The word guerrilla is a term that became popular in the 19th century when the Spanish and Portuguese people rose against the Napoleon’s invasion of the Iberian peninsula. It comes from the Spanish word “guerra” meaning little war.

I have had these figures for around twenty years. They were from the estate of David Gregory. David was a collector of figures rather than a gamer and most of his collection was bits and pieces with not enough to make up a usable army. This was his Napoleonic Spanish collection which I have revisited and based up for Sharpe’s Practice rules. The skirmish nature of the rules meant that these figures were more than enough to be used.

Vale David.

In Sharpe’s Practice leaders can be anything from a Sergeant, with the highest rank possible only a Major.

Infantry are in sizes of 10 for militia, 8 for trained troops and 6 for skirmishers. The collection made up 3 Militia Units, 4 trained units and 5 skirmisher units, although the nature of the basing means that any combination can be made up.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

The cavalry units were more difficult to put together because most were only in 5 to 6 figures, but with some ingenuity here is what I came up with to make the 8 figure units required.

Artillery is rare in Sharpe’s Practice but not in this army!!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

You can add a variety of “Support Units” to your company in Sharpe’s Practice these can include:

I have yet to add a water cart from my collection. This has inspired me to go through the rest of David Gregory’s collection to see what I can make up.

I have had these little guys for at least ten years and they have been waiting in the queue to be painted for the last five months. I have finally finished flocking them today. They are all Eureka Miniatures, and are now waiting for the “Ghost Who walks” and the Jungle Patrol, which was founded in 1664 by the 6th Phantom, to fight alongside them.

I cannot wait to get these guys on the table. Just love the caricature nature of them.

No this is not a tutorial on getting ready for halloween, but rather responding to a request to provide a blog tutorial about how I paint the zombies that have been appearing in recent blogs. Very flattering for what is a pretty quick and nasty job, but here it is.

Remember this is to achieve a quick but effective “tabletop” finish and is not a good way to achieve a “showcase” standard. It is purely designed to get large numbers of figures out and on the table in the quickest amount of time.

This works for me as I generally paint figures to game with and not to look at on the shelf.

Step 1: I undercoat most models with Tamiya TS3 spray paint. Models with lots of armour or chainmail are an exception as I find that undercoating in matt black saves a step in the painting process.

Step 2: Paint the zombie flesh. I use Citadel Rakarth Flesh but Ionrach skin works equally well.

Step 3: Add what I call the primary colour to 75% of the figures alternating between different pieces of clothing. This is not important for zombies but is for miniatures in uniform, where you want to make them look in campaign dress rather than on a parade ground. For example the primary colour for British Napoleonic troops would be the red coat. In this case you would paint 75% of the coats red, leaving 25% to paint in other colours.

You will also note that I have added gravel to the base. It is important to decide early on how you are going to paint your base, because you want to save time by painting it when you are using that colour on the rest of the figures.

This photo shows how I base my “post apocalyptic figures. It is a four step process – supa glue the black gravel (as above), paint base black, dry brush with Citadel Skrag brown, and highlight white. So, for instance, when I am painting black hair I will paint the base black at the same time, and when I am painting hair brown I will use the Skrag brown to paint the base.

The trick here is to not double up on colours. If you are going to use brown on the figure use the same brown you are going to use on the base. This saves heaps of time.

Don’t worry you will get use to the palette you normally use and this becomes automatic over time.

Step 4: Paint your secondary colour on 50% of the models. As indicated above I would not normally do this when painting “irregular” figures like zombies but it helps when painting figures in uniform. Using the example above the secondary colour for a British Napoleonic infantryman would be the grey trousers. You would then paint grey on about 50% of the figures leaving the rest to be painted in different colours.

You will also note that the recent photos do not include the abomination model. This is because as a “special” figure this will be painted individually and will only be part of the batch painting for those steps that are appropriate. As a result the abomination figure will only be painted when I am using a colour that I want to use in its palette. This may mean that you are painting 100 figures or so in the first few steps and less as you go on. Again with zombies you are probably going to paint the same 100 throughout.

