Han Solo Blaster

 

Greeting fellow Grognards and Young Guard!

As I said, there would be more to follow soon, and here you have it!  Today I'm posting a little project I've been working on for Dragon Con 2024.  Can't say too much, but maybe the below will give you a little clue.

The kit is a 3D printed multi-part kit of Han Solo's blaster from Star Wars A New Hope.

After cleaning up the remains of supports, sanding surfaces and gluing this together, I gave it two coats of flat black spray primer- base coat.

After letting it dry, I went at making it look worn and used.  I only need to find to screws that will fit into the handle to look like those used to keep the handle grips in place.

After painting, I gave it two coats of matte clear coat for durability.

I had a lot of fun putting this one together and weathering it.  I'll count this as one mini for tracking purposes and that takes me to '100' minis painted for the year on the record.

Remember, Han shot first!   GAME ON!

PAINTED MINIATURES SCOREBOARD:

2021 Painted Miniatures: 169

2022 Painted Miniatures: 214

2023 Painted Miniatures: 544

2024 Painted Miniatures:  100 (more to come...SOON!)

Star Wars Galactic Heroes

 

5/4/24

Greetings fellow Grognards and Young Guard!  Hope you are all doing well!  For this installment, I've dug into the picture archives, in honor of the May the 4th Celebration!

Last year, my daughter, cats (you'll see!) and I slugged it out on a 4' x 4' battlefield in a small section of Tatooine.  The scenario set a Rebel force against local Imperial Police Force of Sandtroopers.  Objective for the Rebels was to cross the board and highjack the cargo shuttle.  For the Sandtroopers, it was prevent the shuttle from being taken.  

Sandtroopers started with a stimulation that they could not proceed towards the shuttle, which was on the opposite corner of the board, same deployment side as their forces, until they were either fired upon but the Rebels or passed a skill test to perceive/ detect the Rebels headed to the ship.

Luckily for the Stormtroopers, it only took until the second turn when the Rebels decided to take the initiative and cut loose on the unsuspecting Imperial forces!  Damn the Rebel scum!

The battle was fast and furious!  Unfortunately, we had to cut the battle short!  The Young Guard had done well, but the Imperial forces did enough damage to the Rebels to drive them off to call it a win for the Grognard!

REBEL STRIKE TEAM

IMPERIAL SANDTROOPERS

OBJECTIVE:  REBELS STEAL THE SHUTTLE

CAPTAIN SAM:  'EYEING' THE BATTLE FIELD (NOTE:  He only has one eye, so really, he is literally eyeing the battlefield.)

'CAT'-MAND DECISIONS

PONDERING THE BATTLE PLAN

THE REBEL OBJECTIVE

REBEL SCUM...er...STRIKE TEAM

BRAVE IMPERIAL SANDTROOPERS

DEPLOYMENT

SIR...THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME COMMOTION OVER THERE...

REBELS...BLAST'EM!

SWEEPING THE FLANK

PINNED DOWN

TROOPERS DOWN...REBELS NEARING THE SHUTTLE

CAPTAIN!  DOWN GOES THE REBEL LEADER!

SANDTROOPERS PRESS THE BATTLE WHILE THE SNIPER FINDS NEW TARGETS.

SO CLOSE.....

CAPTAIN DOWN...SANDTROOPER CLOSE IN.

SANDTROOPERS CONVERGE ON THE SHUTTLE.

PRESSING THE BATTLE, SANDTROOPERS SURGE FORWARD.

BATTLE ENDS...AN IMPERIAL VICTORY!

FOUR REBELS LEFT, BUT SHOT UP HEAVILY....

FOUR IMPERIALS REMAIN, BUT HEALTHY!

OLLIE READY FOR THE POST GAME PIZZA PARTY!

Simple Conversions for Galactic Heroes or Xenos Rampant - Gran Raider aka Ree Yees

Welcome fellow Wargamers to another installment of 'Of Dice and Army Men'!

Before I get too deep into the armies I have painted for Dragon Rampant, I have been working on a little side project for Galactic Heroes or Xenos Rampant.  It all started with an idea I had a few years ago and the Gran Raider figure from Star Wars Miniatures Game.

As you can see, this guy is not properly outfitted, in my humble opinion, for survival in the Star Wars universe.  He, for whatever reason, is bringing a knife to a blaster fight.

