My First Painted Miniature

Vintage Ral Partha #01-012 Archangel

I managed to somehow hang on to this after all these years. As the title says, this was the first painted miniature I ever did. It was 1980, and this Tom Meier sculpt made its way into my hands. It came from my folks, who never played roleplaying games or the like, in fact they displayed hardly any gamer tendencies at all, but they had bought miniatures from time to time nonetheless. These were unicorns, dragons, and other critters.

The lead range of Ral Partha was just amazing, and there was a store in town called the Yankee Peddler which was basically your proto-gaming store. It had rotating metal racks full of blister packs and I would slowly spin through them, mesmerized at all the figures. At this point in my life I was only six, but still dug Star Wars, loved Star Blazers on television, and adored my Rankin-Bass Tolkien read-along albums. So to see figs of Orcs, Elves, and the like was just the next step for me in the natural progression of things.

I don't know when the concept of actually painting the figures came into the picture, but since my folks are also somewhat artistically inclined, they took to it, especially my Mom. She can still crank out a paint job that is pretty good to this day when she's inclined to do so, mostly she paints large pieces and dioramas that usually involve dragons. You can (sort of) see some of her work here with an older GW Wood Elf Dragon I still need to put back together. It took a bad tumble one day off a bookshelf. Always pin your metal models!

I don't remember a lot of details about my Archangel, but I do remember thinking how cool it looked even way back then. I also remember the wings and sword arm which are obviously no more. The red on the figure on the face and hair was actually a brush-on primer if I recall correctly, and I want to say it was Testors.


I can tell there was something of a plan going on here. It looks like dark blue robes underneath, and no that's not elaborate shading, it's dust, haha. The Roman-style skirt was going to be leather and it looks like there was gold metallic on the torso. The shoulder plates look like they were once a steel blue, and the shield obviously is gold. The colors have held up rather well considering!


It's funny that even back then I put my figures on bases! If you're wondering just how strong superglue is in the long run, well look no further. This lead figure was superglued on a plain ole 1961 nickel a whopping twenty-nine years ago and it's still good to go.

There's not a whole lot to see here overall, really, but this figure is kind of special to me just for what it represents. It's fun to look back at this, and I'll be putting this on my shelf in its own little spot. In searching for reference material for my fig, I found the same sculpt for sale still today over at Iron Wind Metals! I think I definitely owe it to myself to pick up (another) one and get cracking. And yeah, I'll be basing the new one on a nickel too...

Super Soviets: Reinforcements

The Super Soviets received additional reinforcements today in the form of a twin brother and sister duo, as well as a Soviet supers icon. Each of the three are formidable in their own right and bring with them their powers to an already impressive lineup.


The Siberian Arrow (aka Deadeye)

The Siberian Arrow is quick to temper and never backs down from a fight. His quiver of arrows include many 'gadget' arrows that give him the right tool for any job, while his standard combat arrows are flint-knapped from a razor sharp obsidian. He has unerring accuracy with his bow, an ancient weapon from days past made of the bones of a Wooly Mammoth. He is a highly resilient individual, and spy satellite photos show him training in the frozen tundra, in the dead of winter, without any sleeves or additional clothing.


The Grand Duchess (aka Shield Maiden)

The Grand Duchess was the Soviet Union's first super to wear a costume, making her debut close to one hundred years ago in the summer of 1918. She has been an unwavering symbol of her country ever since then. Other than her superhuman longevity and health, the Grand Duchess wields an indestructible shield made of an undetermined metal alloy. Not only is she able to use the shield in the more practical manner, she can also hurl it with great force, ricocheting off multiple enemies before returning to her waiting hand. It is affectionately named the "Tsar". She also displays superhuman agility and balance and superb hand-to-hand combat ability, there seems to be no slowing her down.


Medusa (aka Lady Blade)

Medusa is the twin sister to the Siberian Arrow, most easily recognizable by their hair. Medusa's hair, however, is more than just long locks, she is able to control her hair to ensnare, entangle, and even to strangle her foes. One grainy security camera footage from the French Embassy building even shows what looks like her hair wielding a small, bladed weapon, as if it were a hand. This is but one weapon in the living arsenal that is Medusa. Were there any targets left alive after dealing with Medusa they would surely tell you that no, not all ninjas hail from Asia. She is the master of the sword, and hers is a wickedly sharp blade made from meteoric iron. Footage from the 1980's shows her sword slicing through the armored hulls of Afghan tanks with ease, suggesting she possesses super strength as well. Although slight in build, she shrugs off the greatest of blows time and time again.


