Filling Up the Table - Scatter Terrain and Flatbed Truck

In spite of having been a gamer for over 25 years, I have always lacked decent terrain. When I was a kid, we didn't care. When I played in a club, I used the club terrain. Even now, my regular gaming nights are at GW's Warhammer World, and there is plenty of terrain on offer (even if it is a bit homogenous). One of my ambitions for 2016 is to rectify this. I already made some terrain last year, but this year I'd like to increase the amount I have with the ambition of creating a fringe world settlement, complete with a range of buildings and warehouses, landing pad and hopefully a larger administrative building.

 

To get back into the swing of terrain, I've been putting a couple of painting sessions aside over the last few weeks to paint up some smaller scatter pieces to 'dress' the larger set when complete. To my mind scatter terrain is hugely important - it helps to create a believable environment for your characters to inhabit. Tables without scatter terrain can look rather bland and unrealistic.

 

Mini diorama containing the newly painted scatter terrain.

Frostgrave Treasure and Spell Tokens



With eight days left to go until the international Frostgrave extravaganza I'll be attending in Ireland, there were a few things I needed to close out ahead of the game. One of these was to create some nice looking treasure and spell tokens for the games.

 

My tokens have been based in exactly the same way as my Pan Tangians (hence the lack of snow and presence of a more arid environment!).

 

First up are a trio of fairly standard treasure tokens represented by three old Citadel treasure chests. I decided to go for different looks on all three - a pale wood bound in aging black iron, a small leather clad casket, and an old chest with oxidising brass fittings.

 

 

Navigator Ryaph of House Saq D'os

Back in 1973 a certain Richard O'Brien wrote a musical called the Rocky Horror Show. In 1975, the stage show was re-worked into a film called the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Reviewed as "tasteless, plotless and pointless" in 1978, the film (and musical) have since gone on to be considered cult classics.

 

Why am I writing about the Rocky Horror Picture Show? Because Richard O'Brien played the part of Riff Raff, manservant to the alien transvestite Frank N. Furter. And Riff Raff looks like this:

 

Richard O'Brien as Riff Raff in the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

 

Fast forward a handful of years, and in 1987, Citadel release a licensed range of figures based on Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion novels. Jes Goodwin sculpts many of the range, including Tanglebones, manservant of Elric, the Melnibonean Emperor. And Tanglebones looks like this:

 

Image from Collecting Citadel Miniatures Wiki.

 

Notice the resemblance?

Dastardly Abul Goldberg Strikes Again!

If you flick to the rear pages of the Rogue Trader rulebook to browse the scenario generator, you may find your eye drawn to a name which keeps cropping up.

"Abdul Goldberg stole your ship off you - the poker game was rigged and you're sure he put something in your drink."

"The authorities chased you all the way to the spaceport where Abdul Goldberg was waiting with the getaway ship, however the double-dealing rat had done a bunk..."

You get the idea. Abdul Goldberg is a mysterious antagonist who is repeatedly used as a plot point for scenarios. This underhand, double-crossing swine appears to be a mix of crime lord and smuggler, undertaking nefarious deals on the wrong side of the law.

Happily, the Emporium of Rogue Dreams Facebook group embraces just such characters, and has run a competition to create a version of Abdul for use on the tabletop. As no images exist of the villain, this has allowed folks to delve into their creativity and produce their own, very personal version.

I started with the head. I wanted my incarnation of Abdul to be characterfully someone you shouldn't trust. After playing around with some options, I dug out an old Citadel Corsair of Umbar who had the requisite look. I then went off-piste and turned up the militaristic Traitor General from Citadel's 2000AD/Rogue Trooper line. With the addition of a small pet, this was the resulting conversion:

My Abdul is not an all action gunslinger, but a wily, aging smuggler. He doesn't get his hands dirty, but operates a network of fixers, and hires muscle for the inevitable enforcement work.

Heavy Resin: Epicast 'Eldar' Vehicles

Many of you will be aware that in the early to mid-1990s, a number of companies produced licensed upscaled versions of the 6mm Epic vehicles and war machines in 28mm. I've already blogged about some of the Eldar vehicles, including Knight Titans and Tempest Super Heavy grav tanks.

A few weeks ago I posted a scenic picture of my Eldar Void Pirates. In the background was a sleek black Eldar vehicle:

The vehicle in question is one of three vehicles designed and produced by Epicast, for use alongside Eldar armies. These vehicles, unlike others in Epicast's range, were not upscaled Epic designs produced under licence, but were created to their own design. Here's a brief overview of the three Eldar vehicles produced.