Super Fantasy Brawl – DarthTom's Gaming

Tzu Xiao, The Jade Claw from Super Fantasy Brawl

One of the most interesting aspects of the Fantasy genre is the plethora of non-human races that populate its various settings. From the Centaurs and Cyclops of Ancient Greece to the Orcs and Trolls of Tolkien, the addition of new species and cultures makes each world feel deeper and more complex. Perhaps the most common type of Fantasy race is the simple anthropomorphic animal. This type of creature benefits from having a real-world species as its basis, allowing readers/viewers to instantly recognize the basic traits and personality dispositions they can expect from these characters. A perfect example of this trope is the Tigeraan warrior Tzu-Xiao, the final Champion from the Super Fantasy Brawl Core Box.

A proud warrior of the Tygeraan people, Tzu Xiao spent his youth working in the fields, until war broke out with the Lo’cai. Called to action to avenge his loved ones, Tzu Xiao dedicated himself to the blade. Soon, his skills outmatched those of any sensei, and his name became synonymous with defeat for his enemies. The dual swords of the Emperor’s Champion rest with him, as does the honour of his race. It is a responsibility far beyond that of a farmer, but fate has quickly realised there is very little beyond Tzu Xiao, The Jade Claw.

As one would expect from his appearance, Tzu Xiao is a fierce and extremely mobile attacker. Although the basic movement stats of his attacks appear limited at first glance, the Dash and Jump modifiers of his other abilities give this lethal feline enough range to quickly close the distance to his targets. Similarly, while the damage stats of his attacks are not particularly impressive, this is belied by their special abilities. Double Strike, for instance only deals two damage, but thanks to the Double keyword, any wounds that bypass the opponent’s armor are dealt a second time. Even more deadly, however, is the Flash of Jade card, which automatically wounds up to three targets until they are Bloodied (having three or more damage), dealing a possible nine total damage! On top of that, Tzu-Xiao’s Reaction ability, Revenge, allows a defender to deal equal damage back to the attacker, making it risky for a wounded opponent to target your fellow Champions. These qualities make Tzu-Xiao a very deadly and reliable member of any team.

As with all of the Super Fantasy Brawl miniatures, this figure was pleasantly large and well sculpted. While the pose did make some areas impossible to reach, it was not very difficult to remove him from the base in order to have better access. The only issues that I encountered was some lack of detail on on the right shoulder pads (the scales and cords were very poorly defined) and the bulkiness of the cape. Similar to the issue with Gwaien’s robe, the metallic trim seen on the reference art was not molded on the bottom of his cape. Unfortunately, due to the manner in which the edge of his cape thickens as it curls, any attempt to incorporate this detail would have resulted in the trim being wider in some areas than others. I decided it would be better to have no trim than wonky trim (a guiding principle which I believe to be the foundation of a moral and prosperous life).

Despite these drawbacks, the miniature was still a joy to paint. As always, I can not imagine improving upon the palette of the reference art, so I attempted to duplicate those colors as well as I could. Although time consuming, I feel that the addition of fur texturing really helped to make the character appear more noble and grandiose. While not entirely satisfied with the look of his blades, which ended up more metallic than jade, they contrast extremely well against the flat finish of his armor. I was also very pleased with the greenish-gold I achieved for the other metallics, which really complemented the other tones of the miniature.

And with that, the Core Box is complete. That leaves nine Champions from the original Kickstarter to paint… and then nine more from the Round Two Kickstarter… which I will definitely not finish by the time the next Kickstarter rolls around. Which, unfortunately will be run by CMON Games rather than Mythic Games. While I am a fan of many of CMON’s properties, I fear that change in ownership may result in a change to the overall aesthetic of the character design. As the style of Edouard Guiton is inseparable from Zombicide and Massive Darkness, the art of Johannes Helgeson really defined the feel of this wonderful game.

Or even worse for me, rather than nine Champions as before, the new CMON release model may have an additional seventy-two exclusive characters… There just aren’t enough hours in the day.

Red Cloth:
The pants and cape were base coated with a 2:1 mix of VGC Heavy Red (72.141) and VMC Black (70.950). This was kept in the deepest recesses, and folds were picked out with a 1:1 mix of the same colors. VMC Sunny Skintone (70.845) was added in order to lighten the most prominent areas, followed by highlights with additional Sunny Skintone, and very limited point highlights with nearly pure Sunny Skintone.

Brown Armor:
The scales and plates were base coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left in the recesses as shading and darklining. Each of the scales were picked out with VMC USA Olive Drab (70.889), then lightened with progressive mixes of USA Olive Drab and VPA Light Mud (70.315), with the brightest highlights being about a 1:3 ratio.
The ropes and dark trim were painted with German Camo Black Brown and Light Mud, omitting the USA Olive Drab, and aiming for higher contrast to suggest a different material than the scales.

Green Gold Trim:
The gold trim for his armor and swords was painted with a standard non-metallic metal approach using the following colors: VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Khaki (70.988), VGC Dead Flesh (72.035), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Green Sash:
The entire sash was base coated with VMC Black Green (70.980). The individual folds were then lightened with a 1:1 mix of Black Green and VMC Pastel Green (70.885), then highlighted with VMC Green Sky (70.974).

