Pause For The Cause

I am popping back in for a brief moment to promote my buddy Rico's new online store!

http://thriftywargamer.com/

He's got a lot of great stuff on offer, and if you live in the USA, it's well worth a few minutes browsing on his site. 

Give it a look!


P.S. While still in the throws of gamer ennui and real-life struggles, I am slowly making my way back.  Not sure when the blog will fully revive, but keep the faith.  I am still here. Thanks!

Modeling ain't easy...

The 1/72 project has spiraled out of control. After the incorrect attempt to match up Zeros and P-40s I switched it up to Kittyhawks vs Bf-109s in the desert. Its a great setting with some great color schemes to model. After some more research I settled on 112 Squadron vs. 27 JG and found appropriate decals. I had to figure out how the RAF and Luftwaffe marked their aircraft. As I expected, the German system is baroque and overly complex. < + = gruppen staffel waffle smaffle with special markings for the unit's cook's aircraft. Come on.

While I am enjoying the modeling, part of me longs for the days when filing a mold seam for 30 seconds was all that was required to get a model ready for paint. These Airfix kits are easy level and come together nice but the whole thing is a huge schlep compared to most of my wargaming past. Now I am trying to figure out how to go about masking canopies.

In the last few weeks I completed a Mighty Armies Barbarian force and did a platoon of 1/285 GHQ Shermans. Once I get the stomach to get the camera out again I will put up some pics.

Let a hundred projects bloom...

Finally getting an airbrush has opened up a whole new world. Its a somewhat frustrating world, featuring endless decisions regarding paint, thinning, cleaning, moisture traps, needles, cleaning, future, flat coats, cleaning, etc... While I cut my teeth on the rebel shuttle project my eye has been wandering. With an airbrush I can give aircraft models a proper treatment. And coincidentally I have been playing the fantastic X-Wing game with King Jeff. So I started to fantasize about converting those rules to World War II air combat and then before you know it I am buying up model kits. I decided to do Flying Tigers vs. the Japanese and I was ecstatic to find these new retooled kits on offer.

 

I pulled the trigger and now of course it seems the AVG didn't actually fight Zeros, they just called everything a Zero. So that means I need two more sets of planes, some Hellcats to fight the Zeros I already bought and then some Oscars to fight the P-40s. I am really looking forward to doing these model planes. I did so many as a kid and now I can do them properly. If anyone knows some X-wing conversions out there let me know!

Chaos Bike

Photographing this thing was not fun. Building it was. If you fudge the trees like I did there isn't any serious engineering. Some tube and bits and there you go. I have a few more unpainted. I had a concept for a really biker heavy force but that got scaled down to a nice unit. I am going to spend the points for everything in the army to be mounted. I had a vague idea of a renegade legion that perpetually rode a massive highway that circled the equator of some blighted industrial planet. They would lean toward Slaneesh or Slanesh or Slade or whatever, but not be sophisticated enough to go all the way.

Three more to go. Scott posted in progress pics of a Kenner Rebel Shuttle I was converting for use with 15mm Sci Fi. That beast is finally ready for paint. I even bought an airbrush. Stand by for alot of wailing and gnashing of teeth as I get that going. Preshading soon!

Do not adjust your screens! Four-Color Figures is back! Sort of! Scott has temporarily lost some of his gaming mojo but until he gets it back, his friends and biggest boosters are going to keep his blog running. Why? Because we really liked his blog and don't want to watch it fade into obscurity. So until Scott drifts out of the horse latitudes we will keep it going. Up first is me, Scott's friend Sky.

Here are some pics of what I am doing lately.

Once or twice a year I always slide back into 40k Chaos. I can't help it. I just like the models. I even bought my third codex for the army. At least its hardback and all color. Check back in a few days. If Scott didn't regret giving me the password to this cadillac blog then I will post some pics of a chaos bike conversion.

Sky

On Hiatus

Hey, folks.  Life events swirling around me have changed me. I no longer possess the zeal to game, paint, and post.  It is unlikely I will be quite the same person when I come out on the other side of this, so who knows if and when I will return.  It's been a great ride either way.  I thank you all for your support and your page views.

Peace.

--Scott

Sarissa Hex Bases Arrive!

All the way from merry old England, the Sarissa hex bases have arrived!

I received a nice supply of both 20mm and 15mm bases. Check them out!

