Beachhead 2022 - Star Wars, Titans and Winter Raids

A Grand Day Out Beside the Seaside

It was the first time I have been to the Beachhead show and I enjoyed it. It certainly isn't anything big like Salute. In fact it fitted inside one medium size sports hall but had a great selection of traders and a nice selection of display and participation games. The tournament hall was full all day but there was still a fair amount of people buzzing around the show hall without feeling crowded. 

It is relatively close to me (Bournemouth) and I will go back again.  As well as playing the Woods there were a number of other participation games. I managed to miss a fun looking game based on Aliens and I didn't even get a picture! There many other great looking games but I didn't manage to photography everything. 

This Star Wars games caught my eye, always got a bit of a soft spot for snow speeders (or is that forest speeders in this setting) versus AT-ATs. 

One of the other impressive displays was a whole horde of WH40K sized titans battling it out. Looked like part of the Horus Heresy. I counted over forty titans all of which were well painted. I don't like to think how much this lot cost. 

At the other end of the spectrum was this winter Dark Ages raid. Which I rather liked. The scenery was just great. 

Also an interesting looking American Civil War battle, this is not an era that I generally have much interest in (aside from a collection of Britain's figures from my childhood when it was the greys versus the blues) but this looked great. 

The weather was pretty filthy all day but we didn't need to go outside so it was fine for us. 

Some of the spoils of the day, I got a number of nice show bargains which always is welcome. Had some very interesting and useful discussions about paints with Mark from M&C Model Painting who was at the show  with a very large paint shop. Ended up picking a number of different brands to try at good prices. So will keep you all posted. 

Some of the swag

I settled on a the Wizened Witches set for Mr Pratchett's witches - Granny & Nanny from Bad Squiddo. Two of the witches in the set bear a striking resemblance to the vision of them in my head for these characters. Still need to get Magrat though.  

Rob 

Beachhead 2022 - In the Woods

 Leprechauns Take the Day

Whilst at Beachhead 2022 at Bournemouth today. We got the chance to play 'The Woods'. With Geoff  from Oakbound taking us through the game mechanics. 

Obviously it was my skill with the rules and superior gameplay gave me the win.  But it didn't hurt to have a powerful witch leading my team. 

My Leprechaun Warband 

My Leprechaun  warband consisted for a Leprechaun Hag Queen (Who was the best Fateweaver on the board)on the far right, Fir Darrig (deputy leader), three Leprechauns and three owl spotters.  I don't believe these figures are out yet so it was great to taken them for a spin. 

We were all chasing after sacred banner in the centre of the battlefield. 

The Gnawlochs adopt a cautious deployment behind the wall.

The Myeri swagger forward

Led by a  leader with a fearsome looking longsword.

The Hag Queen used her magic to move the banner to middle of the Leprechauns. 

The Gnawlochs scurried after the banner

The Myeri warriors bash the lone Leprechaun

The Myeri sorceress used her magics
to pin the banner to the ground. 

But the Myeri were too late, as the Hag Queen commanded
 Fir Darrig to escape the with the banner.
Allowing the Leprechauns to win the game. 

We all had a good time learning the rules and look forward to playing the game again.  

Thanks Geoff taking us through the game. 

Some shifty looking goblins. 

Even more shifty goblins. 

Terrain for the battle. 

Great terrain used on the day, 

Rob 

Finally Finished the Dwarves

Thistlewood -  King Amias' Dwarven Contingent

Joris Dwalinson & the Guild of Sappers and Scouts 

Finally got round finishing the next set of five dwarves to complete the dwarven contingent for Thistlewood. Just the banner to add. I still have another five to complete which I can do in the background. Nearly three quarters of the good forces are now ready. 

Benni & the Pots

Benni the halfling is now underway and this is all of the pots etc. that come with the Viking house. I decided to fill up some of the pots with food and drink. 

Rob

Still Distracted

 But I Did do the Paint Stripper

Still didn't finish the dwarves, so I did some other stuff. 

But I did finish the barmaid and decided to put together the Viking house  (From Renedra at the bargain price of £5) I got at Salute this year. It was really all of the accessories that came with the set that attracted me. They all look very useful for a baggage train. Plus I now plan use the Viking house with the dwarves. 

Benni in all his unpainted glory. Paint stripping is one of those jobs that I am never very keen to do. So a little pile of miniatures usually waits for some time until I can get round to it. After painting the barmaid I thought it would be good to do him too. So tonight was right for paint stripping. Plus it make available a couple of other figures I also want to paint. 

