Tusk Riders Bonanza!

It has been quite a bit of time since the last update that actually showed off any work.  There are several reasons for this, none of them interesting.    Suffices to say, I've sprung back in action. 

I have changed my mode of operation a bit as well: instead of blanket painting 30 figures at once, a bad habit I picked up back when painting ancient armies, I now prep a batch, and then choose one or two which I finish, before starting on anything new.  I hope to achieve a steadier output of miniatures, rather than a batch of 25 miniatures every 6 weeks.

The miniatures here are milestones in more than one respect: They are part of the last big batch - these have been on my desk for months - and they also are the first photographed with the new SLR and processed in lightroom - check out the cool watermark, looking all pro! - and I hope to up the bar with my new gear: better pictures, and because of that, better painting, because I have to now :)

I made these pictures with the miniatures in my slightly adapted softbox.  Camera on a tripod, adapted white balance, no flash.  It's a first attempt, and I may still change mode of operation, using flash and reflection.  These particular pictures have been made using a Pentax Macro lens.  Stopped down to f:16 for good sharpness and a bit of background impression.  Shutter 0,4".

I have used a bunch of GW orcs on boars, painted in an unorthodox manner, to represent tusk riders - for which I have found no miniatures.  Maybe Mad Knight casting will make some one day, but until then, these will do the trick.  They look a bit rough and brutal, but I can live with that.

The tusk rider above is the leader of the pack.  Like the rest of them, the rider can be removed, using a strong small magnet.  There is one rider that is fixed, it's full plastic, the other riders are metal figures.

RuneQuest 6 in the online store!

Check out the TDM store
Well, not quite. The product is listed, but the store is not yet active. According to Laurence Whittaker of TDM it is only a question of days before the pre-orders start. Pre-ordering RuneQuest means a 20% discount on the normal retail price, so that is a great deal!

First pic with the new camera

K-5 w Pentax-M 100mm f4 macro

As mentioned some time ago, I have gotten around to purchasing some new gear.  Just for reference, I post the first picture, of a half finished savage orc boar rider, which will be used as a RuneQuest Tusk Rider.
Having new gear is – of course – nice and dandy, but boy is this thing sharp:  for the above image I have to set up the camera at about 50 cm from the model.  The depth of field is only a few millimeters deep at full open, and even at f8 it’s still not enough to get the entire miniature sharp.  Massive control, and so very sharp, there’s no way I’m gonna pretend any skill at painting after this, every error, no matter how tiny, will be revealed with this setup!
The camera is a Pentax K-5, the lens is a 100mm f4 macro lens from 25 years ago, with excellent sharpness and contrast.  The picture above is without any lighting setup, just a small tripod and 2 second trigger to avoid shaking.

Casting session

For our first whole day casting session we decided to make a bit of everything

The blog has been quiet the last few weeks, the reason for that is a mix of too much work, the temporary pause playing RuneQuest waiting for RQ6 (and Moon Designs Pavis, which I received last week), and the fact that the weather has remained so chilly: I really prefer sitting in my hobby room without the heater blowing, and when it's so cold I can't: I just have to heat it.  As a consequence I find I head down less often.  Still, I am still painting now and again, currently working on a set of Tusk Riders, a nice collection of zombies, and I also have a bunch of NPCs that I need to finish off, just some basing and finishing touches and we're good to go.

Funnily enough, two months ago I finally bit the bullet and decided to go and buy the SLR I have been wanting for so long now.  I invested in some decent lenses as well, and theoretically I am now able to make way better pictures than before.  But setting stuff up now takes longer, making it a more formal occasion: set up the flash and umbrella, set up the scene, tripod, linear rail and 1:2 macro lens.  So far I haven't really made pictures of my modelling, but I intend to soon™.

Once work settles down a little, I'll make a bit of effort on documenting the new photography tools.

Expected RQ6 content!

 Here's what Laurence Whittaker has to say about the most important changes and updates to RuneQuest in the upcoming RQ6:

Pic is not related to article content, just for esthetic purposes!

