Bonefields – 3D Waymarkers

[Andrew Beasley]

In a total fit of weakness I picked up a copy of Bonefields from Hayland Terrain [their site] due to the look of the undead figures and interesting back story.

Basically, for those that have not seen the game / kickstarter, the goblins and dwarves have been fighting so long that the remaining living bodies are few and far between and your necromancer has to raise the dead to get troops.

The rules are reasonably easy for me to follow (I think) and the figures should be a breeze to paint (being mainly undead) and their character should go well with the quirky Northumbrian Tin Soldier [NTS site] range if I need any living folk longer term…

Unfortunately, it seems that the majority of the range is out of stock and some figures in the rules (mounted goblins and ‘doom diver’ being two of interest) are not listed at all so TBH its a bit hard to recommend the boxed starter set unless the Hayland folk come back with some good news…

For me though – the game sits at my level of numbers (less than 30 figures in total) and size (about 2×2 foot) so I do not mind if it cannot grow.

It’s the terrain side that has me interested. The rules describe the land as

…a blasted wasteland that has been the sight of countless battles… Jagged rock, razed buildings, bone strewn craters…

I do have a Realm of Battle board but filled the holes to cover the skulls 🙁 that I was thinking of using but wonder about a black / grey / slimy type board?

Thoughts are:

• Dark burnt flock
• Dead longer static grass
• Muddy water or slime covered puddles
• Rusty piles of weapons / skulls
• Odd coloured (blue / red) plants
• Moss all over the ruins
• Mud being very dark (shading to grey / black)

Anybody any other ideas for an almost monochrome battlefield?

 

[Jim Webster]

A friend of mine paints on a board (which is lucky because he tends to spill paint.) But his board, with it’s spills and suchlike struck me as a bit post apocalyptic

Here it is with a few buildings on it, as part of a city. I wonder if a similar sort of technique might work for your base board. But then have ruins and piles of skulls/weapons on separate bases so they can be used in different places

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[The Red Hobbit]

That’s a fascinating idea, using a board to paint on and letting the spilled paint naturally give a wasteland canvas.

I’ll second the idea to keep the ruins and bones on separate bases to make them easier to move around.  Looking forward to seeing what it ends up looking like.

[Andrew Beasley]

Well in a burst of energy, I got a box of Dwarves started (4 figures).

Clean up is a bit of a pain even with a new knife as the resin is a little soft but after a spray in white the final bits (and mould lines) show up:

I’ll finish the tidy in the next few days (plumber allowing – dead shower and leaking drain) then start the paint. This shows the minor little flash I missed (just under the hips/ one leg and axe holding hand):

Not too bad all in all compared to some lead and resin figures I’ve had before. Kind of relaxing till. I realised I had left my BLACK desk / mouse mat down under the cutting board – arrrgggghh

There is not a great deal of difference between the two races figure wise – its more the weapons (dwarves = axes, goblins = spears) and its the ‘loin clothes’ that differentiate in the rule book if you do not know… I’m going to paint the dwarves with rusty armour (red dwarf anyone – sorry) and goblins will get a verdigris coat on a grotty dark bronze.

A bit of good news on the range – I got an email back from Hayland:

We are in the middle of getting everything remoulded in metal so production is easier we will hopefully have the full range finished this year

So at my painting rate I could be ready for another couple of boxes by the time they are out 🙂 I’ve asked if they have any resin left but no reply yet.

Found some dark green static grass that’s short (1mm) and I have some wintery dead flock somewhere so that’s the two main colours I shall go withI think – I’ll maybe create a small test patch first.

I stumbled on a video [YouTube – Bad Squido] with Fenris Games showing off a super sample of the Rubble City Blacksmith’s building [Fenris site] – I’m going to have look at it the next time I’m at a show with them to see if it goes size wise with the rubble bits I have tucked away.

I need to have a hunt in the bits – I had some 3mm foam that could make some walls but that’s for another day month.