The 15mm bases will be for Light and Mediums.  The 20mm for Heavies and Assaults.  I'll also put infantry on the 15mm bases as well.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Alpha Strike: A Base-ic Problem

Our foray into 3mm (1/600) Alpha Strike has hit a snag as we wait for bases to arrive from various providers.  I want to do this whole thing "right," and for me that means cool-looking hex bases of the appropriate size.  So I've ordered 15mm and 20mm width hex bases from both Litko and Sarissa and now its a race to see which ones arrive first.

We'll need plenty as I've now roped no fewer than 5 other gamers into this mad pursuit, so both sets will see use when they arrive.  In the meantime, I've had these units painted for several days, and I can no longer wait to show them off.

L to R: Dervish, Panther, Warhammer.

Infantry: Pico Armor Russians.

I hope to knock out the Atlas this weekend and add it to the queue of painted 3mm Mechs waiting for bases.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Bones Hellhound

He's a Bones Hellhound, but I am using him as a Chaos Hound in the store WFB Chaos campaign.

A quick, simple paint job on this guy got him on the table and into the fray--check him out!

A bit blurry, but a size comp w/Champion. 

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Nobody Asked Me, But...

An occassional installment musing on miniatures, reading, and whatnot.

• My copy of 13th Age from Pelgrane Press arrived, and I am incredibly impressed with the finished book. This is a fantasy RPG that beautifully mixes classic fantasy and indie design aesthetics for an amazing finished product that gives GMs and players alike permission to be great! 
• As we eagerly await the arrival of the Alpha Strike hard copy book from Catalyst, we've decided to also try the game using BattleForce scale figures.  This amounts to 1/600, or 3mm sci-fi, an area I've never dipped into, but Iron Wind offers just enough stuff to give it a go.  I'll be posting pics of some painted miniatures in this scale soon.  Now if only I can get someone to send me some appropriately sized hex bases! I've got several orders outstanding, so my fingers are crossed something comes this week.  
• My buddy Andrew is doing a dynamite job running our store Chaos Campaign, and he's built a blog to share the love.  Check it out here! 
• Gen Con begins this week, and while I will not be there, the rest of the Play Unplugged team will be, so check out the site this week for interviews and other cool con content! 
• For more on 13th Age straight from the lips of its two primary creators, check out this awesome interview the pair did with Forbes Magazine a few months back.  

Thanks for visiting! 

--Scott

WFB: Ungor Done

Yesterday I finished two Ungors and my Chaos Hound. I'll show them in successive posts (with possible breaks for other stuff) over the next few days.  Anyway, here is the first Ungor:

I found myself wanting to use Army Painter beast brown spray on this project, but I did not.  One thing living in a condo does is limit my ability to use spray primers.  I can use the balcony, but the smell invariably creeps into the condo, so I avoid that, and I did not feel like trekking down to the parking lot to do it.

So brush on primer and Strong Tone ink were used instead.  It's a bit of a speed job, but I think he's quite table ready.

Next up, the Ungor swordsman!

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Weekend Projects Afoot

I've got a few irons in the fire for this weekend's hobby projects, so I thought I might provide some visual previews!

First, some small-scale Alpha Strike:

Planning to play Alpha Strike using Battleforce scale minis. 

As you can see, these are small--roughly 1/600 vs. standard 1/300.

Next, some Chaos!

Bones Hellhound will make ideal Chaos Hound. 

Ungors will make excellent foot soldiers for my Champion. 

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Alpha Strike: Exterminator Comp Shots

As promised, here are a few comp shots of the 65 ton Exterminator with some other 'Mechs.

Maelstrom looking crabby....

An indecent proposal from this Ostroc? 

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Alpha Strike: Exterminator

I like solid, one-piece castings, and the Iron Wind Metals Exterminator falls into that category.  This 65 ton heavy 'Mech offers a nice mix of energy and ballistic attacks, and the profile I'll likely use for AS is the EXT-5F version that offers a 2 / 2 /2 damage profile.

When painting it I could not resist attempting a new Merc paint scheme--I've dubbed this one The Red Sons (based on the sheet of transfers I had handy).

My plan is to make them Periphery raiders with Clan ties--perhaps a unit of disgraced Clanners.  This precedent exists among the Clans, they're called  Solahma-units, and while they normally don't have a lot of 'Mechs, I figured this unit has truly turned its back on their old ways, attained independence of a sort (a DropShip and access to a JumpShip) and now roves the Periphery raiding and taking merc jobs where it can.

So the Red Sons will have a mix of second line Clan 'Mechs and Inner Sphere models like the Exterminator. This will allow me to cherry-pick the models I most want to use.

