Blood on the Sands: Gladiators

 Quick preview of my painted figures from the Wargames Illustrated promotion.

The other non gladiator figure is not finished yet.

More to follow.

Colonial Administrator Anya Fulstrom

At Salute I bought Five Parsecs From Home: Planetfall, a variant based on colonising an alien planet.

I wondered what figures to use, Stargrave is the default, but I felt a more uniform, well, uniform might be more suitable (at least at the beginning. 

I had bought one of Anvil's 3D printed single piece female Alliance Officer figures a while back to see what they looked like (as opposed to buying a squad of them and not liking them). 

I thought that would make a great test figure and be the Colonial Administrator.

The undercoat was Citadel Corax White spray (done at the same time as the Scrapjacks crew)

The Uniform is Citadel The Fang, boots and holster are Citadel Mechanicum Standard Grey. The shoulder pads are Citadel Khorne Red.

The hair is Vallejo Dark Sand.

Once base painted, the figure was drybrushed with Army painter Stone Golem. The hair was washed with Citadel Seraphim Sepia, the uniform withg Citadel Drakenhof Nightshade. The shoulder pads were washed with Citadel Berserker Bloodshade.

 First painted Fidwog Miner from the Wargames Atlantic Fidwog Specialists set.

Crooked Dice Vehicles

 Crooked Dice had a new range of 3D printed vehicles at Salute.

First up, the Meddling Kids Van.

William Killian for scale.

Compared with a 3D printed HMMWV.

A Crooked Dice Transit Van.

It is noticeably taller, but not much wider or longer.

Next is the Police Squad Car.

This has three roof top options,repurposed air raid siren (for when you have a show to announce), a lightbar and flashing light and flashing lights and siren.

Size comparison with the same 3D printed HMMWV

And compared to a Spectre Miniatures SUV.

And finally the Station Wagon.

Boxer IFV(W)

 Another purchase from Spectre at Salute was their 28mm model of the Boxer IFV(W).

It is certainly an imposing bit of kit.

"Only The End of the World Again - Again - Again" - GD Ajax IFV

Disaster Area is a plutonium rock band generally regarded as not only the loudest rock band in the Galaxy, but also the loudest noise of any kind at all.

So if they had an Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicle, it would have to be a General Dynamics Ajax.

Spectre released a 28mm (1/50) scale model at Salute 2026.

It is a 3D printed kit

Some of the supports have not been removed, but nothing a few moments with a scalpel will not fix.

It is rather imposing

Size comparison with an Empress 1/50 scale Warrior IFV.

Except the Warrior carries an infantry squad and the Ajax replaces the CVRT Scimitar.

I should have compared it with that and a Spartan (which is being replaced with the Ares variant).

References:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c74xv4yp4v9o

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgmy14n0l0o

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cj9y0l7j1nwo

https://www.theregister.com/offbeat/2026/01/25/uk-defense-grapples-with-ajax-troubles-and-typhoon-questions/4218078

Operation Benevolent Prospector - Pastrian Yaygr Fireteam WIP.

 First Fireteam for the Pastrian Yaygrs.

The bodies are Empress Miniatures US Rangers with Empress French helmets with NVG.

Grenadier with short barrel Assault Rifle wit UGL, two suppressed long barrel Assault Rifles and a small calibre machine gun.

Scarves tidy up the neck area, finger covers (converting the gloves to mittens for extra warmth) on the backs of the gloves and the distinctive poncho/shelter on the back.

Frostgrave Cultist Knights

 Not every follower of some charismatic leader or deluded prophet is willing to risk all in their underwear, sometimes they have access to the arms and armour  of higher quality. Whether looted from some battlefield, stolen from a tomb or from their past lives, some cultists have the weapons of knightly grade, even if their behaviour is not so chivalrous.

Standard small thickness Frostgrave Box containing two identical figure sprues and associated round bases.

Each sprue builds five heavier armoured figures with a choice of single and double handed weapons, bows and crossbows.

There are various heads, including a Revenant style head (these heads have a ball type neck joint rather than the neck socket of the Revenants). These can be used to build better armoured Undead, including non Dark Age style revenants.

There could be a better selection of more conventional if Fallen knight helmets, but they are compatible with the general range of Frostgrave heads (and Anvil heads).