20mm Goodness

These tweets are in reverse chronological order:

:: I hope to get to some painting this weekend and paint the fur on my Splintered Light otter.

:: I have been extraordinarily busy lately and I haven’t been able to get to my work bench all that much this week.

:: I am still not all that happy with the previously mentioned color combination; it seems a bit too light. I might try dry brushing the swords on the three miniatures and see how that works out.

:: I am not too happy with the results and I am going to try using equals parts of the silver and grey, but leave the speck of black out.

:: I have been experimenting with different color combinations for my miniature’s swords. One combination that I came up with is to use equals parts of silver and light grey and just a squirt of black to represent an iron sword. To gain some knowledge of shields I visited the Shields: Terminology and History site.

:: All five of my miniatures have received some paint. I like painting sets of miniatures, in that it gives you something to do while the paint dries on the current miniature.

:: The painting of the first set of 20mm Splintered Light Miniatures is under way, and their size has not been an issue, as long as I have my spectacles and there is plenty of light. However, I don’t see myself painting anything much smaller.

Classic Monopoly Game Refills

I haven't made a post on this topic for some time. However, after having played Monopoly a few times I have noticed that we have continually ran short of houses. Here is a source for refills for Monopoly money, tokens, houses, and hotels.

The Patriarchal Natty Bumppo

About a week ago I made a post on James Fenimore Cooper’s Leather Stocking series of novels that feature the protagonist, Natty Bumppo. I mentioned that I had read a few of the novels out of historical sequence.

After reading The Deerslayer, The First War Path I am glad for this unintentional breach. I am afraid if I had I started with The Deerslayer I may not have decided to continue to my readings in this series.

In the novels that following the Deerslayer, Natty Bumppo is circumspective, but laid back. Natty Bumppo was a character that I could live with; however in the Dearslayer I found the character of Natty Bumppo to patriarchal for his age. Natty Bumppo is young here, this is his first war path, but he seems to have wisdom beyond his years.

He is ready to return to the Huron’s camp to be to be tortured and you find him giving advice to all of his compatriots. This is the point where the character of Natty Bumppo takes a turn and no longer seems convincing.

Captain Nemo's 'Seafood & Saltwater Salvage Rail Road

According to Chris Walas Captain Nemo has survived, got to some deserted island and is now the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Nemo's 'Seafood & Saltwater Salvage Rail Road.

The engine is a refit of Nemo’s Nautilus. There is tank car with sea monsters, a flat car with the catch of the day, a gondola filled with refuge that looks like it might have come from the Nautilus. Bringing up the rear, in the barrel, is a catch of a lifetime, a mermaid in all of her glory.

Maps of Fictional Places

I have always fancied maps and charts, especially old maps. I have studied cartography, have a couple books in my library about maps and have a small collection of maps and charts.

By viewing old maps you see how people envisioned their world back then. Some of the oldest maps indicate sea monsters and ships actually falling off the side of the earth. They actually believed the world to be flat.

Viewing the maps that accompany a novel has always fascinated me, maybe even more than the story itself. I believe a map makes the story even more believable. Over the years I have encountered several maps of fictional places. Here is a short list of maps I have encountered through my readings.

Earthsea

I read what, was then a trilogy, of Ursula K. Le Guin’s Earthsea fantasy novels during my late teens. The location for the novel takes place on a vast archipelago of hundreds of islands surrounded by uncharted ocean. The islands are peopled by a few different cultures that use weapons created out of wood and iron. There are dragons, peoples, cultures, and wizards with their magic spells.

The Hobbit

Middle Earth

Middle-earth is the fictional universe created by the author J. R. R. Tolkien for his fantasy writings of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

Jurassic Park

Isla Nublar

Jurassic Park is a 1993 American science fiction action film directed by Steven Spielberg. The movie is based on the 1990 novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. Jurassic Park was the much publicized theme park that never was. You must watch those disgruntled hackers.

The Lost World

Isla Sorna

The Lost World is another novel written by Michael Crichton. The Lost World is a sequel to his Jurassic Park. Isla Sorna is an island that is purported as being the location for the manufacture of the beasts found in Jurassic Park. Jurassic Park has been abandoned and something has went terribly wrong.

The Land that Time Forgot

Caprona (Caspak) Island

Caspak Island is a fictional island used in Edgar Rice Burroughs's Caspak trilogy, including The Land That Time Forgot, The People That Time Forgot, and Out of Time's Abyss. Caspak is described as a land mass near Antarctica that through its unique geology is much like a tropical island.

Finding a purpose for my Splintered Light Miniatures-2

While I am waiting for my Redwall and The Chronicles of Narnia books to arrive I have decided to look elsewhere for ideas on how to use my Splintered Light Miniatures in either a war game or a RPG.

Recently I started to read The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I have just started to read this book, but have already come upon one event in chapter titled Kaa's Hunting that might make for a good skirmish.

The chapter tells of an old deserted city, lost and buried deep in the jungle that is called Cold Lairs by the monkey people. There is a battle here between hundreds of monkeys and three of friends of Mowgli; a thirty foot python, a bear and a panther.

