Mithril M394 Bodyguard conversion

 

I've been working on a project, as anticipated here. I needed an arm for a ranger, and since I can't sculpt, I happily looted it from the bodyguard figure of Mithril M394. This left me with an armless bodyguard and the opportunity to sculpt my own greenstuff arm. 

I have never been a good sculptor, as you can see. Consider this was, like, the third attempt (the first two were even worse). But overall my expectations were low, and the figure looks bad only for certain angles, since the shield (from Essex miniatures) is an excellent cover and the way it is painted helps to distract the attention from the relatively dull-coloured arm.

What do you think? It's an acceptable warrior, to be used as a gaming piece. I'm not going to present it at a competition :)

Bretonnian Infantry Command, painted as Standard Bearer of Dralas

I got this nice little miniature on eBay. Could not recognize the code, and didn't record the year before basing it. I just know it's Bretonnian and it comes from a command group. It could easily be Perry-sculpted, as far as I know.

I bought him together with a bunch of other Bretonnian infantrymen, with the idea of creating a group of guards to use in WFRP games. I toyed with the project of painting them all with the colours of Dralas, the homebrew city in the Border Princes where most of my scenarios start. After a long time, only this guy has been painted, and the other will most likely follow in another livery, that of Artesia, the bordering princedoms that usually poses as the villain of the campaign.

Dralas is a port city and its colours are white and blue, like the sea and the foam over the waves. The city sits at the mouth of the river Zaffirio, so sapphire is the stone associated with the city heraldry. The other association is the Sea Serpent: according to legend, Dralas was originally founded by Elves and abandoned in the distant past, then a Sea Serpent set its abode under the murky waters of the ruined elven harbour, until the hero Dalphis slew the reptile and reclaimed the ruins, becoming the founder of the city.

Dalphis lived some 15 centuries ago and since then Dralas has seen many events: the city was a capital and then a subject, it had kings, princes and councils of citizens. Until recently it was ruled by a prince, until he was forced by an elven adventurer and pirate to surrender power and the hand of his sister. Nowadays it is the Regent Gelmir Lindarian who controls the government. This, however, does hardly mean that he holds power: Dralas is a famously seedy port where a lot of deals are made under locked doors, and the real power rarely resides where it appears to be.

The Regent directly controls the Black Guard, a group 30 of mercenaries who helped him conquer the city, commanded by general Achille. The Palace Guard's loyalty is divided between the Regent and the Prince: they are about 30 well trained warriors. The City Guard (90 members) follows the orders of the Regent as long as it gets paid regularly. The City Militia, being the largest force in town (450 members), obeys its Captains, who in turn are nominated among nobles, and so they follow their own interests and are generally raised only in case of foreign invasions.

This guy probably belongs to the City Guard and is therefore the most flexible. He could be used to police the streets, guard locations or escort important people in town. He wears a padded leather jacket and a helm, and is armed with a sword (so he is probably an official) and carries a standard with the city device.

GW Missionary with chainsaw

I don't often paint 40K stuff, but here it is. This is a great sculpt, perfectly portraying faith as it is in the 41st millennium: the book in one hand, a big, handwritten tome displayed on a pole for the benefit of the masses; and the sword in the other, a merciless chainsword to fight heretics and xenos.

Long ceremonial robes couple with heavy boots and gloves, a neckerchief and goggles, a heavy backpack with a box, a book and a rifle. All elements that suggest this priest is travelling through some wild, barren land, a desert representing the fringe of civilization. He's there to spread the Word, but he is also expecting trouble.

 

I don't know the year of issue of this white metal miniature, nor the sculptor. I wish I did, because it's such a great piece and I really enjoyed painting it.

The Dark Magister - Citadel C02 Wizard "Tellark Spellrender" (1985)

The C02 Wizard series is one of the oldest from Citadel. This figure is dated 1985, but the first advertisement we have of him is the Citadel Flyer from February 1987, in which he is named "Tellark Spellrender". The sculptor is unknown.

Clearly, Tellark is supposed to be a regular Wizard, as its tag says, but in my opinion he looks pretty evil - so evil, in fact, that I have painted as a Chaos Wizard, possibly a Tzeentch-worshipping Magister. Could his name be Kastor Lieberung?

This figures satisfies, in my opinion, the archetype of the Evil Wizard - he looks eerie, with his bald head and strange clothes, and his raised brazier. His long robes with fur neck are obviously ceremonial and large enough to conceal anything - a weapon, maybe? The Evil Wizard is essentially an untrustworthy character: physically weak, possibly coward and certainly wicked, but gifted with uncommon intelligence and willpower. His main flaws, however, are his ambition and hubris, which will certainly bring his demise through a foolish pact with the Underworld or by simply underestimating his enemies. Classic examples are Thulsa Doom from Conan the Barbarian, Theleb Karna from the stories of Elric of Melniboné, or Bargle from D&D. In a way, also Saruman from the LotR fits the archetype. The Evil Wizard may sometimes appear as a Dark Priest, and is close to the archetype of the Dark Lord.

 

I played a little with greenstuff to create the effect of smoke from the incense-burner, and I painted the whole figures with shades of red, pink, purple and blue. I decided to try my luck with eyes and in the end I painted them too big, but I'm too lazy to fix them now. Perhaps another time...

