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.

The Tigers of Pan Tang.

After much foot dragging I have finally finished my Pan Tang Army. I have enjoyed painting them, and will conduct a full army photoshoot for next weeks blog update. In the meantime I am posting photographs of the last element to the Pan Tang army to be completed; the Tigers of Pan Tang. I was going to add some Chaos Thug archers to the army too, but I did'nt think that really worked with the feel of the collection.

As I have mentioned before, The Tigers are an iconic component in a Pan Tang army, and no Pan Tang force would be really 'Pan Tang' without them (well maybe less so when fighting ship-to-ship!). I was very reluctant to paint them as I was'nt sure how to tackle painting Tiger stripes. I recall a White Dwarf article from the 1980's about painting Tiger stripes, and it kind of put me off. However, in the end I just went for it, and used Google photographs of actual Tigers for reference. I don't think that they turned out too badly.

Gaming wise, as the Pan Tang army itself is compiled used the 3rd Edition Warhammer Fantasy Battle Army Chaos Army list, the Tigers will be used as 'Proxy' Chaos Hounds. Given the smaller size of the army, four Tiger teams seems a good number. They are somewhat ticky to source now, so four also seemed a good point from which to stop.

Enjoy :)

 The four Tiger teams.

 From the left side.

 ...and right side.

 A Tiger team in action.

 Close up of the roaring Tiger 'Great Tooth'.

 Right side.

 Stalking Death.

 Right side.

 Tiger handler Vashtar Mu'ar.
I went for a Tiger skin paint scheme for the handlers to tie-in with the tigers, but kept the red armour to tie-in with the rest of the Pan Tang army. I like the tiger head/helmet.

 Kaaltar Beastlord.

 Rear view.

 As I had more Tigers than Handlers I decided to use a spare pair of Pan Tang infantry to step in.
This is Grar.
I kept the same indea of colours scheme for these as with the other 'proper' handler miniatures.

 Handler Vandar.

 A group shot of all of the Tigers.
I really like the Tiger miniatures, as I do all of the Pan Tang range. It is a shame that they disappeared from Citadels production. I am sure that they could have been produced under the banner of 'Chaos' miniatures, in the same way the Melniboneans became 'High Elves'. However at the time there were a lot of new miniatures being produced and things going one. It was a fun time in which to collect and game. :)

WIP...
...Lord and Lady McDeath. But more on these at a later date.

The next update will be an army update on the completed Pan Tang army.

Beasties from the Highlands, and Tigers from the Islands.

I have been back in the mood for painting over the last couple of days, and have been determined to finish the Pan Tang army. I have also painted a couple of miniatures for an upcoming project as well.

Concerning the Pan Tang, my painting of the army has been a little slack of late. My concern has been about tackling painting the iconic Tigers of Pan Tang themselves. So I decided to just go for it and attempt them, and as the WIP photographs later in this blog update show, I think that I have been successful.

In addition, I have painted an old Citadel C28 Giant from 1987, and a Grenadier Turtle Dragon from the 1980's (although this casting is from Mirliton Miniatures).
But why?

Well, I am hoping to assemble the armies for the McDeath scenario. The Giant will work for the Giant 'Markus Grimmock', and the Dragon for the 'Monster of Loch Lorm'. Whilst I do have nearly all of the characters for the scenario, and some of the Highlanders, I don't have either of the actual miniatures for the Giant and Monster. However I am not overly concerned. I am not a 100% keen on either of them, and I actually prefer the miniatures I have chosen.

For me, the Grenadier Monster look more like 'Nessie' [The Loch Ness Monster] has more personality. It is also looks similar to the old Citadel miniature. The C28 Giant, when you add the right head, and copy the Scottish looking paint scheme from the White Dwarf advert, also fits better in my opinion than the original allocated models. Both are also contemporaneous with the mid/late 1980's 'Oldhammer' era and McDeath Scenario, and so neither are out of place.

But more of McDeath in later blog updates.

Enjoy. :)

The McDeath set of miniatures.

C28 Giants, released in 1987.

Wither Wattle, doubling up as 'Markus Grimmock'.

Close up, with the C12 Goblin 'Bag Blower', playing the bagpipes.
I have used some Warlord Games 'Heather Tufts' on the base to give that extra Scottish feel.

Rear view.

Loookin' fer troooble!!!

'The Monster of Loch Lorm'.
This miniature was originally a Grenadier Miniatures Turtle Dragon from the 1980's, now produced by Mirliton Miniatures.

