FOOT SOLDIERS OF THE ROYAL ARMY (or arrow fodder)

Here are the mainstays of King Amias' army, the footsloggers.

Macemen (flails were the nearest thing I could find)

Pikes (the old interpretation ie. halberds)

Swordsmen armed with bows as well

All figures by Garrison. I had a varnishing mishap with these, most noticable on the Pikemen, with some of the varnish "frosting". I can only assume this id caused by temperature or humidity, but it's very annoying. Another reason to use shiny yacht varnish.

DOOMGUARD LOCATED

After my post lamenting a missed ebay auction, I quickly located another Archive Doomguard , from the original seller who had another in stock. So here he is displayed on the original catalyst to get him 34 odd years ago White Dwarf 16 (not 17 as I said previously).

For some reason, I am unable to rotate the picture, so rotate your pc if needed.

THE LOYAL CENTAURS OF KING AMIAS

After a long break involving a broken pc, viewing secondary schools and other things that only happen in the real world, it's nice to drop back into ToySoldier land . The idea of getting my Thistlewood game finished by the 30th anniversary flew out of the window as I suspected it would, but I have been plodding away at it and now only have about 10 figures to paint before starting on the terrain.

Here are the Loyal centaurs by Garrison Miniatures. Certainly Old School and still in production (just). I have been fiddlearsing about with the bases and although not entirely happy with the final results I have gone for this slightly Autumnal look.

 A chance comment on another blog (sorry, can't remember which one) mentioned that older style bases with little or no extra flock or detail enhanced the figure and I completely agree. Unfortunately by that time I had already started basing my troops like this, but have another project brewing which will be really old school....plain bases, gloss varnish and no figures later than 1980...here is a taster of Royal Armies of the Hyborean Age

A Nemedian spearman leaves home to join in the invasion of Aquilonia

I have to say the shiny finish (I used Yacht varnish) and lack of heavy shading makes the figure much brighter (and considerably quicker to paint). Not everyone's  cup of tea, but I like the toy soldier look. Again, a figure from Garrison's bespoke Hyborean range.

THE FATHER OF WARGAMING

Normal service will resume here soon (once I get my laptop back from the repairers and take some pictures of the latest figures)but I have just read that Donald Featherstone has died so thought I should post about it. I am pretty sure many readers were set off on the wargaming hobby by this gentleman. I shall raise a glass and a paintbrush/some dice in his memory this evening.

TRADES AND WANTS

I've just posted up a list on Lead Adventure, so do go along and take a look. There might be something we can swap!

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=57078.0

RUSS NICHOLSON AND THE FIEND FOLIO

Back in the 1980's the wonderful art of Russ Nicholson featured heavily in White Dwarf, Fighting Fantasy gamebooks (what fun they were) and The Fiend Folio. Following a recent post on Russ' blog I thought I would dig out a few figures that seem to have been based on his work (he confirmed my comment that he remembers Citadel sending him some samples).

First up, one of my favourite figures produced by Citadel in the good old days The Dark Creeper (sold as a Gnome assassin in the Fiend Factory range). What a great sneaky pose

The Skeleton warrior is in a different pose, but wearing exactly the same armour tunic and headband

 The Styx Devil (marketed as a Satanic angel). I remember this was produced way before the Fiend Folio was published,

A quick flick through the Fiend Folio and I can't find any more directly relating to Russ' art (except the Grell perhaps?). 

ARCHIVE DOOMGUARD

Very occasionally I force myself awake to bid for a figure on Ebay USA , the auctions tending to end in the middle of the night here in England. Last night I woke myself up to bid for a figure I first saw in White Dwarf 17 (reviewed in Molten Magic )and wanted ever since The Doom guard by Archive Miniatures. I would have probably won the auction so keen was I to get it, but the grip of Morpheus was too strong and I went back to sleep waking 10 minutes after the bidding ended.

So a plea to any readers, if you have this figure and want to sell it, let me know

nostalgia is a powerful force, but not powerful enough to keep me awake after a weekend at home with the kids.