 

1. Character Creation
We've expanded it in some areas and streamlined in others. There's less chance of a 'cookie-cutter' character with RQ6 than with Legend. Some areas for skill allocation have been de-emphasised and others re-emphasised. Passions form a core part of the rules. All professions have been re-jigged and re-assessed.

2. Skills
These work as before but quite a few have been re-named and re-defined. This makes them more intuitive to use, although the same structure (Common vs Advanced, or Standard vs Professional, as we've now classified them) exists.

3. Combat
Similar structure, but all the Combat Manoeuvres have been tweaked and are much improved. A few new ones have been added. Defensive options are increased; shield-use is overhauled. Movement rules are completely changed, as are rules for charging. Rules for figures-based tactical movement will be included as an option.

4. Magic
Common Magic is now called Folk Magic and is a complete overhaul of the older system. We've de-emphasised the combat nature of many spells (although the old faves of Bladesharp etc are still there) and adjusted the power level quite considerably. It works very differently to the old Common Magic/Battle Magic of yore.

Animism is completely rewritten and includes extensive guidance for use. This is essential as its so different to all the other magic systems. Mysticism is introduced. This allows for Wuxia/Ninja style characters as well as more cerebral, contemplative types. Mystics don't use spells but instead enhance their own capabilities. Divine Magic and Sorcery are far more flexible than before with different options to support their use in different campaign types.

Perhaps most importantly, we've included a detailed introduction to magic chapter which gives guidance on structuring magic in different styles of fantasy, how to source/regain Magic Points, and how to create low/mid/high magic settings using some or all of the five magic systems on offer.

5. Cults
Restructured for a more generic approach, and with a couple of dozen example cults presented for GMs to customise according to need. For settings where cults are not a focus, rules for Brotherhoods/Hero/Warbands/Guilds with supporting mechanics.

6. Creatures
Tons. This is the biggest chapter of the book. Extensive guidance on how to use creatures, how to make your own, and how to play them as characters.

8. GM Guidance
A detailed chapter with advice, tips and samples for GMs including how to prep for play, how to manage each of the core components, some optional rules, and general remarks on how RQ functions based on our - and playtesters' - experiences.

Ben the great troll

Ben the great troll.  You should see his brother Jerry!

Here's one of the miniatures I have received from Madknight Casting last week.  I have a lot of stuff still on my work table that I'm gonna finish first, but I just wanted to show the impressive quality of the miniature.  Plus, finding a real Glorantha troll is not so easy, I'm very glad the choice got so much bigger!

For comparison I put a Reaper assassin next to our friend Ben.

Improvements at the HQ clubhouse

We more or less finished the new wall, got some new lockers for our members, and mounted a wide door.  Now the side window remains to be closed, we're looking at that.  The thermal insulation has already improved with the new wall, the total effect will of course be a lot more impressive.

New Roleplay table

I'm too poor to be able to buy a new Sultan RPG table, but here is my next best thing: a multiplex / MDF construction with desk docks for 6 players and a large docks for the GM.  The top table panel measures 120 x 100 and flips open, and every player has a 30 cm deep writing area.

I'm gonna call it the 'bombardeer' :)

The GM also has a IKEA Alex 6 drawer cabinet, in which all the miniatures are stored.  Now all that reamins looking into is a right sized scenery cabinet opposite the Alex cabinet.

Impression of the table with 6 seated

Mould line bonanza

I use grey magic sculp, try to find out where!

I have been looking for good fantasy zombies for quite a while, without much luck, but I never thought of GW, so when I kinda bumped into the vampire count range, I thought 'hey, why not, let's order those'.  I received the box through the local store, and took them home.  The box has 8 sprues, but only 2 different ones, making the choice rather limited, but since I'll be making 10 zombies at the most, that's not too bad.  However, I was quite disappointed with the general quality of the miniatures.  Most arms fit onto the bodies rather poorly, and I spend several hours glueing 5 zombies up, with all the mould line removing, arm pit correction, and shoulder stump reduction that was necessary.  I mixed up a little blob of magic sculp five or six times, in order to make the limb - torso connection a bit more believable. 

