Lockdown "light" Reading

 I usually only post about wargames, miniatures and painting. 

But over lockdown I have concentrated on reading (and listening) to a specific type of fiction. This is odd as I usually read non-fiction. I re-visited Lovecraft, after initially reading his collected works between the ages of 16-18. I found out about other stories he 'ghost wrote' to varying degrees. 

This book was filled with stories clearly influenced by old HP to a great extent. There were some wonderful stories - including the Horror in the Museum, the Curse of Yig, Out of Aeons (very much seemed like a precursor or heavily influence by the Call) and Two Black Bottles (for the atmosphere it sets alone.) Other tales such as The Horror in the Burying Ground, Medusa's Coil and Man of Stone had some horrible and chilling concepts within. 

This return to a much loved author set me on the path of his Supernatural Horror in Literature essay - which I had not read in 25 or more years. It pathed the way to the next lockdown read - Arthur Machen. The reading is much harder - due to the time in which he wrote - but the concepts are again thrilling, chilling and disturbing. This is just what the doctor ordered when reading weird fiction. The Great God Pan begins with a truly awful experiment than has dire and long reaching consequences. 

Then finally, a correspondent and friend of HP - Clark Ashton Smith. This is my second attempt at reading his tales. My first efforts were not effective - I felt stories (I'm thinking of you 'Geas') had wonderful beginning concepts then trailed away to rather pointless and aimless paths. Years later, I ordered the above Penguin and what a different a discerning choice of stories makes. These were wonderful mind and vocabulary expanding tales. The Vault of Yoh Vombis was a macabre extravaganza housed in a sci-fi setting and at the root of many modern films. That tales alone was worth the price. Clark's imagination seemingly knew no bounds or limits of wonder. 

I have also been listening to the tales of M R James while painting and Algernon Blackwood - whose tales I am resolved to buy as a physical text. 

I must make a final note - last eve I listened to Clark Ashton Smith's 'The Seeds from the Sepulchre." This is a truly frightening tale of horror with blasphemous and sinister developments. 

A masterpiece of weird fiction! 

ADLG 15m Venetians Complete

Looking at the photos, it really doesn't look like too many figs. A major benefit of ADLG is that each army doesn't demand too many miniatures. Despite that, there are around 80-100 infantry and about 60 cavalry in the force. A tidy sum. 

I had no inkling that I would paint a Venetian force from the outset - in fact i wanted a all purpose Italian army. It didn't turn out that way as Venice called me. The history did it really as the Venetians were embroiled in many major conflicts. Interesting condottieri commanders such as Attendolo, Piccinino and Colleoni made my choice easy. The Venetians fought all and sundry in north Italy and beyond - not always successfully (which I find another drawing factor.) 

I used Mirliton miniatures. I'm not sure I would choose this range again. There are many fine details - too fine with hands that are not easy to drill nor details easy to hit with a brush. Overall, i think there is a softness to the metal that could be improved. Having said that - the casts and minis speak for themselves in what is an attractive and period accurate force. Just a couple more flags to the knight bases will really make this force 'pop.' 

Not only do I have the Venetians basics for the list but a range of options too. A good mix of melee and missile foot support a strong knight option - 8 bases if needed or affordable. The new addition of 4 bases of dismounted knights give the army flexibility. I can now run an all mounted force or a strong foot army depending on my opponent or desire at the time. 

The mix of many heavy and light troops make the Venetians very versatile. A great force for ambushes (as I have already demonstrated against a pedestrian German medieval force) and flank marches - or just the threat of either to discombobulate the foe. Onward, ... for the Doge! 

 

Brutal Bullies ... New Ogre Guards

In continuation of my latest fantasy project, I painted two Reaper Bones Ogre miniatures. They are excellent value and the large, solid form of the ogres removes the plastic softness common to the Bones range. I like the sculpts as each ogre oozes a flabby muscularity and menace displayed in the skulls each carries. 

