Sedition Wars - Commodore Grist

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

I have mentioned before the cool heavy armour of the Sedition Wars universe, the Gnosis Battlesuits. In-game, such equipment is issued to the elite of the Vanguard. These suits are like little tanks; they're immune to nasty things like acid and fire, and when finally wrecked the pilot can climb out to continue the fight!

Back in 2013, Studio McVey released a high quality resin sculpt for Salute 2013, Commodore Grist. I managed to find one over the summer online, and just finished painting it up.

I used many very thin layers for the zenithal highlights. Only 5 drops of colour (4 white and one green) in the small metal cup in the airbrush, 5 drops of thinner, and the rest water. You don't see the "dots" of the spray as much, just a smooth transition from dark to light. See the shoulder pads and gun in the photo below.





I did most of the head/face in Vallejo acrylics, with some oil paints to smooth out transitions.

I augmented the usual glazes of Coelia Greenshade (the green parts of the armour) and Fuegan Orange (shoulder pads) with actual painted colour layers in acrylics. The armour and shoulders used the Vallejo Yu Jing paint set. However, Seraphim Sepia continued to work well on the gun and the "plumbing" of the suit. I used artists' oils for blending, point highlights, and special effects such as chips, scrapes and impact damage. Vallejo powder went on the lower part of the boots. I airbrushed the base separately with Secret Weapon Stone, and weathered it with oils.





Below, the nominal light source for painting highlights and shadows was above and in front of the figure's forehead.





The rear parts of the figure fall into slight shadow.




I also debated painting Vanguard insignia on the shoulders using freehand techniques. Decided against it. The Vanguard don't seem to use insignia on their Gnosis armour. Maybe their connection to the Tac-Net precludes the need for visual identification? I can always go back and add some markings.



I debated using OSL to make the muzzle of the plasma gun glow, but decided against it.




Below, details of the power fist and its damage.




Comparing this to previous Vanguard figures, the armour colouring  is deeper and richer, I think because I am not just relying on glazes over white for the highlights.

Just one more figure, the big boss Cthonian, to complete phase one (the Battle for Alabaster boxed set) of the Sedition Wars project.


Kara Black's sword in NMM

Back in September, I attended a great painting seminar put on by Polish master modeler Michal Pisarski, winner of both the Crystal Paintbrush and GW Slayer Sword. The seminar was all about skin tones and non-metallic metallics. The figure we used was a large scale bust of a vampire. At the end of the seminar weekend, he shared some tips on painting wargame scaled figures.

He completely repainted the blade of my Kara Black figure from Sedition Wars. From Michal's POV, at this scale less is more. He painted the blade flat black. The hottest highlight is at the tip of the blade, in pure white. IIRC, he added blue to the mix as he worked down the blade toward the hilt. Note also the very fine scratches and irregularities along the blade's length. Michal's brush control is superb; this was all done in about 10 minutes with watered down acrylics.

Sedition Wars Project Mini-update: Opticamo Vanguard

 I was able to buy on eBay a few more clear resin "Opticamo" Vanguard Samaritans (like the thermo-optic camouflage from Ghost in the Shell).

I just finished three more such Opticamo female Vanguard Samaritans, all armed with laser carbines. The clear resin was slightly easier to clean up than the original restic (PVC?) models. I used super glue for assembly.



I airbrushed zenithal highlights on the lower portions of the figures, using Vallejo Black and White surface primers. I then laid in thin  glazes of GW Thrakka Green for their armour, and a little bit of Gryphon Sepia for one of the figures' carbines. Highlights were picked out with flat white. The bases were glazed with Badab Black and Vallejo Rust. The resulting effect simulates the cloaking process at different stages for each figure.



For comparison, here's what a solid resin figure looks like:



The basic rules don't use the thermoptic camouflage, so these new Opticamo figures can be used a regular troopers. With the addition of these three models, I now have enough Vanguard Samaritans, heroes, and drones to play all the basic scenarios in the main Sedition Wars rule book.



I have not been idle on the Strain side. I cleaned up and assembled 28 Strain models of various types. There are 21 Necroforms, basically human corpses animated by the dreaded nano-virus plague, There are 5 2nd-level Exoforms (evolved creatures, like in Resident Evil): 3 Stalkers (close combat types), and 2 Quasimodos (large creatures with an acidic shooting attack). Rounding them out are a pair of 3rd level Exoforms: a Scythe Witch (a kick-ass close combat expert), and a Brimstone (a big creature with a nasty gun in its chest). These are now ready for priming.



I also picked up a couple of zombie paint sets from Army Painter:
Warpaints Zombicide Core Zombie Set
Warpaints Zombicide Toxic/Prison Set

With colours such as "Brainmatter" and "Crusted Sore", I hope to give these an adequate aura of putrefaction and fear.

