HEMOS PASADO part 1

Hello wargamey pretend-shootybang friends. I gave myself a small project to take on over the three-day weekend. Some time ago I ordered some Nationalist army packs from Empress Miniatures, formally of the Anglian range by Paul Hicks. They are amongst my favourite miniatures in the world, and Paul is an astounding sculptor. What continually surprises me is how prolific he is- making ranges for several other companies such as Victrix and Ebor, as well as having his own company, Musketeer, now under the auspices of Gripping Beast. The taking on of the administration of his output by Gripping Beast and Empress is a good thing: the running of the sites do not appear, perhaps rightly so, to have been his strong suit.

Orders from Musketeer used to take weeks, but this particular Empress order took even longer! But that's a whole other story right there people, and one shouldn't bitch, especially not with figures this totally fun-tastic in one's hands.

So I decided to dig these chaps out. I've been so preoccupied with my ACW project (more on that soon) that these fellows had been languishing in a cupboard. So in a way, by basing and painting them up I was telling myself that I can commit to my various ambitions, and wear down the dreaded pile o' lead that preys on all painters.

The photo here is of the figures in their base coats. I decided to use the army painter dip on them, but I did drybrush their uniforms, skin and shoes. Whether these subtleties would survive the dip, I was unsure but I wanted to give it a try.

By bank holiday Monday I had finished them and dipped them.

I actually ordered a selection of Legion, Army and Falange packs along with some helmeted heads, and set about converting them. The two figures flanking the officer are conversions. The trumpeter was especially tricky.

They have the tell-tale dip glisten, and I'll matt varnish them tomorrow after work. Matt varnish removes the glint from metallic paints also, so you may wish to reapply dip or metal paint to regain that. It also requires some discretion as to how much dip you take off. I've taken quite a lot off, but kept it in the crucial areas.

It took some trial to get the colour of the uniform right. I eventually went for Sea Green with a touch of Ochre. Once they're varnished I'll add grass, and post a photo of the finished article. Oh, Gad these guys are lovely sculpts. Just look how bloody, bloody lovely these sculpts are. Stay tuned for more fascist pigs, right here at INCH-HIGH & TERRIFIED.