tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54872993978025496182024-03-13T23:21:24.774-07:00Fall on Pell Mell!andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-68067600322673251462019-03-31T15:36:00.000-07:002019-03-31T16:14:41.381-07:00Pimping my palms and (barbed) 'wire' we doing this?! - desert terrain progress<br />
Over the last few weeks, I've being thinking quite a bit about desert terrain, due to being (only <i>slightly)</i> distracted by another project! Although my current main focus is on my Sudan <i>The Men who would be Kings</i> game, I've been painting up some 15mm World War 2 tanks, for a North Africa set up for <i>What a Tanker!</i> (WAT) rules, published by <a href="http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=7295">Too Fat Lardies.</a> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from Too Fat Lardies</td></tr>
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I'm going to do another post in the future, about why - even after only 4 games - I love this rule set, but for those who don't know, WAT is a WW2 Tank combat game, which puts the player in the role of a tank crew and commander, fighting against enemy tanks and AFVs. There's a nice career 'ladder', which allows players to work their way up through different types of tanks, as the war progresses, and become a tank ace. It's easy to learn, but with some nice subtle nuances in terms of command and control, and above all, it's fun! I bought the rules last year, and decided to start painting up a few tanks for 1941 North Africa , with the British facing the newly arrived Deutsche Afrika Korps. I've purchased an A9 and an A10 for the British forces, and two Pz III E tanks for the Germans. All of these tanks are from Skytrex.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British A9 tank</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">German Pz III E tank</td></tr>
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Thanks to my ongoing Sudan project, I've already got a couple of desert scenery boards, and rocky areas of ground, but I wanted some barbed wire and palm trees just to complete the initial set up. At some point, I'll probably pick up some buildings - maybe from Hovels - but for now, this will do....after all, it is only a<i> slight</i> distraction!...<br />
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So during a trip to the Hammerhead show right at the start of this month, I managed to pick up said barbed wire from <a href="http://www.urbanconstruct.co.uk/index.php">Urban Construct</a> and some palm trees from <a href="https://www.timelineminiatures.co.uk/">Hoka Hey</a>. First for the 'Fall on Pell Mell' treatment, were the palm trees!<br />
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This is how they started...</div>
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I'm a bit of a nutter, where terrain is concerned - I love 'pimping' it up, making it fit in with the colour scheme I've chosen, or adding (quite possibly) unnecessary detail! The Hoka Hey palm trees, are absolutely fine straight off the shelf, but I wanted to make them even more special. I peeled the hot-glue-gunned trees off their bases, and then glued them onto some individual bases (they were originally all in pairs), or as in the case of one base, as a pair, but at different heights. The height was made using other mdf round bases, built up into a kind of pyramid affair, then smoothed off with ready mixed filler. I added my usual sand/tallus/cat litter mix, glued on with slightly diluted PVA.<br />
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After that I got painting! The first task, was separating the top fronds from the trunk - thankfully they weren't glued on, just a case of pulling them off the 'plugs' they were fixed on, and then I mounted the fronds on some skewers to paint.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fronds before painting - mmmm, plastic goodness! </td></tr>
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These top fronds were firstly basecoated with Wargames Foundry French Dragoon Green 70 A shade, before a rough drybrush of 70 B, and a final light drybrush of 70 B. The base fronds, still attached to the trunks, were painted to represent dying or dead leaves, so I did those in a different mix, using the colours described above, but adding other layers of Drab 12A, and Phlegm Green 28C, again both Foundry paints. Once this was done, I painted up the trunks and branches with Bay Brown 42 A, washed them over with a black wash, then drybrushed them lightly with Bay Brown 42 A again and then drybrushed gently with Rawhide 11A, to bring up the final detail. I then matt varnished them (.....yes, like I said, a NUTTER, when it comes to doing even simple terrain!). Once they were finished, I painted up the bases in my usual store mixed colours, based on Games Workshop Steel Legion (that used to be Graveyard Earth), as a base, then drybrushed with Foundry sand 10, A, B and C shades. Then it was time for a little foliage - tufts, and Javis scenic bushes, and I ended up with this...<br />
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...and this is how they finished!</div>
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Not bad really, for a few nights work, and certainly worth the effort! Like I mentioned earlier, the Hoka Hey 'standard', bought off the shelf, is nice enough anyway, but I love how these trees have turned out! They look even better with a tank next to them!<br />
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Next up was some barbed wire - I thought long and hard about this, but in the end, the first lot I've made used the classic 'roll' or 'coil' set up. To start off with, I got some 80mm by 20mm 2mm thick mdf bases, that I'd also bought from Hoka Hey. I then marked these up as shown below, starting 0.5cm in from each edge.(update: with each post being about 3.5cm apart, with only three posts)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dots added for where the posts would go</td></tr>
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Then I cut out some short lengths of balsa wood, about 15mm long, and glued these on using superglue. Add the PVA/Sand/gravel/cat litter (still unused thankfully - not sure what the cat reckons to her toilet slowly shrinking...) mix, and job done!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sand added - with the original 5 post set up</td></tr>
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It was at this point, that I consulted the oracle, where my wargaming 'modelling' choices are concerned, for an opinion on 'how it looks'. This oracle, who is also known as 'my wife' said ... 'Not bad, love, but the posts are a bit close together, aren't they?'.... well, yes, on reflection, they were. So I quickly pulled the 2nd and 4th ones out, and filled in the gaps with more sand and PVA, and then let them set. There was a slight amount of warping, but nothing too noticeable, probably about 2mm across the whole 8cm length. Paint the brown base coat, then I painted the posts in a suitable bleached wood colour (Foundry's Rawhide 11 A shade, then a black wash, then drybrushed back up with A, then B and finally C), and then I drybrushed the sand colour on the bases too, so that the posts would also get a slight hint of light sand around the base of the posts, to tie it all together visually. Then it was onto the barbed wire! Each 'length' of 8cm base uses a length of model barbed wire of about 40-45cm long. I painted this using Foundry's Bay Brown 42 A. I found that painting it as a long length (blue-tacked to my lamp!), before it was spiralled up, much easier, as I could paint along the whole length. Fiddly, but not as fiddly as getting the inside curves if it was in a coil!. It may seem slightly odd, to paint wire in brown, but it replicated the patina of rusted dull wire perfectly, and gave it an instant aged feel. When the paint was dry, but still 'flexible', I steadily wrapped each length of wire round a tube - an old biro about 7-8mm in diameter - and then stretched out the wire coil slightly to give some width between the coils. I then hooked each end over the edge posts of the base, made sure the centre post was sticking up through the coils - it's a case of trial and error, tweaking and stretching or compressing - then glued each coil onto the posts at either end, using a small amount of superglue, to secure things. I then washed the wire carefully in places with a black wash, and then added some thinned (very thinned!) splodges - almost a wash - of Coat D'arms 119 Rat Brown, here and there, to look like slightly fresher rust. This was dulled down here and there with more thinned black wash. Wash over the any superglue that was showing on the posts, with brown wash, add the dry grass tufts and dry looking foliage, and hey presto!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of my finished posts</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double thickness wire - a nightmare to get through!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Definitely to be avoided! At some point I'll do some Minefield signs.</td></tr>
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So, with some scenery completed, what better way to celebrate, than with a game of WAT! More on that, and my tanks in the next post, but here's a taste.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">WAT acquired, aimed, buttoned up and loaded markers, laser pen, and the 'Universal tanker tool', for measuring angles!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat and mouse round the rocks...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3 Critical hits, and kaboom! The Pz III has had it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rather nice looking dice tray! Pint, anyone?</td></tr>
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To round off this month, I managed to buy a new dice-rolling tray, from, <a href="https://www.saddle-goose-designs.co.uk/gaming-bags-and-trays/pie-and-pint-black-and-gold-dt">Saddle Goose Designs!</a> It's the first time I've ever owned a dice tray before, and it features the Pie and Pint logo, from Too Fat Lardies....my youngest thought it was a mince pie and glass of milk - ahhhh, the innocence of youth! I cant wait to use it in action for the first time - not bad for £15!<br />
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Next time, more news about<i> What a Tanker!</i>, and progress on the Sudan game! <i></i>andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-26564614160350293602019-02-28T15:01:00.001-08:002019-02-28T15:01:22.904-08:00Sudan Project progress - civilians startedHello! This month has seen a bit of progress on my TMWWBK Sudan project, with some of my civilians completed, and one of the British officers also painted up.<br />
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Mustapha Liiq</div>
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First up, is Mustapha Liiq - the local water carrier - who will inhabit the village that will be on the game table. He's a Redoubt figure I picked up at a Partizan show a couple of years ago. He's a nice figure, simple, but paints up well. I had considered trying to model a spout of water leaking out of his leather water bag, but this might have been a bit tricky. Instead, his name hopefully gives an indication that he's not exactly the best at his job!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just how watertight IS that leather bag?!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off to the well....again!...</td></tr>
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Next up, is Fatimah - the local village wise woman, who sees all, and says... not a lot! This is another Redoubt figure, bought at the same time as Mustapha. I wanted to paint her up in a slightly more colourful manner than just a stereotypically black or dark dress, so went for a nice blue, and homespun brown.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fatimah the village woman</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fatimah and Mustapha mull over the news of the Mahdi</td></tr>
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Finally for the Sudan project this month, is a Perry Miniatures British officer, from pack SB21 'Foot command in Indian service dress advancing and standing'. He was a really nice figure to paint - a bit fiddly, but well worth the effort.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing ready!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Stand steady boys!'</td></tr>
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With the weather improving in the UK, I've been able to get outside and take a few pictures. It is always nice to set up dramatic and atmospheric shots of my projects, and I have been looking forward to doing it with my Sudan war figures. </div>
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<tr style="margin-bottom: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Moving up past the water hole</td></tr>
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I hope you like them! Next time, I'll have some more scenery for my Sudan project, and some small 'side-project' distractions, that I've also finished over the last few weeks. See you soon!andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-61768337951363011852019-01-31T15:01:00.000-08:002019-01-31T15:01:38.327-08:00Something old, something newHappy New Year! First post of 2019, and it's nice to be back.<br />
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In this post, in response to a lovely comment from a follower on Twitter (more on that later), I thought I'd revisit in more detail, my markers for my<i> The Men who would be Kings</i> Sudan project. I've added to these since I mentioned them briefly in this<a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.com/2017/07/#97813968218303064"> post</a>, and my first figures of 2019 are the last of the markers - British 'pinned' markers.<br />
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As followers of this blog may realise, I've always liked more visual ways of recording information about unit status' on the table, rather than a simple piece of paper or unusual markers. In my previous project -<i> Somewhere in Scotland</i> - my<i> Donnybrook</i> rules ECW skirmish game, I used <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.com/2015/01/#9029017225886469322">markers</a> to show if a unit was shaken or if they were unloaded. I wanted to do the same with my Sudan project, so I set to, to make 'Leaderless' and 'Pinned' markers for both my British and Mahdists, and additionally for the Mahdists, some 'Gone to Ground' markers to represent their ability to....go to ground!<br />
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First up were my Mahdist markers. I used my usual Warbases 2mm thick mdf circular bases, of varying diameters. If you're having a go, pick which ones you think fit your figures best. I tend to use diameters of 4 and 5 cm, with my leaderless markers at 4 cm, gone to ground markers at 4cm, and pinned markers at 5 cm. This slightly wider diameter for the pinned markers, is due to the fact that I've added an MDF 'cell' or cut out square frame from Warbases to accommodate a die, to show how many pinned 'points' are on that particular unit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Mahdist bases</td></tr>
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People have asked me how I do the writing, so to start off with, I found a suitable font I liked, and typed up the labels for each 'brand' of marker. This was then added to a parchment coloured background, using<i> Word</i> on the computer, but equally, one could print out the text on cream coloured paper. Cut out these words, and then stick them down on the base using sellotape or any other clear adhesive tape. I found the best way was to stick the paper with the words onto the tape, using the static properties of the tape, then carefully add these to the base. Trim the excess tape off using a sharp modelling knife blade, leaving a couple of mm of tape as a border around each label. <br />
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After that, you could paint up the figures and glue these on in the usual way, or I'm my case, I glued on the unpainted figure . This was done for my Pinned and Gone to Ground markers, with pinned markers getting casualty figures from Perry Miniature pack SA12 Beja dead and wounded, and gone to Gone to Ground markers using figures from the evocative sculpts from pack SA11 Beja taking cover, spears/swords. I added some stones, or larger pieces of gravel, cat litter (clean!) and other pebbles etc with superglue, to get some larger 'texture', then used my usual mix of sharp sand and smaller pieces of tallus and cat litter.<br />
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The tallus and sand mix is stuck down in the usual way, using a PVA and water mix. I use a brush to 'dab' drops of the mix down, and make sure it doesn't obscure the lettering. Make sure that the sellotape/clear adhesive tape is firmly pressed down around the paper, and sealing it totally onto the mdf base. If there is the slightest gap, then the watery glue mix will get under the tape, and soak the paper - disaster! I usually do 'round' the writing first, and move any excess sand and glue from over the writing with the end of a paint brush. As the tape is shiny, it's sometimes difficult to get the glue water mix to adhere to the tape, if there's a wide border round the writing, but this also works in your favour, as you can push away any excess glue and sand with the end of paint brush, if it covers any writing by mistake.<br />
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Here you can see how I have added the sand and PVA around the edge of the writing, </div>
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which is sealed under the sellotape.</div>
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Once the rest of the base has been 'PVA'd and sanded', as I call it, including carefully round any figures, then let this dry, then shake off any excess, and seal it once more with another diluted mix of PVA and water. Let this dry, and now it's time to paint up the bases.<br />
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A few years ago, I took the decision to paint all my wargaming figures' bases and my terrain using the same colours. I use Games Workshop's Steel Legion drab - a colour similar to the old Graveyard earth tone - as a base colour. Then I use Wargames Foundry's No. 10 Sand triad, to dry brush the sand, gradually getting lighter through the A, B, and C tones. Depending on how heavily you dry brush these on, especially the A tone, you can control how the colour of the Steel Legion Drab comes through or not. With desert terrain, it is worth drybrushing a bit heavier, to lighten up the overall tone of the bases. These colours do for desert terrain nicely, but with the addition of green or scorched static grass, and green foliage and tufts, they take on a summery dry-soil feel for European, American and Mediterranean theatres, and for me they work. Even better, is the fact that when I decided on these colours, I asked my local DIY chain store to colour match these paints for me, and I now have tester pots with these four tones in. The store have also saved the 'recipes' for these tones on their system, so I can always head back and ask for top ups. Ideal for building my terrain boards, when I need larger quantities of these paints! This paint is the Valspar acrylic paint range, for household decorating, and works brilliantly. </div>
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Once I've got the bases painted, and the figures painted and varnished, I add on foliage - grass tufts of a suitably desert-like nature in pale browns and scorched greens from Great Escape Games, and small lumps of greeny-brown clump foliage from Javis Scenics. I drybrush the grass tufts with Sand tone B as well, to dull them down even more. </div>
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I've also been a bit 'gory', and added blood to my bases, seeping out from under bodies, or smeared on the floor or clothing where the poor victims have crawled away from danger. I've not gone overboard with this, preferring subtlety rather than outright shock value, but I did add gloss varnish to the blood on the desert floor to show its liquid state. Gruesome, yet effective and thought-provoking. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving a trail of blood behind him, this wounded Mahdist seeks shelter</td></tr>
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The Leaderless markers, I chose to represent abandoned detritus of war - reflecting a unit in chaos and without order. Weapon and shields were taken directly from the Perry Miniatures SA30 Plastic Mahdist Ansar box set, and I used shields, spears (with trimmed off hands hidden under shields), rifles (the same process), and swords in scabbards. </div>
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As for the British markers - it was a similar thing! No Gone to Ground markers though, and my Leaderless markers used ammunition boxes from Redoubt Enterprises, and pieces from the Perry Plastic VLW1 British Infantry 1877-85 set. The Pinned markers - including one poor chap who is literally 'pinned' to the ground with a spear (thanks to Nick from Too Fat Lardies for that joke!) come from the Perry miniatures pack SB20 British dead and wounded. I painted them up in an eclectic mix of colours, including redcoats, to reflect the ad-hoc nature of my 'force' for my game - but more on that in another post. </div>
