Getting Rusty!

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Began spraying my 15mm wasteland terrain. It was a beautiful morning first thing - took my stuff outside to spray - and the moment I was ready, the wind picked up!

Nevertheless, you can see an encouraging example of the results from the first coat below.

Wasteland Outpost - Rusty WIP

The Krylon Matt Warm Aubegine has worked out really well - available from Hobbycraft for just £4.99.

I like the colour and as there will be plenty left am seriously considering using it as part of a two-tone scheme on some of my Sci Fi armour.

I intend giving the terrain bases another coat of Warm Aubergine in a short while before applying some dark washes of GW Devlan Mud, artist acrylic Burnt Umber. The rust effect will be created with artist acrylics Mars Orange.

TIP: Cheap & effective turntable
from a styrene Pizza packaging base

Update:

I'm very impressed by the even and smooth finish of the Krylon spray. The instructions on the can recommended spraying from 25cm, but I found the coverage was too light, so held the can much closer with no adverse effects. I tell you, I'd paint all my tanks with this stuff if possible!


Cheers
Mark
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Wasteland Terrain WIP: Almost there!

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Finally ready to paint my wasteland terrain tomorrow.

Wasteland Outpost WIP

For my groundwork, I wanted to create the impression of cars and pipes buried in the earth with sand/dirt collected by the wind building up between them. I use a premixed 'flexible' Polyfilla combined with a small amount of PVA glue. This makes the Polyfilla very creamy and easy to spread but will also improve adhesion and final resilience to handling.

Once set, I spread a liberal coat of PVA over the bare Polyfilla, placing the rocks where I want them before shaking on the sand. I tend to push the sand down into the PVA with my fingers to ensure a good hold. When dry, I turn the piece over and tap the bottom to remove any loose sand/rocks. Finally, I water down PVA (50-50) before washing it over the sand and rocks with a 1" or 2" emulsion brush. This final coat not only holds everything together but provides a sound surface for taking paint. Then leave this overnight to dry out.

I bought a can of Krylon Warm Aubegine - a dark brick red-brown - matt spray paint to prime/basecoat the vehicles and metalwork on the bases. I thought it would be a decent base colour for drybrushing various brown and orange shades of rust.

Cheers
Mark
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GZG Spider Drones

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GZG's new Spider Drones
15mm Evil! Evil! Evil!

GZG 15mm Sci Fi: V15-84a
3 for £2.50

There's just something about these Spider Drones that makes them more chillingly evil and unstoppable than the classic Terminator assassin robot.

The articulated legs are really well designed and I'm looking at how to turn a pack of the models into Drone mini MRLS - an idea I've had since my classic Traveller: Mercenary days back in the '70s.

A variant with twin gun disks mounted above each other whihc could rotate in different directions would be cool, as would one with the Gatling chin turret from the AV-7-FanVan.

Cheers
Mark
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Felid Baron: RAAAARRR!

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This is one cool 15mm cat!

Khurasan 15mm Sci Fi
TTC1302- Felid Baron - Battle Dress $1.69

Big Bazza! The Felid Baron arrived today. Beautiful miniature. This one is destined to command a Felid Strike Company, I want another (or two even) with my next order from Khurasan to paint as Felid (Kzinti) characters.


Cheers
Mark
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GZG 15mm Rommel III MBT

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GZG's new releases including the Rommel III MBT should be up on the webstore now.

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Rommel III MBT

There's something about the Rommel that grabs me. I see it more as an automated tank rather than a manned one and can envision a fleet of them on my desert tabletop. It looks ruthless, efficient and most definitely Harkonnen.

Cheers
Mark
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Wasteland Terrain WIP: Progress Report

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Just a progress update on my 15mm post apocalypse wasteland scatter terrain.

Wasteland Outpost

Abandoned Car

Crushed Car Wall

I had originally intended to give the Wasteland Outpost and Abandoned Car much more in the way of fine detail, but I thought to myself "No Mark, this is 15mm - just finish off and get them on the table".

I'm certain that once painted and with some scrub and desert grasses added, they'll look great and I expect to have them finished by the weekend. The oil drums you can see are from The Scene. I have a couple of stand alone bases of these drums on the workbench which will provide additional scatter cover and/or 'spawning' points for zombies, bugs, bad guys etc.

One thing I'm annoyed about, is that for years I had this pack of 'signs' kicking about from Peter Pig's Wild West range - it included a signpost with a buzzard sitting on it - perfect for the Abandoned Car or generic scatter terrain - but can I find it when I need it? No! Grrrrr!

That's dried river bed, scatter terrain, trees......

Trees = cuttings from the garden

Now, all I need is a typical Route 666 gas station and diner.......

Cheers
Mark
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Kyushu Bay at SALUTE

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Jon at GZG and Craig from Critical Mass Games have been in touch following SALUTE and reported it as a success. Jon felt it was one of GZG's best yet, selling out of several 15mm lines including the new Spider Drones.

Critical Mass Games sold tons of infantry of all types, but it was the Protolenes and their new walkers that flew out the door, which together with positive feedback from those of you who attended may lead to a possible expansion of the Protolene range.