I painted the neck lighter to give an aquatic feel. This colour hinted at on the cardboard cut out in the McDeath scenario.

The Monster in the heather.

Close up of the shell.

The (in)famous hoax photograph of the Loch Ness Monster from 1934.

WIP Tigers of Pan Tang.
I painted them using a mix of Vallejo Orange-Brown, and Citadel's Troll Slayer Orange, over a base coat of Citadel's Steel Legion Drab.
I will be producing a better series of photogaphs in my next blog update once I have based them.

The Tiger Handlers.

I have also been basing the rest of the Pan Tang army, with Citadel's Technical paint Agrellan Earth, and various grass and flower tufts.

Next update will be the completed Tigers of Pan Tang.

Musketeer and the Captain of the Cardinal's Guard.

I still have'nt been much in the mood for painting in the last few weeks. However, instead I have been sorting my human miniatures into various armies based on the nations of the Old World, with an idea to do seperate armies on them. I have been quite successful in sorting them out, but the project will still require a mail order to Wargames Foundry for a few items. I've been buiying old Fighter miniatures from e-bay to add characters (and characters!) to the armies.

With that in mind I decided to paint up a couple of random miniatures.

I have always been a fan of the Three Musketeers, and Four Musketeers, especially the 1973 film (or films, as they filmed the two at the same time). I love the humour of the films, and the 17th Century history. So as I was sorting through some old Citadel Fighters and decided to paint up a pair of miniatures in that Musketeers vein. They will be the unit commanders of a pair of Arquebus armed units in my re-vamped Bretonnian army. As an aisde, the new idea for the Bretonnian army is Knight heavy, with few infantry, the Arquebusiers being added for flavour and humour.

Enjoy :)

 The two human Fighters.
On the left is a Citadel F2 Dogs of War range 'Falcon'.
On the right is another Citadel F2, but a Fighter range, 'Altdorf Captain'.

With the tabbard, I thought he fitted the Musketeer vibe. I am aware that he is a little out of date for the Musketeers era, but as it's for a fantasy Bretonnian army, it's fine.

Rear view and view of the buckler.

Captain of the Cardinal's Guard.
There have been several incarnations of the Cardinal's Guards uniform, so I based mine loosely on the 1973 version as the red and looks very striking.
I really like this miniature, the pose and style look more 17th Century to me, and the miniatures has a cocky attitude betting of adversary. Like the Musketeer above I have owned them since the 1980's,  paint-stripped the old 1980's painting to start anew.

Rear view. Love the wheel-lock pistol.

Next update will Pan Tang, as I really have to focus on finishing them. Still looking forward to painting the Tigers.

An Orc for Orctober!

Just in time, I have painted an Orc for Orctober. I have'nt really been in the mood for painting, nor have I had the time, but instead I've been sorting out a lot of my miniatures into Oldhammer era only collections and armies.

I have taken all my Citadel Orcs and sorted them into four armies; three of them based on Lord of the Rings (Mordor, Minas Morgul, and White Hand), and one as group of Orcs for my 3rd Edition Warhammer army (which will be mainly Goblins, but require a few Orcs). I will take photographs in a few weks of the armies. With that in mind, I painted a Bob Olley Black Orc as an Uruk-Hai.

In addition, I have also been sorting out the Humans into seperate collections. My plan is to do an army for each of the Human nations, with the exception of Ind (for the time being, Citadel never really made 'Indian' miniatures so it might be less 'Oldhammer' only). I do have the basis for 3,000 point armies for the Empire, Bretonnian, Estalia, Tilea, The Border Princes, Kislev, Araby, Norse, Nippon/Cathy, and Albion! Again, I will photograph these as I get them sorted out of the next few weeks.

Enjoy :)

 Black Orc/Uruk-Hai.
I dislike the Lord of the Rings films, but I do like the idea of painting the Uruk-Hai in a ruddy-brown flesh tone, especially to distinguish them from other Orcs.
I stole the idea of white hand face paint from a post on the Oldhammer Facebook Page.

 Rear view, with some slightly drafty chainmail.

Fresh from the paint stripping pot: Marauder Miniatures MM41 Ogres, the MS4 Ogre Hero, and two MM42 Ogres. I purchased and painted these in the 1980's, but have paint stripped them with a mind to add them to the human armies as Mercenaries.

Next update will be the Pan Tang, as I am still really meant to be painting them, and want to finish the army soon. :)