The more figures you paint in each step the quicker the overall time will be. When painting large numbers of irregular types forget the primary and secondary colours and paint one figure with a red hat, another with red trousers, another with red jacket and so on. This will add to the irregular look on the table.

Step 5: You will note on these figures I had seven bits of clothing remaining to be painted. I used seven different colours to get that “irregular” look. Remember I am only using four figures for this tutorial and this would be more time efficient the more figures you are painting as you would paint more figures with the same colour. When adding these additional colours make sure that you are mixing them up. In other words don’t put blue on all of the same figures you have painted red, but rather swap them around.

A couple of things to note. The abomination has now reappeared because I wanted to paint his trousers in the same green I was using on one of the others. This is important because if you have two or three different painting projects going at once you save time on them all by painting all three projects when you have that colour out.

These other Zombie projects were painted at the same time, and had reached this stage by the end. So not only had I finished the project I was working on but had part completed others.

You will also note that I have painted the hair on one of the models when I was using the Citadel Zamesi Desert on the trousers of another. This will come up as a straw blonde when finished. Lastly I have deliberately used very bright colours for the tutorial to demonstrate how these will be toned down by the time we get to the end of the process.

At this stage their may be some over painting. Unless it is really bad just leave it. You will not notice it unless the figure is examined really closely. I will touch up the flesh near the end but that is all. Generally when mass painting I do not paint trouser belts. I just leave them the colour of the trousers. Eyes, teeth eye brows etc are also not painted. No one notices because they are so “into” the game so what’s the point. Remember this is a minimalist approach to painting and not one for the purists.

Step 6: Two pairs of shoes and one lot of hair have been painted Citadel mournfang brown and one lot of hair, the other two pair of shoes and the bases black. The other lot of hair will be painted in the next stage.

Step 7: The base is dry brushed with Skrag brown as is the last lot of hair.

Step 8: Over paint on the skin and the red collar on one model are touched up.

Step 9: Would normally be the “fiddly bits” like weapons etc., but as there are none, the figures have been liberally painted with Citadel Agrax Earthshade Wash. Don’t worry if this washes over the base as this will add to the basing effect.

Step 10: When the wash has thoroughly dried I now “Zombie them” up a bit by dabbing the flesh with splotches of Waywatcher Green Glaze (any green wash will do) and some of my very old Citadel Red Wash to represent the rotting and bloody flesh.

Step 11: These models have large fangs so I painted them with Citadel Ushanti Bone and then dry brushed the base and figure with Montmarte Titanium White Satin tube paint. The models, complete with basing are now finished. The longest parts of this process are waiting for the black on the base and the two lots of washes to dry.

Step 12. Lastly spray with Tamiya TS-80 clear Matt Varnish

There you have it, four weight challenged (fatties) Berserker zombies completely finished in a quarter of the time it has taken to write this blog.

Their lady friends were painted at the same time.

It also helps when painting if you have become afflicted with the disease yourself as I did at Easter!!!!

As you can see another alternative is to paint your zombies with chocolate sauce – the grandkids loved crazy grandpa! Maybe it was just the Easter eggs.

ENJOY

I mentioned in some previous blogs putting together some figures for my Ancient and Pulp Fiction skirmish games.

Here is the next scenario for when we can finally get together for a game.

Being chased all the way to the river bank by the “Black God” both Count Manfred Mettlewane and Lord Archibald Thurston the Third arrived back in the bustling village of Nokandoo. The “Jewels of Denial” being lost in their hasty retreat.

The Town of Nokandoo

See previous blogs “Denial on the Nile” and “In the jungle, the mighty jungle” for previous adventures.

Count Manfred Mettlewane’s briefing:

Background:

You are pleased to find that supplies and reinforcements have arrived including two brand new Ornithopters. Thwarted by Thurston and the “Black God” in your plans to become rich by finding the Jewels of Denial” you plan to explore the tombs on the outskirts of Nokandoo to retrieve your fortune. Your spies tell you that Lord Thurston is also trying to pay for his expedition by some foul means and shipping the ill-gotten gain back to “Blighty”. This is likely to interfere with your plans and must be stopped.