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I hope you like them! Any questions, drop me a comment, and I'll try and get back to you. On another front, I've also joined Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/Fallonpellmell">https://twitter.com/Fallonpellmell</a> where I'll be posting on a daily basis if possible, with news of projects, hobbystreaks, painting, and games. If you're of such a persuasion, follow me on there, and I hope to see you soon!</div>
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Best wishes, and see you next month!</div>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-17620866734438435802018-12-31T09:48:00.000-08:002018-12-31T09:48:11.627-08:00Welcome to....and farewell to... 2018!<br />
"He drew a deep breath.'Well, I'm back,' he said"<br />
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J.R.R. Tolkien <br />
<i>The Lord of the Rings</i><br />
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Thanks Samwise, for the perfectly apt quote, from one of my favourite books - and yes, I'm back. Rather apt, given that Sam says this at the end of the story, and here we are at the end of another year...<br />
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So on to 2019, new beginnings, fresh starts and all that malarkey. It's hard to believe that it's over nearly a year and a half - July 2017 (!) that I last wrote on this blog. The reasons for the absence have been varied - a lack of engagement with the day-to-day aspects of the hobby, more than occasional reluctance to pick up the brushes, burn out after finishing off projects, cat-based figure disasters (in not so many words - box of figures, top of stairs, cat, box of broken figures, bottom of stairs - insert appropriate expletives), which set back projects for some time, illness, and above all, a frustration with the technology involved in the writing of the blog itself. This last aspect can't be overstressed - basically our old family laptop and my previous phone were so slow, which meant that downloading, organising, storing and uploading photos was taking ages, and it led to the writing aspect of the blog becoming quite stressful. In essence - it was a chore, and I didn't enjoy it. It took too long to be worth it. Richard Clarke of Too Fat Lardies fame, nailed it on the head for me when musing on wargaming blogs, when he suggested that blogs should be written when the writer feels like it - as much or as little as one wants. It shouldn't be a chore, and should be enjoyable. In my case, it was certainly more of the former and way too little of the latter. <br />
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But new tech, and inspiration from other bloggers, as well as the turn of the new year, and ideas for fresh projects, has meant that I'm ready to kickstart things again. This time around, and in the future, it will definitely be a case of quality over quantity - posts on a more regular basis, but when I want (not less than once a month though), and showing real progress in my painting and modelling.<br />
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So have I totally stepped away from the hobby over the last 17 or so months? No, not totally - my Sudan project has been completed to a usable collection of figures, and was all ready to go for a demo game at one of our local wargaming shows. Sadly illness and the cat/figure disaster conspired against me, which meant things had to be put on hold on that front, but I've decided to add to the existing forces for a bigger game next year. I've finished off another desert scenery board. I've also discovered 'What a Tanker!', and had a few very enjoyable games of this, with family and friends.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hovel...by Hovels, with some scratch built walls by me</td></tr>
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Scenery for my Mahdist Sudan wars game</div>
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Fuzzy-wuzzies on the loose!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of Queen Victoria's finest - metals this time, after the 'Cat' disaster...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Progress on the terrain boards</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start of a A9 for What a Tanker - Skytrex 15mm metal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Game night in Derby - trying out What a Tanker!</td></tr>
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I've been inspired by 'Chain of Command' and have plans to get create some forces for this - probably for the North African Campaign, with the 8th Army pitted against the DAK. Over the next few posts I'll discuss these in more detail. It's also time for a new project, and the coming year - 2019 - will be very much the year of the Dark Ages. I've got a lot ideas swirling round my head at the moment.<br />
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In all, it's a big hello once more from me, goodbye (hopefully) to the problems of the past, and a big warm welcome to another year, and a fresh start to the hobby. I'll take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy, peaceful and productive 2019, and watch this space - 'I'm back!'...andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-978139682183030642017-07-17T11:22:00.003-07:002017-07-17T11:22:57.863-07:00Feeling a bit Mahdi....Well, less Mahdi, and a bit...., well, mardy......<br />
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For those of you who aren't aware, 'mardy' is a dialect word used (as far as I know - and I use it), in the Midlands of England, and means 'grumpy', or out of sorts, and not in the best of moods. Perfect to sum up my current mood, as far as the hobby is concerned. It's one of those times or feelings which most wargamers get, I guess, when we just have no drive for the pastime, no energy for it, or little interest. very unusual for me, but it is a feeling that creeps up occasionally. I'm not sure why- I still love the hobby, but over the last few weeks (or months), I've been a 'meh' about things.<br />
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So what better way, to feel less 'mardy', and more 'Mahdi' - or back on track with my Sudan project, than to kickstart my blog again. It's been a while - January(!) - since I last posted, so that is a good indication of how bad things have got. So, enough of that. Time to shake off the blues, and get cracking again.<br />
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With The Other Partizan Show in Newark, UK, just under 5 weeks away, and the RAWGamers putting on a game, it's a great motivation to get back into the swing of things. My Sudan project has been ticking along, with all the pace of a slow moving camel, but at least I've been doing something.<br />
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First up, the first of my base boards has been completed, bar the paint on the edges. This is made of MDF - 2' by 4', with battening strips of timber down the edges to form a frame, then a 1" thick polystyrene sheet interior, glued inside this frame using PVA. Coated over with my trusty PVA/Sand and tallus mix, with the odd larger cat-litter stones here and there, it's turned out quite nicely. I then paint it up using the sample pots of paint I use for all my basing now (more on this another post), and it's done. Lots of dry brushing to build up 3 gradually lighter shades on top of a brown basecoat, and <em>voila</em>! Desert!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The board - with some scenery - an old GW hill!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the baseboard - and the cat litter clumps.</td></tr>
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I've added the litter in small clumps, so as to not get in the way of the hills and other scenery too much, and I have a plan to create some 'rough' terrain or scrubland bases any way. This leads me nicely on to...<br />
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The hills... Many years ago, I picked up an old Games Workshop plastic hill kit, from a hobby store. It was on offer in a sale, and far below a sensible price, even for a clearance item! Safe to say, I snatched it up, and even when I questioned the low price, the assistant didn't bat an eyelid, so I was able to bag a bargain! Sadly GW don't make these hills any more, as far as I can tell, and unless I see some more on E-bay or in a car boot or bring and buy sale, I'm unlikely to get any more. Painted up with my paint combinations, and desert foliage added.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've painted the ends, so probably won't join them together unless I need to.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted up and together, but not linked.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the detail of the foliage - sparse and scorched.</td></tr>
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As for figures, well, some of them have appeared on the blog before, but I've done another small group of 8 figures since then. These are once again Perry Miniatures, from their plastic Mahdists box set. They form the second group of 8 figures for my 'Skirmish Kings' project, using <em>The Men who would be Kings </em>rules. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next unit for my game.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two 'skirmish Kings' units together, or one full group of figures for the rules</td></tr>
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I've also made some markers for the game in August - Gone to ground, Pinned and Leaderless markers. These all show the state that the units are in, and I'm making some for all the units of the table.<br />
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I've also put together some movement trays for my British infantry. These are from Warbases, and each tray represents one unit for <em>Skirmish Kings</em>. A bit short of figures to fill these yet, but I'm working on that, and they're all assembled and primed, so watch this space. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the first base. </td></tr>
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Soooo, hopefully this refreshes my mind concerning the hobby, and gets me back on track. The plan over the next five weeks, is to try and update the blog on a more regular basis, and go into more detail about various aspects of the project. That will get us together nicely for late August, and The Other Partizan! See you soon!andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-36932810470262505762017-01-29T09:50:00.000-08:002017-01-29T10:44:07.019-08:00Welcome to 2017! More Mahdists, British, and an adobe building...It's hard to believe it's been so long since the last post, but a belated Happy Christmas and New Year, to all my followers and casual 'droppers-by'! Apologies, too, for the rather slack behaviour, when it comes to posts on this blog. Hopefully, 2017 will be different!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slightly outnumbered!...</td></tr>
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It seems customary on many of the wargaming blogs that I visit, to review the year's progress or to chart out the plans for the new year, and in the past I've joined in with this. At <em>some</em> stage in the future, I might get round to a review of the last 365 days, but not yet; although in summary, with two visits to the Partizan show in Newark, two display games featuring my ECW skirmish project, 38 figures and other bits and bobs made and painted up, and lots of laughs had by the RAWGamers, 2016 was something of a successful year. <br />
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2017 already looks exciting, with things slowly gearing up for the Partizan Show towards the end of May, where the RAWGamers are planning to put on a Sudan skirmish game, and it is to this we now turn!<br />
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Progress has been a little bit slow, but ongoing - I managed to complete my next lot of 4 figures, for my first Mahdist unit, for my 'The Men who would be Kings' colonial project, so I've now got 8 of these chaps done. Following on from some advice on the Lead Adventure Forum, I tried to darken the skin tones down on these chaps, and I think it's worked. The only problem is that this tone is normally mixed, rather than being 'out of the bottle', so with main coats and highlights simply being a bit more brown added to the base coat each time, it means that I have to paint each figure at one sitting, which does slow things down slightly. Maybe we'll experiment with other tones, but as long as I keep going with this on a <em>consistent</em> path, then figures will still get painted in a steady manner. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Tkc52cVh2U/WI4fWedt2nI/AAAAAAAAA60/uO1HEbRrSXg2WtVmENt4FhNb_mzm1SrxwCLcB/s1600/20170129_123901.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5Tkc52cVh2U/WI4fWedt2nI/AAAAAAAAA60/uO1HEbRrSXg2WtVmENt4FhNb_mzm1SrxwCLcB/s320/20170129_123901.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The next four Mahdists </td></tr>
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As a Christmas treat for myself, I managed to get hold of another box of Perry Mahdists, and also a box of the plastic Sudan era British. I've painted up a couple of these as test figures, and when I complete the first unit of these, I'll post a more detailed blog about paint tones, techniques etc, with these chaps. Until then, hope you enjoy the pics! Frustratingly, It started spitting with rain, <em>just</em> as I got outside to photograph these chaps, hence the dodgy quality of the images, so apologies for that too! Taking pictures inside doesn't quite cut it, but hopefully people will get the idea.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stout-hearted servant of Her Majesty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Give Fire!'</td></tr>
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Finally, a few pictures of one of my Christmas presents from 'the other half'. I have a very tolerant and understanding wife, when it comes to this hobby, and she doesn't mind buying me wargaming related stuff - so here's a before and after of the first bit of real estate for this project, a rural adobe building, from Hovels. I've tried to paint it up using the same colours that I use for my bases - after all, the mud would be from the same ground that people would be walking on - rather than the seemingly immaculate whitewashed buildings that one often sees on the wargaming table. I hope you like it! There are more buildings to come.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before....wooden base, and cat litter (unused!) stones...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and after...all painted up!</td></tr>
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Can I finish this first post of 2017, by saying a massive thanks to my followers and those who add comments, or drop by. I hope you enjoy what you see, and that you'll continue to be inspired by the offerings that I dish up. It's even better to see you in person, so please come and find us at Partizan, in just over 100 days, if you can...... just over100 days?! Blimey.....best get painting! See you soon!andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-33630025555238811982016-10-23T11:57:00.001-07:002016-10-23T11:57:24.838-07:00One nineteenth of the way there!...Hi all<br />
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Quick post this time - and apologies for the poor quality of the pictures! The next two figures for my Sudan project have rolled off the production line - more Bija tribe warriors. This time there's a fellow with spear and throwing stick, then he's followed by a more well-to-do chap in a triangle pattern hemmed <em>jibbeh</em>. <br />
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As usual (so far for this project!), they are Perry plastics, completed yesterday and today. Next time, I'll have a more detailed post about my force compositions for my two 'Field Forces' for TMWWBK, and the next figures for the project. Hopefully the pics will be better as well! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The warrior with the throwing stick was the first one done...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JoXYeOFLM-A/WA0HMHvAOZI/AAAAAAAAA6E/lUlx8x_uiHo0Q-ZMio7ZPDnJ75-JXP94wCLcB/s1600/20161023_192149.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JoXYeOFLM-A/WA0HMHvAOZI/AAAAAAAAA6E/lUlx8x_uiHo0Q-ZMio7ZPDnJ75-JXP94wCLcB/s320/20161023_192149.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...followed by the chap with the rather dashing <em>jibbeh</em>!</td></tr>
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As for the title of the post - well, with these first four done, then that's 1/19th of the way to getting my Mahdist army done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pw_u2nbNE7U/WA0HXFd8AAI/AAAAAAAAA6I/mVR4lVmpiPYZBoU4O4WZEppjrHZ4uFJtgCLcB/s1600/20161023_192307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pw_u2nbNE7U/WA0HXFd8AAI/AAAAAAAAA6I/mVR4lVmpiPYZBoU4O4WZEppjrHZ4uFJtgCLcB/s320/20161023_192307.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just keep painting, just keep painting....</td></tr>
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'Til next time!<br />
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Andyandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-83224255106343468962016-10-20T11:47:00.000-07:002016-10-20T11:47:06.106-07:00All of a Sudan...'the sun's gorn to 'is 'ead!'Sooooo...... it's been a while! But with the nights drawing in, and more painting time, comes a whiff of a new project. My ECW Donnybrook project has come to a natural break (although I'll post more about it over the coming months), and thoughts turn to (wargaming) pastures new. <br />
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Over the last month, I've meandered around with a few ideas and rules sets clunking about in the old grey matter - anything from Dark Ages and <em>Dux Bellorum</em>, to AWI using the new <em>Sharp Practice </em>rules, to a Crecy-era game using <em>Lion Rampant</em>. However, the release of Dan Mersey's <em>The Men who would be Kings</em> (TMWWBK) has proved to be the catalyst I needed, and I'm heading off to sunnier climes and The Sudan! <br />
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So to start off with, a little light reading - a copy of TMWWBK picked up from the Derby World Wargames show at the start of the month - a bargain from Wargames Foundry at £9! Then a copy of <em>Go Strong into the Desert</em> by Lt. Col. Mike Snook - well worth a read! Finally (for now), <em>Blood on the Nile</em>, the Warlord Games <em>Black Powder</em> supplement for the Mahdist Wars in the Sudan. <br />
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In terms of figures, then the Perry Miniatures range for the period 1881-1885 seems to be the best one around at the moment, and will have everything I'll require. A few months ago, I picked up a box of their plastic Mahdist infantry, more out of curiosity than need, and painted a test figure up. Anyway, now that I plan to build up two 'field forces' for TMWWBK, then these will do very nicely. TMWWBK allows figures to be based up in small groups or individually, but I quite like the look of the single figure bases I created for my ECW <em>Donnybrook</em> project, so that's going to be the way forward. The release of the Perry Plastic British infantry for this period will also help out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8yyy_rViuZI/WAkNNIEC1AI/AAAAAAAAA5o/7K1pt06B7Q8wiE79IB8kTp0RX2Jm3uJrACLcB/s1600/20161020_183804.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8yyy_rViuZI/WAkNNIEC1AI/AAAAAAAAA5o/7K1pt06B7Q8wiE79IB8kTp0RX2Jm3uJrACLcB/s320/20161020_183804.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first chap I painted is on the right...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xP8MHQvwdY/WAkN1jJkodI/AAAAAAAAA5s/wa_RUq1s6kwRRVD54u63B9eRjFqpqmBLACLcB/s1600/20161020_183940.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9xP8MHQvwdY/WAkN1jJkodI/AAAAAAAAA5s/wa_RUq1s6kwRRVD54u63B9eRjFqpqmBLACLcB/s320/20161020_183940.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...with the second chap in his plainly decorated <em>jibbeh</em> on the left.</td></tr>
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So, what's the plan? Well, two forces worth 24 points for TMWWBK - one Mahdist and one British. Along with this, I'll be making some new terrain - I don't have any desert-like terrain boards at all, so I'll be starting from scratch with these, and getting hold of some Middle Eastern real estate (ie. buildings!) No doubt I'll throw in some other bits and bobs, like civilians, and 'fluff' (market stalls, trees and vegetation, vignettes, and so forth), and do a whole load of play testing. I want to try and get this all done by the start of the spring, so I've a proper job on. However, I do like a challenge! Oh, yes, and try and blog about it as well....... now that <em>will</em> be something to marvel at! <br />
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See you soon, as I 'go strong into the desert'!<br />
andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-683527081748592482016-07-30T08:25:00.004-07:002016-07-30T08:25:57.846-07:00Summer days...
