Talkin’ ‘Bout Traitor’s Toll

Things have been incredibly busy for yours truly. Between work, the Holidays, and having a hobby desk that is overflowing with projects (the last of these is, in fact, a good problem to have), I’ve been negligent in keeping up with this little blog.

     While things will be busy for a while yet, they’re not SO busy that I can’t show you a little of what’s been going on here.

     Besides painting stuff for Torch and Shield (I received my PDF of the new Vaults of Zarn expansion a few days ago: I’m planning a campaign for the new year, and a review at some point), I’ve also been cracking on in preparation for a little game called Guards of Traitor’s Toll. Truly, in terms of fantasy minis and rules, my cup floweth over of late!

     Yet, I would be lying if I said that the amount of prep work I’ve had to put into getting Guards ready for the table was anything less than substantial. While I own reams of fantasy terrain and minis that could be used for the game, I knew I wanted to “play it painted” with Guards and committed to enjoying it only once everything was well and truly painted. That means terrain, civilians, guards: the lot of it.

     That was in August. As the end of the year looms, I’m pleased to say I’m nearly there; though I’ll likely end up leaning on some old painted buildings (a lot of it modular Dwarven Forge stuff) terrain-wise, I’m pretty pleased to be at the end of a long painting tunnel. I’ve taken shortcuts, to be sure (Army Painter Soft Tone has been liberally used, and highlights. . .lazily applied, when at all), but it’s sort of cool to look at a whole whack of minis and say “yup, those were grey not so long ago.” This is doubly true because the minis featured below can all be used in one of the umpteen fantasy games I find myself playing or running for my group, replacing the prepaints and proxies I’ve relied upon to form a rogue’s gallery of “townsfolk and guard” for the better part of a decade. 

     So, let’s have a look at the guards, civilians and criminals in my little corner of Traitor’s Toll:

 

The guards, ready for action! In my headcannon, these fine folks are called the "Wineskins," on account of their wine colored garb (dyed with real Rhellroot wine, naturally). Of course, to their detractors, the name conjures images of sotted thugs who think there's something wrong with stealing a coin or five in the dead of night!

 

My favorite of the bunch! While the (boring, I feel) greatsword wielder in the previous image is the captain of this lot, I think writ-shaking lady (who looks a little like Michael Jackson to my eyes) would make a fine second in command. The lantern wielder looks properly mean, and the elf (using a head from the civilian sprues included in the starter set) provides some much-needed ranged support. The halberd-wielding duo? One suspects they ask questions like "wot's all this then?" at some gate on the daily.

 

Civilians! Most are a mix of folks made using the sprues included with the game (excellent stuff by Wargames Atlantic) and NPC minis from Archon Studios' Dungeons and Lasers line, as I think they pair together well. The halfling mage up front is from Next Level Miniatures, and is the definition of a "good value, 6/10" product.

I am rather fond of this tiefling ratcatcher. Though, I opted to use a blood effect paint by Vallejo this time around, and don't think it quite worked out. Whether I fiddle with things further remains to be seen.

Of course, being a D&D fan at heart, I found it necessary to find a tail for this lass. The solution? I trimmed the head of a snake from the civilians sprue, giving me a quick and dirty tail that hopefully does the job.

There was a mishap when removing this lady from the puddle base she came attached to (puddle bases are, in fact, made by devils to confound the faithful). I opted to replace her missing foot with a peg leg, and honestly? I think it gives her a bit more character.

A burly blacksmith indeed! One hopes he's law-abiding, because with guns like that his trusty hammer could easily cave in an underpaid, undertrained guard's breastplate. 

     We’ve got five more civilians to paint, and then some scatter terrain. After that? I’m ready for Guards of Traitor’s Toll. . .probably. I might want to get another building or two ready for the table as well, but at that point we’re veering very much into “optional” painting territory.

     Give yourself a little time over the Holidays to slay the grey: you deserve it!