28mm Science Fiction Skirmish Gaming - Traveller, Stargrave, 5150, etc

Home Return to My Painting and Modeling Log


October 2024


Painted: 6 Characters
Total: 367 Characters
Humans: 150, Aliens: 209, Droids: 34, Plants: 44, Ladders: 4, Creatures: 23, Building: 2, Scatter Objectives: 39, Lander: 1

In and amongst all the 15mm figures I've been painting, I managed to complete some more 28mm Science Fiction figures that have been sitting around for nearly two years. First up, I finished the final two members of my Murisaen crew from Novegia, Eekacheep Gnaw and Rkk Rachew. Again, these were Games Workshop Clanrats with weapons from Bitzbox (the handgun) and Northstar. Eekacheep Gnaw's pauldron is also from Bitzbox.

Left to Right: Eekacheep Gnaw and Rkk Rachew. Eekacheep has had his left arm removed so I could replace it with the cultist rifle and arms set from Northstar. Rkk Rachew retains the original Clanrat left arm.

Left to Right: Brother Goran Falx, Jeymelan Ortax, and Fel Sharan. These are resin prints I picked up from an Etsy store. They, the droid below, and a fourth member of the team (memo to self, resin is fragile, do not drop resin figures on the floor) are probably modeled on a Warhammer 40,000 Kill Team. To me, they could be Cultists, Hive Gangers, or similar Dystopian marauders. I seem to recall I replaced Jeymelan Ortax's arms and weapons with a Northstar arms and rifle combo, which came out quite nicely.

I'm not a huge fan of chainswords, but Brother Falx's came out quite well.

From the "What the Hell is that?" department, every Killteam obviously needs a floating, heavily armed, partially metal, skull.

Skullbot appears to be armed with a flamer. And there you have it, Skullbot is a Servo-Skull, often found in the retinue of an Inquisitor, which matches my thoughts that this group of figures was originally a Killteam.


August 2022


Painted: 8 Characters
Rebased: 2 Character
Rebase total: 25 Aliens, 28 Humans
Total: 361 Characters
Humans: 147, Aliens: 207, Droids: 33, Plants: 44, Ladders: 4, Creatures: 23, Building: 2, Scatter Objectives: 39, Lander: 1

Rebasing for August.

In August, I rebased two more Ground Zero Games UNSC troopers, painted up as Traveller Marines.

There's a nice, old-school vibe about these true-25mm figures.

Left to Right: Fae Graal - Feterrik Sniper. The Feterrik are an insectoid species adapted for sub-aquatic or thin atmosphere life zones. This figure is part of the Northstar Specialist Soldiers: Snipers pack; the gadget - some sort of follow-spot, beam projector, or scanner - is from Archon Studios Dungeons and Lasers Science Fiction Bits set, now stocked by Northstar Figures.

Rear View: Left to Right: Fae Graal - Feterrik Sniper, and gadget.


July 2022


Painted: 7 Characters
Rebased: 1 Character
Rebase total: 25 Aliens, 26 Humans
Total: 358 Characters
Humans: 145, Aliens: 206, Droids: 33, Plants: 44, Ladders: 4, Creatures: 23, Building: 2, Scatter Objectives: 38, Lander: 1

Rebasing for July.

I rebased the first of my United Nations Space Command (UNSC) figures from Ground Zero Games. When I bought these some years ago, I intended to use them as Imperial Marines for Traveller.

The UNSC troopers have a similar shaped helmet to the very distinctive Imperial Marine Battledress helmet.

I also managed to complete some new figures.

Left to Right: Gason "Bugeyes" Valb - Sniper. Northstar Specialist Soldier; Jofene Jhones - Adventurer. Alternative Armies Betrayer Alpha; Alkab Akemi - mechanic. Northstar Robotic Expert.

Rear View: Left to Right: Gason "Bugeyes" Valb - Sniper; Jofene Jhones - Adventurer; Alkab Akemi - mechanic.

Phelphishey Pharnam - Mercenary. Rogue Stars Soldier of Fortune from Northstar Figures.

Rear View: Phelphishey Pharnam - Mercenary.

A pack of Charnel Hounds. These are actually 15mm scale Hellborn Charnel Hounds from Onslaught Miniatures. They stand about man-high in 15mm but in 28mm they work well as a pack of attack dogs.

Reverse view of the Charnel Hounds.

Left to Right: Squeek Kah, Neekacheep Che, and Skrateek Rek - the final three members of my Murisaen crew from Novegia. Converted Games Workshop Clanrats with weapons courtesy of Bitbox. Squeek Kah's body took a bit of trimming so I could pass the needle rifle under his chin. I also carved off his left arm so I could use the arm attached to the rifle.

Rear View: Left to Right: Squeek Kah, Neekacheep Che, and Skrateek Rek - the final three members of my Murisaen crew from Novegia. Skrateek Rek has a surplus knife blade transplanted onto his left hand.

Murisaens are coming for YOU!

Some random street furniture or objective markers - an escaped brain, a droid you might be looking for, and an empty storage box.

The brain is an objective marker from Stargrave's Loot Pack 1, the droid I picked up on Etsy (he's actually 32mm scale but, being a droid, fits with 28mm figures, and the box is from Archon Studios Dungeons and Lasers Science Fiction Bits set, now stocked by Northstar Figures.


June 2022


Painted: 9 Characters
Rebased: 2 Characters
Rebase total: 25 Aliens, 25 Humans
Total: 345 Characters
Humans: 141, Aliens: 202, Droids: 32, Plants: 44, Ladders: 4, Creatures: 18, Building: 2, Scatter Objectives: 36, Lander: 1

Rebasing for June.

Rebasing for June. Left to Right: Olan Oh - Freedom Fighter, SLS-09 female terrorist from Ground Zero Games's Street Level range; Vemi-17 - Synthetic las-gunner, SF25 Female Adventurer from Denizen Miniatures.

Rear View. Left to Right: Olan Oh - Freedom Fighter; Vemi-17 Synthetic las-gunner.

I completed and painted up the second pack of four "cargo containers" from 4Ground I bought as part of their closing down sale.

Three Frostgrave Chronohounds. I rebased them in keeping with the basing style I've been using for my Science Fiction creatures.

I have no idea what they do in Frostgrave but they look pretty good as some sort of alien hunting dog for Stargrave/5 Parsecs from Home.

Two loot items from North Star's Stargrave range - a box of pretty stones and a small service'droid.

Just the thing to place on the table as objectives.

Federation Space Troops from Denizen Miniatures - two troopers with ACRs and an Officer.

Rear View: Federation Space Troops. There's tons of detail on these figures and their backpacks come separately. They are true 25mm scale so mix well with older Grenadier Traveller figures, early Games Workshop Spacefarers, and Ground Zero Games Stargrunt ranges, but they are small when compared to 28mm Stargrave figures.

Left to Right: Amaulan Fouthariak Gossam - Hipporian Hunter. A resized 3D print from Mini Mayhem; Kher'stk - Hunter. Games Workshop Kroot; Vorman Takk - Adventurer. Stargrave crewman.

Rear View: Left to Right: Amaulan Fouthariak Gossam - Hipporian Hunter; Kher'stk - Hunter; Vorman Takk - Adventurer.

Left to Right: Algan Etra - security specialist. A converted Rifts Psi-stalker; Seminarian of the Ferenti - the Obeisant Order of Sarrigarisan the Ascendant. Body and arms are from the Beyond the Gates of Antares Freeborn Domari sprue, head is from Anvil Industry Brodie Gladiator Helmets.

Rear View: Left to Right: Algan Etra - security specialist; Seminarian of the Ferenti - the Obeisant Order of Sarrigarisan the Ascendant.

Left to Right: Critter #4. I had bought four critters from a local seller, some sort of Dungeons and Dragons monster as I recall. I painted up three of them in May and finished the final one in June; Drog Goglog - Ogryn gunner. I've always quite liked these giant abhumans but the models have got increasingly nightmarish and expensive over the years. This fellow was bought as pieces from Bitbox and then put together. Nice to see that the Ripper Gun has not got smaller over the years.

Left to Right: Drog Goglog - Ogryn gunner; Vorman Takk - Adventurer. Ogryn are big! And they can really lay the hurt down with their Ripper Gun!

"Space Elf Landing Pad" SFG020 from TTCombat, bought through Mighty Ape. This may have been an end-of-line item as I can only find the assembly instructions on TTCombat's webstore.

I haven't glued the legs or stairs to the landing pad, so it takes up less room when in storage.

The landing pad is quite a substantual structure - as you can see by the 28mm figure and the gunship model.


May 2022


Painted: 27 Characters
Rebased: 4 Characters
Rebase total: 25 Aliens, 23 Humans
Total: 334 Characters
Humans: 135, Aliens: 199, Droids: 31, Plants: 44, Ladders: 4, Creatures: 14, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 31, Lander: 1

Rebasing for May.

