Month: December 2023

Yes, I understand – that was another less-than-short title – but I hope that you’ll find this post interesting as there will be a few surprises here – just wait! 

First, it’s time to start with the lesser witches that I have just finished for my Wars of Ozz games. Lesser witches and wizards are cheaper than faction-based magic users – 2 points versus 3 points in cost. They do have to roll randomly for their available 2 spells (whereas faction-based witches and wizards get usually better spells automatically and then 3-4 of them to boot).

To add to the forces available, I chose to complete SKU #OZZ-513, Lesser Witches and Wizards. There are 7 witches (despite the name, there were no wizards that I could tell) in the kit. The figures are 28mm and in metal. Lesser witches could be a part of any faction, but only 1 per brigade is allowed. Lesser witches have a spell rating of 6/10, and a luck of 7/10. It would be possible therefore to have two witches in a brigade, one main and one lesser.

I previously did not have any “Lesser Witches”, so this addition will give me more flexibility in setting up games – as well as more variety for the players.

Currently, I am rushing to get all of the stuff I have in the queue painted and posted here – as I am headed for minor knee surgery next week. Therefore, my WIP shots for this SKU is a bit limited…

Lesser Witches WIP Shots

Once again, I followed the same preparation and painting pattern as usual. Each witch has a different character – so I tried to vary how I painted, based, and indeed named them according to what I envisioned.

I started with the figures in order of the photo on the website. The first one I named “Lady Pompadour”.

As there are 7 witches (plus those surprises that I promised), let’s just move to them by name…

Lesser Witches and Wizards Eye Candy

“Lady Pompadour”

Her hairstyle led me to her name. I thought her dress needed to be Ozz-green, as she is holding a frog.

“Sunflower Sorceress”

This figure gave me pause at first – as I struggled to find a concept for her. Eventually, I decided that her clothing layers lookd like a flower – hence her name and color scheme. Her flesh could be Gillikin or Winkie in origin, but any brigade could have her sunny disposition.

“The Mystic Crone”

This one was easy – looked like the stereotypical Hansel and Gretel witch from the forest. She’s also probably a Gillikin or a Winkie.

“The Soothsayer”

This figure had a table and the cool crystal ball – but I did not think it appropriate for her to be in a field for a base. Who brings a table to the field? Therefore, I took her MDF base and built a wooden floor with matchsticks. I did not glue in her crystal ball to the table because that might destroy its light bending properties – so I have a tiny little plastic baggie for that in her storage box. As for flesh, her face was not well-defined – so I went with a zombie-type flesh. Perhaps her fortune telling drew out much of her life force over the years. Whatever her origin, she’s a bit necrotic now. Like Lady Pompadour, she also holds a frog.

“Purple Hazel”

This is the same figure that I painted as “Lady Thistlethorne, Harvest Witch” for the Great Land of Harvest forces. Clearly, this figure had to have a much different look.  You can’t get much more different here from my previous effort. Purple, pink, and red – and while I’m pretty sure she is not from is not from Electric Ladyland (apologies to Jimi Hendrix), for her name, I went with “Purple Hazel”. Yes, I know that song is not on that album. She has a little crystal ball in her hand, and a big broom. I went with a ruddy complexion as her facial features are not too pronounced. She’s probably Quadling in origin.

“Belinda the Nun”

I’m not sure that I could have come up with a different color scheme here for this model – the one on the website was white and red. As none of the other lesser witches were this different, I went with that scheme. Her beckoning long finger invites you to get closer while she holds the spell book. As for what cult she is a nun for, who knows! Maybe she’s just a devil woman, with evil on her mind… - apologies to Cliff Richard, circa 1976…

“Morta – Witch of the Undead”

This figure had the most facial detail. But, I thought, why not make her an Undead witch – hence the name “Morta – Witch of the Undead”. That’s acceptably creepy, and unlike the others. Her outfit made me think of a dress made from curtains from the 1970’s – so I purposefully painted it gaudy and a bit tacky. I’m pretty sure the undead have no fashion taste anyways. 

Now that concludes the SKU, but not the witches – now it’s time for the first surprise! There is another witch! Here follows the story:

Last year at TotalCon 37, I got the miniature that the convention offered for sale at registration. It was a steampunk-themed woman with a pistol and a mechanical arm, with knee high boots, a miniskirt, and a mechanically-modified owl on her shoulder as a familiar. It was made by Dragonbait Miniatures. I kept the figure without any particular plan for her almost 9 months, until I painted up Professor Nitpick and his Mechanical Tin Axemen.  Looking at the canon of the Industrial City, and that knowing that according to Russ Dunaway that old Nitpick will eventually have his own faction, I thought that this figure would be a good candidate for an ersatz lesser witch of the Industrial City. This way, when an official figure gets made, I can use her then as well. At Fall In, I got dispensation from Russ Dunaway to boot as for Ozz I do try to stay on canon.

