Cthulu Death May Die - Hastur joins the party

The King in Yellow

I posted some WIP of the Cthulu Death May Die base set models in a previous post. 

What you won't see in that post is 'Hastur', one of the two Elder Gods that comes in the base set. The photos you can see there (and below) of the Disciples of Hastur also actually don't show that those are the second attempt on those models, as I really hadn't liked my first attempt!

The problem? 

I'd tried Citadel contrast paint 'Iyanden Yellow' over my first 'slapchop' undercoat and grey/white drybrush. To my eyes it hadn't worked at all! Yellow is notoriously difficult to work with, and the contrast yellow looked washed-out, dull, and chalky, especially over the smooth robes. If I added more it looked very orange. 

I wanted a more vibrant effect, so I went back to a normal yellow - Flash Gitz Yellow and Iyanden Sunset, along with a Gryphonne Sepia wash. That process took multiple thin coats and a frustratingly long time, but I ended up with a result I much preferred.

And Hastur? 

Having learned from my failure with the Disciples and trying a contrast paint yellow, I now knew that for part of the Hastur model (yellow robes) I'd stick with normal paints and layers. For the tentacles and other parts I would stay with Contrast paints to save time. Here it is!

Hastur & Disciples (front)

Hastur and Disciples (side)

I kept thing pretty simple, and just stayed with a contrast paint Ork Flesh green. I used a Wraithbone white for the teeth, followed by a wash and then highlights. To add some interest, I then added an 'Ardcoat gloss varnish on the mouthparts and Hastur's red fleshy 'bits'.

Good enough for the board game table I reckon!

Cheers.

Mansions of Madness 2e - The Monsters

 'You can evade, but you can't hide!'

You get 28 monster models in Fantasy Flight's Mansions of Madness 2e. This doesn't include the eight different investigators that come in the box. I'm happy to say that the enemy types are varied and come in a range of sizes. The sculpts aren't up to the highest standards of more recent games, but they are fairly detailed, easy to paint, and get the job done.

In this post you'll find photos of each monster type, followed by brief notes of how they were painted. This isn't an exhaustive painting guide, so it doesn't include detailed recipes. However I've listed the colours I remember using, and that will give you a starting point for using or mixing.

Before scrolling down, please note:

1. I've put them on the bases that come with the game for now (not glued), but in the future I'm likely to use clear acrylic bases instead. Purpose-made sets of these can be found on Etsy (with holes for the feet pre-drilled) or you can buy some from Amazon.
2. All of these models were varnished for durability with at least two coats. Usually this will start with a gloss varnish (Citadel 'ardcoat) and then a matt varnish to dull down the shine and provide extra protection (Citadel Stormshield). This leave a satin finish. I don't mind that as a trade-off for the durability. As you'll see below some areas use varnish for effect too.
3. In the text I've picked out paints used in bold for your convenience. I use citadel as I already have these and they are easy to get. I use a lot of Contrast paints, but the new Army Painter speed paints would work just as well I'm sure.
4. The backgrounds in the images are shared by other bloggers. Visit the end of this post for the links. 

Child of Dagon

This chap looks to have risen from a watery grave (or a grave of some kind...) I went with a dark grey at first, but then needed to drybrush some lighter gray to bring out the detail. The boils used a Citadel Averland Sunset, and I'll add some spot touches of Technical 'ardcoat later to give them an unpleasant shine. 

His tool of the trade looks to be a mattock. The base colours here were Leadbelcher for the metal, and Mournfang Brown for the wood. To rust up the head I used a very watered-down Vermin Brown wash (quickly dabbed off so it looks irregular) and then dry-brushing/ dabbing on technical Ryza Rust for that bright orange look. 

Also, any self-respecting shambling monster wouldn't be seen dead without a faded demin sleeveless jacket, right?

Riot

Six rioters here, so they just need a bit of variation. As these are monopose models you'll want to differentiate these using colour/ fashion choices. These guys (they are all guys) look like the hard-working men of Arkham, so I went with down-to-earth colours and blue denim. 

The darker denim recipe is Citadel Contrast Talassar Blue, mixed with a small amount of Contrast Black Templar. Lighter denim is done using Aethermatic blue or just Talassar Blue. For the brown trousers I started by using a Contrast Snakebite Leather but it looked terrible, so recovered with a Wraithbone and did a more traditional Mournfang Brown with Agrax Earshade wash and Vermin Brown drybrush. (Contrast Snakebite Leather is one of the best contrast paints IMHO, but it works best on small, highly detailed parts of a model.)

