Some Support for the Bear

Hello everyone out there,

I hope you're all coping with the various weather happenstances that are occurring around us all, keep healthy and safe.  Given the weather situation in the southern portions of our continent it seems rather small potatoes to have any issues with the warmer than normal September weather that we're having at the moment...

Presently it is sitting somewhere near 30 degrees C with humidex pushing it to high 30's low 40's depending on your locale...funny enough I was camping at this moment a couple of years ago and experienced another extreme weather event...approximately -5 C with snow and rain...brrrr.

So, on this mixed weather day, I thought I'd post for you some combat support for my Team Yankee hordes of Soviets.  More air defense with the addition of 2 x SA-13 Gopher launchers, and some recce elements with 4 x BRDM-2's.  These models painted up fairly fast and I purposely tried out different shades of 'green' on these units...1. to try a different paintscheme similar to what I saw at the Canadian War Museum. and 2. to make it so I could easily pick out my recce troops from the hordes on the table.

I hope you enjoy the pics...comments and advice are always welcome.

Take care.

Overhead view of the SA-13's, with flash...some subtle weathering on the deck and side panels

Profile shot, without flash...weathering is more pronounced

Front aspect view...

 

Front view of the BRDM's...a little brighter shade of green...I think I based them with a spray of Tankovy Green (much the same as all my Soviet kit) and then used VJ 923 Luftwaffe green with a mix of 833 bright cam green and then I just added a little offwhite to the mix to lighten the shade...

 

I really like the shade difference and the relative brightness of these models compared to the rest of my force...it keeps with the example I saw at the museum...and I think VJ's painting guide also goes with a much brighter take on the Soviet cold war painting.

 

 

 Painting so far in 2017:

 

I'm very happy with my progress so far this year...I have certainly focused on 28mm more, I have updated my painting style and am starting to really get a feel for it...I just recently started adapting it to 15mm, outside of the 'star wars' theme, so I'm curious to see how my results go.  As far as additions to lead mountain, I have kept them pretty tight this year, I just bought a box of Soviet WW2 infantry this past weekend and this is the first purchase I've made that wasn't related to a birthday or fathers day gift...so my 'bought' numbers are a little off as I have to count up all the gift-additions...but I'm pretty happy nonetheless.

 

Cheers.

 

Painted:

28mm - 58

15mm - 17

Bought:
28mm - 53
vehicle - 1

15mm - 0
vehicle - 7

 

Overall PROGRESS: +14

Some Reaper Recruits

Hello folks,

I hope everyone is well...it would appear that we are presently into the second coming of 'summer', the temperatures of the past week have certainly stood out as the highlight of the past few months and especially given the cool trends we were having at the beginning of the month.

Personally, I'm good with the cooler weather, but we also didn't have our normal summer in this neck of the country...so I see why folks are pretty pumped.

I thought I'd share with you a few Reaper pieces that I finished near the end of July, beginning of August...I really do like the Reaper pieces...there's a lot of character in the individual figures and the Pathfinder series of minis are outstanding.

I'm trying to kickstart some posting momentum so I'll keep this only relatively short and simple and let the pictures do the talking.

Cheers.

First off, for our more advanced treks into the Northern City, we have 'the Overladen'...a great looking fig, packed down like a good little pack mule hauling the treasures and necessities for an adventuring band.

slightly different aspect...looking downwards toward the figure...

I'm not sure if I'd trust that chicken...looks a little off coloured...not sure if it's supposed to be supper or a trap for beasts...

A couple of great aspects of all the various kit that our apprentice/pack mule is carrying...the figure itself was a lot of fun to paint, the main challenge being the identification of all the different kit and ensuring a consistency of colours amongst the pieces of kit and the ways they overlap and cover each other up.

The next figure I have is from the Reaper Pathfinder line...it is Merisiel the Iconic Elf Thief.  I really like the various 'iconic' figures they have...my first attempt was with their Iconic Skald which I'm really happy with how it came up.

So, inspired by the Iconic figures, I am slowly and deliberately putting together a separate Company of Adventurers all based on these figures.  When I saw Merisiel, I automatically thought she would be perfect as a Treasure Thief, she literally has a buttload of daggers...as well, depending on the rule additions, etc. she could easily serve as an assassin.

So, to keep some consistency amongst my Company, I wanted to make sure that each figure had at least some green within their paint scheme, the Skald was fairly subtle green trim showing beneath his leather robe...for Mis, there is more to see, however I did not make it the primary colour of her outfit.