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Well, the post-Partizan ‘slump’ in production and
engagement with the hobby predictably happened – all the energy that one throws
into a project, the big day, and then a lull – and the blog and painting took a
back seat over June. However, July has proved to be quietly productive, and
after a short write-up, I’ll let the pictures do the talking!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5J98a9R5Iuc/V5yxVFf24kI/AAAAAAAAA1k/uD92okrpfAoMG_61L4qB4RP9WRc6hDdxQCLcB/s1600/20160730_104219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5J98a9R5Iuc/V5yxVFf24kI/AAAAAAAAA1k/uD92okrpfAoMG_61L4qB4RP9WRc6hDdxQCLcB/s320/20160730_104219.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed 4 point Scots Covenanter Faction - Hero, characters and shaken markers included</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The end of June and the early part of July saw a bit
of a watershed moment – I managed to finish off the last two figures of my planned
Scots Covenanter Musket, which gave me my completed 4 point basic Covenanter Faction.
I could now put 2 points worth of ‘trained’ shot, 1 point of ‘trained’ pike,
and 1 point of ‘elite’ dragoons onto the table, with their Faction Leader ‘Hero’
character. This was the original plan of some (?)2 years ago, and on the 7<sup>th</sup>
of July I breathed a massive sigh of relief when I added the static grass and
scenic materials to the last musketeer’s base. Job done!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rNVvsswlxw/V5yxvSLsDkI/AAAAAAAAA1o/MPKCz7DUTZUByoVmHJ2179O0rBh1uLAAQCLcB/s1600/20160730_104648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3rNVvsswlxw/V5yxvSLsDkI/AAAAAAAAA1o/MPKCz7DUTZUByoVmHJ2179O0rBh1uLAAQCLcB/s320/20160730_104648.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Infantry, with the Saltire leading the way, sergeants marshalling the rear</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2wmWrPCBeA/V5yx-7ye5NI/AAAAAAAAA1w/sKgiok16qykkscGuTTFtRAvQDKhcB5ytwCLcB/s1600/20160730_104914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F2wmWrPCBeA/V5yx-7ye5NI/AAAAAAAAA1w/sKgiok16qykkscGuTTFtRAvQDKhcB5ytwCLcB/s320/20160730_104914.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A bird's-eye view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpyrCrz__Kc/V5yygPWtNZI/AAAAAAAAA18/AV4JvStuyBIQ5SnWC7iETzrMJ5vyAnXYgCLcB/s1600/20160730_110616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kpyrCrz__Kc/V5yygPWtNZI/AAAAAAAAA18/AV4JvStuyBIQ5SnWC7iETzrMJ5vyAnXYgCLcB/s320/20160730_110616.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Drummond's Company - these chaps have had their final two figures added this month</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4r0NeVjzwBw/V5yz46MT-3I/AAAAAAAAA2Y/ZWMOWuDtnzEeYkUc6-TjEl9Tf0vXRldHQCLcB/s1600/20160730_110824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bA5f4MqAfnM/V5yyv06lfjI/AAAAAAAAA2M/bP44s-p3bhwQ9lR-xPkSKEbHc3pNlnVFwCEw/s1600/20160730_110648.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bA5f4MqAfnM/V5yyv06lfjI/AAAAAAAAA2M/bP44s-p3bhwQ9lR-xPkSKEbHc3pNlnVFwCEw/s320/20160730_110648.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the unit - worth 1 point in Donnybrook - a unit of regular musket</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HTWmcJnBw6I/V5yzmcO900I/AAAAAAAAA2c/II2bmE8og_o7b4lymUzL_vKhx_9cfFRgACEw/s1600/20160730_110707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HTWmcJnBw6I/V5yzmcO900I/AAAAAAAAA2c/II2bmE8og_o7b4lymUzL_vKhx_9cfFRgACEw/s320/20160730_110707.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rear of the unit - the tartan's been a real pain, but worth the effort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEHyR7QgjCQ/V5y1h1FIsaI/AAAAAAAAA2w/sBECPwReZWosQCpjCItuNqj2_AuogluUwCEw/s1600/20160730_110357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BEHyR7QgjCQ/V5y1h1FIsaI/AAAAAAAAA2w/sBECPwReZWosQCpjCItuNqj2_AuogluUwCEw/s320/20160730_110357.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mcleod's Company - the next 'point'. These chaps have slightly different coloured coats to distinguish them from Drummond's company</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKzqwg91lvM/V5y0jatygqI/AAAAAAAAA2o/WF2MfhFdf1kP8KHJ9_SYgGrRcVRU8RcWACEw/s1600/20160730_110453.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SKzqwg91lvM/V5y0jatygqI/AAAAAAAAA2o/WF2MfhFdf1kP8KHJ9_SYgGrRcVRU8RcWACEw/s320/20160730_110453.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hodden coats of the Scots Government troops</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_OU6K7YLGsY/V5yzEL1edSI/AAAAAAAAA2c/uysn5XGOvv0Y4yZP4ek0eI66L_o38O_hQCEw/s1600/20160730_110532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_OU6K7YLGsY/V5yzEL1edSI/AAAAAAAAA2c/uysn5XGOvv0Y4yZP4ek0eI66L_o38O_hQCEw/s320/20160730_110532.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rear view. The movement trays are from Warbases, and help moving the figures around. If the shot are on these trays this means that they are operating in close order, and gain an advantage in shooting. The edges also define the 'shooting corridor'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4r0NeVjzwBw/V5yz46MT-3I/AAAAAAAAA2k/mA2VylbDlws3-hMHir1ixYIe1d5i8Ah7ACEw/s1600/20160730_110824.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4r0NeVjzwBw/V5yz46MT-3I/AAAAAAAAA2k/mA2VylbDlws3-hMHir1ixYIe1d5i8Ah7ACEw/s320/20160730_110824.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mackintosh's pike - a mixture of coat colours here, reflecting the musket unit coats as well. These are the third point. I could theoretically split this unit in half so that I have two small Scottish regiments of 12 figures each when combined with the musketeers, when using different rules.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BRW85naSK58/V5y2k3hypRI/AAAAAAAAA24/apnO-tzjVC080KDjKRGJV0JZ6GdDOYbOACLcB/s1600/20160730_111155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BRW85naSK58/V5y2k3hypRI/AAAAAAAAA24/apnO-tzjVC080KDjKRGJV0JZ6GdDOYbOACLcB/s320/20160730_111155.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pike about to charge.... I love the chap second from the left in the front rank, shouting battle cries...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7v8dL3ucpc/V5y3EaFnhcI/AAAAAAAAA28/8DroTYWJOuY0cD05Wcqc7rhketps2SAZwCLcB/s1600/20160730_111337.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O7v8dL3ucpc/V5y3EaFnhcI/AAAAAAAAA28/8DroTYWJOuY0cD05Wcqc7rhketps2SAZwCLcB/s320/20160730_111337.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gordon's Dragoons - only 3 figures strong, these are worth 1 point in Donnybrook, as they are 'Elite'. Here are the mounted and dismounted versions, horse holder 'marker' and shaken marker.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOF3bQ9bQms/V5y3QozXJUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/lQ0ptnGLy_EvYbxBc1FC9ag8eZVdRc1KgCLcB/s1600/20160730_111425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VOF3bQ9bQms/V5y3QozXJUI/AAAAAAAAA3A/lQ0ptnGLy_EvYbxBc1FC9ag8eZVdRc1KgCLcB/s320/20160730_111425.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of the Dragoons</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T1rE90m27GU/V5y3ghaOtMI/AAAAAAAAA3I/QybcTJft55MRhYHGzSx00q3gHPvkLdwTgCLcB/s1600/20160730_111516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T1rE90m27GU/V5y3ghaOtMI/AAAAAAAAA3I/QybcTJft55MRhYHGzSx00q3gHPvkLdwTgCLcB/s320/20160730_111516.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dismounted marker</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X2eFS24pgUY/V5y3x7fRgmI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/6_hslyH3018wjQQeFkWVfWA4pZUL6KqjQCLcB/s1600/20160730_111611.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X2eFS24pgUY/V5y3x7fRgmI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/6_hslyH3018wjQQeFkWVfWA4pZUL6KqjQCLcB/s320/20160730_111611.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peeping over the top...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Since then, I’ve steadily added to the faction, in
terms of characters. I already had an ensign for my Scots, but I’d planned to
have four characters for my factions (alongside my heroes), one for each ‘points
worth’ of troops. So, with two units of shot, two sergeants seemed appropriate,
to help them reload quicker, and I also had a rather lovely Perry Miniatures
piper to paint up as well, who will help out with morale checks. I’ve now got
these completed as well – the last sergeant was done on the 27<sup>th</sup> of
July, and the whole faction has now been completed to its original plan! There are
moves afoot to add another 2 points worth of troops and characters to bring it
up to a 6 point faction, but for now I’m concentrating on getting my New Model
Army faction finished off. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n0a3FywP8C0/V5y4pj0MF0I/AAAAAAAAA3g/5jRU7ATsxkctKW88I8ErpKvaxJxypIswACLcB/s1600/20160730_105027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n0a3FywP8C0/V5y4pj0MF0I/AAAAAAAAA3g/5jRU7ATsxkctKW88I8ErpKvaxJxypIswACLcB/s320/20160730_105027.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tam McLeod and his 'boys'... Hero and characters of the faction</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4vsZtXSfRM/V5y431gqD4I/AAAAAAAAA3k/Fm0KnOV7nSkMb_-X4Iqen61out26bdwKQCLcB/s1600/20160730_105204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4vsZtXSfRM/V5y431gqD4I/AAAAAAAAA3k/Fm0KnOV7nSkMb_-X4Iqen61out26bdwKQCLcB/s320/20160730_105204.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gordon Blair..... dour but slippery...... a real mixture of inspiration in his name...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZveAxI62mi4/V5y5G-Q-iQI/AAAAAAAAA3o/SSaDwD0uEs4HiTFFtv8e8EJbTdSnp4NgwCLcB/s1600/20160730_105314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZveAxI62mi4/V5y5G-Q-iQI/AAAAAAAAA3o/SSaDwD0uEs4HiTFFtv8e8EJbTdSnp4NgwCLcB/s320/20160730_105314.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Close up of Sergeant Blair - a Perry Miniature figure. He will sergeant for Drummond's company of shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZktxTzsFUIs/V5y5RwaRLPI/AAAAAAAAA3s/aunG7FOEFA0S4RE3qaVb5PWE26wg1NoswCLcB/s1600/20160730_105818.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZktxTzsFUIs/V5y5RwaRLPI/AAAAAAAAA3s/aunG7FOEFA0S4RE3qaVb5PWE26wg1NoswCLcB/s320/20160730_105818.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roy Armstrong - sergeant of McLeod's company of shot.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI2hID_LpnQ/V5y5edJGfII/AAAAAAAAA30/RVbyX--LZwQY3lYjTOTLSGK1gvHSVV9JACLcB/s1600/20160730_105846.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI2hID_LpnQ/V5y5edJGfII/AAAAAAAAA30/RVbyX--LZwQY3lYjTOTLSGK1gvHSVV9JACLcB/s320/20160730_105846.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Perry figure - his plaid is more greenish than shown in the daylight.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGsM_JgcZXw/V5y5sfp2JzI/AAAAAAAAA38/iwtOhF07r-Eb3L7x5kclzowPTOgResN7QCLcB/s1600/20160730_105429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iGsM_JgcZXw/V5y5sfp2JzI/AAAAAAAAA38/iwtOhF07r-Eb3L7x5kclzowPTOgResN7QCLcB/s320/20160730_105429.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamish McLeod the piper.... who's just ...loud...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKtuEzh7BkU/V5y55OYmxyI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Nk9QlW_FpCAdI6ueNVzC_SYbbWRufC9IQCLcB/s1600/20160730_105609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cKtuEzh7BkU/V5y55OYmxyI/AAAAAAAAA4E/Nk9QlW_FpCAdI6ueNVzC_SYbbWRufC9IQCLcB/s320/20160730_105609.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Perry figure - I imagine him to be a relative of Tam, and part of the McLeod clan</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VPB4fxFY2S0/V5y6DC07l0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/odrTYAMxNuMscLOXHt-RqUDYiOpWRv4zQCLcB/s1600/20160730_105626.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VPB4fxFY2S0/V5y6DC07l0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/odrTYAMxNuMscLOXHt-RqUDYiOpWRv4zQCLcB/s320/20160730_105626.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I've not really done any particular tartans - just 'homespun' patterns with muted colours. I tried something a little different here, and It's worked out well.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e2FmyNcged4/V5y6WJMEPPI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/7Qt5D7UNBDcZOWzkcKf1KyFMxcKPTEAtgCLcB/s1600/20160730_110033.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e2FmyNcged4/V5y6WJMEPPI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/7Qt5D7UNBDcZOWzkcKf1KyFMxcKPTEAtgCLcB/s320/20160730_110033.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamie the Ensign. A hand painted flag that was based on real examples.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G6TbzIUYZ3U/V5y6kHczQfI/AAAAAAAAA4U/h7Nnt1ju91YlfiruxNw_4Mpp-jbXWWH2gCLcB/s1600/20160730_110124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G6TbzIUYZ3U/V5y6kHczQfI/AAAAAAAAA4U/h7Nnt1ju91YlfiruxNw_4Mpp-jbXWWH2gCLcB/s320/20160730_110124.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Perry Figure, one of many drawn from their English Civil War range/Scottish line.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On that front – there’s success as well. Last night
saw me complete my NMA Ensign, Nehemiah Cotton. His colours have been finished
off for a while, and it was just <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">him</i>
that needed some work doing to get him done, but the holidays and fine weather have
helped. Just two more character figures for the NMA faction now, and then they
will also be completed. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kgDUd83bw_o/V5y6wskedMI/AAAAAAAAA4c/CUL51uxtOPQVaXm5Jm1I8VPVk-4xznt_wCLcB/s1600/20160730_113642.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kgDUd83bw_o/V5y6wskedMI/AAAAAAAAA4c/CUL51uxtOPQVaXm5Jm1I8VPVk-4xznt_wCLcB/s320/20160730_113642.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nehemiah Cotton, with his activation card.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V4XxUn-fKoQ/V5y68geUCHI/AAAAAAAAA4g/RUNNn_pNlJUDDIDx9jdHfJBivgT6Px4PACLcB/s1600/20160730_113536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V4XxUn-fKoQ/V5y68geUCHI/AAAAAAAAA4g/RUNNn_pNlJUDDIDx9jdHfJBivgT6Px4PACLcB/s320/20160730_113536.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of Ensign Cotton. This flag, with one 'wavy 'pile' on it, represents the Major's colours.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0B4VkcP6mo4/V5y7MQ73-JI/AAAAAAAAA4o/VNW6iJh9IaMXynYJkYpUp832fSpSTqhxwCLcB/s1600/20160730_113550.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0B4VkcP6mo4/V5y7MQ73-JI/AAAAAAAAA4o/VNW6iJh9IaMXynYJkYpUp832fSpSTqhxwCLcB/s320/20160730_113550.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view from the rear - realistically he could portray an ensign from many regiments of the era.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The fine weather has also allowed me to get outside
and take some pics of the completed Scots faction, and some battle action. I’m
staggered at how much more detail one can pick out in real daylight – a no-brainer
really – but as it’s the first time I’ve done it, it’s really blown me away!