Fur:
The orange areas of fur were base coated with a 1:1 mix of German Camo Black Brown (70.822) and VMC Orange Brown (70.981). This was used as a shade tone as well as darklining. Major forms were then covered with pure Orange Brown, which was thinned and applied in short linear strokes around areas bordering other colors in order to soften edge transitions. A fur texture was then applied with short strokes of a 1:1 mix of Orange Brown and VMC Ice Yellow (70.858), followed by a 1:2 mix of the same colors as a highlight.
The barbed pattern was blocked in with VGC Charred Brown (72.045). The edges of the individual stripes were softened by slightly overlapping the lighter fur texture (1:2 mix).
Areas of white fur were base coated with VMC Desert Yellow (70.977). Major forms were then lightened with VGC Bonewhite (72.034). Fur texture was applied with short strokes of VMC Ivory (70.918) followed by sparing application of Schmincke Titanium White for the brightest highlights.

Sword Blades:
The green blades were base coated with VMC Light Green (70.942). A gradient was applied in a fashion similar to non-metallic metal, but meant to appear more translucent than reflective. Darker areas were blended into VMC Park Green (70.969) followed by the addition of VGC Night Blue (72.019). Light areas were blended into VGC Verdigris (72.096), followed by point highlights with VMC Ivory (70.918).

Dugrun, Warden of the North from Super Fantasy Brawl

As previously noted, several characters in Super Fantasy Brawl have very straightforward playstyles embodying the most common traits of classic fantasy classes. For instance, Deryn is a devious and dodgy rogue, while Gwaien is a glass-cannon spellcaster. Fitting right into this trend (as well as fulfilling all the stereotypes of a fantasy Dwarf) is Dugrun, Warden of the North, the tankiest tank to ever tank.

High in the Frostfel Mountains lies the ancient keep of Dundurin, ancestral home of the dwarves. Dugrun, Warden of the North, was charged with ensuring no threat enters Dundurin’s hallowed doors, and it is a charge he took with an infamously stubborn pride for over a thousand years, his own life-force bound into the very rock and ice of his homeland. Armed with his trusted hammer Than-zud, and able to call the power of the storm itself to his aid, woe betide any who would stand beforethat w Dugrun, for he is the mountain, and the mountain does not fall.

Matches of Super Fantasy Brawl can be won in a couple of ways. Knocking out enemy Champions immediately grants one Victory Point, but accomplishing this often requires several rounds of concentrated effort. The alternative method of scoring Victory Points is by winning Challenge Cards. To do this, one must fulfill certain objectives, such as having two leveled-up champions in play at once. Although Challenge Cards allow players to focus on strategy rather than simple aggression, these Victory Points can be more difficult to obtain due to the fact that they are only awarded at the end of your opponent’s turn, granting them a chance to counter your advances. Many of these opportunities rely on Champion positioning, requiring a player to control certain zones of the board or have a certain number of Champions adjacent to Statues. These types of Challenges are Dugrun’s speciality. Not only does he have two skills that include Push effects, allowing him to move opponents away from objectives, but his Armor (2) means that he can avoid damage from many attacks, making him very difficult to knock out. Even better, the “Hold Ground” reaction completely prevents an opponent from forcibly moving the defending Champion, increasing the likelihood of scoring position-based Challenges. Should Dugrun level up, his ability to disrupt the opponent’s strategy is enhanced even further by forcing adjacent enemies to target him with their attacks, absorbing damage that could have been dealt to less resilient friendly forces.

Dugrun’s miniature was rather well molded, with only a few issues. There was the usual problem of mold lines, some of which were placed in annoying areas like areas of rounded trim or through patches of fur. A bigger issue was some missing detail, likely an artifact of casting. I had to use ApoxieSculpt to add some tufts of fur behind his shield as well as some of the scales on his armored cuisses. For the most part, however, the details were nice and chunky and the edges were satisfyingly crisp. Although his hunched-over pose made it difficult to reach some areas with the paintbrush, this proved a minor issue thanks to how easily these characters can be separated from their bases.

Since I adore the reference art for Super Fantasy Brawl, I again stuck to the color palette as presented in the source material. The size of this miniature was neither too small nor too large, allowing for plenty of contrast and smooth transitions. This was more than made up for in terms of complexity, however, as there are a lot of details packed into every corner of this sculpt. In addition, many of these details include materials which are more difficult and time consuming to paint, namely the abundance of armor and ice. Both reflective surfaces and translucent objects require a lot more rendering and blending than flesh and cloth, but when convincingly achieved, the look is well worth the effort.

However may times I repeat this, I cannot overstate how great these character designs are. I love the fact that his helmet has sculpted eyebrows and a mustache, and I love how the face motif carries over from his shield, to his hammer, and even to his beard rings. Not sure why he has a face in his crotch, but hey, why not?

