Worms: Part 1

Yes, I know I said I was going to be working on the Gruntz force but I sat there looking at the vehicles and they just didn't 'speak' to me at the time, I needed something else to paint instead...

So, digging through the lead mountain I came across several packs of worms figures I bought on a whim from MJ Figures, at Reveille in Bristol, last year. Now over 6 months seemed a long time to be sitting around so I decided to open them and apply some paint to them

Worms was a turn based computer game that was released in 1995(!) and revolved around teams of the critters armed with various different weapons attempting to eliminate one another over a computer landscape. It spawned several sequels and there is a new version due out this year (2012)

For rules, I found a boardgame that someone created on Boardgame Geek. I plan on replacing the counters with the figures and giving it a try once I have everything painted

The figures themself are roughly 20mm tall, although how you measure the height on a worm is tricky to say the least. Here are the first figures painted, some standard worm troopers, a couple of horror based ones plus some additional things (including the dreaded homing sheep!)

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7TV: Mutated Scientist

I completed the last of the Crooked Dice 7TV figures I currently have last night, a mutated scientist figure. I pondered using one of the alternate heads he comes with (the fly one especially) but decided that I would get more use from the figure with this particular one

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I painted him using a mid skin tone rather than the usual lighter one I use plus gave him a few washes of thinned green ink to make him look suitably unhealthy

Next to be painted, back to the Gruntz force

7TV: Timelift Commander & Teddy Bears?!

As I'm on a 7TV theme at the moment, I decided to paint the Timelift commander figure from Crooked Dice to complete the squad I (currently) have. Seeing as he is based on Colonel White from Captain Scarlet, it seemed suitable to use that colour scheme

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Just one more Crooked Dice miniature left in the lead mountain to paint, a mutated scientist, so I will probably try and get him done in the next couple of days

Next up, I finished off a few figures that I bought on an impulse recently (are there any other purchases?) These are some Zulu teddy bears from Eureka Miniatures that I got through Fighting15's here in the UK

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Now, you might ask yourself why did I get these? Simple, a year or so ago I got and painted the Rorke's Picnic British bears so they need something to go up against. This does mean I'm likely to need a lot more Zulu bears though....

Here is a picture of the previous British bears I painted

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And the reason for the fight, a pot I bought from somewhere and painted (can't remember the manufacturer)

7TV: Tanks & Timelift Agents

I finished off a few more new figures for use in future 7TV games last night

First, here are a pair of 'tank' zombies based on the Left 4 Dead computer game special. These figures came from a limited release set that were part of the Frother's Forum sculpting competition during 2009. I'm not sure if any company picked up the rights to cast these, it's a shame if they haven't been

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Next, a pair of female Timelift agents from Crooked Dice. I already have the male versions that I painted earlier (see below) and have the commander figure on the paint table still to do

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Gruntz: Stat Cards

I'm still working my way through the painting of my remaining Gruntz justice force so no new updates at the moment. However, in preparation for gaming, I've started putting together some stat cards for my force

There is an official designer called Barracks that is being developed that I helped to fund, it is still a little ways off at the moment. Luckily a fellow Gruntz player has designed a free to use online designer called Grunt-o-matic. It is easy to use (you still need the rules of course) and produces some nice PDF files that you can print out

Here are a few I've started putting together. Some need descriptions adding and maybe a tweak here and there but you get the idea

Painting: Bases

If anyone is interested, here is how I go about doing my bases. I use this same basing technique for virtually all of my figures and scenery. Below are some objective markers I created for Warmachine showing the basing style

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I start with using white PVA glue painted onto the base then cover it with a sand/grit mix. I might add the odd larger bit of grit to represent stones

Once this is thoroughly dry (I leave overnight) I then paint over the sand with a brown emulsion colour and once again leave to dry. Next I give the base a drybrush using a lighter brown colour and then finish with an off white colour

The main emulsion colour is a Dulux household paint, Expresso Delight 1. I get a 250ml pot of this mixed for under £2 and it lasts for ages. This also means I can paint scenery to match, using the same paint, quite cheaply. The two drybrush colours are both cheap paints from the local craft shop at £1 each. The colours I use are Café and Ivory and the ones I have are both from the Anita's range

Finally I stick the odd patch of static grass to the base. The one I use is from Games Workshop as I bought a lot of it years ago when it was much cheaper. For special figures I also use Silflor grass tufts that I bought from Antenociti’s Workshop

Bushido: Zuba

Taking a brief rest from painting 15mm Gruntz figures, I decided to make a start on the Bushido starter set that I picked up at the UK Games Expo a couple weekends ago

The company were running playable demo games and my fellow gamer, Steve Jones, managed to get a game and passed on favourable comments. So, a purchase later and I have the Savage Wave set, which consists of Japanese style demons

As we are planning a quick walk through of the rules this evening at Wells, I finished off the oni & glued together the bakemono last night

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The oni is named Zuba and is cast as a single piece with just the horns separate to be glued on. He's a big lump of metal but paints up lovely. I painted him in the traditional colour of red that most oni are shown as and fixed him to a 50mm resin base that I had spare


I'll hopefully give a report of how the game runs in a day or two. If it plays well I may have to order some more......

Gruntz: Bases

I spent a few hours yesterday working on texturing and painting the Warbases movement trays for my Gruntz figures. Once they were dry I varnished & grassed the finished bases this morning

Here are the unpopulated bases waiting for the figures

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And here they are populated with the figures I have painted so far. The commander & specialists don't need a base but I thought I may as well do one as I had a spare. In the back you can see a 5 man bike unit that have just been undercoated ready for painting

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