The complete team of the Super Soviets

The Super Soviet team is complete. Although you can battle with as little as three (or fewer, although I haven't done it) figs per side, I like a full six so you can pick and choose as needed (as I did with Monster Squad). Plus, as far as teams of Superheroes go, six is a nice round number and gives you plenty of options to spread power archetypes around. I like the cohesive look of the team and their colors, but I need to get some white sickle and hammer decals to add to their uniforms. I figure with all the Flames of War stuff out there I should be able to pick some up, and they should be the perfect size too. The team's not quite done, I do have one more rather large pièce de résistance to add when I get the chance.

Monster Squad is Go!

Monster Squad

After yesterday's post with my freshly painted Super Soviets, I thought I'd post up these guys, the Monster Squad. I painted these guys a while back, by about a couple of years, and looking at them now, I know I'd change a couple of things, but I'm still happy with how they look. So, here they are for posterity in all their monster glory.

Monster Squad is a loose band of misfit supers who have no nation or team to call their own. The media has dubbed them 'monsters' as such, and even though the group is aligned to helping humanity above all else, their exploits are always condemned. They find solidarity in the company of one another, and even though they are painted as villains by the media at large, and seen as vigilantes at best, they continue to help humanity nonetheless.


Leviathan (aka Megladon)

Leviathan hails from the ruins of Atlantis itself. He had left Earth eons ago with his race on a quest of dire importance and has only recently returned. He did to find his home realm in ruins, swallowed up by the ocean. He wields an Atlantean artifact blade, and with his great strength he certainly uses it to great effect. He has a tremendous bite as well, though he rarely uses it, preferring to not cause permanent harm to his foes. He is able to survive underwater indefinitely, and can communicate with aquatic life.


The Scarlet Scarab (aka Glockroach)

The Scarlet Scarab is a horrible lab accident gone wrong. When two entities were accidentally combined, those of mild mannered scientist and common household pest, the result was miraculous...and tragic. Possessed of a human mind, uncanny reflexes, insectoid strength, and four polymer handguns, the Scarlet Scarab hunts crime through the back alleys of the largest of cities. Recently he has become more involved in environmental matters and is suspected in a string of eco-terrorism cases throughout the Northwest.


Lady Midnight (aka Ms. Nightmare)

Lady Midnight is a complete mystery, even to her teammates. She is never seen outside of her costume, and during periods of sleep she dematerializes in a wisp of smoke, only to return again in the morning. Once, when knocked unconscious, fellow teammate Wrecking Ball tried to remove her mask to revive her and found that he could not. She doesn't speak aloud, only through mental empathy and suggestion, and only to a single team member in a period of about a week, at the end of which she will begin communicating to a new team member. Her powers consist of altering the physical laws around her and impacting the rules of probability in her and her team's favor. She can also project the worst fears of her enemy into their minds, rendering them helpless in a matter of moments.


Jack o' Lantern (aka Devil's Night)

Jack o' Lantern is sometimes known as the Pumpkin King, sometimes he goes by the moniker of the Ripe Lord, and has even referred to himself as the Gourd Lord. One thing is certain whatever he goes by, he is far from sane. He often cackles incessantly in battle, swinging his razor sharp blades while reciting limericks about how he and his team are besting their current foes. He has also been known to be rather reckless when throwing his explosive pumpkin bombs from his seemingly inexhaustible bandoleer. There's more to Jack o' Lantern than his sanity that just seems not quite "right". He has an ethereal, otherworldly menace to him that chills you to your core when in his presence, as if someone walked over your grave.


Doc Inferno (aka Fireflight)

Doc Inferno leads the Monster Squad and he is the most "human" looking of the bunch, with a slight exception being the giant Wrecking Ball. Doc Inferno is very well educated (having once been an actual doctor of metaphysics) and he's well spoken to boot. It is only because of his charismatic dealings with authorities that the Monster Squad is as tolerated as they are. His talents come to the fore when tackling sensitive and technological obstacles and often his knowledge of history helps unravel mysteries for the team. In battle he can fly first and foremost, but his main strength comes from his pyrokinetic ability. He is able to hurl balls of flame, streams of searing light, and make it rain hot brimstone on a whim. His skin is constantly ablaze and as he flies, a trail of smoke and fire follow. From a thick chain around his neck he wears the mysterious (and alien) Theta Device.


Wrecking Ball (aka Squat)

Wrecking Ball lives up to his name as his job on Monster Squad is a simple one; smash things. Until Leviathan came along, he was, by far, the largest member of the team. Wrecking Ball's strength is matched only by his near indestructibility. He has been filmed on more than one occasion having apartment buildings collapse on top of him, thrown through the air several hundred feet, and even being clipped by a speeding train. He has a simple outlook on life, and all too often willingly plays into the "dumb brick" stereotype just for the fun of it, though he is capable of much more eloquent thought.

