Boxing Day*

Quite some time ago I started using the Five Box system to help organise my hobby.  I first heard about it on Dutch gamer Gunbird's site.  I found it very useful in keeping me working on projects while giving me some freedom to switch when motivation for any one  project dwindled.

Five boxes (random internet image)

Well, that was fine until I hit a huge slump in 2020.  For various reasons (more details here) I stopped hobbying pretty much completely.  Some hard thinking revealed what some of the problem was, and I took small steps to get back on track.

By 2021 I was pretty much back to painting and hobbying, but I made sure I only had one project on the go at once (with a bit of leeway, for instance, if something was waiting for the varnish to dry, I was fine starting the next project).  My 'Palette Cleansers' worked particularly well, and were an interesting diversion.

Now I'm thinking I'll give the five boxes another go, at least for a few months to see if it works for me again. I'll try and keep it sensible though.  One of the issues before was that I had boxes that stayed untouched for months (I've still got a box with Trident Realm stuff in it, barely touched since I started the Five Boxes).  I perhaps need some system where if a box goes untouched for too long it gest emptied?  I learned over the last couple of years that I do much better with hobby projects with a definite end to aim for, so its going to be small groups of minis, maybe units, rather than whole armies, as a box that never empties, even when worked on, is very demoralising. 

So you might be wondering what's in the five boxes?  Well, at the moment I'm not filling them all at once.  I do have a box of 'Oldhammer' dwarves to accompany the three I've already done, and I'm also starting a separate box with an opposing retinue of old Citadel minis. But I'm leaving the other boxes empty until I need them.

I'll review the system in a few months to see if it's worth continuing or if I need to stick with just one project at once. 

Dwarves undercoated and ready for painting - first box

Some opposition, classic GW Chaos minis - second box

*if you're unfamiliar with Boxing Day, it's St Steven's Day, the day following Christmas Day. Traditionally the day when servants were given the day off and presented with a box of food or gifts by their employers. The tradition may hark back to early Christian churches where boxes were set up at feast times to collect donations for the less fortunate. 

Merry Christmas Everyone

Or whatever festival or non festival suits you.

Thanks everyone for continuing to read my ramblings, and doubly thanks if you left a comment (they really do help, and I try to reply to each one).

I hope you all have a happy and healthy day, and here's to much hobby goodness in the future. 

28mm Dwarf Berserker and Ironbreaker

I've been painting up a couple more dwarves to go with the crossbowman I painted here. These could be part of a Fistful of Lead fantasy retinue, or perhaps just a collection of older models, cos I like dwarves.

First is a 1985 C06 dwarf, number 16 delightfully named 'utter loony'.  At some point he lost his original axe, so I've replaced it with an impressive greatax from my box of plastic bits from old GW dwarf sprues (this box also provided the shields for the gables of the Stone Cabin here). 

C06/16 primed in Vallejo German Green Brown

The painting was pretty straight forward. Looking at him I thought he looked like quite an old dwarf, so I gave him greying hair. I used a similar technique to the blond hair on the earlier dwarf crossbow. A base of Vallejo Extra Opaque Charcoal with highlights of Vallejo Game Color Cold Grey. Then a wash of thinned black and another highlight of the Cold Grey followed by finer highlights of a VGC Stonewall Grey and Cold Grey mix and finishing with just the Stonewall Grey.

I did want to try a tartan, but the folds in his tunic are so deep I decided I'm not up to that yet. 

Base colours

Next is a 5081 Ironbreaker from the early 2000s.  Since he's much better armoured than the rest of the band, he will probably be the leader.

I got him mostly painted some time ago, but never got round to adding a shield. 

Ironbreaker sporting his paint job from a few years ago

I've done a bit more to the painting. I thought that the grey beard was lost slightly against the armour, and I'd already got a grey bearded dwarf with the berserker, so I've redone it as a red/orange beard.  I looked at a few YouTube tutorials, but  none of them quite did what I wanted.  In the end I gave the beard a basecoat of Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown, then a highlight with VGC Fiery Orange and finally a wash of sepia.  It is a bit garish, but I think it works on a dwarf (and is nowhere near as vivid as the GW Trollslayers of later editions)

I also repainted what I decided was an ornate belt visible on the rear of the mini.  I went for a nice rich purple with golden plates.  Finally I gave the gold detailing a sepia wash and an extra highlight with VGC Glorious Gold.

