What's on My Desk: Bandits!.. Plus Other Scum and Villany

There's more Freeblades models on my desk this week, and they're not the kindhearted good Samaritan types either.  These are the cold-hearted rougues that can be found stalking the dank alleys and backwoods of Faelon.  This motley crew is an assortment of villanous scum from far and wide across the continent and the group even includes a dwarf from the far-off Kazarl lands!

Though the faction is cool and a blast to play, I'm really excited to share the bases I've completed for them with you.  Let's take a look!

What started out as a fairly simple rubble basing scheme turned into something far greater and ended with each model receiving its own custom sculpted base.  A variety of cobblestone and brick bases are scattered throughout the group.. and what's that you ask? Yes, the duelist even has lamp post on his!

These are fairly simple bases.  To make bricks like this bodyguard is standing on, apply a layer of green stuff a couple of millimeters thick across the base.  Using a fine edged modeling tool, press parallel lines into the green stuff to create the length-way sides of the bricks.  Press in lines to create the ends of the bricks, staggering them so that one brick ends halfway up on its neighbors.  Round the corners and edges of the bricks with your tool to give them a natural look and you're done!

This Huscarl got a more involved base, half brick, half cobbles.  Cobbles are made in a similar fashion as bricks, but instead circles of varying size are pressed into the green stuff.

As I was working I began to think that these bases could be part of a more complete city scene, hence this bandit crossbowman's street base transitioning into a cobble sidewalk.

The cobbles are raised higher than the brick to create a gutter just like any modern street.

This Mershael Illusionist is casting his deceptive magic from a piece of cobbled sidewalk (probably safely sheltered behind a meat-shield of his more mundane compatriots).

This rustler and bandit crossbowman below are standing on less pristine ground, where the bricks and cobbles have been broken and scattered.

And here's the duelist we saw before in the group pic.  As you can see his base has received the same cobble sidewalk and brick street treatment as the mercenary crossbowman's with one large difference.. a lamp post!  I felt that a rogue who used stealth and finesse wouldn't simple be standing out in the open, but probably hiding behind something.  As you'll see in the pics to come, he's waiting behind the post waiting for his victim to come haplessly wandering down the street before delivering a gut shot!

The simple plasticard and 'stuff foundation got more additions to bring the lamp to life.  I decided upon a rustic shingling for the top and flat bracketing to hold the lamp's window panes.

More green stuff at the base of the post and where it meets the lamp fleshed out the post, giving it a better dimension.  To finish it off I wanted a little more embellishment, so I added four curled post flukes.  I debated about the ball on top and eventually it won out, I'm glad because though it was very minor it ended up being the last little bit the lamp post needed to look look suitably ornate and old-worldly.

There it is, a post for the rogue to hide behind in order to deliver his death-blow!

You may have been wondering if the whole group could be put together into a diorama, if you guessed yes, then you were right!  The unfortunate about to receive the duelist's attack happens to be his own rustler.. maybe I'll make an opposing freeband with the same basing scheme so he won't have to kill his own hired hand. ha ha

That's it for this week and what's on my desk, thanks for stopping by and checking out my work!

Happy hobbying and good gaming!