Now these minis are fairly cheap, likely for that very reason.  I have acquired a few and an evil plan has began to take shape!  Evil, quite evil....

As goes with the Grognard name, I have been playing wargames for quite some time.  I was introduced to table top wargames back in 1992, by some friends who were playing Warhammer 40K, Rogue Trader.  Times were different then, and we purchased boxes of plastic marines, 30 to a box if I recall correctly and just built our chapters out to massive numbers.  To do the same today, would like run the same cost as funding the next space shot to Mars.  But I digress...

So, having had many 'beakie' marines, I also was left with a pile of alternate arms, weapons, and accessories.

Lighting struck and when I saw this Gran Raider, he was destined to go under the knife.  Through the wonders of conversion, I removed both his arms (into the bits box they went) and glued on a right and left arm from my 'beakie' marine bits box.

I painted some additional details onto the marine arms to match the existing details on the Gran Raider model, repeat and 'voila', a squad of troops ready for the Galactic Heroes game!

 With some use of a power glove and bolter from the bits, I created a 'Sergeant' for the squad as well.

So, here is the full squad for your review.

There are many minis out there that can be repurposed and converted for your games.  In many cases, they can be done cheaply as well.

PAINTED MINIATURES SCOREBOARD:

2021 Painted Miniatures: 169

2022 Painted Miniatures: 214

2023 Painted Miniatures: 35

Until next time fellow Grognards and Young Guard, keep your fingers clear of your Xacto knife and Game On!

 

Fistful of Lead - game markers

 Welcome fellow Grognards and Young Guard!  Today I thought I'd bring you a quick look at some markers I made for Fistul of Lead from Wiley Games, using copies of their free PDF file for the markers and some wooden chips from the wood craft section at Hobby Lobby.

The chips used are somewhere between the size of a nickel and a quarter.  They come 12 to a pack, which is very convenient as the paper markers come in groups of 8 or so.  You can work out the numbers needed easily (even using the NEW math of today's schools!)

After wood gluing each marker which I cut in the shape of a circle (or attempted to do so) to one side of the wooden nickels, I let them dry.  I then painted acrylic paint around and sometimes onto the marker to give them a unique look.

Once painted on each side and given time to dry, I brushed on gloss Mod Podge to protect the paper marker, the paint and give them so shine.  Below is the fruits of my labor!

Of course, you can avoid all of this silliness and purchase your markers directly from Wiley Games!

Whichever way you chose, you will find them fairly inexpensive.

So, when the chips are down, keep your poker face firm and GAME ON!

PAINTED MINIATURES SCOREBOARD:

2021 Painted Miniatures: 169

2022 Painted Miniatures: 214

Fistful of Lead - Galactic Heroes - Terrain Special Part III

Welcome back fellow Grognards and Young Guard!  Today we venture out of the rocky wastes of Tatooine and into the town space of Mos Eisely.  Quite frankly, the building can serve for any of your western town games as well.

Below are some mounds that I made out of some scrap pink insulation foam board.  Cut to shape, and hot glued together, they are based on some scrap cardboard.  Prior to painting, I coated them in the fluffy light drywall spackle.  This measure is to prevent the foam from being dissolved by the aerosol paint I later used for the base coating.  After base coating these, I worked them up in dark to light browns to add contrast and highlight detail.

 

Next up are some 3D printed buildings I found for cheap on eBay.  The three similar buildings are 28mm, while the larger building is actually to 32mm scale.  While not much of a difference appearance wise, it does create a small issue with larger Legion scale figures fitting in the buildings due to height difference when the roofs are applied.

Somewhere in the future, I will likely buy some 32mm scale buildings to replace these for my Legion scale games and keep these for my smaller 28mm figure games.

Now, to bring all this talk of terrain together, below are some pics bringing in the hills, building and some scatter terrain! (forgot to put in a miniature when I was taking the pics!)

In addition, I just wanted to throw in a bonus miniature.  I am not taking credit for painting this one and I don't actually know who the painter is, but I purchased it online.  The model is outstanding and will serve us well!

Next up, something a little different...It's just a jump to the left....

Game tokens for Fistful of Lead!

So until next time...and a step to the right...and GAME ON!

PAINTED MINIATURES SCOREBOARD:

2021 Painted Miniatures: 169

2022 Painted Miniatures: 213