The shield is simply one of the more recent plastic infantry shields.  The helmeted dwarven head is gold on a blue field.  The various runes around the rim are also gold.

Oops, a bit of gold paint on the axe blade, I'll have to go over that with silver

Both minis were based using Geek Gaming Base Ready mix with some grass tufts added.

Both models were fun to do.  The older berserker was, perhaps, not as good a sculpt.  The fingers in particular, were very crude.  However, the ironbreaker was a bit dull by comparison.  Even adding the purple belt and changing the colour of the beard he looks very 'grey'.

So that's three dwarves for my retinue, just a couple more to go.  I'll see what I can dig up in the lead piles tomorrow.  I'm sure they'll look good defending the various mine buildings from the SITC, or trying to retake them from greenskins or ratmen.

The dwarf retinue so far.  I've already got a couple more dwarves ready to paint.

PS I used the Lost Minis Wiki to identify the minis, it's great, especially for the older stuff.

SITC Finished

At last I've completed my dwarf mine buildings for the Second International Townscape Challenge - Beyond Human.  I'm a bit late compared to Merjin and Bodvoc, but still within the December deadline.

I kind of slowed down at the end as I kept thinking of ideas to decorate the bases, in the end I went fairly minimal with this.

First up is the Metal Hut that you can see being built here.  I chose a sort of 'industrial grey' for the colour scheme with a base coat of Vallejo Game Color Sombre Grey overbrushed on top of a black primer.  Then a highlight of VGC Steel Grey and a final drybrush of VGC Glacier Blue.  the doors and window were painted dark blue, I'll use this as unifying colour across the three buildings.  The various extra bands look good emphasised with a line of Vallejo Game Ink Dark Green to show where algae has stained the building when it gets wet.  I like this effect, and use it on most of my buildings, as can be seen on the rest of the buildings below.

Next is the Wooden Shack, being built here.  I've gone for a dark weathered look, rather than the chocolaty brown of the original card building.  Over a black prime I overbrushed VGC Scorched brown, followed by VGC Leather Brown, then a drybrush of VGC Stonewall Grey and finally VGC Bonewhite.

Bother, I missed edging the base

Finally, the Stone Cabin (see the build here) has a basecoat of Vallejo Model Color German Grey over a black prime.  Several of the stones are picked out in browns and lighter greys to give variety to the end result; it doesn't matter what browns and greys are used.  The whole lot is drybrushed with VGC Cold Grey followed with VGC Stonewall Grey.  A final drybrush of VGC Bonewhite then a wash of black.

I find it helps to think of the purpose of the buildings when it comes to building and detailing them.  In Terror of the Lichemaster, the Wooden Shack was the sleeping quarters of the dwarves, the Cabin was where the dwarves brewed up and hut was a tool store.  When I had built the stone cabin I thought it looked more impressive, and better suited for the dwarves' sleeping quarters.  The Wooden Shack can be where they brew up, rest and play dominos (seriously, that's what the scenario pack says).

The final decorations, or greebles, were finials on the Stone Cabin made from beads and a length of wooden skewer, and GW dwarf shields on each gable.  I made a wooden box out of stir sticks to hold rubble, presumably the dwarves are sifting through it for anything interesting, and I made some pit props out of match sticks, textured with a saw blade and washed with Sepia wash.  These are piled up ready for use by the wooden shack and the metal hut.  I have a few more greebles planned, but my Renedra barrels have gone missing and I'm out of thread.  I would like to add a tool rack on the side wall of the Wooden Shack, and something, I'm not sure what, on the base of the Stone Cabin.

I had also planned to make the mine entrance from TotL, but I'm running out of time.  Fortunately I found the original model I made back in the 1980s.  I think with a bit of repainting and rebasing it'll do fine and fit in well with the set.

I set out to try and make some buildings that looked 'dwarven'.  I think I've succeeded.  I'm particularly fond of the Stone Cabin, and I think this might be the look I'll use in future.  I might even add a lean too, in true Warhammer style, but using the techniques and look of the Metal Hut.

