Zoat Test Piece

All the good websites will tell you to paint a test figure before you forge ahead with a whole unit. I've failed to listen to that advice many times in the past, however, because I was just so unsure about painting these Zoats, I've done the right thing and painted just one to see how hard he was to paint and determine whether I like the colour scheme... Whilst I was looking at Zoats on the web, I found a site that was selling a newly sculpted zoat!  One finger-twitch later and my shopping basket was paid for! Hopefully he'll fit in with the current crew!

In the end he was easier to paint than I imagined, but I take a few days to decide if this is the route I want to go with them. What do you think?

Some quick snaps...

I undercoated a unit of elves and have sent them off to lead legion to be painted. It's my first time I've used a painting service... I kinda feel like a cheat, however you can see just how many elves I've still got left to paint below!

Anyway I had to visit my local friendly gaming store to pick up some more undercoat and showed them my sculpted standard. Some kind and encouraging words came back, but the interesting thing was the lack of recognition of the Zoat! Can't believe they don't know their own history! Anyway i got back home and I sprayed my Zoats! :)

I'd love to start painting them, but I have to do some Ironing to keep the better half sweet!

My Zoats need your help!

I cant decide what colour scheme to paint my Zoats!  Luckily I'm still at the stage of sculpting my standard-bearer zoat. Until he's finished I've got time to ask you my dear reader for your thoughts on Zoat colour schemes! I've done a quick trawl and the following are paint schemes that I like, But what scheme do you think would fit in with my Wood Elves?

Scheme 1 - This was my understanding of the classic Warhammer colour scheme.  Dark green and bright yellow!

Scheme 2 -This is classic 40k colour scheme, that should be quite simple to paint just white undercoat and green ink (I think).

Scheme 3 - Quite a 'realistic' colour scheme, but to get it right would take quite a bit of effort!

Scheme 4 - This caught my eye as a modern take of the classic warhammer colour scheme...

Scheme 5 - Unusual colour scheme of Zoat with iron skin!

Scheme 6,7,8 - Light green (on the right!) - but if enough readers say orange or purple I might be persuaded!  ;)

Wood Elf Army

I've updated my Wood Elf page with new photos of my army. After setting it up I sat and looked at it in awe! Im so pleased with it! Now I really need someone to have a battle with.

I've also taken a few snaps of my growing undead army (see my Undead page). I might take a break from Wood Elves for a bit and see if I can add a couple more units of skeletons.

However first I've got some Black Tree Design Zulus that need rebasing and sprucing up ready for ebay...

Turning Lead into Gold?

I've been collecting miniatures since the year dot (well its probably only since 1986 or 88 I cant remember exactly), and basically my collection been growing every month since then. Some of it is pretty rubbish, and some of it is pretty decent, but small bits of it are pure gold. I have, for example, this Limited Edition figure in my collection:

LE 4 Space Marine Captain 1991

Still in blister, and looking good after 20 years of storage. Here he is on Solegends.  I wonder how much he would get on ebay now? Any Offers? (Im not selling!)

[UPDATE]
It looks like someone on ebay has been thinking the exact same thing as me, with regards to this figure! http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170699113746#ht_500wt_1361 Hopefully I'll soon get an answer as to how much this figure is worth!

[UPDATE #2]
Well I have my answer. The final price including postage was £48.56! Thats a nice profit for a single figure - But Im still not tempted to sell! (well not yet anyway!)

Slow Progress

The last few days have been spent supporting my girlfriend who was running the great North Run, so there hasnt been much time for Hobby fun. Half the elf cavalry have been cleaned up and based. I had originally cut away the supporting tabs under the front hoofs of the horses, but that has weakened the models considerably, so I've had to add some brass wire supports to each horse, which has taken quite a bit of time. Most of the other elf lancers are in the queue waiting to be paint stripped.

Im still on the lookout for an additional archer. I got outbid for one on ebay this weekend. The final bid was about £12. So I should probably insure the rest of my 30 cavalry!

The Painting Table...

Everyone likes to have a look at someone elses painting table., so here goes:

A recently finished unit of Elves awaiting a spray of varnish.

Below are pics of my Elf cavalry after a bit of a sort out. I've decided I want 2 units with Bows (so I need another bowman rider!). I also need to find 8 lances. I might have to go with some metal lances as the plastic ones are beginning to be very weak. I suppose they are nearly 20 years old, but Im surprised at how the plastic seems to be failing! Im also wondering about getting a standard bearer for one of the units...

And finally my squashed chariot, which needs some love and attention, and I think I'll put on a new base to meet todays rules on chariot base sizes...

Hope you've enjoyed...

So many boxes of old citadel miniatures...

Ok - so I'm not very good at updating my blog... but I have a new app for the phone so maybe some quick updates may start appearing. A fellow TMP'er has got me started on warhammer 3rd edition. I like the way he thinks as he's obviously looking at the battle of Forenronds Last Stand; near the back of the WFB 3rd edition book, which requires a force of 30 Elven cavalry.

Now I suggest that that is a big ask of anybody. I can't imagine what they were thinking when they drew up that army list. Anyways it got me thinking. I've got a dozen cavalry painted up for my elves already. You can just about make them out in previous blog posts. So I wondered if there's any more running around on ebay. But I didnt get much success there.

Then, from the dark recesses of my mind, a realisation that somewhere in my collection I might already have some more. An enjoyable half hour rummaging later, I pulled out a box labelled elf cavalry. Anyway the photo below shows what's inside. Not in a very good state, and I will need to get some lances sorted, but definitely enough Elven cavalry to cover a small engagement such as Forenronds Last Stand! I've also got a box of later plastic High Elf cavalry - just in case!

Gratuitous shot of naked Elves riding horses... naked in the sense of unpainted!

By chance I also happened upon my elf chariot. Totally squashed! :(

I've just Googled 'Forenronds Last Stand' and found another 80's miniatures geek contemplating the same battle!

http://ernysplace.blogspot.com/2011/02/drillas-killers.html

Proof that Original Citadel Armies had more character!!!

>>  Jon's Wargaming Blog  <<

Nice work Jon!

I really like the old style citadel miniatures. Here's my 80's/90's Wood Elf Army. There's a few more units now but I'll do a proper photo session with the whole army soon...