The Super Soviets

The Super Soviets

Just the other day our buddy was lamenting how he didn't want to paint another army anytime soon. He jokingly said, "Just give me a game where all I need is three minis." Well, we already have said game, it's Scott Pyle's Supersystem. The figs are inexpensive, and look great, plus, they paint up fast. I did the three above just this morning. If you click the Supersystem tag below, you'll see just one battle report last year, which is too bad, this game really is a blast to play. I'd really like to play it more, ahem.


Captain Kremlin (aka Dark Templar)

Captain Kremlin leads the nefarious Russian team known only as the Super Soviets. His age is undetermined and he appears as powerful today as he did when the team first made themselves aware to the world at large. The Super Soviets are one of Earth's oldest known groups of supers, making their debut years well before the start of World War II. Their goals often run counter to that of other nations. They find themselves fighting other supers as often as they do protecting their own citizens. They are known for keeping within their own borders and consistently turn down invitations to join the Global Super Alliance. Once, during the Terrax alien invasion of Earth in 2002, the Super Soviets refused to assist smaller Eastern European countries that did not boast supers of their own.


The Antagonista (aka Mindhawk)

The Antagonista is powerful telepath able to subdue and assault her victims through mental blasts and concussive force waves. She is also able to produce force barriers that shield her allies. She was identified at the tender young age of five by the KGB and whisked away to government test labs where her powers were explored and refined by scientists, it is theorized that experimental augmentation was performed as well. She has faithfully served Mother Russia for the last fifteen years.


Colossus (aka Ox)

Piotr "Peter" Rasputin was born on a Soviet collective farm called the Ust-Ordynski Collective near Lake Baikal in Siberia. He lived there with his mother Alexandra, father Nikolai, and sister, Illyana. Peter's superhuman powers manifested during his adolescence while saving his sister from a runaway tractor. At first, Peter was content simply to use these powers to aid the other people of the collective; however he was soon contacted by Captain Kremlin and persuaded to become a member of the team.

(Yes, this is the same Colossus as the X-Men hero of the same name. I was going for a kind of "what-if" alternate history if Peter had been found and recruited by the Kremlin first before Charles Xavier ever came into the picture. Being the on the cutting edge of supers science that they are, they've also enhanced his size and strength even further beyond his already impressive superhuman parameters.)

Evolution

Evolution (2001)

You've got a couple of community college professors, toting shotguns that still have the price tags attached, running around the beautiful Arizona desert dodging government cover up and they're saving humanity from rapidly evolving aliens which landed on Earth via a crashed meteor while shouting lines like, "Let's go shampoo us some aliens!". How can you not love this film?

Orlando Jones and David Duchovny are a great team up in this and the delivery of their lines and subtle (or not so subtle) character nuances are top notch. Julianne Moore is awesome, as always, just not on the same level of sheer zaniness as the other two. Seann Scott isn't too bad and gives us offbeat and quirky humor. Dan Akroyd has a small role where he's over the top as the governor, which is funny, but like I said, a small role.

The script is solid, the action ain't bad, the story is fun if simple, and the special effects (for being eight years old) really aren't that bad. The other thing is that you can really tell that there was a lot of fun to be had on set while they were filming this, and it shows through when the cameras are rolling as well.


The critters range from tapeworms to dragons to man-apes to giant blobs

The Army of Shadowdale

The liberators of Shadowdale, toppling the Zhentarim network.


Nine, Ghostwise Halfling Mystic Theurge


Rhystell, Wood Elf Fighter


Eö Starfall, Star Elf Bard


Nonamé, Moon Elf Rogue


Meti Kumawatti, Human Cleric of Mulhorand


Thorik, Shield Dwarf Barbarian


Collect all six!

Man, err, Gnome Down! Medic, err, Cleric!

Saturday's 3.5 DnD game started off with a big ole tavern brawl.

So we've been playing Dungeons and Dragons for...ever. I've sat at the table with no less than three guys of our current group on a regular basis since high school (going on nineteen years now). Everyone else I've known just about as long, and have gamed with them in one form or fashion almost as long, just not on the "regular" part. We don't have all the time in the world, but we still manage to get in a game a month and we're currently hammering through the Forgotten Realms Weave-Tearing trilogy.


It's not a bar fight unless the Dwarf Barbarian starts swinging a chair...


