Friday 13 May 2016

Frost Giants

I saw Xintao's excellent update of some frost giants he painted using some Russian 54mm barbarian figures. They are very cheap so I thought I'd give it a go too and add them to a Kings of War army somehow ... or perhaps they can be used in a DnD scenario...

Have a look at [url]]http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=420257[/url] for more info.

When I got the figures from eBay I thought the axes were too short and the curved sword that one figure had was not to my liking. I changed the curved blade into a more typical Viking type saex by cutting it back and used green stuff to give that figure a scabbard across his front, as has been seen in Viking burials. I also cut the axe hafts and made longer hafts with wire and green stuff. I also used green stuff to add some more horsehair to their crests and some other touches.

I kept the bow as I don't mind the idea of depicting a giant with a long range weapon, although I do like Xin's spear modification. Maybe I should have bought two boxes?

The figures were not so easy to modify as the plastic is fairly soft and similar to what airfix soldiers are made from.

Here is a 'before painting' shot.

And here is a 'during painting' shot.

I'll finish them off some time but I have more KoW zombies to paint first.

HotT Victorian Sci Fi - Germans

Time for a sad story. Many years ago I made up a HotT Victorian Sci Fi army from mostly old plastic miniatures - Esci and  Airfix mainly. I finished them and played a few games before HotT went out of favour at my local group. I shelved them in a shed out the back and years later came back to find that we'd had rats in who had pretty much destroyed them all. Despite this, I did learn a few things while making them so I thought I'd show them off anyway.

I based them, not on the standard 60mm wide bases but on 80mm wide bases. We played the game by doubling the distances given for the 40mm base width game. There were a couple of problems with this but it mostly worked :-)

 Shooters - Bavarian Infantry - I think these are from the Esci Prussian and Austrian Infantry box.

 Riders - Deaths Head Hussars - figures are Esci Lord Cardigan's 11th Hussars

Flyers - Two flyer units based on WWI Germans using mechanical wings. See my first post on how these were made.

Hero - German Command Unit - Bavarian Officer from the esci Prussian and Austrian Infantry box, Prussian Officer from the Airfix WWI Germans, two Flag bearers from the airfix prussian box and a matchbox (or corgi or hotwheels) antique car.

Hordes - Martian Marines - figs are airfix Prussian Infantry 1815

Blades - Prussian Flame Throwers - Airfix WWI german Inf.

Knights - Prussian Heavy Cavalry - These were Esci Scots greys with the head cut off and airfix WWI infantry heads stuck on. I just painted the cuirass on and ignored the figure details.

Shooters - Prussian Infantry - figs are airfix WWI german infantry

One of my Underwater Cavalry It was an esci plastic Polish Lancer Figure with green stuff diving helmet and air barrel strapped to his back and a piece of wire bent into shape as the breathing tube.

Underwater cavalryman from the back.

Water Lurkers - My undersea cavalry. The mounts were shark figures from http://www.megaminis.com/ but I think the moulds have since been sold on.

Artillery - Two airfix WWI German machine gunners plus an Airfix Prussian and Airfix British WWI cannon (don't tell anyone).

Behemoth - German WWI A7v tank - paper miniature with a couple of modifications, some brass rod for the exhaust and front gun with a bit of green stuff around the gun mount all painted brass to give it that steampunk feel :-)

Thursday 5 May 2016

Some zombies for my Kings of War army

These are some zombies that have been lying around for quite a while. I've been playing Kings of War lately and really enjoying the Undead army. I like the way they keep coming back at ya... unless they get hit really hard all at once, that is...

Debbie made these herself many years ago and I finally got around to throwing some paint on them.

They are made up of plastic bits from at least two different sources, GW zombie box, very old GW skeletons box and possibly the odd bit from the GW militia box. 

I need about 60 of them to field a Legion in 'Kings of War'.

Example Hobbit from wargames factory miniature

This is just a quick note to show that you can make hobbits from old Wargames Factory Saxon, Viking and Norman miniatures.

Front
 Back
I took a sheet of saxon bits. I took the leg bit and cut out the legs between the tunic and the shoes. I then glued the shoes directly onto the base of the tunic and assembled the rest of the figure as normal.I added a bow and quiver to his back and then I used a bit of green stuff to add a bedroll and strap, a small paunch on his belly, some hair on his shoes to make bare feet and a leg of cured ham on his belt. I also cut down his sword to look more appropriate for a hobbit.

I reckon it will paint up okay and cheaper than a purpose bought miniature :-)