2.19.2012

Latest dark elf pictures

After painting a lot of dwarfs it was time to do something completely different. Of course the dark elf painting was present here and there, but recently I've been painting 2 dark elves in a row. Dwarfs are awaiting some paint on my paint station.
Painting the dark elves gets the creativity flowing because it requires different paint schemes and techniques. A "start" of a new war band/army lets me experiment more with painting techniques as well. Thinking about colors and what will work. Thinking about bases and settings and scenes really gives you the creative kick you nice in a while need for painting the army you are busy with.
Good news for the dwarfs that is! They will get all the new ideas and paint schemes and whatnot...when I start painting them again that is. 16 dwarf warriors are only base coated and awaiting the paint treatment, they will be picked up sooner or later :)

For now the dark elves. I already painted Malus Darkblade a while ago and now was busy with a dark elf sorceress on a cold one. My background for the dark elves will be cold ones. The more cold ones the better! I was a bit stuck with dark elf sorceress but got further with some tips and tricks here and there and here are the most recent pics!


Started with another sorceress but this time without cold one. Actually I bought the model under the impression it was a fine cast model (my first, a first test it had to be), but it wasn't. Just a detailed plastic model of a dark elf sorceress. Fun to paint. Started to evenings ago and this is the current work in progress. The occult markings on the cloth are there. They will get a bright green edge to them (this is only the outline layer).

The face needs the eye and mouth done and the brass only has its first 2 layers. They will be worked up to gold with mithril silver sparkle edges.Base is going to be stone with ice/snow just as with other dark elf sorceress on the cold one. Ice and snow will be the setting for all future dark elves.

I bought myself another cold one with a dark elf knight the other day. The local hobby shop had 3 blisters for the price of 2. Couldn't resist buying some old school dwarf rangers and tipped in the cold one knight as the "free" blister! Coolness!

2.11.2012

To Prague

At the start of the year I made one (of many) resolutions: To paint a Flames of War army in time for the late war tournament in Huissen. However, due to some calendar issues (carnival) the tournamens was moved a week. Because of this I won't be able to compete, since the tournament now coincides with our holliday trip to Prague.

However I'm very happy and proud that my paint resolution was completed in time and with good result. Four IS-2 ("Stalin") tanks are now ready for action and with the new Red Bear rulebook just two or three would (pointwise) fit in my army.





On the internet I found a very nice picture of the same type of tank of the Czechoslovak tank army driving into Prague. I hope mine miniatures will do as good as this ones!

One of the sites I was hoping to visit in Prague was the Lešany museum, to look at the real thing. However it turns out that the museum is closed during the winter.... (Which gives another good reason to visit Prague during summer again :-)
So Í'm probably not going to see a lot of tanks in Prague, since even the famous pink one is also located in the museum nowadays..

2.05.2012

Mass Mordheim scenario: Treachery

The regular war-games group that you find on this blog, each have contacts to other players. We decided it was time to get everyone Mordheim-enthusiast together for a big game! The turn out was very good with 6 players. Even when not intended to play you were forced a war band an join in.
The scenario was Treachery and suited a large battle the best. All warbands start with some members in reserve so the battle field is not completely crowded from the start and reinforcements are dosed through the next turns.

This post will not be a direct battle report but just an impression on the night of gaming. It was a good point all our new scenery was finished and ready for playing since we needed a large battle field. My game table seems to becoming too small for these kind of games!


All six war bands started out very carefully hiding behind all buildings. Sneaking about a bit here and there some shots were fired but nothing big happened. The first hits exchanged were from some witch hunters. On the far ends some orcs and goblins were lurking and also the feathery chaps Averlanders were starting to show up here and there. The sturdy dwarfs were walking into the battlefield with no real fear. Confidence is everything.

Eventually more shots from crossbows, longbows and the black powder weapons were fired all over the battlefield, causing enough wounded to halve the war band members present. Clashes here and there eventually lead to the routing of 2 war bands after each other. THe remaining war bands exchanged some blows and all of a sudden only 2 war bands were left: the dwarfs and the orcs and goblins. Since the treachery scenery is one with alliances based on a deck of cards: the remaining war bands turned out to have an alliance (how unlikely this may seem).