The hedge next to the front lawn really adds to the backdrop of a foreboding
Scottish wood, so I’m really pleased with how these photos have come out. More
of this I think in the future, weather depending! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mTMrq7Q_PoA/V5y7dqWrUWI/AAAAAAAAA4w/Ev-IqE4XyBsaj4PctsQmmDeXVqALT5x4wCLcB/s1600/20160730_104718.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mTMrq7Q_PoA/V5y7dqWrUWI/AAAAAAAAA4w/Ev-IqE4XyBsaj4PctsQmmDeXVqALT5x4wCLcB/s320/20160730_104718.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Forward!!! For Christ, Crown and the Covenant!!'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vuFZuNfr50c/V5y7qmxZ5_I/AAAAAAAAA40/qjogrcokuI4eRqbTEQvCx1BjxBUxPPJ6gCLcB/s1600/20160730_112623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vuFZuNfr50c/V5y7qmxZ5_I/AAAAAAAAA40/qjogrcokuI4eRqbTEQvCx1BjxBUxPPJ6gCLcB/s320/20160730_112623.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hodden grey and Venice red clash somewhere in Scotland</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKk3YFRd0Sg/V5y75L0cs6I/AAAAAAAAA44/GVDOthiMeyUQkVyA0vKrxvamIj5LiD8-ACLcB/s1600/20160730_112647.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SKk3YFRd0Sg/V5y75L0cs6I/AAAAAAAAA44/GVDOthiMeyUQkVyA0vKrxvamIj5LiD8-ACLcB/s320/20160730_112647.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view along the battle lines..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TEJqEL-JmxE/V5y8HC3yy1I/AAAAAAAAA5A/-5qnQmOrj7cWQxP09rXVvHTogcPO8yDnACLcB/s1600/20160730_112737.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TEJqEL-JmxE/V5y8HC3yy1I/AAAAAAAAA5A/-5qnQmOrj7cWQxP09rXVvHTogcPO8yDnACLcB/s320/20160730_112737.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thomas Playwell the fifer keeps spirits up...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0NWSMdam_qo/V5y8RoY873I/AAAAAAAAA5E/35S8ZHCT5fkcKwnulyC__SxsTShPdavIwCLcB/s1600/20160730_112751.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0NWSMdam_qo/V5y8RoY873I/AAAAAAAAA5E/35S8ZHCT5fkcKwnulyC__SxsTShPdavIwCLcB/s320/20160730_112751.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Cast about and make ready!...'</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the background and throughout these pictures are
my new dry-stone walls, another product of a rather positive July. I’ve
followed the pattern of my previous efforts in creating and enhancing
commercially bought walls – stripping off the static grass and glue by soaking
them in water, spraying them black, drybrushing up the stonework, adding sand
and PVA texture to the bases, painting this basework, and adding more static
grass and scenic materials to the bases and walls. Rather a faff perhaps, and
time-intensive, but definitely worthwhile. I’ve now got 15 wall lengths which
should be enough…..for now. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The next few days should see me complete my other
NMA characters, then I’ll add to my civilians. The Other Partizan is in three weeks,
on the 21<sup>st</sup> of August, and the RAWGamers are putting on ‘A
Donnybrook near Dunbar’ as a participation game. All these chaps (and hopefully
more) will get a run out – for the last time! After that show, I’ll be starting
on a new game and era – and hopefully there’ll be no ‘Post-Partizan Slump’!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As always, thanks for looking and the continued
support and kind comments here and elsewhere on other forums. ‘Til next time! Ka-boom!!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-495-d4xddi4/V5y80Rg3gTI/AAAAAAAAA5M/rtnFhK9lJhQhfMwiCHPI8ZIqBPPfioGxwCLcB/s1600/20160730_112848.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-495-d4xddi4/V5y80Rg3gTI/AAAAAAAAA5M/rtnFhK9lJhQhfMwiCHPI8ZIqBPPfioGxwCLcB/s320/20160730_112848.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'At the scum to the fore....Give...your...... fire!'</td></tr>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-11221809525421322302016-05-23T14:31:00.001-07:002016-05-23T14:31:29.804-07:00Partizan 2016Yesterday saw the RAWgamers putting in an appearance at the new-look Partizan show, held for the first time at the Newark Showground. Having attended the show at Kelham Hall for many a year, I was intrigued as to how the new venue would work. The old-world character and atmosphere of Kelham has, of course, sadly gone, only to be replaced by......well, light! And air, and openness, and space and everybody all in one place. Judging by feedback elsewhere on t'interweb today, the move has proved to be a success, with increased footfall, people staying longer and really positive comments. Whether this is just a first-time 'boost' remains to be seen, but if this is the future, I'm all for it. A massive well done to Laurence, Richard and the rest of the 'Partizan/Irregulars/Newark' team, and thank you so much! <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--MWxqfeBzeo/V0Ne61ghOlI/AAAAAAAAA0g/1UsoNvQnKII7K7XmIrBamAkHQDFWe6OIwCKgB/s1600/20160522_101048%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--MWxqfeBzeo/V0Ne61ghOlI/AAAAAAAAA0g/1UsoNvQnKII7K7XmIrBamAkHQDFWe6OIwCKgB/s320/20160522_101048%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before the mayhem started...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
On to the day. 'Somewhere in Scotland, 1650' made an appearance once again, this time in an enhanced format, with more figures (and sheep), and drew quite a few favourable comments. People popped by, and said hello, asking questions about the rules, terrain and figures. At one point Barry Hilton and Dave O'Brien dropped in - we just about resisted the temptation to ask them for a rules clarification! Dave's put some pics up on the League of Augsburg Fighting Talk Forum, <a href="http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/fightingtalk/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6835">http://www.leagueofaugsburg.com/fightingtalk/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=6835</a>, and they both said some very kind words about the game - cheers everybody! We had one chap who seemed very interested in Donnybrook as a set of rules, so hopefully we've spread the message, and judging by the laughter springing from the table, we certainly enjoyed ourselves. No, wait, correction......we had a blast!!!! Some pics, in no particular order...<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h_gYb-fEvHs/V0NfiqYS07I/AAAAAAAAA0c/1ULUqMZrcfYYFKGYTYXtDCjfp_1gJDp3wCLcB/s1600/20160522_102125%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h_gYb-fEvHs/V0NfiqYS07I/AAAAAAAAA0c/1ULUqMZrcfYYFKGYTYXtDCjfp_1gJDp3wCLcB/s320/20160522_102125%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Model Army shot advance over the bridge...finally!!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48O4uBPgL7A/V0Nf5b2KDrI/AAAAAAAAA0k/GA-2Z1NkkYwkbHqo8CEWVm1D85iqsx--ACLcB/s1600/20160522_102134%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-48O4uBPgL7A/V0Nf5b2KDrI/AAAAAAAAA0k/GA-2Z1NkkYwkbHqo8CEWVm1D85iqsx--ACLcB/s320/20160522_102134%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Covenanter dragoons spur into action...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRkSinOc6_4/V0NgKg7cYcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/eveqi2uZ5CcXHagQjwn_wHcXGRC-usdbQCLcB/s1600/20160522_103331%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BRkSinOc6_4/V0NgKg7cYcI/AAAAAAAAA0s/eveqi2uZ5CcXHagQjwn_wHcXGRC-usdbQCLcB/s320/20160522_103331%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plundering the chickens - but they're tough bu@*ers!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URp8f-8n6Eg/V0NggYakCsI/AAAAAAAAA0w/IJC2mA3CX1EEcDkVb6t3vJFax0u7FgBaACLcB/s1600/20160522_111211%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-URp8f-8n6Eg/V0NggYakCsI/AAAAAAAAA0w/IJC2mA3CX1EEcDkVb6t3vJFax0u7FgBaACLcB/s320/20160522_111211%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Formed up for a volley - the chap at the back must be posing for the camera...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcUAX102uhE/V0NgwI_oMKI/AAAAAAAAA04/CtMIln8uJ8QM8eGFtrLZgMQlyhzRIKNHwCLcB/s1600/20160522_111230%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GcUAX102uhE/V0NgwI_oMKI/AAAAAAAAA04/CtMIln8uJ8QM8eGFtrLZgMQlyhzRIKNHwCLcB/s320/20160522_111230%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Major Hawkins leads his men on...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iajVgPgR2JI/V0NhCvEv0_I/AAAAAAAAA1A/fYVfucYlcQQLg5RwznJY0AD75hN8IgJ-gCLcB/s1600/20160522_121958%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iajVgPgR2JI/V0NhCvEv0_I/AAAAAAAAA1A/fYVfucYlcQQLg5RwznJY0AD75hN8IgJ-gCLcB/s320/20160522_121958%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The New Model Army Musket have a target rich environment...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gp-Q2ltlIcg/V0NhRdkVbwI/AAAAAAAAA1E/XL5xS3JqCaMV5JZiiLRra5pber45M8jAwCLcB/s1600/20160522_143305%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Gp-Q2ltlIcg/V0NhRdkVbwI/AAAAAAAAA1E/XL5xS3JqCaMV5JZiiLRra5pber45M8jAwCLcB/s320/20160522_143305%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General fun and hilarity...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tam McLeod makes a last stand...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scots pike advance after an 'epic' journey to get over the ford<br />
....moments later, only 3 survived after a crushing volley from the redcoats</td></tr>
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We managed to cram in 5 games, in 6 hours, with a 3-2 score line to the Covenanters versus the New Model Army. We used the 'Events' card for the first time, and it created some amazing moments, including unforeseen bogs, a desperate attack on some vicious chickens, a building setting on fire (three times! I'd check the insurance policy on that barn!), a Hero quitting the field, death or glory moments of one-man attacks on formed musketeers, some great use of the 'shadow' ploy (where you're allowed to look at and re-arrange the next six cards in the play deck in your favour), a feral creature - we used a highland cow - taking down one NMA pikeman, and quite a few passing showers of rain! Absolutely brilliant fun. <br />
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A massive thanks to all the usual gang - in no particular order, John, Alex, Luke, Neil, Jez and lastly, but by no means least, my card-shuffling wonder that is my wife Sam! Couldn't do it without you! I'm going to finish this project off over the next few months, and it will have a final run out at the 'Other Partizan' in August, then we'll be looking at something new. Thanks for the continuing support, and see you soon with more updates! <br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-13259425826029788912016-05-02T04:36:00.002-07:002016-05-02T04:36:49.766-07:00More Scots, and my first NMA character.Hi all - just a quick update amidst the pre-Partizan painting frenzy!<br />
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Firstly, the next unit of Scottish Shot has been started - four done, and four more to go. When those are completed, that will give me two basic 4-point factions for the project. I'm aiming for larger of course.....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scots shot - start of the second unit.</td></tr>
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These chaps are all Perry miniatures - after the Partizan show, I'll add more posts about them, concerning colours used, which packs they were from and so on. <br />
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Here they are in a different setting, and more detail of the rear rank. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Even the grey-haired veterans are called to the ranks...</td></tr>
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Here they make a bloody last stand - maybe some of this in a few weeks time?<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stand firm, my lads!....</td></tr>
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I also decided to give myself a break from painting Hodden grey (or variations of it), this week, and painted up my first character - Master Thomas Playwell. He's a Perry Miniatures fifer, from one of the command packs in the ECW range. I quite like him! He was quite quick to paint up, given the lack of equipment, and is something a bit different. I'm lucky enough to be married to a re-enactment drummer/fifer, so a few questions her way about paint colours for the fife, and I was away. He has a morale-altering capability in 'Donnybrook' - again, more details and a longer post after Partizan. Here he is with his activation card from the playing deck, and in action. <br />
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Hope you like 'em! See you soon. Apologies for the brevity, but.....just under three weeks to go!!!! See you soon.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'The worst picket duty EVER!! Looking after the hay wagon, keeping an eye on dinner, and now a chap learning to play the fife comes and stands next to me......great.....'</td></tr>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-2887784479708214442016-04-16T12:04:00.001-07:002016-04-16T12:04:21.510-07:00The countdown to Partizan begins!I've not posted anything on here for a few weeks - since February in fact - but that's not to say I haven't been busy!<br />
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With only five weeks to go before <a href="http://www.partizan.org.uk/">Partizan weekend</a>, on Sunday 22nd May, it's all systems go for painting and production of figures and scenery. The RAW Gamers are putting on an enhanced version of the 'Somewhere in Scotland, 1650' skirmish game we put on last September, and I'm working away to get units and scenic bits and bobs completed in time. We'll be using the Donnybrook rules again, with added characters and expanded forces to those we used last time.<br />
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So, to wet your appetites, and to give a brief snapshot of what I've been up to since February and the previous post, here's a few pictures. I find that blogging takes up valuable painting time in the evenings, so will keep posts to a minimum over the next few weeks, until I've finished, but I just wanted to keep people updated. I'll do a more in-depth post on each unit or item after Partizan, but until then, here goes!:<br />
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First up, some camp items - the troops need feeding after all. These were picked up at one of the Derby Shows over the last two years, from <a href="http://irregularminiatures.co.uk/indexes/25mmindex.htm">Irregular Miniatures</a>. They are listed in the 'siege equipment' section on their website.<br />
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Next, a hastily dug grave. I had some Greenstuff left over from basing trees, so smoothed it into a pile on a Warbases pill-shaped base, and then added a cross made out of balsa strip and superglue. Just right for setting a more sombre atmosphere - it could have been bullet, blade or plague that did for the poor unfortunate victim, and is a definite 'multi-period' item! <br />
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The vegetable gardens were inspired by an article on the<a href="http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=168"> Too Fat Lardies</a> blog, and judging by the searches online, it seems as though I wasn't the only one who liked them! The 'flowers' used to make the cabbages were picked up from a shop on the high street, in the materials and craft section, and painted up. Rather convincing, I reckon; though possibly overly large for 28mm scale.....must be good natural fertiliser! They made their first appearance at the last Partizan game, but haven't appeared on here before. I want to add some fences at some point, to keep nibbling vermin out.<br />
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I've always liked The Last Valley's stuff - their scenic items always seem to appear on gaming tables around the conventions, and in many wargames rules and publications. They're good value, and well made too. I bought a couple of their trees at the Derby show last year, and rebased them in my style - a bit pedantic possibly, but now they 'fit' in with the other trees I've made. The flock on the trees was sealed using a non-perfumed hairspray (a railway modeller's tip!), and so far, it seems to be working!<br />
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A while ago, I started making my own trees, out of twisted wire frames. These were then based up using a hot-glue gun, and covered in air-drying clay. This was sealed with PVA and painted, then they were based up, sculpting the roots with Greenstuff before adding my usual sand and PVA mix. When everything was dried and painted up, I added some Woodland Scenics foliage. Perfect for small 'gnarly' trees, that wouldn't look out of place in most wargames 'theatres' of conflict, from Scotland to Spain! I'm quite proud of these, as they're totally scratch-built.<br />
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Having completed a unit of <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2016_02_01_archive.html#4314439723469513250">dragoons</a> for my Scots faction for the Donnybrook ECW project, which gave me my first faction 'point', it's time to show my next unit, the pike. These chaps have made a few appearances on the blog in recent months, but not in full force. A small unit of 4 figures was on the table at the Other Partizan last September, but now I've finished them all off. It was the figures in plaids that were awaiting completion! (Have I ever said I dislike painting tartan or checked patterns?....) These 8 figures give me a full unit of 'regular' pike, worth another 'point'. <br />
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A few close ups:<br />
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All these pike-wielding chaps are Perry Miniatures. The same goes for my first Scots Musket unit, which gives me another point for the Scots faction.. Again, these 8 figures are classed as 'regular' in Donnybrook terms, and include the very first figures I had painted up for this project when I started it, back in <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html#8137857723632844297">2014!</a> For ages, I only had these two musketeers, then the dragoons made an appearance, and now finally, this first unit of musketeers has been completed!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tam issues the order to fire!</td></tr>
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Once again, it was the plaid-clad figures that slowed down the completion of this unit, but last Monday, I was able to get them done. The casualty marker in the background is a figure from the Wargames Foundry ECW casualty pack, which I hi-lighted in the last<a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2016_02_01_archive.html#8269324936067854019"> post.</a> <br />
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Foundry also provided the figures shown in the last pictures, drawn from their ECW civilians packs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Màiri keeps a close eye on her brother, as he staggers back from the well...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...Wee Willie, with his not so wee bucket! Mind it doesn't spill!</td></tr>
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I really like these figures, and I have a few more civilians to paint up, to populate the settlements that are going to feature in our game. <br />
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There's 8 more Scots musketeers to paint, and 8 characters 4 civilians, then a few more bits of scenery - walls and suchlike, maybe some more trees, then I'm done. I'm not sure where we'll be yet at the new 'Partizan' venue, but I'll post before the show with more updates so people can pop by if they wish. After the show, I'll showcase more of the units and bits of scenery, in greater detail. Then it's on to a new project, which readers can follow on here over the summer. Thanks for the continued support, and see you soon! Five weeks to go!... back to the brushes....<br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-82693249360678540192016-02-09T11:53:00.000-08:002016-02-09T11:53:30.742-08:00Scots faction 'Shaken' markersLast <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2015_01_01_archive.html#9029017225886469322">year</a> (January of 2015 - blimey! Where's <i>that </i>time gone?!), I posted pictures and thoughts about the 'shaken' markers for my New Model Army faction. This time, it's the turn of the markers for my Scots Covenanters. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scots Covenanters faction 'shaken' markers </td></tr>
