SF Orks in 6mm

I finished painting an army of 6mm SF orks from Black Tea tribe (as can be seen on battle flag).

All models are from GW Epic range, and all ale plastic with exception of metal Squiggoth.
As usually, all models are individually based on washers, to be able to connect with my magnetized board.

I will use them for Five Core and similar games. I am also working on my on vision of SF squad based game that uses D20 set mechanics, but more abut it when it gets into shape good enough to be presented.

Next on my painting board are coming GW space marines and Chaos mixed from GW and Onslaught miniatures.

Painting orcs

Just painting some 10mm Copplestone orcs, so I thought that it might be fun to post a process.

Please note that this is not a painting tutorial, I am going for tabletop quality.

I start with giving my orcs base coat of rotten flesh.

 After the paint dries for five minutes, I give them heavy green ink wash.

Few more minutes of drying, and it is now time to add details - black hair, brown bows and quarrels, orange cloth patches and arrows, bronze and chainmail metal for armor.

I use white to highlight details like teeth, runes on quarrels, belts, etc. It is also time to paint the bases. For the flock I use, snot green is the best base color.

 Adding flock.

 Some final touches to the bases, and two of my orc archers units are ready to see some action.

In total, two units are painted in less then one hour.

Some terrain features

Recently, I decided to make some terrain features for my 6mm/10mm games.

Here is the result:

In the picture below, you can see a 10mm evil humans wizard in a forest, 6mm french chasseur riding though the rough terrain, and finally a 10mm orc horde defending some linear obstacles.

 

Then, there is some modern/SF terrain.

Ammunition shop is paper model from papermau, scaled down to 6mm. Roof is a walkable surface, so it is magnetized to keep 6mm star trooper connected to it.

Windmill is made from old tooth brush head, with paper blades.

The root of all evil

When I start new project, I usually go for the evil army (the one that will be played by game mechanic) first. After that, I am still in the mood to paint some good guys to. I do not know if I would be willing to continue with the project other way around.

So, when I decided to make 10mm fantasy armies, I started with the evil side first.

And, without further delay, I present to you - THE HUMANS.

There are many fighting happy races in the world, but no one wakes sheer terror in the hearts of other races like Humans.
With their short life span, fast breeding and endless numbers, they are a face of pure evil.
While orcs may attack and rob, they will eventually return to their lands. But not humans. Humans will  not be satisfied until the last former occupant of the land they invaded is dead, and the lands settled by them.
And there is no place safe from them - from the highest mountains to the deepest caves, you will find human colonies.
These are the creatures mother-orcs scare their mischievous children with.

Picture above shows cavalry of the humans of the plains - cavalry general, knights, fighting cavalry and two units of horse skirmishers.

Infantry - foot general, 4 units of spears, one unit of barbarian warband (or eventually blades), 2 units of archers and 2 units of halfling foot skirmishers.

All models are from my favorite supplier of 10mm fantasy -  Copplestone castings.

Polish / French Peninsular division

I have finally finished Polish / French division for Peninsular war using Muskets and Shakos rules by 2 hour Wargames.

This gives me enough painted models to start playing proper engagements.

Here is the complete division, commanded by general Józef Chłopicki.

 

First foot brigade consisting of French line battalion, first Vistula Legion battalion and French light battalion.

Second infantry brigade consisting of Old guard grenadiers, Old guard chasseurs and 4th Vistula legion.

Cavalry brigade commanded by captain Andrzej Niegolewski consists of regiment of Polish guard lancers and regiment of Hussars.

 

Finally, two batteries of French field artillery.

This will not end my Peninsular War project, since both sides need additional infantry, cavalry and artillery units, but I now I can take time with them.

Models are mix of Baccus and Adler 6mm.

Polish NCO

The main problem I have with the two producers of 6mm napoleonic armies I use is their opinion about necessity of NCOs in the army.

While Baccus never even tried to produce NCOs, Adler is making figures armed with  halberds, claiming that NCOs armed with muskets were dressed the same way as the ordinary troopers. The problem with that claim is in the fact that during marches (and marching pose takes 80% of 6mm army), NCOs held musket under right arm, while troopers under left. This is a feature visible even in 6mm.

To overcome this problem I am usually doing conversions. The easiest way is to convert spare eagle bearer into NCO, by cutting eagle and painting remaining part of the pole as musket, with some simple bending to create bayonet.

But recently I started painting unit of Polish foot by Adler. The eagle bearer from the Polish command strip is made in a really nice and unusual pose, but this makes it impossible to convert it into NCO.

Then, I noticed drummer from the same strip. It's right hand is raised to the lips to use whistle, while his left hand rests on the drum. Right hand has some molding problem, so on all models I have there is a small gap between arm and whistle. Thanks to that, this arm can be slightly bend into lower position, good to transform it into musket holding hand.
So, I cut off the drum and whistle, changed position of the right arm and glued musket taken from ordinary trooper.

The result is quite satisfactory, especially on the tabletop.

Next picture shows original drummer and one transformed into NCO side by side.

