Author: Topher

I've always enjoyed writing. I see this as an opportunity to share my love of movies, action figures, comics, music, and just about anything else. As much as I enjoy writing, I also enjoy interacting with other folks online. If any of my stories or articles spark an idea for discussion, let me know. I read every email and comment I get! So look around, make yourself at home, and above all, enjoy your visit to my virtual discussion page!

World War Weird

One of my biggest sources for hobby ideas is YouTube. I find SO much inspiration from the plethora of content creators there. It’s like a free subscription to hundreds of hobby magazines. Every day, new issues come out, and each puts its own spin on whatever subject that could strike my fancy.

Over the last several months, a new game has been making waves in the miniature and gaming community (and as a result, it’s been HUGE on YouTube.) There was a Kickstarter campaign that has generated close to $3.5 million for this project. I am admittedly ignorant as to the workings of crowdfunding (and, thus, have never been involved in one.) I am usually one of the LAST to know about the latest, biggest thing. That’s OK, though. Most of my interests gravitate toward the vintage and retro, so NEW isn’t usually even a consideration.

That notwithstanding, this game looks awesome. Trench Crusade (by Factory Fortress) is a skirmish tabletop wargame that combines an alternate history set in World War 1 with Gothic horror. In a nutshell, the Crusades of the Middle Ages went WAY worse in this fictional setting, and Hell was given the opportunity to join in the battles. Unlike its usual wartime participation – by proxy – in Trench Crusade, Hell shows up in person. The game sets humanity against the supernatural, and after 800 years, the conflict continues. It feels kind of like if H.P Lovecraft had taken LSD, and then fought in the first world war.

Some of the imagery from the Diablo IV video game
Cover artwork from Games Workshop’s 1999 skirmish game (now out of print.)

The project is a gaming version of a rock super-group. It was started by 3 creative forces; artist Mike Franchina (of Diablo IV fame,) Tuomas Pirinen (formerly of Games Workshop’s Mordheim creative team,) and James Sheriff (freelance sci-fi and fantasy miniature sculptor,) brought this abomination to life. The aesthetic is incredible, and I’m sure that is the major draw. It is grim and dark, but without the ornate pageantry of the “forty-first millennium.”

There are two aspects of this game that make it especially appealing to me. Although the hardback books and supplements are available for purchase, the core rules are available online for free, and the game is “miniature agnostic” – meaning, you are welcome to use whatever gaming miniatures you like. They offer “official” ones, but unlike the long-established king of tabletop wargames, they welcome variety, and don’t discriminate against kitbashers and 3rd party figures. This is a 3d printer’s dream!

 

As I’ve mentioned in other articles, I haven’t been much of a “gamer.” I paint miniatures. This new player is very tempting, though. I’m feeling a draw toward the terrain building and dice rolling. Maybe this could be a tipping point into a new(ish) aspect of my hobby.

Or I could end up reading through it, getting bored, and just painting up some WWI soldiers fighting monsters and demons. Which, in and of itself, sounds pretty cool, too.

So, win – win, right?

-Toph

1/6th of a Barber Shop

The selection of new 1/6th figures on store shelves has been pretty lean, and I don’t foresee the dry spell getting better in the very near future. Also, my room has reached maximum capacity. (Truth be told, it has long surpassed maximum capacity.)  As a result, I’ve been focusing on working with what I already have. I’m getting back into personalizing a few guys; flocking and detailing some of my 1/6th scale heads. I tend to use the military figures plain, but the “Adventure” themed ones get flocked – just my little way of organizing my collection. I figure, if that’s how Hasbro differentiated active duty soldiers from paramilitary adventurers, why reinvent the wheel? Plus, it lets me mix and match duplicate headsculpts into a variety of unique looks. And why limit myself to 4 hair colors?  

I don’t use an electric flocking tool or box – I create the static charge by shaking the flock in a small dollar store plastic squirt bottle, and “puffing” it out in little bursts onto the glue-ready head. I prefer clear Gorilla Glue – it seems to hold better than any of the others I’ve tried. I usually have the head mounted on a dowel or screwdriver handle, but sometimes I leave it attached to the body (especially on the harder to remove ones,) or occasionally, I just hold the loose head in my hand, by the neck (though it makes it more likely to bump the wet glue, requiring a “do over”).

My “high tech” flocking kit.

I thought I’d share my most recent completed works. I particularly like the way flocking looks on sculpted hair figures. The variety really lends itself to some cool experiments with color combinations and fiber lengths, and adds an additional layer of variety. I also experiment with flocking over different colors of painted hair, since a little of it sometimes shows through the lighter colored flock, affecting the final result.

Another way I like to “make it my own” is to occasionally add or remove a scar or tattoo. There are several waterslide decals available on Ebay, made by different companies. Tattoos have themes, like Marine Corps, Russian mafia, tribal symbols, Viking runes, and old style nautical (just to name a few.)  Although the flash on the photo makes it a little more obvious, once it’s applied and coated with a clear matte varnish, they really are pretty convincing in person.

Have any recommendations for customizing your crew? Shoot me a message, or comment and share it with the group!

-Toph