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As per last time - these chaps are a mix again, of Perry Miniatures and Wargames Foundry figures. I've tried to paint them up in the coat colours that will match 'their' units, so the dragoon marker below is in a nice shade of Drab 12 from Foundry paints.<br />
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This is one of the Foundry figures, from Casualty pack ECW49. He was a nice figure to paint, and one that, in my view, is full of character - the older Foundry figures often get a bad press, because they're a bit long in the tooth now, but the Perry twins really gave these figures a sense of 'life' (ironically), and this particular sculpt has a real sense of a soldier on campaign. His doublet and breeches are ripped and torn, and his shirt and doublet hang off his shoulders. Painting the shirt underneath his clothing was a bit of a challenge, but I managed to get a very fine brush in the gaps, and it looks ok. <br />
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Next up is the figure I'm using for one of my musket companies, also from the Foundry pack.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first musket 'shaken' marker</td></tr>
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A different version can be found in last January's post. With this figure, I carved off the hat that was sculpted on, lying on the ground next to his head. I wanted a slight change to my NMA shaken marker, and also liked the idea of him looking a bit more 'Scots'. I suppose in hindsight, I could have used a flattened blob of Greenstuff to make a bonnet, but he's multi-use for any grey coated regiment, even English ones. He's got a coat of Slate Grey 32. <br />
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The next chap is from the Perry Miniatures casualty pack ECW12. I'm using him for my other musket company. He's a beautifully sculpted figure, with his bottles on his bandoleer strewn at all angles, and a shoe missing. It's little touches like that, that really set the Perry's apart in the poses that they choose for their figures. His doublet is painted with Granite 31 palette, though I've mixed the B and C shades together for the final highlight, as the transition to the pure C shade is a little too stark and too much of a contrast for my liking.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The second musket 'shaken' marker</td></tr>
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Finally, here's the 'shaken' marker for my pike company. He's also from Perry Miniatures, and although it's not overly clear here, I've painted a dark red patch on his breeches to represent the fact that he's been shot in the leg. His coat is Slate Grey 32 as well.</div>
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I really like this chap as well - I've got plans for the same sculpt to be used inside a tent, at some point in the future - he looks like he could be rousing himself after a rough night, maybe under a threadbare blanket or cassock. At this point though, he looks in quite a bad way, and sleep's the last thing on his mind! He'll probably be hirpling off the battlefield quite soon.</div>
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Yes.... 'hirpling'. From the word 'Hirple', which means to walk with a limp or a hobble. It's a word that's first recorded in the late 15th century, and probably comes from the Old Norse <i>Herpast</i>, or 'to suffer from cramp'. Our group of friends in the re-enactment group I belong to often pretend to limp away, whenever we do events and we're close to the watching crowds. Over the last 20 years or so, we've developed a good line in 'hirpling' - staggering away, clutching our legs, or other pseudo-wounded limbs. If there was an Oscar for hirpling, we'd be nominated every year...... Hirple..... a word that actually rhymes with 'purple'! Add it to your vocabulary, and look intelligent ( or silly, depending on your point of view). As luck would have it, the irony is (given our subject and faction list) that 'hirple' is....an Old Scots dialect word. You couldn't make it up! </div>
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Next up - the Scots pike. See you soon! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'See 'em off, boys!'</td></tr>
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<br />andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-43144397234695132502016-02-02T14:53:00.000-08:002016-02-02T15:16:18.400-08:00Covenanter DragoonsWhen I drew up the composition for my Scots Covenanter 'faction' of my ECW Donnybrook project, I was fairly sure I wanted some dragoons in the mix. Not only would they provide another aspect to our games, with their flexibility of being able to operate both mounted or dismounted, but there's something quite iconic about Scottish dragoon regiments of the 17th century English Civil Wars. <br />
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This is in part, down to the actions and history of Hugh Fraser's regiment, the exploits of which are detailed briefly <a href="http://auldearn1645.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/hugh-frasers-dragoons.html">here</a>, on the excellent Project Auldearn Blog (one of the inspirations for my own project). Fraser's regiment (or Frazer's - I've seen both spellings) was one of the more renowned regiments of dragoons of the era (there is <a href="http://wiki.bcw-project.org/covenanter/dragoon-regiments/start">evidence</a> for a significant number), but by the autumn of 1645, following the Battle of Philiphaugh, it received permission to convert to a cavalry regiment, and became equipped with sturdier horses, and fought from the saddle rather than dismounting. Judging by the brief descriptions of other dragoon regiments that I've found, this seems to be a common path taken by many of these units. Fraser's regiment ended their days at the Battle of Winwick Pass, during the Preston campaign of 1648.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'The Dragoons are coming!...'</td></tr>
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During the Dunbar campaign, which acts as the backdrop for my project, the Scottish forces purportedly had dragoons in the form of Lord Kirkcudbright's Regiment. There's no real indication as to which brigade they were attached to, but judging by contemporary accounts, Lord 'Kilcowberry's' (sic) men possibly fought in an action at Haddington, on the night of 31st August 1650, when Cromwell decided to retreat from Musselburgh back towards Dunbar. The English rearguard was already in disarray as it approached Haddington, but 'the Lord by his providence put a cloud over the moon' and the Ironsides managed to break contact with the pursuing Scots. Later that night, around midnight, the Scottish attacked again, this time with a 'party of mounted musketeers', and it's these chaps who were supposedly Kirkcudbright's men. They were clearly made of stern stuff, as it took an hours worth of fighting, before they were finally seen off by Colonel Charles Fairfax's Foot. <br />
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There is scant record of their actions during the Battle of Dunbar - presumably they fought on foot as a block of troops - and then were caught up in the subsequent retreat and surrender towards the end of the battle. Any survivors probably evolved into 'Moss troopers', a development of later actions in Scotland, where the regular Scottish army was supported by rough and ready bandits who harassed Cromwell's forces. They gradually developed into an organised force of 'light' cavalry under such people as Captain Augustine Hoffman (an officer from Southern Germany!), who attacked the English at Linlithgow in April 1651 with a mixed party of Mossers and dragoons. <br />
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My own dragoons have been 'christened' as Lieutenant Gordon's company. I decided to class them as elite troops, not only out of sentimentality for the quality of Fraser's veterans, but also because it got around a rather practical problem that wargamers have with dragoons of this era - the fact that you need 'two lots' of the d%^ned things! To cut back on the numbers I needed to represent both their mounted <i>and</i> dismounted versions, it was an easy choice to make them high quality - in <i>Donnybrook</i> terms, therefore, I'd only need 3 figures of each type. I couldn't resist making a dismounted marker though, and also included my usual 'shaken' casualty marker for my unit.<br />
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The unit in full - dismounted troops, their mounted versions, dismounted marker,</div>
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Shaken marker, and activation card.</div>
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The figures all come from Perry Miniatures - SW4 Musketeers firing, and SW6 Musketeers advancing for the dismounted figures, and SW15 for the mounted versions. The casualty marker figure is from Wargames Foundry ECW49 Casualties pack.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dismounted Dragoons - mind those powder barrels</td></tr>
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I tried to replicate the figures in both dismounted and mounted form - this was reasonably successful, but was largely dictated by the style of the mounted versions. Hair colour, and colour of the uniforms and equipment was the main method of doing this, but for the sharp-eyed, there's a few subtle differences mainly with the facial hair! <br />
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The uniforms were painted in a mix of colours - with the doublets being Foundry's 12 Drab palette. This is a slightly 'washed out' brown, with a pale khaki hint to it, and I like the fact that it's a different tone to the usual mid-grey tone that's often used for Covenanter troops. It also makes my dragoons easier to spot on the table!<br />
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The dismounted marker is on based on a 60mm round base from Warbases, and features a figure from the Perry SW5 Musketeers loading pack, and a spare horse from another pack of dragoons. The fencing comes from Renedra. <br />
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Finally, a few pictures of our friends, in close up and in action. Next up will be the Scots casualty 'shaken' markers. See you soon!<br />
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Off we go again - more English to find and fight!...</div>
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<br />andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-38520279545433714682016-01-26T14:12:00.000-08:002016-01-26T14:12:50.826-08:00New Year....and here come the Scots!Happy New Year, and welcome to 2016......well, at least that<em> was</em> the thinking - it's hard to believe that January has almost disappeared! However, it seems appropriate that a day after Burns Night, it's time for my first post about my Scots Covenanter faction for my ECW Donnybrook project. <br />
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So without further ado, let's say hello to Major Tam McLeod. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stoic Scot, ready for action...<br />
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He is a Perry Miniature, from pack SW3 (I think - the picture is not shown on their website). Although he's in a similar pose to the NMA leader - Major Rob Hawkins - I still like the fact that he's urging his men on with a suitably martial air. <br />
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He's mounted on a 30mm hex base from Warbases, to mark him out as the Leader figure of the faction. I decided to paint his doublet a golden yellow colour, using Foundry's Yellow 2 palette, which gives him a distinctive look. This was contrasted with piping of red, using Foundry's Bright Red 15 triad of shades. I painted the piping in first, along the sleeves, and around the 'tabs' of the coat, then added a trim to across the shoulders to indicate 'wings', which were a particular fashion of the 17th century. Then I blocked in the yellow colours, and worked up the main tones and hi-lights of each shade. His breeches were picked out in a grey colour - I forget which now, but I think it's Quagmire 63. I added some piping to his breeches in Butter Fudge 55, with leg ties of Madder Red 60. I picked out his hose in Storm Green 27. His sash was painted using a combination of colours, starting off with a shade and main colour of Deep Blue 20, then a hi-light of 20C mixed in with Sky Blue 21B tone, just to give the folds a bit of a 'pop'. Blue sashes were a recognised 'marker' of Scots Covenanter officers and sergeants. His bonnet is done with French Blue 65, mixing in a touch of Deep Blue 20B with the final 65C shade. I decided to give Tam a slightly darker and richer bonnet, which marked him out as being able to afford a more expensively dyed wool, rather than the usual colours I use for my Scots rank and file of Night Sky 62 and Storm Blue 39.<br />
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I'm not entirely sure how I did the tassels/fringe of his sash - I know it involved some washes, over (I think) Deep brown Leather 45C highlight shade, and other yellows, but whatever it was - it gives a nice subdued yet 'just bright enough' effect. His hair was a bit of a cliché I'm afraid, as I went for a red-head shade. It's done using Conker Brown 54A as a shade, main tone of Chestnut 53A, and hi-light of Tan 14B. Gauntlets are done in the Rawhide 11 triad. <br />
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Overall, I'm rather pleased with Tam. The mix of yellow and red echoes the Royal 'Lion Rampant' flag of Scotland, and the combination of these two colours, the blues of the sash and the bonnet, and the green of the grass and bushes on the base, give a nice colourful feel to this figure. He's had an eventful time so far in the games that we've run, including a stand-off with Rob Hawkins where Tam hid behind a wall, and Rob was lurking behind a stone cross. It only ended when Tam carried out a do-or-die charge (with a suitably blood-curdling yell, of course!), and fired off both his pistols, winging Rob and ending the game in the Scots' favour! <br />
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Next up will be a post on my favourite troops of the Scots faction - the dragoons! See you soon!<br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-62786764541828971082015-12-31T15:31:00.000-08:002015-12-31T15:31:26.591-08:002015 - a review....as it seems to be the done thing!Hello again!<br />
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First (and last) post of December 2015, and with it comes a run-down of the year's progress, the state of things so far, and musings on 2016. It seems to be a fairly common theme across the wargaming 'blog-osphere' to have such a post, so who am I to buck the trend? I did do an 'end of term' report back in 2013, so it's high time one appeared again, and hopefully this year, things will be more positive at 'Fall on Pell Mell Comprehensive School'! Off we go ...<br />
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<u>Painting</u><br />
Overall, I've enjoyed painting this year, and have seen a much more consistent approach. There's still been the odd 'painters-block' moment, especially burn-out after Partizan, and real life has often taken precedence over the hobby, but the fortnights and months of not picking up a brush for pleasure have given way to only days and weeks this year. Much more positive! I've not really tried any new techniques; I still work from a black undercoat, and use the three colour or triad system. Even so, I have bought some new paints from Foundry, so have a wider palette to use in the future. I've also invested in some painting guides, notably Kevin Dallimore's 'Painting and Modelling Masterclass' from Foundry, and 'Painting Wargaming Figures' by 'El Mercenario' Javier Gomez Valero. I've been impressed by both books so far, and have been a fan of both authors' works for some time. The Foundry guide has many contributions from other notable painters, and has already proved to be a useful mine of tips. El Mercenario might be the person who even pushes me towards trying to use Vallejo paints as well! So, a steady year, and a B grade I think, for my work so far!<br />
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<u>Productivity</u><br />
Here, at least things have been looking up. As I type, there are 37 figures waiting to be finished on the painting desk - all prepped/cleaned up and undercoated, and in various stages of completion, which were started this year. On top of this, I've finished off and based 2 heroes, 4 casualties markers, a dismounted dragoon marker, 13 infantry and dragoon figures, and six mounted figures - a total of 20 'foot' figures and 7 horses and riders! Well into double figures, and certainly the most productive year for a while. I've also finished off lots of scenic bits and bobs - 2 houses, trees, 8 sheep, a goat, rabbits, chickens, barrels, stowage, tents, a standing stone, a campfire, scenic 'humps and hollows'.... fairly productive I reckon! So I'll give myself a B+ on that score - not the best, but certainly travelling in the right direction! <br />
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Over the last few days, I've been working on some more foliage, and the final figures for a Scots pike unit for my 'Donnybrook' project. These should make an appearance in early 2016. With this post, I'll have had the most prolific year as far as blogging is concerned (just!), and I've also joined the Lead Adventure Forum, which has spurred me on even more. I've even got some games in this year - admittedly these have been run-throughs of the 'Somewhere in Scotland, 1650' Donnybrook game which we ran at 2015s 'Other Partizan' show last September, but games none the less, and great fun they were! Overall, the last 12 months have been great productivity wise, and I can't wait until next year to carry this on. <br />
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<u>Projects</u><br />
February 2016 sees the two year anniversary of my Donnybrook ECW project, and it's still going strong. I've done nothing else this year, but work on this - some of the items will also do for future projects and 'general' terrain use - but all the effort over the last twelve months has been towards Donnybrook ECW. The highlight of 2015 was, after many years of dreaming, finally putting on a game at the Partizan show in Newark. At some point, I'll write a post about it! Having attended the show at Kelham Hall for many years (since the mid-90's), it was very poignant putting on a game on the occasion of the show having it's last outing at Kelham, before it moves to it's new home of the Newark Showground from 2016.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Other Partizan 2015</td></tr>
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I couldn't have done it without fellow re-enactors and friends John B, Alex and Luke, Neil, Andy and Jez, and many thanks must got to these guys! Cheers to Tricky and Laurence at the Newark Irregulars for allowing us to put on a game. To all those who popped by and said encouraging words, or took part in one of our participation games, heartfelt appreciation to you as well. This goes for all those who have popped by on the blog or on forums as well, and chipped in with supportive comments and feedback. The final and most important thanks, must go to my family and especially my wife, who's supported me so much over the last 12 months - tolerating talking to my back as I sit at the painting desk in the evenings, and when I crawl to bed at 2am having just varnished up another load of figures! Thank you love! <br />
