Time flies...and now so does my MHI team.

Jeez, I can't believe how quickly time flies.  It seems I just don't get enough time to update the blog or work on my hobby stuff.    I had shelved the Hind project for a few months, but was able to pick it back up again.  The model itself was a Revell 1/48th scale plastic model I nabbed off Ebay for a song.

It's Red!

I spray painted it flat red, and started trying to 'Orc'ise it.  In Monster Hunter International, the gang gets around quickly in style via the repurposed Mi-24d Russian Hind.  To avoid confusion, they had it painted red, similar to a Red Cross vehicle.   The super skilled pilot, Skippy, customized it from there.

Click to make bigger

It can be equipped with either extra fuel, missle pods, or a variety of other mission specific items.

Now boarding for Natchez Bottom.

Quite often blaring head banging Heavy metal and sacrificing chickens to the 'ro-tor' Gods, Skippy can do some amazing aerial acrobatics with the beefy copter.

No chickens were harmed in making this model (yet).

Honestly, I'm not too fond of the lettering/numbering on the tail piece.  I tried to freehand it, but it looks pretty crappy.  I plan on just painting over it, and getting a decal kit to put the ID number on properly.  I don't mind the 'rough' look of the shark teeth, and white stripes, as I figured Orcs aren't super particular about the overall look.

If I ever do manage to play some sort of game using the miniatures, I'd probably use the chopper as an objective point.  A 'GET TO THE CHOPPA' type scenario.

It's still a bit rough in spots, and I'll clean those areas up, but I was anxious to post pics to prove I hadn't totally abandoned the project!!

In the Monster Hunter International news, there is a bunch of new stuff in the pipeline.  

First up, hitting in July, will be a 'Weird Old West' anthology.  Larry Corriea has authored a short story dealing with Bubba Shackleford, the founder of MHI.  Sounds like fun, and it'll give me a chance to start working on some cowboy minis! 

The next in line in the overall continuing series will be called Monster Hunter Siege.  Sounds like the team is going to have it's hands full in this fight.  It's due out later this summer

In October, comes the Monster Hunter Files, an anthology from a variety of authors penning stories set in the MHI world.

Somewhere soon the third book in the Monster Hunter Memoirs (called Saints) will be released, but I've not seen a date on that yet.

All in all, should be plenty of character, monsters, and etc. for me to keep my project plugging along for the foreseeable future!!

Still plugging away...

Hiya.

Been a busy early start to the year.  Ice storms, overtime at work, dog sitting, home improvements, and of course miniatures!

On the MHI project front.  I have just been slowly painting some side characters, just to keep me moving.  I've been assembling many of the miniatures I got from my Hasslefree haul, but other than some primer, most of those haven't seen paint yet.

These are zombies from a company called King Zombie.  I've had them for a while, just never got around to painting any.  They are kinda goofy looking, with bobblehead sized noggins, but they were still fun to paint.  These are 'First Responders'.  The female zombie is in 'mid-shotgunned blast' mode.

The leg chomping Zed was something from Frothers Unite's zombie line years ago.  He's gruesome enough to be a great target for the other two fellows.  These are team members from Team Haven.  Since they look so similar, these two are going to represent a pair of brothers on that team.  I think they were called the Hate Brothers, and they operate mostly in the Rocky Mountain area.   I'll have to double check on those names though.  The miniatures I used were Spectre minis, and I have to say I wasn't too impressed with the quality of the sculpts.  The anatomy is a bit wonky, and they just don't have the attention to detail I find in other premium models.  But, they will work as a couple of automatic rifle toting Hunters!

Chompy and the Bros.

Last up for this installment is another pretty cool character from the Monster Hunter International world.  Grant Jefferson is a incredibly rich, incredibly talented hunter that we meet in the series' opening novel.  He is arrogant, cocky, and at the time Julie Shacklefords boyfriend.  Owen Pitt hates him for all of those reasons.  Add to the fact that Jefferson basically left Pitt to die during the first big mission, there is serious tension between the two.