Overall, I am super proud of this miniature, and I think it may represent my best work to date. If I had to nitpick, I would say that the contrast got away from me a bit since everything is bright and sparkly, so the eye may have some difficulty finding a focal point at times. But all-in-all, what a blast! Hopefully, I’ll be back in a couple of months with the final Core-Box Champion, after which I will have the difficult choice of which expansion to crack open first. Until then…

Blue Cloth:
The cloth for his pants and the small bit of visible tunic was base coated with a 1:2 mix of VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898) and VMC Dark Prussian Blue (70.899). This was then lightened with a layer of Dark Sea Blue mixed with a similar measure of VMC Prussian Blue (70.965), and highlighted with Dark Sea Blue mixed with VMC Grey Blue (70.943). In all cases, the Dark Sea Blue was used primarily to desaturate the tones rather than to specifically darken them.

Steel:
The steel areas were base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC Black (70.950) and VMC German Black Brown (70.822). This was then used along with VMC Ivory (70.918) for a standard non-metallic metal application.

Silver:
The silver areas, such as the eyebrows and mustaches, were painted with a standard non-metallic metal application using the following colors:
VMC Black (70.950), VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907), and Schmincke Titanium White.

Gold:
The areas of gold were painted with a standard non-metallic metal application of the following colors:
VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Ochre Brown (70.856), VMC Ice Yellow (70.858), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Leather:
The boots and belts were base coated with VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872). This was highlighted with incremental mixes up to pure VMC Flat Earth (70.983), then with mixes of Flat Earth and VMC Dark Sand (70.847), and highlighted with pure Dark Sand. The tones were harmonized and muted with glazes of VMC Smoke (70.939), followed by repeat applications of the earlier mixes where necessary.

Horn:
The horn was basecoated with VMC Flat Earth (70.983). Streaks were then painted longitudinally with progressively lighter mixes of Flat Earth, VGC Bonewhite (72.034), and VMC Ivory (70.918). Glazes were applied with VMC Smoke (70.939) to harmonize and mute the tones, followed by repeat applications of the earlier mixes were necessary.

Skin:
The skin was basecoated with VGC Heavy Skintone (72.140). Individual volumes were built up with VGC Dwarf Skin (72.041) and highlighted with VMC Light Flesh (70.928). Final point highlights with VMC Ivory (70.918) were applied very sparingly. Smooth transitions required multiple intermediate layers.

Fur:
The fur cloak and trim were base coated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Individual tufts were picked out with Vallejo Panzer Aces Track Primer (70.304), lightened with incremental mixes of Track Primer and VMC Deck Tan (70.986), and highlighted with pure Deck Tan. Point highlights were applied sparingly with VMC Ivory (70.918).

Beard:
The beard was basecoated with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Individual volumes were blocked in with Vallejo Panzer Aces Track Primer (70.304) and lightened with incremental mixes of Track Primer and VMC Medium Grey (70.987). Highlights were applied with pure Medium Grey, and some shading was applied with a mix of German Camo Black Brown and VMC Black (70.950) to further differentiate some of the volumes of hair.
GCBB, Track Primer, Medium Grey, Black

Ice/Spell:
The ice crystals were blocked in with VMC Deep Sky Blue (70.844). This was darkened with VMC Prussian Blue (70.965) and lightened with Schmincke Titanium White to create a gradient along each facet. The darker tones were kept in the thickest areas of the ice while the lighter tones were applied to the angles through which light would exit the crystal. Highlights and edge highlights were applied with pure Titanium White.
The spell/smoke around his hammer was painted with the same colors, but leaned more heavily toward the darker range of tones.

Base:

Ground:
The areas of dirt were base coated with VMC Flat Earth. Shade was added to cracks and crevices with VGC Charred Brown (72.045). Several layers of Flat Earth mixed with incremental amounts of VMC Green Brown (70.879) were added to the upturned surfaces, ending with pure Green Brown. Highlights were added with the addition of VMC Beige (70.917).

Grass:
The areas of grass were base coated with VMC Flat Green (70.968). Shade was added with a 1:1 mix of Flat Green and VMC Black (70.950). Layers were added to the individual blades with the incremental addition of VGC Escorpena Green (72.032) to the Flat Green. Highlights were then applied with pure Escorpena Green.

Deryn, Huntress of the Eastwood from Super Fantasy Brawl

Creating a well balanced fantasy class involves several tradeoffs in regards to base statistics. A barbarian must attack from melee range, so they generally have high health and/or armor to allow them to withstand the inevitable punishment of close quarters combat. By contrast, a wizard may be able to inflict large amounts of damage from a safe distance, but usually has relatively low health or defense to compensate. Another attribute used to balance a low health character is speed, allowing rogue-like classes to dash in, deal damage, and dash out to avoid being hit in return. Often, these classes rely on stealth, tricks, and subterfuge to harass their foes. Such is the case with Deryn, Huntress of the Eastwood!