Be wary as the local constabulary and inhabitants are disdainful of foreigners who loot their national treasures and will attempt to prevent this from happening.

The Police Station

Mission:

Your mission is to spend two turns exploring the major pyramid on the outskirts of Nokandoo and return your ill-gotten gain back to your ship at the docks (10VP’s). You need to prevent Lord Thurston from achieving his objective (5VP’s). You will achieve 2VP for each of Thurston’s expedition that are out of action and lose 1VP for each of your own out of action.

Ornithopters move at normal, double or triple normal infantry speed but are subject to mechanical failure. They are not true flyers but rather “hoppers” that begin and end their turn on the ground. They can fly over all terrain, but must begin and end their turn in open ground. Ornithopter pilots can shoot at any time during their move. Prior to moving the ornithopter, a “jam” die is rolled. You can make the number of normal moves indicated on the die. On the roll of a “jam” the Ornithopter cannot move or shoot that turn. If engaged in combat during the turn of a “jam” roll the pilot fights as having one suppression. Ornithopter pilots are veterans that have three suppression points.

You start your mission in the disused mosque.

Lord Archibald Thurston the Third’s briefing:

Background:

You are pleased to find that supplies and reinforcements have arrived including two suits of Kelly Armour and a Johnson Mark 2 Industrial Walker. Your sister Kate has arrived with her Valkyrie (see below).

Thwarted by Mettlewane and the “Black God” in your plans to restore your family fortune and retain your ancestral home by finding the “Jewels of Denial” you plan to explore the cemetery on the outskirts of NoKandoo to obtain enough mummia to recover the cost of your expedition. Your spies tell you that the Count is also trying to pay for his expedition by some foul means and shipping the ill-gotten gain back to the “motherland”. This is likely to interfere with your plans and must be stopped.

Be wary as the local constabulary and inhabitants are disdainful of foreigners who loot their national treasures and will attempt to prevent this from happening.

Mission:

Your mission is to spend two turns gathering mummia from the cemetery on the outskirts of NoKandoo and return your ill-gotten gain back to your ship at the docks (10VP’s). You need to prevent Count Mettlewane from achieving his objective (5VP’s). You will achieve 2VP for each of Mettlewane’s expedition that are out of action and lose 1VP for each of your own out of action.

Kate’s Valkyrie moves at normal, double or triple normal infantry speed but is subject to mechanical failure. Valkyries are not true flyers but rather “hoppers” that begin and end their turn on the ground. They can fly over all terrain, but must begin and end their turn in open ground. Valkyrie pilots can shoot at any time during their move. Prior to moving the Valkyrie, a “jam” die is rolled. You can make the number of normal moves indicated on the die. On the roll of a “jam” the Ornithopter cannot move or shoot that turn. If engaged in combat during the turn of a “jam” roll the pilot fights as having one suppression. Kate is an extremely experienced Valkyrie pilot and can take 5 suppression points.

A mechanical walker can shoot whilst stationary with 3FP and moves at normal infantry speed. Walker drivers have to be slightly crazy and so have a 5+ save and take 3 suppression points. They count as 5 men in combat and cancel all normal saves.

You start your mission in the run down Temple of Hathor (the cow god).

The inhabitants of Nokandoo.

Police

The NPF (Nokandoo Police Force) will spring into action if gunfire is heard and will move to the sound of the most recent gunfire. Any figure supressed by the police are captured and will be escorted back to the police station for interrogation and detention. Members of the NPF are dangerous thugs that are classed as veteran troops.

Cultists

The fourth death Cult Of Nokandoo (DeathCon4 for short) will try to defend the tombs of Nokandoo once the tombs are looted. They will appear from a random table edge and will run towards the looters and try to engage them in close combat. They are classed as green fanatics.

The Tomb Guards of Nokandoo

The tomb guards are a group of mysterious ancestor worshippers whose exact nature is unclear. No reliable sightings exist. All that is known is that they leave behind the mutilated corpses of those who disturb the cemetery of Nokandoo.

General population

Nokandoo residents are belligerent and all males and some females are armed with antiquated fire arms. Any civilians in the line of fire from any group (including the NPF) will engage immediately in a fire fight.

