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Writer's pictureBlaxkleric

"Please Do Not Cry Out."

"It is important that I am not found here."

This 28mm metal miniature of the "undercover agent disguised as a Dum and placed on board Storm Mine 4" is produced by “Black Tree Design", and can be bought as DW417 - Robot of Death from the manufacturer's "Doctor Who" miniatures range. "A unique Kaldor android", D-84 was played by Gregory de Polnay and appeared in Chris Boucher's January 1977 BBC Television story "The Robots Of Death".


One of several identical sculpts which I own, I decided to pigment this particular figure as Ander Poul's android partner so I could essentially use it as a single Strength Point marker for my Movie Doctor "Xenos Rampant" Command Unit - with the plan being the Time Lord is accompanied by a collection of companions/allies when at full strength. As a result the figure was primed in "Citadel" Chaos Black, and subsequently dry-brushed with "Vallejo" Gunmetal.

"In many respects, Florida remains the forgotten state of the Confederacy."

This approach allowed me to much more readily see all the detailed stripes on the model which I needed to then 'pick out' using a thin line of (more) "Vallejo" Gunmetal. I also used the dry-brush to 'fudge' some of the areas where I felt either the casting or my skill with a paint-brush weren't up to 'picking out' some of the character's super-tiny stripes - such as robot's glove cuffs. As a final touch, I dry-brushed some secret agent's hair with "Vallejo" Heavy Charcoal and sploshed the entire figure in plenty of "Citadel" Nuln Oil.


Alongside D-84 I have also completed ten 15mm scale plastic Confederate soldiers by “Warlord Games” which came free on a sprue accompanying Issue 397 of "Wargames Illustrated" way back in January 2021. This is actually the first of four lines of infantrymen I aim to complete so as to form a small Florida-raised foot Regiment, complete with instantly recognisable straw hats - created using "Vallejo" Heavy Ochre/"Duncan Rhodes' Two Thin Coats" Skulker Yellow and "Citadel" Agrax Eartshade.

"Black Tree Design" WIPs - This Vogan is slowly having his detail 'picked out'

In the main I used a combination of "Vallejo" Heavy Bluegrey and "Citadel" Nuln Oil for the soldiers’ trousers, and "Vallejo" Sombre Grey with (more) "Citadel" Nuln Oil for their jackets and Kepi hats. I gave their blanket rolls a dash of "Vallejo" Heavy Red or White Star by "Duncan Rhodes' Two Thin Coats", and splashed these with "Citadel" Carroburg Crimson or Agrax Earthshade respectively. Finally, their hands and faces were layered with "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone, shaded in "Citadel" Reikland Fleshshade, and later highlighted with extra dabs of "Vallejo" Heavy Skintone.


Heading back to the world of "Doctor Who" and "Xenos Rampant", I've started work on a five-figure squad of Vogans - the arch-enemies of the Cybermen. Famous for residing on a planet made predominantly of gold, I have been experimenting on one miniature to see whether I can quickly create the illusion of their black uniforms which were detailed in gold thread. Somewhat disappointingly, I don't think a double application of "Citadel" Nuln Oil over a "Vallejo" Gold basecoat has done the job, as it looks more metallic than black. So I may well go back in with some "Citadel" Abaddon Black lines to thin down the gold stripes...

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undercoat2670
Jul 28, 2023

Well Dr Who has clearly caught your fancy at the moment. The robot looks cool and I do remember that design from back in the day (yes it does make me feel old!) but I don't remember the Vogans at all.

Your Confederate soldiers look splendid. The variation in clothing and facial hair colours is outstanding work. Absolute tremendous.

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Blaxkleric
Blaxkleric
Jul 28, 2023
Replying to

Cheers Undercoat. D-84 was a lot of fun to paint using some super-simple techniques. I strongly doubt his green & silver brethren will be as easy though, LOL!! The Vogans are from "Revenge Of The Cybermen" - my first ever Dr Who video, and the start of my obsession with the TV show.


That ACW strip was a real struggle to get done as I'd been all over the place with it previously, so kept having to redo bits I kept catching with my my brush-tip. Painting outwards definitely seems to be the best advice for these little guys, imho.

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wargamesterrainworkshop
wargamesterrainworkshop
Jul 19, 2023

Great work on the robot Simon, takes me back to the episode, so job well done. Must be good to finally have one of the ACW strips finished, and on the Vogan shirt, have you considered using a fineline pen, to do the black lines, as it's easier to control than a brush, Uni do a good range of them.

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Blaxkleric
Blaxkleric
Jul 19, 2023
Replying to

Thanks Dave. There's a lot of super-fine detail on D-84 which must have been a nightmare to sculpt by hand back in the day - as they difficult enough to just 'catch' with a brush. The pics have turned out a bit shinier than the actual figure is too so its hard to see some of them.


Ten Confederates down and thirty to go. LOL!!! Though the next strip isn't too far from being finished tbh, and so I should have a fully based 20-model unit by the end of the week - if not sooner.


I do indeed own a fine-line pen and can't stand them. I think the probable way to go with the vest is simply paint…

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