'Monstrous' from BrendonW: Stone vs Demon

1 x Demon from Games Workshop 1 x Stone Giant from MOM Miniatures.

This challenge is excellent. Deadlines can be a good thing for paint motivation. Unlike project Goblin these beasts had actually undergone assembly before the challenge. Monstrous theme challenge means they get over the line to completion. Sure there is always something else that could be done to them to take them a little further but, like an old art teacher once told me...'know when to stop.' Stop is when the deadline is due in this case. The Dwarf stone giant golem is a little over 100mm high including his 50mm square base. He is resin and was only two parts. The plastic Games Workshop Demon was many parts and it is around 95mm tall including his base with stones. The Demon is the second one I have painted this challenge. The animated stone giant as you can see took way less time to paint than the Demon who will be a 'Counts as' figure. These are for two of my Kings of War armies. Dwarves and Varangur. Both of which have had other units painted during this challenge and previous ones. I enjoyed painting these. Especially after so many Goblins. They certainly made for a change of scale even though they are for the same scale. :)

Cheers from Brendon during Monstrous March
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'Flight' from BrendonW: Winged Demon

For this monster challenge I submit this big Games Workshop Demon with wings and no BBQ sauce.

He will be a 'Counts as' option for my 'Varanger', Kings of War army. He is made for 28mm scale games but including the base he is around 4inches tall. He stands on a 50mm square base. Dark colours are tricky to photo but he is black primed, German Gray then Luftwaffe Uniform and London Grey (Vallejo colors) with some Dark Tone washes (then re-highlight). I added some white to the London Grey for some final highlights. After painting almost always 28mm infantry or cavalry it feels really strange to paint a beast this size. I kept it simple which made the process faster.

Cheers from BrendonW.

'East' form BrendonW: Eastern Dragon and Mongols

6 x 28mm Cavalry, 1 x Eastern Dragon

A foul smell had been assaulting the village from the East. It grew stronger and more acrid each passing day. Eventually dust was seen on the horizon. A few days after that a terrible tale of a demonic horde was told by what many thought was a lunatic who burst into the village in rags and filth. Perhaps just a bit more filthy than most regular villagers. In any case, filth aside, he told a tale of a mounted horde in  endless numbers laying waste to all in its path. Later that night the village was woken by the terrible screams of coinciding nightmares of a Dragon arriving from the East and consuming all within its terrible wraith.

 Dragon is from Wyrd Miniatures and Mongols (28mm) are FireForge. The Dragon is on a home made 75 x 75mm base. I purchased this beast to count as a Dragon when I use my Mongol collection in a Fantasy setting (proxy as elves because they have good archery). I was searching for an Eastern Dragon or beasts for some time and when this pooped up in a newsletter email I had found my beast.

I was thinking of calling him Ess. Because he looks like the letter S from certain angles. My daughter has told me that it looks like a Dragon Ball Z dragon. If you comment please suggest a name.

Cheers from BrendonW

'Armour' from BrendonW: Knights of Beer and Bacon

Plastic Perry Miniatures Knights 28mm Cavalry x 17.

This is my first large single based unit for The Red and the Black. I usually base my figures individually but as I had acquired a stack of knights though a Facebook seller I decided to have a crack at making this armoured horde.

I had actually painted 18 but after slowly adding them to the base (Mantic plastic unit tray) I decided to leave that one out. It didn't seem to need it.

Incredibly I didn't break or bend any lances while flocking the base nor have major glue disasters. You know......glue drops on miniature then flock goes on paint......pain!

I know that Lances coloured like this was more than likely for tournaments only. These guys though, just like to let it be known that the defenders of Bacon and Beer are ready to party no matter the occasion.

In the future I may just add a banner to a rear upright lance perhaps. Maybe after the Painting Challenge. This is my first submission to this seasons mayhem.

Enjoy your painting.
Cheers from Brendon

'Choice of the Challenge' from BrendonW - Body of Work

'Risk Taker' from BrendonW - 'Berserker Dwarves'

19 x 28mm (Heroic) Plastic Berserkers by Avatars of War.

Alright now settle down lads. STAND STILL! I know and, we all know that amongst our clan you are the boldest of risk takers, the biggest of gamblers. Yes we get it. By going down the path of the Berserker you have abandoned armour and helm and more than tripled the consumption of MacRoyds special extra strong brew. But would you all mind stop jumping up and down and salivating just for a moment while the official rune records are inscribed. Our leader requires some form of rendering on stone tablet or tapestry of this day. I know, I know it's just a demonstration of strength to our Human neighbours who have started renegotiating our terms of trade for Bacon and so on. I said Stand STILL! Put away that finger!

