Slower Still

 Amongst other things I have been slowly beavering away at the sixth battalion for the French half of the the Peninsular project, this brings the collection to six battalions. I now need to paint up some guns to make up a couple of brigades for Soldiers of Napoleon before embarking on some cavalry. However when this will be I am not sure my favourite periods of ancients and WWII beckon for attention.

Front Rank figures with a GMB flag on bases from Warbases.

Until next time happy gaming and KBO

Beginning And End?

First unit to be completed this year is the fifth French battalion for the Peninsular project, the first base for the unit I showed in the previous post and continues the rough and ready approach.  Which is very fitting as I can only describe the sculpting on some of the figures the same way.

A close up to disabuse that the painting isn't rough and ready.

The first unit started on the paint desk this year was inspired by George's new years 3rd century Romans project. I knew that besides figures for a legionary unit and command base I had spare ones that I could pass on to George so while I had the box out I got the figures out and got them cleaned up and primed.

The delayed first game of 2025 will be over at GHQ tomorrow a small SYW bash.

TTFN & KBO

Onward!

In a few hours 2024 will be leaving the building so a little run down on what I have been painting in December is in order. Firstly the last figures completed recently in December.......

Did the early Saxons employ cavalry? Well mine do, figures from Footsore Miniatures, base from Warbases and hand painted shields.

Another base of Footsore Miniatures mounted Saxons, LBMS shield transfers where applicable.

The last of my AB Miniatures WWII German grenadiers, I just have a command group to do now.

The last figures to leave the painting desk today is the start of the fifth battalion of French infantry for my "it will look OK at three feet" Peninsular project.

Looking back over the year besides commission painting I have painted 331 figures together with 24 vehicles and 25 terrain pieces. I don't keep track of the number of games, Dave says he has played 50 games, some of those will have been against fellow GHQ Irregular Paul, so I imagine I have played 40 or there abouts.

What of 2025? I plan to continue to add to all the ongoing projects and maybe I will get to start on the Seleucid figures I am amassing later in the year. I shall cease commission work at the the end of March so I hope to increase the painted figure count next year, we will see. 

Happy New Year everybody, untll next year.........

TTFN & KBO

Le 26me Infanterie de Ligne

By sheer coincidence while Dave had started their Crimean counterparts I started the next addition to the Peninsular project with the same regiment.

These have again been painted in the main with GW Contrast paint. 

However this time with the exception of the white parts I have not added any additional highlights. While they wouldn't win any prizes I think they are more than good enough for table distances.

The figures are all Perry plastics on bases from Warbases as usual.

I have been struck down with the lurgy but I hope to be tip top ready for Partizan on Sunday.

Toodle pip & KBO

Fade To Grey

As I had not played Lion Rampant since 2021 and Dave since 2017! I decided to play a refresher game before we embarked on a linked game campaign in our post Roman Brittania setting.

We played the straightforward Bloodbath scenario from the rules and we only did one thing wrong rules wise, mea culpa. Here are some photos of the game a straight forward dark age slog no finesse or grand tactics in sight.

Prior to the month end I completed a battalion of Swiss for the Peninsular project, Front Rank figures.

That makes three battalions completed for the project so far.

Inspired by Dave Stone's description of his forth coming WWI rules, Zero Hour on Saturday I dug out some figures I started probably 18 months ago to complete. First up a sniper for the British, a Warlord WWII figure but who would know 🙂

Next a Renegade figure from a batch I bought at one of the Penkridge tabletop sales, didn't really need more German figures but at 50p a pop how could one refuse? I had converted one to be a musician inspired by a Peter Dennis illustration in the Cambrai Osprey book.

We will remain in the dark Ages for a 1066 game over at GHQ next week.

TTFN & KBO

Another Year Over?

Well nearly. Although I now only do commission work for existing customers they are keeping me rather busy, well into the New Year at least.

Consequencely painting this month is and will be rather slow, the only unit likely to muster out from under the brush is the second French battalion for the Peninsular project.

All Perry metal figures on bases from Warbases naturally, flag from GMB painted almost entirely with GW Contrast paints. It is back to the Triple Alliance and 1940 projects with what remains of the month.