How will these fit into my project? And ... what is my project? It started as Mordheim - but is well beyond that now - although ogres do feature in that game. I decided to buy and paint these two to fit into Rangers of Shadow Deep .. if I ever play that game. I have all the terrain and figs for it (well, I just ordered some $3 plastic spiders to fulfill that final need.) 

They do fit into my new beastman warband rather well ... hmmm. 

If not, will they take the field in Frostgrave - if I ever play that ... or something else? I'm sure they will get some use and I do like the figs - even though I found so much skin and muscle a struggle to paint. The idea of role play bounces around my head ... but is then thrown out again - I think I'd feel silly at 50 sitting around a table trying to be a gnome. 

In any case, the ogres have arrived ... whether they will be brutal line breakers in a battle or dull witted guards to bypass remains to be seen. 

 

Heroes ... to stand against the tide of Evil!

 

After completing my Middenheim Warband, and a couple of sundry barbarians, I felt my human forces still needed to be bolstered to face evil. 

After all, I do possess - skaven, undead, ghosts, ghouls and now beastmen - representing evil. 

A square up was needed - so I consulted the Reaper catalogue. 

Responding the the call was the witch finder - I don't have a name yet. This figure is part of the Bones range and is an excellent plastic miniature. He is stylish and elegant but full of latent menace. 

The second warrior was a brave woman representing the fierce spirit of the North ... a valkyrie. I won't be using her as a supernatural being but rather a warrior champion of the northern kingdoms. 

The model oozes Wagnerian charm and is cast in a suitable heroic stance to take on evil. 

Above you can see them confronting the power of a shrine to darkness. 

The first, I'm certain, of many travails ... 

Both are wonderful additions to the human mercenaries and the miniatures embody boldness and fearlessness in the face of any foul denizen of the night. 

The Beastman Warband Grows

My warband of raiders, underlings and all purpose seeders of destruction grows. 

I have 14 out of 20 beastmen completed. Although not varnished ... i can't leave the lockdown to get the varnish I need to finalise. So here they are ... nude. 

I'm very happy with the appearance. I used a slightly different technique than I normally do. I tried to leave more areas of shadow and highlight more sparingly. 

It works really well 'by eye' but not as well under the sharp lens of a shitty phone camera. 

I made a shaman model but neglected a banner. I thought this would communicate more organisation than I wanted this group to have. 

So far, 7 bowmen and 7 melee warriors. 

Six more melee men to come. 

The harsh warhorn has sounded in the wilderness ... and guttural bleating wild cries have echoed in answer from bleak wind torn places. The warband is summoned ... no doubt for ill purpose. 

The First Beastmen ... All Purpose Bad Guys

 Here are my first 7 of 20 Beastmen ... they look better to the eye than they do under the lens. 

GW Ungors from Troll Trader. I'm happy with the models and the poses are active with a wide variety for the bowmen ... not as broad for the melee types. There are on the bench awaiting a base coat later tonight. 

Last of the Barbarians

 Hunted by crusading forces and lured by the desires of civilisation, the once sparse but overall numberless inhabitants of the far north and west have dwindled. Now few remain keen to the old ways. 

The three warriors are my final current investment of human warriors. I find these more evocative than the easily stereotypical and typecast forces of non-humans. Mortal men are capable of such a range of roles and actions that they fire my imagination. Also, alike Batman, humans in fantasy are easily outmatched by all other races but struggle on with praise worthy courage and determination. What illustrates the energy, consistent struggle and raging heart of humanity more than the noble barbarian?

Not just the last few of their tribes but also the last of my frostgrave miniatures, these three barbarians have just been flocked and name tagged. Not part of my Middenhiem or Reikland warbands, these barbarians could be employed by the former or charge from the forests to defend their sacred places. 

Two poor quality images of figures I chose to paint in a range of browns to reflect their frontier lives. Did it work ... partially? But I'll save my final judgement until i varnish. 

On the left is Gort - the old - in the centre is Ulrich - a talented warrior and dextrous hunter while on the right is Conrad - a fighter possessing bearlike strength and capable of savagery.