[Darkest Star Games]

Looks like fun stuff!  Making post apocalyptic type battlefields is always a good time, you can do so much, and just about anything.  Don’t for get about dead trees, maybe having some branches grown through some skulls.  You can also do dead hedges, which would be pretty good still for blocking movement.  Should be easy enough with spray painted lichen and sticks from the yard or park.

Rubbled buildings are always a hoot to make.  You can really use up a lot of trash bits and extra parts from model kits when doing this sort of table.  If you have extra skele bits you can even make old burned out funeral pyres.  And don’t forget the grave markers of old fallen heroes from both sides.

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Andrew Beasley]

After beans on sourdough toast I decided to spend a good bit of my day painting.

No idea where most of the modelling things are so it was what I could find but pleased with the result of a dead dwarf…

A mix of GW and Vallejo paints on a white undercoat – not sure if the green moss works so I may tone this down a bit next time.

Still to work out the general ground cover – so far I have found my black grit and Alice kindly got me some ‘Astrogranite’ goo to make up some of the ground – the rest could be sand or moss or dead grass or something.

Need to mix some bits up and try them I think 🙂

[Andrew Beasley]

Having made zero progress on painting the figures (missing the new Brigg club due to a burst water main) I fell back on the classic “rule 1 of how to make more progress on a wargaming project” and bought something else!

I cannot remember what I was looking for (ruins I think) but came across The Artificers Forge and the Hagglethorn Hollow Waymarkers [TAF direct link] that fitted into my view of the world:

Communication from Jim Westhead was excellent with status updates hand crafted by the look of it on top of the standard order system generated messages. Order to shipment took 6 days (print to order I understand) and packaging was very good though I am not sure if the ‘mini sausages’ are recyclable or not.

Layer lines are worse in the pictures that in real life but I’ve just got a ‘filler’ spray to try on these as well as some wet and dry sand paper:

If the weather is fine when I am up I’ll try to get one sprayed in the next few days and see if this tin works. Not sure if I will cover them with a fine grit to increase the texture or not…

I may hacksaw one in half so its fallen but given my hands are shaking and mind all over (back on the MH support drugs 🙂 ) hobby time is a slower burn than ever even if I did have space to work at the mo.

Better news is that I have uncovered my block game box (not sure if its all in there yet) so I may be able to get part or a full game played one night soon 🙂

I think these are printed under licence as Hagglethorn Hollow was a KS by Tabletop Troubadour Games in July ’22 with some beautiful resin buildings but now seem to be STLs on Printable Scenery who are Catalyst Creative Wellington ltd.

[Andrew Beasley]

Well the filler primer did not work!

If anything, the light yellow colour (OK did not realise but should have from the cap colour) has shown some lines that I had not noticed before and some of the detail was lost despite a single thin coat.

BUT I am really impressed by it as a yellow colour and a primer so that’s a win. It has stuck nicely to the resin and dried very quickly with only a light smell so its not wasted. I feel it will get used on MDF and buildings rather than figures.

Anyone looking for a thick yellow primer (that’s really matt and fine particulate) then I can recommend Autotek Professional Filler Primer Spay – black tin with bright green highlights (£8 for the filler version).

Maybe I can find a few Space Marines and build up an Imperial Fists or similar force 🙂 🙂 🙂

Next try will be the wet and dry sand paper but I think its about rain and I do not want to mess up the sink (as we have only just got the drain sorted AGAIN).

[Mike]

Yeah sandpaper for the win here I think.
I use superfine and wrap it around the end of a brush and use it like that, rather than hold the paper in my fingers.
Seems to work well… ?

[Logain]

Very cool. I hadn’t heard of Bonefields. I’d love to hear how you think it plays once you get a game or two in!

[Andrew Beasley]

Logain wrote:

Very cool. I hadn’t heard of Bonefields. I’d love to hear how you think it plays once you get a game or two in!

It seems to be a bit frozen at the mo. I contacted the manufacturers to try and get a couple of the specials who said some figures where moving over to metal but they have stopped replying to my mails when I asked for a price so I’m unsure what the long term plan is for me. I can use the figures for ‘Songs Of’ and quite fancy a deadlands board (without the GW skull piles) so I’m not wasting all the figures.

[Author]

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