Next post I'll show some comp shots of the Exterminator and a few other painted 'Mechs.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Alpha Strike: Fire Javelin

Light 'Mechs can be very important in Alpha Strike--they're obviously very fast and can seize and hold objectives once they get stuck in.  I'm a big fan of 'Mechs with "all-energy" configurations (the ENE special ability).  When they take internal structure damage, they don't blow up as easily.

The 30 ton Fire Javelin drops its SRM weapons load in favor of additional medium lasers.  To model this I cooked up a little conversion adding the additional lasers in the right and left torso.

Left to right: Grasshopper, Fire Javelin, and Cataphract.  

Hope to get more done this week!

--Scott

Nobody Asked Me, But...

An occassional installment musing on miniatures, reading, and whatnot.

• Gave BattleTech: Alpha Strike a thorough reading and I am immensely pleased and excited!  My review on Play Unplugged has been posted! I predict a lot of old BT players will be dusting off their 'Mechs and other units for Alpha Strike.
• Re-reading Dune--I do this every two years or so.  I keep threatening to produce a community theater version of the book and casting my various friends in the main roles.  Sometimes I think I am only half-joking! 
• I was bummed out when Fate Core arrived at my FLGS and we proceeded to sell one of the five copies we ordered.  Then I realized that a lot of the customers who would have bought it supported the Kickstarter.  We'll sell all of our copies, I am certain of this, but it will just take a while longer.  It's an interesting dynamic. Such a fine book would not exist without KS, but KS siphons some of the natural customer base for it in the shops.  
• Painting BattleMechs again is great, and the campaign system in Alpha Strike means you can play meaningful games with some story elements attached to them. I plan to add a pair of Exterminators and an Atlas to round out my company.  Best part about it was my FLGS was able to order them via distribution, and that has not always been the case with Iron Wind's stuff. 
• JoAnn and I watched African Queen over the weekend, and while it's not Humphrey Bogart at the height of his powers, it still ranks as an all-time classic in my eyes.  Makes me want to bust out the pulp miniatures!
• My copy of 13th Age from Pelgrane Press should be arriving this week, and I am excited!  It's an RPG that mixes D&D 4E mechanics with indie game design principles to create something truly new and weirdly cool.  And knowing Pelgrane, the hardcover will be a thing of beauty.  

That's all for this installment, but I should have some more painted 'Mechs to show off this week.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Alpha Strike Komodo KIM-2A

This week I got my second Komodo done, a KIM-2A variant, swapping 5 Medium Lasers for a single ER Large Laser.

I also have the honor of getting to review the Alpha Strike PDF, and I am in the process of doing so right now.  I am pretty pleased so far.  I'll link to the Play Unplugged review page when it gets posted.

And here is a shot of the whole Colonial Marshal unit:

I need to add a few more units, but this is plenty for Alpha Strike gaming.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Bones Golem Painted!

I just had to paint this awesome figure, and as I may have alluded to earlier, I have painted this guy before!  So you get some Bones/Dark Heaven comp shots as well!

On the left, the Bones Golem, and on the right, the metal version! 

Even cooler than the mini is what I did to paint him.  I took him out of the bag, scraped a few mold lines off, then glued him to a base.  After waiting for the basing pumice to dry, I then base coated him with Delta Ceramcoat Trail Tan.  I put him under a fan for 30 minutes, then hit him with some Army Painter Soft Tone ink.  After letting him dry over night, I came back the next day and dry-brushed him with Trail Tan.

After finishing the base, that was it!

So no rinsing, no primer, just right at him with the base coat and bam!

Can't wait to get more of these!

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Possible Projects For The Week

I thought I might share some of the figures I might try to get to this week.

Nothing earth-shattering, but this stuff motivates me to pick up the brush.

Left to right: GB Dark Age Warrior, BT Komodo, Reaper Bones Golem. 

I got the Bones Golem from my buddy Rico, who picked it up at the Historicon flea market of all places!  It seems some Bones backers bit off more than they could chew, and are now dumping the stuff where they can.  Bully for me!

I may do him in a sandstone paint scheme, but we'll see!

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott

Meet A Floronic Foe

I ran Pathfinder last night and nearly authored a second TPK in a row!  Luckily, everyone survived.  One of the party's foes last night was a dead goblin Druid, animated by infernal & intelligent plant matter.  Hey, it's fantasy, what do you want?

I found this awesome DC Heroclix Floronic Man mini to use for the occasion and I re-based him.  I think he fit the bill quite well, but see for yourselves!

A trifle blurry, but a scale comp does help! 

Now my Pathfinder players have got their PCs to 5th level, so we'll move on to the next chapter in Rise of the Rune Lords.

Thanks for visiting!

--Scott