Rebasing for May: Left to Right: Pol Tak Pan - Kiang Officer. Tzacol from Onslaught Miniatures. The Kiang are a Minor race in my Traveller campaign, dominated by the Kalar-Wi and used as a form of sepoy troops; Roscon "Ros" Kiapan - Adventurer. A Ground Zero Games figure - SLS-25 from the 25mm Street Level range, I think; C'chur Cawrr - Avian Adventurer. An Avian from CP Models; Lajeen Shal - Mid-Tech trooper. SF56 from Denizen Miniatures.

Rear View: Left to Right: Pol Tak Pan - Kiang Officer; Roscon "Ros" Kiapan - Adventurer; C'chur Cawrr - Avian Adventurer; Lajeen Shal - Mid-Tech trooper.

I bought this set of four "cargo containers" from 4Ground at the same time I bought the MDF stairs. Again, these items were laser-cut in thin MDF and some assembly was required.

Man-bun wearing Elgan Faresse acts as Captain Scale, showing how big the cargo containers are.

Left to Right: nest with space eggs; Smallbot. Both the space egg nest and Smallbot are from Northstar's Loot tokens set; Glass Spider from Northstar's Frostgrave Glass Spider set.

Left to Right: Blue - wardog. Tricked up guard dog from Northstar's Stargrave range; manipulator arm, and storage container - two further pieces of Sci-Fi street furniture from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range of SciFi customization bits I picked up through a Trademe trade; K-Nine - attack caninedroid, also from Northstar's Stargrave range.

Rear view: Left to Right: Blue - wardog; manipulator arm, and storage container - two further pieces of Sci-Fi street furniture; K-Nine - attack caninedroid.

Three critters - I bought these from a local seller and can't recall what they were, except some sort of D&D monster. I think the seller had 3D printed the figures as there was flash on the spines and one of the arms on one of the critters hadn't printed completely.

I was able to fix the half-printed arm with some polyfilla to round it out. They were quite fun to paint up.

I made up another selection of plants - some singles and some doubles, and some with painted leaf tips.

Man-bun wearing Elgan Faresse acts as Captain Scale, showing how big the plants are.

A different style of plant - disassembled a $2 shop plastic plant mat, glued the boles to bases, and painted the leaf tips.

En masse, they don't look too bad.

I finished off the final staircase I bought from 4Ground as part of their closing down sale.

Made from laser-cut MDF, they look quite good when assembled and painted.

A Xeec'xer Motile Nest guard unit - the Xeec'xer are a nest-building insectoid species. This figure is a Starfinder RPG Miniature: Anacite Laborer I got through Mighty Ape, though it is currently out of stock.

The motile units are physically upgraded through a series of body modifications.

Left to Right: Krekk Va, Brey Nerq Re, Chuda Ma, Grek So, and Atekk Erk - Murisaen crew from Novegia. Converted Games Workshop Clanrats. The extreme left and extreme right rats have had their weapon arms swapped with gun arms from Wargames Atlantic Lizardmen set. Second left and second right rats have their ratty arms, but their weapons swapped out with Games Workshop Warhammer 40k weapons from Bitzbox. The middle ratty has a Genestealer Cult gun arm and flamer, also from Bitzbox.

Rear view: Left to Right: Krekk Va, Brey Nerq Re, Chuda Ma, Grek So, and Atekk Erk - Murisaen crew from Novegia. Chuda Ma and Grek So have been armed with blades that were part of the accessories with the Clanrat set.

The Murisaen crew - sneakers and Skulkers.

Left to Right: Two Vargr members of the Group Unity Teaching Path - a Vargr cult. These guys started off as Frostgrave Gnolls, with the addition of weapons from the Cultist Sci-Fi Accessory pack; Taitua Hahruguun - Fas'ini Adventurer. Body from the Frostgrave Demons box, arms from the Stargrave Mercenaries box, head from the Stargrave Crew box; F'reep C'nar - Avian Adventurer from CP Models. He sort of looks like this one but has a different head.

Rear View: Left to Right: Two Vargr members of the Group Unity Teaching Path - a Vargr cult; Taitua Hahruguun - Fas'ini Adventurer; F'reep C'nar - Avian Adventurer.

My Vargr crew en masse.

Quite the savage bunch.

There seems to be a disturbing number of Cultists amongst them.

Left to Right: Gharsuh Isralnehn, Rhocaloar Tabbiyasa, Masisk Illoyan, and Arioach Asrian - Kihyri raiders. Oathmark Elf heads, Northstar Cultist Sci Fi Weapons (though Rhocaloar Tabbiyasa has a set of Stargrave arms and weapon), and Oathmark Cultist bodies.

Rear view: Left to Right: Gharsuh Isralnehn, Rhocaloar Tabbiyasa, Masisk Illoyan, and Arioach Asrian - Kihyri raiders.

My Kihyri Raider crew, ready to loot and pillage.

Gene Renegades, Mutants, or Converted - four hybrids. Left to Right: #1 Frostgrave crew body, Wargames Atlantic Giant Spider limbs, Games Workshop Dark Elder arms and weapons, Games Workshop Genestealer head; #2 Frostgrave crew body, Wargames Atlantic Giant Spider limbs, Frostgrave Cultist arms and head; #3 Frostgrave Cultist body, head and right arm, Wargames Atlantic Giant Spider limbs and weapon arm; #4 Frostgrave crew body, Frostgrave Cultist arms and head, Wargames Atlantic Giant Spider limbs

Rear View of the Gene Renegades, Mutants, or Converted.

Detailed look at the Gene Renegade/Mutant/Converted heavy weapons operator: Frostgrave crew body, Wargames Atlantic Giant Spider limbs, Games Workshop Dark Elder arms and weapons, Games Workshop Genestealer head.

Six more Space Dwarves.

Left to Right: Thror Gunnarsson, Hrolf Ekkel and Raring Ingstrom; Thror has an Oathmark Dwarf Infantry body while Hrolf and Raring Ingstrom have Oathmark Dwarf Light Infantry bodies. All three have Stargrave Starship Crew or Mercenary arms and weapons and Dwarf Light Infantry heads.

Rear View: Left to Right: Thror Gunnarsson, Hrolf Ekkel and Raring Ingstrom with various accessories.

Left to Right: Nain Olaffsson, Pál Ondaergat, Þrain Bláhettu; Nain and Þrain have Oathmark Dwarf Light Infantry bodies, while Pál has a Oathmark Dwarf Infantry body. All three have Stargrave arms and weapons from either the Crew or Mercenary sprues. Heads are from the Oathmark Dwarf sets.

Rear View: Left to Right: Nain Olaffsson, Pál Ondaergat, Þrain Bláhettu; with accessories from various sprues.

Full Space Dwarf crew.

Close-up of the right-hand end of the group - mainly standard Oathmark Dwarf bodies, unarmoured heads and Stargrave arms and weapons.

Close-up of the left-hand end of the group - mainly Oathmark Dwarf Light Infantry bodies, unarmoured heads and Stargrave arms and weapons.

Left to Right: Col Aternassi - Delivery Agent, Stargrave body and arms, Frostgrave Barbarian head; Ignatio Drilano - AI specialist and Droid wrangler, North Star metal figure; Elgan Faresse - Adventurer, Stargrave body and arms, Oathmark Barbarian head.

Rear View: Left to Right: Col Aternassi - Delivery Agent; Ignatio Drilano - AI specialist and Droid wrangler; Elgan Faresse - Adventurer.


April 2022


Painted: 8 Characters
Rebased: 2 Characters
Rebase total: 23 Aliens, 21 Humans
Total: 332 Characters
Humans: 128, Aliens: 179, Droids: 24, Plants: 23, Ladders: 3, Creatures: 9, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 22, Lander: 1

Rebasing for April.

Rebasing for April. Left to Right: Matamata Smith - Adventurer. SF74 from Denizen Miniatures; Katya Polowski - Adventurer. I think she's from Ground Zero Games but I can't recall which range. Her left ankle snapped while I was cutting off her original base, but I managed to repin it.

Rebasing for April. Rear view. Left to Right: Matamata Smith - Adventurer; Katya Polowski - Adventurer.

I bought some model plants from a seller in China, and there was a good reason they were cheap. As I have accumulated a large pile of round bases, I hit on a solution. Snipping the pointy end of the plant stalk off, I was able to drill a hole in the stalk and glue in a segment of quilting pin. I then covered the base with PVA and sand, painted it, and then drilled a hole through it. The quilting pin sticking out of the stalk then fitted nicely into the hole drilled in the base and, voilà, a plant.

I added some splashes of colour to the tips of the the leaves of some of the plants to break up the green.

As an experiment, I made up a couple of bases with extra plants and a large stone from the local path.

I saw a report that 4Ground is in the process of shutting down. I picked up a number of items, including these staircases. The kits were relatively easy to assemble, but really fiddly at the final stage where the other hand rail is joined to the initial handrail and tread combo.