Townscape Collection

Whilst at Bodvoc's for a game of Fantastic Battles we took the opportunity to photograph our various Townscape buildings.  You should recognise some of these from previous challenges, but Bodvoc has quite a collection that he has built up over the years.  

Interestingly, some of his use carcases that I gave him many years ago; the small shack, the stable block (must build one myself for the Inn) and the building with the pantile roof.  I had reached a point where all my gaming was in 15mm, and they were unfinished, so I saw no point in keeping them, and he was looking for 28mm terrain.  He's done a great job of completing them.

A decent sized settlement, great for skirmish games

And finally, my unfinished dwarf mine buildings next to Bodvoc's completed Norse Dwarf house.  I'm still painting the mine buildings and sorting out greebles for them.

Trying Fantastic Battles

At last I've got in another gaming day with Bodvoc. Various hitches have prevented us from meeting since we tried Galactic Heroes, but we finally got to try Fantastic Battles today.

I've been building up a Mordor force, in fact I painted it up for Orctober, but I have nowhere near enough for a decent force, so Bodvoc kindly lent me some of his orcs and trolls. 

As the host he devised the following scenario. Very seasonal. 

THE MYRIN TREE

Once every thousand years, during the winter festive season a mysterious large tree, known as the Myrin Tree appears somewhere in the Elvish border lands. No-one is ever sure where the Myrin Tree will appear but it only ever appears for a single day. It is due to appear this winter so large elf patrols are scouring the Border Lands to seek the tree and collect the bright red fruit it bears. This fruit is highly valued for it's healing properties.

Having heard that the Myrin Tree may have appeared, a force of Orcs is also searching the Border Lands for it. Legend tells that if the Myrin Tree ever falls a foul evil will be released upon the land. By chance, an elf force finds the tree just as the orcs also locate it.

 

Place a large wintry conifer tree in the centre of the table and the two forces will deploy either side of the Myrin Tree, 5BW away from it (per the usual deployment rules).

If the orcs wish to attack and destroy the Myrin Tree they must attack it using the following stats: Res: 8, Def: 5+. Once it's Resolution has been reduced to 0 it will fall causing damage in the same way as a falling Giant (page 12).

The elves must try to prevent this from happening and also collect the red fruit. The orcs may also try to collect the red fruit once they have 'captured' or felled the tree.

 

If the Myrin Tree is felled a great evil will blight the land...(a possible second scenario). 

I'll not give a blow by blow account, but here are some pictures and some highlights. 

Both sides deployed prior to mishaps

The Forces of Mordor

The Elven Host

And after Mishaps.  The Elf Scouts and the Mordor Trolls, among others, have already advanced, while some of the Orc units are late

Mishaps are a pregame roll for each unit to see if they are late, (moved back a random distance), enthusiastic (moved forward a random distance) or suffering some unspecified disease (already start with lost Resolve).  All these happened to us, and there are other results possible too.  Not every unit will be affected, and since most of my army is Unreliable, they were more prone to it than the elves.

Elven scouts clash with a host of Wargs in the woods...

...and the elves come off worse (units don't retreat, they are removed, we just thought it looked good for the photo)

By the second turn the Trolls have smashed into the tree and felled it.  It squashed the elven spears.

Orc warriors clash with elven archers accompanied by the elven general.  Although neither side can yet destroy the other, a lucky sword cut fells the elven general, causing dismay in the elven ranks.

The Trolls clash with the Elven cavalry.  the elves come off worse, but still hold the line.  The Trolls later find themselves magically transported out of melee

Orc warriors and Wargs gang up on the Ent.

Both sides reached half strength at the same time, ending the battle.  Since the tree had been felled, a Mordor victory.  What will be the result of that?

You can read Bodvoc's account of the battle here.

That was my first ever game of Fantastic Battles, and I really enjoyed it.  There were points where we misinterpreted the rules, but eventually we got it right (I think).  There are a couple of aspects in particular that give the game its character.  Pre battle each side rolls for Mishaps, as mentioned above, these can have quite an effect on the course of the battle.  Both the Ent and the Trolls were moved forward, as were some of my archers and riders.  This took the Ent out of command from the general, but allowed my Trolls to reach the tree by turn 2.  I can see this being unpopular with some players, I'm not completely sold on the idea, but I think of it as representing for one off games the effects of past battles in a campaign.

