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Thursday 27 September 2018

Hagglethorn Hollow on Kickstarter

Greetings Delvers! I am very excited about this! It may have been something you are following already but I thought I should mention a project begun here in New Zealand that has just launched on Kickstarter. Hagglethorn Hollow is the lovingly designed, sculpted by hand, terrain set by Johnny Fraser-Allen.



In the video above (shot by Steve Unwin), Adam Savage talks with Johnny about the full project but for the moment, the Labyrinth and Buildings that are on offer. All of it is modular, and can be mixed and matched in an incredibly organic way.

Hagglethorn Hollow Full-Pledge

Because Johnny also works for Weta, it has a real film-set model level of detail. I can't wait to have Hagglethorn Hollow on my gaming table! He talks more about his background here in an interview with Beasts of War:



So what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Blessings,

Darcy Perry
#starhatminiatures

Friday 7 September 2018

Double Doors of Doom! Star Hat Miniatures: Law Vs Chaos







So, where do these ideas come from? How does a mermaid fit into the Dungeons of Doom underworld and the Star Hat Universe? Well, I could tell you...

...but why do your imagining for you?

Seriously though, I often let the putty do the storytelling, as I sculpt. Sometimes I am surprised by the results! There is definitely a Polynesian feel to this piece. The broken pearl necklace was a last moment addition which brought a big smile to my dial.

Now it’s off to John Popson (Effin Cool, US), then Chris Nicholls (Macrocosm, UK), for mould making and casting in resin.

I am not sure I could be having more fun than I am right now. Thanks for backing Law Vs Chaos! What, you didn't back the Kickstarter? Get ye to BackerKit :)

God bless,

Darcy Perry

#starhatminiatures

Tuesday 28 August 2018

Law Vs Chaos + The Double Doors of Doom!

Greetings Delvers!

40 hours to go on the Law Vs Chaos Kickstarter campaign and more craziness has appeared!

Here is a heavy piece of (resin) terrain for your next dungeon crawl. There are times in a sculptor’s life when they do something completely different. I blame Murray. Functions as a temple entrance (Dagon or Cthulhu?), or the throne room of a benthic king, or the janitor’s closet at Star Hat University, or as an inter-planetary gate. Travis loves the versatility.

The Double Doors of Doom! 120mm tall, 165mm wide and 80mm deep!

The Double Doors of Doom!


“The Double Doors of Doom,” Nika whispered in hushed tones, “you open them.”
Nanook stared up at the ornate doors with an uneasy feeling, “It’s your turn.”
“What, again?”
“Yeah, I opened the chest in the last room,” he said.
Nika coughed abruptly, “chests don’t count.”
“I think we’re being watched,” he said quietly, “and not in a good way…”
“Is there ever a good way?”
“It’s moving!”

Wargame News and Terrain: Star Hat Miniatures: Popular Dungeons of Doom: Law...

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Sunday 12 August 2018

Dungeons of Doom V: Law Vs Chaos + Kickstarter LIVE



It's alive! Dungeons of Doom V: Law Vs Chaos is the latest Kickstarter from Star Hat Miniatures is now LIVE on Kickstarter! I am really excited about sharing these new miniatures with you!




This is my 5th Kickstarter and it's really exciting to have a couple of fantastic sculptors on board. Here are the giants from Anton Ducrot (Flytrap Factory):

Anton's Giants: Milton, Cecil with boar, and Kongeegenan!
Gary Hunt (Gary Hunt Miniatures and Weta) has also gifted his pet Black Dragon to the Law Vs Chaos campaign:

Gary's Black Dragon, Borranix!
Here are the new miniatures I have sculpted (so far) for Dungeons of Doom V: Law Vs Chaos:













If you see anything you like, or just want to say hello, you're welcome. It only takes NZ$1 (about 50 UK pence or 66 US cents) to become a backer that can comment and be part of the journey.

Casting and shipping are from New Zealand (Regal Enterprises and Star Hat Miniatures), Ohio in the United States (Effin Cool Miniatures) and Gloucestershire (Macrocosm) in the United Kingdom.

This Kickstarter ends on the 31st August 2018.


Blessings,

Darcy Perry

Friday 3 August 2018

Dungeons of Doom: Law Vs Chaos

Greetings Delvers! With the last of the Duck Dragons flying to new homes around the world, it’s time for the next Kickstarter campaign. Delvers Lost in the Dungeons of Doom V: Law Vs Chaos!

In preparation for the launch I have been sharing photos and video clips of the new sculpts, mainly on the Book of Faces. However, for those who have found my humble gaming blog, here is a Hits To Kill exclusive peek.



As you can see, I have done my best to capture the theme of a great battle between the forces of Law and Chaos. Yes, Rom Brown from WhipperSnapper Artworks and Cult of Game is back to help me with my banners.