When completed, the staircases don't look too bad, in my opinion.

Two more pieces of Sci-Fi street furniture from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range of SciFi customization bits I picked up through a Trademe trade - an ammunition box and a computer monitor.

Rear view of the street furniture.

Bot collection: Left to Right: Dark Heaven - XairBot (Small). A Reaper Bones figure I got through Mighty Ape; two Frostgrave Glass Spiders; Warbot - Concord Support Drone from Warlord Games.

Rear view: Bot collection: Left to Right: Dark Heaven - XairBot (Small); two Glass Spiders; Warbot.

Left to Right: Gisu Jahlan - mercenary; Aubish Cobleen - mercenary. Bodies are from Warlord Games Concord Strike Squad and heads from CP Models - the head on the left is from Mixed Alien Heads, while that on the right is an alternative head for Hent.

Rear view: Left to Right: Gisu Jahlan - mercenary; Aubish Cobleen - mercenary.

Adventurers or Henchmen. Left to Right: Corban Yonn - Ice World explorer. Body from Northstar's Frostgrave Barbarians, arms from the Stargrave Mercenaries box, and the head from the Stargrave Crew set. The large handgun at his side is from CP Models; Jorge Halissa - Ice World explorer. Body from Northstar's Frostgrave Barbarians, head is from Frostgrave's Ghost Archipelago crewmen box, arms are probably from Stargrave's Mercenaries set; Orf Angane - Henchman. Body and Arms from Stargrave's Crew box, head from Frostgrave's Ghost Archipelago crewmen box.

Rear View Adventurers or Henchmen. Left to Right: Corban Yonn - Ice World explorer; Jorge Halissa - Ice World explorer; Orf Angane - Henchman.

Left to Right: Rhani Taikor - Security Guard or Henchman. IA150 Alternative Armies Betrayer Urbanite; Luka Skyulker - Psionic Adventurer. A Psionic from Northstar's Rogue Stars collection; Enga a'Toli - Henchman. Malvernis Soldier from Reaper Miniatures. I can only find the metal version of the Malvernis Soldier in the Chronoscope range on the Reaper website, even though my figure was from the Reaper Bones range.

Rear View. Left to Right: Rhani Taikor - Security Guard or Henchman; Luka Skyulker - Psionic Adventurer; Enga a'Toli - Henchman.


March 2022


Painted: 22 Characters
Rebased: 3 Characters
Rebase total: 23 Aliens, 19 Humans
Total: 318 Characters
Humans: 119, Aliens: 178, Droids: 20, Creatures: 9, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 20, Lander: 1

Rebasing for March.

Left to Right: "Con" DeValis - Loadmaster. Cargo Officer from eM4; Eccan Hurb - Adventurer. A slightly converted Singer with Heavy Pistol from eM4 - I lopped off the microphone in his left hand; Garlo Inggar - Adventurer. I think this guy is from the RAFM Rifts range - some of which are still available.

Rear View, Left to Right: "Con" DeValis - Loadmaster; Eccan Hurb - Adventurer; Garlo Inggar - Adventurer.

New figures painted this month - a squad of six Kalar-Wi troopers. In my Traveller campaign, the Kalar-Wi are an aggressive, humanoid species, not very friendly towards the Imperium. These figures are Ventauran Space Troops from Denizen Miniatures - note: these figures are closer to 25mm than 28mm.

Rear view of the troopers. The backpacks are cast separately and seem to be some sort of life support system for the sealed combat armour.

Left to Right: Khar'tk - Games Workshop Kroot; Fluffy - a Geirshan fang hunter. One of the Specialist Soldier: Guard Dogs set from Northstar Miniatures; Phenelle Chaster - mercenary. An old Necromunda figure, I think. I added the pistol and right arm with submachine gun from my bit box; Timaru Jane - adventurer. A not-"Lara Croft" figure (CM-03) from Ground Zero Games

Rear View: Left to Right: Khar'tk - gunman; Fluffy - a Geirshan fang hunter; Phenelle Chaster - mercenary; Timaru Jane - adventurer.

Left to Right: Master Froon Skulphoh - Hesmayin Psy Master. A Northstar Miniatures Rogue Stars Psionic; Hurugor Hunn - FeyGene gunman. A Phagon with Laser Rifle from eM4; An Trelcher - bodyguard and adventurer. An old RAFM Rifts Scout from the Psi Stalker and Scouts pack. These figures are still available from Palladium's Book Store; Seka Cronnis - Caradavioi gunman from Iordarant. Stargrave bodyparts and head.

Rear View: Left to Right: Master Froon Skulphoh - Hesmayin Psy Master; Hurugor Hunn - FeyGene gunman; An Trelcher - bodyguard and adventurer; Seka Cronnis - Caradavioi gunman from Iordarant.

Left to Right: Joel Haggin and Blair Forran - cold weather gunmen. Frostgrave Barbarians from Northstar bodies, Stargrave arms and weapons, and helmet. The hooded head is possibly from either the Northstar Cultists, or the Barbarian pack; Elissa Morn and Chalindra Mahghanda - cold weather gunwomen. Frostgrave Soldiers II bodies, Stargrave Arms and heads. I was inspired to make an Ice Planet survey or survival team.

Rear View: Left to Right: Joel Haggin and Blair Forran - cold weather gunmen; Elissa Morn and Chalindra Mahghanda - cold weather gunwomen. My Ice Planet survey or survival team.

Left to Right: Lee Garbaldi, Lon Smyran, Ito Atakai, Pru Schnerh - cold weather adventurers. Bodies for Lee, Ito and Pru from Frostgrave's Soldiers II, Lon's body is a Stargrave Mercenary or Crewman. All arms and weapons are from Stargrave Mercenary or Crewman sprues. Ito and Pru's heads are from the Frostgrave Soldiers II sprue, Lon's head is from the Frostgrave Barbarian sprue, while Lee's head is from either the Stargrave Mercenary or Crewman spue.

Rear View: Left to Right: Lee Garbaldi, Lon Smyran, Ito Atakai, Pru Schnerh - cold weather adventurers.

I bought some cheap, plastic shrubs from a Chinese supplier, which turned out to be cheaper than I wanted. But! Then I had a cunning idea. I have a number of round figure bases of various sizes from various manufacturers. I sanded, painted, and flocked these. I then snipped off the spikey end of the shrub stalkes and carefully drilled a hole up the shaft (and yes, I did spike my thumb at one stage), drilled a corresponding hole in the base, and pinned the base and shrub together.

Two more items of Sci-Fi scatter terrain from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range of SciFi customization bits I picked up through a Trademe trade - gas cylinders and ammunition box.

Rear view of the gas cylinders, and the ammo box.


February 2022


Painted: 3 Characters
Rebased: 1 Character
Rebase total: 23 Aliens, 16 Humans
Total: 293 Characters
Humans: 106, Aliens: 167, Droids: 20, Creatures: 8, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 14, Lander: 1

Rebasing for February.

Officer Stanton Haines - Described as an Adventurer with Hand Laser, I thought he looked more like a cop when I painted him up. I think I picked him up with a couple of Phagons and several other civilians in the late 90's or early 2000's, painted him up a few years ago, and have now rebased him.

Rear view: Officer Stanton Haines. He reminds me a lot of characters from 2000 AD magazine - in particular Judge Dredd - where knee and shoulder pads are essential wearing.

Left to Right: Aeton Uln - Adventurer. Frostgrave Demon Infantry body, and Stargrave arms, head and accessories; D'vok Ene Trall - Assiki Adventurer. Ael Yael figure from the old Grenadier Traveller Alien Races boxed set.

Rear view: Left to Right: Aeton Uln - Adventurer; D'vok Ene Trall - Assiki Adventurer.

I think this figure is from Grenadier's Call of Cthulu range, or perhaps from RAFM, but I can't locate it on the Lost Miniatures wiki. It is some sort of monster, so perfect for an alien pouncer/predator.

This creature vaguely reminds me of the mutants in the ruined city in Andre Norton's novel Starman's Son.


January 2022


Painted: 6 Characters
Rebased: 1 Character
Rebase total: 23 Aliens, 15 Humans
Total: 289 Characters
Humans: 104, Aliens: 166, Droids: 20, Creatures: 7, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 14, Lander: 1

Rebasing for January.

Rebased this guy - Georg Worshingtan, an Space Merchant from the Cobalt-1 range, previously stocked by Black Hat Miniatures and now stocked by Bridge Miniatures - though I see from a post on the Lead Adventure Forum that the owner of Bridge Miniatures has been very ill and hasn't been in his workshop for nearly a year! That explains why his on-line store has no stock.

The Cobalt-1 range was sculpted by Bob Naismith back in the early 2000's and have a huge amount of detail. The humans are also closer to 32mm than 28mm.