It was a cool battle with lots of fun scenes everywhere on the battlefield. A good evening with all war-game fanatics. The future holds a lot of promising new opponents for Mordheim, Warhammer, maybe even 40K, necromunda and all other games we all play! The first game of the year gave us a good setting for the rest of this year. It will be good (maybe we even have to start a club?!).

1.22.2012

inspiration needed: dark elf sorceress on cold one

This cold one project is one of those side projects running along other "main" projects. I always keep such a model on the side to spend some painting time on when waiting for other paint to dry.
This dark elf sorceress featured in some of my posts but now gets its own attention.

The reason for this being, I'm a bit stuck how to progress. Of course I can continue to fill in the remaining details: eyes, a book, some gems, the base of course. But still it seems to somewhat empty here and there. So I just throw it out here for all to see, and maybe get some great tips or inspiration on how to finish this model.

1.18.2012

Building progress

Tom already posted some messages about our scenery building day, so here's a little follow up about my results.

Lately my paint and modelling works have been a bit delayed by the stream of incoming books of the local library. The current system of online searching the catalogs of several libraries combined and ordering books (for free!) has an increasing impact on my spare time. (Currently I'm reading 'Song of Wrath'). The system however contains a level of unpredictability: Books will arrive, but you never know when. Last weeks several books I ordered months ago all of sudden arrived together, claiming lots of time...

Despite this, I managed to finish two buildings for Mordheim that are showed here below. Other overly ambitious plans concerning Warhammer, Carpathia and above all Flames of War models were delayed...


The first building is a sort of small temple like structure, located on a peninsula. The building has a typical shape that just 'happened to be' when I was playing around with the Hirst Arts blocks.

Perhaps "temple of the A's" is a good name for this piece(?). I hope the construction will prove to be strong enough to withstand all violence that will take place here :-)

The second piece is also on a 'standard' 20 * 20 centimeters square; it's a main road guarded by four small 'towers'. A smaller path crosses the main road in the middle of the board. This path has two doors the sides, that can be opened (or smashed in for that matter).

What I really like is the look of the entrances to the small path from the outside of this building. A nice place for a nice ambush or a daring opportunity for a pick pocket expert...

Enter at your own risk!!

1.01.2012

Progress on the werewolves warband

First of all: Happy new year! May it be a year full of original paintwork, artful scenery and many a slaughterfest!

In this post some small progress on the werewolves war band for Chaos in Carpathia. The base was already finished and here are some more members of the band. First up is the doctor! He is done! This is the human form of one my werewolves. A mean looking, mysterious character it has turned out to be. I'm quite happy with him. He posed many a trouble with painting all the different shades of black.


Two additional women for my wolves are up now. Two victorian ladies with the weaponry to boot! Evil in the making I'd say. They look so lovely and sweet but are really the wolves in sheeps clothing.


As a special treat some progress on the dark elf sorceress on the cold one. She appeared in one of the previous posts here and wanted you to give a peek how she is turning out.

12.29.2011

Christmas scenery update

Almost a post a day at the moment after the modeling session! But we must not overdo this of course! What's to show then? Painted buildings that is!
I painted my building and plaza. Also finished the wharf and dock pieces and painted them. Besides that I had some only black coated buildings lying around and decided to paint them as well. I was busy anyway!
This is the current result. My quirky tower building is almost done. Needs some wood finishing only. The flock has ten done to represent the occasional green plants here and there and needs not much aside from some color. I might go for some posters plastered to the walls. Oh I am busy making a half roof as a first experiment. Might go for a red or blue tiled roof here!

Next up is a half temple-ish building that was made by Ludo (a year ago?). I finished the paint job and added some snow for a change.

A picture of well...a plaza... nothing more nothing less but always handy to have lying around for one scenario or another!

THis small derelict shrine was not made by me, but don't know the origin actually. Also from a hobby session ages ago. Finished the paint job and added the greens. Might need some more color in the form of pots and cases or whatever.

Ah yes...the wharf... out of the box wooden wharf, only needed the stone docks and stairs to connect it with the rest of the scenery. A small ramp I added to get those barrels rolling onto the ships was all it needed actually. Painted 4 water sections to go. THey will need the water treatment, but I have to seal the edges first in order to pour the resin I use for water on it and not spill everywhere!

To finish this photo session off, an overview when these pieces are all connected together. THey look good, but will look better when finished and connected to the rest of the scenery waiting in my gamers deny: the attic!