Dark Future

What a cracking game that was, back in the day - but we really do have a Dark Future ahead of us (and I don't just mean our latest unelected prime minister). A Dark(lands) Future, that is, because today I speak of all the upcoming releases for the rest of the year!

Bloody Backwhales

First up though, the backwhale: it is proving a bugger and no mistake. But then, it is easily the biggest miniature we've ever attempted to produce! I've had to abandon my idea of four clamshell body parts, as casting those in resin has resulted in very unacceptable joins, as you can see.

There's a reason for that - between the perfect STL file there's a 3d printer that uses resin that can itself change shape while printing (although I have printed these parts about three times each); but more than likely it's the moulding and casting process, which can really alter such large pieces.

So, let's go back to the beginning, and two big (solid) body parts. Fair enough; I thought I could save resin with a clamshell. But while printing the front of the solid body master, the printer's z-axis motor burned out; bah! Me being me, I'm thinking, ok, let's swap one from an older printer. Success! The new (old) z-axis worked perfectly. Unfortunately, the act of swapping it has damaged the screen.

Double bah! I am getting handy with the guts of the printers, perhaps too handy. Sir HamFist of Lane strikes again.

So now I've got to grab another screen and replace that very carefully, although I will use another printer for the new solid masters over the weekend... but at least you can see how big the backwhale really is now, against a mammox body!

I know it's been a bit of a saga, ladies and gentlemen, but I am getting there. By the way, I'll probably put these clamshell parts up for sale as a full backwhale, at a third of the price or something like that. Watch out for an announcement on that when he's shipping.

Gigantic Giants

The new giant for the Albainn is out this week, Bromogg, and what a cracking bigiature he is! 206mm tall and a very beautiful sculpt, he's already in production and the first casts will go this week.

Here's a shot of me mastering the, er, master prints; milliput is my old friend, especially when wet!

I've also taken the opportunity to assemble one for my own personal use, from slightly damaged prints. Paint, milliput and green stuff'll sort it out!

Damned Demilegionaries

August's battle host, featuring the demilegionaries, are in production already - which means it will be the first ‘on time’ physical and digital release... well, ever.

One of the female demilegionaries - the long-suffering Miercenaries amongst you will soon get them!

These guys are already in production and I'm very much looking forward to bringing them to you all - Rafael Callegari has done a superb job, and I can't wait to start painting them.

Wait... what? Yes, I said painting, not printing. The printing is already happening!

Yes indeedy, I'm going to get these painted myself, using an airbrush and shade washes to save time on the flesh! Bit of an experiment, but I reckon I can pull it off. If you didn't know, I used to paint miniatures quite a lot - to a reasonable standard, if I do say so myself - so I'm looking forward to getting the paints out! Vallejo, in case you were wondering - my favourites. I'm really looking forward to trying out the true metallic metals, too, as those demilegionarii axes should be some kind of crazy metallic black... and there's usually plenty of (slightly) rusty metal on the Byzantii, too.

It's been a while since I've had that figure painting itch, to be honest - I usually scratch my hobby bone just by working on miniatures behind the scenes, plus the odd aircraft model kit, so as long as Joanna isn't too annoyed, these guys are going to Get The Treatment. More pics as and when!

Anyway: check out what you can expect in August -

Ariokh is a mighty demioption of the Legio II Var; an undercommander, lower than the demiurion but still powerful. He'll be on foot and on canisinfernii!

The demiimaginifer called Jezebel (heh) bears the imago of the immortal Emperor of Byzantia, Constantine, for her legion: wearing fiendskin and wielding sword and axe, there'll also be a pin up version...

So, what are demilegionaries, I hear you ask? The word sort of gives it away; demi is latin for half, so these guys are half-legionaries, half-humans or half-demons, whichever you fancy. These are warriors that have descended into hell, quite literally, or at least that hell of the Infernii under Anatolia; doing so has changed them irrevocably, and they have begun to evolve into Infernii themselves. This takes a fair old while, in some cases hundreds of years, in some just a few, some say dependant upon the spirit of the warrior; warlike and malevolent spirits seem to evolve much faster than more even-tempered ones.

Either way, once begun, the process cannot be ended, except in death. Which is difficult, because demilegionaries are pretty difficult to kill - especially as their skin hardens, their bones grow and their animus becomes... well, hellfired. Eventually they become demifiends, half-fiends, more demon than human, and then fiends, and then... well. You've seen Beliayal, right?

The demiballistarii are demilegionarii that wield specially-made manuballistae, nasty little weapons that fire equally nasty bolts that can often be laced with hellfire. Don't get in the firing line of these guys!

Utterly brilliant, beautifully sculpted by Rafael, the demicanisarii are demilegionarii with lance and shield riding into battle upon hellhounds - canesinferni. The unit known as In VI Orkus is a unit of five of these nasty sods, and the hellhounds will be available separately as always.