“Only good men walk where the wood wills” was more than simply an old wives’ tale during the reign of King Alistair the Black, and many of his corrupt followers found their lives abruptly ended by the actions of Deryn Ravenbourne. Once the famed Huntress of the Court, Deryn saw the desperation of her people once Alistair took the crown. Leading the rebellion, hundreds rallied to her name as a symbol of hope and defiance. Deryn would go on to free her land from a tyrant’s grasp, one arrow at a time.

In regards to her basic stats, Deryn is about average in terms of Health (7) and Armor (0). In regards to movement, however… the average champion has a total of about 6 hexes of movement spread across their six action cards (ignoring keyword effects such as Dash and Jump). Deryn has a whopping 11 hexes of movement, making her the fastest character in the game. In addition, she has two movement based effects – a simple Dash 2 after attack effect, and a reaction (Ambush) which places her adjacent to the attacker… Depending on relative positions, this skill potentially allows Deryn to move across the entire board out of turn!
In addition to being extremely mobile, Deryn also embraces the stereotypical deviousness of the Rogue archetype. While traps represent obstacles to other Champions, for the Huntress they are advantageous. “Heavy Shot” is a ranged attack which gains a boost if Deryn occupies a trap hex, “Spring the Trap” deals extra damage and Stun when targeting an enemy in a trap hex, “Prowl” allows her to identify and move a trap token, and she even gains armor when occupying a trap hex once leveled up. She may take a little more planning than some other Champions, but the tricks she has up her sleeve make Deryn a deadly opponent.

The miniature for Deryn is rather dynamic and stylish, but has a few minor issues. Due to the position of her crossbow, some areas are extremely difficult to reach. There were some very nasty mold defects, specifically on her right tasset where a mold line greatly deformed several of the metal spikes. The dragon head on the right side of her crossbow also had a mold line that ran right above the mouth, which required some careful cutting and reshaping to fix. Worst of all, despite Dugrun’s being a dwarf and Deryn a (presumably normal-sized) human, her miniature is a good deal smaller than his. Just a curiously baffling decision I thought I would point out…

Like my previous Super Fantasy Brawl miniatures, I stuck pretty much to the color palette of the official reference art. The one area of deviation was in omitting the “Celtic Knot” design on the knees of her trousers. Due to the deeply sculpted folds, I just could not get the design to read properly while still having the appropriate shades and highlights. Similarly, many other painters have chosen to interpret the teeth of her traps as ACTUAL teeth, rather than being metallic. I could not find a reason for this choice, and felt that the traps looked more sharp and imposing when they were entirely metal. Otherwise, I tried to recreate the character art as closely as possible.

The highlight of this model, in my opinion, is the dragon head motif on the crossbow. Quite an interesting design for a weapon, and one of the parts that is most informative for her character. This is especially true when one realizes that her backstory included a rebellion against King Alistair. At initial release, this did not mean much, but with the launch of the Round 2 Kickstarter, King Alistair was revealed to be a (quite literal) Draconian tyrant. The incorporation of a dragon in her weaponry has taken on a bit more meaning!

Despite being relatively small and hard to reach, there’s still a good bit of detail in Deryn’s face. The only gripe I have here is that the position of her head does not allow her to look down the sights of her crossbow.

Overall, another wonderful miniature from this game. Not the best sculpt ever made, but it definitely captures the look of the reference art and has plenty of action and chunky detail. Definitely having a blast with these models, although there is a much greater time investment in each one compared to the smaller miniatures of HeroQuest and Descent. Only two more Champions to paint from the Core Box!

Boots, Tassets, and Bracers:
Base coat of VMC USA Olive Drab (70.889), lightened with Vallejo Surface Primer IDF Israeli Sand (70.614), followed by highlights with pure IDF Israeli Sand. The soles were blocked in with VMC Black (70.950), then painted with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822)

Leg Wraps, Tunic, and Shoulder Pads:
Blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Individual wraps were then base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC USA Olive Drab (70.889) and VGC Heavy Brown (72.153). VMC German Camo Beige WWII (70.821).

Fur Fringe:
Blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Individual tufts were then base coated with VPA Track Primer (70.304), lightened with progressive mixes of Track Primer, VPA Light Mud (70.305), VGC Ghost Grey (72.046), and Schmincke Titanium White. The fringes on the legs were kept darker in general than the fringes around the shoulders and neck, with Titanium White only being used on the latter.

Pants:
The pants were base coated with a 1:1:1 mix of VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898), VMC Green Sky (70.974), and VPA Splinter Blotches I (70.346). This was lightened with additional Green Sky, This was darkened with Dark Sea Blue to create a shade tone. Highlights were added with the addition of VMC Light Green Blue (70.972) to the previous mix, followed by pure Light Green Blue. Finally, point highlights were added very sparingly with VMC Green Grey (70.971).

Skin:
The flesh tones were blocked in with VPA Flesh Base (70.341). Shade tones were created with 1:1 mixes of Flesh Base and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) for the shaved scalp, and Flesh Base and VPA Shadows Flesh (70.343) for the cheeks and wounds. Highlights were created with mixes of Flesh Base and VPA Highlight Flesh (70.342).
The blue paint was created with a base tone mix of VGC Turquoise (72.024) mixed 1:1 with VGC Ghost Grey (72.046). This was used to create a shade tone with the inclusion of VMC German Camo Black Brown and a highlight tone with the inclusion of Highlight Flesh.

