Tuesday 31 January 2012

Scratch-Built Scenery and Bases

At the end of last year I went through a phase of throwing together scratch-built scenery and bases for use in Warhammer, 40K and - if I ever get around to it - Mordheim. With my DIY light box fired up I thought I'd take some better pictures to show what can be achieved with the following basic materials: card from old boxes; decorating filler; newspaper; PVA glue; polystyrene trays; pieces of slate and stone and gravel; static grass and other mini-foliage; paint (obviously); a rummage in the bits box; some plastic moulded sheets from the model shop; and the secret ingredient... two small children, meaning you never have anywhere to go on weekend evenings! 










Friday 27 January 2012

Adventures in DIY Light Box Cobbling-Together

Inspired by a few posts that I've seen around the blogosphere over the last week I've had a go at making and using my own light box for photographing models. Here's how it went...

As usual, the lad lends a hand (or head in this case)
I like to think of this as punk photography


...and it makes things look a very rubbish orange
A standard light as an experiment...


A little blue, but the new daylight bulb make a massive difference
Better colour this time - and it's the Chapel I'm experimenting on
I suppose given how much detail you can see in these photos, I'd better get
really good at painting... and get some models finished soon!

Thursday 26 January 2012

Acrylic 'Extender' and Model Color 'Smoke' - Review

Another day, another dig into the artist's goodie bag. This time it's a small vial (ok, plastic bottle) of acrylic extender that increases the volume of paint, maintains pigment while adding to transparency, and lengthens drying time. I don't know the brand as it was decanted for a much larger bottle, but I'm told most mediums with these qualities work in similar ways. I mixed this with the rather enigmatic "Smoke" from Model Color and set about my experimental ecclesiastical building.

The enigma and the extender
First off, I used it to add a couple of layers to some based-brown brickwork. All good here: nice application and the result was enhanced colour all round with some good shading in the cracks and crevices. Then as I grew more confident I started to shade in around the edges of some based-grey plaster over the main part of the walls. The result was even better then I hoped. With a little added water if was possible to draw the paint out from the corners and create really well blended shadow and ageing effects. The extended drying time meant that I could rework these 'shadows' after wiping the brush dry; or I could add more water. Either way resulted in greater control over the fade from shadow to light.

A hint of wall
Smoke is an interesting paint too. Much easier to control than a wash or ink and seemingly capable of doing all the things I always wished a wash would wangle (with apologies for not resisting the alliteration). By the way, during all of this I used my Pro Arte series 107 size 6 brush. It was excellent. Also: why the lack of decent WIP photos? Well, the new daylight bulbs are on order, so you'll just have to drink up the suspense for now...

Wednesday 25 January 2012

The Mysterious Beast of Ibsengarth - WFRP Episode Three

Episode Three
Our hardy adventurers began this episode by deciding to stay on Ulrike's boat for the night as they continued to make their way upriver on the Reik. A safe move perhaps? Not on waters as unpredictable as these. During Albert's watch a swell in the river sent the boat sideways onto some rocks that were hidden just below the waterline, opening a sizeable gash in the hull. All the PCs worked together as quickly as they could to bring the boat around to the shore and through brute strength Mordrin and Gustav managed to wedge the forward into the muddy bank. During their escape to dry land everyone failed to make a clear jump, falling into the cold, turbid shallows. Mordin and Ulrike managed to swim back to the stricken vessel to rescue a handful of food and mead before she broke free and drifted, listing, then capsized, into the darkness.

Artist's impression of the PCs den
After building a rudimentary shelter and a modest fire, the PCs sat drying off and sharing stories about their lives [GM's note: I asked the players to come up with two stories about their character's lives that would influence the course of the narrative/adventure at some point in the future]. This is what the PCs told the rest of the group:

Mordrin - the rune bearer explained how he had never come to terms with being a dwarf born in a human town; he was enthusiastic about going to a major dwarf hold. He also confessed that he was able to speak with the spirits of ancestors, who often visited during his sleep in order to offer advice.

Gustav - the ex-soilder told tales of his troubled childhood. He explained that when he was very young his uncle Andre would come into his room at night dressed as a 'cotton fairy'; Gustav was scared he might touch him inappropriately, but he never did. In a later episode, his next door neighbors had a cat that fouled around their house and scratched his mothers wrist. She was a seamstress and the wound made her work very difficult, so he found the animal and wrung it’s neck.

