Plans for 2012

I trust everyone had an enjoyable New Year and I have seen a significant number of colleagues outline their plans and projects for the coming year.

Like many I don't see 2012 being any easier than last but to me that gives the opportunity to focus on what I have and make some progress, whilst I dont intend to start anything new I know its foolish to say I wont, Sails of Glory and Mongoose Publications promise of resin WW1 ships already get the gaming juices flowing, what I have promised is that it will be a cost neutral year I can only spend what I earn from the hobby so that's the incentive.

My next Regiment of my Imagination is almost complete the 25th Albion Foot just awaits its 3 drummers, I am quite pleased with the progress 16 hat men and the command, standards etc all done over the festive period.

Next up will be the Royal Albion Light infantry under its Commander Rupert Gibb, the figures are assembled waiting their undercoat.

I do feel that now there is the potential for more spare time some sort of structure could now be applied to my painting programme, I always need three or four different units on the table at any one time therefore over the year I have determined that my Imagination and Magnesia project will always be present and being painted.

In addition I've roughed out a time table as follows;
January is clear to be spent clearing whats on the table.
February - Zulu Colonial
March - finish off my 28mm EIR Romans
April - 6mm month (could be finishing off FPW or doing some Napoleonics)
May - 15mm WWII desert
June - Update 28mm AWI. I have figures that need rebasing, touching up and quite a few still need painting.
July - free month!
August - finish basing my 10mm Market Garden armies in the hope of starting a mini campaign in September
September -15mm Ancients.

I haven't gone beyond that as I reckon the above may not go according to plan but its a start.
Gaming wise had my first last night at the local club - Big Battle DBA trying out the new version 3 which I have to say I quite enjoyed even though my poor Roomans received a good drubbing at the hands of the Carthaginians.

Any way until next time.
Pip Pip

Merry Christmas and Plans for 2012

First and foremost can I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and may 2012 bring you all that you hope for.

The pics of the painting table show my almost completed company of Albion foot, may still complete before Sunday and then the command next week.

In the background is my plastic Saxon contingent for Saga which is also making good progress.

I have also been dabbling with 'flats' and was thinking of making up some bases for use with my Command and Colours board game, the first few Greeks are shown below

Will be looking at placing 10-12 infantry on a base! Quite enjoyed the painting a different style to painting rounds but the ranges and poses available are fantastic.

As to 2012 well the framework Im thinking of adopting is that my Imagination will remain as a constant on the table as will my Magnesia Ancient project.
January will be the free month to clear the table of outstanding work then each month I will focus on one particular project, my list! is being finalised.

As with all plans it most probably wont survive contact with the first wargames show!. But we will try.

Finally following some good sales at the local shows and my Sarmations fetching a handsome price on ebay I bought myself my Christmas Box

Why? Like many Zulu was in my blod since childhood and how could I resist this! Its just great.
My colleague Alan has written a set of rules for his 10mm collection for this battle and they work very well so why not in 28mm. Lets see.

Take Care everyone and All the best.

A week later!

Thanks to those people who have made comment. The last week has seen me sort out the painting table and starting to finish off all the bits that were started before I moved.
A couple of pics of the study

I need three or four different projects on the go at once, Ive started another 16 Scotia Albion infantry, based 40 Phalangites, started some palstic saxons for saga and finished some Sarmation Cataphracts to go on ebay

I thought since I mentioned it I show a few pics of my cabin

The cabins double walled and double glased for year round use, the table is a 6'x5' with a 2' drop leaf and whilst like most gamers I would have liked more! to be honest most of the games I play will fit on this with ease. Still sorting out but we are getting there.

Finally pics of the garage which identifies the ocd and the reason I need to start selling, my first 37 items are on ebay my 28mm WWII painted figs! What next who knows

The small plastic boxes all contain painted figures, large crates on the floor are figures I may consider to sell and there's also my work bench with just a few crates under the bench. Do I have a problem, not me!

I hope to have the Scotia Albion infantry finished this week and then start on their command.

A long time absent

Well a year between posts and what a year! Rather than retiring I let the company talk me in to helping them outand found myself travelling all over the country. In September having driven almost 45000 miles and being away from home 4 days a week enough was enough and I called time and this time have really retired.

In April we also moved home which saw my somewhat overlarge collection packed away, since then we have renovated the house from top to bottom and the carpet fitters are here today to draw a close on the work!
 The positive is the garden is large enough to accommodate a log cabin which Ive also built for the wargames room! Built but only one game played so far!
The move made me realise that I have way too much stuff and a major clear out is under way and Ive been selling at shows and ebay these last couple of months and more will follow.
The net result was that painting and hobby effectively ground to a halt!
But I'm back, my enthusiasm for this project has been dented but not diminished and I'm dipping the toe back in the water. The proof will be in the postings, but no promises just hopefully results.

Winter nights.

Well like many the snow put paid to my business trips this last week so I set to and painted some more figures.
I've started on my next Albion Regiment and have 22 line now finished and example of which is below;

In addition I also finished a few characters who now await their bases to be finished.
The first is the man himself Charles de Comyn

Then we have Rupert Gibb, the CO of the Albion Light Infantry

Finally Mdme de Bournville, a lady companion to Charles!

Apologies re the pics, better ones will follow at some point.

Fiasco - I'd rather be painting

Today saw me steal away to the Fiasco show at its new venue Saviles at the Armouries at Leeds,
I've been going to the Leeeds show for more years than I care to remember and have always looked forward to this.
Today was the trial of a new venue which I liked very much, but what's happened to the show? 5 possibly six games, a fair few traders yes but nothing to hold me there for any length of time, after an hour I was done, £4.00 to get in, £5.00 spent!! more spent in petrol and not a good day.
On the painting front I have started another Albion Regiment, 12 figures done and then I've run out!!! an order has been placed with Minden and hopefully reinforcements will arrive shortly, poor logistical planning.
Hopefully pics next week.

Progress

Well although I had aimed to completely retire last December I'm still working, mainly to be able to continue to buy loads more of Franks excellent Minden Miniatures.

 These are some pics of the completed Normandie infantry in the display case, standards and flock still to be added, but proof at last that we are up and running again. The drummers were a pain but once in the grove they came out ok. (Please excuse the Jason and argonauts in some pics)

 The two opposing Regiments living harmoniously in the cabinet, when the next Regiment is completed ( another Albion foot unit)  I will have to find another cabinet or send the men into secure quarters.

A close up of the drummers, don't look too bad!



Add caption

  I thought I'd start on some of the characters, so at left we have General Morbier, as you can see still on the painting table hence the background. I'm plannin on finding a coach that I can paint up in Comyn household colours for the General.

Foundry figures for those that are interested.

These pics show Albions General McLean almost ready to lead the Regiments into action, in the background is the Col. ( as yet unnamed) of the Normandie foot.

So with luck and a fair wind the mojo is back and we can at last see the armies starting to mobilise for real.