I said put way that FINGER laddie!

For the love of BEER! The FINGER! Put it AWAY!

Created for use in my Kings of War Dwarf army these angry bearded fellas make for 2 'Heroes', a  'Regiment ' and a  'Troop '. This is one of those projects that have taken a long time to complete. Other projects kept jumping in front I think. But the theme round pushed me to finally get them over the line. I don't have high hopes of them surviving many games with only skin for armour but perhaps with a magic item and friends they can do enough damage to make a difference before they are routed from the table.

Cheers from Brendon.

'Antihero' from BrendonW - 'John Clifford, 'The Butcher' 9th Baron Clifford'

A War of the Roses character whose father was killed in 1455 at the first Battle of St Albans. John went on to lead the Lancastrian right wing at at the Battle of Wakefield (December 30th, 1460). The battle was a success for the Lancastrians. John was Knighted the next day. It was when he became notorious through history because of what is attributed to him during that time. After the battle the Yorkist cause believe he committed murder. Captured nobles and relatives usually at that time became ransomed but Edmund Rutland (17 at the time) a son of Richard Plantagenet (3rd Duke of York who died in the same battle) was executed on Johns orders and perhaps by John himself. Edmund was said to have been wounded and defenceless when he was killed. Attempting to escape the slaughter over Wakefield Bridge but was overtaken and killed. Gruesomely his head ended up on the gates of York along with his father and Uncle (Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury).

Perhaps it was revenge for the death of his father or all the battle adrenalin was still to leave Johns body that led to the execution but the result was vengance being sworn by Edmunds older brother the future King Edward IV (in wales during the battle). It may have been Edward who also gave John the friendly nickname 'the Butcher'. The aftermath of the Battle of Wakefield saw increased bitterness and revenge upon revenge. From that point onwards victorious sides executed opposing leaders. Perhaps no more ransom deals. 

Fast forward to Dintingdale March, 1461, and its battle time again. John Clifford carelessly removes his gorget (neck protecting piece of armour). A fatal error which results in an arrow to the throat and another body thrown into a pit with many others.

Lancastrian Goon 1: "Hey Johnno. You really messed that kid up. Look at the mess! Eww! It's all bloody!"
Lancastrian Goon 2: "Jay you are so gangster. You really went Medieval on him."
Lancastrian Goon 3: "You are my new hero. This is really going to make them Yorkies so MAD!"

Anti-hero, rogue, ruffian? Well he was a leader of fighting men. He was at the center of a deed some considered most foul. What wargamer would not want a character in their force with the alias 'The Butcher'. A nickname given by his enemy as well. His Yorkist opponents certainly would have seen him as a villain and no hero. However the Lancastrians may have seen it as a point of pride to be fighting alongside 'the Butcher'. This real life violent man went on to be included in Shakespeare's, Henry VI.

'Hot' from BrendonW - 'Slay-o-matic Triple 6'

This Strider from Mantic is made for their game Dead Zone. It is a type of plastic and comes with an MDF base and is around 65mm tall. Painting the detail so that you can keep finding small bits of interest when you look around it was fun. No decals on this one. The armoured glass for the operator has a subtle tint from lighter to darker that gets a little lost in the images and also because i gave it several coats of gloss. Here is an alternative back story for it.

In Judge Dredd’s future Earth outside the walls of the American Mega Citys lies the polluted Atomic wasteland known as The Cursed Earth. Mega City Citizens sometimes get the idea to go on a Hell Trek and journey across the Cursed Earth to start or join a frontier type settlement. Hell Trekkers can face a vast number of obstacles such as large Dinosaurs, mutant attacks, disease and other craziness. What we see here is images of a 'Slay-omatic Triple 6' for self defence and obstacle removal. Used correctly it can be a handy tool to clear the way for any Hell Trek convoy.

This model from the Scott Ian Block Hell Trekkers Club comes armed with an ‘Incinerator XXXXL” for extra big jobs. 

It also also armed with a ‘Slice & Dice Mk 9’ for large meaty problems and more. The shoulder on that arm is also a handy place to place two rockets that can be armed with a number of warhead types including fast acting Anthraxogone.

'Myth' from BrendonW - 'Valkyrie and Norn'

Two metal figures from Northstar's myth and legends range. Made for 28mm games but the Valkyrie is taller. The Valkyrie came with a large shield but I felt it hid too much nice detail so I left it off. In Viking culture the Norn is one of three females who control the fate of Gods and Mortals. 

Here she holds a pair of scissors as she cuts someone's life thread.