Left to Right: Spam, Frito, Moxie, Pepsi, and Dildo - five Barghanses (inspired by the Boggies of Stye). The Barghanses are a monoculi humanoid species often found living in the lower levels of Hive Worlds. Cowardly, vicious and nasty, they specialise in extortion, blackmail and larceny. Bodies and arms are Wargames Atlantic Halflings, heads are Stargrave crew monoculus heads, weapons are random Science-Fiction weapons I have acquired from various sources.

Rear View: Left to Right: Spam, Frito, Moxie, Pepsi, and Dildo.

Another item - a Power Core - from the sprues from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range of SciFi customization bits I picked up through a Trademe trade.

Another view of the Power Core.

A Tarrax - a delightful Grey Render from Gateway Games. Perfect for both Fantasy and Science Fiction.

Just the sort of primordial force of nature to ruin a character's day.

Size comparison: Left to Right: Tarrax, a Barghanses, Georg Worshingtan.


December 2021


Painted: Nil
Rebased: 1 Character
Rebase total: 23 Aliens, 14 Humans
Total: 283 Characters
Humans: 104, Aliens: 161, Droids: 20, Creatures: 6, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 13, Lander: 1

Rebasing for December.

Rebased this fine bird - an Avian Alien with Pulse Rifle from CP Models. His name is R'cho Rhook.

I went for a vaguely Rosella look - one of the more colourful bird imports into New Zealand from Australia, and quite common in the Auckland area.


November 2021


Painted: 43 Characters
Rebased: 2 Characters
Rebase total: 22 Aliens, 14 Humans
Total: 283 Characters
Humans: 104, Aliens: 161, Droids: 20, Creatures: 6, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 13, Lander: 1

Rebasing for November.

The Kiang are a dimunitive alien race in my Traveller campaign. They are dominated by the Kalar-Wi and are used as sepoy-type troops. I have imaged them, using three different figure types, in three different scales. These figures are Tzacol are from Onslaught Miniatures. I removed their staff weapons and added firearms.

Kiang stand about 900mm tall (approximately 3 feet). Here they are with a human adventurer for scale.

Left to Right: Tsek'hal Xhun - Precursor Wanderer. Bounty Hunter Enyo from Wargames3D on Etsy - a fascinating figure, though very tall at 32mm; ammo case from Archon Studios; Kephle Chioon and Fal Gos Reen - Irinidi chimeric multi-forms from the Gukir system. Frostgrave Demon bodies and tails, Stargrave arms, CP Models Alien Heads.

Rear View. Left to Right: Tsek'hal Xhun - Precursor Wanderer; ammo case; Kephle Chioon and Fal Gos Reen - Irinidi chimeric multi-forms from the Gukir system.

Left to Right: Glorin Throrsson - Dwarf sniper from Battle Valor Games; Aedan Org - Adventurer and Henchman. Frostgrave Demon Body, Stargrave arms and weapons, Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago Crewman head; a Vent Crawler. D&D Figures Iron Cobra; Mauda Attalono - Adventurer and Henchperson. Body, head, and open hand from Frostgrave Wizards II, gunhand from Stargrave Crewmen.

Rear View. Left to Right: Glorin Throrsson - Dwarf sniper; Aedan Org - Adventurer and Henchman; a Vent Crawler; Mauda Attalono - Adventurer and Henchperson.

Left to Right: Bostar - Hominidae trooper. I had used all the Stargrave chimp heads on my initial Hominidae adventurers, and was able to boost crew numbers with a couple of pewter figures from Alternative Armies. Choosing a helmetfacemask style, I've added a couple of troopers, including Bostar, to the Hominidae roster; Likol Batar and Nimo Gualtr - two more Alquanti troopers. Bodies, heads and arms from the Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxed sets; Karlo Sanguano - henchman. Frostgrave Demon body, Stargrave arms, and Victrix Saxon head.

Rear View. Left to Right: Bostar - Hominidae trooper; Likol Batar and Nimo Gualtr - two more Alquanti troopers; Karlo Sanguano - henchman.

Seven Angry (or Deadly) Dwarves. Bodies by Oathmark, arms and weapons from Stargrave.

Rear view of the Seven Deadly Dwarves.

Left to Right: Ori "Snarky" Oinsson, Dori "Stabby" Oinsson, and Nori "Nasty" Thrainsson.

Rear View.

Left to Right: Philanbor "Phil" Gloinsson, Arbak "Aggro" Throrsson, Bifur "Bovva" Grimsson, and Bombur "Boom-boom" Dvalinsson.

Rear View.

Snow Fright and the Seven Angrey Dwarves. Snow Fright is from Hasslefree Miniatures.


October 2021


Painted: 26 Characters
Rebased: 5 Characters
Rebase total: 20 Aliens, 14 Humans
Total: 266 Characters
Humans: 101, Aliens: 147, Droids: 20, Creatures: 5, Building: 1, Scatter Objectives: 12, Lander: 1

A collection of rebased Adventurers - Left to Right: Toshii Io - Male Exotic from em4 Miniatures. A fun figure that reminds me of a heavily armed Leningrad Cowboy; Akcron Menshan - Merchant Prince or Politician from em4 Miniatures; Constans Murcherson - pistol-armed militiaman from Scotia Grendel; Esser Arnnet and Kolleen Josoon - female adventurer with pistol (SF28), and female crew member (SF26) from Denizen Miniatures.

Rear View: Left to Right: Toshii Io; Akcron Menshan; Constans Murcherson; Esser Arnnet and Kolleen Josoon.

Two Deimioi from Deimios; Shimek and Fortuuar. Northstar Frostgrave Demon heads, Frostgrave Ghost Archipelago crewman bodies, Stargrave Mercenary arms.

Backpacks and accessories from various kits.

Left to Right: Daithnah Paarshamauthil and Geemish Poulkantaker - two Gauth adventurers. The bodies are from Northstar's Ghost Archipelego Crew box, while the arms, weapons and heads are from the Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxes.

Rear view: Left to Right: Daithnah Paarshamauthil and Geemish Poulkantaker

I made up a squad of Troopers, possibly from the Essenaro Congress, from the Stargrave Troopers box. 1st Fireteam includes a sniper and the fireteam heavy support gunner.

I opted to make two of the troopers bareheaded. I filed the neck peg of the helmet head down and turned the head into a slung helmet for each of the two troopers.

2nd Fireteam has a missile launcher and team heavy support gunner.

The team leader has a data pad and a light assualt rifle.

The full squad.

Through a Trademe trade, I picked up a couple of sprues of SciFi customization bits that I later discovered were from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range. Left to Right: munitions box, and power module from Archon Studios, D&D Iron Defender, and gun drone from Archon Studios.

Rear View. Only the Iron Defender and the gun drone look any different.

Three more items from Archon Studio's Dungeons & Lasers range. Left to Right: Haz Waste tank, cryopod, and power module.

Rear view of Haz Waste tank, cryopod and power module.

Left to Right: Ajit osi Khallus - Kalar-Wi sniper. An Old Games Workshop Eldar from the 90's; Vikan Lansu - Auditor and Assassin from Battle Valor Games.

Rear view of the Sniper and the Assassin.

Left to right: Four Dar'bahr - old Chronopia 2336 Stygian Axemen and, no, I have no idea why I bought these - I'm guessing they were end-of-line in a bargain bin.

I decided on white lizards, rather than green or grey. I think they came out rather well.

Left to Right: Phol Nengren - itinerant traveler. Vaelent Goos from Zombiesmith; Mharsha Phenax - Psycher. A Psionicist from Northstar Military Figures; Vhun Shamarathra - Mystic/Martial Artist. A Mystic from Northstar Military Figures; Jhinny Cal Olbo - freelance Mercenary. Body and weapon from a Domari Squad sprue from Warlord Games, head from Northstar's Cultist Sci-Fi Accessory Pack; Lyl Antor - Adventurer; and Jax Natar - Space Pirate. Both figures are from Alternative Armies Space Marine and Adventurers Range.

Rear View: Left to Right: Phol Nengren - itinerant traveler; Mharsha Phenax - Psycher; Vhun Shamarathra - Mystic/Martial Artist; Jhinny Cal Olbo - freelance Mercenary; Lyl Antor - Adventurer; and Jax Natar - Space Pirate.

An industrial building made from recycled packaging and other bits and pieces.

The building is decorated with Gundam transfers.

Darn. Taggers in the future.


September 2021


Painted: 26 Characters
Rebased: 10 Characters
Rebase total: 20 Aliens, 9 Humans
Total: 240 Characters
Humans: 80, Aliens: 137, Droids: 19, Creatures: 4, Scatter Objectives: 7, Lander: 1

I rebased 10 figures this month. Firstly, five Kalar-Wi troopers. These Ventauran figures are from Denizen Miniatures. Lovely figures, closer to true 25mm than 28mm.

