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Saturday, 24 August 2013

Napoleonic armies with Old Glory 25/8mm figures.

Here are some more pictures of Julian 's units that I though you might like to see.
Here we see almost al of Julians French Line amassed into one big unit-the only things not there are the individual command bases for the smaller 24fig units.

These next 2 show the whole french force- once again the Generals are mine but since that set is also for sale- including Boney Himself...

All of these pictures show Julians units to advantage. Frankly I'd be having the lot myself  if I hadn't already go a bundle of 40mm Napoleonics. I did think about it but no 1812 not really my thing, never has been- too much "War and Peace" in my youth.


Here are 3 pics of the Russians including a close up of the Artillery- which gives a good idea of Jims painting style for this collection. 
As I dig out the files I'll post more pics and close ups- Including my own Cahsseurs of the Guard and Boney and his chorts.  Keep watching....

Saturday, 17 August 2013

More News on New Moderns

 Spole to Terry the Mouldman in the USA on Thursday night. The 4 new 15mm Modernvehicles mentioned a few posts back are now in the mouldmaking process.
 I'm hoping to have examples in time for the Border Reiver show but its just as likely to be a few days after depending upon how thisng go.
 So FYI there will be 4 new vehicles
 Toyota Hilux Crew cab
BSV 10 Viking
Supacat HMT400 Jackal
Supacat HMT600 Coyote
 
The viking especially will be a biggish kit- with 20 parts including the bar armour .

Once I have these models in hand I'll let you know.

Thursday, 15 August 2013

More Medievals



 Sorting through my drawers- as you do- I found this unit of 15th Century Savoyard men at Arms. They are at least 15 years old possibly older- with 1 exception-  painted more recently but still of the same age.
 Makers within the unit are many and varied. Grenadier, Foundry(only a horse or two) Metal Magic and redoubt-again only a horse and even Alternative Armies- horses again.
 A right mixed bag but whemn put together the unit looks fine. Makes a lot of that"are they 25mm or 28mm look complete Twaddle doesn't it.

Monday, 5 August 2013

Culinary adventures of a Wargames Trader.

or 

"I don't remember eating THAT !!"


When I'm not working I do like to cook. I'm no galloping Gourmet (remember him?)  but I haven't killed anyone either but the point is I do take an interest in food.Which tends to mean I avoid Macdonalds/Burgerking/KFC like the plague- mostly because the s***e they sell tastes like it already has.that malady.
 I'm not even completely convinced that pizza is actually food- unless I make it myself  or see it being made- not that I'm not fond of the occasional thin crust Italian type  or perhaps a decent Calzone but God rot all stuffed crusts( I know where I stuff them!) deep dish  pineapple encrusted monstrosities. King Ferdinand of Naples would spin in his Grave..
 So Gentle reader you see the quandary I'm in  when I get to a show and feel a tad sharp set what are my choices- well often something that looks like a model of a land fill site- and tastes like it too or if you are lucky Bacon butties underfilled with underdone bacon as flaccid as a politicians backbone. Some of the most deeply disgusting food that I have ever forced down my unwilling gullett has been had at Wargames shows. In 21 years  and more of  going to such events  if anything the situation has got worse rather tyhan otherwise..
 I can recall shows back in the day- usually of the smaller more intimate type where the food albeit simple was often home produced by the organisers- or more likely their WAGS ( or mums  possibly ) .At its best it was very good- sort of "Cricket Club Tea"  Gone are those heady days and even then they were the exception rather than the rule. Nevertheless some shows managed acceptable "Char and Wads" or edible Bacon Butties.
 Over the years this has become less and less common. Food at shows even at its best is only adequate- you might get a respectable Bacon Buttie in a morning after the unload  but lunch is fraught with danger. In this respect Gordon Gecko was wrong. Lunch is often for the strong of stomach and the non-existant of tastebuds. Take a recent event. Morning Fine Bacon Buttie OK - fresh Roll Bacon a bit Flaccid but I've had much worse. Jim was a bit more scathing about his suasage buttie.
 "Like 2 Durex filled with Pus"
 Now aside from the fact that my coffie tasted like a liquid Brillo pad I survived "breakfast"
 Lunch ... Ah yes Luncheon... what a delight awaited us....
I suspect it was Menued as "Pizza and Chips"  but mine looked like a Nuclear Fallout zone- still glowing bright orange and limp ..apparently it had needed a crew of two just to get it to the (paper)  plate. Having said that it wasn't the worst I've ever had- that prize goes to a show a few years back when the chips were so foul that I didn't notice I'd sugared rather than salted abd ate them anyway...
Some- but by no means all - venues charge outrageously for this simply because they have a captive audience. I've had burgers of an unsurpassing mankiness flat beer in plastic bottlesand dishes of  stuff that looked as if I'd already eaten it once- and this sort of stuff is not just a British problem.
 Not that I expect anything to be done- I'm not even sure that anything can be done except either starve or take it like a man!!
 But wouldn't it be nice if.....