Ok, yes, so there is one duck... and a Fowlbear of course - but why wouldn't they turn up to an "end of the world" party? Suffice to say, it's the ultimate battle of Law Vs Chaos and you're all invited! There is a draft campaign page for the next Kickstarter here. Please, do stop by and check it out. You can even leave comments, as I am still fine-tuning it.

Finally, you may have noted I spend a lot of time thanking people? Well, I have a lot to be thankful for. Nothing would've happened two years ago without people around the world backing my first Kickstarter. We certainly wouldn't be here now! Over those two years, I have made new friends (and relied heavily on old friends) who have shared the Star Hat Vision and helped create a place where "Little Things Bring Big Grins!"

For everyone who backed Quack Keep - A thousand thank you's! Everyone of you! And especially...
Jennell Jaquays for the amazing Quack Keep journey.
Ian and Allan Farelly at Regal Enterprises.
Elton Waters at Scotia Grendel.
Rom Brown at Whippersnapper Artworkz.
Lewis Morgan (aka Zebong).
Grant Stone (Archchancellor of Star Hat University).
Anton Ducrot (FlyTrap Factory).
The Box Trolls!
My beloved wife Deb and our wonderful children.

Remember, if you're painting these miniatures and posting photos online, please tag #StarHatMiniatures so I can see them! Star Hat Miniatures is also on Facebook.

I hope to welcome you back soon for Law Vs Chaos! The Kickstarter campaign launches in a week from now and I have a few surprises in store! Maybe this deserves a fresh blog post? Stay tuned...

Saturday 23 June 2018

Dungeons of Doom IV + Quack Keep

Greetings Delvers! It's been half a year since the last blog post and you're probably wondering if... I'm still alive? Yes, as you can see, I'm very much alive and well! If not somewhat ducky!?


So what's with all the duck business? After the success of Delvers Lost in the Dungeons of Doom III, I began a new Kickstarter collaborating with legendary game designer and artist, Jennell Jaquays. Imagine a campaign setting, for any role playing game, that features ducks? Well, we did. And more. The result was Quack Keep. A full colour GM screen with maps plus 48 pages of endless adventure, set in Reedy Bend, an area of marshlands teaming with fowl folk and other weirdness.

The basic idea came from developing a relationship with Jennell at the tail end of Dungeons of Doom III. Her artwork had inspired me to sculpt my first duck. Four more quickly followed, including Jenn JaQuack, a tribute to her. As the original duck artist for Chaosium's Rune Quest and the genius behind the “Legendary Duck Tower” (1980), it seemed a fitting tribute.

Quack Keep at the printers.


Back to Quack Keep. The plan was, a collaboration where I would sculpt miniatures and Jennell would write a module. The name came from “Quag Keep” (1978), the first novel based on the world of Dungeons & Dragons by the legendary grand mistress of SF/Fantasy, Andre Norton. Apart from that, there is no similarity between the two, except they both feature a keep and a dragon. Quack Keep was duckier though.

We both got to work: Jennell would write the module and I would make the miniatures. The anthropomorphic duck characters were to be based on the miniatures I sculpted. That was the plan. As goeth the old Yiddish adage“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” (“Man Plans, and God Laughs”). Quack Keep ended up being a much more, well, more.

Low-res Screenshot from interior of Quack Keep.

The Kickstarter funded in just over an hour. What followed was a mad rush to create more stretch goals, usually including new duck characters that I was sculpting between updates. Before long, there was talk of sculpting a giant duck-dragon. Quack Keep was no longer an old school dungeon adventure module with some metal figurines. It was a crusade that ended with 34 metal miniatures plus a massive resin Duck-Dragon with a couple of fantastic gaming modules (Dragon's Secret PDF, Quack Keep PDF + Print) thrown in with a full colour GM screen by Jennell Jaquays!

All of these are available now at Star Hat Miniatures. Each part of the Kickstarter campaign deserves it's own post. Suffice to say, Jennell and I truly collaborated on Quack Keep. Instead of an old school dungeon adventure, it was a whole campaign setting with characters and adventure hooks we created together. As Jennell says in the introduction:

Instead of a using just one set of old school rules, we made Quack Keep work with all games. Instead of a classic dungeon, with encounter set pieces using duck characters, it became a campaign setting totally defined by those characters and their interactions. Instead of one adventure, we created 75 different story hooks featuring those characters, and then packed in 100 more possibilities in the form of random encounters and Curios (unexplained or out of place objects and artifacts). Instead of it just being me creating this, the process involved Darcy and I throwing ideas at each other across the Pacific; he in New Zealand and me on America’s west coast.

I ended up writing and drawing for Quack Keep, as well as producing the best miniatures I have ever sculpted. What an adventure!

Blessings,

Darcy Perry