Five Characters/Adventurers/Minions. Left to Right: Arfur Fink - Cyberpunk Troll Security Guard - a figure I picked up in the 90's, not sure of the manufacturer; Alistir Gorlob hyphen fFarbes - Nobleman from, I think, em4 Miniatures, though I can't find him on their website; Daytar Jhones - a security officer - the wrap around eyeware was one of my earliest conversions (yay, greenstuff), again he's 25mm and from the 90's and I have no idea who made him; Clay Maybin and Malikie Carston - the two final gunmen from the Militia with Handguns pack from Scotia Grendel's Urban War range.

Rear view of the five Adventurers/Minions.

A pair of Leucrotta Dungeons and Dragons figures from Gateway Games. I thought these would paint up nicely as some sort of wildlife for Traveller, or 5 Parsecs.

I looked up the Leucrotta and they're a nasty monster in D&D terms, and even in the original mythology.

Left to Right: Khehersek, Chareserk and Shehereserek - three Cusserskus raiders. These are Northstar Snakemen. I have rearmed them with various firearms from various packs of SciFi weapons I've picked up over the last few years. Khehersek also has a com head set and a computer hand set from one of the other sprues I've been assembling

Rear view: Left to Right: Khehersek, Chareserk and Shehereserek - three Cusserskus raiders.

Chareserk, showing his pulse rifle, and Dr Andov Chorsorovich. Dr Chorsorovich is a pewter Northstar Stargrave character figure and is useful as a "standard height comparison" with other characters.

Left: Magmite from Northstar. I have used this as a Vent Crawler in 5 Parsecs. Right: Reaper Bones Computer Terminal

Rear view of Magmite and Computer Terminal

Dr Chorsorovich compares heights.

Left to Right: Aie'yah Ftaul, Wakhuae' Yu, Easa Faekhoureraohta, and Htou Kauhaew. Four Aslan. The three left hand figures are resin miniatures from Cold War Miniatures. The right hand miniature is a Northstar Miniatures Smuggler

Rear View: Left to Right: Left to Right: Aie'yah Ftaul, Wakhuae' Yu, Easa Faekhoureraohta, and Htou Kauhaew.

Height comparison: Aie'yah Ftaul, Dr Chorsorovich, and Easa Faekhoureraohta.

Left to Right: Gherlach support gunner. The Gherlach are a reptilian Minor race in my Traveller campaign; Oin Thrainsson - Dwarf sniper from Battle Valor Games; Kou'hter - Games Workshop Kroot sniper; Steevhan Kolan - patron and adventurer. I picked this figure up in the 90's and think it may have been from Shadowrun.

Rear View: Left to Right: Gherlach support gunner; Oin Thrainsson - Dwarf sniper; Kou'hter - Kroot sniper; Steevhan Kolan - patron and adventurer.

Height comparison: Dr Chorsorovich compares heights.

Left to Right: Kassandra Morghan - Frostgrave Wizards II body, head and left arm, Stargrave Crew(?) right arm; Filippa Artaan - Infiltrator Agent; Commander Illian Rhorlan - Ground Zero Games Female Crew member SLS-03; Uro Heurasha - Frostgrave Demons body, Frostgrave Wizards II arms, Cultist Sci-Fi Acessory pack hand gun.

Rear View: Left to Right: Kassandra Morghan; Filippa Artaan; Commander Illian Rhorlan; Uro Heurasha.

Left to Right: Two alien creatures - I think they were originally from some Call of Cthulu range, possibly by Grenadier?; Luurha Nun - Phagon with Needler; Ete Oul Jaffan - Reaper Bones Malvernis Soldier.

Rear View: Left to Right: Two alien creatures - I think they were originally from some Call of Cthulu range; Luurha Nun; Ete Oul Jaffan.

Height comparison: Dr Chorsorovich compares heights.

Left to Right: Dr Andov Chorsorovich - Medic; Four Deimioi from Deimios. Left to Right: Guulva - Frostgrave Female Wizard torso, Stargrave Crew or Merc arms, Frostgrave Demon head; Nuurran - Frostgrave Female Wizard torso, Stargrave Crew/Merc arms, Frostgrave Demon head; Hartok - Frostgrave Ghost Archipelago Crew torso, Stargrave Crew arms rocket launcher, Frostgrave Demon head; and Kharhor - Frostgrave Female Wizard torso, Stargrave Soldier arms, Frostgrave Demon head. All Deimioi carry a large knief as part of their cultural identity.

Rear View: Left to Right: Dr Andov Chorsorovich, Guulva, Nuurran, Hartok and Kharhor.

Left to Right: Lee Jaoh Terraqui - Vehakelai Mercenary. Conversion using a Concord body and a CP Models alien head; three more Lizardmen from Wargames Atlantic. The left one has been re-armed with a pulse pistol from a pack of science fiction weapons, while the right two are armed with AK-47s, straight out of the box.

Rear View: Left to Right: Lee Jaoh Terraqui and three Lizardmen.

Height comparison with Dr Andov Chorsorovich.

Left to Right: Gvaegnogz and Vekourr - two Ouhoow raiders. I think these figures were for the RPG Rifts. I have converted them by adding handguns; Reka Hoursa - Port Official. A PF sculpt of Doseki Mullimbits from Zombiesmith; Brother Loras Garn - a Cultist. A Dark Disciple from back in the day Citadel Miniatures.

Rear View: Left to Right: Gvaegnogz and Vekourr - two Ouhoow raiders; Reka Hoursa - Port Official; Brother Loras Garn - a Cultist.

Height comparison with Dr Andov Chorsorovich.

Liisa Sendo - Adventurer. Denizen Miniatures Adventurer SF28; Fan Wa - Mystic and Assassin, from Northstar; JJ Marsh - Adventurer. Torso from Frostgrave Demons, head from Frostgrave Ghost Achipelago Crew, arms from Stargrave Crew box; Nen Colpi - Caradavioi trooper. Torso, arms and head from the Stargrave Crew or Mercenaries boxes.

Rear View: Liisa Sendo - Adventurer; Fan Wa - Mystic and Assassin; JJ Marsh - Adventurer; Nen Colpi - Caradavioi trooper.

Left to Right: Granny Goodness and Pip - Smuggler and dragonette pet. Rogue Stars Smuggler from Northstar Miniatures; Unsue - porter. From Zombiesmith; Gii Anandan and Friski - security guard with lizard pet. Another member of the Zombiesmith starport crew. The lizard pet is sitting on Gii Anandan's shoulder.

Rear View: Left to Right: Granny Goodness and Pip - Smuggler and dragonette pet; Unsue - porter; Gii Anandan and Friski - security guard with lizard pet.

Height comparison: Dr Chorsorovich compares heights.


August 2021


Painted: 47 characters
Rebased: 19 Characters
Rebase total: 15 Aliens, 4 Humans
Total: 178 Characters
Humans: 72, Aliens: 106, Droids: 19, Scatter Objectives: 7, Lander: 1

First group of rebased figures from my initial 2015 burst of painting 25/28mm figures. Left to Right: Gheran Lidan - armoured trooper. An Alien Major from CP Models; Dahulan "Dawleen" Beshan - a personality figure from eM4's Spacelords range; Phuamba Phaphuna - Phuamba Phaphuna's people are known as "boomers", evolving from marsh-dwelling hunters they retain the enlarged skull and sinus cavities used by their ancestors to communicate across the pools and meres of their ancestral planet. This figure is the 'Leader of the Hired Guns' from CP Models. I went with the Alien Head option; Anton Grimm - gunman. One of the Militia with Handguns pack from Scotia Grendel's Urban War range.

Rear View, Left to Right: Gheran Lidan - armoured trooper; Dahulan "Dawleen" Beshan; Phuamba Phaphuna; Anton Grimm - gunman.

Left to Right: Ftaeloah Lalihow - Aslan crewman. Finding Aslan in 25/28mm is nearly impossible. While he lacks the mane of an Aslan male, needs must. He's a Lancer Captain from Bombshell Miniatures; Frederick "Frank" Neen - gunman. Another of the Militia with Handguns pack from Scotia Grendel. The reason I originally bought this set was for this guy - the figure that Ed of Two Hour Wargames uses for his main character, Billy Pink; Geen Hastro - Federation Trooper (SF36) from Denizen Miniatures.

Rear View Left to Right: Ftaeloah Lalihow - Aslan crewman; Frederick "Frank" Neen - gunman; Geen Hastro - Federation Trooper.

Left to Right: Randolf Racoon - sidekick from Bomshell Miniatures; Leit tio Hasshan - Kalar-Wi assassin. An old Games Workshop Eldar Scout; 4-Aroah-2 - homonculus engineer. Sidekick called Shrapnel from Bombshell Miniatures.

Rear View Left to Right: Randolf Racoon - sidekick; Leit tio Hasshan - Kalar-Wi assassin; 4-Aroah-2 - homonculus engineer.

Height comparison between Homonculus, Human, Kalar-Wi, Aslan.

