Pokemon! I choose Chosen!

Ah, Christmas! Time for a Christmas bonus. In that I actually got one, from a London writing job that gave me a bit more than I was expecting. Enough to splash out on something that had caught my eye a while back. 

Santa? You've... you've changed...

Mierce Miniatures featured in one of the Cracking Gaming Blogs last December, Dice and Brush I think it was. He'd bought some of their minotaurs, and I was rather taken with their range of Celtic/Dark Age fantasy stuff. 

It's pronounced Mersha, their website explains in the FAQ. They must get asked a lot, which tells you something about naming your business more carefully. I've added it to the gaming resources tag on the side, you can check out their pricey but lovely range of resin minis. If I was a rich man (diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle diddle dee), I'd go nuts on the Vivicoct XIII and Bloodvore models, they're splendid. But very costly. 

Their Norse, Ysian and Fomorian ranges all fit in with my increasingly loose Chaos Viking Theme. Good job I didn't see them when I was buying, really, I'd have far fewer marauders. The Norse would obviously be best, but there aren't many available yet and they're a bit too unchaotic for my purposes. 

The temptation I fell to was the Ysians, whose Axe Drunes are a cracking lot. I don't think GW really provides decent models for Chaos banner bearers. These fit my bill - spikes, horned helms, lots of skulls and gigantic axes. Everything that I put in my 'interests' on that internet dating site years ago. Which is why that went nowhere. 

They'd actually work quite well as Wood Elves, this lot, same staggy look. 

This lot are going to be a tiny unit of Chosen, I think. I've gone for a colour scheme that could be Khornate if needed, although in the Woffboot points scale of things, they'd probably be unmarked. I actually think Nurgle is a better choice for Chosen, the best to use their towering WS with. The giant axes will almost certainly be halberds, it would be silly to waste that high initiative otherwise. 

Done bar varnish and a lick of gloss for the faceplates

The resin casting is very detailed. Their hideously muscular arms actually have gross popping veins on them, not that I picked those out terribly well.

Awwoooonnnnk.

The banners alone sold me on these guys.

The 80s Hooded Man called, he wants his Herne the Hunter back. 

Five of them, including full command, is probably too small to be effective. Everyone says Chosen are a poor points buy anyway. But sod it, I like the models, and they'll probably dent anything they manage to reach in a small battle. 

A few painting notes: 

• I've got pots of two of Citadel's new technical range, Blood For The Blood God and Typhus Corrosion. They're excellent, both do exactly what they claim as easily as the recent GW training videos demonstrate. This is probably a first for GW products. 
• The snow on the base is a trial mix of snow flock and PVA, mulched together into a paste with a consistency a bit like royal icing. Not easy to apply, but a bit more snow-like than my previous attempts, in that it isn't furry on top. 
• I drybrushed the cloak stitches with White Scar, after a few attempts at hand painting. My drybrush is so old it looks like something a chimney sweep would use, but it was still more accurate than trying to do it freehand. 

To cap them off, I got this guy as a BSB as well. Stick him into the tiny unit, and they're a poor man's unit of Knights. Ish - half the armour save and much slower. But still too potent to ignore, I hope. 

The Antlers, My Friend, Are Blowing In The Wind

The spindly resin banner was a bugger to superglue together. It also makes him quite back and top heavy, so he's got a bit of extra ballast down below. 

Money Shot

Mierce's home system doesn't use units, so these chaps are virtually incapable of forming a decent rank. After playing unit tetris for about an hour, I finally got them to stand in line. I suppose they're Chosen, they ought to be leading a warband each. No wonder they won't play well together. 

The banner is so big, it sticks out the side of the webpage.

And for my next project? Well, this bloke will need a ride, for one. 

Axe Body Parts Spray.
For men.

I have very specific plans for his shrine, and it's not going to be ready until later this year. Without the jiggery-pokery of magnets to help me, he's going to stay as a separate model that can be placed in or out as required. He could moonlight as a hero, champion or even sorceror until he's saved up for his wheels/spikes/howdah (delete as appropriate). 

I know what won't be carrying him, though, and that's these two WIPs: - 

Blogger resolutely refuses to print these the right way round. So, you know, Chaos wastes gravity and stuff. 

Don't look at me! I'm hideous!
What do you mean, 'that's the point'?

More when they're done!