For the trousers and shirts, a quick drybrush using a lighter shade works wonders at bringing out the detail. Highly recommended if you have time. Contrast Apothecary White is great for white shirts and other textured surfaces. It automatically creates blue/ grey depth or shadows. Sometimes that can be overwhelming, so a Corax White drybrush on the raised areas of the shirts will reduce that effect.

Although it adds a bit of time, I think it is worth doing a couple of the small details like belt buckles and belts. A bright steel colour like Citadel Runefang Steel makes the buckle stand out and adds a nice visual detail.

For metal tools I start with a leadbelcher, then a Nuln Oil wash, and finally Runefang steel highlights. For wood handles I use Mournfang Brown, then a Vermin brown drybrush.

Deep One Hybrid

The great things about these models is they have a LOT of texture (chunky jumpers and heavily creased trousers), which makes them perfect for Contrast paints and getting them done quickly. A single coat of Contrast paint gives you good coverage and contrast, but a drybrush will add nice highlights. I used both here. 

• Light blue jumper: Contrast Talassar Blue with Lothern Blue drybrush.
• Denim trousers/ dark blue jumper: Talassar Blue mixed with a small amount of contrast Black Templar.
  
• Grey trousers: Contrast Space Wolves Grey.
• Brown trousers: Contrast Gore grunta fur or Cygor Brown.

If you want to do details, the worms/ tentacles pushing through their clothes are a good chance for this (Moot Green), and the nails sticking out of their clubs. (You could also rust those nails up with a nice bright rust effect for more interest.)

Ghosts

I only had Ork Flesh and Moot green in my paint tray for these ghosts, so used light green (Moot Green) with progressively lighter highlights drybrushed on to bring out some detail. Chains were Citadel Leadbelcher with a home-made rust wash (heavily watered-down Vermin Brown.) I think I used a tiny bit of Ryza Rust too.

If you don't have greens, search around and you'll find fantastic looking models done with blues and whites.

Deep Ones

These denizens of the deep were a good opportunity to use a technique I've used before, where the underside of a water creature is a lighter colour than the back/ top. I think of this as a form of camouflage. Although these are quite bright due to the Contrast Aethermatic Blue, the belly is made lighter to add a bit of visual interest. Nails I left black to make a change. Their teeth stand out nicely if you drybrush any kind of white (Wraithbone, Corax White etc.)

You can see that I've only used a gloss varnish so they are shiny. This is deliberate so that they look 'wet'. Perhaps they have just left the ocean deep and crawled ashore, commanded by some unseen master or mistress?

Priest of Dagon

Along with the cultists (below) I tied together these models with variations of the same scheme: Green using Ork Flesh contrast paint. Purple trim done using Naggaroth Night. Reds were Khorne Red base with Mephiston Red highlights. The Ork Flesh didn't work out well because the robes are a flat surface - Contrast paints can pool if you aren't careful.

Highlights on the priest were painted on using Mephiston Red. To make lighter shades of red I added a Wild Rider red to lighten the Mephiston. (Using white makes the highlight too pink if you aren't careful.) 

While the priest (and cultists below) suffer from 'bendy staff' syndrome, these do offer a chance to add a nice visual highlight. Each cultist staff has an 'evil eye' motif, and the priest has a staff topped with a gem or orb set in a metal grip. When I have time I'll spot varnish the gems/ eyes.

Cultists

I've covered the paints in my notes on the Priest above, so we'll leave these guys alone. (Also, for some reason I found their faces and eyes a nightmare to paint - so much so that I suffer -1 horror just thinking about it.)

Hunting Horrors

Another model that comes up really well by just combining a coat of contrast paint with drybrushing, Hunting Horrors are a joy to paint! All those spiny ridges and torn membranes on the wings look great with contrast paints.

The wings were Ork flesh. They actually came out lighter than the images how and pop really nicely (see the Star Spawn below for a better idea of the true colour.). I gave a guick drybrush of Moot green to lighten up the raised areas, but it wouldn't be necessary if you are in a hurry. 

The skin was Contrast Space Wolves Grey, with a drybrushed highlight of Corax White with Adeptus Mechanicus Grey. I left the eyes Khorne Red, and spot of 'ardcoat varnish will make these stand out nicely. The talons were a Wraithbone with an Agrax Earthshade wash.

Star Spawn

The Star Spawn are absolutely my favourite models in the base box (I've heard that these are a later sculpt?). Although the moulds can be weird and warped (the wings don't look great) the texture in the model make these dead easy to paint (if time consuming because they are large!)

