It's still too warm, but I've managed to do some painting tonight, albeit at my makeshift hobby desk. Currently I'm working on a Thunder Warrior patrol for The Doomed, mostly because I've been looking for an excuse to paint some since watching @roguehobbies.bsky.social video on painting one.

Currently enjoying the cool air as thunder and torrential rain sweep away the heat. If it continues like this I might actually feel like getting on with some miniature painting this evening!

Inspired by my first game of The Doomed, I've been busy kitbashing some new recruits to my Inquisitor's warband. Like the first lot, I've tried to give them a quasi-medieval meets sci fi apocalypse vibe.

Tonight we played The Doomed for the first time. The first wargame I've played that didn't need a tape measure! Quite a weird experience but it's a very good game.

With perfect timing my next mini project (pun intended) has arrived! My plan is to turn these six Thunder Warriors into a warband for The Doomed so I can play some Unification War era games - my favourite period of Warhammer history.

Being a Mordheim nerd I've been working on a table of terrain for my home collection for a while. But I've been prevaricating about how to paint it, so this weekend I just said screw it, I'll spend both days drybrushing buildings and risers. And voila! Not perfect, but perfect is the enemy of good.

This past weekend I entered the Geordie Daemon painting competition. Not with the intention of winning, but just to be involved. One of my entries was my Rat-Kin Bone Seer. He had some fantastic company as the quality of hobby was truly stunning!

After a busy day at work and then essay writing, all while sweating my ass off, it's nice to sit down in the garden as it starts to get cooler and do some "light" reading. And the cats have come over to join me.

Since learning about the Merlin bird app (from Jeremy Clarkson on Clarkson's Farm) I have become absolutely obsessed with it. It's great fun! It did apparently near a tawny owl yesterday afternoon around 4pm which seems unlikely, but it's not bad for all that.

Tonight was the final Mordheim night of our campaign that has been running since September '25. It was great fun, we had a bar room brawl which was v. fitting! I took out the bar keeper, probably because my gang had built up a bit of a hefty bar tab...!

I've just finished my squad entry for "Geordie Daemon", a local painting comp happening next weekend. The first pic is for Blsky as I couldn't get the full squad in (click on 2nd pic to see). This is also the John Blanche tribute piece I wanted to do, and I'm really happy with how they turned out.

The Rat-Kin emerge into the sunlight from their burrow guided by their elderly bone seer. I wonder what has driven them out of their comfortable lair on a day like this?

What is best in life on a Friday evening after work...

Among some rather excellent presents I received this torch and magnifying headset for helping with painting minis because I am apparently getting old. Joking aside, they're actually really useful. Just a shame I can see how shoddy my painting is though now 😂

It looks like the Rat-Kin are enjoying a lovely cruise somewhere hot and sunny. Somehow I don't think I'd enjoy it myself.

Avast me hearties! It's my birthday! Because I'm also at work today (boo) to cheer myself up I have put a 24 hour sale on the website - 20% off with the discount code "NOT OLD YET". So if you fancy picking up the Gnawing Tide Bundle deal, or anything else, you'll get both of us a present 🐀

Club night at the Clubhouse tonight, playing Old World once again (orcs versus my mate's lovely and newly painted Chaos). I deployed stupidly and was getting roundly punished for it, with my flank quickly being destroyed. But then...

I've set myself the challenge of painting my gang for "The Doomed" in a vaguely Blanch style. Each mini must use at least 3 colours from this paint set and I must try to use all the colours at least once. Tonight I did the first mini, although it will be given an oil wash once they're all finished.

The sun is out, Wren has found some dirt to sleep in (we've only moved in recently and the whole garden needs to be in de-weeded), and I have taken some minis outside to do a photoshoot. Here we see one of my new Rat-Kin, the Burrow Guard, being attacked by angry civilians.

I do love a good kitbash! I've been having fun sticking my fingers together with superglue making a warband for The Doomed (a simple post apocalyptic game with aesthetic vibes of Turnip and 40k). As you can only have a maximum of 8 in your gang the investment is quite low.

Got a good haul from the charity shop this morning. A bunch of Sharpe novels that I don't have and a book on the Spanish Civil War.

To celebrate 10 years of my self-publishing venture, the revamp of my FB page and commemorating D-Day, I'm having a sale – 25% off ALL my digital products! The sale will last until next Saturday, 13th June, so grab a bargain now using the code GLADIUS-10YEAR at checkout. payhip.com/gladiuspubli...

In a departure from my ongoing fantasy streak, I've returned to my WW1 war at sea project. Pictured are British and German battle cruisers, alongside a medley of light cruisers and a couple of battleships. All minis are from League of Augsburg.

The Gnawing Tide bundle deal is still available if you fancy picking up the first 15 Rat-Kin Reavers. This gives you over 20% off buying them individually. Beserker rats, sorcerer rats, armoured rats and bilge rats. All the rats you could ever want.