Three Gherlach - a reptilian Minor Race from the Klarthur Confederacy in Aemilor Subsector, in my Traveller campaign. The Gherlach are similar to Bwaps, though more aggressive. These are converted old Fantasy Lizardmen, with some Warhammer 40K weapons.

Rear View three Gherlach.

Left to Right: Lloeg Kfuengghoung, Engka Fothoutsue, Ougvorrufozi On - Vargr Raiders. Before the Northstar Gnolls came out for conversion to Vargr, I found these Ar-Men from the Cobalt-1 range, previously at Black Hat Miniatures and now at Bridge Miniatures.

Rear View Left to Right: Lloeg Kfuengghoung, Engka Fothoutsue, Ougvorrufozi On - Vargr Raiders.

Left to Right: Uetho Dhogvurs, Ikhsalun Urruers, and Khaegourroun Kson. Another three Ar-Men/Vargr from Bridge Miniatures.

Rear View Left to Right: Uetho Dhogvurs, Ikhsalun Urruers, and Khaegourroun Kson. These 19 figures completed the first stage of the rebasing project.

Left to Right: Sseenek and Cseresk - two Cusserskus raiders. These are Northstar Snakemen. Cseresk, with his boarding axe, is pretty much straight out of the box. Sseenek has been re-equipped with a gauss gun from one of the packs of SciFi weapons I've picked up over the last few years. The third item is a piece of scatter terrain from Northstar - some sort of locked box with a tablet locking device.

An alternative view of the Cusserskus, and the lock box.

Left to Right: Dezon Coptron - Adventurer. All bodyparts are from Northstar. Body from the Demons box, head from Ghost Archipelago Crew box, arms and weapons from the Stargrave Crew box; Uira Nahguun - Fas'ini Mystic. Again, the body from the Demons box, arms from the Wizards II box, head from the Stargrave Crew box; Antamaman Campramastra - Andromedan Ambassador or Bureaucrat. Figure from Reaper Miniatures; Fandan Shunopia - System Hacker. Body from Northstar's Ghost Archipelago Crew box, arms from the Stargrave Crew box, head from Anvil Industry.

Rear View Left to Right: Dezon Coptron - Adventurer; Uira Nahguun - Fas'ini Mystic; Antamaman Campramastra - Andromedan Ambassador or Bureaucrat; Fandan Shunopia - System Hacker.

Left to Right: Cassia Loussia - Hacker. Northstar metal character figure; Reshan - an Ouhoow trooper. The Ouhoow are Uplifted Caninoids. I think this figure is from an old Rifts Canine pack. I have several other figures of different uplifted dog breeds which came from the same pack; Cabal Atim and Sebro Equar - two Alquanti troopers. Bodies, heads and arms from the Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxed sets.

Rear View Left to Right: Cassia Loussia - Hacker; Reshan - an Ouhoow trooper; Cabal Atim and Sebro Equar - two Alquanti troopers.

Left to Right: Three Seminarians and a Deacon of the Ferenti – the Obeisant Order of Sarrigarisan the Ascendant. Bodies and arms are from the Beyond the Gates of Antares Freeborn Domari sprue, heads are from Anvil Industry Brodie Gladiator Helmets . I think the Deacon's head may have been from the Freeborn Domari sprue.

Rear View Left to Right: Three Seminarians and a Deacon of the Ferenti.

Left to Right: Ferenti Drone, Deacon, and Deacon Specialist. Again, the boadies, arms and weapons are from the Beyond the Gates of Antares Freeborn Domari sprue, heads are from Anvil Industry Female PMC Heads pack.

Rear View Left to Right: Ferenti Drone, Deacon, and Deacon Specialist.

Left to Right: Kadro Galwhen - Adventurer. An Alternative Armies Legionary Prefect; A Flower of Evil - scatter terrain from Alternative Armies; Harul - a Deimioi trooper. Frostgrave Crewman torso, Stargrave Crewman arms and weapon, Frostgrave Demon head; Janto Knurr - Adventurer. Stargrave Mercenary torso, arms and weapons, and head.

Rear View Left to Right: Kadro Galwhen - Adventurer; A Flower of Evil; Harul - a Deimioi trooper; Janto Knurr - Adventurer.

Left to Right: Fin Daphal and Yir Galpi - Caradavioi troopers. Torsos, Arms and Weapons, and Heads from the Stargrave Crew or Mercenaries boxes; Jun Harfi - Caradavioi Adventurer. Northstar metal figure.

Rear View Left to Right: Fin Daphal, Yir Galpi, and Jun Harfi - Caradavioi Adventurers.

Left to Right: Pal Hassing - Adventurer. CP Models' Hawkes from their Scum and Smugglers range; Lowjohl - Miujhale Psyker. Psyker from North Stars Rogue Stars range; Attila le Gros - Uplifted Porcine trader. CP Models' Plutt from their Scum and Smugglers range; scatter terrain from North Star's Stargrave range.

Rear View Left to Right: Pal Hassing - Adventurer; Lowjohl - Miujhale Psyker; Attila le Gros - Uplifted Porcine trader; scatter terrain from North Star's Stargrave range.

Left to Right: Maur Takau, Shindo Shoulon, Oda Nawan Undoora - three Psykic Warriors. Battle Valor Games Space Knights. I replaced their metal light sabres with plastic rod. Shindo's facial expression cracks me up, he seems to be giving Oda Nawan the side-eye.

Rear View Left to Right: Maur Takau, Shindo Shoulon, Oda Nawan Undoora - three Psykic Warriors.

Left to Right: Ardo Acker - Psykic Warrior. A Psi Paladin from Alternative Armies; Mhark Fhirm - Psykic Warrior-Apprentice. Battle Valor Games Space Knight. I replaced the Psykic Warriors' metal light sabres with plastic rod.

Rear View Left to Right: Ardo Acker - Psykic Warrior; Mhark Fhirm - Psykic Warrior-Apprentice.

Left to Right: Osiralan Clade Hegemonising Swarm Combat Units. Asterian Cypher Troops from Mantic Games.

Rear View Left to Right: Osiralan Clade Hegemonising Swarm Combat Units.

Left to Right: A second squad of Osiralan Clade Hegemonising Swarm Combat Units. Asterian Cypher Troops from Mantic Games.

Rear View Left to Right: Osiralan Clade Hegemonising Swarm Combat Units.

Osiralan Clade Hegemonising Swarm Combat Units. The full Combat Swarm.


July 2021


Painted: 29 characters
Total: 131 Characters
Humans: 46, Aliens: 77, Droids: 8, Scatter Objectives: 4, Lander: 1

Three pieces of scatter terrain, either objectives or loot. A box of grenades, a computer terminal, and an old generator. The grenade box is from Northstar - I got mine as part of the Stargrave Nickstarter, and the computer terminal and generator are from Reaper Miniatures.

As the premise for Stargrave is exploring the ruins of a collapsing interstellar society, I painted the terminal and generator as if they had been abandoned in a shattered city.

Number 3 Space Spider - an Aramba'hkkt, a variant of the Angon - a zero-G dwelling arachnoid species in my Traveller Universe. From Wargames Atlantic's Giant Spider boxed set.

Rekk Vo and Naroo Ta, two Muridaen from Norvegia. Originally, these were Fantasy ratmen and have been kicking around in my bitz box since forever.

I had started converting them in 2015 and then put them to one side. This month, I added two proper handguns from my stash to replace the half-arsed wire and plastercine efforts I had attempted back in 2015. They came out rather well, I think.

Left to Right: Jokko Ai - a Hent from CP Models; Neeana Attero - I think this might be an old 90's Rift Wars figure. She's definitely true-25mm rather than 28mm, and is armed with a handgun and some sort of fighting claw on her left hand; Haakon Throrsson - a Dwarf sniper.

Rear view, Left to Right: Jokko Ai - a Hent; Neena Attero - Baseline Human; Haakon Throrsson - Dwarf sniper.

Hominidae crew from Panus.

Left to Right: Hanno, Himilcar and Captain Cornelius. Figures assembled from North Star's Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxes.

Rear view, Left to Right: Hanno, Himilcar and Captain Cornelius.

Left to Right: Hasdrubel and Phameas. As there were only four hominid heads in the figure boxes, I decided that I would bulk out the Hominidae with heads with full face masks.

Rear view, Left to Right: Hasdrubel and Phameas.

Left to Right: Sophonisba, navigator and computer expert, and Bomilcar. Figures from Alternative Armies.

Rear view, Left to Right: Sophonisba, navigator and computer expert, and Bomilcar.

Height comparison of the various adventurers.

Left to Right: Essuhral Ta Quarrith - Uvarri Sniper from CP Models; Pa vHuuti - Yanshen thuggee from Northstar; Shunan Shuur - Aeitan Mercenary. Conversion using a Concord body and a CP Models alien head.

Rear view, Left to Right: Uvarri Sniper, Yanshen thuggee, and Aeitan Mercenary.

