Call Sign: Wyvern

This is my new Paladin Captain for Stargrave, rules for which can be found in Stargrave: Bold Endeavour. Really, I was just having fun mixing some Frostgrave and Stargrave pieces together and using a cool dragon decal! 

Up To No Good

Every miniatures collection needs some goblins. These are from Reaper Miniatures, all clipped off their integral bases and remounted onto GW ones. The fireplace and cauldron is from another Reaper set. The fireplace looked really plain, so I painted random runes on it. The goblins are a combination of speed paints (mostly for the skin) and more traditional painting. They are great little figs.

I've used these goblins in a couple of games of HeroQuest with my son; however, he keeps talking about how cut they are, so I'm not sure they are achieving the desired result!

Citadel Miniatures Mail Order Form, March 1987

Not long ago, I ordered an old game and discovered this completely unrelated flyer in the box. It was just too much fun not to share. I'd have been 10 when this was originally sent.

No One Heard Me Scream

Back in the pub for one of my all-time favourites, Silent Death. It was a three-way game, as my double points force took on the other two. It did not go well. My missile boat took a reactor hit early in the game, which cost me a huge percentage of my offensive firepower. My other large ships were more defensive in nature, so while they lasted several more turns, and even took down a few of the enemy, the outcome was never much in doubt. Still, a good time!

Pipe Leaf Downs: Polo Invitational! (In Denver)

Not long past, at Genghis Con in Denver, CO, I ran the Pipe Leaf Downs - Polo Invitational scenario for Hairfoot Jousting. This scenario sees four players, each with two jousters, attempting to shoot the ball through the opposite goal. This is a scenario I've run quite a few times, but I've never had such an epic match-up as this!

It began with an early break, allowing a quick shot on goal. The shot hit the post and bounced straight back to the shooter. He shot again, only to hit the post a second time and watch the ball fly off in the other direction. From there, the game descended into pure chaos. No one seemed able to land a telling blow on their fellow jousters - most of the damage came from running into stumps. After 2.5 hours of hilarious play (I've never had the game go longer than 2 hours before), the score was tied 1-1-1-1. The next goal would win. 

Still, the poor Hairfoots seemed completely incapable of keeping their mounts on target. With the clock ticking, I threw an extra ball into the arena. After a little more back and forth, the little Hairfoot who had missed the opening shot, finally put one into the goal to take the victory - just as our time expired!

It was longest game of Hairfoot Jousting I have ever played, but at no point did anyone want to leave the table!

Ice Gremlin

 

I have been playing a lot HeroQuest with my son. It really is a fantastic introduction to 'Dungeon Crawling' and a clear 'gateway game' to more complex wargames and RPGs. For now though, we are just having fun.

My initial attempts to paint our set failed, as a few weeks after painting, the mins became 'sticky'. Luckily, I hadn't painted that many. The problem seems to be some combination of the bendy plastic the figures are made from and the spray cans I used for primer/varnish. 

I recently picked up the Frozen Horror expansion and decided to have another go on one of the figures. I used brush on primer for this guy (and brush on varnish). I don't generally like brush on, but needs must. Considering its a board game fig, the sculpting and detail is not bad, though you can see some lack of definition in the fingers. Still, looks pretty good painted.

Now I just have to wait and hope no 'stick' develops.

More Cybercultists!

A couple more cybercultists. I'm just having fun kit-bashing the Automatons and the Cultists III kits. Build wise, they just fit together almost perfectly, and thematically I love the dissonance between the ratty robes and the (one assumes) expensive high technology. 

Cybercultist!

 

What's worse than an evil cultist? An evil cybercultist! 

I'm continuing to have fun with the Stargrave/Frostgrave plastics. This model uses the body and an arm from the Frostgrave Cultists III kit, while the head and other arm come from the Stargrave Automatons set. It really is a bit like wargaming LEGOs!

New Year Cyborgs!

My first painted figures of 2026 are a pair of cyborgs (one more borgy than the other). I painted these purely for fun, with no specific plans for their use, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. They are both plastic figures made from the Stargrave Scavengers and Automatons kits. 

Pipe Leaf Downs - Polo Scoreboard!

I'm continuing to work on my 4-player Hairfoot Polo set-up, both for my own gaming group, but also to take to GengisCon in Denver next month. This is the last major piece I wanted to get done - the scoreboard! 

This was a quick and simple build. Both the base and the main board are foamboard, held in place with glue and dressmaker's pins. I used a pencil to draw in the 'boards'.  The frame is made from left over balsa wood bits. I drove pieces of match stick into the board, held in place by some greenstuff, to create the pegs. The score placards are thick cardboard with holes punched in them. I wanted the whole thing to have a bit of a rough/rustic look (which is good, because I'm probably not capable of much better!). The placards are reversable, with '0' on one side and '1' on the other. The game is only played to 2 goals, so no other numbers are needed, but I could always create some more if I wanted to play the game to higher totals. 

I painted the back with the Stadium name/logo. Not only is it a scoreboard, but it's also part of the wall of the arena.

I also upgraded my polo ball. It's just a little wooden ball, covered in green stuff to make it bigger and a little less perfect. I tried to paint it a bit like a cricket ball. 

All and all, pretty pleased. I think it'll add a little something extra to my games!