Ulrike - the young smuggler explained that she gained her broken nose when she was betrayed over a deal by her father. They had a fight in a bar; it was the last time she saw him. Also, while she was bothered by being boatless she was also pleased as it was the last thing she won gambling - an addiction that’s now all behind her.

Albert - the halfling recalled how he had decided not to go to university, preferring to run off and steal precious objects, an obsession gained from helping his father in his antique business. Candidly, he also admitted that he had been afflicted by visions of gods since he was a child; he felt that tomb raiding would lead to finding ancient truths that might explain these images.
    
Grint Flambare of the Grissenwald Players
The next morning was crisp and bright. The adventurers found a nearby road and followed a rustic signpost that directed them towards Grissenwald and Nuln. They travelled well for a hour before they heard the sound of chanting coming from up ahead, shortly followed by the sound of stomping feet. Marching into view is a line of blindfolded flagellants - bizarre and potentially hostile religious zealots - led by a small diseased boy. The PCs moved quietly and respectfully aside, as the group passed, wailing, moaning and lashing each other's bloody backs. One of the crazed men pointed vaguely at the adventurers as they stumbled by, shouting something incoherent about the taint of chaos. Regardless of this disquieting encounter, the adventurers continued on their way, sending Albert's dog - now named Pao - on hunting sorties into the surrounding woods.

Further down the road our travellers came across a man dressed as a Witch Hunter who was leading several manacled captives. Although these prisoners looked like mutants and beastmen, the PCs could clearly see that these were normal men wearing make-up and costumes. When the Witch Hunter shouted something at them about the mark of chaos, Mordrin wasted no time in filling the man's face with a crossbow quarrel, his brains blossoming onto the ground at his lifeless feet. The chained group reveal themselves to be the Grissenwald Players - a troop of wandering actors now saved from a flaming death - and their leader Grint Flambare showered the PCs with thanks and eagerly gave them directions to the nearest safe village - Ibsengarth.

Arriving at the settlement they were surprised to be met at the gate by one of Gustav's ex-militia comrades, a man called Moritz Hausier. Moritz explained that he was the mayor of village and that it was organised as a commune. There were around 20 buildings, including a small farmstead, surrounded by a high wooden fence with a number of watchtowers. Moritz offered them supplies if they stayed and worked on the farms for a couple of days, bringing the last of the potato harvest in the spirit of the commune.

Downtown Ibsengarth
The PCs took up lodgings in the Inn - The Sticky Thicket - and had the opportunity that evening to take part in a singing contest to celebrate the feast of Less Growth (Gustav narrowly winning ahead of a duetting Mordrin and Albert). During the festivities a young man called Fallan who had quaffed too much mead revealed to Ulrike that the village was besieged at night by an unidentified evil creature - reportedly, this beast had killed livestock and almost killed a number of the villagers. Although it seemed like a peaceful place, the villagers actually lived in fear. Fallan added that Moritz rules over them very strictly: most of the young men are sent away to Nuln and seldom seen again (including his twin brother), while all the young women are rumoured to be involved in some kind of folk ritual that means (under some ancient god he thinks) they are the 'hedge wives' of Moritz. Fallan has only escaped this fate because he has 'the wasting' - some kind of disease that means his legs are bent, his joints seised, and he will likely die once the deep frost sets in. He asks that the PCs stay for a couple of days, join the guard against the monster during the nights, and help him investigate Moritz. He only wants to see his brother once again before he dies. They agree.  

The first day in Ibsengarth is spent picking potatoes… little else. Albert tries to avoid farming duties, only to end up peeling potatoes instead (he also attempted to make his stay in the village more entertaining by chasing after several of the young women...). That night Gustav tried to find out why Moritz is letting the cripple Fallen walk the walls on watch duty, only for a coy Mortiz to explain that the boy is like a son to him and he bravely does his part while seeing out his final days - Mortiz asks Gustav to accompany him on his watch in the early morning.

How the children of the village imagine
the monster
Accompanying Fallan on the walls, Gustav and Ulrike see the monster emerge from nearby woods. It is over 15 feet tall with gnarled horns and emits a a bestial screech. Fallan waves his torch (fire-blinding our PCs) and the village bells ring to call all to the safely of the inn. When all the PCs are reunited back at their lodgings the absence of Mortiz is noted, so they go to his house to find him. The door remains shut but a young woman answers their calls and says she doesn't know where he is. The stern questioning of a couple of the elder men still in the inn reveals that Moritz is praying in the village temple. When the PCs find him there - shrouded in a dark brown cloak - he explains that since his time in the woods he has developed a connection with the gods and spirits, and prays when the monster appears as a form of spiritual defence. The PCs are unconvinced and growing highly suspicious of Moritz - they leave him to return to the Sticky Thicket, planning to leave Ibsengarth the following morning. Taking a horse and cart by force if needs be.