Colours here were:

• Skin: Contrast Ork Flesh (a LOT of Ork Flesh) with Caliban Green/ Moot Green drybrush highligh.
• Tentacles, bone spurs and nails: Nagarroth Night (purple) with a Corax White/ Nagarroth Night drybrush.
• Eyes: Averland Sunset with a FlashGitz yellow highlight. Pupil = Abaddon Black.

After a coat of 'ardcoat gloss varnish, I did a second coat of Stormshield to dull it down (except the tentacles, where I thought they would look nastier if wet!). However, knowing that these models would see heavy use and be picked up by the wing edges, I then did a second coat of 'ardcoat on the wing edges (only) and then a second coat of Stormshield over that same area. That should make the most-touched areas nice and durable.

I was really happy with how these came out. The three main colours work together well on a colour wheel and they look good here. The eyes really stand out! If you wanted to spend a lot more time you could do more highlights on the veins, but...there are a lot of them.

Painting notes and photo backgrouns

I've recently settled on using a combination of Contrast paints for speedy initial coverage. I then supplement this with drybrushing or highlights using regular paints if I have time. This works well if you are in a hurry or don't have the patience to spend a lot of time of multiple copies of the same mould (like cultists.) For many of these models just a single coat of Contrast paints brings them to tabletop quality.

I can't overstate the value of varnishing these models. Although I don't do this for my Warhammer armies, I do this for these smaller tabletop games for a few reasons:

1. All my warhammer armies have dedicated storage solutions that use foam to protect each model. For MoM (and Descent) I use a home-made box organiser solution that doesn't offer the same level of protection.
2. A Warhammer game might have tens of models per player, so individual models aren't going to be manhandled too often. I feel that in a game like this the models will see a lot more manhandling
3. Varnishing saves time later. You are less likely to have to do touch ups and repairs.
4. Varnishing is a painting technique. Using a 'spot varnish' on specific areas to add shine is a very simple but effective technique. Gems, polished shoes, eyes, and even bald heads (!) benefit in my opinion

You can download the photo backdrops used by visiting the following excellent blogs:

1. Blackdog Painting Studio (I think these are the ones I use!)
2. Massive Voodoo
3. Tangible Day article on taking photos of minis (see below the post to download at no cost, but must complete the checkout process.)

Final thoughts

Now that these are done I'm excited to play my next game of Mansions of Madness 2e. I hope you like them!

Cheers,

The Heroes of Descent 2e Journeys in the Dark - Painted miniatures

 Heroes of Terrinoth...Let the adventure begin

After finishing my 9 dollar Descent 2e box organizer I decided it was time to get to painting the heroes and the monsters themselves. I actually started with the monsters, but today I'll share the heroes. (I'm hoping to reveal the minions of the Overlord the first time we play in our gaming group, so I'll throw those up on the blog at a later date.)

So here they are! There are 8 in the box, covering pretty much all the standard fantasy hero tropes (which is not a bad thing in this kind of game.). I've put them in alphabetic order below, and added their character information from the excellent Descent 2e Fandom wiki. You can find all the heroes in the game listed there. After the photos I've added some notes about painting and the resin bases.

Ashrian 

'I no more understand why I can hear the spirits speak than I understand why you cannot.'

''One day just over a year ago, Ashrian walked out of the Whispering Forest knowing not a word of either the Common Speech or the Latari tongue. She did, however, know the uses of every herb that grows in Terrinoth, the secret ways of traveling unseen through the forest, and the language of the spirits, which can speak directly to a person's mind if they are willing to hear. Never staying in one place for more than a few days, Ashrian has traveled the length and breadth of Terrinoth, and her command of the Common Speech, Latari, and a dozen other tongues besides is now quite strong. Ashrian refuses to speak of her home, her people, or her past, declaring that instead she wishes to think of the future, and how to make it better.'

Avric Albright 

'I pledge myself to those in need. I will be their shield, their light in the darkness.'

'Avric Albright spent 3 years as a soldier assigned to the Citadel of Archaut before hearing his calling. He traveled to Vynelvale to join the priesthood, but never arrived. He is a war hardened soldier whose sole motive and purpose is to push back the ever powerful threat of the overlord and his minions. After seeing the devastation caused by these, he will go to any length to fulfill his purpose.'

Grisban the Thirsty

'All this killing is thirsty work. Drink with me!'

'At first glance, Grisban's story is an old and familiar one. A dwarf from Dunwarr, Grisban has left the mountains to travel through Terrinoth, making his way as a mercenary. His skill with an axe is undeniable and his love of good, strong beer memorable. An oft-repeated joke (oft-repeated by Grisban, at least), is that no one is certain if his name should be “Grisban the Bloodthirsty” or “Grisban the Beer-thirsty.” Consensus seems to have settled on simply “the Thirsty.” Grisban drinks with a will and fights with a terrible rage, both seeming to hint at a darker reason for leaving his home than he has yet been willing to share.'

