Hyborian Age - Part One

My attempt to paint a large quantity of 15mm Fantasy Models by “Copplestone Castings” over the past week or so has finally come to an end, with somewhat fewer models having been completed than I'd hoped for. These models are part of a "Conan The Barbarian" project I plan to 'pick away at' having been inspired by the Matakishi Tea Party website Crom Rules found here http://www.matakishi.com/cromcampaign1.htm.

All three bear models from the bag ‘FM8 Shapechangers and Cave Bears’ have been fully based, as have three wolves from ‘FM10 Wolf Pack”. However, I had hoped to finish all fifteen of the Canis Lupus models as well as the three shapechangers (in Human guise carrying large axes).

Unfortunately, my experiment to try and get the wolves to appear more realistic by using a blend of washes and drybrushing has not been as successful as I hoped, and as a result my enthusiasm for these models has rather died. All of the wolves were orginally undercoated either Skull White or Astronomican Grey, and then washed with Devlan Mud. All the models were then drybrushed with more Grey. Disappointly the models then required a wash of Badab Black before having a drybrush of Adeptus Battlegrey in order for their details to beome visible (e.g. fur and facial features). This darker grey drybrush makes the figures look patchy, and in places has blotched out some of the fur’s detail.

In addition to my frustrations painting the wolves, my attempt to use an old pot of Terracotta paint for a red-brown look to the fur of one of the Cave Bears has meant that the model has required repainting, after areas of the paint rubbed off (revealing the metal underneath) whilst the model was being based and varnished. Only my experiment using Skull White and Gryphonne Sea in order to generate the impression of the fur of a Polar Bear seems to have been successful.

Fortunately, I've also finished painting the entire Command Section for my 6mm “GHQ Micro-Armour” Modern British Army. The Force’s Command Asset consists of three infantry bases (totalling twelve soldiers) and two vehicle bases (consisting of four Land Rover Defender 90’s).

COMING SOON - Realising that my enthusiasm for my Napoleonic French Command Stand was started to ebb, I turned to watching the DVD "Waterloo" in order to recharge my batteries... and have nearly finished painting the third of the four "Victrix" models I plan to use for the Command base.

British Sixth Airborne Division - Part Three

I've finished the painting on both my “Victrix” Napoleonic French Lieutenant and Standard Bearer, but have put the remaining two models required for the Command stand’s completion temporarily to one side in order to allow me time for a mini-push on some 15mm models by “Copplestone Castings” and some 6mm Modern British by “GHQ Micro-Armour”.

I've also finished the first of the officer bases for my 20mm British Airborne Paratroopers by “Friend And Foe”. I plan to use the ‘Officer with map pointing’ as Major John Howard DSO, the officer who led the glider-borne assault on the German-held bridges across the Caen Canal and River Orne.

COMING SOON - As a complete aside I've started repainting a number of 28mm “Warhammer Fantasy” models from “Games Workshop”. The Empire miniatures were originally completed a couple of years ago, but now require rebasing and their white/flesh areas repainted in order to fit in better with the current block and wash painting style I employ. This will hopefully mean the little guys will finally see some tabletop action, after a couple of years tucked away in a box in the loft.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Six

I've finally based a third stand of Napoleonic French Line Infantry by “Victrix", having had them standing around for a few days. I hope their completition will now let me more tightly focus my painting on two of the four 28mm models I plan to use for the French Command base (i.e. officer and standard bearer).

The pair of miniatures have previously been fighting for my attention alongside a couple of 20mm metal World War Two models by “Friend And Foe”, as well as some other plastic “Victrix” French Infantry models that required their white areas to be boxed in. However, both of the “Friend And Foe” British Paratroopers (‘Officer with map pointing’ and ‘Radio operator’ from their Command bag) have now been fully painted and glossed, whilst three of the four “Victrix” Fusiliers have had their initial white areas finished (in preparation for each soldier to be fully painted next month).

COMING SOON - I've undercoated a further four “Friend And Foe” 20mm British Airborne Division models (predominatly from their Rifle Firing bag) with Calthan Brown in order to continue the slow-time progress of my Memoir 44 Project, but probably more importantly have started to prepare a number of “GHQ Micro-Armour” Modern British infantry, vehicles and armour so I can give my “Battlefield Evolution" project a big push (hopefully) later this month.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Five

Painting has started in earnest upon three of the four “Victrix” plastic 28mm models I plan to use for the Command base of my first battalion of Napoleonic French Line Infantry. The paint schemes will be based upon the uniform plates found for the Standard-Bearer and Grenadier Drummer within “Austerlitz – The Empire at its Zenith” by “Histoire & Collections”, and that of a Lieutenant in winter quarters dress, 1810 in “The French Imperial Guard – The Foot Soldiers 1804-1815 also by “Histoire & Collections”. I hope to have both the Officer and Standard-Bearer finished within the next few days, in order to focus my attention on the stand’s Drummer and Porte-Aigle.