These guys really are going to be awesome...! And yes, I am having great fun with biblical names ;o)

Humungous Hellbeasts

So now Bromogg has the ball rolling, what's in store for August's BEASTMASTER tier? Well, tying in with the demilegionarii is the mighty hellbeast known as Tartos, sculpted by the equally mighty Ivan Flaman!

Tartos lives!

I'm not sure what base he will be standing on - I haven't got the finished files yet - but Rafael Callegari will do his usual work on a scenic base for him.

Now strictly speaking, Tartos is an Infernii monster, but the demilegionarii will definitely use him in some aspect. Can anyone say... war tower?

Real Rhyfelwyr

Being ahead of the game now, Rafael is already working on September's battle host for the Brythoniaid - a resculpt of the rhyfelwyr, the rherelwyr weapon swap, a couple of nobles and... wait for it... the marchomawr draiglas, warriors riding small dragons!

The new Hywel!

In September you'll get:

• Warrior Carys, Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Warrior Carys [Pin Up], Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Hywel Hir, Dragon Bearer of Gwynedd
• Warrior Hywel Hir, Uchelwr of Gwynedd
• Warriors of Dyngonwy, Rhyfelwr Unit (7x warriors w cmd)
• Spears of Dyngonwy, Rherelwr Unit (7x warriors w cmd)
• Fireblood of Gwynedd, Marchomawr Draiglas Unit (3x warriors w cmd)

The shields of the rhyfelwyr and rherelwyr will have Gwynedd, Powys and Ceredigion sigil options too, by the way...

Gwynedd, Powys, Ceredigion shields

As we're talking Welsh, here's a little word guide - rhyfelwr (hru-VEL-er) is the singular, rhyfelwyr (hru-VEL-weer) plural; rherelwr (hre-REL-er) singular, rherelwyr (hre-REL-weer) plural. As for marchomawr draiglas... heh. Marchomawr draiglas (markh-oh-MAU-er DRAYG-las) singular, marchogion mawr dreigiau glas plural. But of a mouthful that, so I'm probably going to stick to ‘the marchomawr draiglas’ for the plural... you Welshies can sue me!

A work in progress of a rhyfelwr...

...and a rherelwr!

Double Draigllai

The monthly monster for September will be... a dragon! Because you can never have too many of those. It will be a replacement for Parawn, although he may not be called that; sculpted by Ivan Flaman, it's already taking shape...

There's a long way to go yet, mind!

The Dark(lands) Future

So this is the bit that gets you excited, I think! After the rhyfelwyr we go into more uncharted (or perhaps charted, and then re-explored) Darklands territory, for both the battle host and the monster... 

• October - Norse Halftrolls, including a halftroll leader. These are going to be superb...!!
• November - Khthones Lískar. Some six-eyed aliens for the win, including a new Pétroyos, a unit of lískar and probably the lískrothar.
• December - Érainn Fen Beast. These could definitely do with a resculpt... new Araigh, new Daghda Lúg, the works...
• January - Infernii Fiend - renewed for a digital age...
• February - Fomoraic Raider - plus tusk hunters, a new chief and maybe some sabretooths...
• March - Razh-Vras! Rats riding rats (and I'm going to make sure at least one of them has a rat riding a rat riding a rat). Maybe some vile-vras with them...
• April - Got to be the tuanagh for the Érainn. These guys, with gaemhornagh alternates, plus warhounds and (whisper it) chariots...
• May - Let's go for some Atalantes! Epilektes plus minokolossi plus some kind of small engine.
• June - Anglecynn Gesith - a resculpt of these hearthguard, plus werwulf gesith...
• July - Khthones Gorgonar - these are definitely needing to be done. Should include the gorgothar too...
• August - Ysian bow-drunes plus a hound-horse unit!

As always, I reserve the right to change the above if I have a fit of inspiration for something else.

Onto the monthly monster:

• October - a new Mjagnir! A jötunn, in other words...
• November - a new vasílísk, of course...
• December - some kind of digital tree monster I shouldn't wonder!
• January - ooh, now then. maybe a new slaughterfiend...
• February - a far thule monstrosity of some kind...
• March - either a new kill-thing, or a mole-thing...
• April - again, some kind of tree beast. Or maybe a rock beast. Or maybe a water beast...
• May - perhaps the megakolossos...
• June - a tough one as the Anglecynn don't have many monsters. Maybe a new mægenwulf of some kind, but as the gesith will have all realm options, I could do a set of bears... hmmm...
• July - A digital Chysperis I should think...
• August - a massive Ysian gribbly, possibly a conjunct of some kind...

Now that's what I call a horde of monsters!

Keep it Mierce, Miercenaries!