Steel:
The areas of steel were painted with a standard non-metallic metal approach using the following colors: VMC Black (70.950) mixed 1:1 with VMA Armor Brown (71.041), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Gold:
The areas of gold were painted with a standard non-metallic metal approach using the following colors: VGC Heavy Brown (72.153), VGC Heavy Goldbrown (72.151), VMC Ice Yellow (70.858), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Belts, Quiver, and Wood:
These areas were all painted with the same colors: VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872), VMC Flat Earth (70.983), and VMC Dark Sand (70.847).

Hair:
The bright red hair was initially blocked in with the shade tone, a 1:2 mix of VMA Armor Brown (71.041) and VMC Orange Red (70.910). The individual masses of hair were then painted with a 1:1 mix of Orange Red and VMC Sunny Skintone (70.845), then recovered with a coat of Orange Red. This was due to the Orange Red being too translucent to cover the shade tone, requiring a lighter base tone to get good coverage. Highlights were then applied with the previous Orange Red/Sunny Skintone mix, followed by point highlights with pure Sunny Skintone.

Base:

Gold’arr, Scourge of the Several Seas from Super Fantasy Brawl

One of the main factors that drew me to Super Fantasy Brawl was the character design. Large, chunky miniatures with exaggerated features striking the perfect (IMO) balance between whimsy and the ridiculous. For instance, an Ogre pirate captain named Gold’arr (you know, “Arr”… like pirates say?) who has a retractable anchor in place of his hand (rather than a pegleg), has a treasure chest lashed to his back, and who is known as the “Scourge of the Several Seas”. Every possible trope done in a fun, creative way resulting in an over-the-top caricature of a fearsome privateer.

From a gameplay standpoint, Gold’arr requires a bit of skill to utilize effectively. While he is reasonably tanky, boasting above average health and armor, his attacks don’t deal much raw damage. Where he really excels is in manipulating character positions. With a Dash 5 ability that ignores Champions and Traps, he can move halfway across the board in a single go (dealing a bit of unblockable damage along the way). His more strategic abilities use Push, Pull, and Fear to force enemy movement, while he avoids similar issues by gaining immunity to Push upon levelling up. These effects can easily open up scoring opportunities for friendly Champions and deny them to the other team. In truth, Gold’arr’s main problem is in having too many good options from which to choose.

This is hard to pull off to great effect because Dash must go in a “straight line”, but it gives Gold’arr terrific mobility even if no damage is dealt.

Like the other Super Fantasy Brawl miniatures, Gold’arr is rather large at about 80 mm including the base. There were some minor mold lines, especially around the anchor chain and treasure chest, and some deep defects in the ring at the back of his spear. To also complicate matters, I dropped him midway through painting resulting in two sections of his beard being broken off. Other than these small issues cleanup was relatively easy.

There was almost no thought required in creating a color palette, as the character art is perfect in this regard. The gold definitely needed to pop, so I used a much brighter, yellow gold tone compared to the desaturated greenish metal seen on Kilgore. Because reds tend to overwhelm other colors, I chose deeper, understated tones for his coat. These were applied in multiple stippled layers in order to evoke the thick woolen texture often seen in such nautical attire. The purple silk of his pantaloons and bandana took a couple of attempts to get right, with early ones being too dull and difficult to read. But in the end, I think everything turned out well!

What a wonderful miniature! My love for this game continues to grow with each character I paint. If only I could keep pace with the release schedule Fortunately, Season 2 has not yet reached the states, so only 12 more from Season 1 to finish in the next 2-3 months… Who am I kidding? I’ll be lucky to finish even one more by then!

Coat:
The entire coat was base coated with a 2:1 mix of VMC Black Red (70.859) and VMC Black (70.950). This was incrementally brightened with mixes advancing to pure Black Red, followed by mixes advancing to pure VMC Dark Red (70.946), and finally highlighted with a 1:1 mix of Dark Red and VMC Brown Rose (70.803). The layers were painted very thinly with short lines and stippled highlights to suggest the stubbly texture of a thick woolen captain’s coat.

Purple Silk:
The pantaloons, cumberbund, and bandana were blocked in with a 1:1 mix of VMC Black (70.950) and VMC Royal Purple (70.810). This was lightened with the addition of increasing amounts of VNFP Lipstick (74.029), followed by the addition of VMC Brown Rose (70.803) for highlights. Pure Brown Rose was used sparingly for point highlights.

Pale Purple:
Base coat 2:1 mix of VGC Heavy Warmgrey (72.148) and VMC Purple (70.959). This was darkened with a bit of VMC Black (70.950) as a shade tone, and further with VMA Armor Brown (71.041) for the deepest shadows. Layers were applied with the original tone lightened further with Heavy Warmgrey, followed by highlights of pure Heavy Warmgrey.