I'm currently basing up my third stand of four Fusiliers, so once the Command base has been completed I'll have already attained my monthly commitment of painting eight Napoleonic models per month for January. That will leave me a good three weeks clear for my painting to concentrate on some of the other projects I ended up putting to one side in 2011; projects such as doing Robert E. Howard's "Hyborian Age" using 15mm “Copplestone Castings", or "Battlefield Evolution: Modern Combat" using 6mm “GHQ Micro-Armour”, or even "Force on Force" using the 28mm models of “Empress Miniatures". Decisions decisions.

British Sixth Airborne Division - Part Two

Finally finished and based a unit of six Para’s advancing with Lee-Enfield Rifles by "Friend and Foe"; part of my planned British Sixth Airborne Division. I managed to crack on with these whilst listening to the November 2008 Memoir44 Podcast that actually covers the Pegasus Bridge scenario. It’s a pity the show stopped with Scenario Seven in August 2009. Here’s the link http://memoir44podcast.blogspot.com.

COMING SOON – I’ve based the second of my FM1 ‘Barbarian Heroes’ by “Copplestone Castings”. This time a female warrior who seems an ideal representation of Robert E. Howard’s Red Sonja. I’ll need to get cracking on these in the New Year as the range is expanding quite quickly and I’m way behind already. In addition I’m working on a Radio Operator for my British Sixth Airborne Division, as well as Major John Howard himself. As you can see the head I’ve chosen for him has a fault over one eye, which I’m hoping to turn into a monocle in order to give the DSO awarded war hero a touch of ‘stiff upper lip, wot’.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Four

Finished the second base of four French Fusiliers from the 28mm plastic boxed set ‘French Napoleonic Infantry 1804 – 1807’ by “Victrix”, and I have a third well on its way. Unfortunately my progress on these plastic models has been slightly delayed after I realised that one of the straps at the back of the soldiers should have been brown (as it was on the front of each Fusilier) instead of white. As a result some careful repainting has taken place.

In addition, the sculpting on one of the models appeared to have the soldier’s left turn back melt into some strapping and leg. My white colour scheme just made the site look odd, so I’ve subsequently glued a black pouch over the area and this has adequately hidden the problem from view.

I’ve glued together another drummer for the Command base, having thought of a simple way to paint the drum and all of its ropes etc. A coat of Khemri Brown and Devlan Mud wash has really brought out the instrument’s detail, As the model will be tucked away beside a standard bearer at the rear of the stand, I think that’ll suffice (with the odd blue piping etc). I’ve also changed my mind regarding the composition of the Command base, and now plan for it to consist of a drummer, standard-bearer, officer and Porte-Aigle.

COMING SOON – In order to see how easy my painting style copes with the new “Victrix” Napoleonic Austrians, I’ve ‘boxed in” all the white areas on these four Fusiliers. I don’t plan to finish painting these until the New Year, although with just a couple of hours more work I reckon they could be finished.

The Battle of Marengo Project - Part Three

Finished the first base of four French Fusiliers from the 28mm plastic boxed set ‘French Napoleonic Infantry 1804 – 1807’ by “Victrix”. I plan to field four such bases (amongst a mixture of Voltigeur, Command and Grenadier bases) to form a Line Infantry Battalion; and then field two such battalions along with one Light Infantry battalion in order to create a French infantry Brigade (having been inspired by the Army organisation structures found in "Napoleon At War" by "Man at War Miniature Games").

Painting is steadily progressing on a second base of Fusiliers, as well as the Command base; although my plans to have a drummer present alongside my standard bearers has fallen to the wayside, having spent a far portion of my time yesterday trying desperately to paint a drum and all its ropes etc. Instead each base will consist of an officer and two standard bearers instead.

COMING SOON - Despite my initial intentions to have this project be simply an all-infantry (and all "Victrix") affair, I've succumbed to the temptation that is "Perry Miniatures" and bought two boxes of their absolutely awesome "French Napoleonic Dragoons 1812-1815". I initially kidded myself that I was simply buying them in order to be to field a brigade of foot Dragoons. But having seen them in the flesh, the French will shortly be able to supported by a Heavy Cavalry Brigade consisting of one Dragoon Regiment (Elite Company with bearskins) and a second which can be fielded either as mounted or foot.