After this lot is done, I have in queue one each of 4th- and a 5th-level Exoforms, some strategic points from the Sedition Wars terrain set, and several corpse counters to represent both the detritus of previous battle and Samaritan casualties caused during the course of play.

***

The big cabinet in our library now has a real mix of figures and models: 1/6 scale dolls from history and fiction; various 15mm and 28mm figs that I have won awards for; some 1/7 and 1/8 scale action figures from anime, comics, and TV; and a bunch of pieces for other games like CheckYour 6!, Wings of Glory, De Bellis Antiquitatis, and Coaling Stations.

Sedition Wars Project - First Blood!

Last weekend fellow Conscripts Byron, Kevin and I played another game of table top Sedition Wars. This was also the first time I got to play with my painted Vanguard. I have not finished my Strain, so Byron provided his for our use.

The table was set up by Byron, who used a table topper sheet from Relic Knights, and buildings from Micro Art Studio.

We played a variation of the first "Outbreak Campaign" scenario - Breach. In the first photo below, we illustrate the starting positions of forces, corpses, and objectives. Anything seen on a building roof is actually located INSIDE the building on the first floor (this photo was taken after the game was over, when we re-set everything). The buildings had removable stories and roofs, so we could fight inside them, too. The posters and such seen on the buildings Byron downloaded from the internet.



Vanguard Objective: Secure and activate the Life-Support Terminal located in the three story building located in the northwest corner of the table.

Strain Objective: Convert all the corpse counters into Strain Revenants.

Changes from the basic game: Ranges were doubled out to 8 /16 /24 inches from 4/8/12 inches. We ruled it cost 3 inches move to go up or down one story. The first stage necroforms were made cheaper, down to 1.5 points each, instead of 3.

IIRC, Kevin and I ran the Vanguard, starting with 6 basic Samaritans, and Byron ran the Strain, fielding 10 Revenants, 2 Stalkers, and a Quasimodo.



The unfortunate Vanguard Samaritans below have both been hit by acid, and the farther one infected by clouds of nano virus. They were both gone by the next turn.



Though impaled by a Stalker, the Samaritan in the photo below shot him down, then her Prophet armoured suit managed to seal the bleeding and kept her in the fight.



During the course of the game, the Vanguard gunned down around 17 Strain models (good thing they could create more, both from activated corpses, and a Necrocyst in the northeast bulding), for the loss of 4 troopers. It was a very tactical game, with cool cinematic events like a Samaritan drawing the fire of a Qusimodo on a balcony, her sacrifice allowing another Samaritan to rush into the building with the objective.

In the photo below, that Samaritan reached the Life-Support Terminal, but couldn't activate it before the Strain converted the final corpse into a Revenant.



As Byron posted on Facebook later,

"It was an awesome, tense game. I am constantly amazed at how every game we ever play of Sedition Wars comes down to a last turn win for either side. This game was a Strain win, but if I hadn't won that turn the next turn the Vanguard would have won."

***

I am busy working on both my Strain and lots of terrain for my own table. Lots of MDF buildings and cargo containers, Quonset huts, resin vehicles, and a mag-lev train will provide plenty of scope for future SW scenarios.

Sedition Wars Project - Mini-Update

I did not get into the Kickstarter when Sedition Wars was first offered. So, some of the Kickstarter-only rewards have been hard to find. I was able to buy on eBay a few "Opticamo" Vanguard Samaritans and heroes - think thermo-optic camouflage from Ghost in the Shell.

These are clear resin models, to represent when a figure has been thusly cloaked. In game terms, this costs a Tactic from the Tactics Pool every turn to place the model in Opticamo Mode, but allows the model to activate without triggering enemy Reflex actions, treats the model as if in cover for enemy abilities that rely on visibility, and grants the model a negative modifier to be attacked!

I just finished an Opticamo version of Operator Akosha Nama. It was slightly easier to clean up than the original restic model. I used both super glue and 5-minute epoxy for assembly. Its stock frosty surface looks better, in my opinion, than the clear gloss finish that I have seen used for other clear resin figs.



I airbrushed zenithal highlights on the lower portion of the figure, using Vallejo Black and White surface primers.  I then laid in thin  glazes of GW Asurmen Blue for her boots and jumpsuit, and glazed both her smock and base with Badab Black. The paintjob also hides the pin I used affixing the figure to its base. The resulting effect simulates Akosha activating her camouflage.

For comparison, here is a photo of the original figure I painted some months ago.



I wanted something other than just a ghostly figure on the table, and I think the effect works out OK.

There's at least one fan-made Sedition Wars scenario out there pitting a lone Opticamo Akosha against a horde of enemies...

Edited to Add: A solo Akosha scenario, "Cocci", is located here.

