with my Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge submissions.
This one was for the Vehicle theme challenge and also because another participant challenged me to have painted at least one Naval themed item. I had this vessel in my resin vault for a while and it is actually my second Empire of the Blazing Sun Battleship. I liked the model and how it works in the game so thought a second one might be a good idea. I am yet to use it in a game but it looks like Spartan Games might have some interesting things in sight for Dystopian Wars in 2014. Painting this made me go have a Google and I discovered new toys to join my Blazing Sun fleet. Stay tuned for more Dystopian toys here soon.

Not the best photos but you get the idea.
Cheers from Brendon

Two Towers (Dystopian Style)

These two fortifications pieces have been in my resin and metal mountain for a while but now they are ready for a table top. They join my Empire of the Blazing Sun force with the same colors. Luftwaffe Uniform Blue with London Grey on top (Vallejo paints). I used the Green color that appears on the top side of Aerial vehicles for the roof tiles and you can't go past adding brass to help with that odd Dystopian look.

Komander Harkevich The Iron Wolf

This bearded, spell casting, biker booted, magic mace wielding figure is a Warcaster for my new Khador Faction War Machine force. Every force must have a war caster and this will be the one I start with.
He is a metal figure that came in two parts. Only his weapon arm had to be glued under his shoulder armour.
A lot of detail on this guy and a lot of choices to be made on what is going to be black (panzer grey really) or red. I wanted some brown leather colored gear on him as well. I haven't painted red armour since the very early 90s when I did a Krell Undead GW figure (anyone remember him?).
This figure took me way longer than many others I have done recently. A lot of detail to pick out on him. But it is a very good sculpt and a great cast with minimal clean up so worth taking your time with I reckon. I purchased him when I was lying in bed still very sore from a Hernia operation. I couldn't paint or do much really so I did a little retail therapy on-line. As I improved I slowly got him over the line to completion.

I did the same treatment with my humble attempt at a glow inside the Mace as I did on Black Ivan's eyes.
This guy has an affinity with Black Ivan so being near each other Black Ivan gets boosted range attacks.
That can't be a bad thing can it?
I don't want a big War Machine collection. But with this quality they are very collectible.

Cheers from Brendon

Justice! Mega City One Style.

As part of the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge a Bonus theme round was 'Hero'. An earlier submission that someone posted was a reminder that I actually had a Judge Dredd figure somewhere in my unpainted mountain. I have had it for so long that I am not certain as to who made it having long since discarded the original blister packaging. A little Google Foo later and I think it was made by Mongoose but may no longer be in production as now there is a recent Judge Dredd miniatures game with new figures.
I really enjoyed Judge Dredd from the comic 2000ad as a youngster. A multitude of artists have created various versions of him and his uniform is sometimes blue but was once black. His Lawgiver (pistol) also went through variations as well. The one below is not the classic Lawgiver as I recall but they are interesting figures all the same.
Painting these made for a fun change from Dark Ages dudes. I used some acrylic gloss varnish for the helmet and uniform (not the pads and other bits though). These figures required no gluing together, just gluing to the base. I found the sculptures choice of making the shoulder pads look like a box a bit odd though.

Hard to see in my dodgy images but the main part of the Uniform is blue with a black wash over it making it the dark with a hint of color I wanted.

Drokk it!

Is that a Mutie over there?!

Even in The Cursed Earth....he is the LAW!

In the last image above the Judges are seeing off a horde of Muties that I originally made for that game with all the zeros in it. I like Mutants and had the often radioactive waste land of the Cursed Earth in mind when I made them. If you know Dredd then you will know what that's all about.

Cheers from Brendon somewhere in Memory Lane.

Dark Ages at war

A mix of makers among these 28mm metal figures. Crusader, Gripping Beast and Foundry (the pooch).
I submitted these a while back for the Painting Challenge and they earned me more points. I am behind in re-posting my submissions on this blog so expect this flood of pictures to continue until I catch up.
I was very happy to complete the Baggage cart and peasant as this now gives me three pieces in total for the Escort scenario for 'Saga'. Yaaay!
The mounted fella from Crusader comes with a dismounted version but I painted him different colors to his riding version. I gave him a plastic shield though with a LBM decal. The Banner is from Gripping Beast and is King Harold's very own fighting man banner. I am sure it will be a talking point in future games.
As these guys are leaders I added Army Painter meadow flowers to the bases which give them a bit of something extra from the rank and file troops.

Cheers from Brendon

Mid-War early Tiger.

I have wanted a Panzer Grey Tiger in my collection for a while and had this one sitting in my resin mountain for a while. The motivation of the Painting Challenge had me finally getting this one to completion.

The first Tiger tanks of WWII as far as I could find out entered combat around the Leningrad area in late 1942. The change to three colour camo occurred early in 1943.

I added an aerial to this tank. I haven't done that to a 15mm tank for a while. It's an old Battlefront Resin and metal model by the way. I think these will be replaced by plastic versions in gamers future collections.

The tank sits on Gale Force Nine cratered cobblestone roads. Pre-painted terrain. Very handy.

I also added a rolled sheet to the turret to help break up the colour. I like single colour tanks because weathering seems to look so much better on them than camo tanks.

Cheers from Brendon

Black Ivan warjack

Started this before my surgery but now I am on the mend I got him completed and sent to the painting challenge. I am a tad behind as far as re-posting my Paint Challenge submissions but I will try and catch up.
So here is a Warmachine Heavy Warjack Character. He has an affinity with a Warcaster by the name of Harkevich. I recently completed him but can't post him here yet. That means I am very close to having enough painted Warmachine to play my first game.

I kept his pose very casual. For ease of transport and storage.
A very enjoyable model to paint.

Cheers

Taking the casualty challenge to extremes

Interruption to any painting for a few days will be one of the effects of having endured a Hernia operation. I was really not looking forward to this medical adventure but now less than 24 hours after the operation I am at home being well looked after. While in hospital overnight I learned that Morphine is no fun at all and I am sure I have a low pain tolerance. It took a while to get the pain to bearable once I was awake in the very busy recovery room. On the morning  of the operation I managed to get my Casualty bonus challenge images to Curt at Analogue Hobbys before I was checked in. But for now I am going spend some time in bed, watching telly and seriously taking it easy. Hmmmm. Perhaps fit in some wargamers on line retail therapy. 

Cheers and look after yourself.

Brendon