The first of the centaurs started, I need for Thistlewood. I don't think I will do the other two (only three needed) the same way but I will see how this one goes.  The beastman is one of a job lot off of eBay and I found I didn't need to strip the paint off  the others as it acted as a reasonable undercoat. And the horse is from Lord of the Rings. 

Finally put together the 2012 Salute figure. 

Rob 

I Get Distracted and Put Stuff Off

 Halfling Barmaid

Couldn't quite get motivated to finish the latest batch of dwarf sappers so ended up painting a halfling barmaid instead. This was bit of a random choice as I didn't decide to paint her until  I was looking at my shelf of unpainted figures trying not to think about not painting the dwarves. 

I was rushing to finish this figure (who looks much better painted than undercoated) and ended up painting the face twice  because I added the wash too heavily. Of course, I prefer the first effort. 

Still the barrel came out well.

She will join of the halfling baggage train. To keep the troops well stocked in ale. 

Thanks Stuff of Legends for the picture, saves me hunting
in the loft for my copy of the 1986 Citadel Journal

A very nice 80's Citadel C11 Halfling. I also have Benni who needs a dip in the paint stripper. Presumably named after the famous Crossroads character (If you don't get the reference then you are probably too young!) because of his hat. 

Rob 

Bruce the Troll Stomps

 Progress on the First of the Oakbound Trolls

A quick mock up of the rest of the base. As Bruce attempts to stomp on a fairie ring  and a few sprites. 

Rob 

The Sleeping King Returns

 Salute's King Arthur Finished

'Whoso pulleth out this sword of this stone and anvil, is rightwise King born of all England.'

Thomas Mallory

A really nice Romano-British take on King Arthur by Mark Copplestone for one of the two Salute 2006 figures. He was fun to paint and I think has painted up well thanks to the crisp sculpting and moulding on the figure. 

Clothed in Royal purple

Arthur is beset by Spirits summoned by Morgan Le Fay

WIP - Bruce the Troll

Bruce shows off his moves!

Another one of those figures which I am enjoying painting. Who I have quietly doing a bit here and there. Bruce is now mostly painted. I just need to work a bit more on the detailing and then onto the base. 

He really reminds me of the classic Citadel C20 trolls although sculpted in a completely different style. Just the right mix of funny and scary and doesn't  look like he's have been working out at gym. All odd body portions and a folklore style. With some nice details. I decided that those shoes look like stone which seems a very troll thing to do! So painted as slate. 

Once I finish off Mordred, I think will have a go at the 2012 figure - A Mayan Warchief. Sculpted by the  Jacques-Alexandre Gillois of Miniature Studio. Apparently it's themed on the end of the 13th B'ak'tun of the Mayan Long Count Calendar.

Rob 

A Change of Scenery

 Scenery Board Mark 2

Finished board with sunset sky

Over Christmas, I decided my photographic scenery board needed an upgrade. I wanted where possible to use stuff I already had instead of buying a load of extra stuff (leaving more money for figures!). And I just about had enough pink polystyrene when I chopped it in half. Also found a suitable bit of board lying around in the garage.  I wanted a raised area  at the back to give a couple of levels and to hide the horizon. 

The board chopped and glued. 

First mistake was to use PVA glue to stick the polystyrene to the base board instead of hot melt glue. The PVA glue took over a week to dry even when left in the office and there was still  little bit of glue was still leaking out two weeks later. Rather than have a couple of small hills, I chose to made a cliff face instead to break the horizon. Using broken up corks from wine bottles. Funny we had enough of them left over after Christmas. 

When selecting corks make sure they are made from solid pieces of cork and are not made of little bits of cork glued together. I cut foam back so that cork could sit under the front of the cliff face giving an overhang. I remembered to use the hot melt glue this time.  

After a bit of vigorous filing with a coarse file, the basic shape was formed. Pound shop filler was applied to blend in the over hang for the cliffs and reinforce some of the features. I did think about adding a water feature but this board is smaller than my original board even with the cliff. So I decided against it in order to have enough room for larger groups or battle scenes. 

Time for filler and sanding

After this it was time for lots of coarse sand and PVA (Sorry no photo for this step) and then was painted with a large (cheap) tube of burnt umber from the local hobby shop. Followed by dry brushing in light browns, greys and a bit of green. Finally dark green scenic scatter, grass clumps and small pieces of dyed sponge. 

Finished board with early evening sky

I have ordered a second bag of different coloured flock as the grass needs a bit more mixing up and I will get a couple of dead model trees to help break up the skyline. The statue isn't fixed so I can swap it, I have seen a gibbet which would make a good alternate. I now need to work out how to light and photograph this new board. But overall I think it makes a nice improvement on the mark one board. Now back to the dwarves... 

Trusty mark one board. 

Rob