The Chicago Show and my new insane project

Back in October, several members of the Manitoba Model Soldier Society went on the annual road trip to The Chicago Show, hosted by the Military Miniature Society of Illinois. The Chicago Show is one of the biggest North American figure shows and competitions, showcasing excellent work from an international selection of modelers. I did not attend this year, but I did send a couple of figures down with the boys.

The full list of award winners is located here. Photos may be seen here and here. This year the MMSS had its most successful year, with several members garnering medals:

Historical Painters Gold
Jeff Burns - Celtic Warrior (Jeff's brushwork in the photo below is astounding):


Rick Taylor - Nurian Guard

Fantasy Painters Gold
Jeff Burns - Angron
Jim Robinson - Inquistor Cortez
Rick Taylor - entire display (Rick's freehand is ridiculous; in the three photos below, note that the figures are, respectively, only 40mm and 25mm tall; the Medusa on the female hoplite's shield is patterned after the famous painting by Caravaggio):





Historical Painters Silver
Jim Robinson - 7th Middlesex Drum Major

Fantasy Painters Silver
Jonathan Berrington - Dragon
Neil Berrington - The Fool
Dave Violago - Space Elf (I was surprised and pleased that my 28mm wargame figure garnered an award; the large silver medal I won is pretty spiffy, too)

Historical Painters Bronze
Neil Berrington - Varangian Guard

Fantasy Painters Bronze
Graeme Berrington - Katerina

General Medal
Doug Bedford - Arnhem
Bill Cann - Defending Mother Russia

War Game Award
Glenn Shott - Napoleonic Prussians

War Game Certificate of Merit
Doug Bedford - Prince Carl Res

***

In the last 18 months or so I have only completed two actual figures (not counting various tiny ships for wargaming). I was slowly working on my Crimson Fist Terminators, but Games Workshops' rules for the Imperial Space Marines have changed, yet again. Some of my figs now have illegal weapon loadouts! Sigh.

Hanging out with the MMSS boys for a couple of painting days prior to the Chicago road trip got my creative juices flowing again.

Awhile ago, I played in a great game of Sedition Wars, hosted by Conscript Byron. I really liked the figs, produced by Studio McVey (yet another company owned and operated by ex-GW staffers). I picked up the basic game, which comes with around 50 figs. By my rough calculation, that's about a dollar a figure. I managed to get some more of the Kickstarter rewards on eBay (like some mini-drone models), and I started trolling blogs and forums looking for ideas.

In terms of style, I like the colour scheme done by CorticalBackup, a fellow on the Sedition Wars forums, here. His figs are painted to look like Master Chief, from Halo. Below is one of his female Vanguard Lancers:

Long story short, I have now assembled 17 of the 25 Vanguard soldiers and drones that I want to paint up. They're made from a stiff plastic that is difficult to clean up; I am averaging about an hour a fig for cleaning, pinning, and assembling.



I shall be using my own zenithal highlighting and glazing style, like the Space Elf above. Followed by another 22 Strain models (think Resident Evil zombies and evolving bigger baddies), that will complete the minimum number of figs I need to play all the scenarios in the basic Sedition Wars rule book.

I am too late to enter Curt's annual painting challenge, but this is for me a pretty radical project activity. Wish me luck!

Sedition Wars Project - Phase II Update: train and chopper

Next in the painting queue was a maglev train from BP Laser. It's a cool, massive MDF kit, with about 5' of track, and the tender and 3 flatbed cars around 4' long. The photo below, from their website, shows what it looks like when assembled, without paint.

The kit is great; all the MDF parts are cut out cleanly and fit together well. BP Laser provides detailed assembly instructions as downloadable PDFs.  I was impressed by all the clear parts for the various windows; they are slightly beveled on the edges, so they can press fit very snugly into their locations without glue (after all the painting is done).

Below is a photo of the completed train, sitting on its rail near the edge of my urban table.



The tender is striking, with finely cut details.



I painted and slightly weathered the three flatbed cars. I painted them in different colours. I figured that in the future the various evil corporations represented on my table would still have some of their own "rolling stock" (floating stock?), which would be connected together to form cargo trains.





There are 5 laser cut plastic windows located around the front of the tender. After painting, I test fit them with their protective paper covering still on. I removed the paper, then, wearing nitrile gloves (to avoid finger prints), carefully press fit them into the openings.



The roof comes off so you can have fights inside the tender. I left off some parts, like the tender's rear door, the drivers' seats, and the couplers, for easier for placement of figures.



I freehand painted the control panel as if the left console was active.



Also threw some light weathering around the base of the rail sections.



Here is a shot of the train loaded with cargo, with a 28mm Vanguard Samaritan standing on the nearest flatbed for scale.



This model is a significant addition to my stock of near/future terrain. As with the other buildings and pieces, it will be useful for various sci-fi games.

