Tagged: hasslefree
Necromunda – We’re back!
I painted!
As we careened into the first covid lockdowns almost two years back, I thought to myself, “wow, I’m going to get *so* many miniatures painted.” But then I couldn’t actually play the games with anybody, and miniatures sorta fell off my plate as a result. So instead of painting so many, I painted nothing. I watched some movies, played some video games, read a bunch of books… But no painting.
I thought about it. Part of me knew I enjoy it and should do it again, but the longer I waited the harder it was to convince myself. My painting space was cluttered, my miniatures were put away… honestly they were all terrible excuses, haha. Not painting was just easier and there was no extra push from their impending use.
But now? Necromunda has started up again! There’s only a few of us and we’re all in masks but – oh! – we’re playing a miniatures game and it feels glorious! And I am fielding some new miniatures, and some totally new units, and they’re in need of paint!
So this week I painted. I started with some brush on primer, just getting a bit of a feel for the brush against some totally unpainted stuff. And then I broke out some paints that were very badly in need of a shaking. The Vallejos are mixing up pretty nicely but the Citadel colours are a real chore so far. Probably doesn’t help that the first one I broke out was Cadian Fleshtone, which I hadn’t used in ages even when I *was* painting regularly. Anyhoo, some works in progress:
Daria the Little Sister (let’s run with House of Blades terminology since that’s what I’m using to play this time). I put fleshtone and nothing else on this a long time ago, so no idea what colour it was, but a Vallejo of some variety. Added some Vermilion Red for the clothing and Charcoal Grey for the hair. The bear is Flat Earth. I feel like I’ve totally forgotten my processes so it’s like I’m starting all over again. Changing colors too frequently and not working on enough miniatures simultaneously, but we’ll get there. Miniature by Hasslefree.
Tisa the Little Sister.
I play Necromunda with a fellow named Rob that is a fantastic painter, and he asked me if he could paint Tisa because he loves the miniature. My immediate thought was ‘no’ because I foolishly think I need to paint everything myself, but then I thought about my mountains of unpainted miniatures and thought better of it. So no paint on Tisa right now, but she’ll eventually be painted (post-campaign) and I’ll post her up then. Figured I’d get the ‘before’ in now. Another Hasslefree mini.
Hundra the Wyld Runner.
Barely started, but I’ll be very impressed if I get this fully painted without breaking it, especially that collar and leash(?) that she’s holding. These new miniatures are gorgeous but I’m very concerned for their survival. This is where I used that Cadian Fleshtone. I actually broke it out to paint some phelynx mouths but I think maybe it’s too light for that. Thinking she’ll get some yellow, but don’t know where yet. An actual official miniature from GW.
Jaeger and Nicodemus, the Phelynxes. Plus one.
More official GW miniatures. So far Hundra is only fielding with two but a third might be in the cards at some point so I’m painting it at the same time. I’ll be honest, at this point in the campaign these things and Hundra are a point sink. I’ve done pretty much nothing with them. I field them, I flub it, they go into recovery. Repeat. They’ve spent half the campaign in recovery, they all have have lasting injuries, and Jaeger would be dead if not for Trixie (more on her later). Mostly I am just really bad at using them (I only sort of understand how to, and in the heat of battle I forget the details of keeping them useful). Here’s hoping a paint job helps!
Trixie the Rogue Doc.
Welcome to hangers-on territory. Another one I started so long ago I don’t know all the colours anymore, but I started adding more detail. Boots, gloves, and belt by Vallejo. I have had really rough luck on the lasting injuries rolls so this was my first hanger-on. She saved a Phelynx one of her first days on the job, and he only lost an eye which was useless to him anyway, so she’s already paid for herself. This one’s from Statuesque.
Vasquez the Ammo-Jack.
Last week I added a Workshop to my territories, which came with an Ammo-Jack. Don’t know if I’ll get around to painting her but she’s at least assembled and primed at this point. She’s an Irmandinho from the Infinity range of anybody’s curious.
Rachael the Shivver.
The last hanger-on. Not sure which mini I’ll use, but leaming towards the Hasslefree one on the right.
And that’s it so far. Obviously that’s not my whole gang, but it’s all I’m working on painting at the moment. Maybe I’ll introduce the rest of The Riot in a follow-up post. More posts would be good, ha.
Random Miniature – Shaggy
Finally, my third September miniature, and my entry into the SciFi/Modern painting competition at ThunderCon.
This one was never likely to make the top 3; SciFi/Modern is our toughest competition, but I often like to use these competitions just get some cool miniatures into peoples’ faces.
It’s a pretty simple miniature – not a lot of bells and whistles – but it looks really good. Another brilliant miniature from Hasslefree.
I did have one unfortunate disaster. I was basically done with Shaggy and was working on Qadira when I spilled about a half bottle of Reikland Fleshshade. Shaggy took the brunt of it, and wound up soaked to about the knee.
I used a paper towel to stop the pool from spreading and ran Shaggy down to the bathroom for a quick rinse, which as you might expect did a number on some of the previously applied washes. The figure I just touched up, but the base had been basically finished and I didn’t want to mess up the lower portion of the figure any further, so I didn’t do much recovery on the base. Most of the paint held okay, but I lost some of the deepest shades.
Regardless, I’m endlessly entertained by this miniature, and it got a lot of comments and attention (even if it didn’t win anything). It generated less of discussion, and that’s really the most I can generally hope for is some conversation and newly-sparked interest.
Frostgrave – Meet the Headtakers: Xaalia
Name: Xaalia
Soldier Type: Human Treasure Hunter
Another soldier that's *almost* painted.
Miniature: Zetta from Hasslefree.
Backstory: Xaalia joined the local government’s standing army at an early age; as an only child, she needed to help support her ailing mother. Demonstrating certain useful talents, she was singled out before long and placed into a scouting regiment.
When civil unrest a few years later resulted in the disbanding of the local army, Xaalia went solo, running dungeons and cave systems. By the time the Felstad thaw began, she had built a fair reputation in the local area, and was able to gather a small crew. Rikkits and Jaeger crewed with her for a while, exploring the outskirts of Felstad and doing pretty well for themselves as a trio.
As news of the thaw spread, competition amongst the adventurers looting Felstad got steeper, and Xaalia’s trio found themselves at greater and greater risk. Ancient traps, wandering beasts, and even the undead were challenges they could handle easily. Powerful wizards leading entire warbands were a little much.
When Rikkits informed Xaalia that he’d been approached by a wizard’s apprentice about putting together a sizable crew, she saw the offer for the opportunity it was… more treasure, safety in numbers, and a wizard or two to handle the big problems.
Frostgrave – Painting some miniatures…
Just some pics of some painting progress. It’s entirely possible that turquoise may be too bright for a necromancer. Time will tell.
She (Who Will Not be Named) WIP
Jaeger WIP
Anja WIP
Unnamed soldier WIP
Frostgrave: Meet the Headtakers – Beatrice
Name: Beatrice Hammerhand
Soldier Type: Dwarf Infantryman
Still a work in progress, but coming along nicely.
Miniature: Hayden from Hasslefree.
Backstory: Beatrice and her close friend Jaeger grew up together in the Northern Wastes, far beyond Felstad. Their village of Raven’s Peak is a quiet one, but has a long and storied history of great warriors, beginning centuries ago when the Wastes were not yet wastes and great city-states went to war over what was once a resource-rich land. These days, young would-be warriors generally leave Raven’s Peak to seek employment and experience as mercenaries, developing their skills and gaining recognition. Few return home before they can command an impressive purse.
Beatrice and Jaeger spent a couple years walking south, stopping frequently to pick up contracts. They spent a few months working with different crews just to diversify their skillset a little; Beatrice spent that time with an overland hunting party tracking dangerous creatures. It was during this stretch that she picked up her dog, Tannhauser. Eventually she and Jaeger found themselves in a boom town just outside Felstad. Work was plentiful in the area, with countless wizards hiring adventurers to help raid the thawing ruins. Being from so far north, Beatrice has often felt like an outsider, but there are no shortage of outsiders around Felstad.
Since arriving, she and Jaeger have continued to work as a pair; over the past few months they met and bonded with a very skilled thug named Skrixx Aeon’k; the three (plus Tannhauser) now work almost exclusively as a trio.
So little time.
