(Lead) Mountain Musings - "Big Mr Tong" Movember 2022

"Every time I see one of those things I expect to spot some guy dressed in red with horns and a pitchfork."

This month's themed attempt to whittle away at my mountain of metal, plastic and resin models probably won't amount to much progress to be honest, as it's going to focus on a number of 28mm figures sculpted by "Big Mr Tong" which I've yet to actually 3D print. True, I still own a few of the fellow's designs which were produced for me through Etsy by "Twisted Pinnacle 3D". But I only plan to apply my brush-tip to one of these models, preferring instead to focus on the prolific artist's extensive range of automatons and classic sci-fiction influenced denizens.

In addition, as Dick Garrison over on the “Rantings From Under The Wargames Table” has kindly agreed to join me in our annual Movember Challenge for the next four weeks, I figured a handful of Big Mr Tong's prominently bearded miniatures would also be entirely appropriate to paint for this contest too. However, I will need to provide at least one planned model with some 'green-stuffed' facial hair in order to make them eligible. In the meantime though, I am busily cutting away printing supports on the likes of Shaggy Rogers from Mystery Inc.

"Those stationed in Normandy on D-Day consisted of teenage recruits with little training or foreign conscripts."

Alongside this perfectly attainable target, I intend to make some noticeable progress on my 50-point German Beach Defence Company for "Flames Of War". Indeed, I have already completed another stand of four 15mm plastic infantrymen by “Battlefront Miniatures” to bolster my growing second German Panzergrenadier Platoon. These models can be found inside the company’s “Hit The Beach” starter set and were initially super-glued onto wooden strips, before being primed in “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII.

Each soldier was subsequently shaded using “Citadel” Nuln Oil, and dry-brushed with (more) “Vallejo” German Fieldgrey WWII. Their details were then ‘picked out’ predominantly using “Vallejo” Heavy Sienna, Gunmetal, Buff, German Camouflage Dark Green, Heavy Brown and a series of “Citadel” Shades. Furthermore, the Panzergrenadiers' rifle tops, the general-purpose machine gun, and water flask stoppers were given a combination of “Vallejo” Gunmetal and “Citadel” Nuln Oil.

October 2022 - 3D printed figures make a strong impact upon the Top Five table with "Encounter Terrain"

Productivity wise, the past month was excellent, and saw me close to finishing more figures than I have ever done during October before. Much of this success was due to my love affair with Nikola Stankovic's slightly cartoony 40mm sculpts, wonderfully 3D printed for me by "Encounter Terrain", and I don't frankly see this relationship deteriorating anytime soon now I own a Mars 3 Pro 3D printer. In fact, I'm pretty sure my desire to get more of these magnificent miniatures on my tabletop will only get worse in view of how much cheaper each model will be in the future (i.e. simply the cost of the resin).

I’m also sure they'll be a fair few Sons of Horus Space Marines by "Games Workshop" showing up, courtesy of my plan to finally play some "Horus Heresy" in the near future. I still have several MK VI armoured Tactical Marines to complete, but these should be pretty straightforward to progress. I then intend to build a ten-man Blackshields unit, which whilst still bearing the Eye of Horus, can later on hopefully be used as Warhammer 30K pirates such as the Company of the Sundered...