Friday 17 December 2021

The devil makes work…

For idle hands to do…

What I really did not need at the moment is another project. I’m currently painting Star Trek figures for my “Trek Hulk” mashup, Neanderthals for my Paleo diet campaign, and another unit of British infantry for the VSF project.

Modiphius 18mm Trek - based on clear acrylic rather than the manhole covers they actually come with.

Unfortunately I recently had time to browse the internet a few extra quid in the bank and the urgent need for some some morale boosting retail therapy.

I was not going to get involved in anything new. As I said above, I really didn’t need another project. 

Absolutely not. 

No way. 

No.

Oh bugger… 

Mr Mersey has a new early dark age set of rules out called “Age of Penda”  (available on wargames vault)

Dammit. 

I’ve been a fan of this particular rules meister since I purchased “glutter of ravens” off him way back when - so I downloaded them quicker than my French PayPal account could say ping. 

There’s a lot of familiar stuff of course - but there’s an interesting blend of other elements in there as well. I spotted a bit of DBA, a bit of Dux Bellorum, a bit of twisted TTS (off set gridded squares…mmm) even a bit of SAGA (sort of) with an unusual tactics battle board affair. He has a nice set of 18mm figures ready to support the rules, (sculpted by Copplestone) and as a dark age rivet counter (if there could possibly be such a thing) I have to say I like them a lot. 

Wiglafminiatures.com - coming to a distributor near you…soon.

There seems to be an issue with distribution at the moment but I don’t think that’ll take long to overcome.

Anywhoo - I’ve got the rules, I’ve got the ability to quickly add squares to an unused battlemat, but I just need to settle on a scale. The 18mm figures look splendid, but then there’s Kalistra 12mm, Baccus 6mm and god help me irregular 2mm. What’s a boy to do?

Also…what’s up with those Citadel contrast paints? I bought the black and the blue for the Trek figures and even got the special undercoat spray to make the paint “work” but all I ended up with was a disconcerting mess and something that seemed neither paint nor ink. Maybe I’m doing something wrong?

Hey ho. 

TTFN

10 comments:

  1. Your Kallistra hexes will replicate off set squares perfectly while you explore the rules in anger. The thing with contrast paint, the nice man in the shop said make sure you shake them …. What he should have said is make sure you shake and shake and shake and shake and shake them!

    When I put them on my powered nail varnish shaker, you can see the sediment in the bottom of the bottle SLOWLY resolve, so separation must be a real thing with these paints. I have also put a steel ball bearing in each of my pots.

    For best results, I use both contrast and ‘normal’ paints on the same figure.

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    1. Ooh thanks for that Norm, very helpful advice. I ended up using them as inks basically, but I’ll experiment further now I know how to improve their efficacy. Size of the boxes / hexes might be a constraint for the hexon but we’ll see.

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  2. Ah!…
    You are such a butterfly 😂
    The Age of Penda figures do look rather nice…

    I find with Contrast Colours it’s often best to put on two diluted coats… you tend to get a more even finish…
    You really need to use the Contrast Medium… if you use water it won’t flow properly.
    I also use it over all the Citadel and Foundry paints…

    All the best. Aly

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    1. I know I’m a hobby butterfly Aly…I learned from the best ;-)

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  3. Star Trek wtf? Nice figures and Age Penda sounds interesting!
    Best Iain

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    1. Boldly going…outside our comfort zone. I could always make them some teeny plastic shako’s or equip them with pikes if it’ll help?!

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  4. It might make me feel better? Or you could have the episode where they're Romans or AWI continentals? I got rid of my star trek figures and got all those ECW figures,probably for the best!
    Best Iain

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    1. I didn’t realise you’d ever had any Star Trek figures Iain. Don’t worry it can be our little secret…oh wait… ;-)

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  5. I'm feeling mischievous and I spy Star trek figures, so here goes.

    Star trekkin' across the universe
    Always going forwards 'cos we can't find reverse
    Star trekkin' across the universe
    on the Star Ship Enterprise under Captain Kirk

    Now you have an (annoying) ear worm.

    Merry Christmas JBM my work here is done!

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    Replies
    1. Merry Christmas matey - and yup, I’ve been humming it dammit! Lol,

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