There is also a chance that units not under command will act randomly, rolling on the Impetuous Actions table.  Again, being unreliable, most of my units were more prone to this.  The archers at the back of my lines turned up late, were out of command as a result, and kept retreating, disappearing off table by turn 3.  The Ent also suffered, being out of command he was forced to remain stationary. 
This is a game where being aware of the chain of command is important.

I'll also mention the army building process.  There are seven troop types, ranging from Irregular to Dragon or Vehicle.  To these basic profiles you add up to 3 traits, plus one optional extra army trait to represent the race (for my orcs I chose Unreliable, reducing their points cost but making them more prone to Mishaps and random movement if out of command).  It is possible to build up quite different troops using these traits, and they are all accurately costed too.  As examples, my orc warriors were based on the Irregular profile with the traits Unreliable, and Furious charge (meaning they hit hard when they charge), for Warg riders I added the Mounted trait.  The Mordor Trolls were based on the Elite profile with Monstrous, Furious charge and Heavy weapons.

My aim with this game is solely to play Middle Earth battles, I may be tempted to build other fantasy armies, probably in other scales (I already have plans to repurpose loads of 6mm fantasy, and I may do a small 15mm army), but I'm keeping 10mm for Lord of the Rings.  Some of the traits will be irrelevant, as will some of the spells, though some imagination can sometimes repurpose existing stuff, my Wargs were accompanied by a Chieftain, I used the Rogue character with the Blade of Unsurpassable Power to represent it's sharp teeth.  If you want to know how well this worked, ask the elf scouts, if you can find any.

I think Fantastic Battles will work very well for Middle Earth.  There are a few things I'd like to see that seem to be missing, notably something to represent the terror effect of the Nazgul (I gave them the Curse spell, but it didn't seem quite right).  Now to paint more orcs.

28mm Dwarf Crossbow

You may have seen I've been using an undercoated dwarf as a scale reference on my dwarf mine buildings.  Well I've got him painted now.  When I dug him out of one of the lead piles in the loft of shame I thought he was an old metal GW dwarf, but close inspection of the slotta tab reveals he is a Harlequin Miniatures dwarf.  A bit of research shows that he is actually a Black Tree Design dwarf skirmisher.  These are a great range for those looking for that 'classic Oldhammer' look, for dwarves at least, and at under £6 for 3, a bargain as well.*

Undercoated dwarf skirmisher

He's a nice mini, and the painting was a joy to do.  Rather than my usual quick method I layer painted him.  Most of the painting was pretty standard, with colours layered up from dark to light, sometimes with a wash to provide extra shadows.  
I went for a blond beard and hair as I thought he needed some light colour on him, but I struggle with blond hair so I did some research.

I found a good tutorial on YouTube from JuanHidalgo Miniatures, but it uses all Citadel paints, so here is my Vallejo paints version:
Basecoat Vallejo Game Color Khaki, highlight with VGC Bonewhite, wash with Vallejo Game Wash Sepia, highlight with VGC Bonewhite again, this time picking out just the higher details and with slightly thinned paint, extreme highlight with VGC Offwhite, wash with VGW Sepia again, then finish with VGC Offwhite to pick out just a few highlights.
I think this gives a good light blond colour, not as yellow as I normally do (and am invariably unhappy with), so that's one new technique learned.

Here's the scale dwarf doing his job next to the dwarf mine buildings as I start to get some paint on them

I might look around for a few more similar dwarves, a Fistful of Lead band might be fun, and the fantasy version is now available.  Logic suggests that I should at least have the speardwarf and archer from the skirmishers pack, somewhere in the lead mines in the loft of shame.  They'll mix well with GW dwarves from the 80s too, so I'll have a look to see if I still have some left.

* A cautionary word, BTD are not the fastest.  They are a small company, and are often casting to order.  I've ordered a few times from them, and the wait has sometimes been a little long, but they've always delivered in the end, and at those prices, its been well worth the wait.