No pictures for this update but I am to say the least excited, as you know my imaginations have an area populated by the highland clans, I have been in talks with Richard Ansell the sculptor of Minden Miniatures, the figures I use for my armies, and he has agreed to sculpt some Highlanders for me suitable for the Jacobite rebellions.
Early days yet but Im hopeful the first set of scuplts will be under way this month.
As with many things progress may be slow based on cash flow but I'm looking at getting 6 original figures in the first set. Watch this space for progress.
Friday, 9 March 2012
Friday, 2 March 2012
Regiment de Grancy
Didn't quite make the end of the month deadline but the first company of the Regiment de Grancy is finished and awaiting a matt varnish but I couldn't wait to take a couple of pics.
Reinforcements from Minden Miniatures arrived yesterday so I can press on with the other two companies.
May just about make the target of end of April for first game!
Reinforcements from Minden Miniatures arrived yesterday so I can press on with the other two companies.
Monday, 27 February 2012
Something to make me feel better
Got laid low by some damn chest infection last Tuesday which is refusing to budge and has prevented me going to the club and has slowed down the painting! However with one last effort I hope to finish my first company of the new French?Comyn regiment before month end!.
I have also been looking intently at the soon to be released range of figures by Claymore Castings, (notably David Imrie and Andrew Taylor), the figures have been sculpted by Paul Hicks and the first releases are for the Scots at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388.
I have tried hard to resist but I've know David for a while and following a telephone conversation I gave in and placed a pre-order. However David very kindly sent me a couple of samples which arrived today.
The pictures I took of the unpainted castings are rubbish but the below is pinched off David's 'Saxon Dog' ( http://saxondog.blogspot.com/search/label/Claymore%20Castings)
I should have realised I wouldnt last to the year end without deviating.
Anyway my samples are ready for priming and hopefully will start the paint job tomorrow.!
I have also been looking intently at the soon to be released range of figures by Claymore Castings, (notably David Imrie and Andrew Taylor), the figures have been sculpted by Paul Hicks and the first releases are for the Scots at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388.
I have tried hard to resist but I've know David for a while and following a telephone conversation I gave in and placed a pre-order. However David very kindly sent me a couple of samples which arrived today.
The pictures I took of the unpainted castings are rubbish but the below is pinched off David's 'Saxon Dog' ( http://saxondog.blogspot.com/search/label/Claymore%20Castings)
Anyway my samples are ready for priming and hopefully will start the paint job tomorrow.!
Monday, 20 February 2012
Been a Thinking!
Over on the Independent Wargames blog he's been musing about Steve Eardley's column in Miniature Wargames regarding Elitism, Class and respect in wargames and it got me thinking about my gaming standards!
I'm fortunate that I'm a member of two gaming clubs and also have a number of friends with whom I've gamed with for many years. I enjoy the painting, the research and the preparation for the game to the point on occassions where the game quite often is secondary, I never use unpainted figures in the army and I dont enjoy playing people whos only interest is to win at all costs, does that make me elitist?
I hope not, one of the wonderful things about the hobby is the diverse characters it brings and to be fair in terms of bringing 'young ones' to the table Ive played against their unpainted hordes. If i chose not to play against some individuals it is because their type of game and motivation to play is totally different from mine.
As to class in wargames, I suppose somewhere out there are a number of individuals who look upon their collections with glee and only game with the chosen few. I may have met one or two of these in my time but you certainly cant relate to 'class' unless its some form of internal Elitism within the hobby.
Any way I'm happy with my lot and thats enough of deep thinking. What have I been doing, well Ive started on the Mounted Officer (Rupert Gibb) for the Royal Albions.
Next to him is a model of Antigonus 'one eye' by Gripping Beast I'm painting for my Successors.
As its Zulu month I've also been painting a few of the Warlord Plastics
They come out quite nice, some plastic SYW would be good!
I've also started on my next Duchy of Comyn regiment and hope to have the first company finished by the weekend.
I've also been giving some thought to the naval side for this campaign, I do have some of the Langton 1/1200th scale ships painted but not many and they do take a long time to make a decent job. So for the sake of the game I'm looking at coming down to 1/2400th and will try painting a few ships over the coming weeks.
I've put a better pic of Antigonus below just because I like the figure
I've found another load of bits to go on ebay next week, GW Inquisitor and other lost! and now found projects in order to fund the periods I like.
Hopefully arranging another Marlburian game next week in the cabin, and until then pip pip.
I'm fortunate that I'm a member of two gaming clubs and also have a number of friends with whom I've gamed with for many years. I enjoy the painting, the research and the preparation for the game to the point on occassions where the game quite often is secondary, I never use unpainted figures in the army and I dont enjoy playing people whos only interest is to win at all costs, does that make me elitist?
I hope not, one of the wonderful things about the hobby is the diverse characters it brings and to be fair in terms of bringing 'young ones' to the table Ive played against their unpainted hordes. If i chose not to play against some individuals it is because their type of game and motivation to play is totally different from mine.
As to class in wargames, I suppose somewhere out there are a number of individuals who look upon their collections with glee and only game with the chosen few. I may have met one or two of these in my time but you certainly cant relate to 'class' unless its some form of internal Elitism within the hobby.