As for her backstory – maybe she’s a survivor of all that the Madness Bombs did to the Industrial City, but one the Professor Nitpick helped with some arcane genetic manipulation or something similar? Now she serves Nitpick or anyone else who can help her keep up her fashion needs. She is a city girl after all, even if the city is in radioactive or mutagenic ruins. Anyways, here are some WIP shots of her – oh yeah, her name is “TotalCon 37” of course (it’s on her base, sounds fairly cyborg-y, so why not).

Industrial City Witch WIP

I used the same basing scheme that I used for Professor Nitpick’s axemen regiment.

Now some eye candy for…

“TotalCon37, Industrial City Witch”

Here’s a group shot of all of the lesser witches:

But I promised a couple of surprises did I not? Well, the last was one that I’ll share was on me as well – and it involved one package with two painted and based figures in it. 

My good friend Buck Surdu, the rules creator of Wars of Ozz, went on a website (I think Heroforge) and created two custom minis for Ozz. 

The first is inspired by the original Baum Oz books – General Jinjur, who in the books commands an army of knitting-needle-armed females from all races from all over the world of Oz. Hence her 4 – colored skirt (blue for Munchkins, red for Quadlings, yellow for Winkies, and purple for Gillikins).  Here, she allows an attached unit to fight at +1, plus as a Duelist she can more easily dispatch an enemy attached leader in Melee with her unit (presumably with a knitting needle in the eye). I can use her as a Brigade commander for Jinjur troops or elsewhere. I love the way Buck painted her, plus the knitting needles!

“General Jinjur”

The second figure that Buck created and gifted me was inspired by, well, ME!

Buck and I had joked about how many Wars of Ozz games I have run at conventions and our club, as well as the sharing I have done on this blog. Somehow the moniker “Mark, the Herald of Ozz” came up at some point. So Buck created “Ma’k, the Herald of Ozz”. The “Ma’k” is a play of how I pronounce my first name as a good resident of central Massachusetts, or rather how it sounds to everyone outside of Massachusetts…

I’m biased, but I really LOVE this figure. First, he’s armed with a GOLF CLUB!! (looks like my Ping driver). Second, he allows a player to attach him to any unit and then CHOOSE the attribute that he gives an attached unit a +1. That’s pretty neat. Lastly, well, the gift warmed my heart.

“Ma’k the Herald of Ozz”

In any case, I am glad to have the both of them and will use them in my games – I do believe that Buck will be adding them to the army lists too – which you can see on the Wars of Ozz Facebook page here (you do have to join the private page to see them). THANK YOU BUCK!!

That’s up all for now. Next up I will be hopefully posting about a new Munchkin unit – assuming I have enough time before going under the knife. 

As for this post, please feel free to vote for your favorite lesser witch in the comments section! I’d be interested in your favorite witch, favorite name, favorite outfit, or anything you’d care to share.

And yes, I still have much more Ozz to come…

Miscellaneous details and references for those interested in that sort of thing:

For all of my previous posts on Wars of Ozz games, figures, units, and other related projects – please see this page.

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THE LESSER WITCHES:

1. Round regimental MDF base from Old Glory
2. 1.25″ x 1″ square steel base from Wargames Accessories (#FOW1)
3. 3/4″ Everbilt steel washer
4. Poster tack
5. Vallejo Premium Primer “White”
6. Vallejo “Flow Improver”
7. Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
8. Secret Weapon Washes “Heavy Body Black” (wash)
9. Battlefront “German Black Brown Camouflage”
10. Vallejo “Thinner Medium”
11. Vallejo Model Color “White”
12. P3 “Brown Ink” (ink)
13. Vallejo Model Color “Light Flesh”
14. Battlefront “European Skin”
15. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Ork Flesh”
16. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Plaguebearer Flesh”
17. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Fire Giant Orange 1.0”
18. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Dark Wood 2.0”
19. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Hardened Leather 1.0”
20. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Poppy Red 2.0”
21. Vallejo Model Color “English Uniform”
22. Vallejo “Glaze Medium”
23. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Striking Scorpion Green”
24. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Dark Angels Green”
25. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Contrast Medium”
26. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Talos Bronze 2.0”
27. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Zealot Yellow 1.0”
28. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Ghillie Dew 2.0”
29. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Ancient Honey 2.0”
30. Army Painter “Warpaints – Greedy Gold”
31. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Black Templar”
32. Reaper MSP Core Colors “Pure Black”
33. Vallejo Mecha Color “Green Fluorescent”
34. Citadel “Agrax Earthshade” (wash)
35. Battlefront “Brown”
36. Secret Weapon Washes “Parchment” (wash)
37. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Purple Swarm 2.0”
38. Citadel Technical “Soulstone Blue”
39. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Familiar Pink 2.0”
40. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Crusader Skin 1.0”
41. Vallejo Model Color “Medium Flesh Tone”
42. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Moonlake Coral 2.0”
43. Elmer’s PVA Glue
44. Wooden matchsticks
45. Vallejo Model Color “Wood Grain”
46. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Gloss Varnish”
47. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matte Varnish”
48. Pendraken 12mm dice frames
49. Army Painter “Battlefield Field Grass” (flocking)
50. Gamers Grass “Yellow Flowers” (flocking)
51. Army Painter “Yellow Flowers” (flocking)
52. Shadow’s Edge Miniatures “Jungle Tufts” (flocking)
53. Shadow’s Edge Miniatures “6mm Dark Forest Pink Flowers” (flocking)
54. Shadow’s Edge Miniatures “6mm Dark Forest Red Flowers” (flocking)
55. Shadow’s Edge Miniatures “6mm Dark Forest Lavender Flowers” (flocking)
56. Shadow’s Edge Miniatures “6mm Wildflowers – Corn Flower Tufts” (flocking)
57. Gamers Grass “Orange Flowers” (flocking)
58. Army Painter “Battlefields Field Grass” (flocking)
59. Printed Avery labels

PAINTS, INKS, GLAZES, SHADES, WASHES, PIGMENTS, FLOCKING, GLUES AND MORE THAT I USED ON THE FIGURES FOR TOTALCON 37:

1. Round regimental MDF base from Old Glory
2. 1.25″ x 1″ square steel base from Wargames Accessories (#FOW1)
3. Elmer’s PVA Glue
4. Gorilla Glue
5. 3/4″ steel washers
6. Poster tack
7. Vallejo White Surface Primer
8. Vallejo “Flow Improver”
9. Vallejo “Airbrush Thinner”
10. Secret Weapon Washes “Heavy Body Black” (wash)
11. Vallejo Model Color “White”
12. P3 “Brown Ink” (ink)
13. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Hoplite Gold 2.0”
14. Vallejo Model Color “Light Flesh”
15. Vallejo “Thinner Medium”
16. Battlefront “Dark Leather”
17. Vallejo Model Air “Brown”
18. Reaper MSP Core Colors “Pure Black”
19. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Imperial Fist”
20. Citadel “Balor Brown Air”
21. Battlefront “Battlefield Brown”
22. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Aztec Gold 2.0”
23. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Apothecary White”
24. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Contrast Medium”
25. P3 “Flesh Wash” (wash)
26. Vallejo Model Color “Medium Flesh Tone”
27. Battlefront “European Skin”
28. Citadel “Agrax Earthshade” (wash)
29. Citadel Technical “Spritstone Red”
30. Citadel “Nuln Oil GLOSS” (wash)
31. Citadel “The Fang”
32. Vallejo Model Air “Gun Metal”
33. Citadel “Astrogranite Debris” (texture)
34. Pendraken 12mm dice frame
35. Army Painter “Speed Paint – Talos Bronze 2.0”
36. Army Painter “Warpaints – Shining Silver”
37. Army Painter “Warpaints – True Copper”
38. Citadel “Contrast Paint – Ironjawz Yellow”
39. Vallejo Model Air “Black Metallic”
40. Small polystyrene tubing pieces
41. Popsicle stick shards
42. Juweela® 1:48/1:50 terracotta bricks
43. Army Painter Warpaints “Rough Iron”
44. Vallejo Mecha Weathering “Rust Texture”
45. Vallejo Mecha Weathering “Dark Rust Wash”
46. Vallejo “Pigment Binder”
47. Vallejo “Carbon Black” (pigment)
48. Vallejo “Old Rust” (pigment)
49. Vallejo “Titanium White” (pigment)
50. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Gloss Varnish”
51. Vallejo Mecha Varnish “Matte Varnish”
52. Printed Avery label

Again, as you may want to check out the Wars of Ozz figures’ range – there are two places to get them (and I make no money from this btw). The game rules and the figures are available from the following two places:

In the US Old Glory has a site – Wars of Ozz Miniatures.

In the UK go to Sally 4th.