Meridian Engineers

A few weeks ago, I received a pack of extra bits and pieces from Andrew May of Meridian Miniatures.

What I was after was some particular models to make a few engineers to crew the various artillery pieces that the army will be using. Andrew provided a number of weaponless models that I was then able to modify to hold some crates. These were pretty straight forward customisations and I just had to add crates and some rope handles made of Green Stuff. I would like to see how a pro actually sculpts things so small, I find the Green Stuff so sticky that it makes it very difficult to cut and position even something straight forward like a bit of rope. Anyway, the finished article will do and should stand up to a little scrutiny. Now the paint has been slapped on, they look like they fit the part.

The second mini conversion was to replace a rifle with a pistol. This involved cutting down a rifle to make a pistol grip and then sticking on a Hasslefree pistol. First attempt was not very good, but the second attempt, with added Green Stuff to fill a few gaps, worked pretty well.

Using some resin crates and spare Meridian weapons and accessories, some extra bits of scenery were made for use as either objectives or artillery supplies.
So below shows the artillery crew with a couple of recently rescued Thudd Guns from the Loft Full Of Lead.

Dwarf Berserkers

Here are some close combat Confrontation models that I thought could fit into the Prussian Scrunt army as an additional unit of specialists. These are three Zwerghammerkader models armed with hammers that can either be used as close combat Berserkers (Nahkampf Angriff Kader) or as additional engineers (Maschinenbauer).

Quite a lot of the Confrontation models are clearly set in a fantasy realm, but I do think some of the more steamed up models can slot into a steampunk environment.

Refreshed Ogryns

This is one of the quicker mini projects on the go. I found these old Ogryns in Loft Full Of Lead and thought they would well as a unit in the Prussian Scrunt army. They just needed rebasing. I wanted to retain most of the original paint job on these models so just touched up a bit here and there.

So after a new 40mm base and a wash of Army Painter Dark Tone ink, the finished unit comes up quite nicely.

Apart from repainting the boots, mainly because I had to after painting the bases, not much else was done.

I really wanted to keep the old paint job on these models, they must have been painted 25 years ago or so. I don’t even know what colour was used for the skin, it certainly is not Bronzed Flesh, my usual choice, this was much darker which made touching it up a bit tricky.

My favourite is the squad leader, mainly because I like the Coke can in his grenade belt.

Ogryns Uncovered

Since I am going a bit off topic with my impure Prussian Scrunt army, I thought I would get well and truly off the path and include a unit of Ogryns, one of which is a little on the old side.

From I985, I think this one is actually a Bob Olley model, so it fits in well with the Prussian Scrunts at least on that level.

Not sure about what year the rest were released. I will rebase these and touch up the paintwork here and there, but not too much. These were actually painted by an ex-girlfriend about 25 years ago. Check out the green nails.

Dwarf Elite Snipers

Wearing a little less clothing than one would expect for a steampunk sniper, these Confrontation Tir-Na-Bor gunners will double up as Prussian Special Forces Sharpshooters – The Zwerg-Spezialeinheiten Jagd Gewehr Scharfschützen. Just don’t ask me to say that when I’m sober.

As the unit size for the steampunk game will be three to six models a unit, I have just enough.

Master Craftsman

This Confrontation Dwarf character is a model from the Brotherhood Of Bronze set that was always pretty rare. I remember being somewhere in Florida after Rackham had imploded and finding it on a bargain shelf for a ridiculously small amount of cash. Oh joy.

One of the models in the set is this chap in a steam powered wheel chair with a steam familiar (or a mobile tool cabinet). Should be able to find a way of including him in the Prussian army as an engineer of some sort.

Old Artillery Reborn

From a long time ago, the Thudd Gun. I found two of these in the Loft Full Of Lead and thought they would be great for the Imperial Meridian Infantry. This was originally a Games Workshop Squat Artillery piece from 1988, the early and great days of Warhammer 40,000, before it became Warhammer $40,000.

The weapon below from what I remember is from much later and it was an Ork gun. This too will work very well as another steampunk artillery piece.

Funny how the two models, one for the Squats and one for the Orks have the same wheels. Never noticed that before.

Land Train Kickstarters Delivers

Yet another Kickstarter delivered today, the Ramshackle Games Minimus Squat’s Bounty Hunter Crew which mainly consists of a large Land Train. This Kickstarter delivered right on time.

I added an extra transport carriage and some extra weapon options. Ramshackle Games also included loads of options for the land train engine section including, a turret, sponsons, a dozer blade and side armour. As I did with the Battle Dog and Pug models last year, I will use a few magnets to make this as variable as possible.

There is a lot of it and I think it will take a while to clean up, wash and build. When the whole thing is put together, it should look quite impressive.

I am very pleased with this Kickstarter, just as I was with the Battle Dog and Pug project last year. I will keep a look out for what Curtis will do next.

So as of today, I have one Kickstarter to be delivered and that one is eight months late.

Battle Of The Five Armies

I finally got to see The Hobbit – Battle Of The Five Armies last night and I have to say it was much better than the second installment; The Desolation Of Smaug.

It is pretty much one massive battle after the short introduction. Billy Connolly as the Dwarf Dáin son of Náin headbutting his way through the Orcs was particularly entertaining.
If only all wargames could look like this on the tabletop.

Je Suis Charlie