Old guard painted

French old guard grenadiers unit painted - models by Adler Miniatures.

Now, just to add some flock.

British Heavy Cavalry Brigade

Well, here is another British unit I painted in 6mm scale.

This time, I present to you Sir Henry Fane commanding heavy cavalry brigade consisting of two regiments: 4th Queen's Own Dragoons and Royal Horse Guards (popular The Blues).

 Two photographs, neither one is perfect.... First gives you better look at the troopers, second on the officers.

1st British Division

We interrupt regular RPG program to bring you some wargaming news...

On the brinks of my Scarlet Heroes campaign (Oolong is having some hard time recently, she needed to run for her life, but you will read about it soon), I'm also finding some time to paint my 6mm Napoleonic armies and to play some boardgames from current Board Game Geek Solitaire contest.

Therefore, I finally managed to finish First British division for Peninsula War in accordance with the Musket and Shakos rules in 6mm.

So here is the British division in all it's might:

 

First, let me introduce the officers one more time..
The Divisional commander is Wellington himself.

 

 From left to right: Sir John Moor, Sir Stapleton Cotton, Lord Wellington and Picton with umbrella

The first infantry brigade is commanded by Sir John Moor, and consists of one Rep 3 battalion of Spanish Guerrilla, one Rep 4 battalion of line infantry and one Rep 5 battalion of Highlanders.

The Second infantry brigade is commanded by Sir Thomas Picton, and consists of one Rep 4 battalion of line infantry, Rep 5 First Foot Guard battalion and one Rep 4 battalion of light infantry that might be armed with muskets or rifles.

The light cavalry brigade is commanded by Sir Stapleton Cotton and consists of one regiment of Rep 5 Hussars and one regiment of Rep 4 Light Dragoons.

 

Division is supported by one battery of field artillery.

Corps Asset consists of 2 x 6 figure light infantry independent skirmish units from the 95th Rifles (Rep 5).
Models used for this division are mix coming from Baccus and Adler range.
Finally, here is one more look at complete division:

British officers

I am slowly finishing my work on First British Division for Muskets and Shakos rules. I have only to finish painting final infantry battalion, and few more officers.

Until I can show you complete division, here are some British officers painted so far: Sir John Moor who will be commanding First infantry brigade and Sir Stapleton Cotton who will be commanding Light cavalry brigade.

Second infantry brigade will be commanded by Picton, while Division commander will be Wellington himself, but I am still to paint them.
All officers in my 6mm armies will come from Adler range.

Big and small: British infantry

With the painting speed increase for 6mm figures, I am now able to show more units in a shorter time.
So, for this installment of Big and small series, I have three units of British infantry.

First are the British infantrymen of the line.

1/72 models are mixed from different sets, while 6mm figures are from Baccus.

Next, some Highlander infantry. So far, I feel that these are the only unit I have not done justice in 6mm, partly because 1/72 Italeri models are so good. 6 mm models are of course from Baccus.

With these unit, and counting Spanish guerilla presented earlier, I have completed First British infantry battalion for Muskets and Shakos.

As Corps asset British can field 2 x 6 men strong independent skirmishers - riflemen.

1/72 miniatures are from Revell, while 6mm are mix of Baccus and Adler.
Finally, here are two last units side by side:

Big and small: French line infantry

Another 6mm unit painted, so it is time for another installment of my Big vs Small series.
This time, it is French infantry of the line.

6mm troopers are from Baccus, while officer and NCO are from Adler.
1/72 miniatures are from Italeri set 6002.

Finally, here they are one next to the other:

Big and small: Andrzej Niegolewski and his men

I have decided to start on the blog serial of posts where I will put side by side pictures of the same unit in two scales - 1/72 and 6mm.
All models presented in this serial are painted by my humble skill.

To start, I present to you, of course, my favorite unit - Polish guard lancers led by captain Andrzej Niegolewski.

1/72 miniatures are from Zvezda set, 6mm models are by Baccus.

Onslaught miniatures painted

So, first of my 6mm SF warbands are painted. As mentioned in previous post, all miniatures are by Onslaught.
These miniatures are very detailed, so you can paint them in several ways.

First, let me introduce boys I moved to 40K universe - Miles' jazz band Chaos noise marines of Slanesh.
I painted them in their characteristic "Blue in Green" colors, using standard technique - black undercoat and then blue, green, rotten flash and metal layers.

 They may be a little untidy, but please remember that they are 6mm scale.

 And here is Papa Miles himself:

Since the models are highly detailed, there is another, very simple way to paint these miniatures. You can undercoat them with some light color, and then just wash them.

That is what I did with these technocrat soldiers: I primed them yellow, then washed with green, brown or black ink depending of the unit, and finally highlighted helmets, backpacks and weapons.

 And here are all guys from above in a skirmish game:

 

Here are some more miniatures, the ones I am still to use in the combat. They are all temporary based on 2cm washers.

 

First some feather-brains chieftains, painted by layering. With little patience you can paint every feather on them in different color, but for 6mm it would be too much.



 

And finally some bugs, painted by mixing two methods mentioned above: