Deadcember: Undead Horseman.

It's Deadcember, that time of year for Oldhammer-ers to paint something Undead related.

I have chosen paint an old Citadel Horseman of the early 1980's. I had planned to paint a lot of other things as well. However, I have been very busy at work with Xmas, been lost in sorting out my Oldhammer era miniatures in armies (more of that in the new year), and I have also been very very unwell after having an allergic reaction to lunch one day (I am lactose intolerant). This is also why I still have'nt photographed the Pan Tang.

As for the Horseman, he's a two-piece old pre-slotta miniature. Originally he was the FF66 Skeleton Rider on Horse from Hell, from the Fiend Factory range from 1982. Later, he was moved to the C21 Fantasy Cavalry range in 1983, and re-named 'Skeletal Fanatic'.

I have been informed that the later C21 version was a one-piece casting, rider and horse no longer seperate. That suggests to me that the C21 version was a 're-casting' by Citadel of the earlier FF66 version. This something which Wargames Foundry have been doing in order to re-release old 1980's Citadel ranges. It would also suggest that the C21 might be slightly smaller than the FF66, as with Wargames Foundry's miniatures, although I don't know for sure as I only have the FF66.

The sculpting is superb. Whilst the nature of the miniature require very little detailing, the actual sculpting of the robes and horse give a great sense of movement. It is one of my favourite miniatures.

I have painted him up for use as a Spectre in Warhammer fantasy Battle 3rd Edition.  It was a very quick paint job. Black undercoat, drybrush with white, and a wash with Citadels Nihilakh Oxide Technical paint. I added a couple of flowers to the base to give the almost artwork feel to the miniature riding through a meadow. 

Enjoy. :)

 C21 Fantasy Cavalry.

 Lef hand side, shield side.

 Right hand side.

 Close up

Not Santa, but the Nightmare before Christmas!

Next update should be the Pan Tang army photographing.

Cloud Giant Treeman.

I have'nt had time to photograph the full Pan Tang army yet. I want to photograph them on a large gaming table, as I have done with the Snakemen and Dark Elves. In the meantime I have re-painted an old Giant miniature.

I saw a photograph online where someone had painted a Giant model as Treeman, which I thought was a good idea. So I thought I would give it a try by re-painting an my old Ral Partha RP01-109 Cloud Giant. It's painting was very simple. I painted the body a dark brown base with lighter browns to represent the woody trunk of his body. The hair and beard I painted greens, to suggest the foilage. To constrast with the browns and greens I painted the fur greys, similar to wolf fur.

I am very happy with how he turned out. People may wonder why a Treeman would require a stone axe and fur clothing, but I just consider him to be more of a tree-ish spirit, working with trees, rather than a tree that has come to life. Also, as I am slowly assembling miniatures for the McDeath Scenario, I thought that this Treeman would work nicely as one of Klinty's Treemen.

Apart from the Treeman, I have been very, very busy sorting out all of my Oldhammer era Fantasy Battle miniatures. The idea is to have a change in approach to my collection and collecting. Before, I just wanted to have a few armies, and cram as many of the relevant miniatures into it as I could. With that end, I spent ages trying to compose armies lists of perfection.

The result was not always the best gaming armies, nor were they I felt really capturing the 'feel' of the armies (with the possible exception of the Skaven). In addition, I rarely made use of allies or hosts, and never used Mercenaries, leaving large sections of my collections in boxes with no future other than to be possiblty painted at some time as a whim or curiosity. So I am expanding the numbers of armies, and the range of the the miniature types, and working to the idea of compiling 3,000 point armies. This project of sorting out things will take the next few weeks, and so I will be doing a series of updates on the results in the new year. 

In addition, I am 'Oldhammering' the armies, that is making sure I only use miniatures that would have been avalible at the time (from the late 1970's to 1992). Models wise, I am largely using Citadel miniatures, Marauder, Chronicle, Iorn Claw, with the occasional Grenadier, ral Partha, or Asgard, all form the time of course. Although I like the combination of newer elements to old armies, I wanted to take the 'purest' approach. My only concession to this is that using the ex-Citadel mintures that are now being produced by Foundry Miniatures.

The Snakeman and Pan Tang armies are not included in this approach, as they are projects of their own. The Slann army/ies have some modern elements, but I regard my Slann as a collection all of it's own, and anyway, I can easily field 3,000 points of Oldhammer Slann without any problem.

Finally, it's the 'Oldhammer' Deadcember. So I have dug out (so to speak!) my old RRD2 Nightmare Legion to re-paint. These were my first box set I ever bought (I received them for my 13th birthday), and so I have a soft soft for them. I painted them, not greatly, at the time (on the day to be precise!), and then attempted a tyding excercise about 20 years ago, but they deserve better. I am also going to paint a pre-slotta C21 Skeletal Fanatic up as a Spectre as well.

Enjoy :)

 The Giant/Treeman bestrides the hill country.

 Close up.

 Close up.
I painted the eyes brown, with black pupils, to give that extra tree-ish look.

 Rear view.

 Goblin-eye view!

 RD2 Nightmare Legion Regiment of Renown.

 C21 Skeletal Fanatic.

I am also painting the DRAG3 Green Dragon. It'll end up in a as a bound Dragon in one of the armies, maybe Bretonnians.

Next update will be the army photoshoot of the Pan tang army.