World War One Wednesday # 8

Nothing stops those Italians!

Taken from this great site here.

Nate

Inner Earth adventurers

Assuming he is happy with what I've done, these fine chaps will be headed for a plane to the UK in a couple of days time to find their home with Tim Knight of the world famous Heropress blog. The figures are by Antediluvian Miniatures and are lovely sculpts to paint.

The three adventurers together

Raquel Scotch appropriately attired for prehistoric frolics.

Professor Peter Cushion, armed with an umbrella and a Death Star (no? wrong movie?)

Shug McClure, spear at the ready.

And just to prove that I do paint the back side (ooo...er), the three from the rear.

Don't ask me what possessed me to paint a pinstripe on the professor, I guess it didn't come out too bad. Peter Cushion had an adventure of his own to get here. On her sixth birthday my daughter thought it would be fun to throw a bouncing rubber ball around the house. I believe that she was seeking vengeance for Alderaan, and got it, knocking off the professor and breaking his umbrella. Despite a pretty good repair job I decided that it was only right to replace the figure, so this is actually a second figure delivered in very speedy fashion by Antediluvian miniatures. The ball has since been appropriately punished.

Nate

Dark Ages dabbling

Yet another pocket project underway, this time the Norman conquest of England. This is really revisiting the period, as I had already painted up a 28mm SAGA project with the same two forces, Norman and Anglo-Danish. These have since passed into John's collection, but an email from Geoff recently piqued my interest as he talked about projects he was considering abandoning. One of them was 15mm 1066. Upon further inquiry he said I could have them if I wanted them. Did I? You bet!

The figures duly arrived and I was very happy to see some of them were painted, and very nicely too, by Rodger, he of Rebel Barracks fame and frequent commenter on this blog. Going through the figures there was more than enough for a 1066 pocket project, although I have ordered a battlepack of Anglo-Saxon fyrd from Lancashire Games (which mix in nicely with these Essex Miniatures - I checked) to create the bulk of the English infantry.

So after some rebasing, here is what we have so far:

The general's unit of huscarles.

A second unit of huscarles

The core of the English line - both units together

English lights - archers.

English lights - javelinmen

A unit of Norman knights

And from another angle (no pun intended)

So a big thanks to Geoff and also to Rodger for his wonderful painting. I hope I can match it withe the rest of the figures.

Nate

Whole way through

The second half of Craig's figures were finished off last night - the rest of the Kiwis and the first 7 Fallshirmjager. The next batch he sends me will be more Green Devils.

I took the photos this morning and light wasn't very good, so the yellowish tinge is the result of using my lamp to illuminate the figures.

Next on the painting tray are some figures for Tim (I haven't forgotten mate!) and a group of Vikings for Geoff. I've given up on painting anything for myself until Christmas...

Nate

World War One Wednesday # 7

A slightly different image this time. These figures are from issue 14 of Purnell's History of the First World War, which featured the siege of Antwerp. On the left is a British marine, and on the right a Belgian NCO. At the bottom is a naval gun carriage for an armoured train.

Quite appropriate that WWI Wednesday should fall on Armistice Day. I just watched a History Channel documentary containing interviews with the last surviving Aussie Gallipoli veterans. To a man, they felt that Gallipoli was best forgotten, and that foreign wars were to be avoided at all costs. Hopefully their voices don't get lost in these 100th Anniversary commemorations, where their stories are now bigger than them.

Nate

Latest 'winnings'

I had to put the title in inverted commas, because technically, I didn't win this giveaway from Captain Arjun over on Cor Blog Me. That honour goes to Chris Johnson, who then kindly said that if he won he would split the prize and send me this half of it. So thank you to both Chris and Captain Arjun for your generosity. By the way, the Captain has a giveaway every month - right now it is some gladiators - so head on over and have a look at his blog. He also has some great gaming content in a variety of different eras.

Now on to the loot!

The Strategy and Tactics magazine from 1992. It has some great historical information inside - not to mention a whole game!

But the real bonus, for me at least, is this:

Honestly - how many wars were ever fought in this part of the world?

A hexed campaign map of northern France. I plan on using it for a Franco-Prussian campaign similar to the Great Northern War Livonian campaign I fought out - but its ubiquity does not end there. Another pocket project I have is some Napoleonics to fight out one of my all-time favourite campaigns - 1814! If you haven't read up on the battle of Montmirail, you really should. It gives you a chance to field everything from Marie Louises to the Old Guard on the same field and sees Napoleon at his brilliant best.

Then there is the small skirmish that occured 100 years later somewhere in Northern France. I figure I could concentrate on the manoeuvrings of one division in the French army as it comes into conflict with the invading Germans.

And then, stretching it a bit further, The towns could represent oppida in a Gallic Wars campaign.
So, very happy with this latest score, it will see a lot of use, I'm sure.

Nate

Halfway through

My current commission is painting a Bolt Action New Zealand army for Craig. Last night I reached the halfway point.

'I'm sure we're in Italy, sir'
'Damn it. Where am I going to get a decent bottle of whiskey around here!'

'We're the D-Day dodgers...'

'... in sunny Italy...'

'...always on the vino, always on the spree.'

I have another 19 Kiwis to paint and then 6 Fallshirmjager for a total of 25 figures. In return, I've got 25 painted Soviet 15mm tanks. This commission is literally painting for lead.

Nate