WIP: Gladiators

All the furor surrounding the latest season of Spartacus: Gods of the Arena has got me fired up to finally start my Gladiators from Black Tree Design which have been sitting around for about a year now. 

Barca shown waiting for the killing stroke decision.

If you haven't seen the series, I highly recommend it for it's plethora of graphic images purely for visual reference and artistic inspiration, of course. 

Now how cool is this gladiator?

OK, fine, what's not to like: violence enhanced with CGXF, blood, action, gratuitous Tee and Ay and more violence!! All set in the ancient Roman Republic. If you're video streaming like me, they do warn you of the upcoming content:

Any living, breathing guy couldn't possibly resist these 'WARNINGS'. 
This is, like, a really good check list for any of my movies. 

 I especially like the standard and obligatory disclaimer at the beginning of each episode 
to supposedly warn off parents but definitely ensure the curiosity factor.

But this post is not a review of Spartacus the series. It's more grist for my mill to motivate me into delving in, yet, another genre for gaming. I originally acquired these bad boys for use with THW: Red Sand Blue Sky. I really love the sculpts that come out of Black Tree Design.

Dry brushed and ready for some color. Part of me would like to leave them in this state b/c it really shows off the detail of these beautiful sculpts.

The variety of poses feature some of the typical standbys (left to right): Murmillo or Samnite or Hoplomachus, Dimachaerus (two swords), Hoplomachus with sword, Retiarius with rope, and Hoplomachus with spear and buckler.

John at Black Tree Design threw in a couple of samples of Goblin Gladiators: Retiarius and generic swordsman.

The other poses (left to right): Retiarius with net, heavy Hoplomachus with spear and buckler, Goblins and Thracian.

Coming soon the Gladiators of my Ludus from the House of Franciscus!

Viking Long Ship - DONE

"A Viking we will go, a Viking we will go..."

Well, she's ready to go. All she needs is a hearty crew of adventurers and carls that's ready for anything.

 

Here's my Moria Goblins using the Long Ship for a midnight landing raid to an unsuspecting village.

 "SSSSSS... Keep quiet, ya maggots! We need to catch these men asleep and snug in their beds..."

Here's a few of Willy's Vikings (Gripping Beast) to ambush the Goblins in the woods. 

Still waiting on Wargames Factory to send me my Vikings!

Mongols of The Golden Horde: Rank and File Progress

Here they are.

Excellent Mongols and Pechenegs from Old Glory

WIP Viking Long Ship

The Long Ships: what gaming collection wouldn't be complete without these fearsome sea raiders and their infamous craft that represented fear, plunder and pillage!

And of course, it also helped growing up with such movie epics as The Vikings to help fuel the imagination.

My buddy Willy got one for the Viking minis that he's been working on and since I'm still waiting for my WGF Vikings to arrive by post I needed another project.

Almost done here and have decided to leave off the shields since my raiders will be carrying them to battle. Also for simplicity and more room for the minis I've also left out the oars, anchor and rigging.

This is a good kit. Not too complex and easy to put together. Get it if you see at you FLGS! It's truly a must have for any Viking force (in 28mm).

To give my boat a more unique look I wanted a different dragon head than the one that came with the kit shown cut off in the middle of the page in brown.

Here's a super ornate one from 'The Long Ships' movie with Richard Widmark.

Blue foam is my friend.

Still haven't decided about the sail.

15mm Buildings, Terrain, etc.

As a slight departure from the 28mm scale in my gaming collection I'm taking a break decided to take out my WW2 15mm buildings, terrain and accessories for some needed photo ops and posing. 


I prefer the Eastern Front so most of my buildings belong in that theater.

(click on the pix to enlarge)

Gale Force Nine - one of the first boxed sets that Battlefront / FoW partenered with and is well worth it.

JR Miniatures Russian Cottages (great pre-painted models but why oh why are they solid?)

Miniature Building Authority's Eastern Front Farm Buildings

The removal rooves are a must for any wargame system.

Miniature Building Authority's Industrial Buildings

Miscellaneous Ruins, Bridge and kit bashed and weathered plastic model Church (N Scale). It's large enough to fit a medium FoW stand inside. I know, this model's more appropriate for Western Europe but hey, it's all useable.

Miniature Building Authority's Power Plant - a must for the Eastern Front! 

Kato Uni-track (HO Scale) sections w/a weak attempt at flocking makes for real quick and easy rail yard terrain. Throw in a couple of generic, period boxcars and voila!

Soviet Scouts in amoeba pattern smocks advance with PPsh SMGs supported by a KV1.

Completed Incursion 3D Board - at OwlCon 2011

Done. Finito. Complete. Whew!

Come in and Enter...

This 24" x 30" board represents the first half of the gaming board used for Scenarios 1-4 in the rule book.

It took some effort and time adding extra industrial detailing like rusted pipes, fittings, etc. but was well worth it to simulate more realism aside from being fun. 

Still proxying with AT-43 figures to represent Allies while Zombies and Werewolf are from HorrorClix collection.

The Zombie 'Conga Line of Death'

All signage, propaganda posters and graphics were simply printed on bond and white glued on wall surface. Design courtesy of Martin at Little Soldiers from the Incursion Forum. 

Now it's time to get started on the actual minis...