Tonight I'm flicking through my old copy of this classic and feeling quite contemplative. I have the feeling I need to write something, but not sure what.

Incredibly sad news about John Blanche. I never had the pleasure to meet him myself, but his loss is gutting. His work was inspirational to so many of us, and he leaves behind a truly impressive legacy that will undoubtedly resonate for many years to come. He will be sorely missed.

Over the last couple of days I've been working on a new terrain plinth to take photos with. I already have a small one which is good for taking photos of 1-3 minis, but I wanted something a bit bigger which would allow for more depth and multiple figures.

Club night. We had a rematch of my Orcs versus his Dwarfs. Things went poorly for the dwarfs. It started badly with me one shotting his Gyrocoptor AGAIN with my Doom Diver, and ended with the Thane and Doom Seeker making valiant, but futile last stands. Another cracking evening of wargaming.

An army marches on its stomach. As do wargamers. Having a bite to eat at the pub before going to the club across the street is always a good start to an evening of gaming.

"If poking the tentacle is so super safe-safe, why are you standing so far away?" I've been having fun today taking photos of my shields the Rat-Kin use. They're made from resin and are designed to look corroded and battered. More examples in the comments.

Despite the heat I've just finished writing a new blog post, discussing the lore and design intentions around my new miniature range of Rat-Kin Reavers. Please let me know what you think. There's also a cheeky treat if you read the whole thing...

Big shout out to Fenris - he produces some frankly amazing kit (and is a nice chap to boot).

If you fancy yourself some frankly adorable viking themed rats head on over to my website and grab "The Gnawing Tide" bundle. This gives you 20% off versus buying the Rat-Kin Reavers individually.

After a busy day by the seashore searching for sea shells, this rat has found the perfect shell to adorn his belt with.

The Tidecaller, herald of the Rat-Kin Reavers. I'm not sure what he's doing in the graveyard, perhaps looking for a new spine to replace his current whip?

The Rat-Kin Reavers have found themselves a monastery to loot! But it looks like someone has got there before them... I am really enjoying taking photos in the garden at the moment, it's absolutely perfect weather for it. I could even claim I'm gardening while I do it...

Although I've spent most of the weekend doing garden jobs I've also been hard at work painting my new Rat-Kin minis. I managed to finish the first four this afternoon, so I set up a little photo area in the garden using one of the stones I dug up for background flavour along with a backdrop book.

If you like the look of our Judaean minis but want different heads, then head swaps are easy. One of my mates from the club has got some of my rebel slingers and has been changing the heads to adapt them for a Mordheim warband and he's just shared this work in progress shot with me. Fantastic work!

Grimgor The Repainted rises again! I first painted this a couple of years ago, but recently I decided I could now do a better job. So after stripping I've repainted him and this is the result - well worth the effort I think. Tomorrow I might take some nicer photos of him using the backdrop books.

Another donation of blood done, this time in the pop up blood place in Hexham. As usual they were very friendly despite my slightly awkward veins. Little do they know I'm only going for the Bourbon biscuits 😬

The first lot of Rat-Kin Reavers have now left for their new homes. And I've run out of wrapping paper - I like to have fun with the packaging as I think it should feel like you're opening up a present 😂 What wrapping paper should I restock with next?

Just on the train back home from another excellent club night at the Clubhouse in Newcastle. This time we were playing Foray @sixdiceskills.bsky.social Orcs v Dwarfs. First shot of the game from my newly painted doom diver took out his Gyrocoptor. David like big boom 💥

I've just written a brief summary on my blog of the recent Mordheim event I was involved with at The Clubhouse in Newcastle. **Spoilers - it was great!** www.northwingminiatures.com/post/whisper...

Guess I'm not getting my parcel then...

It's hard to decide which is my favourite new mini from my Rat-Kin Reavers (they're all so cute) but the "Tide Caller" is up there. Look at his wee spine whip. What do you mean that's not cute?

I wanted to do something eye catching for my orc baggage train, so decided I'd make this vignette. Most of the parts were from my bits box, although I did use some milliput to make the food items.

I've just backed this - I use these backdrop books all the time so I can heartily recommend them. www.kickstarter.com/projects/han...

I have some very exciting news! The "Rat-Kin Reavers" are now available to buy. These are a 28mm range of fantasy miniatures (essentially viking rats) suitable for games such as Mordheim or Frostgrave. Hand sculpted by the ever talented Alan Marsh. www.northwingminiatures.com/category/all...

What I have to deal with when I'm trying to take photos 😂

They're here, you might even be able to smell them through the screen. The Rat-Kin Reavers! New to Northwing Miniatures, this set of fifteen, 28mm fantasy minis will be on sale in the next day or two, so watch this space. What do you all think of them? As usual these are sculpted by Alan Marsh.