First set done.

So I’ve been making some headway at painting my miniatures for the game confrontation. Admittedly I own far more lead (reference to the metal miniatures as they are made predominantly with lead) than I have painted so far. Still they are looking damn good to me. So included are a few photo’s for you to consider. I’ll also drop up a picture of my last run at mini painting back in middle school (yeah it’s been awhile).

So this first group I painted about 3 weeks ago. Center is a Griffin Inquisitor, flanked by two Templar’s of the Inquisition. The Griffin faction being thematic upon Christianity during the dark ages, with post renaissance technology and their deity having a fire theme I choose to go with red as the primary color. To run counter to this I choose a dark blue to use for the under coloring (or for the cloak with the inquisitor). The lighter blue color on the templar’s front is the primary color for the regular Templar units. The Inquisitor was done first. The wash didn’t come out nearly as well on the figure as the other two. Also you can see a few spots of white primer showing up around some of the smaller objects. Also some of the armor objects like the strapping aren’t colored in. Conversely the Templar of the Inquisition units are more detailed, cleaner lines, better wash application and overall a less “dirty” look to it.


Here I have a, from left to right, a Templar, Eschelius the Ardent (Inquisitor Character), and a Morbid Puppet. Templar has that lighter blue/gray coloring to it as the primary color, and red for the highlight metal pieces due to it being a primary faction color. The templar was a fast paint for me, took about 1 day and a little more the next morning to get through. (Something like 6 hours total.) Eschelius however was more like 8 or 9 hours total. Were the Templar’s of the Inquisition’s were a few weeks of work each (likely 10 hours each). The skeleton was about 4 hours work or less really. Pretty simple pretty fast. One thing that took a lot of work on Eschelius was the face. I painted the eyes in white with actual blue pupils, very small tedious work. Actually did it dipping a needle into paint to dot the eyes. Mind you the minis are 32mm scale. Average height of 32mm, so under an inch and a half, if you will.

Last here is my latest piece. He’s not sealed yet so I might clean up a couple things I noticed looking at the picture. Mostly the hands the wash bled past the fingers a bit. Still the mini is the Dirz character Arkeon Sanath. As a faction Dirz uses chemicals to get a jump in combat. Hence the green bottle hanging next to his leg and the neon green highlighting of his eyes, and the breathing holes in the helm. I got a lot more fun with blending paint on this figure, along with dry brushing on the brown to the bottom of the cloak to help bring forth the image of dirt stuck to the bottom of it. Dirz also has the scorpion as their totem, (desert dwellers.) So I made up a greenish/gold color for the left shoulder armor. This stuck me as a very poison/insect color, reminiscent of the old 80’s era insect transformers. Wash did really well on this aside from the hands, just put to much on their really and it got away from me.

Well more in the future I’m sure. Hope you all have a great time at life till then.
-Brian Berman

Hobbies: Confrontation

I've picked up a new game of late called Confrontation, by Rackham Games. I was inspired by the amazing quality of the miniatures they make, and after having one for a few months, I actually read the min rule book that came with it. Let’s just say I got more than a bit intrigued and have now tossed my hat in with this game. As I’ve learned more and more I’ve become engrossed with the world lore/setting for the game, the art as well as the strategy behind the game itself.

I’ve been working to assemble prime and even paint a few of the minis. I’ll get photos of my work up here soon. So far I’ve been painting my Griffin Inquisition Units almost exclusively. The Griffin army, both in style and story has simply dug its little claws in me. To pair off with them I’ve picked up Alchemists of Dirz and the Undead of Archon to provide my opponents to these self proclaimed champions of the light. Besides what avid gamer can’t use more skeletons right?

Sadly as I began to find out as I was starting my collection in the last couple months it seems the game is going to change from a skirmish level game that uses metal minis to a large scale war game that uses pre-painted plastic miniatures. The metal ones will still be usable in the next incarnation of the game. Of course this change over, it turns out, is why I have been able to pick up this game for so dramatically cheap. Most online retailers are having sales from 30-75% off various Confrontation figures. So at least it was a save in the old pocketbook.

Till next time.

Moving Days

Well I moved once more, yup for anyone that knows me your right in thinking that this isn't a new thing. It has happened so frequently in the last 10 years that I don't toss my boxes when I move. Only thing different was the furniture. Yes a washer and dryer are far heavier than a box of books.

Enough complaining for now. That is all weeks old news and far enough past that I can look back with a nice golden aura to it. After all the best part of moving is moving in and enjoying your new home. Unpacking possesses something expressly therapeutic. I would guess it’s akin to the small work of organizing your life in a nice neat way as well as the ability to look over all ones old memorabilia you keep that reminds you of grand trips and fond memories.

In any case I’m now starting my second year in Maine. Best of all its my second year of being near Megan, and at this point we are T-minus ≈ 1 month from a year long engagement and have even set a date and location for the wedding.

Still working at Harriman Associates, and shall be for the foreseeable future. So all added up this next year is looking to be a good one here in Maine.