"Mad" Hedge McHogg

Hello again.

After a brief hiatus caused by poor light and work, I have had something of a quite busy time with the paint brush, with no fewer than three (yes, I know, just three, as in one more than two, but that's what you get when you paint individuals for a skirmish game...) figures on the go, the first of which I completed on Sunday.

Now, some of you may know that I have a small army of Oathsworn Miniatures' finest still in the lead pile, with more still to do than I have so far done. After "finishing" my Witch Hunters and Pirates, I looked around for warband number 3, trying out various options, but none of them were quite what I wanted. In truth, Oathsworn have not yet finished some of the figures that would yield what I need, but I also must take some of the flak because I am choosy about what I want to include in each band. everything has to have a particular feel, you see, to amuse my sense of pedantry and pernickettiness (which probably is not a real word, but sounds like it should be).

So, would number 3 be the martial arm of the Lavender Order? I have enough figures to do a complete band of those, but they are rather close in colour schemes etc to the Witch Hunters, who form part of the same order in my little, creative head. Or perhaps a mercenary band, using some of the wonderful Landsknecht-esque offerings I have from Oathsworn? Hm. I am probably a figure short for that, at least how I want to do it. Then I could do sundry ruffian types, led by Sykes, my wildcat rogue. I have a few various figures that would suit my tastes for this but, again, I may be a figure short of my ideal look. So, I went in another direction.

I have a love of the Ancient Celts and will, one day, actually paint the 28mm army of them I have built up over time. They are what convinced me to build a 15mm Carthaginian army all those years ago when DBM first kicked off. I love all the intricacy of checks and pseudo-tartans, stripes and curly flourishes, even if I sometimes baulk at having to paint them. So, even though I am definitely a figure or two short of a full band, I have gone Celtic and have decided to bring along some quite literally hairy barbarians from north of the border to a table somewhere soon. And when Morag appears in the next batch of Oathsworn offerings, the hairy wildcat with the axe and targe, all scary and fierce, I believe I will be in a position to fulfil the completion of the Wild Raiders of Strath Clota (exact name for this group to be confirmed).

So, first up, I give you "Mad" Hedge McHogg, broadsword aloft, warpaint donned and protected by targe and SPINES, a useful little addition to hedgehog characters which gives them extra protection.

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"Mad" Hedge McHogg in all his shouty glory.

I think I should have blended the grooves in his sword rather better, but hey ho.

And this is why I long ago purchased a set of fine nib pens from an art shop. Ideal for use on flag detail, for fine lines on figures and for writing suitably Highland messages on shields! Try painting any word on anything and you too will wish you had bought some pens!