Friday 5 October 2012

Chinese Tongs



More characterful loveliness from 'Obelisk Miniatures' via 'Black Cat Bases'; once again held together with a unifying colour palette. These chaps have a much more sinister feel to them as opposed to the civilians from the earlier post and represent a more definite obstacle for our heroes. I love the chap casually leaning on his post, the barrel of his revolver just visible at the end of his jacket sleeve.  So how do they fit into the 'secret project'?

Fleeing from the social unrest, that was ultimately to lead to the Taiping Rebellion, the relatives of these fierce looking bunch or ne'er-do-wells, looked to make their fortune in the 1849-era California Gold Rush. The Chinese did not, however, only come for the gold, but also helped build the Transcontinental Railroad; not that they were thanked for their endeavours!  From the outset, they were faced with persecution from the settled population; not surprising then that they formed secret social clubs known as 'Triads' or 'Tongs',  just as they had done back home.  In the remote area of North America that is home to the 'secret project', things are a little more bearable for this most industrious of peoples.  Many of the extended family have secured work mining in the mountains above the cove, or helping lay that the final stretches of rail track that will help bring civilisation closer to this long forgotten corner of the wilderness.  Many however are seemingly employed at the local laundry, a surprising frenetic hive of activity given the begrimed nature of the other inhabitants of the town.   

Although the casual observer may be fooled by the carefree playing of the children in the street, seemingly watched over by an elderly relative, they are, in fact, an elaborate early warning system for  the 'family' who have been using the laundry as a cover for the wholesale import of ancient Chinese artefacts; a lucrative trade but one that would mean certain death to those back home if ever discovered.  




Finally the answer as to how an army of terracotta soldiers found itself taken from the 'Middle Kingdom' to the 'Land of the Free' is unearthed, but who holds the power to bring them to life...?



40 comments:

  1. A f s W d
    n i e e o
    o n t l n
    t e . l e
    h !
    e
    r

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, love the creative reply by the way!

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  2. A nice lot! Your secret project becomes more and more interesting.

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    1. Thank you Andrew, it also becomes more and more self-indulgent too! ;)

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  3. What then will transpire when the Conundrum Machine encounters these fine gentleman. The mystery is ever-folding here Sir Michael!

    The differing shades of blue look great together and can't have been an easy thing to achieve. Well done!

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    1. Thank you Anne, who knows indeed. I may need to take a leaf out of your book and pen a bit more of a story.

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  4. The metallic color is REAL! Beautifully painted and based, Sir.

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    1. Thank you Jay. The metal is base coated, washed with ink and then highlighted - really pleased with the result.

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  5. The painting of the models are great, no doubt, but I am pulled into the basing! It looks like a chinese flower garden has sprung up at their feet!
    My fav is the guy waving his finger.. I think he has something to say, but just 1 moment.. need to check on the "laundry"..

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    1. Thank you, I may have gone a bit over the top on the basing, but was trying to theme them altogether.

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  6. Very cool and well painted looking figures!

    Christopher

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  7. More excellent work Michael, I am fasinated by this secret project of yours... can't wait till you gives us the full story. I am trying to guess what rule set you have in mind for the final setting...

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    1. Thank you Scott, but the sad reality is that it is self-indulgent nonsense, an excuse to go out and buy whatever I like and link them together in a thinly veiled plot. That said I would ultimately love to see it progress to some form of gaming scenario, but I guess it would need to be very much a role playing/skirmish game - any thoughts?

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    2. There are many fun skirmish sets of rules available Michael, that I am sure would suit, depending on your setting, and all no doubt could be tweaked to fit; GW's Lord of the Rings and its offshoot variants - Legends of the High Seas & Legends of the Old West, Empire of the Dead, Strange Aeons, GASLIGHT to name a few... An RPG setting would give more depth and detail to the story and game play, but usually require more time writing it up and running it, particularly if you are the GM (which would then clash with your painting time!)

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  8. Excellent painted figures! The knives looks like glass! Wonderfull choice of colours!

    Greetings
    Peter
    http://peterscave.blogspot.be/

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    1. Thank you Peter, he certainly needs to be careful with those blades!

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  9. More excellent work, I like the way you have linked allthe figures without it looking forced
    ian

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    1. Thank you Ian, pretty pleased with the result myself.

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  10. Full of character - lovely!! Congratulation , very nice colors .
    Cheers

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    1. Thank you Captain, that is very kind of you.

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  11. That´s a nasty looking set of sushi knives that guy is brandishing about...
    The vegetation jumping up with his foot..that certainly looks deliberate, clever idea..I´ll pinch that :-D
    Cheers
    paul

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    1. Thank you Paul and yes that is a deliberate ploy to make it look like he has just kicked through a clump of flowers - honestly! ;)

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  12. Superb Michael, I hadn't realised the one leaning against the post had a hidden revolver.

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    1. Thank you and yes, he's a sneaky devil that one!

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  13. Aaaa these rook rubbery. Fantastic paintwork on some great looking figures. What a superb collection you secret project is turning into.

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  14. Nice job, really fun minis- looks like a lot of fun to paint

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  15. Fantastic miniatures! Really nice use of the blossom on the bases - is that the Silflor/MiniNatur stuff?

    Have you ever read the Steampunk novels written by Cherie Priest (Boneshaker, Dreadnought and another one I forget the name of)? Your miniatures immediately made me think of some of the characters from the series. :)

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    1. Hi Andy, many thanks and yes these are Silflor/MiniNatur - in particular tufts with blossom, late fall. Just so easy to use and really effective.

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  16. I love this range of Chinese people!
    Like I've said before : nice figures and very good painting work, so all is good is the better world!

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  17. ... correction:
    "all is good IN the BEST world" !!
    sorry.

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  18. What, no discrete crab tattoos on the back on the hand? ;-) Lovely stuff mate as always...

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  19. Top work there chap and some very nice Tongs there.

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  20. Wonderful figures, Michael. The poses are so classic and your painting has really captured the look & feel for these guys. Best, Dean

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  21. Damn they are nice... you bad man ,, tempting me so!

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  22. Unusual and excellent!
    Phil.

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