Monday, 29 July 2013

Lovely paint jobs...

 Here are some more examples of Jez 'sWork- not  turned into comic strips  by me this time.
Taliban 107mm RCL Painted by Shakespear Studios. Figures are of course from my Fireforce15 range.

Rhodesian Firforce- again in 15mm , again painted by Jes of Shakespear. Once again the figures are from my Fireforce15 range.
I do like Jez's work  Not only that unlike more than one painting service I could name he delivers when he SAYS he'll deliver. I'm sure many chaps have waited days. weeks , Months  even years for stuff from some of the less scupulous dudes out there- even after you've paid deposits  so I'm happy to endorse Jez as he's not like that at all.  Find his blog http://shakespearestudios.wordpress.com/ for more info.

Saturday, 27 July 2013

Sometimes you just have to....

Jez Griffin of Shakespears Studios sent me these Bluemoon 15mm figures from the Horror range that he had painted for me to photograph.  As always  Jez did some cracking brushwork and just to be clear Shakespear Studios have my heartiest recommendation as a painting service . Good work delivered in  good time - can't say better than that.
 Right back to the plot, any how there am I with these tasty 15mm chaps before me thinking just basic snapshots do not do them justice. so hence the above. Remember if you can't take a joke you shouldn't have joined.
 Enjoy.

Sunday, 14 July 2013

Knight after Knight...

 Reading MW recently I noticed that the editor opined  that the Medieval was a bit of a left behind period. Now he may be right . Many wargamers really don't seem to get Medicals- not least because its not one single period. The armies from the Battle of Hastings to the End of the Wars of the Roses or more roughly 1100-1500 are at least as diverse as those of the "Ancient" period. At one end we have Norman Knights and at the other Landsknects. However the  next time I see 13th century troops on the same table as 15th century-"cos they are all medieval "  would not be the first.
 Also the middle ages is cursed by - in some ways- being thought of as "good for skirmish games"  which is often the kiss of death as far as historical accuracy goes.
 For myself I've had an interest in the period since my earliest wargaming days but of later have not owned any medieval armies- the 40mm Wars of the Roses are not yet table ready- since the 1990s.
 Nevertless I still have the books- from basic Army lists to Froissart and Jean le Bel  taking in deVries and Verbruggen, I even have a few odd painted units.
French Kinight - all of whom actually existed and fought at either Crecy or Poitiers- some at both . All the heraldry is hand painted as I can't abide transfers as they never fit and you can't get the arms you want.

Close up of the above- shoing King John of Bohemis- red flag- and his standard bearer.
I think part of the problem witn Medievals is of course Heraldry some chaps just can't face painting individual knights and so make it up rather than use the many books of rolls of arms that are out there. Personally I'd rather face a dozen quarterly coats than  the endless tedium of Napoleonic French line Infantry(always my personal bete noir)  and there is no arguing medievals ARE pretty.
Early Handgunners- yes the Middle Ages saw the birth of gunpowder weapons.
Now my problem here is deciding where to go  I have lots of bits and pieces- painted for the show display case over the years. We have an exstensive Medieval range covering a lot of different armiesand sub-periods . All the obvious ones- Hundred Years War, Wars of the Roses, Crusades Scots English French  but also Flemish Hungarians Irish Turkish Imperialist, Hussites, Italians  Poles Russians and even Transylvanian  can come from the Old Glory ranges. .
 All of these armies have characteristics of their own  so you know I can't decide.
Bowmen of England. The lads to sort out the French of the first picture.
So will I expand my few Scots and add to the small English army I have or perhaps add to the few Italians.

 Decisions decisions....