Craig has sent me his best pics of the day for a Critical Mass Games eyeview:




I've been following the progress of Kyushsu Bay on the Critical Mass Games Forum as it was built over the past few months. Craig and Dale put long hard hours in on top of running the business to get this mammoth setpiece ready, and it's a stonkingly good testament to them!

Well done guys and also to the rest of the team from your local club who provided so much support in the run up to SALUTE and who were there on the day for you as well!

Cheers
Mark
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Critical Mass Games setting up at SALUTE

Craig sent me these photos of Critical Mass Games
setting up at SALUTE last night.

Cheers
Mark
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Big Bazza! Khurasan's 15mm Felid Baron

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If there ever could be such a thing as an Alexander the Great of the Sci Fi universe - it has to be Khurasan's new Felid Baron!

With my latest order from Khurasan Miniatures I can now create a strike company of Jon's excellent Felids. I felt these guys needed a powerful figure to be company commander and Jon has not disappointed with the new Felid Baron.

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi
Felid Baron (centre) & Heavy Weapon Troopers
painted by Chris Yaro

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi
Felid Baron (front)
painted by Chris Yaro

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi
Felid Baron (rear)
painted by Chris Yaro

This miniature will make a great character on his own - be it Adventurer, Imperial Scout, Bounty Hunter, Merc. Even if you don't have a force of Felids for your tabletop, the Felid Baron is a must for any serious 15mm Sci Fi gamer's collection.

Jon is awaiting stock before taking orders.
Expect the Felid Baron any time now.

Also coming to a wormhole near you shortly are Khurasan's new Mekanoid Grenadiers. Click on the photos for bigger pictures

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi
Mekanoid Grenadiers (front)
painted by Chris Yaro

Khurasan Miniatures 15mm Sci Fi

MeKanoid Grenadiers (rear)
painted by Chris Yaro

I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's something chillingly efficient about these Mekanoids which makes them disturbingly menacing. I'm reminded of those killer robots in SPACE TRUCKERS (1996). I think Master Chef has found his Cylon proxies.

Great paint jobs Chris!

Cheers
Mark
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15mm Zombie Hunter Conversion - WIP

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Thought you might like to see my latest conversion project using Zombie Hunter ZH003 from The Scene.




My Blu-tack dry run to 'prove' the concept before breaking out the Green Stuff!

Original Casting
ZH003

Cheers
Mark
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Incoming! 15mm April Releases from GZG

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Jon has sent me photos of GZG's latest releases. They made their debut at TRIPLES last weekend and will also be available this coming saturday at SALUTE. Some seriously sexy Sci Fi.

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Spider Drones: I want an army just of these!

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Rommel III MBT

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Rommel III SLAM

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Gauntlet III APC

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
Command APC

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
New Israeli Plasma Cannon

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
New Israeli Missile and HAMR teams

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
L-UNSC SAW gunners

GZG 15mm Sci Fi
L-UNSC Rifles B

All these new releases will be on the GZG webstore after the weekend.

Cheers
Mark
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Don't Believe What You Hear...Size Matters!

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My thanks to Craig at Critical Mass Games, who has taken some time out of his busy schedule preparing for SALUTE this coming saturday to photograph the new Tamaska / Fenrir Heavy Walker.


These photos give you an idea of the size of the beast especially in relation to other Critical Mass Games products.

This 15mm Sci Fi model kit will be released available on Saturday 24th, at SALUTE.

Cheers
Mark
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Post Apocalyptic Outpost - WIP

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Here is some more post apocalypse scenery I've been working on. This 'outpost' was started a week or so ago and I must give full credit to the Black Primer Paint blog which inspired me to try this in 15mm:


I've been waiting on several packs of 15mm Damaged Oil Drums from Mike at The Scene to add more interest to the base. Now they're here, I'll crack on and hopefully get it finished this week, using the remainder of the barrels to create a couple of bases of scatter terrain.

10 for £1.50 from The Scene

I intend keeping a pack or two of these damaged oil drums available in my bits box for future projects as they are incredibly handy, especially at that price!

I've also made a start on some piles of damaged/scrapped cars - see above - without which no post apocalypse wasteland is complete.

If the post apocalypse genre interests you then I seriously recommend the Post Apocalyptic Wargames Forum. The tone is friendly, helpful and supportive, plus there are some great guys on it.

Will keep you updated as the project progresses.

Cheers
Mark
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Zombie Hunter / Survivalist : Adriana WIP

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I've begun the 15mm female Zombie Hunters / Survivalists from The Scene. This is Latin beauty Adriana.

15mm Sci Fi: ZH001 40p


UPDATE - Monday 19/04:

Repainted 'Adriana' with GW Tallarn Flesh washed loosely over this finish, then GW Gryphone Sepia to shadow. Once I'm happy and based the mini I'll post a new photo alongside the finished 'Chelsey' - WIP below:

15mm Sci Fi: ZH003 40p

Cheers
Mark
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