Sunday, 5 May 2019

Ion Age 15. Hades Legio Malig Ordos

...INQUIRY
...Hades Legion action/Confirmed
...ACCESS DIRECTORY
...Transcript excerpt from Port Administrator Barras/Planet Guttenberg. 
...The first we knew there was something wrong was when the Starport sirens began to sound. a Carrack Superheavy carrier from the Agri-moon was not returning hails and as it came into the land you could see damage and fires from several sections. We had assumed she had been caught by raiders but managed to pull through. Support crews were summoned and went to meet them. 
The Carrier had landed badly and sat in silence as the crews approached and then all hell broke loose!
Bay doors fell and great wheels shot out, dark purple livery with lasers and rocket pods blazing as they moved out from the ship and began to tear through them. Like the ripples from a stone in the water, they spread out, wave after wave of them moving out, and then came troops. Rank upon rank of armoured shapes roaring in their advance, flashes of purple amongst dull armour and sickly green skin.
I hid in the server room as the Starport burned and they told me what they had done afterward, the whole city on flames and ruin, the scars of their wheels and guns everywhere. By the time the Militia could gather enough to counter-attack they had pulled out and left only the dead, impaled and violated. 
It was only much later when the clearing up began that the real reason for the attack was discovered. The Starport and all that had come after had just been a feint, a distraction while others had gone to the University and taken the archives. All of it gone, a thousand years of history from paper to data spool to Crystal chip. All taken.

I still cannot sleep...





I have made a concerted effort this year to be more strategic with my painting so I can actually field whole painted units armies. With the Ion Age I have been pushing with my Shia Khan forces and finally completed my Malig figures, many of which I have had for 20+ years!



Malig troops from the Archive (AIAF002) 


Malig Command. The set also comes with two casualties




The banner features the letters M (Malig) and H (Hades)  in Mongolian



Jacto Missile Orb with Hades Legion H letter



Hades legion on the surface of Guttenberg







Malig Ordos  - comprises of three Tesserans of 8 Maligs each and a Command Tesseran


Hades Legion 


Hades Legion left to paint. Nox Ordos, Pugnus Light tank and three casualties 












Saturday, 13 April 2019

Superhero. The Comedian



I have finally had a bit of time to complete my first official Knight Models figure, The Comedian from the Watchmen group.


The figure was rebased in a similar style to Azrael but I added a larger piece of corrugated steel (well plastic!) so i could add a bit of graffiti.



The figure follows the movie version very well, although there is a loss of detail in some areas. Overall it a nice piece and easy to paint up although I might go back later and rework the skin as flesh is my weakest paint area.






Added some graffiti to the base with a crossed out Smiley face.
I was going to go for 'Who Watches the Watchmen' but I will save that for a terrain piece later.



The Comedian and Azrael


I have been very lucky on ebay and have been able to pick up NiteOwl, Silk Spectre and Rorschach. 
Only Ozymandias left to get and then I will look for a Bubastis conversion and look at the Heroclix range for Dr Manhattan and some of the other team figures.






Saturday, 6 April 2019

Superhero. Azrael


After a recent rewatching of Watchmen my interest in Comics and costumed adventures has been rekindled. Knight Models have Batman miniature game which expanded into the wider DC and marvel Universes and issued a set of the Watchmen miniatures (minus Dr Manhattan) which I started scouring markets for but as a starter I picked up Azrael.
Azrael is one of my favourite costumed heroes and was introduced as part of the epic Knightfall story arc. Knight Models have an Azrael styled from a later line as well as Nightfall batman which I will get but not the classic look. Thankfully the Heroclix range have one and scales up okay against Knight Models.

Heroclix Azrael flying on flames. Knight Models Watchmen Comedian in comparison 


Removed from his base and flames. 


Rebased with gravel and plasticard 















Sunday, 10 March 2019

Epic.PDF

This weekendI have mainly been resetting my workspace. I am lucky enough to have a whole room for my hobby but despite all the room i still manage to over fill every surface with half painted figures and projects,
Clearing some space I was able to run through two little pieces for my Epic/Adeptus Titamicus collection.

The first is for a planned Imperial Guard force that will initially be based around my Epic city and besieged PDF force.
i have always loved Airships and plan on creating some arial units to use as alt Titans and picked up a  very small Hindenburg model which will count as Knight and will represent a light one man scout Airship.



A very easy built!


Once assembled I removed the front gondola and added a set of weapons from Vanguard Miniatures 6mm range (Novan Elites mauler weapons Upgrade set)


Completed Airship with weapons placements 


the Airship stands on the same base size as a Knight


The base and stand should blend in well with the city (photos coming soon!)



As a bonus while sorting I found a Hatchette collectable figure I had been given and wanted to use as a terrain piece. The figure had one arm removed to add some war damage and based on Foamcard


Figure was painted up as old copper and should make a nice addition to my cityscape.















Monday, 4 March 2019

Ion Age 15.Tank War. Pt 1




Many years ago I picked up a copy of Tank War - Fireball by Larry Steelbaugh. Despite never having read the first book it made for a good read and I have lost count how many time I have read it.

The book is set just after the outbreak of WW3 and a Cold war setting as Soviet forces invade western Europe. The story focus on exploits of the battle tank XM-F4 'No Slack Too' and a group of gun buggy Jager-Komandos as they fight behind enemy lines.

Inspired by the book I have started work on a buggy and tank force for my Ion Age collection and ties in with my image of the Prydian militia being used more like scouts and rangers in the Lithic Assumption. The final force can be adapted to serve as an element of a  Condot force or to operate being lines following a Shia Khan invasion 

 The tank will be an easy pick and I will be using a Taranis main battle tank.



For the Gun buggy I drew from my bits box and found a very old metal Alternative Armies scout car. These have not been sold for some time but after contacting Gavin Syme he was able to identify the miniature and even locate the mold so i could get some more! 


first sketch make to check that the idea would work, though this was a little too Fighting Golf Caddy!


Frame made with 5mm plasticard


Assembled design next to a militia figure


using a section of a Chupa lolly stick which almost matches the gun stand I can fit the guns but removed them for transport of to change weapons later


Rotary cannons from the Adder Vehicle Conversion pack


Four cars off the assembly line ready for the canopy to be added.


addendum - I have recently got hold of some more of the series so I am now finally reading book one!