The GM's Perspective
I put a good deal of work into plotting this part of the adventure and it's worked well... so far... I don't think I could ask for a better group of players. Each of them has really made an effort to develop their character with commitment and humour. I can't say too much more at this point, as we finished the session before this part of their story had fully unfolded... More before too long hopefully!

Tuesday 24 January 2012

Paintbrush Nirvana and Some Serious Hobby Bling

I never get any hobby in on Monday evenings as I have to get the weekly supermarket shop - this does mean, however, that I get the chance to pop into arts and crafts behemoth Hobbycraft for any odd bits I might need. I've been asking too much of my faithful Pro Arte brushes recently, so I decided to take the plunge and pick up a full set yesterday.

My hobby detritus zone (which generally follows me around the house) is now a good deal classier due to the presence of some fantastic brushes from the Pro Arte Series 107. I truly am in paintbrush nirvana.

With gold handles, no less. Hobby bling.
This is what Pro Arte say about this range: 

Prolene Spotting Brush - Formulated with the model maker and miniaturist primarily in mind. Most of the belly has been incorporated into the ferrules. Little of the brush filament is visible but the tip is very sharp giving great spring and precision in use. Seamless nickel ferrules. Gold polished handles with black tips. Sizes: 0000-000-00-0-1-2-3-4-5-6

This is what I say:

Everyone knows that you need good brushes. It's not rocket science / brain surgery / doing long division (always hated that at school). I spent an hour playing around with these today on the Chapel that I'm rehearsing techniques on and they've proved to be the perfect tools. Most striking is the sharpness of the points - I mostly worked with the Size 4 brush, which would at first appear to be massive, but it's actually incredibly precise and easy to control. Highly recommended and certainly worth a look if, like me, you're a serious 'intermediate-level' painter looking to develop technique. 

Sunday 22 January 2012

Experiments in Colour and Viscosity (With Thanks to Albert Wick Esq.)

A good friend of mine is an artist. He also plays the halfling Albert Wick in WFRP, so for blogging purposes I'm going to call him Albert. Last week I popped round to Albert's studio and while taking a look over his latest works-in-progress (all fabulous, as always) he suggested that I might like to take a few sample supplies with me to help with my miniatures painting. Never one to shy away from a goodie-bag I gratefully walked away with a generous batch of artists' materials.

An alternative colour wheel
So this week I'm putting work on all the monsters on hold to undertake some experiments in colour and viscosity. For my canvas I'm using a Chapel that I base coated about six months ago - it's a good excuse to get it finished and it doesn't really matter if I make some mistakes.  

Winsor & Newton Acrylic Fluid Matt Medium - Review

Today I experimented for the first time with some Winsor & Newton Acrylic Matt Medium. GW have started selling a medium of their own along with the vastly over-priced 'Eavy Metal Brush Set, but if a painter wanted better brushes and a superior medium, W&N are the perfect company.

Fluid Matt Medium
What was interesting for a first time medium user was the way it mixed through the paint without diluting the colour at all - this matt medium doesn't take from the depth of the colour in the way that thinning with water can. It also increased the flow of the paint (and it's sheer volume, obviously) while making it more transparent: an attribute I'm really starting to appreciate in my paints.

I worked up a 50:25:25 mix with Dark Blue (Model Color), Chaos Black and the medium to add shading to roof tiles based in Ultramarines Blue. It worked so well that I'm finding it hard to imagine using regular acrylics without some sort of medium mixed through in the future - but I'll hold off giving too much of a glowing recommendation until the end of the week, when I'll have had the chance to try some other shading/blending approaches.

Friday 20 January 2012

River Trolls - Stage One WIP

Two very different River Trolls here, illustrating my further experiments in approaches to painting. The first I worked on last night; the second is work undertaken back in December. I made sure that I got some photos of these during the day so that I could get good comparison shots. I absolutely adore these models and I'll be very tempted to get some more in the future.

1. Experimental-Type Brownness Troll

Here, as with all my models now, I primed in white. I find that this gives the best blank canvas for my tastes and allows me to develop the colours in any direction I want.

I didn't really have a plan with this guy other than to start off with some of the Model Color range.