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Looking to the future of 'Somewhere in Scotland, 1650', we've been invited back to the new-look Partizan show in 2016, so there's going to be an expanded version of this next May, in time for this. More English, more Scots, more trees, a deer.....maybe even a pig or two.....and definitely some civilians - but no more chickens! Watch this space. Overall, I reckon a B+ on this front as well!<br />
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<u>Purchases</u><br />
Apart from the usual paints and associated modelling paraphernalia, most of my purchases have been for my Donnybrook project. Ainstey castings have seen some of my cash this year, as has Foundry, and The Last Valley for some scenic trees. I picked up some figures and scenery bits and bobs from Colonel Bills, so I'm looking forward to painting these up in the coming weeks. Warbases have also seen a bit of my money, buying up bases for Donnybrook (and future) projects. Literature, in one form or another has been the biggest 'cost' - apart from the painting books (although one of them was a birthday present), I purchased an Osprey book on the Dunbar campaign, and very early in the year, I picked up a copy of 'Chain of Command' from the Too Fat Lardies, and the 'Rebellion' AWI Black Powder supplement from Warlord Games. In terms of regular purchases, I still buy Wargames Illustrated most months, although I prefer Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, which I also get hold of when it's published. I suppose I've been fairly disciplined with my buying - there's been no other figures that have strayed into my shopping bags, except those for Donnybrook ECW - so I'll give my self a straight C for that one. <br />
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<u>2016</u><br />
So ....... on to the future. The next 12 months will see the 'Rawgamers' put on our expanded Donnybrook ECW game at Partizan, so the first milestone will be at the end of May for that particular project. After that, who knows! It will be the culmination of over 2 years' work, so finishing it off will be a bit strange. I've not decided yet what the next projects will be - I have a few ideas that I'll put forward on this blog in the coming days, but I think they'll be smaller in size. Maybe..... who knows in this hobby? I am clear that I don't want to go back to butterflying about again, between lots of different ideas, so whatever it is, I'll try and stick to it/them again, like I have with this one! Something Mediaeval and 'skirmish-y' seems a possible choice at the moment....<br />
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So as 2015 draws to a close and 2016 dawns, many best wishes, and thank you for your continuing support on here and elsewhere! May the dice fall right, may discounts be plenty, and may your brushes never stay still!<br />
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Andyandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-53587881229467418992015-11-30T16:09:00.000-08:002015-11-30T16:09:35.460-08:00Feeling Two Tents? Not any more!Hello again - it's been a while since the last post, so apologies for that! Up until a few days ago, I hit a wall in terms of painting.....real life, rubbish weather here in the UK, and general tiredness have take their toll in the evenings, so the brushes were being neglected. However, I finished off the last of my sheep earlier this week, which seems to have shaken off some of the lethargy, and I'm ready to get cracking again. No longer tense.....<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Multi-period real estate from Renedra</td></tr>
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Speaking of tents...... as mentioned in the previous post, I thought I'd write a small piece about the canvas shelters that are going to grace the tabletop in my ECW project. These are two of the lovely plastic tents from the <a href="http://www.renedra.co.uk/product.php?product=117">Renedra Limited</a> 'Ridge tents' set, which I picked up at the Partizan show last spring. I've still got two more to paint up at some point, as well as the camp beds that come with the set, but these beds are possibly 'out of period' for the 17th century. The camp fire is the other part of the set, which I've mounted on a circular base from Warbases. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Yahoo</td></tr>
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Shelters in one form or another have featured in military service for thousands of years. Even if the rank and file still slept in the open, then at least their leaders or commanders would have had some form of tent or headquarters, befitting their status. During the wars of the 17th Century, shelters would have taken many forms, as shown in this woodcut of the 30 Years War.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo from Yahoo</td></tr>
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There are many different types of shelter here - ranging from simple canvas sheet 'tents' in the foreground, to more ornate tents in the background, and shelters made from either canvas or wooden panels or 'sheets' on the left hand side of the picture. I like the idea of making some wooden shelters or canvas sheet tents at some point in the future, but for now I'll stick to the Renedra ones, and possibly get some dog tents from them as well. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The back of one of my tents, pitched near water. A soggy night ahead?<br />
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I put both of my tents on uneven shaped bases from Warbases, to protect them from damage and chips to the paintwork. They were undercoated in Wargames Foundry Canvas 8A shade, then painted over in the 'body' of the tents using Canvas 8B, leaving the 'sewn' lines where panels meet, and shading in the A shade. Then they were given a substantial highlight with Boneyard 9 B shade, followed by a final highlight of Boneyard 9B +9C mix, along the lines of the creases, ridges, and 'edges' etc. Having spent countless days and nights in these sorts of tents over 20 years of re-enacting, I was especially keen to keep them to a more 'realistic' shade of canvas, instead of the more usual white that often graces the war-gaming table. Although these types of tents will be bleached by the sun, they often maintain at least a semblance of the pale cream canvas colour. The word "canvas" comes from the 13th century Anglo-French <i>canevaz</i> and the Old French <i>canevas</i>. Both of these words are derived from the Vulgar Latin <i>cannapaceus</i> for "made of hemp". Sadly the pictures haven't given a true representation of how creamy-white the models are, but I'm sure you'll get an impression. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Don't forget the tent pole!</td></tr>
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The picture above shows off the entrance and interior of one of the open tents. I used a mix of diluted PVA glue and offcuts from a doormat to represent straw laid down on the floor of the tent. The tent pole is made of a cocktail stick, painted up. This only came about after I showed my significant other the (I thought) completed tent. "There's something missing," she exclaimed, "... a tent pole!" Thanks, love! So one was hastily added, and the subsequent slight gap was covered up by a small amount of foliage. On Living history camps, there's an oft seen sight of fresh herbs hanging in front of tents - either to dry for cooking, to prevent bad smells, or to ward away evil plague-bearing 'miasmas'! A simple touch, yet one that adds a touch (or should that be whiff) of authenticity! <br />
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Another aspect of camp life is the stowage and general clutter. I have painted up some stowage piles from <a href="http://ainstycastings.co.uk/product_info.php/cPath/47/products_id/366/osCsid/9962b335ea9aa5d114c24dee72b66b02">Ainsty Castings</a> trade goods range. I've now got a range of items, such as chests, barrels, fleece 'bales', and goods in wicker baskets, to go around my tents and houses. These not only give a sense of life to the table, but also offer cover for my troops. <br />
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Lastly for this post, a few words on some small bits of terrain I made earlier in the year, to show where there is 'rough' ground. These were put together using 3mm thick ply, cut and sanded to various shapes, then they were glued together with PVA. Modelling clay was used to smooth out the slopes, then I covered them in my usual PVA covered with sand 'mix'. Once dry, they were painted up, and various types of Woodland Scenics foliage added. I think they've turned out nicely, and again add another dimension to the table top. <br />
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Below are a few pictures of the completed assembly, and some scenes of camp life. I've still forgotten to take a group shot of my buildings, so that will definitely be in the next post! As will the start of the Scots......until next time! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time for drill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pPCc2cTSzUM/Vlzj_TjOohI/AAAAAAAAAqs/94j03ZqZJv8/s1600/20151122_152147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pPCc2cTSzUM/Vlzj_TjOohI/AAAAAAAAAqs/94j03ZqZJv8/s320/20151122_152147.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A prisoner meets an untimely end...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cVaeyrTyp4/VlzksZ0lfQI/AAAAAAAAAq0/1uQA1LmheL8/s1600/20151101_142724.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3cVaeyrTyp4/VlzksZ0lfQI/AAAAAAAAAq0/1uQA1LmheL8/s320/20151101_142724.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... and Tam McLeod plans revenge! </td></tr>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-31670469381798003182015-11-14T15:01:00.000-08:002015-11-14T15:01:32.817-08:00Buildings for my ECW 'Donnybrook' project.Back in <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2014_03_01_archive.html#5359253459307988688">March</a> of last year, I posted an entry detailing the start of my work on the buildings I'm using for my Donnybrook ECW project. Looking back on it, it's a) hard to believe that it was so long ago, and b) not exactly an exciting post - a few pics of cut out wooden bases, and some unpainted buildings! Hardly inspirational, is it? So hopefully today's post will be a bit more gripping. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acVqRXb7xTI/VkekvN1mSOI/AAAAAAAAAmA/XismfEonsnM/s1600/20151101_151649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-acVqRXb7xTI/VkekvN1mSOI/AAAAAAAAAmA/XismfEonsnM/s320/20151101_151649.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some where in Scotland...Dragoons prepare for action.</td></tr>
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The buildings are from Hudson and Allen Studio, available from <a href="http://wargamescenics.com/index.html">Vatican Enterprises</a> of America. They are described in the catalogue as 'Scottish Highlands village set #2' and '#3', which sums them up fairly well. I picked them up a few years ago, from a company based in the UK, but now I'm not sure if there's a dealer in Britain anymore, as Ebob miniatures - listed on Vatican's own website - doesn't seem to have them shown. If anyone knows differently, or can tell me the ins and outs of exporting from the States, potential costs and tariffs etc; please let me know. I'd love to get some more of these buildings, as well as others in the Hudson and Allen range, which are perfect for the ECW period and earlier. <br />
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First up is building 'Number 2' - this is a smaller bothy type with a large lump of rock next to it. It's got that feel of being nestled into the ground, and out of the two, I think it's my favourite. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z18h6Xhfra0/Vkel2N7TssI/AAAAAAAAAmI/KKSkoj-MzZY/s1600/20151101_150859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z18h6Xhfra0/Vkel2N7TssI/AAAAAAAAAmI/KKSkoj-MzZY/s320/20151101_150859.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed cottage</td></tr>
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In some senses, these types of buildings might be described as 'bothies', but this is probably a misnomer, as a bothy is more of a 'working' type of building, a shelter for farm labourers, or somewhere to sleep for a few nights, maybe whilst out moving sheep, or working on the land. These types of building were common across the northern part of Britain, and the Scottish lowlands and especially the Highlands and Islands, from medieval, and later periods onwards, in one form or another. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-RbQJaUvW8/VkeoBMjSTjI/AAAAAAAAAmU/hcKyQqJU1GA/s1600/Highland%2Bcottage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="181" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X-RbQJaUvW8/VkeoBMjSTjI/AAAAAAAAAmU/hcKyQqJU1GA/s320/Highland%2Bcottage.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Bing<br />
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More accurately, perhaps would be a 'But and ben', a phrase derived from the Scots language to describe a two room house, with inner and outer chambers, with the 'But' bit describing the living area, and the 'ben' part the sleeping area. Another idea suggests it a phrase from the Dutch language - <em>buiten /binnen</em> or 'Outdoors/Indoors'! The general impression is one of a stone-built construction, usually thatched, which acts as a permanent residence, and in some places, maybe having one part specifically dedicated to the housing of cattle or other livestock. This type of building has been in existence for a long time across much of northern Britain, and was incredibly practical, with a low profile to avoid the extremities of weather and keep in heat, and with the livestock providing a small amount of warmth. Smelly perhaps, but homely at least! <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-heAhO7D2vjs/VkepuZxsP7I/AAAAAAAAAmg/8wb-_GSsLvg/s1600/106268-lookalike-thatched-cottage-at-newtonmores-highland-folk-museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-heAhO7D2vjs/VkepuZxsP7I/AAAAAAAAAmg/8wb-_GSsLvg/s320/106268-lookalike-thatched-cottage-at-newtonmores-highland-folk-museum.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Bing. At the Newtonmores Highland Folk Museum</td></tr>
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I'll let the pictures do the talking from now on. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaQn81E6gEc/Vker8zZRhjI/AAAAAAAAAms/GGPm40DwfOc/s1600/20151101_150949.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GaQn81E6gEc/Vker8zZRhjI/AAAAAAAAAms/GGPm40DwfOc/s320/20151101_150949.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the top</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8vV3MjxUZA/VkesTUaAiqI/AAAAAAAAAm0/-SEcwf9MHL0/s1600/20151101_151001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_8vV3MjxUZA/VkesTUaAiqI/AAAAAAAAAm0/-SEcwf9MHL0/s320/20151101_151001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rock, painted up using Wargames Foundry's 31 Granite tones</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P0H8OlEVWJM/VketFxGHzgI/AAAAAAAAAnA/exUlOnxUix0/s1600/20151101_151019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P0H8OlEVWJM/VketFxGHzgI/AAAAAAAAAnA/exUlOnxUix0/s320/20151101_151019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detail of the rear door</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NO1C81_LTZo/VketgN5zEFI/AAAAAAAAAnI/YUKfyQhO2Ss/s1600/20151101_151031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NO1C81_LTZo/VketgN5zEFI/AAAAAAAAAnI/YUKfyQhO2Ss/s320/20151101_151031.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The left-hand side of the building (viewed from the front)</td></tr>
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The second building, described as 'Number 3' in the Hudson and Allen/Vatican Enterprises catalogue, is a longer building, and with different doors, clearly tries to portray the type of building that might have housed livestock, as well as people. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67EFXNr2qnI/VkeunLt8vcI/AAAAAAAAAnU/-sCCSflwGQc/s1600/20151101_151252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-67EFXNr2qnI/VkeunLt8vcI/AAAAAAAAAnU/-sCCSflwGQc/s320/20151101_151252.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People to the left, cattle to the right?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RaGV1pSmFAs/VkevIv9b_9I/AAAAAAAAAnc/QAIyuFgolic/s1600/20151101_151304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RaGV1pSmFAs/VkevIv9b_9I/AAAAAAAAAnc/QAIyuFgolic/s320/20151101_151304.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Staunchly defending his home...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJln7lB5WMU/Vkevf717tSI/AAAAAAAAAnk/0Je4HzFxGIc/s1600/20151101_151320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJln7lB5WMU/Vkevf717tSI/AAAAAAAAAnk/0Je4HzFxGIc/s320/20151101_151320.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Detailing of the roof, and the left hand side of the building (viewed from the front)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xvQywkV5i40/Vkev9C3wJyI/AAAAAAAAAns/O_krPMRCOzg/s1600/20151101_151333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xvQywkV5i40/Vkev9C3wJyI/AAAAAAAAAns/O_krPMRCOzg/s320/20151101_151333.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">... Or maybe, with just one door, <em>this</em> is the front!...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDsbSFh9TRk/VkewhwzPBGI/AAAAAAAAAn4/Uh8l6UjmA2o/s1600/20151101_151341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vDsbSFh9TRk/VkewhwzPBGI/AAAAAAAAAn4/Uh8l6UjmA2o/s320/20151101_151341.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reeds growing around the 'animal waste' exit....Poooooooh!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TtFsHIOytaA/VkexC8Xk34I/AAAAAAAAAoA/JanmB3bntC0/s1600/20151101_151531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TtFsHIOytaA/VkexC8Xk34I/AAAAAAAAAoA/JanmB3bntC0/s320/20151101_151531.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An early morning scene...</td></tr>
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I've painted these buildings up using a range of palettes, working from a black undercoat of Humbrol enamel Black 33. These buildings will always have a special place in my heart, as one of the kids helped me to undercoat them - with supervision of course! Start them off at an early age, and all that... I know that spraying them probably would have been quicker, but I find a brushed-on undercoat is more useful for getting in all the nooks and crannies that can be missed with a spray undercoat, especially under the eaves etc. After that, it was a case of different greys - usually Foundry's 32 Slate grey palette. I used the 31 Granite palette for the rock on the first building, so <em>probably </em>should have used this for the whole building, but I wanted a slight contrast between the two 'parts' of the building. I steered away from the usual pale yellow thatch, that seems so beloved of wargamers painting these types of buildings. Whilst reeds can be a pale colour to start with, I wanted to give a 'lived-in' weathered feel to these buildings, so used a darker palette, mainly drawn from the Foundry 29 Moss palette, with a few judicious spots of a dark browny-black wash, and 'mouldy' patches using 28 Phlegm green shade 'a', and the French Dragoon 70 shade 'a'. A while ago, I was inspired by Simon Chick's Harness and Array blog, and his beautiful <a href="http://harness-and-array.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/medieval-cottage-completed.html">buildings</a>, which use a paler, more bleached (and in my view more realistic) tone on the woodwork. I decided to try and use the 31 Granite (a and b tones) palette as the basis for this, but with a slight wash here and there of black, and then a last paler shade of 12 Drab b and c tones, to give that browner tone of the wood. I've used this mix of shades on the doors, and on the exposed wooden beams on the roofs. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2QrjqYS9YM/Vke5kXqXDzI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/Va9D27MHoX0/s1600/20151101_145446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a2QrjqYS9YM/Vke5kXqXDzI/AAAAAAAAAoQ/Va9D27MHoX0/s320/20151101_145446.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Defend the whisky, boys!...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kOIZj6KJN1s/Vke6GY6GEnI/AAAAAAAAAoY/sT87kFqc3xc/s1600/20151101_150031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kOIZj6KJN1s/Vke6GY6GEnI/AAAAAAAAAoY/sT87kFqc3xc/s320/20151101_150031.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brave men of the Covenant advance....</td></tr>