Leather:
The belts, bracer, and boots were base coated with VMC German Red Brown Surface Primer (70.605). Layers were applied with this color mixed with VMC Panzer Aces Light Rust (70.301), followed by pure Light Rust. Highlights were applied with a 1:1 mix of Light Rust and VMC Cork Brown (70.843), and point highlights with pure Cork Brown. Some scratches were added with a bit of VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) added to the German Red Brown.

Skin:
The areas of flesh were base coated with Vallejo Nocturna Fantasy Pro Malefic Flesh (74.012). Several layers were applied advancing to VNFP Forest Skin (74.013), followed by the addition of VNFP Highlight Skin (74.008), with final highlights of pure Highlight Skin (mostly on the face).

Beard:
The entire beard area was blocked in with VMC Black (70.950). The major strands of hair were then base coated with a 2:1 mix of Black and Vallejo Nocturna Fantasy Pro Forest Skin (74.008), followed by a highlight of a 1:1 mix of the same colors. A second highlight was then applied along the upward facing curves of each strand with the previous mix lightened with an equal measure of VNFP Highlight Skin (74.008). Very small specular highlights were applied to tips and bends with pure Highlight Skin.

Gold:
The gold was painted with a standard nonmetallic metal approach using VGA Armor Brown (71.041), VMC Ochre Brown (70.856), VMC Ice Yellow (70.858), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Steel:
The buckles and anchor were painted with a standard nonmetallic metal approach using VMC Black (70.950) mixed with VGA Armor Brown (71.041) as a base tone, lightened sequentially with VMC Ivory (70.918).

Rope and Spear Wraps:
The rope was blocked in with VMC Leather Brown (70.871). A base tone was created with a 1:1:1 mix of Leather Brown, VMC Green Brown (70.879), and VMC Buff (70.976). This was applied to the individual strands of rope, and darkened or lightened with the addition of Leather Brown or Buff respectively in order to give dimension to the strands. Point highlights of pure Buff were applied sparingly to the most raised areas.
The leather wrap around the handle of the spear was painted using the same colors, but used a standard layer progression from Leather Brown, to Green Brown, to Buff.

Spear Metal:
The metal components of the spear were painted using a non-metallic metal approach with the following colors: VMC Black (70.950), VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Medium Grey (70.987), and VMC Ivory (70.818). The base tone was a 3:1 mix of Medium Grey and Black, which was progressively lightened with Ivory. The shade tone was a 1:1:2 mix of Black, German Camo Black Brown, and Medium Grey, which was blended into the base tone with progressive additions of Medium Grey.

Wood:
The wood was blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), which was left in the deepest recesses as shade. A base coat of VMC Chocolate Brown (70.872) was applied to the raised grain, and mixed up to a primary highlight of VMC Flat Earth (70.983). A final highlight was applied to the edges of the grain with a 1:1 mix of Flat Earth and VMC Dark Sand (70.847).

Base:

Gwaien the Gathering Storm from Super Fantasy Brawl

***It has come to my attention that WordPress automatically (and unavoidably) compresses inline pictures. Clicking on the images will link to the full-size file, with accordingly better quality and contrast.***

There are many reasons that I backed the first Kickstarter for Mythic Games’s Super Fantasy Brawl. The miniatures were large, filled with detail, and had just the right balance of attitude and whimsy. The price point was very reasonable, and the gameplay appealing. But the most impressive quality this game boasts is the degree to which the Champions look and play differently within what is a relatively simple ruleset.

One of the best examples of this variability is the comparison of Kilgore the Ravager (the first featured Champion) and Gwaien the Gathering Storm, two characters who could not be more different in every regard. In terms of appearance, Kilgore is a hulking Troll with a grim face and prosthetic limbs while Gwaien is a petite Elf with gracefully flowing, blonde tresses. This contrast also extends to their abilities. Kilgore’s are centered around healing effects, whereas Gwaien specializes in dealing copious amounts of damage. This makes one something of a close range tank and the other a veritable glass cannon.

Gwaien is always a threat in the Arena. Her Teleport ability gives her good mobility, her Arcane Shield reaction can negate up to four damage, and her four attacks deal solid damage along with other effects that are just icing on the cake – Flamespear can Push its target (dealing damage, triggering traps, or preventing completion of a Challenge), Chain Lightning can arc to a second Champion within range of the target, Ignite causes its target to suffer additional damage from your allies’ attacks, and Fireball deals direct damage to all Champions adjacent to the target (friend and foe alike). The only limitation to these amazing attacks is that each has a very specific range at which it can target an enemy Champion, a matter which is mitigated by Gwaien’s level-up ability, which decreases the minimum range and increases the maximum range for each of her skills. Oh, and one other downside being that all of this damage potential paints a very clear target on her back, as eliminating her threat is often the only sure path to victory.