So I based all over in Natural Wood, which is a very subdued yellowish light brown - only slightly watered down as this is a thin paint to begin with.

This was followed by a full coat of Woodgrain, one of the transparent acrylics in the MC range, even though you won't find it with the others on their stands in shops (it's with the other wood/brown shades).  

*A side note - I've taken to using 50mm square bases as temporary stands for WIPs - it's very useful to have them on a proper base so I can think about how I'll eventually base them properly, and it provides a good platform for painting all over*

On the club I used the MC Brown Glaze. I really like the way the glazes work - more control than a wash if you're patient and a very pleasing full tone from the outset. Practice is required but I highly recommend giving them a try.

Over the scales I've started to hint at how the layers will work by applying a thin wash with GW Thraka Green. 

At the moment it all looks far more 'woody' than I'm aiming for. However, the layering will deal with that. Also, it's been very useful to use the wood tones and think about how this might work on - for example - buildings, war machines, or black power weapons. 

Currently pondering what to do next...


2. Standardish Greenskined Troll

A more conventional approach with this one and more in line with how GW presents studio work. Beginning with thinned Orkhide Shade base I applied several layers of Gretchin Green (thinned again), eventually mixing in some Astronomican Grey - all foundation paints, because I find these better to work with than the standard Citadel colours.

I mixed silver (don't remember which) with a little white for picking out the edges of the scales. A Badab Black wash toned the highlights down. If you're wondering about the shoulder pad, then this chap is destined to feature in Blood Bowl as well as WFB.

Thursday 19 January 2012

Fabulous Warhammer Maps

I've just found a great website that has fantastic copies of all the maps of the Warhammer world a GM, WFRP player, WFB campaign organiser, or just a plain old fan could desire. Some people will doubtless be familiar with it, but it's simply an amazing resource - check out Gitzman's Gallery.

The City of Nuln - soon to feature in my current WFRP adventure (as long as the PCs don't get horribly murdered on the way there...)

Wednesday 18 January 2012

Treeman - Stage One WIP

A rather more developed stage one work-in-progress this time - I thought I'd hold this fellow back a while until I'd completed the first phase of (seems like two dozen!) coats, washes, glazes, highlights, etc. to get something approaching a satisfactory woodiness. This looks like simple model, but it's rather deceptive. There's actually a great amount of detail to play with here including bones, fungi, creepers, imps and general foliage. This is the old metal version - I picked it up a while ago on eBay. It's a great excuse to play with that boundary between realism (it's a tree) and magic (it's a MAN!) 

He Ent happy...
Plenty of shading still to do around the 'mouth'
Rather difficult to base this one - probably easier in the finecast

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Fear On The Delb, Fire On The Reik - WFRP Episode Two

Episode Two

Daemonic Imp
The PCs began at the point episode one ended, rowing Ulrike's small smuggling boat down the river Delb away from Suderburg. As the early morning mist cleared there were no signs of life on the banks of the river - they were alone on the water. After discussing the necessity of finding food as quickly as possible, they sighted a lock keeper's cottage ahead of them. The weir could not be passed (the boat was too large to take safely out of the waters) so the lock needed to be opened. Ulrike and Mordrin set about this task while Gustav and Albert scouted around the building and its walled yard - all the doors and windows were secured with iron grills and the wooden shutters inside were tightly closed.

Once the boat was safely on the other side of the lock, Ulrike and Mordrin joined the others in surveying the dwelling for possible dangers and opportunities. Looking over the wall into the yard Ulrike spotted a smugglers' entrance concealed behind a barrel and some shrubs. Albert scaled the wall with Gustav's help, unbolted the gate, and all the PCs worked to clear the entrance.

Following plenty of cautious assessment the wooden hatch was opened, Albert undertook a quick safety check of the dark cellar beyond the partially collapsed shaft, before he and Mordrin entered to search for supplies. Unfortunately, a mishap during the recovery of some barrels resulted in the full collapse of the shaft, leaving Mordrin trapped alone in the cellar. Stumbling through the dark he found some stone steps and made his way with great care through a wooden hatch in the celling and into the building above. Once he had found the kitchen, Mordrin managed to force open a small window, and began helping the rest of the party through. This task became all the more urgent as an unnatural screeching and beating of leathery wings could be heard approaching from the tree line across the river. Ulrike and Albert made it through, but Gustav was forced to turn and face a Daemon Imp - he vanquished it cooly and with barely breaking a sweat. 

