Category: Painting and Modelling

Loose Ends

Before getting back to my 6mm FPW stuff, I painted a few 28mm figures on returning from the Ayton weekend. Normally I’d be burnt out after hitting the big deadline, but apparently not this year!

Nothing special, just a few more bits and pieces ahead of further Sharp Practice games I want to play this summer. They were painted in 1s and 2s and weren’t too onerous. I’ll probably pick off a few more lead-pile stragglers over time just to keep my interest levels up while I concentrate on other projects.

The Medetian marines finally get their Big Men – 2 officers, from the Gringos Maximilian-Mexican range (great beard on the senior guy!):

 

Then there were a couple more Fleurian line infantry that I didn’t need for Ayton but who will round out my 3rd group of 10 for Sharp Practice, plus some further Fleurian light troops. These include a couple of big men (an officer and a sergeant) and a couple of extra soldiers to go with the mountain gun to make the crew up to the normal group of 5.

 

More FPW In Progress

Following the 4 player game we had in March, I’ve been intending to get some final additions done for my 6mm French and German forces. These will round things off nicely, and complete the 2 full corps per side that the megalomaniac in me has insisted I must have!

This involves adding a 6th French division, some Bavarian infantry, guns and cavalry, and a few Baden units. Everything continues to be from Heroics and Ros. The French infantry was picked up at Salute, where it was good to see the company represented with a sales stand.

The basing and prepping for the black spray undercoat is always the time-consuming bit, after which the painting seems relatively quick and easy. Most of the work is done now, and I can hopefully start posting some pictures of finished units once I get going properly on the painting.

I’ve also being doing some planning for my planned Austrian 1859 army (which will also consist of 2 corps – eventually). I’ve tried some ‘Mark 2’ basing, which involves magnetic sabots for the unit sub-bases for ease of handling, and if I decide it’s worth it I’ll do the whole army like that when the time comes.

Introducing His Imperious Eminence

Just finished, the mighty Lippup Fatti II, the Bey of Bizcay:

 

This is my irregular force commander for when the army marches forth in far flung places like Byzarbia and Phetraea. The figures are from The Assault Group’s Ottoman range and I bought them 3 years ago to take to a previous game, but didn’t get them painted in time. I’ve just managed it this time around, and I’ve added the flag I did last week.

That’s everything done for Ayton now, and off to war we go. I’ll report back after the big event!

Fleurian Standard Bearer

If I hadn’t creased the flag so thoroughly it would be possible to read the wording that says this is the flag of the 1st Line Regiment. It’s in there somewhere!

As with other flags I’ve done recently this is a clip-art based print-out that I’ve painted and highlighted up. This guy will join the rest of the regiment in time to go into action at the weekend. He’ll probably be leading the retreat!

 

 

Irregular Cavalry Commander

Although I went to Salute last weekend, and enjoyed it a lot, I haven’t posted about it specifically because other bloggers do it very well and very thoroughly and I don’t really do show reports (and because I only took about 3 pics).

Post-Salute the day improved even further with beers, pub lunch, beers and an excellent curry. A good day all-round. I did buy a very few figures (8 actually) at the show and although it wasn’t originally my intention, I decided to finish one to take to Ayton. This is the commander from the Rif War range by Gringo 40s. I saw it on their website and thought it was ideal as a cavalry leader for the big game at Ayton, and as a Big Man for Sharp Practice in the future.

 

 

Nearly ready for Ayton 2015!

Only a few figures still to finish (6 cavalry, a general, a gun and a flag to be precise), and I’ll be done.

Just for once I’d really like to complete everything before the day of departure, but I can’t guarantee it. At least whatever happens I won’t be doing one of my usual 2 depressing last-minute tasks; painting bloody hussars or desperately waiting for the basing to dry! All the latter is done and the last (simple, native) cavalry are being painted in situ for this very reason.

I’ve just finished a flag for my irregular general Lippup Fatti. It’s a clip-art compilation comprising a scimitar, a crescent and an elephant, printed out on paper and coloured in/around. It’ll do, and should look better once the figures are painted..

 

 

The pre-weekend campaign has been very entertaining so far and I think it’s fair to say that there’s a lot of confusion, suspicion and back-stabbing going on, which I suspect was Iain’s plan all along. The setting is an 1880s Sudan-esque colonial country called Phetraea, where various imperialist imagi-nations are involved in preparing for a huge rebellion to sweep over them. Medetia is there of course, as are factions from about 8 other interesting and varied countries. There are a couple of new faces this year, which is excellent and they’ll be very welcome.

My force will be reasonably balanced, but fairly modest. Intended mainly for the post-Napoleonic period, my figures are generally too early for this late 19th century setting, but it’s not the sort of gaming event where this really matters. I expect to encounter everything from elephants and zulus, to picklehaubs, sombreros and armed nuns. There’s even a Friday evening pre-game (which better not go on too long into the drinking zone!) where each player takes the field with a character for some competitive wild boar hunting.

It’s going to be fun all-round and I’m really looking forward to it. Roll on the Bank Holiday weekend.
Salute too beforehand of course!

Naval Battalion Finished

The Marines are now done, so here’s the entire Naval Battalion mustered and ready for action on distant shores.

This unit will be deploying to the deserts of Phetraea at the Ayton weekend in May, and after that (should there be any survivors!) will be used in Sharp Practice games involving coastal landing parties and river actions. I have a couple of Big Men to add later; a Marine officer and an NCO.

All Ashore!

For once I haven’t wasted any time getting these newly painted figures finished off, so here they are on their bases. They’re on singles for Sharp Practice, but the pics show how they will take the field in larger battles where elements/stands are required. The group bases are magnetic to hold them on.

 

 

Now, back to those Marines to go with them..

Bashi-Bazouks

More delights from the brush of James Roach – a group of Perry Miniatures Bashi Bazouks. Great figures painted superbly.

For me these guys will see service from the 17th to the 19th century, from skirmishes to big battles, and under several sets of rules. I believe it’s called ‘sweating your assets’!

I’m sure it won’t be long before I post some pics of them in action.