The last game here at OHQ will be a First Carlist War game using Soldiers of Napoleon to see if they work for the period and to help us further our understanding of how the rules work. 

Until next time...........

TTFN & KBO

Underway

I wasn't planning on starting the Peninsular project until early in the New Year but inspired by our recent games using Soldiers of Napoleon rules and the fact that Dave can muster up enough British for the theater I decided to set to.

To speed the project up I have abandoned the plan to highlight the contrast painted parts up except in certain places, whilst they won't win any prizes I did complete twelve figures over about two and a half days.

I have also decided on eighteen figure units instead of twenty four this will better suit my six by four foot table better, as well as adding to speeding up the painting process.

In SofN you can remove bases to rally off disruption, I have done only three bases of six figures where units in SoN can be up to six.

To facilitate this I will do markers to denote bases less than six, if we play with Black Powder where bases are not removed they can be used to denote casualties instead.

We shall be returning to World War Two for tomorrow's game so stand by for an AAR in due course.

TTFN & KBO

 

Contrasts

You know how it is when you get new toys, I couldn't resist doing a trial.

Apart from a couple of horses previously, my first foray into contrast paints too.

Many thanks to Matt Bickley for the advice and tips and the kind donation of extra figures to the Emperor's cause.

Base colours on

Undercoat GW Wraith bone, warn your wallet of the hit.

Shako and other black bits - Black Templar

Musket - Wildwood

Pack - Gore Grunta Fur

Great Coat - Basilicanum Grey

Coat - Leviadon Blue

Piping and collar - Blood Angels Red

Non contrast

Flesh Vallejo - Cork Brown

Vallejo - Oily Steel for the musket.

Vallejo - Brass for, well the brass bits.

Vallejo - Medium Blue for the pompom 

Below hit with Army Painter Strong or Soft Tone to ones liking, in this case Soft Tone.

Here he is below highlighted up where deemed appropriate in his case the colours below were used

White bits - Vallejo Silver grey, Ivory or Off White to taste 

Coat - Vallejo Prussian Blue

Musket stock - Vallejo Mahogany Brown

Greatcoat - Vallejo Basalt Grey

Flesh - Vallejo Game Color Dwarf Skin and Model Color Dark Flesh.

Below the finished figure

I have decide on a 40x50x3mm base this keeps the frontage narrow and the depth allows firing figures not to have the musket sticking out too far

Written down it all seems rather long winded but over the weekend I completed twelve foot and three mounted figures using Contrast paints.

How do they compare to my normal layer method?

Spot the difference above a mix of Contrast and Layer. The "painted and on the table three foot away" maxim applies I think.

No game next week I am away in sunny, one can wish, the outlook is not good, Cornwall. I am hoping to detour to Devizes on the way home to visit the Attack show.

TTFN & KBO

Commanders

While I was going through the First Carlist War "extras" box I unearthed a Carlist command group, part of a Christmas gift from Dave. A tad rude of me not to have painted them yet I thought, so after completing the two skirmish units featured in the last post I set to.

I don't think we ever found out the manufacturer or if we did I have certainly forgotten, any ideas Dave?

En Avant!

General de Brigade, Pierre Bauduin, killed leading an attack on Hougoumont at Waterloo.

A freebie figure from the 2015 Partizan show I painted a while ago.

He will be leading a brigade on foot (unlike the real life Bauduin who lead the attack on horseback)in my new project, though somewhat earlier and more southerly.

My new project was inspired by Dave's new endeavour and reading Warwick's campaign reports using his Soldiers of Napoleon rules on his Move to Contact blog. I am revisiting the Napoleonic period having previously had a French army in 15mm many years ago and a half hearted attempt at a Russian army in 25mm just before that.

It begins

I have also, much to dismay of the war purse, stocked up on some GW contrast paints to help speed up the process, encouraged and given some handy tips from Dave's son Matt who gets stunning results on his Napoleonic armies.

Also on order is a copy of Soldiers of Napoleon together with the new Peninsular supplement.

Wish me luck.

TTFN & KBO