Lovely property with river views (including ottars)
Meanwhile, the adventurers inside the house were confronted by a large, growling hound. Mordrin readied to attack, but Albert managed to calm the beast and befriend it - the two quickly becoming inseparable. A cautious search of all the rooms meant the PCs garnered a number of useful items in addition to several weeks worth of food supplies. The group decided it was wise to be on their way before dusk in case other Imps - or worse - found them.
As yet unnamed hound - about the right
size for Albert to ride though, if he
likes the idea of being
halfling cavalry...



Following a few days of steady progress, down the river where the Delb joined the Reik they were faced with a blockade of military barges from the garrison at Altdorf. The massed army halted their progress and they were turned away curtly by a heavily armed captain, who informed them that  passage to the city was closed to all: their only option was to head upriver. So reluctantly they headed southward toward the Upper Reik, passing numerous refugees along the way.

Eventually, as dusk began to fall and they found themselves alone on the water, they turned a bend in the river and were confronted by a number of burning boats and ships. Ulrike slowly streared a path through the stricken vessels as Mordrin and Gustav used oars to push away any of the floating wreaks that drifted too close. The body of a dwarf was signed in the water and dragged aboard - Mordrin immediately saw that this was a fellow rune bearer, and with his final words this kinsman passed on a warning of a rampaging hoard of forest goblins - along with the parchment bound message that fate (and several arrows) had decided he would not carry to its destination. Mordrin swore to deliver it in his stead... making their next destination... the dwarf hold of Karak Azgal...

An insurance job?
The GM's Perspective

A hugely enjoyable session with plenty of tension, cooperation and conflict within the adventuring party. A good deal of well thought through role playing from all the PCs enhanced the sketched storyline that I had mapped out, and we progressed at a good pace through to the 'narrative device' of the stabbed/drowned/dying rune bearer. The wheels are now set in motion for the progressively grander adventuring to commence!

Monday 16 January 2012

Cockatrice - Out Of The Box (And Finecast Seems Good Once Again!)

My trip to the Saturday Crèche (e.g. GW) didn't quite go as projected because as last week progressed I gradually lost enthusiasm for the new undead models. So in the true spirit of an evil mastermind amassing beasts for a vile dread host, I took the chance to grab a miniature that's been on my wanted list for some time: the Cockatrice. Roll the Finecast dice once again... *holds breath*

Still frustratingly too young for his own armies
Bravely - and despite a previous promise that I made to myself - I didn't open the box until I got home. This could have meant a march into the city again on Sunday, but luckily, everything was ship-shape with this kit. In fact, it's brilliant - I don't think I could be more pleased with this model. First off, the price is incredibly reasonable - £21.50 here in the UK, and for a monster of this size and detail, that has to be a bargain. All aspects of the model are sharp and well defined.

Contents as I found it
It went together as easily as resin should, with gaps very similar to the old white metal models. The only mystery part was the right leg, which appeared to be partially miscast - see the red arrow - not a major problem at all and something quickly fixed with a little greenstuff. Overall the prep here will be about the same as if it was a metal piece.

Looks like a slow motion crossbow wound 
So here's the foul beast stuck together. The only odd thing about it - and I realise I've not got a photo to illustrate this (will add one with the WIP posts) - is how thin the head and body actually are. Not problematically so, just in a way that isn't captured at all by any of the promo photos. Anyway, I'm chuffed with this one.

Also known as a Basilisk 

Friday 13 January 2012

Warhammer Giant - Stage Two WIP

Progress for monster January has been (appropriately) lumbering rather than (unbefittingly) swift this week. Unfortunately, painting with multiple thin layers is time consuming and doesn't lend itself to a series of beautiful WIP photographs. But here they are anyway, along with some thoughts on the painting process in general.

I'm very pleased with with how the wood on his club is coming along - I used a Gretchin Green base, followed by a number of brown and red/brown washes, then the Model Color Brown Glaze
Above is the detail that I worked on last night during a quickly grabbed session. There are several greens layered up here so far, beginning with a Thraka Green wash over a Bleached Bone base coat. By the way, I know that it looks like he's got shit by his elbow. This is some new paint that I'm experimenting with from the Vallejo Model Color series called 'Smoke'. With a little water it makes an interesting sort of heavy wash - I've not really got my head around how the pigment works just yet although it's looking promising (if a bit faecal in places...).

Does my bum look big in this?