Federigo Caccialpiano the Mercenary - Citadel C01 Fighter (1983)

Came up on eBay on this little pre-slotta thing. I bought it because it was cheap, even if it was really damaged by cleaning. I had no idea it was a 1983 C01 Fighter, as shown in the First Citadel Compendium.

Top row, second from right

Needing a mercenary miniature for my WFRP party, I set out to paint it, with no high hopes. But as I applied layers, I discovered a great sculpt full of little details and character. I have little clue of who might the sculptor be, but he did a great job.

For true WFRP fans, those who look with nostalgia at Tony Ackland's drawings of careers, this is real greatness. Look at the overloaded backpack, with holes and patches. The blanket tucked under it. The butterfly-shield. The wide-brimmed hat covering the eyes in a shady and threatening way. The sword in hand and the axe at the belt. The breastplate, the protections for knees and elbows, the knightly helm also leaning from the belt.

Everything here screams knight in disgrace, a fine warrior who fell on dark times, travelling away from his home to find adventure.

That's how the character of Federigo Caccialpiano was born. A grizzled mercenary with lots of experience but little wealth put apart, he met the PCs on a ship sailing from Dralas to Lévalto in the western Princedoms, and was promptly hired, showing great professionalism and skills. Little did they know that he had already been hired by their patron, to check on them. He figured that being their mercenary would make the job easy and mean extra pay.

Federigo himself hails from the city of Altoborgo, a free Comune up in the hills. He had been spymaster for the Council for several years, but had to flee the city when a riot of the alum miners deposed the Council and put a Podestà in its place, ransacking the homes of the wealthy families who used to get fat on the profits of the mines. He now works as a mercenary and spy for private clients, waiting for better times when eventually the Council gets back the city.

Federigo is cunning and experienced, professional and efficient. He is a rational and selfish person, with little empathy for others, but can be surprisingly manipulative. He is loyal because he likes to have a good reputation with his employers, but if risks become greater than opportunities, he is keen to turn on anybody as long as nobody will know about it. He looks like a nice chap to hang out, but he is in fact a very dangerous person.

Rombustus Sellsword - Citadel F2 Fighter (1985)

 
This figure of a fighter is marked with the year 1985 but the first picture of it I found is in the Citadel Journal of 1987 where it is included in the F2 Fighters range as Rombustus Sellword. The range is "designed by Aly Morrison, Trish Morrison, Alan & Michael Perry". Which one is the author of this specific sculpt is difficult to say - to me it looks more Morrisonian than Perryish, but I couldn't say which sibling fathered (or mothered) Rombustus.

Our hero boldly strides forward, in a powerful but relaxed way, looking slightly to his left. He carries his shield (currently on the do list) in the left hand, completely lowered, and his bastard sword is levered on his right shoulder, to carry its weight more easily. Rombustus wears high boots and clothes with fashionable slashes on the knees and the whole left arm; his head is adorned with a plumed hat. Plate armour protects his body, waits and right arm up to the hand and is partially covered by an overcoat.

Clearly fond of his image, Rombustus deserved a bright paint-job. I went for a yellow and red scheme on the dress, complemented by green on the overcoat. The rest was left in natural colours, with dark brown leather and metal armour.

I'm overall happy with the result, although painting the slashes on the cloth was really difficult and it didn't turn out as bright and clear as I hoped. I'm currently using this miniature to represent the Protagonist in our latest WFRP game, but it will soon be replaced and Rombustus will make a great mercenary official, guard captain or élite bodyguard.

Dostovius Hillmage, Citadel Wizard C02 (1985)

Citadel launched the C02 series, dedicated to Wizards, in 1983, and regularly expanded it. This piece is marked with the year 1985 but the first leaflet I found, in which this figure appears, is dated 1987 and here the wizard goes by the exotic name of Dostovius Hillmage. It's a very simple sculpt but I like it - it's essential. This wizard has a large beard, and long robe, a staff and a pointed finger as if casting a spell. You don't really need much else, do you?

A belt pouch for reagents, perhaps, yes. I wasn't able to find out the sculptor and I would guess one of the Morrisons.

I painted in a simple way as well. Didn't even attempt to do the eyes, even though they were very large. The robes are a dark blue, the hair brown wood, the belt brown leather. The twin-headed aquila belt buckle was painted a dark bronze. The skin pale, as befits one dedicated to the study of arcane arts.

The Mugger - Citadel C05 Thief (1986)

In 1986 Citadel issued a C04 range dedicated to Thieves. The selection of shady characters, all sculpted by the Perry twins, was impressive and drew extensively from the stereotypes of heroic fantasy.

Each of the characters is named, and the one I finished painting this week is recorded as Elshender Nightman, a good fantasy name for a cut-throat. The slotta of the miniature simply records him as "Mugger".

The sculpt, as by the standards of the Perry twins, is nice and full of character and detail. The Mugger is in combat stance, dagger drawn and pointed at the enemy, ready to strike. From his shoulder hangs a large bag, and from the belt another smaller one and a short sword. Clearly an adventuring type, our rogue cares to wear a leather jacket over his shirt, and a coif which could well be made of leather. His pants are tucked into boots more suited for a traveller than a small town criminal.

This is great to represent both a PC and any NPC with a criminal background. This is old school at its best. Love it!