 

I am really looking forward to seeing this played out on the table top.

“Remember, your treasure hunting is just considered Schadenfreude by the treasure owner” – Old Nokandoo proverb.

For those of you who think I have a fixation on all things undead I have outlined the steps taken to paint the above canoes. Remember I am not an expert painter and others may well have superior methods, but these suit my skill level and fading eyesight!

1. Glue canoe to 80mm X 60mm mdf base with PVA glue leaving a little excess around the edges of the canoe to assist with creating the water ripples later on.

2. When PVA has dried undercoat the canoes with Tamiya TS3 spray paint.

3. Do the same for the canoe loads.

4. paint the canoes liberally with Citadel layer Ushanti Bone

5. Roughly drybrush with Citadel Base Averland Sunset

6. Shade the canoes with Citadel Agrax Earthshade

7. Paint and super glue the cargo in the canoes

8. Dry brush with a Monte Marte Satin titanium white tube of acrylic paint

9. Add a few scenic items such as reeds and rocks to the canoe base. Only do this on about a third to a half of bases and left the rest just clear.

10. Using Selleys Rapid Spakfilla create the waves caused by the moving canoe. Be sure to create the “splashes against the side of the rocks that would be hit by the river current.

11. Paint the base with Citadel Sybarite Green Layer

12. Whilst the Sybarite Green Layer is still wet dab on Citadel Guilliman Blue Glaze and Citadel Aethermatic Blue Contrast. allow them to “run”

13. When dry, coat liberally with Citadel Agrax Earthshade Shade

14. Dry brush the tops of the waves with a Monte Marte Satin titanium white tube of acrylic paint

15. Paint the crew and glue (I use Super Glue from a $2.00 shop) them inside the canoe

16. when glue has dried coat crew liberally with Citadel Agrax Earthshade Shade

17. Dry brush the crew with a Monte Marte Satin titanium white tube of acrylic paint

18.Spray the entire model with Tamiya TS-80 Flat Clear Varnish. Note it is important during winter that the spray is at room temperature or it may dry gloss.

19. Paint the water, around the rock and on the side of the canoe and paddles with PVA glue. This MUST be done AFTER the varnish or the varnish will leave a blotchy effect on the PVA glue.

20. With the PVA dry you have cheap and reasonably effective water finish.

I now only have another 14 crew sets to go. Have great rest of your weekend.

Now I am not normally a zombie movie buff, with the closest I come to being the Woody Harrelson’s “Zombieland”, but I found a couple of spoofs on Stan that kept me in stitches of laughter. Hopefully I was just humoured because of the Covid-19 lock down but “the leader of the opposition” thinks senility has come early!!

Cockneys versus Zombies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3slZTm3Uf3k

Whodah thought zombies in the East end?

A tautology?

Anyway the Bow Bells Care Home is under threat from developers and the Mcguires, Andy, Terry and Katy, need to find someway to keep their grandfather and his friends in their East End nursing home. But when you are robbing a bank, a zombie invasion from a crypt dating back to King Charles the Second, makes things a lot harder. Needless to say the zombies are no match for the gun toting geriatrics with their walking frame mounted oozies (I kid you not). Hardly Oscar material, but it had me in stitches of laughter especially when a zombie tries to bite off a prosthetic leg and is promptly beaten to death with it. Another hilarious moment involves two groups of West Ham United and Millwall hooligan soccer fans, who still continue their rivalry even in their undead state.

Zomboat

Stan also have another genre spoof “Zomboat”, which sounds a bit like a WW2 German U-Boat crewed by the undead, but nuh.

A group of survivors led by two sisters are trying to escape the zombie hoard in a British canal boat that is barely able to outrun the shuffling undead. And all is not as it seems when they finally reach safety.

Both make excellent “primary source” material for new scenarios to use these additions in:

These are eighteen standard “walker zombies” from the Zombicide box sets.

30 more “runner zombies” from the Zombicide box sets. Runners have 2 actions per turn instead of only the one for walkers.

