Conan: Bossonian Archers

I like to play games with painted minis, but there have unfortunately been quite a few games of Conan and Blood Rage lately with unpainted ones. It’s time to do something about that, and the first game to get some painting done is Conan.

No clear bases for the troops, as they are usually divided into different troops in the game, and those troops are identified with coloured discs clipped to the bases, and they don't work super well on my clear bases. So I keep it simple and just give these guys a grey base.

There’s one problem, though, as the Conan game includes a lot of identical minis, those hordes of troops, 15 each of several types and five of others. I really don’t like to paint identical figures; it just takes forever and bores me to death.

Painted compared to art.

I had to speed things up or this project would kill the pleasure of painting.

I usually prime with white and then give the minis a black wash to bring out the details. A great method for my usual painting style. But this time I went back to what I began with, a long time ago: black primer.

So I tried a black base-coat, block painting with unpainted ‘shadows’ between the different colours and a final wash to bring some life to the minis.

I also did a very fast basecoat-and-drybrush job on this Outer Dark Demon

The result was rather nice, much faster than my usual painting and certainly good enough for all those multiple troops.

Next up are 15 pirates. 15… urgh…

A couple of more civilians from Blue Moon

I’m slowly getting back into painting mode after summer vacation. Really slowly…

Anyway, here are a couple of more 1930’s civilians from Blue Moon and their Slice of Americana pack.

I’m sure they will see action in a Pulp Alley or gangster game in the not too distant future.

The Adventures of the Dice Bag Lady in the land of the Vikings – part II

Laffe told me that he would take a cruise around the archipelago and by coincidence the ship would pass the island (Lindskär = The Small Island with Linden Trees) where our summer house is. As I informed him about that, and where the island is, he told me he and his guest would moon me when they passed.

No moons to be seen. Laffe and Annie on the bridge (he's got connections, that guy)

I was rather disappointed when they passed as no moons were seen. Lots of waving though, and tooting. Pity, I really wanted a… more interesting… pic J

The guest in question was none other than Annie “The Dice Bag Lady” Norman who had decided to actually take a short (and well deserved) vacation and due to some random internet guys she ended up in Sweden, being passed from gamer to gamer like a trophy J

Laffe picked her up at Arlanda Airport and then showed her the typically normal Swedish moose-farms, beaver-juices, fika, genuine shield-maidens and the very real beauty of the Stockholm archipelago. You can read all about it here, in part I of Annie’s adventures.

End of the 1000 Island Cruise in the middle of Stockholm.

There they are. Laffe bragging about something ("It's this long, I promise!") and Annie feeling the effects of 15 cups of coffe topped with an Irish one...

She wore him out, though, and, with a sigh of relief, he passed her on to me. We went straight back to Lindskär for a closer look at nature (you know, the green stuff on maps).

"Look at that! Antsies. I could make some minis of those. Guess I could sell at least a million of them. But what if I sneeze. Hmmm, maybe a kickstarter."

After a nights rest we tried to impress her with our athletics with swimming (at least 50 meters), snorkelling, rowing, walks in the woods on the adjacent island, spelunking (very short, like a couple of meters) and mountain climbing (well, it was a hill).

"You're kidding me... no way I'm going in there... trolls, you know... please..."

"I'm alive! Ace!"

Annie escaped the horrors of the woods below and enjoys the view.

Wife, kids and Annie enjoying the view of the natural harbour Napoleonviken (Bay of Napoleon (no, he's never been there)

Coffe, I need coffe!

After all that action Annie had her revenge when she unpacked Dobble and my brain promptly exploded (I actually won the first game! Probably just to lure me in.)

My wife wants one of these. Probably just to see my brain melt...

Proof that Baggy's been to Lindskär.

After that, and a fika (yes, she’s an addict now) (and she brought some Fabulous Welsh Cake for the occasion! Yummy!) my wife took us to the mainland with the boat and after a 30 minutes car ride we were at the gaming club.

Back to civilization! Yay!

Mikael Leck had prepared (Thank you!) a game of his own The Pikeman’s Lament where we (me, Annie and Thomas – neither of us had ever played the game!) played the courageous Swedes fighting the evil and treacherous Norwegians (under the command of three incredibly seasoned veterans of these rules – they were obviously looking for an easy win).

General A. Norman (that sounds suspicously like norrman (Norwegan) and that could explain that last botched dice-roll that effectively ended the game... hmmm)

Swedes attacking. Hurra!

It turned out to be a really even match, ending in a marginal victory for the Norwegians. Just shows how incredibly accomplished gamers we are J Far to fun a set of rules, though… might have to buy a copy and I’ve been eyeing some Swedish pikemen in 28mm… Argh!

A sensibly dressed female needing protection. Half the Swedish army is more than willing to help her.

It was now time to give the trophy, I mean Annie, to Thomas for further adventures in the woods around Nynäshamn, followed by a trip to the very deep woods south of Södertälje where Koen and pikes live (well, the pikes live in a lake, obviously). More on that on their blogs, possibly.

Spoiler: Annie is safely back in Wales, furiously packing orders and trying to detoxify from all that caffeine. She will probably be able to sleep in just a week or so.

Check out Annie's Bad Squiddo Games, where there are far to many great and believable female minis.

That was a great day, and I really hope to see Annie again in a not to distant future. Gothcon maybe... ?

Update: Annie's seems to be happy so the vacation-discount will last until sometime thursday morning. Use it!

Welcome Google+ follower John Reilly! I hope you’ll find something to your liking now and then.

Ogre with Table from Heresy

He stood there on the painting table. The Daughter complained that he had been there for ages. Nearly finished, just some detailing to do.

A couple of brush-stroke, a layer of varnish and another mini done. I wonder why it took so long…

The Ogre with Table is another smashing ‘mini’ from Heresy Miniatures. Go check what Andy’s got in his store. He’s one of my favourite sculptors (and a very nice chap) and I’m sure you’ll find one, two or many minis that need to be bought.