Conversions of 20mm (1/72) Plastic Figures

The Little Soldiers 20mm (1/72) Plastic Figures page discusses several simple conversions to plastic soldiers and the construction of a Vickers Machine gun and a Mortar.

The Leatherstocking Series

The Leatherstocking Tales is a series of five novels written by James Fenimore Cooper. Each features the main hero of Natty Bumppo, which is known by European settlers as Leatherstocking, The Pathfinder, and the trapper. He is also known by Native Americans as "Deerslayer," "La Longue Carabine" and "Hawkeye".

It seems that I have read these novels out of sequence for I have read The Last of the Mohicans, The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea, and am just now reading “The Deerslayer, The First War Path”. The first three of Fenimore’s novels depict the French and Indian Wars era. The correct historic sequence of these novels is:

Story Dates	Title
1740-1755	The Deerslayer, The First War Path
1757	The Last of the Mohicans, A Narrative of 1757
1750s	The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea
1793	The Pioneers, The Sources of the Susquehanna; A Descriptive Tale
1804	The Prairie, A Tale

All three novels that I have read include very spirited stories with encounters with antagonist Indians and, in some cases, an interesting view of the North American frontier. Natty Bumppo, the protagonist, having grown up with a tribe of Delaware Indians is companied by his Mohican "brother" Chingachgook or Big Serpent. These two protagonists either fight or outwit their enemies in these novels.

I just finished the “The Pathfinder, The Inland Sea” not too long ago and the story still pretty fresh in my mind, however I read the “The Last of the Mohicans” sometime ago. I am thinking on picking up The Last of the Mohicans again after I have finished reading “The Deerslayer”. After rereading the “Last of the Mohicans” I will pick-up the sequence again with “The Pioneers and The Prairie”.

Fantasy Map Love

“Tripping over Books”-what an interesting name for a website. That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “When I have money I buy books and if there is anything left I buy food and clothes”- Desiderius Erasmus.

Fantasy Map Love features several maps from some of the most loved fantasy books. There is Winnie the Pooh’ s 100 Acre Wood, the map from the Chronicles of Narnia, and for the Harry Potter fans, there is the map of Hogwarts, to name just a few.

This is post 300. I am trying to keep the spammers happy. Keep your visits coming..

What is on Your Workbench?

I am glad you asked. “Way too much.” I am hoping to get organized and to get something accomplished this year. Here is a list of projects I hope to complete during the winter:

1. One set of five 20mm Faithful Hero’s from Splintered Light Miniatures. Need to be painted.
2. A Model Power 1/87 scale supply shed with details. Needs to be assembled, painted, detailed, and based.
3. A Zelda four figure 1/72 British WWII machine gun crew. Needs to be assembled and painted.

Finding a Purpose for my Splintered Light Miniatures

Back in July of last year I pondered what miniatures might be appropriate for Experimental Playground’s Mutants and Machine-Guns’ RPG. At that time I was considering on using Splintered Lights 20mm animal figures for the RPG’s Evolved Animals.

Since then I have been thinking on how I could expand the use of these miniatures. Could the Redwall series by Brian Jacques or The Chronicles of Narnia be an answer? Both series make use of animated and demonstrative animal characters. Could these plots be woven into their own RPG or war/adventure game?

Inspiration for my Splintered Light Miniatures

I recently found a page that features some painted Splintered Light miniatures. Some of the painted miniatures are of those that I had recently ordered (scroll down a bit and look for the review for the village personalities).

Splintered Light Miniatures-Faithful Heroes 2

My miniatures from Splintered Light are beautiful. They are full of detail, but boy are they small. I had the notion that 20mm would be a bit larger than these are. I have worked with 25mm miniatures before and presumed that 20mm couldn’t be all that much smaller, but alas they are.

Here is a primed set of Splintered Light’s Faithful Heroes 2. The figures include an otter, a badger, a hare, and 2 mice. All are armed and presumed dangerous. I look forward to working with them.

Two Sources for Resin and Metal Model Kits

Although these suppliers may be known to some of you they are new to me. I am always looking for something unique to build and these two sites provide a lot fodder.

S & S Model Shop

S & S Model Shop features resin models that include some cast pewter parts in 1/72 (25mm) and 1/60 (28mm) scale/sizes. There is 1/60, 28mm Universal Carrier that caught my eye. I have been looking for a Universal Carrier in this scale for a diorama I am planning. The scene would include this carrier and a set of 28mm miniatures (Big Joe and Company) from Artizan Designs Thrilling Tales series.

SHQ Miniatures

SHQ Miniatures offers a full line of 20 and 25mm miniatures, from multiple eras and ranges. All SHQ Miniatures are cast in pewter. SHQ Miniatures offers miniatures and many WWII vehicles. I was especially draw to their 20mm range of obscure WWII fighting vehicles from countries like Italy and Poland. SHQ also supplies a few sets of Italian infantry in 20mm that would be a great complement to their Carro Armato L6/40 Light Tank.