Jefferson, Grant Jefferson

But, the brilliant thing Corriea does with many of his characters is that he makes you like them, despite their flaws.  During the series, we see Jefferson leave the premier team on Monster Hunter International to move onto a Hollywood career.  He eventually comes back into the world, but this time with the Monster Control Bureau.  By the time the lastest novel has come around (Monster Hunter International: Nemesis) he's a downright goodguy again.

This representation of him is in that MCB guise.  Tactical battles, public confusion on the subject of monsters, and political manuevering seem to fit him as well as his tailored suits do.

I used a Hasslefree miniature for this called 'Codename: Alexander' but he's very obviously a Daniel Craig version of James Bond.  I can't get over what a talented sculpted that Hasslefree guy is (Kev White).

Anyhow, as with many of the bigger characters in the series, I'll be doing another version of Grant Jefferson, this time in tactical gear.

Until next time!!

Happy New Year!

2017 already.  Just seems weird.

I've kicked off the year right by working on some more great characters from the MHI world.

First up is Heather Kerkonan.  She's the feisty deputy we first meet in MHI:ALPHA.

SPOILER ALERT (storylines will be discussed below.)

She has quite a trying time in that story, but develops a relationship with Earl Harbinger, who helps her through her new found 'change'.

Heather also becomes conscripted into a secretive Government called Special Task Force: Unicorn (yeah, that acronym is STFU), which was led by probably the coolest bad guy in all the MHI series, Agent Stricken.  I'm still struggling to find a miniature that will fit his odd demeanor, but I've not given up yet.

Here's Heather and her alternate ego, a red haired werewolf.  Since Heather was infected during the Vulkodlak (see earlier blog posts for that), it has somehow imbued her with control over her monstrous form.

I used a Hasslefree miniature for the basis of Heather, and a Reaper miniature for the wolf form. 

Next up, and my 2nd painted miniature of the year, is a character known as Rick Armstrong.  He makes his first appearance in MHI: Legion.  He's the cocksure CEO of a competitive hunter group that calls themselves Paranormal Tactical Consulting.   The rivalry heats up throughout the Legion storyline, and hopefully continues in future installments.

I used a miniature from Fenris Games to help represent the leader.  There's a few more figures I have already painted that I may add to the PT (potato tasters?) crew.   More will follow on this.

The last miniature I painted up today was another Hasslefree miniature.  He is obviously mutating into something else, so I thought I'd use him as a Nemesis soldier.  The Nemesis soldiers are first mentioned in MHI: Nemesis.  It's the novel that tells an Agent Franks story.  In a nutshell, Stricken has began to build slave type troops using Agent Franks' blueprint as a starting point.  Since evil entities are always looking for empty bodies to inhabit, some of the Fallen (as in demons from Hell) have staked their claim on these super soldiers.

Later in the story, the demons gain control and are able to mutate themselves into their more demonic forms...Thus, this mini seems to fit the bill for a generic Nemesis soldier.

For Christmas, I received a very cool rulebook called Fear and Faith.  It's a compact little set of rules that are based off the popular Fantasy skirmish rules called Song of Blades and Heroes. I think I'll use this to try to actually play a game in the MHI setting.

A couple of other cool Christmas gifts that pertain to my hobby.  First is a magnifying visor.

Yes, I look like a complete dork while wearing this, but the fact that I can see the details on the miniatures again will make it all worth it.    I've used reading glasses, and those do help, the these changeable magnifier lenses will make a huge difference.  Add the fact that it has an ultra bright LED headlamp, and this will be a great tool to improve my painting, sculpting, and even just cleaning mold lines off the miniatures.

The next uber cool give is the MHI Limited Edition Leather bound hardcover.  

And, it's signed by the author, Larry Corriea!  At least I think it's signed, it's just kinda a scribble, but the Monster smiley face is all the confirmation I need. 

I'm still working on that HIND from last blog post, and it'll be updated sometime soon.  I think the building part is over, but I got to now paint the beast...Yikes!

Anyhow, thanks for reading my rather lengthy New Years blog post.  I'm hoping to keep this rolling for a while, and would love to hear comments, criticisms, or suggestions for the project.

See you soon.