This rear-end shot really illustrates the unsatisfactory messiness of the thin coat WIP photograph! However, I'm encouraged by some of the early signs of shading that are coming through here and I'm very tempted to spend all of next week working on adding the layers of skin tone. BUT I'm actually going to head back to the Jabberslythe for a while because I fear he's feeling neglected.

New paints make me happy
Finally, here are some of my new products. Unless I get them as gifts or have vouchers to spend, I really won't be getting any miniatures for some time. So I'll be sating my consumerist urges on paint - much cheaper and necessary for wading through the tons (well kilograms) that constitute my sprue mountain. If the Citadel paints do change in the Spring, as has been rumoured, I do hope that they end up a little closer to either the Vallejo or P3 ranges - otherwise I'll just buy those along with the odd replacement wash or foundation (the only consistently good/useful GW paints for my purposes).

Thursday 12 January 2012

This Is A Game For Kids, Right?

Played HeroQuest for the first time in many years last night. I was the barbarian. I died like a sucker in the very first room. Notwithstanding the fact that my fellow adventurers bravely hung back in corridors and corners while I slugged away at the undead, is the game actually supposed to be that difficult? I suppose I must be cut out for more subtle and nuanced questing. It may be time to hang up the loin cloth... 

Surprisingly accurate artist's impression of our regular game nights

Wednesday 11 January 2012

On The 40K 6th Edition Rulebook Leak

We are very familiar with leeks here in Wales
On the whole I'd been ignoring all the rumours about the up-coming 6th edition of 40k. Well... all apart from the likely June/July release date, as that gives me some kind of idea when I may start tackling the untouched box of Dark Eldar that occasionally stare at me as I walk past them. However, over the last 24 hours the rumour mills have gone into overdrive as it seems that a playtester copy of the new rules has been 'leaked' as a very basic pdf document. This presents us with a very interesting set of circumstances and it will be fascinating to see how they play out. There are two basic scenarios here:

1. The rule are real. Perhaps they have been intentionally leaked as a marketing ploy? How will this get established?

2. The rules are fake. Someone has taken the time to mash together the old rules with all the rumoured new ones, along with a good dose of their own ideas. Surely if someone was involved in such an detailed hoax they wouldn't be able to resist owning up at some point? 

I've not started playing 40k again yet, so I'm something of a dispassionate bystander and observer. Sociologically, however, it's going to be intriguing to watch what happens over the next few days, weeks, or even months.

****UPDATE*** See a far more insightful and interesting post on this here by Jake Thornton*** 

Tuesday 10 January 2012

Nerdamorphosis Enters Comics Phase

It's rather odd that at my age I've discovered comics. Not that I was entirely unfamiliar with them you understand, but everything I've read so far this year has been in the form of a comic or a graphic novel. (Without going into a lengthy semantic discussion, I mean a monthly issue or a collection... I know enough about the politics of this kind of thing to steer clear of claiming anything too boldly... look, I'm just going to stick with calling them all comics, ok?)


I'm finding it very liberating and rather inspiring. Liberating because it's great to have access to a whole medium of literature, replete with numerous sub-genres that I've never tapped into before; inspiring because every page contains studies in light, shading, and (sometimes) colour that can easily be plundered for miniature painting ideas.


The two titles that I'm reading at the moment are The Walking Dead (I've just made it to the current issue) and Uncanny X-Men. I imagine that - given my general sensibilities - in the future I'll probably focus on picking up independent titles, as well as working my way through Alan Moore's back catalogue (I've owned a copy of Watchmen for a while). My transformation into shameless man/child/nerd continues apace... I just need to pick up a natty outfit like this chap for my nerdamorphosis to be complete:


Monday 9 January 2012

How Do You Know If A Vampire Is Constipated? Because He Can't Pass Water...


Overall, I'm not that fussed about the new Vampire Counts stuff that GW will 'unleash' this coming weekend. January is, however, the first 'month of monsters' on the Marienburg Gazette 2012 calendar, so it seems only right that I splash out the GW vouchers that I got over Winterval on one of the new releases. The choice is a no-brainer really (insert your own zombie joke *here*): it's got to be the Vargheists. These aren't knock out amazing models, like say the River Trolls, but I'm very taken with the dynamic poses on the wings.




I've spent a while today studying the pictures of the alternative build Crypt Horrors that can be made from the kit - the sprue photos on the GW website are also useful. It's always good to get an idea about what the left-overs can be used for. With these chaps I'm thinking that the arms might work for zombie ogres, although it's impossible to tell without the parts actually to hand. We shall see on Saturday...

   
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