Rising like a Phoenix...

   This is the Quadcycle that was destroyed a few weeks ago by my puppy. 

   Actually, it's the Quadcycle that Elderac very kindly sold to me to replace the one eaten by my puppy. I changed the paint a bit to match my existing minion forces and put it on a base.

   But from tragedy comes renewal - I finally got that piece finished and it's ready to grace the table as soon as I stat it up for either GASLIGHT or IHMN.

Additional Protection from Aggressive Saurians

   British subjects and Texican citizens on Venus may breathe a little easier, sleep a little more soundly tonight, as additional pylons for the Anti-Saurian Galvanic Barrier have been completed and are ready for emplacement. These additional pylons will significantly increase the area of protection from pesky carnivorous dinosaurs, lizardmen, Germans, etc.

Four repeating posts. (Two more already finished elsewhere)

Two powered posts.

By Jove! That's a Lot of Peelers!

   I finally finished these thirteen Bobbies and their associated infernium hound from the Empire of the Dead Kickstarter. So, now I have a force of flat-feet to harass Adventuring Companies and other ne'er-do-wells on the streets of Ol' Blighty! 

FSA Revere-class Corvettes

  Finally a few new things to show you. And of course, the photos are terrible. Definitely need to get a new camera and a light box. I hear good things about the Foldio (?).

Revere-class Corvettes

New home for the FSA's capital ships

Federated States Aerial forces

   Painted about two months ago, but had to wait for their turn in the Lead Painters' League competition to end. Which it did last night. So... here are some of the Federated States of America forces I have.

  I also have some naval forces, but I may need them for later in the contest, so I won't show them yet. They include a dreadnought and a double-deck carrier, though. Which is pretty cool.

Some Painted Dystopian Wars stuff

  First up, the Speerwurf airship squadron. I didn't put the zig-zag camo on them because, well, I was tired of doing it.

You can see the national roundel and the big Speerwurf itself.

An infantry token. This is a regiment of Line infantry.

I may paint the next ones to represent jagers.

"Recke" Heavy Tanks 

Notice the churned up ground behind the tracks...

"Ritter" Light tanks

Squadron command tank

Pardon me, sir, but some gentlemen have arrived.

   Some indeterminate amount of time ago, I participated in the crowdfunding (via Kickstarter) of some miniatures for the Empire of the Dead game. I don't currently play Empire of the Dead (hereon, EotD), but I liked the figures for the Requiem expansion, so I bought in to the project. Naturally, as with most Kickstarter projects, everything was delayed, partly by the number of stretch goals reached and partly by the problems that spring up in any project. Not being in a tearing hurry, I was for the most part okay with it. When I duly received my package of lead, I was quite pleased with the contents.

   I started painting up the Lycaons first, which I believe have made previous appearances here. Now I am working on the Gentlemen's Club. I can absolutely see me making an Adventuring Company for IHMN out of these figures as well. I chose a theme color of blue for this faction. Thus, the Sapphire Club of Marylebone was born!

I am particularly fond of the Clockwork Butler.

Members of the Sapphire Club.

More Sapphirians. I like the fellow in smoking jacket and fez a lot.

The fellow in the overcoat is actually a club porter, not a member.

As if such a ruffian could be a member!

   One thing that I didn't like to paint, but which I think looks 'right' for these figures is the preponderance of black. Black trousers, black coats, black toppers. Not as bad as all white (snow blind me, will ye, ye damned Napoleonic Austrians?!?!), but still. I am glad I went for a brighter blue to help break the monochromatic issue.

   I have two more members to paint up (currently on the table) and that will be mostly that for this faction. I am finishing up what I think is the last of the Lycaons as well. He's just a human servitor, a hunter with a crossbow. After that, who knows? Maybe finish up the latest unit of automatons, which I have five completed and five remaining...

Baa Baa Baa...

"We are poor little lambs,

Who have lost our way.

Baa baa baa..."