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I've realised I've not got a 'group' photo of my buildings together, so I'll rectify that for the next post, and also include some pictures of the other type of shelter that features on my table, namely some tents! I'll also include some thoughts about barrels and other bits and bobs, which have featured in these and previous pictures. Then we'll get to the Scots. I'm in a slight painting 'dip' at the moment, so that'll encourage me to get cracking again. Best wishes, until next time!andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-27806212084725694582015-11-10T15:30:00.000-08:002015-11-10T15:30:31.416-08:00All creatures great and small.....Now that my New Model Army (or Newly Modelled English Army, in light of my previous post!) Faction is complete - at least in it's 4 point basic stage, without any revisions - it's time to turn attention to the Scots, and the other parts of my Donnybrook ECW project. So first up, it's the turn of the creatures inhabiting the table alongside the soldiers. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jbq82b1rugo/VkJcJBZ8hLI/AAAAAAAAAkI/4NTtRC_-MTY/s1600/20151101_135342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jbq82b1rugo/VkJcJBZ8hLI/AAAAAAAAAkI/4NTtRC_-MTY/s320/20151101_135342.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pikeman Dolittle talks to the animals...<br />
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Back in <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2015_01_01_archive.html#4191634328345841633">January</a>, I wrote about 'fluff' on the battlefield table top - the bits of scenery and accessories that aren't necessary for game play, but look rather good and set the scene, adding atmosphere and context. In skirmish games, this type of scenery can take a role of greater importance, acting as cover or hindrance to individuals or small groups of figures. Sometimes though, 'fluff' is purely aesthetic - after all, who really needs chickens?!!<br />
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Well, I reckon things like this - little cameo bases, livestock, small scenic items and so forth, really set the scene. I've always been inspired by gamers who put effort into such things, such as <a href="http://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/trench-loot.html">Sidney Roundwood</a> and his objective markers, <a href="http://toofatlardies.co.uk/blog/?p=168">The Two Fat Lardies</a>, and especially <a href="http://je-lay-emprins.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/communal-tent-completed.html">Simon Chick</a>, with his Harness and Array and Je Lay Emprins blogs. Their efforts to 'set the scene' are sublime and often innovative, and an example to follow. My <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2014_08_01_archive.html#2096467899968352569">Celtic Cross</a> instantly sets the scene for the table, giving the onlooker the impression that we're somewhere in Scotland or the north of England, or Ireland. Highland cattle or the buildings again suggest Scotland or Northern Britain. So when it came to painting up livestock for my game, I wanted to be reasonably accurate about my animals - if somewhat anally retentive about the level of detail! <br />
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First up on the animal painting itinerary, appeared my <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2015_01_01_archive.html#4191634328345841633">Highland Cows</a>, from Warbases. I finished these off a while ago, but still have a soft spot for them. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIZZDwOsE7A/VkJnkEdBILI/AAAAAAAAAkY/jdr7fvTLxH0/s1600/100_4726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gIZZDwOsE7A/VkJnkEdBILI/AAAAAAAAAkY/jdr7fvTLxH0/s320/100_4726.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Next, came a goat, I think from Irregular Miniatures, picked up at the Derby World's show in 2014. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yaWnrHLoXRw/VkJoNTHru0I/AAAAAAAAAkg/yXjLNmlBdlE/s1600/20151101_134725.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yaWnrHLoXRw/VkJoNTHru0I/AAAAAAAAAkg/yXjLNmlBdlE/s320/20151101_134725.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I decided to paint this particular example up as an example of the Cheviot goat - one of the types of British primitive goat that was introduced to this country around Neolithic times. I thought that this breed would do nicely for a 'multi - period' goat, suitable from at least Iron Ages times, right up until the 18th century at least. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-j3iD80wP4/VkJrROWrspI/AAAAAAAAAks/IsXkF0JJAWI/s1600/CheviotGoat1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0-j3iD80wP4/VkJrROWrspI/AAAAAAAAAks/IsXkF0JJAWI/s320/CheviotGoat1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Bing. <br />
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My chickens came from Warbases, and after a bit of internet research, I decided to paint these up as a type called the 'Scots Grey'. This is a breed that has been in existence for at least 200 years, and that originated in Scotland. I thought that this would be a good 'bog-standard' chicken to have scratching around my northern farmsteads, suitably drab, but fairly eye-catching with its speckled markings. They were a real pain to paint, with a black base coat, and two sets of grey highlights (yes, two!...) which seemed to take ages to 'dot' on, but I think they're worth the effort. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vlPEtxuARTU/VkJuh8G5vrI/AAAAAAAAAk4/wVWlpHFMGdg/s1600/20151101_134944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vlPEtxuARTU/VkJuh8G5vrI/AAAAAAAAAk4/wVWlpHFMGdg/s320/20151101_134944.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I didn't chicken out on the markings......</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p7b2baS9jTw/VkJvBt8B9VI/AAAAAAAAAlA/cOr0XfvuiRE/s1600/Chickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-p7b2baS9jTw/VkJvBt8B9VI/AAAAAAAAAlA/cOr0XfvuiRE/s320/Chickens.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The original. Photo from Bing.</td></tr>
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The most recent creatures to enter the 'Donnybrook Ark', are my sheep, from Hovels. I wasn't too sure how these would turn out, but I have to admit, I love them! I've got one more from the pack of six, still to paint, as well as two from Irregular sculpted in a slightly different style. I surpassed myself in the painting stakes with these sheep, putting in probably way too much effort on them, for what they are. I started off with a black undercoat, then dry brushed them with 11C Rawhide from Foundry, then another dry brush of 29C Moss. Next was a thin wash of 30C Raw linen, then when this was dry, another dry brush of Boneyard 9B, then one of Boneyard 9C to finish off. The eyes were dotted in using Spearshaft 13A. Ears were filled in using Boneyard 9A. The face, ears and legs were painted using a mix of i) Arctic Grey 33B and Boneyard 9B, then ii) White 33C and Boneyard 9B mix, and iii) a final high light of pure white. Phew! The horns on the ram were done with a range of browns, picking out the details of the grooving on the horns' growth. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCde4LumMTM/VkJx9_CinnI/AAAAAAAAAlM/F329GWjSw6I/s1600/20151101_134427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCde4LumMTM/VkJx9_CinnI/AAAAAAAAAlM/F329GWjSw6I/s320/20151101_134427.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baaaaa!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmZsw9O5szg/VkJ4jZcMYjI/AAAAAAAAAlc/F4Yx6f-kFYA/s1600/sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmZsw9O5szg/VkJ4jZcMYjI/AAAAAAAAAlc/F4Yx6f-kFYA/s320/sheep.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheviot Sheep. Photo from Bing<br />
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I based these sheep on the Cheviot, a white-faced breed that has been used for wool in the border regions of Scotland and England for centuries. It has been recognised as a hardy breed, since at least 1372. The wool of this sheep was often used in the tweed industry, and the animal has a similar appearance to styles of 'white -faced' sheep that were introduced by the Romans, so I might be able to use these models as far back as the 1st century on Roman villas. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LeA-nzBzz5I/VkJ5Eq9LHDI/AAAAAAAAAlk/diDHu_dpqc8/s1600/20151101_134600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LeA-nzBzz5I/VkJ5Eq9LHDI/AAAAAAAAAlk/diDHu_dpqc8/s320/20151101_134600.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In need of a shepherd!</td></tr>
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At some point, I'll get round to painting some civilians from Wargames Foundry, one of whom is a shepherd, so he'll do nicely for looking after these creatures. Apart from the three remaining sheep, I'm about there for my livestock. I've based them upon small bases (from Warbases), individually or in pairs, so that I can spread them out a bit. They might also be used as 'booty' in raid scenarios. <br />
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Apart from domesticated animals, I'm also thinking about 'wildlife' as well. I bought a pack of <a href="http://war-bases.co.uk/figurines?product_id=540">Red deer from Warbases </a> at Warlord Games Games day in 2014, and I've recently got hold of some of their rabbits as well. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ3gtKVwKrY/VkJ8JQ8HRPI/AAAAAAAAAlw/PEUZ_6EhPMI/s1600/20151101_135018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ3gtKVwKrY/VkJ8JQ8HRPI/AAAAAAAAAlw/PEUZ_6EhPMI/s320/20151101_135018.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What's up doc?....Bunnies for the pot! </td></tr>
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Hopefully that has given people a few ideas about including animals in their games - at the least, they look really good, and they'll be a talking point! Next up will be a post on the buildings that are going to feature in this project. See you soon! <br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-81853554961518237292015-11-01T15:09:00.006-08:002015-11-01T15:12:05.600-08:00Completed NMA faction......and a little light reading!Hi all! A week or so on from the last post, and it's time to show off the last of my NMA faction as it stands at the moment, for Donnybrook; before moving onto other parts of this project. I've also been going through a couple of books, which give a fuller picture of the Dunbar Campaign, and one of the characters involved - General John Lambert. <br />
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First though, a massive thanks to all those who continue to comment - either here or on other forums - and offer support and praise. It's all very humbling to get nice feedback about the figures and scenery I paint and create, and I'm glad that people are getting pleasure out of my efforts. I enjoy modelling and painting, as well as sharing my work, and if it continues to inspire people in the way that other bloggers have inspired me, then I'll keep going! Thank you!!!<br />
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First up then, the completed NMA Faction for Donnybrook. It's worth 4 points with a hero, so it works well for the basic version of the game. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D2rkTDIFvNE/VjZzYVyWmQI/AAAAAAAAAh4/KaN6Lg5gESI/s1600/20151101_140815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-D2rkTDIFvNE/VjZzYVyWmQI/AAAAAAAAAh4/KaN6Lg5gESI/s320/20151101_140815.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed faction, with Activation cards and shaken makers.<br />
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I managed to grab these pictures when there was better light, so I also took some close ups. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xf8y2w29D6Y/VjZ1FSXFB4I/AAAAAAAAAiM/Hp3f0UMk_bE/s1600/20151101_140915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xf8y2w29D6Y/VjZ1FSXFB4I/AAAAAAAAAiM/Hp3f0UMk_bE/s320/20151101_140915.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Major Robert Hawkins</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0N4pGMXJrk/VjZ0ps1r1mI/AAAAAAAAAiE/sXaUU-4DNRk/s1600/20151101_140900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r0N4pGMXJrk/VjZ0ps1r1mI/AAAAAAAAAiE/sXaUU-4DNRk/s320/20151101_140900.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shot</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eYQ9Ula0VV8/VjZ1dRSRzEI/AAAAAAAAAiU/UkiKoEC8ArU/s1600/20151101_140934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eYQ9Ula0VV8/VjZ1dRSRzEI/AAAAAAAAAiU/UkiKoEC8ArU/s320/20151101_140934.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gentlemen of the Pike<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zhvgqP8hxg0/VjZ2KjNBP_I/AAAAAAAAAic/Aiqk8jWA_dg/s1600/20151101_140951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zhvgqP8hxg0/VjZ2KjNBP_I/AAAAAAAAAic/Aiqk8jWA_dg/s320/20151101_140951.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Horse</td></tr>
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A few words about the soldiers in this faction. They represent troops of the New Model Army, formed by The Committee of Both Kingdoms on 6th January 1645, and coming into practical existence around April of that year. It would appear that the term 'New Model Army' might only date from the 19th century, but judging by contemporary records from 1646, the term 'New <em>Modelled </em>Army' was in use, describing the way that existing regional forces had been used to form a centralised newly modelled or organised army. There are existing contracts for coats or '<em>cassacks</em>' and breeches that date from August 1645 and February and March of 1646 (the old style calendar meant that these contracts were drawn up in 1645 - the new year in the Julian Calendar began in March), that show that certainly from this time onwards (ie late 1645 - early 1646), the new army was equipped in its famous red coats. However, as many of the soldiers from the three armies - Essex's, Waller's and Manchester's - that were used to create this new force were probably wearing red coats issued earlier, it's likely that by the time of the Naseby Campaign in 1645, many of the soldiers were already in red, even without the issue of the new uniforms. Certainly by 1650 and Dunbar, this army would have been in the famous 'Venice red' that began the 'legend ' of the British Redcoat.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQaM8C-ywzI/VjaakkbJtrI/AAAAAAAAAj4/_6NnjEJNtCY/s1600/20151101_141508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQaM8C-ywzI/VjaakkbJtrI/AAAAAAAAAj4/_6NnjEJNtCY/s320/20151101_141508.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Tawny orange 'montero' hat....a veteran of Essex's army, perhaps?...</td></tr>
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Breeches were of 'grey or some other good Coloure'. Regiments were distinguished by different coloured 'facings' or cuffs, and 'tapes' - the ties that held the coats together in place of buttons; 'ye tape to bee white, blew, greene, & yellow...orange'. I decided to paint mine yellow, as I can use these figures to represent another regiment with yellow facings from earlier in the Civil wars, though not all the figures from Perry Miniatures are sculpted with cuffs. Charles Fairfax's regiment had blue colours, and thus are <em>likely</em> to have had blue facings, but this is the only English regiment for the Dunbar campaign for which we have a sense of what colour facings or standards were shown. My figures could arguably come from for example, Colonel Alban Coxe's or Colonel William Daniel's Regiments. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Blow off your loose powder'</td></tr>
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Musketeers were equipped with bandoleers, with bottles or 'Boxes' '...to bee coloured blew with blew and white strings....'. I've chosen to paint a few of my shot with these blue bandoleers, to give a feel of the New Modelled Army. I did draw the line at blue and white strings for the bottles though! There aren't any contracts as far as I can tell, for armour for the Army, so my pike don't wear any, though doubtless some might have held onto helmets and possibly some back and breast. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HDeG20aC0G4/VjaBcvg0zkI/AAAAAAAAAi4/P0tHMbKsdMQ/s1600/20151101_141639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-HDeG20aC0G4/VjaBcvg0zkI/AAAAAAAAAi4/P0tHMbKsdMQ/s320/20151101_141639.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Order your pike...'</td></tr>
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Pike were 'of good Ash sixteen foote long wth steele heads at three shillings Xd a pike...'. Interestingly, it would appear that by 1645, a ratio of 3:1 of shot to pike was more likely, instead of the more familiar 2:1, and this leads me on to the composition of my New Model Army Faction, in light of my recent reading.</div>
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The book on the right - 'Cromwell hath the honour but...: Major General Lambert's Campaigns in the North 1648' (P.R.Hill and J.M.Watkinson) is slightly off topic, but gives a good feeling for the character and experiences of one of the Parliamentarian commanders, John Lambert. Lambert was a major figure in the later years of the Civil wars, heavily involved in the defence of the north against the Scots and the Preston Campaign in 1648, and the Siege of Pontefract Castle; as well as being one of the Army commanders in the Dunbar Campaign. He seems to have been a good leader, popular with his men, firm but fair, and generous in his terms with prisoners and the public. He was injured in a skirmish on 30th July 1650, as he led the rearguard of the retreating English Army, and his horse was shot in the neck and head, whilst Lambert was 'himself run through the arm with a lance...' and was captured, although quickly rescued later in the action. He seems to be an interesting character, and if I ever get deeper into this campaign and paint up a model of him, I'll write a fuller post about his life and career. I picked up this book at the Partizan show in spring of 2015.<br />
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Last week, the other book (on the left) - 'Dunbar 1650: Cromwell's most famous victory', by Stuart Reid, dropped through the letter box. It's one of the Osprey 'Campaign' series (No.142), and has given me food for thought about my Faction composition. Judging by the performance throughout the campaign, it seems as though I'm (just about) justified in giving my New Model Horse their 'Elite' status, although this is based purely on the numbers of veterans and battlefield performance. If I was running a campaign, they'd probably be merely Regular or 'trained', as the Scots often got the better of them, especially the Covenanter lancers.<br />
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The same would go for the foot - certainly by the time of the battle, the infantry were in dire straits, having lost many men (Reid suggests as many as 4-5000!) to sickness and malnutrition, caused by atrocious weather and a shortage of supplies. Having crossed the Anglo-Scots border on 22nd July, the English Army had to wait until mid August to have any tents! Only 3 out of the 8 regiments of infantry came directly from the 're-modelling', and one - William Daniel's - had only been recruited earlier in the year, intended for service in Ireland! So a 'trained' status for the infantry might reflect the impact of the arduous conditions and experience, in a more realistic way. In terms of how this impacts on my faction, for the future, I may consider having 16 regular shot - worth 2 points, a unit of 4 elite pike (1 point), 6 elite cavalry (2 points), and a regular unit of 6 Dragoons (1 point). It would appear that 2 companies of Okey's Dragoon regiment were equipped as regular horse, but 4 companies acted in the 'usual style' mounted infantry role during the campaign. For now though, expansion plans are to add another 3 elite cavalry, and another 4 elite musketeers. This gives me a 6 point force, with 6 cavalry, 4 pike and 12 shot - more realistically reflecting the 3:1 ratio of musket to pike, and reflecting overall <em>battlefield</em> performance of the New Model army from 1645-1651. On <em>that</em> note - I'm going to keep my cards saying 'New Model Army'. Anachronistic, it maybe, but people feel familiar with it! <br />
