Figures to Match!

My campaign player, Ant, whose PC is Jan Valckenburgh, Captain General of the VMC in Tilea, co-wrote the late autumn 2402 story entitled ‘The Once Mighty Monte Castello’ with me. (See Tilea Campaign Part 12.)

Of course, I wanted pictures of the personalities involved as nearly all my campaign stories have photos. My first plan was to drive over to his place or for him to come here and do a little photo session, using his figures. But then stuff (of the RL kind) got in the way.

Then I remembered that he’d already sent some historical paintings to me at the start of the campaign (so long ago!) to illustrate his main VMC personalities, so I decided to make my own versions of them to use in the photos. I got very excited by the prospect of making new figures or converting old ones in my collection to look like these images.

Here are the results (although some are still incomplete) …

General Jan Valckenburgh
A new figure (Perry Miniatures). He’s cut his hair for campaigning and is wearing a surcoat so his men can spot him, but is otherwise very similar to the painting. I just cut down the sword in his hand to turn it into a baton.

Luccia la Fanciulla
A new figure (Perry again). Also in a surcoat, her hair being cut a little shorter than the original painting (the company barber has been busy). Her holy Myrmidian banner shows a common design for the goddess, being a spear and shield.

Serafina Rosa
A very old figure. I might do more work on this more – maybe even cut off the tips of her elven ears! Certainly make her hair a little redder.

The wizard Johannes Deeler
Another very old figure. (Sadly) I painted over his lovely yellow and red checked cloak with black. Unlike the previous characters he himself has shunned the barber and instead let his hair and beard grow wild! (I notice, with interest, that Ant used an image of the infamous Dr John Dee. I might be able to guess where he got the idea for his character’s name!)

Here are some other figures I put together for the photos.

Cpt van Luyden’s Shot
Newly painted, though old Citadel models. A file of northern Old Worlder handgunners acting as escort. I think I went a bit crazy with the blues, but as Buxton the Blue Cat would say: “Blue is beautiful. Blue is best. I’m blue. I’m beautiful. I’m best.”

The VMC Company Colours
Converted from already painted models. The VMC banner has appeared in several old web-wargaming campaigns over the years.

I might do some more work on the faces – my technique is a bit haphazard – I can’t really see how they come out until I see the photos!!! I did some other figures too, but failed to photograph them. Oops. They’re in the finished story piece, however, being the companies’ best ‘linguister’ (and diplomat) Pieter Schout, and some other fellers.