WHFB Dwarf Bolt Thrower Crew (sans Bolt Thrower!) (Colin Dixon, 1998) (Squaddie September ’19)

WHFB Dwarf Bolt Thrower Crew, Colin Dixon, 1998

Here’s what are my final trio of models for Squaddie September ’19 (Yesterday’s Zombies were October-completed, post-queue-jumpers because of the post time requirements of Zomtober). Not nearly as much as I’d planned to get through (yet again), but I had a shitload of work at work, and a shitload of other stressful shit to deal with (other peoples shit, of course!) When going to work is your respite, you know that something’s seriously fucked up in your life.

Anyway, enough venting for the moment. These three modes have a sort-of-interesting story on how they got to be completed. Basically, I got them out, primed and based them about 2-3 years ago right after painting all those WHFB Dwarves. The normal ones, not the Slayers. The thought was to do something a bit different and a bit more fun after slogging through all those infantry. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out that way, so they’ve sat on a tray on my desk ever since, pretty much being ignored…

WHFB Dwarf Bolt Thrower Crew, Colin Dixon, 1998

…that is, until a few weeks ago. I used some of the same blue as I’d previously used on my dwarfs whole repainting the cable on the Necromunda Bounty Hunter. It didn’t take much paint, and because it was a Vallejo Dropper bottle, there was some leftover on my palette. Now I hate to waste paint, so I looked frantically all over my desk for something to use it on (I do this sort of thing often) and spied these three dorfs. So they got their tunics and pants done. Same thing happened shortly afterwards with some off-white, so the loader’s shirt got basecoated. A couple of days ago, while painting the street lines on the Zombicide Abominations to finish them off, I was left with a bunch of yellow, so their belts got it.

After completing the Abominations, I took a look at the three dwarves. Now I really like Colin Dixon’s sculpts from this particular line of WHFB Dwarves, so I decided that they were pretty straightforward sculpts and thought that with a bit of effort, I could get them done in the final three days before the end of September. So I put my nose to the grindstone as much as I could within other time committments, and I got them done.

Of course, I still do need to paint their Bolt Thrower (sculpted by Norman Swales), but that’ll have to wait for a month beyond September. It qualifies for October’s Neglected Model Challenge, as well as November’s upcoming “Mechanovember” Challenge as it’s a mechanical device, albeit a simple one. This means chances are better than 50% that I’ll have it done before the end of the year. Or before the end of next year. Wish me luck…

Avatars of War Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker Iron Fist (Felix Paniagua) (Jewel of July ’19)

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer

So my completed models for this year’s Jewel of July come to a close with this model from Avatars of War. Their Dwarf Berserker range are clearly a series of Not-Slayers, though unlike some stalwart GW defenders, I don’t take umbrage with other companies and artists taking inspiration from models and concepts that have clearly taken inspiraton from many and other sources themselves. AoW have a pretty impressive of pretty amazing quality sculpts from a range of forces, with a clear line of inspiration from a certain fantasy “Old World”, and their new released do continue in that vein – though the crossover with a new Age of S..culpts is still close enough that it would allow their use in most forces of newer games set in a series of Mortal Realms. I got this particular Dwarf Berserker quite some time ago, and it appears from the internets that he was withdrawn and used as a limited edition model, and sadly, no longer appears to be available. A real shame, as he’s a real nice one…

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer

I’ve actually got a fair few of their models across several of their ranges, though this might be the first one I’ve actually gotten around to painting – such is my sad backlog. I see this model as saving (one of) the best for last, though. Frankly, it was a reward to myself for finishing so many of the other, difficult paints.

One annoying thing about warpaint and tattoos on models is there are times when you really feel that you’vre properly nailed the highlighting and shading on a model’s musculature.. and then you’re going to cover it all up with their “ink”. This model is an example of that. The left shoulder and arm looked pretty spiffy, so I can only hope that the knotwork dragon was worth it. (Tilt your head to the right and let me know if you can actually see the thing?)

Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer, Warmonger Miniatures Goblin Warlord, Kev Adams

A Traditional Rivalry, about to play out in a messy manner…

There are still a few more metal “Dwarf Slayers/Berserkers” on my desk. One is an odd one. A metal prototype for a plastic model, perhaps? A beloved character, and a rather quality single model from Mantic. After that, all the remaining Slayers are my other AoW metals, my AoW plastics, a few models from Reaper (if I can find ’em). Maybe something from Russian Alternative (I need to check!) and then it’s Fyreslayer time!

Dwarf Slayers, Troll Slayer, Giant Slayer, Dragon Slayer, Daemon Slayer, Avatars of War Borg Ironfist, Dwarf Dragon Seeker Berserker, Felix Paniagua, AOWEX01, Giant Slayer Standard, Musician

My little “Jewel of July” batch of completed Dwarf Slayers. Oh yeah, this should go without saying, but despite me saying nice words about AoW, this post isn’t sponsored or contra’d or anything’d by Felix or AoW in any way. Models all bought by me (too many fuckin’ years ago) with my own pocket money, etc. 😉