These 12 Berserker Runner Zombies are immune to non “area” ranged weapons and have two actions like normal runner zombies. Again from Zombicide.

Zombicide Walker berserker zombies (22) which like their runner counterparts are immune to ranged attacks. Note the “musical” school bus with flashing lights in the background.

Just to show that I am not stuck in a zombie rut:

This is a Nighthaunt Chainrasp from the Mortal Realms magazine for sale in newsagents. I wanted some ghosts for my Ancient Egyptian fantasy skirmish game and at $5.95 for the first magazine are a steal. I will buy the second magazine for the Barrow Wights and then give it a miss. This one is painted in dirty ancient linen rags rather the blues of the Mortal Realms version.

Again just for variety these Ral Partha Egyptian archers and spearmen have arrived from our good mate Brian Hall http://www.hallofancientwarriors.com/

well undead ones anyway!!!!!

On a far more serious note (yeah right!!) I should have heaps finished by the end of the month. These include the Batman Arkham Knight models of Batman and Robin, and also from Knight models Two face and his Gang, the Falcone Crime Family, and Arkham Asylum models. From Eureka miniatures the Pygmies are almost finished, as are the Ninjas for Test of Honour. I am just waiting on some round bases to also finish my Napoleonic 28mm Spanish Guerilla contingent for the Too fat Lardies game “Sharpes Practice”.

I know a number of you may think the choices a bit crazy but Covid has allowed me to get a lot of these easy to paint projects that would never have been started actually finished. A large number will probably end being for sale.

Happy mask wearing – it give me the “ships” to see people down the street in non surgical masks wearing them with their nose exposed so:

No apologies for being a bit preachy on this. Phew a big far ranging rant today. See ya!

Hi everyone this post was sent in by a lifelong gaming friend John G – enjoy.

The Tower of Orthanc

After the destruction of Númenor in the year 3319 of the Second Age of the Sunthe, the  only Númenóreans to escape were the forewarned Elendiland and his sons, Isildur and Anarion,who led nine ships of the faithful Elendili to safety in Middle-earth. They took their ships up the Anduin River, where many of their people already lived, and founded Arnor and Gondor.

In time Gondor’s five principal cities became Minas Anor; Minas Ithil; Osgiliath; the riverine port of Pelargir; and the coastal city fortress of Dol Amroth. Among other works, during this busy century they would also have built the Tower of Orthanc inside the Ring of Isengard which guarded the Fords of Isen and Gondor’s northwestern border at the southern end of the Misty Mountains.

Things were relatively quiet there for many centuries into the Third Age until Gondor’s waning strength led after the Battle of the Field of Celebrant to the ceding to the Eotheod of the largely uninhabited province of Calenardhon, creating the Kingdom of Rohan in the year 2510. In establishing their kingdom, the Rohirrim dispossessed the Dunlendings, driving them into the western foothills of the Misty Mountains. Gondor made no objection, as to them the troublesome Dunlendings were anathema through being akin to the Dead Men of Dunharrow, cursed long before by Isildur.

Gondor however retained a small garrison in Isengard. Over time the Dunlendings had begun to filter into northern Westfold again, making settlements in the mountain glens east and west of Isengard and mixing with the much diminished remnant of Gondor’s garrison there. The Dunlendings finally grew bold enough to raid the Rohirrim in Westfold and had also infiltrated and seized Isengard by 2720.

In 2758 the Dunlendings, supported by a fleet of the Corsairs of Umbar who raided upriver in force,surprised and defeated the Rohirrim who retreated into and were besieged in the fortress of Helm’s Deep. Gondor sent aid which drove off the Dunlendings in 2759 then assisted Rohan’s new King Fréaláf to besiege Isengard, which only fell when the Dunlendings were starved out late in the year.

Saruman the Wizard, then still of good faith, helpfully offered to settle in Isengard to defend it. As the fortress was still Gondor’s the offer was accepted by Beren, Steward of Gondor. Fréaláf acquiesced as this freed the Rohirrim to return to guarding the Fords of Isen from incursions from the west or upriver.