From a glance at my unfinished posts, it’s been a while. October saw the local shop run a Game Expo in conjunction with a local fan convention (ThunderCon and TGG’s Game Expo!). Lots of fun; I ran 2-hour demonstrations of Ticket to Ride, Judge Dredd, Batman, and Infinity, and there were about 10 other tables running different demos as well, introducing all sorts of players to games they’d never played before.
The shop has wrapped up the first season of its Wayback series with the conclusion of its Gorkamorka campaign (I’ve got an unfinished post I’ll put up with a few more details on that) and Mordheim will be starting soon. I’ve also recently scooped up some random fantasy miniatures (originally destined for a Mordheim mercenary warband) and am in the process of diving into Frostgrave. I’ve been messing around a little bit with terrain, but over the past week or so I’ve been doing some painting again.
Possibly an odd choice for a winter setting, but it could be a magic outfit of warmth...
A treasure hunter. Lighter pants might have been an idea. Our maybe I'll just take them all the way to black.
Work in progress. Even more than the others.
Yesterday's adventure in pinning madness.
I actually brought the above into work so I could borrow somebody’s micro bits; my drill bits are all too big. I ended up using a straightened staple for the pin, and it was still a close call getting the bit in without destroying the mini. Pinned at the sword bearing arm’s shoulder, and just above the other hand (the staff’s top is a separate piece). Looks dynamite, but yeesh.
Actual frostgrave commentary will follow in a later post.
Thanks for sticking around, folks!
Necromunda: Meet the Saxon Violets! ‘Hurricane’ Amy Reynolds
Name: ‘Hurricane’ Amy Reynolds
Rank: Ganger (formerly Amy the juve)
Primary Weapon(s): Chainsaw (Chainsword)
Current Miniature: Louise (b), by Hasslefree Miniatures.
Why she’s featured: Oh, the anticipation!
Notes: Hurricane Amy has yet to get into close combat, but every experience upgrade she gets leaves her better prepared for it. Once a young and inexperienced juve worth a knife and an autopistol, she now weilds a chainsword. While she is still only Weapon Skill 2 (she lacks technique), she makes up for it in sheer raging energy, with 3 attacks, Combat Master (bonuses for multiple opponents), and Disarm (50/50 chance of destroying an enemy’s weapon as combat begins). I feel like she should be devastating… if I can just get her in there. I used the vents last time, and certainly got much closer; I’ll have try that again.
Necromunda: Meet the Saxon Violets – Jael ‘Jailbird’ Nightingale
Name: Jael ‘Jailbird’ Nightingale
Rank: Ganger
Primary Weapon(s): Autogun
Current Miniature: Pilot Hayden, by Hasslefree Miniatures.
Why she’s featured: This is a great miniature.
Notes: The shortest of the Violets, Jailbird’s mini is from Hasslefree’s ‘Grymn’ line, which are basically space dwarves. I just couldn’t resist finding a home for this miniature; there’s so much character here, and the details are great (haven’t finished painting yet, but note the cyberjack-looking bits by her left ear).
As a Saxon Violets, however, she hasn’t accomplished too much. She’s mostly been backup, supporting whichever Violet finds herself overwhelmed. Not a bad thing, but not very razzle-dazzle, if you will. I’m likely to only get another game or two squeezed in before the end of the campaign, so I’ll have to really push her to give her all.
Hopefully, making some painting progress will help with that.
Necromunda: Meet the Saxon Violets! Beth, AKA ‘Bettie’ Rage
Bettie Rage, primed.
Name: Bettie Rage
Rank: Ganger
Primary Weapon(s): 2x Bolt Pistols
Current Miniature: Summer (b), by Hasslefree Miniatures.
Why she’s featured: Formerly known simply as Beth, Bettie is the first juve to become a full fledged ganger by virtue of her own efforts.
Notes: Previously represented by Hasslefree’s ‘Brooke’ miniature (which has now been reassigned to Patricia), Bettie has been a valuable part of the gang from the get go. She’s taken the leader of the Street Judges out of action once, and has twice used her quick legs to sprint loot out of contested areas.
Eva Destruction, Beth, and the late Polly 'Pulper'
Former Beth, now Patricia.
rats east 