TerrainFest 2025 – Late to the House Party

First time building this kit and I have to say I am extremely impressed with the variability in builds it has even for a modeller of modest skills.  I decided to tone down the cult of Sigmar vibes and give it a bit more of a domestic feel with the original parts in the kit.

The build was fine except for large gaps between the rooftop and the second story walls.  I glued in some coffee stir sticks and clamped them in because of the curve in the roof top.  I also added some coffee sticks to the base of the chimney which I just glued to the rooftop.  I think it looks fine all painted up.

I used a rattle can to prime the model (Citadel) and then used my airbrush to do zenith highlighting (Vallejo Air).  I used a variety of paint brands and contrast/speedpaints again mostly using an airbrush.  I matt sprayed the model before weathering using Mr. Hobby (flat).  For weathering I used AK Washes diluted with White Spirit, Warpaints’ strong tone, and some Citadel green contrast paint.

I based the model on some wood purchased from a Dollar Store and used Vallejo terrain mix.  Upon drying I used some AK powders and tufts  which is consistent across my The Old World Armies.

I started using zenithal painting when I was looking at how to paint 1/72 scale WW2 armour a few years back.  I then saw it being applied to miniatures and I have to agree that it helps with the overall painting process.  If you don’t use this technique you should at least try it and see if it works for you.

Some base coating of the big areas of the model using an airbrush.  Citadel Air red used for the walls, Two Thin Coats for the roof tiles and some Vallejo Grays for the stonework.  For anyone reading this and has trepidation when airbrushes are mentioned, I highly recommend you take a look at the airbrush manufacturer Harder & Steenbeck’s Youtube Channel.  Lots of content in easy to understand delivery from a truly reliable source.  Check ’em out, I’m sure you’ll learn something!

Bits and pieces that are too fiddly for an airbrush were done with a standard paintbrush.

Some things like the wood I used a Speedpaint but the gold and silver were either Fanatic paints or Vallejo Game Colour.  Oh, except for the chimney pots.  I wanted a terracotta look, so I looked at a pot of Citadel Fiery Orange.  It was not pretty, the paint was all clumpy and very orange.  Perfect!  The washes will take of the imperfections.  I used the very hard make-up sponge between tweezers to dab gold onto the trim between the upper and lower floor, the crosses and twin tailed comet symbols.

It looks like I might have used the Dark Tone from Army Painter on the skulls by this post.  You will notice overspray from grays onto the red and red onto the trim.  I might use a thinned down base colour to try and mask it a bit but I am not fretting at this point because the washes later on will help soften these mistakes.

These pics are a bit subtle I used a green Contrast paint to create a moss or algae type effect on the rooftile where water would run down and accumulate organic material.  Also some Contrast on the stonework near the base of the building where slimy green stuff seems to grow in both the Real World and Old World.  I have two different AK Lacquer Washes thinned, Track Wash and Fresh Engine Oil Wash.  I used the Track Wash on the red walls and the Fresh Engine Wash on the stone work.  I used both on the roof.  I used a brown Speedpaint on the front door and pieces of dark wood on the rooftop.

I’ve learned the hard way to protect my acrylic paint jobs with matt spray before going to use lacquer and oil washes because the thinner can strip away some paints quite easily.  I don’t recommend a gloss coat if you intend to use Dark Tone for example because I find it pools the wash in very unappealing ways.

Here are some pics taken with an iPhone 13 in light box using a white background.  Not much to say with these pics other than I used AK Weathering Powders.  I fix my powders usually but not on the tray flagstones in this case.  I do wish I had made the flagstones a bit thicker from the cereal packet.  The pebbles come from a bag of aquarium supplies.  That bag will last me the rest of my days!

The figure is a Warhammer Resin Engineer model from the War Wagon kit.

Love the kit!  Looking carefully through the rulebook I’m amazed at the conversions of this building within it.  Would I build another?  I do have the Fortified Manor so its possible I’ll be sick of it after finishing that someday, but who knows?