Saturday, July 14, 2018

More Pirates Too? Sure, Why Not

I've somehow managed to get more pirates finished and newly based with the next and final iteration of the quest to find the perfect clear base - more on than later.


Here is the group of 20, mostly from Northstar - though honestly, I have the hardest time trying to remember manufacturers anymore, mostly because stuff was bought ages ago.


I particularly like this group because it has Captain Jack Sparrow and Smee from Peter Pan.


Figures like the one looking through the spyglass are ones I absolutely love - I really like a pose that tells a bit of a story. What's he looking at? A ship in pursuit, or perhaps one he's after. Maybe it's some kind of sea monster on the horizon or perhaps the island with buried treasure on it :)


Someone needs to get Ms. Boney an undershirt.


The figure on the left really stands out as he has some manacles on his ankles - again, telling a bit of a story of a recent escape, and that necklace is just boss!


And the final four. The lady on the far right has a bit of a resemblance to Eleanor Guthrie from Black Sails, which is quite neat.


As mentioned above, I'm sure you've noticed the bases on this group is completely different from what I'd been doing clear base wise for the last year and a half. The new bases were created with a circle punch and the plastic is from the packaging from model railroad buildings.


I've now gone to an ultra thin clear base and I think I've finally found the look I've been after since trying the clear base - these new bases equate out to 20mm or 3/4 of an inch. The figure on the left has the 25mm Litko 1.5mm thick base and as you can see the difference is just huge. I initially had hesitations about going to 20mm as I thought they would be too small to handle the figures - I couldn't have been more wrong!



I've read on different forums and threads in the past that those who use clear bases are "lazy" and that's why they use them. The photo above is why I use them and will always use them going forward for skirmish game figures. Traditional basing in this instance would just look odd. With a clear base, no matter where that figure is (on a road, in a building, in a dungeon, on a boat, in the desert, etc. etc. etc.) on the table it's never going to look out of place, like here.


And just as another quick comparison shot, you can see how much better the new base looks compared to the old Litko one.


Here is the entire group on my sloop (yet to be finished - apologies lol!) from Blood and Plunder. I could easily get another 8 figures on the boat even with all the cannons added - that's almost 30 figures!!?? And all because of the type of base I'm using.


Penny pinching time - I managed to score a whole bunch of clearance hobby stuff. If you have a Hobby Lobby anywhere close to you I highly recommend getting out there as quickly as you can to see what you can pick up.  This lot in the photo I found between two stores - I hit one other one but they were cleaned out. This is a total of 23 items retailing at $269.77 that I got for only $67.77!!?? Madness.

I'd wanted to get this out before Wednesday but wasn't able to so I could wish all those going to Historicon a great time and all the best to those running games as well (Miles, David, Kalissa, Joe). I really wish I could have been there - especially when I found out that 4Ground were going to be at the event for the first time ever!?!? That one was really crushing for me, I would have loved for the guys to have seen the conversions I've done with there kits in person :(

I've got a Kickstarter post coming up as I've had three backings come in over the last several weeks - the Fog Monster from Real Game FX is one of the coolest things ever gotten my hands on for sure!

Until next time, thanks for looking!
Ivor

18 comments:

  1. That's a very nice bunch of figures you've done there and I agree with you on the pvc packaging being much better than the thick plastic bases. I think it's the very thickness that means the edge stands out a lot and spoils the illusion of clear.
    The stamp works well because you do get a nice clean edge, I should look for one I know.
    On a practical note how do you mount the figures for painting? Are you removing the base and then sticking them on a temporary base or removing the base after painting?
    Look forward to seeing re guys on the table.

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    1. Thanks John! Agree 100% regarding the thin bases. I actually complete all the painting first and then cut the bases off to mount them onto the clear base. A tiny bit of touch up is needed on the feet sometimes, but nothing too big 🙂

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    2. That's the way I've been done it as well, for the next batch of resin black scorpion figures I've cut the base of and mounted them on metal washers. I've got one of those extending magnets, and the plan it to use that as a handle to hold the figures for painting, and then pop them off the base and onto pvc.
      I'll try and remember to let you know if I find it an improvement or not.

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    3. I'll definitely be interested to hear how that goes, keep me posted 🙂

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  2. Wow, Ivor, those plastic bases just melt away as soon as those pirates are on board their vessel. Terrific stuff and great idea for basing them. Awesome posting :-)

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    1. Much appreciated! Definitely not looking forward to the task of swapping out the old bases with the new ones though lol! But it will be worth it.

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  3. I am sure I sailed with some of those. Nice job, interesting basing, you must have to be careful with the glue on the feet.

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    1. Thanks a lot George! I know what you mean about the glue on the feet, I've got a couple of tricks to help with it though and I definitely think it worked out brilliantly for this first group 🙂

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  4. Great minis

    You were missed at Historicon - it was a grand time

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    1. Thanks Miles! Super crushed about Historicon, it definitely was hard this past week seeing all the prep posts and then photos from the event. Fingers crossed for next time or even Fall-In.

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  5. Love the clear plastic bases and glad to see a convert to 20mm for them (though I'm a bit old school and still use both square and circular bases @20mm and not clear!)
    Nice group of pirates too btw and I doubt I've got any of them in my collection (of 400 or so).

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    1. Much appreciated! So happy to go to 20mm, I can't believe what a difference visually it makes 🙂 400 pirate figures!?!? That's incredible!!

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  6. Nice post Ivor, who doesn't love pirates ? on the whole base thing times have moved on in this hobby of ours its not longer people playing out games on a green mat, & as I'm sure you already know for me clear bases are the way to go & anyone who thinks that people who are willing to spend countless amount of time painting models are to lazy to do the the bases the old way are just not getting what clear bases are all about.

    Interesting to see you've gone down to 20mm in size mate & I'll tell you here & now I'm going to be following your lead :)

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    1. Thanks a lot Frank! Now I just have to sort out a story to get them on the table.
      Agree 110% regarding the bases, looking forward to seeing your figures on the 20mm 🙂

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  7. Ye be a fine scurvy lad! Waiting on the new round of blood and plunder minis myself ... looking great Ivor!

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    1. Thanks my friend! I think I've gotten close to 60 or 70 pirates finished up now and do you know not a single one of those are from B&P!?!?
      Speaking of which, that new B&P Kickstarter should be showing up pretty soon I'd imagine - and you've got a whole fleet of ships coming if I remember correctly 😀

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  8. Arrrrrrr they all look great me hearty! Keep up the good work.

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