Things went quiet again until Saruman’s corruption and betrayal led to his assault on Rohan in 3019 during the great War of the Ring. To Saruman’s dismay, after his army had marched away Isengard rapidly fell to an utterly unexpected assault by the Ents of Fangorn Forest, leaving him only the impregnable Tower of Orthanc.

So that’s what I’ve scratch built out of scraps over the past fortnight for my 15mm Army of Isengard.

Tower of Orthanc – Early Days

Orthanc was described as four mighty pillars of gleaming black, incredibly hard stone, welded into one. Mine is of foam core pieces glued to a cut down cardboard tube. Tolkien said it was 500 feet high. In 15mm this equates to 150cm so for practicality I’ve made it about a quarter of that height.

Editors note: I think we have an old bottle of spicy tomato source in the cupboard that would make excellent glue as well.

Tower of Orthanc – Basic Four pillar Structure

At the summit the pillars opened into four gaping horns with sharp points. These are also of foam core. I’ve given the roof a parapet as it was originally used for astronomical observations so a windbreak would have been needed. Orthanc had only one door accessible to the ground by a long stair, with a balcony above it.

Orthanc had many windows, mine has spare dice trays.

Tower of Orthanc – detailing added

Tower of Orthanc – Ready to Roar

So there you have it, the jewel of Saruman’s domain, just waiting for those nasty Ents to turn up and spoil the party! (A really great action pic – editor)

John G. August 2020

Works by J.R.R. Tolkien –

The Lord of the Rings – The Two Towers George Allen & Unwin, London 1954

The Lord of the Rings – The Return of the King George Allen & Unwin, London 1955

and J.R.R. Tolkien works edited by Christopher R. Tolkien –

The Silmarillion George Allen & Unwin, London 1977

Unfinished Tales of Númenor and Middle-earth Allen & Unwin, London 1990

Editors Note: Thanks John for the article, orcs add variety to the posts on Zombies, but I am not sure by how much!!! Love the tower. Don’t you love it when another project bites the dust.

Have a great weekend guys, and I hope to see your latest painting and modelling projects soon.

The final pile of zombies that were almost finished have now been completed, with still a few more Zombicide expansion box sets not even undercoated. Again just a wash, dry brush highlight, and basing was all that was required.

The army Plague Mutants will support the Third Generation Plague Mutants shown in the previous blog.

I am looking forward to a last stand scenario in my Gotham City terrain – “The last stand at Alley Moe”.

Front view of the Zombicide A-Bomb Abomination (can only be hurt by “fire”)

Rear view of the Zombicide A-Bomb Abomination

The A-Bomb with his followers showing height comparison

Warpath Plague Mutant Army Zombies (1)

Warpath Plague Mutant Army Zombies (2)

“Brains gotta eat more brains”

30 More Zombicide Miniatures

Sunrise before the Apocalypse in beautiful downtown Cowes

Even though you might think I don’t have a life (which I cannot confirm or deny on the grounds that I might incriminate myself) the figures in this blog have been around for a long time. This weekend just required a final wash, dry brush and basing to finish them off.

The mutants are all Mantic Games miniatures for their Warpath  game and the zombies are all from various Zombicide box sets.

Third Generation Mutant Army Leader

Third Generation Mutant Army Heavy Machine Gunner

Third Generation Mutant Army Heavy Flamer

Third Generation Mutant Army Grenade Launcher

Third Generation Mutant Army Mortar Section

Third Generation Mutant Army Warhounds

12 Third Generation Mutant Army Troopers pic 1

12 Third Generation Mutant Army Troopers pic 2

3 Zombicide Lumberjack Fatties (bigger zombies)

3 Zombicide Tradie Fatties (bigger zombies)

Zombicide Abomination (even bigger and meaner zombie)

3 pics of 30 more Zombicide Zombies

Hi All,

French Indian War rafts finished (Didn’t you know they carried fuel drums!!!). Historical appropriate cargo to follow.

The dice reflect crew casualties (red) and raft damage (blue).

Canoe with crews still being painted.

Also on the table hopefully for completion this month are Warpath 2nd Generation mutant soldiers, more zombies, Eureka pygmies and fantasy mice.