As previously stated (and as will be stated again each time I gush over this game), the miniatures for Super Fantasy Brawl are simply amazing. Such dynamic poses, a scale that allows for the addition of texture and fine detail, and a relative lack of mold lines and defects make these characters a joy to paint. Gwaien is no exception. Aside from a gap between her neck and chest, a dimple on the right side of her “train”, and the inexplicable disappearance of her dress’s trim along the back, this was a very straightforward piece to work with. The first issue was solved by popping off her head, cleaning up the excess superglue from factory assembly, and simply reattaching it after painting was complete. This actually made it much easier to paint both the body and the head, as her hair was no longer blocking access to her upper back. Similarly, some Aves Apoxiesculpt corrected the missing trim, as can be seen in the WIP pictures below.

WIP pictures showing separation of the head and addition of trim details.

From there, it all came down to patience and perseverance, as I painted from the ground up. Of note, this is the first attempt I have made at painting a translucent fabric, namely what I interpreted as stockings on her legs. Not sure it worked as I imagined, but I think the effect plays well with the rest of her miniature. The one part with which I am not satisfied is her eyes. Following the character art, I painted them to match the color of the spell being cast from the corresponding hand, but this creates an unusual appearance which could mistakenly appear unintentional at first glance. Hopefully viewers will take the time to understand the effect before judging it too harshly.

Now that she’s finished, I am officially 1/3rd done with the Core Box. Wow! What a relief to have a manageable number of miniatures in a game, rather than the gobs and gobs of figures with which I am used to dealing. This way each of these wonderful pieces can receive all of the attention which it deserves. Already anticipating working on the next Champion!

Blues:
The mid-tone for the dress was a 1:1 mix of VMC Flat Blue (70.962) and VMC Azure (70.902). This was darkened for shades with the addition of equal measures of VGC Night Blue (72.019) and VMC Black (70.950). Lighter tones were used for highlights, starting with pure Azure, followed by a 1:1 mix of Azure and VMC Pale Grey Blue (70.907).
The same colors were used for the plates of armor on her hips, shoulders, knees, and headgear. Although the colors were the same as for the cloth, I applied them slightly differently, using a non-metallic metal approach with deeper shadows and sharper highlights.

Gold Trim:
A standard non-metallic metal approach was used with the following colors:
VMC Black (70.950), VGC Charred Brown (72.045), VGC Plague Brown (72.039), VMC Ice Yellow (70.858), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Gemstones:
The entire stone was base coated with Schmincke Titanium White. A base tone was created with a 1:1 mix of VGC Foul Green (72.025) and VMC Blue Green (70.808). This was darkened with VMC Black (70.950) and lightened incrementally with Titanium White in order to apply a standard gemstone technique.

Nylon Stockings:
An attempt at translucent dark nylons was made by base coating the legs with VMC Black (70.950). A highlight line was drawn in with a 1:1 mix of VNFP Medium Flesh (74.005) and Black, and then blended out to the sides with incrementally more Black added to the mix.

Skin:
The skin was base coated with Vallejo Nocturna Fantasy Pro Medium Flesh (74.005). This was blended through several layers into a primary highlight of VNFP Fairy Flesh (74.007), which was further blended up to pure VNFP Highlight Skin (74.008) for the brightest highlights. Shade was added with a 1:1 mix of Medium Flesh and VNFP Burned Flesh (74.002). Burned Flesh was also used as a dark line around some areas of skin to create clean separation.

Hair:

The Hair was initially blocked in with a 1:1 mix of VGC Beasty Brown (72.043) and VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). A base coat consisting of a 1:1 mix of VMC Cork Brown (70.843) and VMC Yellow Ochre (70.913) was applied to the individual tresses. This was shaded along the lower edges by adding various amounts of Beasty Brown to the base mix.

Lightning Spell:
The entire spell was blocked in with Schmincke Titanium White, then base coated with VMC Sky Blue (70.961). The central ridge and some “facets” were lightened with a 1:1 mix of the Titanium White and Sky Blue, followed by thinner lines of pure Titanium White.

Fireball:
The entire spell was blocked in with Schmincke Titanium White, then base coated with VMC Light Yellow (70.949). The individual tendrils of flame were incrementally darkened with VGC Orange Fire (72.008), followed by a 1:1 mix of Orange Fire and VGC Heavy Red (72.141), and finally VMC German Camo Black Brown mixed 1:1 with the previous mix. Each of these stages was blended into the previous one along the lower edges and in gaps to create smoother transitions.

Base:

Kilgore the Ravager from Super Fantasy Brawl

Any painter can tell you that it’s generally a bad idea to start a new project before you have finished your previous projects. Most painters can also tell you that it is almost impossible to resist the temptation when a really terrific subject comes along, which is certainly the case for me with Mythic Games’s recently released Super Fantasy Brawl! I backed this game on Kickstarter, fully expecting the routine delays in fulfillment to give me time to finish my HeroQuest and Descent 2nd Edition models, giving me free reign to jump into painting these wonderful characters. Alas, the game was delivered promptly, and the bright colors and personality-filled sculpts broke my resolve.