Any way I'm happy with my lot and thats enough of deep thinking. What have I been doing, well Ive started on the Mounted Officer (Rupert Gibb) for the Royal Albions.
As its Zulu month I've also been painting a few of the Warlord Plastics
I've also started on my next Duchy of Comyn regiment and hope to have the first company finished by the weekend.
I've put a better pic of Antigonus below just because I like the figure
Hopefully arranging another Marlburian game next week in the cabin, and until then pip pip.
Tuesday, 7 February 2012
Busy Start to February
The first couple of weeks in February is always a bit hectic, wifes birthday, sons birthday, valentines day ( yes still a bit of a romantic), anniversary of my Dad dying and finally the first show of the year at York!
Despite all that I've managed to get the Royal Albion Lights finished (all except amounted Colonel).
In all I dont think they've come out to bad, the standard is based on one from Denmark, I'm still going to tweak it but for now I just wanted them to have their standard.. I can now start on painting the second Regiment from Comyn as I gradually move towards getting enough figures for the first engagement.
As to the York show, luckily a colleague was going in his 4x4 as I doubt my motor would have made the poor road conditions. A nice show made better by the chats and conversations with people and traders I haven't seen for a while, in fact between 9.30am and 2.00pm when I left I only got round once!
I'm afraid I forgot my camera but one game I did enjoy was the Ilkley lads rendition of the battle of Sawmill Village using the Prince August homecast figures, very nice.
My shopping list was small, some oxen, a few phalangites and some saxon infantry. I almost got away without an impulse buy but I saw the below 15mm Peter Pig AK47 figures, almost 200 figures for £50.00 and that was it! Still came home with some money though, all in all a good start to the year.
Now back to the painting table.
Despite all that I've managed to get the Royal Albion Lights finished (all except amounted Colonel).
As to the York show, luckily a colleague was going in his 4x4 as I doubt my motor would have made the poor road conditions. A nice show made better by the chats and conversations with people and traders I haven't seen for a while, in fact between 9.30am and 2.00pm when I left I only got round once!
I'm afraid I forgot my camera but one game I did enjoy was the Ilkley lads rendition of the battle of Sawmill Village using the Prince August homecast figures, very nice.
My shopping list was small, some oxen, a few phalangites and some saxon infantry. I almost got away without an impulse buy but I saw the below 15mm Peter Pig AK47 figures, almost 200 figures for £50.00 and that was it! Still came home with some money though, all in all a good start to the year.
Now back to the painting table.
Sunday, 22 January 2012
What a great week!
Well if this is retirement roll on, whilst I appreciate I may be in a bit of a honeymoon period it has been a very enjoyable week.
Tuesday and Thursday night saw me start a Punic Wars campaign with two of my colleagues at our two local wargames club, Im using an old SPI game to run the campaign and generate the battles, interestingly already it hasnt gone as I expected. The Carthaginian player - aggressive on the table top has been somewhat reserved and in his first two battles has been bettered by his Roman counterpart. The result is at the end of the first year Hannibal is still in Gaul!.
Friday afternoon saw another of my colleagues bring his much underplayed Marlburian collection, we had a great game in the cabin following a Charles Grant Scenario of Seizing a bridge. We used th Beneath the Lilley Banner rules, good fun apart from the fact I regularly failed to move any of my men due to bad command rolls! As the French player I lost. However I did learn a salutory lesson always read the scenario guide thoroughly, the river I classed as unfordable except at the bridge, not so its fordable at both extremes!! Would it have made a difference? I doubt it. Any way pics show various stages of the game. Below is the French main force advancing on the bridge and the Inn!
Allied army deploys and advances to the river
Below is a shot of the allied right flank and centre at the topis the battered French Infantry retiring.
Below is the French flanking force to Regiments of Irish and one of Swiss, together with some Dragoons. They made good progress until I failed to activate them which gave the allies time to reorganise and unleash his heavy cavalry, nuff said!
In addition to all this a quick tally shows I've almost painted 100 28mm figures this month and my Royal Albion foot continue to make progress, below a couple of better pics of some of the lads outside the entrance to the Coaching Inn, The Black Horse and the Cherry Tree! not very original I know but I love the song.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
Royal Albion Light Infantry
Dont know where this week went, lots to do around the house and some consultation work but progress on the paint table is still taking place. I have undercoated all of the Royal Albion Lights but was determined to try and get at least one figure in what I decided would be their uniform colours.
In the background are the drummers I'm finishing for the line battalions, he is flanked by a first corps phalanx Ive almost finished.
I suppose in terms of colours its quite 18th Century Russian but hey its an Imagination and I think the whole battalion will look spot on. See if I can get them done this week.
Whilst sorting through saved images etc. I did find a couple of one of my favourite command bases, it was my Spartan King for the first battle of Mantinae display game. Still got the Greeks and brings back fond memories
Anyway back to the merlot and the paintbrush with another update next weekend!
I suppose in terms of colours its quite 18th Century Russian but hey its an Imagination and I think the whole battalion will look spot on. See if I can get them done this week.
Whilst sorting through saved images etc. I did find a couple of one of my favourite command bases, it was my Spartan King for the first battle of Mantinae display game. Still got the Greeks and brings back fond memories
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