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That is for the future though, so the next few posts will be about buildings, and livestock - including chickens and sheep! Then it's the turn of the Scots.....See you soon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Scots are coming.....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baaaaaa! <br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-31800180203610562112015-10-22T15:49:00.000-07:002015-10-22T15:50:52.814-07:00Donnybrook New Model Army Faction - The Horse!Following hot on the heels of the foot for my Donnybrook New Model Army Faction, come the horse. These figures are all classed as Elite troops, and therefore 1 point gets you 3 figures. These guys are equipped with pistols, long swords and carbines, and wear armour. As Elite troops, they use a d10 to resolve firing and combat. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1lc_vSBYchw/VilUHopa9rI/AAAAAAAAAgM/rzHfvwCi_zI/s1600/20151022_104230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1lc_vSBYchw/VilUHopa9rI/AAAAAAAAAgM/rzHfvwCi_zI/s320/20151022_104230.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Horse, with Activation card and Shaken marker....and random barrels!</td></tr>
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The choice of Captain Hynde as a name was purely random - with all my 'unit' and character names, I've just gone with what sounds good. I wanted these units to be fictional and flexible, so I can use them for any actions of the NMA between 1645 and 1660. (I have, however, prepared a pack of Donnybrook cards for use in a different ECW action that are very much based on fact, but that will be a project for the future.) The figures are all Perry Miniatures, from packs ECW22 and ECW23.They've got a slight angle on the castings, but I can't work out if this is due to them getting bent slightly, or being sculpted like this, appearing to be 'on the move'.....I quite like the latter idea, and it certainly adds an air of motion to the figures. The shaken marker is from ECW12, and more about this chap (and others) can be found here:<br />
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<a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2015_01_01_archive.html#9029017225886469322">http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2015_01_01_archive.html#9029017225886469322</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A close-up of the unit Shaken marker.</td></tr>
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The figures were painted up using my usual mix of Wargames Foundry and Games Workshop paints, working from a black undercoat. I used WF Buff Leather 7 on two of the cavalry, and Rawhide 11 on the other. This added a bit of variety to the unit, and it's clear from pictures of Buff coats of the period, that there's lots of difference in shades. I also used Deep Brown Leather 45 quite copiously for boots and equipment. I have to admit that this colour is becoming one of my favourite Foundry colours - there's just enough of a variety in the shade, main and highlight tones to give a nicely balanced and realistic feel. The horses were painted using the Bay Brown 42 and Charcoal Black 34 shades. I was slightly apprehensive about painting these chaps, as horses always seem to be daunting, but in the end, it wasn't too bad. I guess that this is another advantage of skirmish rules, as you don't need too many figures.... as long as you don't want to game with a Mongol horde army! I'm still not convinced about my ability to paint black confidently, but I'll keep persevering and trying new shades or methods.<br />
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Once the horse were completed, this meant that my basic 4 point faction for Donnybrook was complete. In a future post, I'll detail ways that I'm going to expand on this, but for now this will do. These chaps have had a mixed bag so far in games - they do fairly well most of the time, but at Partizan they swept round a cart in a dramatic fashion to take on some Scots musketeers, only to meet a sticky end! They did look good though! These figures were painted between March and September 2015.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here come the Ironsides...</td></tr>
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Thank you for all the positive feedback, both here and on other forums - it's good motivation to finish off this project, and to share more pictures and ideas. In the future, I'll add some more information about the historical background of my forces and the Dunbar campaign. To close, here's some more pics of the figures, both on their own and in action. Next up will be some scenery and 'fluff', then I'll move on to the Scots! See you soon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Have they been seen off?...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No! Flee for ye lives!...<br />
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Cromwell's men on the rampage!...bye-bye to the vegetable garden! </td></tr>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-67891590091806584572015-10-20T16:07:00.003-07:002015-10-20T16:07:46.905-07:00My 4 point New Model Army Donnybrook faction - the foot completed!When I envisaged this Donnybrook project, I planned to create two basic factions, weighing in at 4 points each. This is a good place to begin, and gives a nice-sized force on the table - in fact, this is the recommended 'starting' point that the authors suggest in the rules.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QR_6jodjbY/ViayPzlepeI/AAAAAAAAAeo/_EOnXmBNQsE/s1600/100_5172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9QR_6jodjbY/ViayPzlepeI/AAAAAAAAAeo/_EOnXmBNQsE/s320/100_5172.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere in Scotland, 1650...</td></tr>
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Focusing on the English Civil War meant that I had a great amount of scope, in terms of armies and forces that could be represented on the table-top. So when I planned to paint up factions for the Dunbar campaign, it seemed only natural that the New Model Army of 1650 could be represented by the 'Elite' category of troops described in the rules. This gave me the following Faction:<br />
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1 Hero (Free)<br />
4 Elite Musketeers (1 point)<br />
4 Elite Musketeers (1 point)<br />
4 Elite Pikemen (1 point)<br />
3 Elite Cavalry (1 point)<br />
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This meant that I had 16 figures in total to paint up, including 3 cavalry. Not a massive undertaking to start with. Throw in some 'shaken' markers, and it was still less than 20 figures! Even with my glacial rate of painting, I might be able to get this faction onto the table in a decent timeframe! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The NMA swing into action...</td></tr>
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So, how did it pan out in reality? Well, in play-testing, we found that the individual companies were fairly brittle. Troops die easily in Donnybrook, whether they are 'Raw' troops or 'Elite'. With units testing for morale at 50%, losing just two figures as casualties would mean that a 4 man 'unit' could be out of action. The rules allow you to combine points together to make units of between 3 and twelve figures, so I decided to put together 2 points worth of Elite musketeers, into one unit of 8 figures. I've stuck with my 4 figure elite pikemen. This does mean that my infantry aren't that flexible in terms of tactics, only having one 'offensive' unit of shot, and a 'defensive' small unit of pike (depending how you use them, of course!), but the shot will last a bit longer, and won't have to test for morale quite so soon. I've got plans in the future to expand my factions to 6 points, which I'll detail in another post, so that might help with the flexibility issue. <br />
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Here, then are the Foot of my New Model Army 4 point Faction, presented in all their glory, in action, and on parade. Painted between February 2014 and May 2015<br />
Next up, the horse!...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed foot, with Activation cards and Shaken markers</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The foot from the front...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...and from the rear<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The pike ready to cover the musket whilst they reload...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Present your pieces!....'<br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-70033749972572004022015-10-17T13:09:00.000-07:002015-10-20T16:08:27.568-07:00Major Hawkins' CompanyBlimey! Long time, no post! Apologies for that, regular followers and casual droppers by........hopefully this will change over the coming months.<br />
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However, progress has been continuing here at Pell Mell Towers, with lots going on since January (the last time I posted!). Over the coming few weeks, I'll update people with progress on my Donnybrook ECW project, which has been ticking along nicely. First up is the progress and completion of Major Hawkins' company of Musketeers. I first wrote about these chaps last October <a href="http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2014_10_01_archive.html#6929832098667080127">http://haveacare.blogspot.co.uk/2014_10_01_archive.html#6929832098667080127</a>, but they've now been finished off. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The completed company, with activation card, Reload and Shaken markers<br />
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Here is the completed company of 8 figures - worth 2 points in a Donnybrook faction. In the rules, elite infantry can be 'bought' in groups of 4 figures - worth 1 point - and if required you can then combine troops into units of between 3 and 12 figures. After a few play tests, I decided to join together a pair of elite units, to form a bigger company. This means that my faction isn't quite as tactically flexible, having only one unit of musketeers, but it does mean that the musketeers stick around longer, and pack quite a punch, rolling 8 d10s! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The company in open order</td></tr>
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These figures are all Perry Miniatures, from packs ECW8, ECW9 and ECW10. They were painted in my usual manner, working from a black undercoat and using Wargames Foundry paints. I've tried to add a sense of uniformity, with most of the troops having Slate Grey 32 breeches, and Granite 31 hose. I then paint some of the figures - normally one in four - with different colour breeches or hose. The same principle is carried out with the equipment using standard leather-like and 'natural' colours. So for instance, I'll paint three figures with Buff 7 baldrics, then the fourth has a different colour such as Conker Brown 54. This gives units a standardised, well-equipped feel, but with a natural variation. It also means that figures can be painted up quicker as well - always useful! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The company in action!</td></tr>
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Next up will be shots of the complete company on parade and in action, so here's just a teaser of how they look together....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtXZrm8zSP0/ViKormkdZRI/AAAAAAAAAeY/_o9gf4kjZJw/s1600/20150304_200623.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtXZrm8zSP0/ViKormkdZRI/AAAAAAAAAeY/_o9gf4kjZJw/s320/20150304_200623.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Morris' pike and Major Hawkins' shot drawn up in classic ECW style,<br />
with Hawkins himself front and centre.</td></tr>
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Until next time! See you soon. <br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-4116231268224695522015-01-31T13:25:00.002-08:002015-01-31T13:26:53.372-08:00Trees, and time for close ups!As I continue with my Donnybrook project, along side this I'm also working on building and painting/modelling wargaming terrain and scenery - playing catch up after butterflying between projects for the last 20 years, and not really getting anywhere in all that time! Last summer, I built my terrain boards, I've been working on some buildings, and 'fluff' (see the last post), and finally, I've got round to making and basing up some trees, items which are just about essential on many wargaming tables, in one form or another. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Somewhere in Spain.....this is more a 'Birch' type tree, with lighter foliage and bark.</td></tr>
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Inspired by an excellent article in <em>Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy, </em>I bought some plastic tree frames made by Woodland Scenics, and some of their foliage clump packs - Medium green and light green shades. The tree frames were cleaned up, and flash scraped off, then the tree limbs and branches were twisted into place. I then painted the tree sprues up using the Wargames Foundry Granite No.31 triad, or WF Granite No 31 c shade, which were then drybrushed with pale grey up to white, for a more 'silver birch' type tree. The trees were glued to 60mm circular bases, from Warbases, and based up in my usual manner, leaving off the static grass and foliage, and given a coat of matt varnish. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first of the two trees, with a Foundry Rifleman painted up as a bugler of the 5/6oth Royal American Rifles for scale</td></tr>
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Next came the fun bit! Gluing on the foliage took a while - selecting clumps, and sticking them on with super glue, but the process is worth it! These clumps were 'sealed' with diluted PVA, to prevent the loosest of pieces from falling off, and when the glue was dry, I then applied the final grass and base foliage. The ultimate question is, is it worth it? Well, each tree (and so far I've made 3 of these out of a pack of twelve) has taken about 3 hours to make. But they have cost just over £2 each to make, and for unique trees, I don't think this is too bad. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frenchies lurking somewhere in the trees!</td></tr>
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Along side these bits of timber, there's also a Games Workshop 'style' tree, that I bought at the Derby show last autumn. This has been based up in the same manner, and adds a bit of variety. I've also had a try at making my own trees, out of twisted wire, but these aren't finished yet, and are for a future post. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My 'Silver Birch' type tree, and the GW tree. </td></tr>
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I've also been messing about with lighting and my camera phone, trying out close-ups and so forth. I think some of these have worked, so watch this space for future pics of Donnybrook stuff! I'm now at the point where I can finish off my NMA faction Musketeers, so see you soon! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I think the fusilier on the right realised the camera was pointing at him! French infantry advance.... a future project....</td></tr>
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5487299397802549618.post-41916343283458416332015-01-27T14:52:00.002-08:002015-01-27T14:52:59.756-08:00Wagons and wildlife....from Warbases!My Donnybrook ECW project is slowly progressing - more work on my New Model Army musketeers over the last few days - but this post is connected to the 'fluff' that I'm adding to the table.<br />
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'Fluff' is the (if we're being honest) unnecessary stuff that is placed on the battlefield, to add to the atmosphere of the game and to set the scene. In bigger games, it's arguably the case that things such as wagons, camps, wells, livestock, civilians and other such bits and bobs are really not needed; just the figures who fight are all that are needed for the purist! But in my opinion, these kind of things really complete a wargaming table - indeed, exponents of the convention circuit display games often spend a significant amount of time on the 'incidentals', and they certainly contribute to the spectacle of the game overall.<br />
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In a skirmish game like Donnybrook, certain items, such as barricades, piles of barrels and lumber, wells, fountains, wagons, even cattle and other livestock, that might be ignored on a grander scale, even take on a whole new importance. A stack of powder kegs might not be cover for a battalion of Napoleonic French Infantry in a large game - at a smaller 'scale' skirmish however, they can shelter a few figures. They even might come into play with event cards being drawn - ignited by accident and blowing unfortunate figures that are close by sky-high! So, along side my factions, I'm also making some 'fluff'; time-consuming it may be, but it all adds to the game, and the spectacle.<br />
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As a start, I bought this wagon from Warbases, at the Derby Show in 2014. Listed on their website as a 'haycart' <a href="http://war-bases.co.uk/ACCESSORIES/Carts-Wagon?product_id=409">http://war-bases.co.uk/ACCESSORIES/Carts-Wagon?product_id=409</a>, it only cost £3.50, and is made out of laser cut mdf. I topped it up with a resin hay bale, which was £2.50. The product is really well produced, good value, and the resin hay takes paint well, and is cast nice and crisply. There aren't any assembly instructions with the cart, but a quick reference to the website gives some clear images on how it's put together ( I used superglue), and it fits in perfectly with setting a rural scene. This will get plenty of use from the 17th to the 20th century. A quick paint job, with basecoats, washes and dry-brushed hi-lights worked well, and then it was based up. <br />
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I also bought some Highland cattle from the same company, when I went to the Warlord Games 'Games day', also last year. These beasties would set the scene instantly in Scotland, and the pack of two adult cows and a calf are perfect <a href="http://war-bases.co.uk/figurines/highland">http://war-bases.co.uk/figurines/highland</a> I really enjoyed painting these animals, in a mix of colours - Foundry Spearshaft 'a' shade to start off with, then gradual highlights with the Foundry Butter Fudge triad. Lots of consultation of Google images' Highland Cows pics to start off with! I've even tried to make a cowpat out of greenstuff - it looks alright, but I think I would have preferred more 'splat' or 'smear!' Fluff it maybe, but I think these cows may have a role to play at some stage in the future, causing chaos for my ECW and other factions, somewhere in Scotland! Cue the 'wandering cattle' event card! Until next time, happy painting! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mooooooooooo!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wha' you lookin' a'?!!!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenstuff cowpat - needs more 'splatter' I think......</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the rear of the cart - I've tried to splay the wheels out slightly, in a more accurate manner</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The cart without the hay bale, bravely defended by men of the Covenant!<br />
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andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17427558041343689014noreply@blogger.com0