Super Fantasy Brawl is a pick-up and play arena combat game pitting one player’s team of three champions against their opponents. Each player’s turn consists of using their three “cores of magic” (tokens representing the primal forces of Creation, Destruction, and Manipulation) to power the abilities of their champions (by playing cards color-coded to match the required magical core). These abilities generally involve movement, attacks, and various support actions, with each champion excelling in different ways. For instance, the dwarf Dugrun has a lot of armor and is resistant to being moved by his attackers, while the sorceress Gwaien has little health but casts high-damage ranged attacks. The strengths of today’s subject, Kilgore the Ravager, lie not in defense or damage, but in the natural ability of Trolls to regenerate health.

With his huge size and impressive armor, one could be forgiven for thinking Kilgore was a thuggish brute. This could not be further from the truth. Most champions’ attacks are powered by the red Core of Destruction, with modifiers that grant additional damage, targets, or harmful conditions. In contrast, most of Kilgore’s attacks are fueled by the yellow Core of Creation, either simply healing him or siphoning health from his opponent. This detail not only extends the troll’s life expectancy in the arena, but also allows a player to perform attacks with Kilgore while saving their red Core for stronger attacks from other champions.

The Ravager’s miniature is impressive. Despite some difficult mold lines, imperfect edges, and a couple of annoying gaps, the casting is rather nice for a gaming miniature. The muscles are well defined, the armor is relatively smooth, and the sculpted base is an added bonus. Strangely, the miniatures worst aspect is the same as it’s best: the pose, while being dynamic and interesting, leaves many areas very difficult to reach with a brush. To combat this issue, I chose to remove the figure from the base using a sharp blade, a drill, and a chisel. During this process, I managed to break the shaft connecting the head of his mace to his hand. This was a pretty simple fix with a couple of bits of metal tubing, but actually helped me to reach into that difficult space under his chest and chin.

In regards to his paint scheme, I attempted to mimic the official pictures as much as possible. Obviously, most of my attention was given to the armor and prosthetic limbs, with lots of blending and highlighting needed for those areas. This is my first real attempt at object source lighting on a gaming miniature, and overall I am pleased with how the glow looks. Not too strong, not too subtle… I actually even fooled myself for a second at one point, unconsciously rotating the miniature to avoid an annoying glare before realizing it was the OSL.

So much nonmetallic metal! This miniature, which I was hoping would be quick and straightforward, quickly ballooned into a months-long project. Bit-by-bit he came together, but I was very happy when an end came in sight. Back to my normal projects, but rest assured, I won’t be able to resist painting more from this line for long.

Brown Metal:
The brown metallic sections were painted using a standard non-metallic metal application of the following colors: VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VGC Heavy Warmgrey (72.148), and VMC Ivory (70.918). Some VMC Black (70.950) was added to the German Camo Black Brown for the darkest shadows, and the midtones concluded with an approximate 2:1 mix of Heavy Warmgrey and German Camo Black Brown before the addition of Ivory for the highlights.

Gold:
The gold metallic sections were painted using a standard non-metallic metal application of the following colors: VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822), VMC Desert Yellow (70.977), and VMC Ivory (70.918).

Steel:
The areas of steel were painted using a standard non-metallic metal application of the following colors: VMC Black (70.950) mixed 1:1 with VGA Armor Brown (71.041), and Schmincke Titanium White.

Skin:
The flesh was painted with a complex mix of colors. The base tone could be considered to have been VGC Dead Flesh (72.035). Shading was accomplished by blending down to VMC Khaki (70.988), followed by the addition of Vallejo Fantasy Pro Nocturna (VFPN) Burned Flesh (74.002), with some VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822) added in the deepest shadows. VFPN Highlight Skin (74.008) was added incrementally to the Dead Flesh for highlights, followed by sparing use of VMC Ivory (70.918) for point highlights. Certain areas were also tinted slightly by glazing VFPN Reddish Flesh (74.003) over the highlights, as well as mixing Reddish Flesh into Dead Flesh and Khaki to blend it out into the normal skin.

Teeth:
The entire mouth was blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). Individual teeth were base coated with VMC Green Brown (70.879). This was lightened in stages with the addition of VGC Bonewhite (72.034) followed by VMC Ivory (70.918). Final highlights to the points of the tusks were applied with Schmincke Titanium White.

Hair:
The hair was blocked in with VMC German Camo Black Brown (70.822). The large tufts of hair were then base coated with VGC Charred Brown (72.045). These tufts were highlighted with thin lines of a 1:1 mix of Charred Brown and VGC Tan (72.066), followed by point highlights with VMC Ivory (70.918) added to the previous mix.

Cloth:
The blue cloth was base coated with a 1:1 mix of VMC Dark Sea Blue (70.898) and VMC Luftwaffe Uniform WWII (70.816). Several layers were added with the incremental addition of VGC Steel Grey (72.102) to this mix, followed by the addition of VGC Wolf Grey (72.047) for highlights.

Leather:
The leather straps and belt were blocked in with VMC Black (70.950), and then base coated with a 1:1 mix of Black and VMC Flat Brown (70.984). This was lightened with the addition of VGC Parasite Brown (72.042) and stippled/mottled over the entire surface. Linear scratches were added with a highlight tone created with the addition of VGC Bonewhite (72.034) to the previous mix.

Base:

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