Sunday paint session: Griffon done.

Over the last few painting sit-downs I've been working on a Griffon. Today I got to finish it.
It's the old metal GW Griffon that Emperor Karl Franz normally sits on (I have the Karl to go with him, but I just needed the monster. Maybe I'll find good old Karl a horse one day...). A lovely, classic Griffon, no frills, no extreme styling, and most importantly, no integral tack and saddle.
Here she is:

And finally a couple of size comparisons:

FYI, that infantry miniature is on a 30mm base, not a 25mm one...

As Griffons reputedly live in rocky, mountainous regions, I decided to model the base accordingly. Originally the Griffon was rearing on it's hind legs, which left little room for larger rock formations, until I had the idea to support one of the front legs on these rocks. I quite like the way this makes her seem to be posturing, presenting a large profile and clawing at the air intimidatingly.
As an older metal model, there is a bit more work to assembling her (I'm pleased that I managed to get the joins unnoticeable), but it does mean the model has a nice heft to it. I'm quite happy with the way she has turned out. Enough to actually be thinking about maybe building a Griffon nest as well, maybe even look for a couple of baby Griffons in a similar style. It's an idea I've been toying with a bit more lately, to build nests or lairs for some of the larger monsters I have in storage or on the to-purchase list. I'm partly inspired by the Witcher 3 in this, which I've been playing a lot recently, and where you can get prime loot from wrecking monster nests with bombs! But also because "Find me a Griffon egg!" and similar are just classic errands to send heroes on!
Anyway, that is for the future.
I've got a giant on the assembly desk, an idea for converting wraiths from Empire Flaggelants (again inspired by Witcher 3), and a drawer full of minis that are ready for paint, including a Beastman warband, a mob of subterranean degenerates (the Hobbit Goblintown goblins), the remains of the Undead band and some more heroes....
Plus there is the Witcher 3, which I'm enjoying tremendously, partly because the game is so very pretty, but also because of the lore of game and the monsters and places in it have positively got my head bubbling with ideas and plans to co-opt for my fantasy games and setting.

Until next time!

An eclipse, an old man and the Baron's daughter

This afternoon, my son and I had a little wargame, partly as a farewell to the summer holidays and partly to finally inaugurate my stone circles.

The basic premise was as such:
Once again the baron's daughter, the Lady Mygraine, found herself mysteriously locked outside the castle on the evening of a lunar eclipse. As it happened a local Necromancer, August Knochenmaurer, needed a victim for that night, what coincidence... As soon as her abduction was discovered (Which was quickly, as the baron always gets suspicious when the servants start acting relaxed and suddenly stop wearing cheese in their ears.) the baron summoned the nearest heroes. It is known that she will most likely be sacrificed in one of the stone circles in the local forest. Two bands of heroes respond, but who will arrive on time? 

At this point I gave my son the choice which warband to play: My faithful knight Lucien D'Abelard with his squire and a few retainers: 2 spearmen and 3 archers. Or the Paladin Hieronymusch Lightbringer and his comrade Father Gerhardt, two occult-hunting powerhouses. (We used the IHMN rules and both companies were roughly 200 points. That's how much of a pair of brutes Gerhardt and Hieronymusch are!) After carefully considering all the cons and pros, he opted for the duo of godbothering maniacs. (a good choice it turned out). The other heroes would play no part in the game, being locked out by a wall of thorns summoned by the necromancer.

Here is the table I had set up:

He could enter the board from any table edge and had to search for the circle where the Lady Mygraine and the necromancer were at, by getting within 3" of it. I didn't which one it was either, as we randomly rolled each time he approached one. As an eclipse night brings out strange creatures of every kind, each turn I'd randomly roll if and what creatures would show up.
Here's what happened:

Show me the money!

Well, the first batch of coins (of two, if I recall correctly), has arrived today.
After a bit of struggle with the somewhat "Colombian Export"-style packaging*, this is what greeted me:

Pretty coins, with a nice solid heft and clink to them! Made me a happy camper today, I currently have a set in it's bag laying next to the keyboard, just to shake now and then to hear the jingle and tink. (Yes, I'm that easily amused...)

I'm planning to use these as physical props during roleplaying, but also in, for example, may chivalry and dungeoneering games as a tangible form of "points" for warband building and advancement.
I think, tomorrow I'll go looking on auction sites for cut glass jewels to handle larger denominations of value.

Have a nice weekend!

*: I didn't get a pic of it, I was too eager to get to my prize, but when the next pack arrives I'll hopefully remember to do so, it was quite funny (to me) to open up the envelope and inside the pouch find a tightly taped up package, that looked like the sort you see in movies and tv reports about drug busts...