Collecting John Pickford: Iron Mask Miniatures - Dwarf Musketeers - the Forlorn Hope

The second Kickstarter I'm to share this week is the third campaign from Gary Price's Iron Mask Miniatures - and is this a big one?

I've given up counting how many new miniatures there is in this one. Gary stats there is over 40 new poses, but like last he has gone crazy on hand/weapon and head options.

Like the other two previous campaigns, this one is also about Dwarf Musketeers, but this time he leading the dwarfs into war. Previously, Gary has aimed the skirmish gamers but this one certainly appeals to the larger/mass battle gamer, too. So it's time to enrol new troops for you Old world Warhammer, Dragon Rampant or Kings of War armies.

This release includes core infantry of musketeers with firelock muskets, halberdiers and pikemen but also command figures and two new Mounted Dwarf Musketeer poses (picket and escort). The focus are one the Firelock Muskets, of course with 7 different packs to chose from (each with the option a 3 different set of heads) and the fantastic Veterans with their sculpt on heads making it possible to give them longer hair and beards.

Firelock Muskets - separate head

The Veteran Firelock Company with long beard and hair (integral heads)

Pike and Shoot

Command pack

Mounted Escorts

Mounted Pickets

- and then we can look forward to two new Special Characters - the SC12 Dwarf Senior Officer and SC13 Halfling Drummer. Magnificent sculpts they are ....

SC12 Senior Officer

SC13 Halfling Drummer

The campaign will be running untill November 13th. Already half way through but definitely need more support to succeed and open those wonderful stretched goals. You'll find the campaign here:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ironmaskminiatures/iron-mask-miniatures-forlorn-hope

Collecting John Pickford: Old School Miniatures Presents: The Daemon Cannon!

These days. the best way to obtaining new John Pickford sculpts seems to be pledging on Kickstarters - and this week I'd like to share two with you. Both Kickstartes are very close to my heart as they involve my favourite fantasy species - the Dwarfs and because they are of exceptional good quality. Both campaigns are run by good friends of mine - who have kindly let me follow the process - from idea to creation. Thank you Matt and Gary

Old School Miniatures Presents: The Daemon Cannon!

First one, and probably the most exciting new Pickford miniature in all 2016, is the Oldschool Miniatures' Daemon Cannon.

This miniature started out as an idea on a facebook group. Amongst the Chaos Dwarfs Oldhammer's there has always been a certain mystery and love regarding the Chronicle Chaos Cannon/Chaos Dwarf Siege Gun aka the Chaos Dwarfs Ass-cannon (it's a demon blowing balls out of its rear). Back in 1987, the original Chaos Dwarf Siege Gun was released but was mail order only and only available for a short time. The original cannon was sculpted by Nick Lund and probably pulled back because it was connected to the sculptor's feeling towards his bosses at Citadel.

In love of this miniature sprung an idea of doing an updated version of this beast - as a tribute to the original but also as a master piece in its own rights.

Matthew Dunn picked it up and with the support of the Facebook Group members (who bought into the project- later to obtain a master cast prototype) it turned from idea and concept into a metal prototype miniature during winter 2015/16 and spring 2016.

Here's a few pictures from the conceptual and sculpting phase.

Concept art for the Daemon by John Pickford ©Old School Miniatures

Concept art for the Master Engineer by John Pickford ©Old School Miniatures

The final set of greens

The mastering was quite a nightmare and quite a few of us actually feared the miniature might have been lost. The green took severe damaged during the high pressure rubber vulcanisation process but luckily a few decent casts came out of the mould and after some hard work it was possible to remoulded the piece and out came the the most beautiful master casts/prototypes.

I've been sitting on my copy for quite a while, but as the Cannon has entered the Kickstarting stage, I'm "allowed" sharing - so here "he" is with all his crew (the awesome Engineer and the three multi parted crewmen). Let me present my newest "baby":

I haven't painted mine yet, but have started building it. Hopefully I can share my progress soon.

And as said, the Daemon Cannon is now on Kickstarter.

Matthew and his friend Jamie Loft have decided setting up a small business based around the concept of "Old School miniatures". The Daemon Cannon is (with a Chaos Warrior by Mr. Kev Adams) their first release - go take a look at their Kickstater - and perhaps make a pledge for this awesome machinery of destruction.

And while there, please notice the £2.000 pledge goal :) A Goblin Crew alternative ....? by John....! Wuuhuu !!!

