Summer days...

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!

The completed 4 point Scots Covenanter Faction - Hero, characters and shaken markers included

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^th 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!

The Infantry, with the Saltire leading the way, sergeants marshalling the rear

A bird's-eye view

Captain Drummond's Company - these chaps have had their final two figures added this month

 

Close up of the unit - worth 1 point in Donnybrook  - a unit of regular musket

The rear of the unit - the tartan's been a real pain, but worth the effort

Mcleod's Company - the next 'point'. These chaps have slightly different coloured coats to distinguish them from Drummond's company

Hodden coats of the Scots Government troops

 

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'

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.

The pike about to charge.... I love the chap second from the left in the front rank, shouting battle cries...

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.

Close up of the Dragoons

The dismounted marker

Peeping over the top...

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^th 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.

Tam McLeod and his 'boys'... Hero and characters of the faction

 

Gordon Blair..... dour but slippery...... a real mixture of inspiration in his name...

 

Close up of Sergeant Blair - a Perry Miniature figure. He will sergeant for Drummond's company of shot.

Roy Armstrong - sergeant of McLeod's company of shot.

Another Perry figure - his plaid is more greenish than shown in the daylight.

Hamish McLeod the piper.... who's just ...loud...

Another Perry figure - I imagine him to be a relative of Tam, and part of the McLeod clan

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.

Jamie the Ensign. A hand painted flag that was based on real examples.

 

Another Perry Figure, one of many drawn from their English Civil War range/Scottish line.

 

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 him 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.

Nehemiah Cotton, with his activation card.

A close-up of Ensign Cotton. This flag, with one 'wavy 'pile' on it, represents the Major's colours.

A view from the rear - realistically he could portray an ensign from many regiments of the era.

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!

'Forward!!! For Christ, Crown and the Covenant!!'

Hodden grey and Venice red clash somewhere in Scotland

A view along the battle lines..

Thomas Playwell the fifer keeps spirits up...

'Cast about and make ready!...'

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.

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^st 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’!

As always, thanks for looking and the continued support and kind comments here and elsewhere on other forums. ‘Til next time! Ka-boom!!!!

 

'At the scum to the fore....Give...your...... fire!'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Scots, and my first NMA character.

Hi all - just a quick update amidst the pre-Partizan painting frenzy!

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.....



The Scots shot - start of the second unit.

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.

Here they are in a different setting, and more detail of the rear rank.



Even the grey-haired veterans are called to the ranks...

Here they make a bloody last stand - maybe some of this in a few weeks time?

Stand firm, my lads!....

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.

Hope you like 'em! See you soon. Apologies for the brevity, but.....just under three weeks to go!!!! See you soon.

'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.....'



The 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!

With only five weeks to go before Partizan weekend, 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.

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!:

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 Irregular Miniatures. They are listed in the 'siege equipment' section on their website.

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!

The vegetable gardens were inspired by an article on the Too Fat Lardies 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.

 

 

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!

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.

Having completed a unit of dragoons 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'.

A few close ups:

 

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 2014! 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!

Tam issues the order to fire!

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 post.

Foundry also provided the figures shown in the last pictures, drawn from their ECW civilians packs.

Màiri keeps a close eye on her brother, as he staggers back from the well...

...Wee Willie, with his not so wee bucket! Mind it doesn't spill!

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.

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....