 

Jain Fairwood  

'Out here in the wilds, I protect those who have misjudged me.'

'Although Terrinoth has enjoyed comparative peace and prosperity since the Dragon Wars, there are still a dozen small conflicts or wars every year against foes both within and without her borders. Jain Fairwood was a soldier serving under Sir Garrick Whitmore when one of those small wars claimed the lives of Sir Garrick and every man under his command... except Jain. Trapped deep within the Crimson Forest and hunted by the Uthuk, it took Jain nearly six months to escape and return to civilization. Upon her return Jain was branded a deserter, and so she turned about and vanished into the forest again. She dwells there still, emerging from the wild lands only to discharge the duty she still feels to the common folk of Terrinoth.'

 

Leoric of the Book

'If my years of study have taught me anything, it is that I am worthy of the knowledge I possess.'

After one too many heated arguments with the Provost, Professor Leoric of the University of Greyhaven was invited to go on an “extended sabbatical.” As an adventurer, Leoric's constant references to his scholarly texts quickly earned him the sobriquet “of the Book.” Leoric's sabbatical continues as the former professor applies his magical knowledge in the field and seeks out long-forgotten knowledge and wisdom.'

Syndrael 

'You swear undying loyalty, yet you are mortal. What can you know of commitment?'

'Having sworn her blade to the service of Lady Tyviel, Syndrael found herself a scant century later in the awkward position of having her patron named and exiled as a traitor to the Latari elves. Lady Tyviel had the decency to formally release her subjects from their oaths, but Syndrael still found herself with no welcome throughout the Aymhelin. Having concluded that her lady could not be a traitor, Syndrael has followed her into exile. She now travels throughout Terrinoth, upholding the ideals of the Latari as she seeks her lady and an explanation for her fate.'

Tomble Burrowell 

'Don't think of this as you being robbed. Instead, think of it as you donating to a worthy cause.'

'A tinker, a tailor, a minstrel, a thief, Tomble Burrowell has wandered the roads and valleys and forests of Terrinoth for more years than most would guess, gnomes being a deceptively long-lived people. Recently, the death of his clan at the hands (or, more accurately, the talons) of a beastman war party has hardened Tomble, and beneath the quick wit and easy jokes now lies a bitter resentment and anger that pushes him to take bigger and bigger risks.'

Tomble - smiling murder clown/ rogue?

Widow Tarha

'I have nothing left to lose. Yet, there is so much more power for me to gain.'

'Young, beautiful, and full of joy, Tarha once seemed destined for a long, happy life in the traditional vein: a strong husband, many strong children, and a respected place in her tribe. What more could an orc maiden wish for? But after her husband was murdered by soldiers who couldn't be bothered to distinguish a law-abiding orc from a savage invader, Tarha's life turned sour. Her earlier studies in the mystic arts turned toward darkness and forbidden lores, until she might have strength enough to protect not just the orcs, but all downtrodden and oppressed peoples everywhere. Ultimately, Tarha was exiled by her tribe for her obsession, but she is now past caring. Sometimes called Tarha the Twice-Widowed, she will do anything and pay any price to achieve her goals.'

Painting and basing

With the monsters (blog entry to come) I wanted to get going as quickly as possible, so I decided to go with Citadel Contrast paints to get them to the table as quickly as possible. 

With the heroes I used my standard approach to centerpiece models by combining both regular and contrast paints. In my experience this provides a good balance of convenience, speed and effect. Contrast works well on models that feature organic materials or areas with a lot of depth. By that, I mean areas of cloth, hair, fur, chainmail, bone, leather bags etc. These models have plenty of all those things!  Add contrast to a more traditional approach to doing large smooth areas like cloaks, and this mix of techniques provides a good end effect for models that will mainly be viewed from a couple of feet away (and feels a little faster.)

I did decide to swap all the bases. 

Descent models all come molded onto 20mm flat plastic plain bases. I thought that the heroes should be on something a little bit special, so looked into 20mm 'Dungeon' round resin bases. It was almost IMPOSSIBLE to find them in Japan, or to get them sent over from other places due to the shipping costs. Finally I searched for resin model companies in Japan. I was delighted to find Savage Land minis had the kind of bases I wanted, but argh, in the wrong size!

However they agreed to 3d print a custom set to my size, so a few days later I had my first 3d printed bases in the mail. Definitely pay their website a visit if you are based in Japan and looking for high quality 3d printed miniatures, bases and scenery.

Hope you like them!

*Squeek*