Dead Man's Hand characters

These figures are from Great Escape Games. I don't think the sculpts quite catch the attitudes of their inspirations, but have made me consider getting back into Old West gaming. Both figures were undercoated black, drybrushed white, and then a variety of techniques to add colour.

'Maeve Newton' and 'Dolores Wood'

I used GW Sigvald Burgundy Contrast for Maeve's dress and lipstick, it was a perfect colour match. I like the red in her hair accessory.

Maeve Newton

A little something hidden away.

I like the colour palette Dolores has.

'Dolores Wood'

Ned Kelly and The Kelly Gang

Ned Kelly is the most (in)famous Australian bushranger. Starting with petty crime, his career progressed through horse theft and cattle rustling and on to murdering police and robbing banks. His gang fashioned armour out of ploughshares in a bush forge, and wore it for a shootout with police at Glenrowan in 1880. Forewarned of ambush by young teacher Thomas Curnow (an under-recognized hero), the police prevailed. Kelly was executed and his last words were, "Such is life." He was 25.

His iconic armour weighed 40kg and significantly impaired movement and vision, but sustained multiple hits without penetration.

Ned wore a grey coat at his final shootout

He has become part of Australian history, either as an idolised Robin Hood figure or a disaffected terrorist- Geoffrey Robertson scornfully calls him 'Jihad Ned'. If you have a "Such is life" tattoo, then I will judge you.

These figures are from Great Escape Games. I painted the armour with Army Painter Gunmetal, then a wash of AP Dark Tone, then a thin wash of Vallejo 73.204 Flesh Wash for a subtle rust effect. The final touch is a 2B pencil for edge highlighting and scratches.

Recommended reading: True Girt 

Dead Man's Hand gunfight

I played my first game of Dead Man's Hand the other week against my mate Dan. Dan provided the scenery (4Ground and Whitewash City) and figures (Foundry?). We only played with about two thirds of the number of figures we would have for a full game, because it was our first time.

Dan's figures

DMH is played in three linked scenarios over the same terrain, giving a nice cinematic story. Read on, as my gunslingers ride into town to take on Dan's cowboys.... (click pictures to embiggen)

I found a lot to enjoy about Dead Man's Hand. So much so, that I ordered a few gangs of my own... watch this space.

Comic made with Comic Life 3