   Sheep graze across the fields of England and Wales, enriching the nation with their woolly coats, and the soil with their rich manure. And now, they have been transplanted to the solar colonies! Also, we have pictured some native handicrafts. Though rather primitive, they do have a certain charm.

Black Face Sheep

Native Pots

[Editor's Notes: These are 15mm sheep. Peter Pig, I think. I have them for objectives, same as the pigs I have painted previously. While these are grassy bases, I will be adding some Martian based ones as well. Attacking a food supply or economic resource is a perfectly logical reason for a raid or even pitched battle. The pots I did up from craft store beads thanks to an idea I am swiping form Frank Chadwick's VSF game at Historicon 2013. Each has a number on the bottom. When a searching figure approaches the pot, it is turned over and a chart consulted. You may find treasures, allies, traps, or foes!]

Primitive Fortifications on Venus

   This journal recently received photostatic evidence of a primitive fortification built somewhere in the jungles of Venus, the Veiled Planet of Mysteries. As our dear readers are no doubt aware, Venus is home to at least two indigenous intelligent lifeforms. Though both the lizardmen and the parrotfolk are savage tribalists, they display a degree of cunning that must be taken into account when venturing forth from the safe enclaves of human habitation.

   See below the apex of Venusian engineering...

The human figure in strange attire and armed with primitive weapons is unknown.

Perhaps he is a French agent, a coureur du bois or voyageur?

A lookout tower of some sort. Apparently, it is unfinished at this time.

[Editor's Notes: The fort has been sitting a long time, a gift from a fellow VSF enthusiast in the Houston area. I painted and flocked it, but Dan built it. I built the tower using leftovers from the fortress. It is almost done, needing only the base - an old CDR - to be flocked, and some sort of overhead covering to be done. Speaking of which, I am considering a roof over at least one of the two bastions in the fortress. What do you think?

  I plan to use these for games of In Her Majesty's Name and other VSF games. It could be a jungle on Earth as well as Venusian. My son said the fortress looked a little barren for a jungle, but I reminded him that one does not allow undergrowth or trees near one's fortification. A clear field of fire is a necessary asset in these cases.]

Having Returned from the Wilderness...

...and recovered (somewhat) from his travels, Our Hero returns a bit refreshed and ready to do some serious work.

   The trip went well. Weymouth, Cardiff and Windsor were all brilliant. Paris was nice enough, but I've seen what I wanted to see.

   Speaking of which, I went to the Musee d'Armee at Les Invalides whilst in Paris and took several photostatic images of French uniforms. They aren't terribly good images, I am afraid, as everything was behind glass, it seemed. However, it should give your Dear Editor something with which to work when he ventures into Froggy painting. Most of the images below are of various colonial troop uniforms.

French Landship Completed!

   The French landship is completed, after receipt of replacement starboard drive units. Also, tricolors and a personalization icon have been added. The cock is the symbol of French athletics, in this case, the French National Rugby Football team (better known as Les Bleus). I think I will call this little scout ship Les Bleus.

The missing starboard drive unit, in place.

FFR Logo, rear of landship.

Oops! Blurry.

  A wall of paint bottles shields from view some of my Lead Painters' League entries still in process. No peeks! I will hint and say that there will be some VSF elements in my LPL entries. Big surprise.

Martian Reinforcements

   More shield gunners have arrived in time for the New Year. Protected by their armour, they also crouch behind their thick shields to avoid the onslaught of British lead as they advance. Once at close range, these assault troops unleash a furious rain of shot from the breechloading shotguns mounted in their shields. Unarmoured troops should take care not to allow these fierce warriors to approach.

[Editors Note: These are the last of the first 10 RAFM Space 1889 shield gunners. I now have another unit for 28mm VSF! Huzzah! I bought these at Historicon 2011, along with their five companions. I have another seven or eight waiting their turn on the paint table (and maybe some command figures), which were purchased at Historicon this summer. Have I mentioned before how much I love the flea market there? These five bring my total of 28mm figures painted this year to a nice round 100. Not bad for The Slowest Painter in Texas" (TM).]