The Moon Elf Rogue shows off his amazing tumbleness.


No one expects the Ratinator! Although, we never really fought this guy anyway.


Squaring off against a Beholder in the Underdark.


Zap!

Well, I've already told you all about my character, a major geek faux pas I know. Since you've studied him I'm sure, you'll note those two little six level spells lurking down there at the bottom of his spell list. There's some cool stuff at six level, including the 22d6 damage spell called Disintegrate. Fun stuff, and I was eager to tag the giant floating eyeball of anti-magic death aberration arrayed against us.


Alor 'SPLODES!

Ahh, the ironies in life. Well, Beholders are pretty nasty, and we are an eleventh level party, so it's not like he was serving up cupcakes. Well, the round after I cast Disintegrate, it did the same back at me, to a little bit more devastating effect than I had hoped for, heh. So my character that I've invested a couple of years in 'crafting' died a quick and painless death, but died nonetheless. This vexes me, I'm terribly vexed.

Dark Angels: End in Sight

Twenty models to go!

After completing my last Dark Angels project, the end is in sight...for now anyway. Depending on the painter, the above pic could be cranked out in a three-day weekend. Unfortunately I can't move that fast. I've enjoyed rejuvenating the boys in dark green, but I gotta say, I think by the time I get the last brush stroke on the last model I will be ready for a change of pace. Just eyeballing what's on the shelf already I think I'm in the 1500-1800 point range painted, throw in the above slew o' figs and I'm easily in the 2000-2500 point range (I think). I don't have any tanks, that's my Achilles heel, but that may just to be the elephant in the room. The one tank up there I do have I'm going to try hard to trade off for a Pig Iron APC for another side project that hasn't surfaced on here just yet.


Judge Dread...nought!

Then we have this beast from way back. I went overboard on it, and it shows. Custom magnetized arms, every icon on the sprue in every nook and cranny, the list goes on and on. Well, now I have multiple gun arms to paint up, six in all (there's a twin-linked Heavy Bolter not shown). Since I crammed it full of iconic bling too, I'll have to give those their proper due as well, haha.


Speaking of bling...

Aha, my ten Sternguard, last of the models that resembles a plain ole "squad". I festooned these troopers with all manner of wargear and extras too, but if those Vanguard were any indication, the end result will pay off here as well. I also built them with two separate combat squads in mind; the front row are my more 'assault' type troopers with flamer, Storm Bolters, and the Sergeant wielding a Power Fist. The second row is a bit of a more static, stand-back-and-shoot type squad with regular Bolters (to take advantage of the special issue ammo) and of course the big, honkin' Plasma Cannon. I laud GW's new plastics with praise a lot, but this case is no different, these figures just look...cool, simply put. As with the Dread, they'll be a pain to paint, but well worth it.


Last call for HQ

Then there's these knuckleheads; a Chaplain and the Chapter Master himself. The cherub on the far left is really just a flavor text model, who will accompany the Chaplain around the battlefield kind of like Azrael's helmet bearer. In the cherub's case though, he's a Storm Bolter bearer, which was a very slight conversion. I may pop that old backpacj/cape combo off the Chaplain and replace it with a jump pack so he can accompany Squad Icarus into melee, I dunno. Taking a departure from Dark Angels canon, my Chapter Master will be Tracto, first mentioned in the opening line of the Trucidos campaign. I want to take my time and do a bang-up job with these, and being single models, even working at a snail's pace, they should paint up rather quickly.

Vanguard Squad Vindicta

Size: Five Man Squad
Leader: Veteran Sgt. Antaeus
Wargear: bolt pistols, frag grenades, chainswords
Special Equipment: Sgt. Antaeus' wargear; relic blade, storm shield, melta-bombs
Naming Convention: Vindicta is the Latin word for vengeance, which starts with the same letter as 'vanguard', so a little alliteration can go a long way. Plus, anytime you throw Latin in on top of some 40k models you're usually good to go. The sergeant's name comes from Dante's Inferno, and I always like the sound of it, plus I wanted him to sound hard as nails. By the way, there's a great web tour of Dante's Hell here!






I went with a few departures from my regular color schemes, mainly in the weapons and wargear. Instead of red casings with non-metallic greys, I went with blackened steel metal (with chainmail highlights) and jet black casings. The jump packs were largely black as well and as you can see, I'm still flaunting my twenty year old chapter icon decals, haha. I also used lots of copper, burnished gold, and silvers. I took a shortcut when it came to the leather pouches and braided rope belts, and wasn't too happy with the outcome, but I'm being picky, it's hardly noticeable...especailly for "tabletop quality".