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Saturday, March 1, 2014

Dead Man's Hand - Dead Again!

Up today are Great Escape Games new figures for Dead Man's Hand.  I normally stick to a First in First Out, or FIFO system for painting but these were too lovely to queue up.  So for this week, it's LIFO!
First up is the Preacher, inspiration drawn from Clint Eastwood's character in Pale Rider.  He's a key figure in one of the new DMH scenarios and yes, he's just as tough in the game as in the movie.
Next up is the undertaker set.  Funny thing about painting the dead...it's not as easy as it looks! It took a few tries to get the skintone right and I eventually settled on the lightest fleshtone, topped with a purple wash. All the while, I was while singing "Streets of Laredo."  Poor cowboy, where did you go wrong? Challenging the Preacher to a draw was a poor idea.  The coffins are by Frontline Wargaming.

Last up are the dead.  There's a set for each of the four factions in DMH.  I did check my painting from last fall to match the color schemes.  It seems I've found a reason to start keeping a painting diary.
And here's how they looked last weekend, with British paras waiting impatiently in the background.
DMH is quickly learned and played, going well with a beer.  The 2 minor scenes building up to a Big Showdown is simply brilliant. You can lose both minor scenes and go into the showdown with only a small handicap. The scenes are a great way to build a narrative and suspense.  What's not to love?

I can't wait to get these figures on the table today.  Every time Hugh brings DMH out, we get a steady stream of admirers. Win, lose or draw, it's great to meet fellow gamers, tip a beer and get a game in.

I'll close today with Marty Robbins' "Big Iron."  His album, Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs, is perhaps the greatest collection of Western songs ever recorded.  +5 points to the artist who donned the album cover in pink! 

33 comments:

  1. Great painting on old west figures Monty and Clint sure does inspire the period!

    Christopher

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    1. Thanks Chris, I wish I enploy Clint every time I play DMH. I need either that, or an ace up my sleeve!

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  2. Very nice Monty – I like these a lot!

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  3. Nice work, Monty, I like the Preacher. Have you tried Legends of the Old West? I know a couple people who speak well of it.

    FMB

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    1. Marcus, thanks! I have not but now that you mentioned it, I'm going to look it up.

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  4. Very well done Monty! Your DMH stuff is simply outstanding.

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    1. Thanks Moiterei! We're really having fun with it lately. Even in a store that is more fantasy/WH driven, everyone knows and loves the Old West.

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  5. Great brushwork and basing as always, Monty. I see you have a lot of nice projects in the queue too - I also see a few boxes of Samurai/Sohei? Best, Dean

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    1. Dean! You have a very good eye, as evidenced by your painting. I have a small run of Samurai for Ronin lined up to paint after I finish the Red Devils. I'm excited & a little nervous about painting knotted armor on the Samurai.

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  6. FIFO, LIFO...are you an accountant? I follow the PWSMF (Paint What Strikes My Fancy) system!

    Your Pale Rider figure is "dead" on! The coffin residents are cool too. Great brushwork!

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    1. LOL, you're freedom of choice is inspirational. A touch of OCD means organization is always an issue or problem, depending on how you look at it. ;-)

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  7. Pale Rider was an excellent movie. You've done a fine job of painting up these lovely sculpts.

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    1. Anne, thanks!

      Your greyscale vignette was fantastic, one of my favorite pieces you've ever painted.

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  8. All hale the Pale Rider! I am trying not to buy any more lead this year and already I am in trouble. Might as well as get hung for a sheep as a lamb as the saying goes. Excellent painting on the Preacher, you really have got the look of Clint down to pat there.

    Cheers, Ross

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    1. Thanks, I see we're both painting Old West!

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  9. Beautiful work Monty, once again very inspired!

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  10. Good work Monty. Like the purple wash on the skin, gives the right pallid look.

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    1. Thanks Dan. I need to remember purple wash. Poor purple hardly makes it out on the table.

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  11. Stu, thanks for ringing in! Today, I needed 7 coffins for my Lawmen. I got smoked off the table.

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  12. Greate paint work Monty !

    Best regards Michael

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    1. Thanks Michael!

      I don't think we have a church in our DMH scenery. A future project? ;-)

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  13. Good to see the Minnesota Kid back in the saddle agin!

    Your Western work is always fun, lots of detail to see and the colour palette is always on the money. Particularly gratifying to see everyone's favourite Western revenant, Clint Eastwood's Preacher!

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    1. Thanks Ev! This is all a big step up from our days of playing TSR's Boot Hill with dice and our imaginations.

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  14. YeeHaw! Great set of western figures.
    cheers

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  15. These are great! And there is nothing better than a Clint Eastwood lookalike for Wild West gaming... well maybe a Duke (John Wayne) look alike! ;-)

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  16. Thanks Burkhard! It is fun to bring the movies to life.

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  17. sorry to have missed the bus Monty, your work here as all ways are Great!

    all the best,
    Phil

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