Collecting John Pickford: Four A Miniatures is now on Kickstarter

Good friend, Andrew Coleman (owner of Four A Miniatures) is back with some new Pickford sculpts. This time he will be bringing them out through Kickstarter.

Back in 2013 Andy released a set of 4 awesome chaotic dwarfs/dwarf creatures. I picked those up personally in London at Salute 2013 and when visiting, Andy revealed that more was to be made. And it's those pieces that have found there way to Kickstarter, now.

The two new pieces are both an attempt on making female chaotic dwarfs. A delicate subject, as there isn't much material regarding female dwarfs in general, so lots of artistic freedom interpreting. And John really explored the subject and twisted and curled it into two weird, but wonderful, characters.

Here's some shots of the wonderful creations John made for the campaign.

First the sorceress type character called the Weeping Queen

Normal version

Winged version and alternated head

And the other one is the magnificent 17th century styled character, called "Bella"

Normal version

Spider version

Like most dwarfs by John, these are multi parted miniatures and both comes in two different versions. A normal one (or as normal as a female fantasy Chaos Dwarf can be) and a gifted/mutated one - and for a merely £20 pledge you can get all 4 version.

I'm really looking forward to this. Fingers crossed, that the campaign will succeed and that the cooperation between John and Andy will continue . and they will keep producing such excellent personalities/characters.

Should you like to learn more and even consider supporting it, you can find the Kickstarter here - and should you just like to learn more about Four A Miniatures, you can find them here

Collecting John Pickford: Sci-Fi Pig Faced Orks (Sporks) by Foundry

... or kind of, as these have never been actually released.

Back in 2011, just before the Ansell's took back over the control of Wargames Foundry, John was commissioned to transferred the fantasy Pig faced Orcs (used in the God of Battles-rule system for the Warriors of a Thousand Tribes) into the future and he made a range of of Pig Faced Orks in Space - with the working title "Sporks".

The ranges consists of several sculpts and war gear items, but the range was put on hold when new management took over and the characterful sculpts that had been made are still unreleased by Foundry.

For a long time the only proof of their existence has been this picture from Foundry:

However, at Christmas 2015 I found the following 3 sculpts in an recently made order from Foundry. The miniatures was a little gift making up for a small delay, I even didn't notice :)

I was very excited seeing them in the flesh. Till now, I had only seen the little personal Spork tribute John did me in 2014 after surgery.

But now seeing official metal casts from Foundry make me feel one step closer seeing these miniatures given a prober release.

Thought, that was it, but in March 2016 James Halloway posted some rather interesting news on his blog: Gonzo History: Gaming Edition (Go check it out if you like Orks). In this blog post James talks about his attendance at BOYL 2015 (Bring Out Your Lead, which is an yearly Oldhammer wargaming event - held at Wargames Foundry in Newark) - and a chat he had with Foundry (and Citadel Miniatures) founder Mr. Bryan Ansell. Yes, that Bryan :)
During this conversation Bryan showed James their unreleased Sci-Fi Orks and kindly gave out a set of 15 of them. Wow! :)

And with James' permission (thank you, James), I'd like to present the Foundry Sporks :) And for those interested they have also been added to the Collecting John Pickford Wiki.

Wargames Foundry: Sci-Fi Pig Faced Orks (Sporks)

13 unpainted Sporks

Leader (close up)

As you can see there's only 13 in the picture because the last two have been beautifully painted by James:

And no, I'm not jealous, not jealous at all. 

Collecting John Pickford: Bood Wargames

Bood Wargames is a new small-production company/private venture.

Bood Wargames is currently producing a small line of dwarfs in an wonderful old-school medieval/imperial style. Much in style with the old Citadel Imperial Dwarfs range sculpted by the Perry-twins.

The basic components (heads, torsos, legs, arms, weapons) of these miniatures are sculpted by John Pickford, but the final assembly and component adjustments are done by Eddy War. The fantastic and characterful ponies (serving as mounts for the dwarf cavalry) are originally Pickford sculpts, as well.

It's a wonderful little range of very characterful Pickford dwarfs and very attractive to any dwarf enthusiast. I'd say :-)

Unfortunately, I don't have any of these in my collection - but here are a few examples from the Bood-Wargames page:

Drunken Dwarf by Bood-Wargames

Mounted Dwarf Troopers by Bood-Wargames

You learn more about Bood Wargames and how to get your hands on these - here at their blog.

Bood Wargams has also been added to the wiki - but for now, there is not much to show.