I am now ready to run the next two scenarios in my ongoing Sedition Wars Outbreak Campaign. The first is a race to the train (using probably just the tender and two flatbeds), followed by a running gunfight on the full train itself!

***

Yesterday I received in the mail yet another addition to the pile of sci-fi gaming stuff. It's a 1/48 scale air ambulance from Dust Studios that I found on eBay. It's a funky design, created for their Dust Tactics miniatures game, This model is part of their "Premium Edition" line, so it comes fully painted and weathered.  To me, the "Weird War II" aesthetic makes the model usable for all kinds of sci-fi backgrounds. It could be used as an active gaming piece, as a scenario objective, or just as a neat bit of terrain for Sedition Wars, Infinity, 40K, Gunschwarm, etc.

Byron's Mad Plan for Curt's 4th Annual Painting Challenge

So with a few of the Fawcett crew in on Curt’s 4th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I thought I would post a bit of my plan for the challenge and see what the rest of you have in place for long term plans, or see if you are just winging it.

First up, my main goal is to complete 4 infantry sections for each of the 10^th and 16^th Battalion of the CEF from WW1.  I have already submitted one section from each Battalion and have another in the works for the 16^th.  To go along with these as opposition I am aiming to finish at least 3 infantry sections and 2 HMG sections for the Germans.  This should give me a good solid base to host WW1 games with.

The first of hopefully 4 sections of the 16th Battalion.

My second goal is to get a unit of 28mm French Napoleonics done.  This was something I had promised Curt a while back, that I would at least give them a go.  Well, now is the time.  What I didn’t realize is…. WOW that’s a lot of damn Frenchies….  32 models in a unit!! Ouch!

My third goal is to clean up some of the many Gamer ADD induced purchases and projects.  Just a few of which include a TONNE of FoW stuff, some Dystopian wars ships to round out my French fleet, a Malifaux warband, an infinity squad, some more Sedition Wars figures, and more.

Part of my cleanup.  I put these together and based them over 6 years ago,
then never did anything with them...  they were not even primed!

Those were my goals going in, then Curt sprung a surprise on us at the last minute.  There were going to be bonus rounds. Hmmm… now I have a fourth goal.  There will be 7 different bonus rounds and my goal is to submit entries for at least 5 of the 7.

Here are the themes, dates, and my plan of attack.

·       December 22: Non Combatant(s) – Old Woman (done)

·       January 5: Villain(s)  - Nurgle Demon Prince

·       January 19: Vehicle – Dystopian Wars French Skybase

·       February 2: Hero or Heroic Group - ???

·       February 16: Casualty / Casualties  - WW1 Casualties

·       March 2: Favourite Character  - ??? Something Cthulhu based

·       March 16: Last Stand - ??? Maybe Necron Centipede

My Demon Prince has already been converted and is just waiting
to be primed up and painted.    Now that I am done the non-
combatant figure he will start to be painted this week.

So, that’s my mad plan of attack, and at my current pace, maybe even do-able.  However, despite my recent pace I will not say it’s a sure thing.  That damn Gamer ADD is sure to kick in at sometime.  At least any new projects that I have planned are all Kickstarter based, and therefore according to Greg, never likely to happen.

I know that Dave is not directly involved in the Challenge, but is trying to paint up his Sedition Wars force during the same time.  Which, if accomplished will be quite a feat for him, since it will likely quadruple his painting output of the last 2 years! Sorry Dave, we all love you, but painting speed just ain't your thing. 

Sedition Wars Project - Mini-update

I just finished a figure representing Tech Comm Kara Black for Sedition Wars, using a resin master of Hasslefree's Sci-fi Scout Prototype 1.



Zenithal highlighting: primed with Black P3 spray, airbrushed white highlights. Multiple thin glazes of Games Workshop Thraka Green (now Biel-Tan Green), Asurmen Blue, and Gryphon Sepia washes for the armour, under-suit, and plasma carbine, respectively. Visor under-painted in GW Golden Yellow, Blood Red, and Red Gore, then detailed and blended with Cadmium-Barium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Scarlet, and Titanium White oils.



The lighter armour works for a Vanguard officer figure, but is not too dissimilar from the rest of the Samaritans' armour, especially the helmet.



Some nice little touches on the figure, like the overall stance, and right forefinger's knuckle underneath the glove. Kev White can surely sculpt.



In the game, Tech Comm Kara Black provides several "Tactics Counters" to the Vanguard tac-net during each turn, providing a lot of support to the infantry under her command. This game mechanic represents both combat skills and the networked capabilities of the Vanguard command, control, communications, and computing systems. I think Tech Comm Kara is a more interesting character than her clone sister, Captain Kara Black, the latter of whom is more the Hero-Hammer type of leader.