Painting Miniatures: Deathwatch and Infinity

Last post, I wrote about what I’d learned in a month or two of painting miniatures again. I’m enjoying the work and the end result, and I’d like to keep going.

Much as I want to avoid doing “gunna” posts, I can’t resist blogging a bit about the things in painting that I’m getting keen on.

Deathwatch Kill-team Malleus Puritaneum

I still feel bad about calling the Deathwatch campaign to a halt. I don’t regret the decision – while it took me a while to realise it, RPGs still really aren’t my bag – but I do regret promising the lads a campaign and not delivering.

To thank them for their time and investment, I’d like to make Eric, Gav, Pierre and Will a Deathwatch Space Marine representing each of their characters. To do it right, I’ll need are some extra bits (four Deathwatch shoulder pads, a Deathwatch bolter, a heavy bolter and an Assault jetpack), some more paint (a pure red and a decent metal) and an Apothecary (Space Marine field medic) miniature.

The colour scheme itself is fairly simple, as you can see from the book cover at right: Black and silver, plus assorted detailing.

Infinity

Much as I like Space Marines, I’m just not sure I dig the Warhammer 40,000 game enough to buy and make an army big enough for the game to sing (thirty to forty miniatures plus associated vehicles).

Infinity, now… I mentioned Infinity in that last post about painting miniatures, and there are two attractive things about that game.

Firstly, it’s a skirmish-scale game. This means the rules are designed to work around a squad of six to ten miniature figures (reminds me of Necromunda back in the day), including (maybe) a motorcycle or large robot suit. A starter pack of six miniatures costs around half as much as the average a triple-A video game at launch.

Secondly: While Warhammer 40,000 is science fiction, it’s got a very retro, Gothic feel to it – a grim fantasy setting of knights, orcs and elves transplanted into space. Infinity takes its inspiration from the sleek futures of anime (Japanese cartoons), and some of its miniatures are downright gorgeous.

For example, take a look at the PanOceania Cutter to the right.

Just look at it!

I’d love to put one of these together and paint it!

The PanOceania faction also has some other sweet robot designs, like the Jotums and the Dragoes, and their infantry rock the sleek battle armour thing well.

But when it comes to cool looking infantry… there’s the faction called Aleph.

Aleph take sleek to the “figure-hugging” level, which means lots of detail and flat surfaces for broad swaths of colour.

And in the subject of figure-hugging, hey, I liked Bayonetta, so let’s face it – I’m going to dig warrior women in form-fitting battle armour. Aleph seems to have them in spades.

I will say, though, Corvus Belli give fan service both ways – just check out those fine Myrmidon glutes on page 1 of the downloadable Human Sphere rule set, ladies (and some gentlemen).

Oh – did I mention that the complete rules for Infinity are available to download? Yes, there’s a quick start, but there’s also the full rules and army lists from the rulebook and supplements – not the entirety of each book, just the rules bits of it – enough, I believe for anyone to run a game after buying only a starter set.

Which, I hope, might take some of the edge off Infinity’s downside. Infinity doesn’t have the market penetration of Games Workshop’s brands, so finding other players in Cairns may be a problem.

Even so, there’s still the painting…

Are you keen?

What’s your favourite miniatures game, and why?

What faction or figure have you most wanted to paint?

Links

Infinity

• PanOceania
  • Starter Pack
  • Cutters
  • Jotums
  • Dragoes
• Aleph

Cutter image sourced from Corvus Belli catalogue page. Asura image from Justin’s Models Photobucket account.