Left to Right: Zingra Fallax - a Callipii Sniper; Kanto hai Galpan - Kalar-Wi Sniper. An old Games Workshop Eldar or Harlequin I picked up sometime in the 90's; Ellan Lanfair - adventurer. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but I think this figure came from Ground Zero Games; Resso Farlan - a hunter. Another old Games Workshop ganger from the 90's.

Rear view, Left to Right: Zingra Fallax, Kanto hai Galpan, Ellan Lanfair, and Resso Farlan and friend.

Left to Right: Kokluha Piothiokitaaf and Nadah Phlavuduatker - two Gauth adventurers. The bodies are from Northstar's Ghost Archipelego Crew box, while the arms, weapons and heads are from the Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxes.

Rear view, Left to Right: Kokluha Piothiokitaaf and Nadah Phlavuduatker.

Left to Right: Jhon Kolpei and Beidan Vex - guns for hire. Bodies are from Northstar's Demon Infantry box, heads are from the Ghost Archipelego Crew box, arms and weapons are from the Stargrave Crew and Mercenaries boxes.

Rear view, Left to Right: Jhon Kolpei and Beidan Vex

Left to Right: Tham Zdihmisa and Lihdhugh Pekerehyrininih - two Kihyri raiders. The Kihyri bodies are Northstar Cultists, arms and weapons are from the Stargrave Crew or Mercenaries boxes. The heads are from the Oathmark Elf Infantry set.

Rear view, Left to Right: Tham Zdihmisa and Lihdhugh Pekerehyrininih. Lihdhugh's belt bag and gear is from my Kroot bits box.

Left to Right: Dihran Yimolihnd, Dedhonih Bimihnehn, and Ryi Pehyrir - three Kihyri raiders. The Kihyri bodies are Northstar Cultists, arms and weapons are from the Stargrave Crew or Mercenaries boxes, while Ryi Pehyrir is armed with the heavy machine gun from the Cultist Sci Fi pack. The heads are from the Oathmark Elf Infantry set.

Rear view, Left to Right: Dihran Yimolihnd, Dedhonih Bimihnehn, and Ryi Pehyrir - three Kihyri raiders.

The Kihyri raiding party.


June 2021


Painted: 37 characters
Total: 102 Characters
Humans: 36, Aliens: 58, Droids: 8, Scatter Objective: 1, Lander: 1

Fossicking around on the Internet, as you do, I accidently discovered these Desert Scrappers from Wargames3D. Left to Right: Aoun, Kelki, and Beezu.

A bit more expensive than I wanted to pay, but the postage was less expensive than other Etsey sellers.

The Desert Scappers are fun little figures, and I'm glad I bought them. An Andralassian Hegemony Strike Force trooper gives an idea how small the Scrappers are.

Left to Right: Anylea Gorsh, Noblewoman or Agent from Battle Valor Games; Hortak Shun, henchman (I think he was an assassin or pickpocket - I replaced the mace in his right hand with a pistol); Thalenia Edunorikk, Adventuress; fusion power source, scatter objective (converted from a Concord Strike Squad Heavy Drone weapons pod).

Rear view of the characters.

Squad of Liatarnian Paramilitary Security Troopers. Essentially Space Goblins, these were fun figures to paint.

Given that they're Paramilitary Security, rather than combat troops, I decided that their uniforms were designed more for visability than camouflage - and they look rather natty in their off-white spats.

The Liatarnian Security Troopers needed some backup, so I painted up a small Concord Strike Squad drone as support.

Left to Right: Phuamba Phuun - a CP Models Hired Gun with Alien Head; Arti Hin Pallo - a Dhalquinii Psychic; Dirso Berlu, a Spaeten trooper - conversion using a Concord Strike Squad body and a Spaeten head; Phuamba Phuneau - a CP Models Hired Gun with Alien Head. Phuamba Phuneau and Phuamba Phuun's people are known as "boomers", evolving from marsh-dwelling hunters they retain the enlarged skull and sinus cavities used by their ancestors to communicate across the pools and meres of their ancestral planet.

Rear view of the crew.

Three Andralassian Hegemony Strike Force troopers, with light drone support. The right hand trooper is carrying the squad support weapon. As I have noted elsewhere, the Andralassian Hegemony and the Essenaro Congress are currently in a state of Cold War.

Rare view of the Strike Force troopers.

Three more Andralassian Troopers, including the squad NCO.

Rear view. The original figures - Warlord Games Concord Strike Squad - have limited poseability, and their arms and weapons are a real pain to attach to the torsoes.

The full squad with support drone.

The Essenaro Congress Marine Squad. The Dwarf sniper is AWOL.

The Phuamba Phratry, so far. Within Shophunumba - "Boomer" - society, individuals are known by a phratry name and a given name. The Phuamba Phratry was one of a number of phyle exiled from Oshumamba after the Consolidation of Sarasumama overturned the more liberal Harmony of Onshasumoa.

Left to Right: Sai Kesso - Vengi Mystic, one of my first Northstar assemblies. Body from the Frostgrave Demons set, arms from the Frostgrave Wizards II set, head from CP Models Mixed Alien Heads I pack, handgun also from CP Models; Gardo Gorn - Formorian Raider from Alternative Armies; Argrue - Uplifted caninoid brawler - old Rifts figure with added laz pistol; Enock Glum - reluctant henchman - old Fantasy peasant billman, upgunned with a laz gun.

Rear view of the crew. Sai Kesso, on left, has a satchel which also come from the Northstar Wizards II set. I love the detailing of the equipment on the back of Gardo Gorn, the Formorian Raider (second from left).

Crew photobombed by passing freelance drone.

Left to Right: Three more Lizardmen from Wargames Atlantic. I rearmed the left hand one with a gauss rifle (from a CP Models accessory pack), while the middle one has a pistol (also from CP Models). The center Lizardman has a flute-like object in his left hand so I decided it was some sort of Lizardman medical device. The right hand Lizardman has an AK-47, straight out of the box.

The various pouches and accessories are from the Lizardman sprue box.

Four Deimioi from Deimios. Left to Right: Gussav - a soldier or soldier-Mystic, Frostgrave Crewman torso, Stargrave Merc gun arm, Frostgrave Female Wizard left arm, Frostgrave Demon head; Nuun - a Hacker, Frostgrave Female Wizard torso and arms, Cultist Upgrade handgun, Frostgrave Demon head; Grimtok - a Captain, Frostgrave Female Wizard torso, Stargrave Crew arms and handguns, Frostgrave Demon head; and Norhl - a Grinder or Mechanic, Frostgrave Female Wizard torso, Stargrave Soldier gunarm, Stargrave Crewman tool arm, Frostgrave Demon head. All Deimioi carry a large knief as part of their cultural identity.

Rear view of the Deimioi, showing various accessories.

Various other accessories.

A second Aramba'hkkt, a variant of the Angon - a zero-G dwelling arachnoid species in my Traveller Universe. The figure is from Wargames Atlantic and also was a right pain to assemble. Requiring more antigravity and swearing.

This Aramba'hkkt has a cybernetic foreleg.

While a spaceship isn't essential to play either 5 Parsecs from Home or Stargrave, I have seen some cool ships on the various FB Hobby pages. I managed to pick up this Tau lander second hand, finished painting it up, and fixed its landing gear. This is the Malvoisin-B, the lander for the KPC ARCShip Malvoisin.

Lizardman and Lander to give an idea of scale. The Lander could probably carry a crew of around 10 humanoids, but would be pretty cramped for any long distanced travel.

As I'm thinking about 5 Parsecs and Stargrave, I'm thinking that the "ship" that appears on-table might only be a shuttle. The actual "ship" remains in orbit and is much larger - I'm thinking like the Guild Heighliners from Dune, or the Light Huggers from Alastair Reynolds' Revelation Space series. I'm toying with the term "KPC ARC ship" to describe the Interstellar ship, for "Kiloparsec (1,000 Parsec) Arc ship", an indication of the ship's range - I like the idea of a larger sandbox setting, but I also want Faster Than Light travel. I found a map of the galaxy from some on-line video game which looks kind of cool as a backdrop, and I've dug out my copy of the old Space Opera RPG which has interesting ideas on Space Opera-type FTL.

The lander model had been rigged for flight, though was missing a landing skid. I managed to free the other skids and pack them out into landing position, and then built a replacement skid out of plastic card. Once painted, I think it ended up being a pretty close match.


May 2021


Painted: 8 characters
Total: 59 Characters Humans: 19, Aliens: 35, Droids: 5

Left to Right: Augustus "Gus" Pierrot - a Battle Valor Games Captain; Gaba Thun and Lazalus "Lazgun" Geirrot - two old Games Workshop gangers from the 1990's (?).

Both the gangers wear some sort of light body armour, while Captain Pierrot might just have a standard leather vest.

Large drone from the Concord Strike Squad.