When I buy a box like this, which is nowhere near a new design, I expect the models to have matured: sprues with little errors, well fitting limbs and heads (the heads went on rather well in most cases), and a minimum of plastical surgery.  In reality, I felt like a sculptor at times, taking off lots of meat on places, adding putty in several spots, and generally correcting what I can only describe as poor quality miniatures.  I'm very happy these are zombies, so I can get away with the brutal detail, the hands the size of a head, and the irregularly shaped limbs.  But on the whole it's rather disappointing.  Even more so when I found out only one day later that Mantic does zombies as well, with lots more variety, and they sell small boxes.  And they are cheaper.  Still, I've got these now, and with a bit more corrective sculpting when the set is glued, I'll get them to look like a group of half decent, out of proportion zombie monsters!

Some Call of Cthulhu stuff

Leng Spider base, homemade

 I started making a nice big base for my Leng spider.  Used some broken hirst bit, lots of wood glue, and sand and rubble, completed with some bottles and a barrel and a earth cult shield.  Time to basecoat, then paint and add some spider web goo.

Expedition to the outback, RAFM.

I also started painting the outback expedition vehicle.  This is just some rough coating and washing, getting ready for the fine work, but I've sadly enough been starting so much stuff lately, it's hard to finish stuff, and my desk is full-fuller-fullest again.  I have got to finish some stuff pronto, but as it stands I'm also working on a new Open Office Chargen macro, using csv files for the data so that I can simply add races, spells and weapons as needed.  So between painting lots of RuneQuest stuff, the better half of the RAFM Call of Cthulhu range, and this software project that turns out to be just that little bit more complicated at every corner, it's hard to find time for preparing adventures, reading, or just doing good old research.  It's like juggling.

Finished some more cave blocks

Here is the result of 2 castings each (not completely though, some bits went wrong) of all cave moulds.  I used some fieldstone floortiles to put them on, I might give those a whiter brush later to make them look more fitting.  Some parts are glued wrongly in the first batch, so I'll need to have another go to complete some of the double pieces, like the wooden door.  Still, the images clearly illustrate the feel of the blocks, they look great and will work very well for RuneQuest and Call of Cthulhu, as well as any other skirmish type game, 28 mm or not.

The rocky caves, mould 81 & 82

The water caves, mould 83 & 84

Entering the water caves.  Using fieldstone floortiles

Baboon raid near Wilmskirk

The Stead on the road to Boldhome

On the road from Quackford to Boldhome, our heroes pass through a small Stead, which seems to be deserted, apart from a herder with some sheep and one cow.  the lone herder is mistrustful when the party approaches, but after some talking the truth comes out: a gang of robbers has been systematically raiding the Stead, stealing all but one cows, and the few warriors of the Stead have left in pursuit of the robber gang.  The party has arrived at the exact moment a gang of baboons is attempting a raid on the weakened Stead, and they decide to take up the defense.  After a drawn out fight, our adventurers get the best of the baboons, and save the day.

Mountains of madness?

Time to cast: 1 hour. 
Time to glue: 1 hour. 
Time to dry: 1 week. 
Time to base: 6 minutes. 
Time to dry: 1 day.
Time to paint: 1 hour. 

Look and behold: one cast each of moulds 81-84.  A second batch is drying, I think 2 batches will go a long way making cave encounters a lot more realistic and enjoyable in Runequest and CoC alike.  I'm doing a superdry white brush tomorrow, then some varnish, and we're good to go!

Message from Cthulhu!

Great Old Cthulhu himself has seen fit to send me a parcel, containing a collection of weird looking artifacts, packaged in an alchemist treebark concoction and polymer cover, a container surely devised by the old gods.

I have tried to make a picture of it, but some of the packages resisted by malignantly reflecting every bit of light in the investigation room.  Still, for what it's worth, here is the picture.  In the meanwhile said package has again disappeared, very probably it went back into the void.  Or maybe someone wrapped it in gift paper and put it under the christmas tree.  Time will tell.