Various profiles...the figure took a bit to come to life for me...I had tried at least 2-3 variations on the main colour schemes before settling on the blue and green...another great figure that I'm very pleased with.

 

While I can't 100% remember...I think I received the Skinsaw man as a Christmas or Father's day gift...I wasn't certain how to get it to work in the company, BUT, I really liked the look of the figure and the character of the figure...and after reading some of the backstory to the Skinsaw man I was more determined to include him into the warband.

Again, I made sure to add some green in the figure, but reading the various Frostgrave characteristics of the different wizards, I thought that the Skinsaw Man would be an excellent Fire Elementalist...and to help emphasis that I tried to make his jacket look as closely to fire as possible...getting the jacket to this point was really enjoyable and I can't even remember how many layers I invested into this look...I'm really happy with how it turned out in the end...I used VJ Red (vermillion I think) and then introduced a small ratio of bright orange with each layer.  The last layer or two was a heavily watered down bright orange applied deliberately in select spots.

 

 

Painting so far in 2017:

 

Painted:

28mm - 58
15mm - 11

Bought:
28mm - 53
vehicle - 1

15mm - 0
vehicle - 7

 

Overall PROGRESS: +8

The Walking Dead - Battle Report

Howdy all,

 

So it appears that the summer is nearly over...the days are getting a little shorter, the sounds of children crying and screeching as they head to school is nearly upon us, the temperatures are getting to the single digits overnight (not that I can complain about the temps this summer, we really didn't have our crazy over 40 degrees heatwave with humidity on top), and my near annual hibernation break from the internets seems to be coming to a close.

 

Of course not that I have been MIA from the painting table, it does get a little difficult to take my painting on the road when we go on vacation, but I can at least put some models together and attempt to plan my painting moving forward...attempt...

 

Regardless...one of the last things I did before my hibernation was to get an afternoon of gaming in with Mike and Duncan.  Zombies have been on our mind lately and both of the guys had bought into Mantic's Kickstarter for The Walking Dead.  I have attempted to watch this show on occasion, sorry folks...I am not a fan, however I do like zombie gaming...so I was happy to give it a try.

 

So, for your gaming reading and pleasure, I give you my battle report for The Walking Dead.  If you happen to read Mike's blog, then you may have already seen his version of events here.

 

I can't recall the scenario...but generally there were 3 groups of survivors with my group (Mad Max...the boss, Elvis, The Giggler...obsessed Joker cospalyer, and an average Joe) in a section of trees and an abandoned RV park.  Duncan's group (Rick, Caarrrrllllllll, and a couple of others) was in the Buy-Mart next to the RV park, and Mike's group (secret agents and robe wearing dudes) was near a gas station across the street.

 

My guys spread themselves along the treeline...there's an RV ahead of us that might have some loot...and you can hear the low murmur of shambling zombies...

Overhead view of the table...Duncan's in the blue Buy-Mart, Mike is up at the top left of the table

We make our way to the RV, Joe looks in a window and grabs a first aid kit...his quick movements have brought a shambling zombie who slowly makes its way around the RV.

Keeping noise to a minimum the group gets to the fenceline and makes their way to the gate...there are a couple of zombies in the way...so, ninja quiet...

Elvis makes his way to the graffiti where there is another supply cache, he pulls up another first aid kit...and the ninja quiet plan kinda went out the window as he and Max dispatched a couple of zombies to get there...you can see in Buy-Mart there are a few hordes that Rick and Caaarrrllll are taking care of...

Overview shot of Mike's group trying to make it out of their barricades...they keep getting knockdown hits but can't seem to get a kill...very frustrating for Mike...very entertaining to watch...

Another of Duncan's survivors is fending another horde...there were a few moments throughout the game where conditions triggered extra zombie spawns...Duncan couldn't seem to get a break...the zombies looked to be converging on the Buy-Mart...I eventually stopped placing them there...but that's irrelevant to this...

The 'threat' level reached a tipping point and all groups had to exit the map within a couple of turns...I was able to get Joe and Elvis off the table with their loot...

Mike tried intervening in our escape...one of his agents took a couple of shots at our group...Max paused long enough to put two barrels of hello downrange and killed Mike's agent...I think we made our point...

The endstate...my group of survivors was able to exit, I think Mike got most of his...and I think Duncan was able to get half his group off.

 

Overall, I enjoyed the game...I like the escalating threat level...maybe its called rage...can't really remember...but I did enjoy the mechanics and flow of the game...I curse both Mike and Duncan as it now appears that I will have to buy the core set and see what else I can pick up...bugger...

 

Take care.