ANGRY BEAVERS

I REGRET NONE OF THIS

The beavers in question. Sold by Bad Squiddo Games, originally a North Star product

The main 'theme' of this post is presenting the models I bought from Bad Squiddo games (a few years ago when it was starting up) and recently found when moving house. These models being 'angry beavers', sold as part of the first generation of believable female miniatures. Yes, that is very childish of me. I hope to base them on 40x40mm 'swarm' bases and use them to reinforce my gunny peegs or bolster my kings of war armies.

Excellent shield transfers in the Warlord hoplites box. The lumpy shield on the unit champion is my attempt to fill in a casting defect using a mix of flour and PVA glue.

Besides this discovery, progress continues. I'm very impressed with the Warlord (ex Immortal Games) hoplites, who are easy to assemble, lacking in GW-esq frills (making them easier to paint en masse) and have a lovely sheet of waterslide transfers in the box. Just like the ones you used to get in Warhammer, except these are really robust and can stand clumsy application. Huzzah.

Side view to demonstrate body painting. The bloke on the right originally had a crest, which was lost in a freak dropping-onto-lino accident.

I've found painting bronze to be much more fun than painting iron/steel, and the deep textures on the models (especially on the unarmoured chaps) make highlights less hassle. I've not yet begun basing as the large number of spears suggests that getting them to rank up will be non-trivial and I want a large number to play around with before I cross that particular bridge.

I finally finished some of the EM4 orcs I had lying around.

Other ranking up issues have occurred with my EM4 orcs, whose shields are getting in the way of their comrades spear arms. I will have to re-pose them (or use really small shields) for larger regiments I suppose. This is the second basing issue I've had with the blighters, actually. The cast-on plastic bases are slightly larger than 25mm square, and rounded to boot, so I have had to square them off with the help of a large file so they will fit on my movement trays.

Still got a few Normans left.

The other good thing about the hoplites box is that it comes with a few metal arrows, which I have stuck to my Norman archers to liven them up a bit.

Whilst this does show all the recent 'Mechs, you can't see them in great detail

My 'Mech forces have been expanding at a fair rate, I've now only got half a dozen or so from the 2nd edition starter box to finish, and my painting finger is itching to order some 3050 Clan OmniMechs from Ral Partha. I won't, of course, because I already have almost 50 already and rarely play with them (group shots to follow by next ice age) and there are still plenty of other things to get done. Ho hum.

another charming inscription on a battlemech. It was going to say 'painkiller' (in homage to the Judas Priest song*) but I ran out of space.

I've written my warband army list for Mordheim action against Matt, so hopefully I'll get a game in over Christmas for your reading pleasure. My next update will probably be showcasing my limited progress, plus lots of re-taken shots of the models featured here. The one's here are far too dark.

Two models I got with mail orders: elf with a Warhammer order many moons past, silhouette centurion (the model is fully sculpted, the photography terrible) came with the Hail Caesar rules. I think early imperial romans are a bit mainstream so I won't be getting any mates for him.

*I feel Judas Priest have the right level of '80's heavy metal' that makes them fit in so well with Battletech.