Hirst casting tryouts

Hiring children to do the work proves much cheaper,
and they can be bullied into working unpaid overtime easily

We had a few casting tests today, with the help of my son and daughter, to establish how many hirst silicon moulds one can cast per unit of time.  The tests pointed out that the speed I could reach very much depends on the number of moulds available.  At one time, I had 7 moulds 'in the air' at once.  That was doable, I would say I could manage to keep 10 moulds busy.  Depending on turnaround time, and therefore drying time, I could do 2 to 2,5 rounds per hour.  Some of the things I found:

1. Setting up took me about 45 minutes.  This will be the same for one person doing 3 moulds or 4 persons doing 40 moulds so organization is essential.
2. We need more mixing bowls: it is a very bad idea to rinse your mixing bowl in the sink, you have to let the plaster set and then remove it.  For one person, 5 mixing bowls is a good number.  Luckily, these are dead cheap.
3. It took me over one hour to clean up.  This will also be required after every cast, so it would be best to try and organize big casting sessions.

The homemade vibration board worked VERY well, so that's going to stay.  I have a nice setup in mind, with one person making the mixture, one scraper, one unpacker and one all-round, and that should allow to make lots of casts in the course of an afternoon or so.

Chaaaarge

The planning stage - it lasted a full four seconds :)

After the capture of Aelwyn, his brother rounded up some of Aelwyn's friends to go and kick ass in the Grey Dog forest.  In spite of common sense, they charge into the woods, using a very crude decoy ploy while Odd the Dark sneaks past the enemy on his warhorse - yeah I know - and liberates the weakened prisoner.  They even give Miskar a good run for his money.  Doubtlessly to be continued!

The story: Miskar under pressure!

Call of Cthulhu

Newspaper archives are essential for CoC!

We're starting a few games of CoC, in order to get a fresh kick after several months of hack and slay.  Call of Cthulhu is easily the best RPG out there, with intelligent scenario's, cool atmosphere, and frightening occurences, so what's not to like.  I have started by delving into my New York Times frontpages for our first scenario, the old classic 'The Haunted House".  The book above features all front pages from 1920 to 1927 - the traditional CoC era, and then some.  It would work for 1890 gameplay and WW2 gameplay as well.  Even 2009 is in there!  I'm looking forward at using this resource, and might well comment on it some more soon.

Workbench update

When painting updates seem to occur only now and then, it's more often than not a case of 'finishing a bunch of stuff at once'.  Typically, I have several series of miniatures that get rotated, and because of that, it looks like nothing happens at all.  Here's a quick update of a bunch of not-finished mini's I hope to finish anyday soon.

Some LAnce and Laser Bison Riders and a rider and mount.

Lunar mounted guard, some BTD, some Warlord

Some slaves and servants, an assassin, and a healer, Warlord and Reaper

.

Puppet Wars Executioner

Been painting this little puppet wars Executioner for a club demo next week.  I've been painting some more details since I took the picture, but the general idea is clear.

Some you win, some you don't

Ranath, Aylwin, Ulic and Odd before the shit hit the fan

Our fellows started tonight's session with a three hour fight trying to finish off the Scorpion Man and the Broos attacking the bridge near Grey Dog.  In the end they prevail, and they gather some impressive awards.  When they learn of a kidnapping that took place during their fight, they think not one second, but decide to go rescue the damsel.  It does take them the rest of the night to come up with a plan though.  Rather than setting up in several locations at once, they gamble and set up stake near the Stead controlled by the Gagarthi, and when they actually do run into the messengers they expect, they manage to alert the entire gang.  Three of them manage to escape in the pitch black, but Aylwin is captured and taken to the Stead for interrogation.  If you listen closely you might hear his incessant screaming.

Baboons on the prowl!

Our party decided to split up after they assassinated the yelmalio rune lord on the crossing of the Jonstown to Runegate road. They meet up with two Grey Dog nobles, and decide to travel together. When a playful baboon tries to steal some food, they decide to take vengeance and murder its entire family, including old uncle Huglug, the favourite storyteller of the baboon babymonkeys (aaaaah).