(Painting) Blue Martians of the Holy Fern

Even with glue dwindling, and the ladies in the house plotting some crazy party, I managed to complete the biggest single job of the year, a unit a Warhammer Night Goblin Archers, who are painted up to resemble primitive Blue Martians.

I picked up a decent pile of WFB goblins off of eBay on the cheap way back when the girls were babies.  They were always part of my Blue Martian plan... once I developed a Blue Martian plan.

These Blue Martians are part of the Order of the Holy Fern, fanatical cultists of the Martian Goddess Esut.

Leader of the Order, Gematt Hoektand

This gets me to a nice, even 150 miniatures painted in the last 9 months.  That's the third-most figures I've done in a 'gaming year' beaten only by 2016 (a lot of terrain) and 2014 (Painting the Samoan Civil War game from scratch).  I don't know if I'm completing any more "Martians" this year, but I probably could finish the wolf and spider riders in the shoebox, plus the other miscellany, and clear out shelf space for the set up the lead up in more manageable boxes.

Next:  Wars of Ozz and some quick 15mm fun.

Project 350:  486 (318/168) from 491 (321/170).  Fathers Day always clears some projects off the to-do pile, although I doubt much movement for July as I start to built and write out the topics for #RPGaDay2021.  Star Wars Actual Play backlog is down to three 

(Kickstarter) Space Raiders - The Space Goblins

As a man always on the lookout for some quality Gretchin/Space Goblins to add to his "Martian Forces," I'm intrigued by this "Space Raiders - The Space Goblins" Kickstarter

Thirty-Seven dollars with shipping from Spain extra isn't a bad price point, especially when compared to the plastic GW gretchin.

Blue Martian Archers, the Mousling King, and Beer!

The busy season at work is over, I've survived the holidays, and the dark skies and colder temperatures are forcing the womenfolk to fall asleep earlier.  That only means one thing:

I can get down to my painting bench.

May I present, after many promises that they would emerge out of the painting queue, some "Blue Martian" archers:

 Old Heartbreaker goblins, although to me everything that could be green again gets turned blue.  I may need them soon for the Pulp game, and when combined with the Reaper Bones (and more civilized Gretchin), I have a formidable opponent.

With 35 Mouslings, I'll need to do them piecemeal between other projects.  The next important character that should be finished was the Mousling King, and despite a very pale disposition, he is done.

Mousling King, part of the RPR 77286

I also whipped up some treasure tokens for a future Pulp game.  Yes, the shield should look exactly like that.  Items are parts from the miscellaneous box of bits and figs from the Fall-In! flea market back in November.

Beer of the Moment:  Troegs Mad Elf.  It's in season, it's $28 for a twelve-pack, and it's what Santa's Elves would taste like if elves were cannibalistic chefs.   Unlike many other beers I've had in the Kriget Rum, the Elf is a "sometimes" beer.   One right before bed has the tendency to keep me in bed for twelve hours of fabulously restful sleep.  Anything less and it's a mini-hangover.

Next Up: A motley assortment of pulp stuff from Reaper, RAFM, and Pulp Figures. The Halfling warband from the Song of Blades and Heroes Kickstarter got to the house and move up the queue, and I've got some Arabs still under paint scheme research.

(Painting) More Mouslings and a BLUE MARTIAN SUPREME LEADER

The weather is cooler, pumpkin spice and yoga pants are in the air, but most importantly... the children are going to sleep earlier AND with almost no effort on the parents. 


It's nice to be able to descend to my workstation, listen to an episode Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff back catalog and go up for bed all before 11pm. 
As I mentioned yesterday, I have my events ready for Mepacon, and at least two of them will need Mousling minis.    The painting queue has been adjusted to be a little more mouse-heavy against the Pulp Figures in, but I am finally making some headway. 


The first three mouslings out of the box were part of my Reaper Bones II Kickstarter Rewards.  The Assassin is currently available as part of the Mousling Thief and Assassin pack (RPR 77289).   The Mousling Ranger and Yeoman are RPR 77289

Now it's time to stat them up...

Also off the table, with a long delay, is my BLUE MARTIAN SUPREME LEADER,

All hail my rocky throne in the land of newsprint!

He was supposed to be finished and presented with the other "Blue Martians" I finished awhile back, but the level of detail was so great that I needed to dedicate time just to discover each scroll, satchel, and gourd on his person, and select a color palette to make everything pop, but not exactly like everyone who paints a WFB goblin shaman would. 


NEXT IN THE PAINTNG QUEUE:  Don't worry, the pulp guys are still going to get some love, as we add some more characters and henchmen to the game.  And a lot more mouslings.  And I found another five trees out of the playsets to paint up.  This year shall be remembered as "The Year of Terrain."



The Primitive Blue Race of Mars

Years ago I grew tired of the classic green skinned orcs and goblins.  I also grew to appreciate the literal rainbow of Martian races, so when the local FLGS started stocking some fairly exotic blues, my ideas for "Blue Martians" was born.

The first experiment was on the latest Gretchin boxed set, and they came out great.  This time I'm working towards the more primitive of the Blue Race.


These are just the Goblins 77024 six-pack in the Reaper Bones line.  No problems with flash, paint went on easy, although I'm not a fan of the sculpted bases.