Rear view of the large drone. It appears to be armed with some sort of heavy railgun and a tri-lense beam weapon.

Large drone with Andralassian Hegemony Strike Force trooper.

Four Andralassian Hegemony Strike Force troopers. A state of Cold War currently exists between the Andralassian Hegemony and the Essenaro Congress, with Hegemony Strike Force teams and Essenaro Congress Marines attempting to dominate various systems.

Rear view of the Hegemony Strike Force. These are quite nice figures, but the arms and weapon assembly are quite fiddley.


April 2021


Painted: 19 characters
Total: 51 Characters Humans: 12, Aliens: 35, Droids: 4

Another crew - Left to Right: Pterech Who - Uhul with laser cannon from Alternative Armies; Agent Chrystin Huuym - Betrayer Alpha IA152 from Alternative Armies; Shan Trevain - possibly from Ground Zero Games - he's closer to 25mm in size.

Left to Right: Phuamba Phanua - a Zombiesmith A7D12 Random Alien. Phuamba Phanua's people are known as "boomers", evolving from marsh-dwelling hunters they retain the enlarged skull and sinus cavities used by their ancestors to communicate across the pools and meres of their ancestral planet. Phuamba Phanua prefers Hawai'ian style shirts; Kre'tchir - a Games Workshop Kroot sniper. I clipped the barrel hook off the rifle. I think the shoulder pad is from CP Models, though I can't find them, currently, on their website.

Back view left to right: Pterech Who the Uhul - details of his laser cannon back rig; Agent Chrystin Huuym - she is described as wearing a cloak - it appears to be a trench coat and she, awkwardly, has one arm through it, holding the Maia 9.6mm pistol; Shan Trevain - I think this guy is a mercenary or adventurer, unfortunately, the current Ground Zero Games website has few photos in the 25mm Stargrunt range. He's still a nice figure, though.

Back view left to right: Phuamba Phanua and his Hawai'ian shirt; Kre'tchir - Kroot sniper with his kitbag and cutlery set.

Front view - the Crew.

Rear view - the Crew.

Left to Right: Marieanne N'komo - a Hasslefree Miniatures Galactic Trader. Apparently, she's 32mm tall, so that gives you an idea how tall the droids are. I'm still not completely sure about the sword - I'm tempted to replace the sword with a light sabre; a pair of Combots from the Ganesha Games SciFi range, hosted by Alternative Armies. The Combots reminded me a little of the combat droids from Star Wars, so I painted them up as "Clankers".

Marieanne N'komo and the Clankers.

Two Combat drones from the Essenaro Congress Marines - these are Warhammer 40K T'au drones I picked up at a Bring 'n' Buy some years ago, but I can't work out if they're still available from Games Workshop.

I do like these drones - there's a nice design esthetic about them, though I've always wondered about the sticky out thing on the top.

Three Essenaro Congress Marines: Left to Right - Carso Harlo, a Zombiesmith Spaeten trooper; Sergeant Jhil Dhearon, a Hasslefree Power Armoured marine; Ivar Ingleson, a Battle Valor Games Dwarf Rifleman/sniper.

Rear view: Sergeant Dhearon has some sort of armour-cracking, monofiliment bladed, space axe for dealing with enemy power armour, droids and cyborgs.

All the Marines wear the Essenaro Congress blazon on their shoulder rigs.

Space Spider! Aramba'hkkt, a variant of the Angon - a zero-G dwelling arachnoid species in my Traveller Universe. The figure is from Wargames Atlantic and was a right pain to assemble. Requiring much antigravity and swearing.

Aramba'hkkt has a cyber control interface on her left forward claw. The facial optical array extends her vision up into the ultraviolet.

Marieanne N'komo and Aramba'hkkt. Angons are not small creatures.

Another five members of my Vargr crew. These started off as Northstar Gnolls with the addition of, mostly, Frostgrave Cultist SciFi Accessory fire arms. There are a couple of handguns and a beamer from other sources. The third Vargr from the left is holding a scratch-built datapad, while the fourth Vargr from the left is another member the Group Unity Teaching path, or Cult.

Again, I raided my Kroot bitz stash for suitable accessories for my Vargr. Also, again, all these Vargr wear the Serpent insignia of their ship on their crew jackets.

Quite the motley crew!


March 2021


Painted: 18 characters
Total: 32 Characters
Humans: 8, Aliens: 24, Droids: 0

Left to Right: Zane Murcherson - a Ground Zero Games soldier. I added the assault rifle. After a bit of detective work, I think this guy is SLS03 Male Crewmember or Pilot; Xerea Oolan - a Camshesha Hacker - and Ido Mechanan - an Explorer. Two Rogue Stars Explorers; Egoin Eshelaan - a Sleiti from Hasslefree Miniatures

Rear view. Egoin Eshelaan, far right, is armed with a symbiotic bioweapon that sustains itself from his nervous and circulatory systems.

Left to Right: Hrathak and Hruther - a pair of Zygs from Battle Valor Games; Dazh and Arim - a pair of Saimir adventurers from CP Models.

The Zygs are partially armoured 4-peds. Given the retro backpacks/fuel tanks they are wearing, it seems they are armed with either flamers or plasma/fusion guns. The two Saimirs are from CP Models Scum and Smugglers range and are probably ethically fluid in their outlook.

Left to Right: Ebbi, Dulch, and Vytack - three Lorani troopers in the Essenaro Congress Marines. Figures from Battle Valor Games. Of the several possible heads, I liked these beaky bird ones the best.

The Lorani troopers appear to be armed with projectile weapons, so I assume the large backpack tanks are either for hostile atmosphere use, or to carry their lunch.

Left to Right: Three more Vargr crewmen - Northstar Frostgrave Gnolls with Northstar Cultist Scifi Accessories to, well, SciFi them up a bit. The center Vargr belongs to a Teaching Path, or Cult, that emphasises the unity of the group over the isolation of the individual. He also has a set of Kroot grenades - known as Bangballs.

Again, all these Vargr wear a Snake-like ship patch on their vests. Both the center and right hand Vargr have Kroot knife-sets, while the center Vargr also has Kroot shoulder guards.

Left to Right: Three Lizardmen from Wargames Atlantic. I equiped these Lizardmen with more modern weapons - a gauss rifle for the Lizardman on the left, a pistol for the Lizardman in the center, and an AK47, straight out of the box, for the Lizardman on the right. The fourth figure, on the right, is a Sligg from Reaper Miniatures.

The Lizardmen have been equipped with various accessories - a belt pouch, a Kroot grenade and armour plate combo, and an ammo pouch. The Sligg is straight out of the box.


February 2021


Painted: 14 characters
Humans: 5, Aliens: 9, Droids: 0

Left to Right: Illya the Mechanic - a Reaper Bones Chronotechnician; Captain Oleg Sebastianovich - a Cobalt-1 character; Latka, his daughter - a Ground Zero Games Cybertech Bounty Hunter; and Guurta Mung - a Phagon mercenary.

Rear view - the Reaper Bones and the Cobalt-1 figures are definitely 28mm, while the Ground Zero Games and Phagon figures are closer to true 25mm. I'm not a huge fan of the Reaper Bones figures - the price is right, but the detail always seems a bit soft. They paint up nicely, though.

Left to Right: Leeanna the Pyschic - a Hasslefree Thaumaturge; Nek'ka Reb - a Ground Zero Games Phalon trooper; Phuamba Phey - a Zombiesmith A7D12 Random Alien. Phuamba Phey's people are known as "boomers", evolving from marsh-dwelling hunters they retain the enlarged skull and sinus cavities used by their ancestors to communicate across the pools and meres of their ancestral planet; Ojana Ormana - a Hasslefree character. He reminds me a little of 'The Dude' from 'The Big Lebowski'. Ojana Ormana is a demi-human, hence his blue/grey skin.

Rear view of the above. The orange-headed alien was sculpted by a French miniatures sculptor known as 'PF'. He produced figures for a number of companies, in both 15mm and 25/28mm, so it is sometimes difficult to track down which catalog a particular figure appears in.

Left to Right: Kra'tchapa - a Games Workshop Kroot; Engenia Apramastra - a Reaper Miniatures Andromedan Hunter; Dolmar Gna - a Reaper Miniatures space henchman; Cath Canchari - a Reaper Miniatures Jessica Blaze, Smuggler.

Rear view of the above. I added the shoulder strap to Engenia's rifle - the strap is actually from the bag of bitz that came with the packet of Kroot I bought at a bring-and-buy sale.

And finally, two Vargr for Traveller. They are Frostgrave Gnolls from Northstar with weapons from the Northstar Cultists SciFi Conversion pack.

I also added some extra bits from the Kroot bag o' bitz I mentioned above, such as the shoulder guards and grenade/charge belt on the right hand Vargr and axe and bone souvenir on the left hand Vargr.

Both Vargr are in the same crew and wear a ship's logo (a serpent) on the backs of their jackets.