Saturday, 25 June 2016

A gift!

No Not for you!

The Figure is a Black Scorpion Miniature fantasy female Pirate. First on a slotta base and then on a wooden base. The base did come all black, but it looked heavy so I added a blue stripe around it as the figure did look too sombre for my liking.

being a resin cast I was not sure about painting it but it is now the 5th one I have painted in this material so I am gaining confidence!

As with all Black Scorpion figures it is a very nice sculpt but as always I did struggle to get the colours how I wanted them. The Coat for example started as a red coat, then went green before finally being painted again in blue.

Overall I am happy enough with the figure. Parts like the feather in the hat came out very well first time. But the face was a struggle as trying to get a brush under the hat with my level of dexterity was shall we say "interesting".

Still enough of me complaining about the painting. I hope you like the figure and I hope the recipient (NOT A BLOGGER does as well).































I also found near the bottom of one of the smaller Lead piles 2 Drinks machines by "Ainsty Castings" so while in the mood I slapped some paint on these as well.

Not the most challenging items but painted none the less. We have a "Coke" Vending machine and a "Water Cooler" Both for 28mm games and no doubt in the future both will be used but no plans for them just yet. But we both know having them painted does increase the chance of getting them on the table!











And that's it for Today another post on Monday. Thanks for looking and catch you all later!



Thursday, 23 June 2016

Cold War US M113

The Start of my US Forces: A 15mm Peter Pig Resin destroyed M113. The model can be found in the Vietnam range and costs £4. (Plus Postage unless you buy at shows.) Because it is in the Vietnam range the foliage and undergrowth are more tropical than I would expect in Europe out side some botanical gardens.  But Once you get over that hurdle the model is a joy. And if you do want a tropical  setting what else could be better.

I on the other hand do not want a tropical setting for my cold war wargames. which is why I have painted it in a snow camouflage. Well as I am calling this a Cold war Project I thought to paint it snowy.

The scenarios will not actually be based in Europe but in Alaska! Alaska did at one stage "Belong" to Russia, but was sold to the USA by a Tsar.

My Basic thinking for the games is to have the Russians take it back! This gives me all the cold war drama but without having to build European battle boards and terrain. I will go into the full details at a later date, but needless to say I will make both forces seem like they have a reasonable excuse to fight in this wilderness. It may be things like a mistake in the translation of the original agreement that is misinterpreted. Not so very important to wargames but it does give me a new setting for Cold war wargaming!

Anyway thanks for looking today and if you live in The UK do not forget to vote! Vote which ever way your heart/soul/mind decides. All the best Clint

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

VBCW Womens Auxillery Bren Gun Team.

Well I think the title says it all really. I am not sure who makes the figures but suspect it is footsore miniatures. But whoever made them they did a really good job.

The flag is by Solway though if that makes any difference.

The only issue with the Bren team is that the bren gun had no rest and if any of you have ever lifted one you will agree they are not light! Matt did want it resting on a barrel (shown last time) but it just did not feel right so I did the sensible thing and decided to have it rest on a wall, or fence, which actually ended up as a tree!  Not my ideal choice, but it did work out OK.

The Ladies all have a yellow motif, in either dresses or neck scarfs as I did not want to paint them red or light blue and green when I tried it did not look right. So I settled on Yellow which is consistent and looks in my opinion right and yet is not so glaringly obvious as to stand out too much.

Matt wanted the socialist flag with them (he supplied the flag and converted the figure to hold it. So who was I to disagree with his choice. Because of the Black one might have thought it was an anarchist flag but the first word is "Socialist" so politically one has to assume these are more to the left.


Overall nice figures and a joy to paint. I will show my latest moderns in 2 days time as it was finished over the weekend and I am now working on an assortment of things. Hoping to have them ready by Saturday.

That's it for today I have to get out of the house now and get some work done!

Cheers Clint

Sunday, 19 June 2016

THE VBCW BROADSIDE game!

Firstly sorry it has taken a week,. Secondly I may have gotten some of the facts wrong as while at the show I was both distracted by the lovely traders and members of the public and yes even some of the games and a few bloggers. But everyone was lovely and I regret no distractions.

The game was very similar to a practice game (Link ) but with a couple of differences, Most importantly the card activation was alternative forces which meant I was not forced to move a tank only twice in a game when the enemy were able to move one of their tanks 6 times and fire 3 time to my ZERO ) which did make it seem a lot fairer, I know It was just bad luck that made that happen BUT being on the receiving end of such bad luck was not pleasant. Also this time it was both Graham (who needed to leave early) and Tim against me on my own, I had Peter  last time which is always nice even if I do consider him reckless at times and I am sure he finds me cautious at time)

So On with the game and this time I "Knew" how the rules worked... OK I did not know them but I did have a clue This time (as did the other players.)

And Matt who ran and supplied the game did a great job!

My troops begin to arrive and move up the board. My objective being the pub at the end of the road (No one say, "Just like real life!")

 As we arrive I deploy as best as I am able. A long way short of my objective as I found the Battle-taxi's slightly too fragile last time!


 The Boys Antitank unit had been upgraded to Veteran status and were so much better this game. First hitting and casusing a morale check that pinned the enemy medium tank to stay in place and not shoot for a turn. I did fire everything I could at the enemy tank even things I knew would not penetrate in the hope of a second morale check. But no need as the Boys fired again this time for a kill shot and the crew bailed out! (well most of them)
 the Antitank gun had no targets so elected to fire at the BUF Battle-taxis with limited success.

Elsewhere on the board some Anglican league fellows left the church and uncontrolled by me started taking and returning fire on my left flank. They all died within 2 turns gunned down by the BUF and I only became aware of them and tried to support them with a light tank in the second turn.

 The Tank never quite reached them and had to withdraw once they were dead or be out flanked by a horde of infantry. (seen on the left of this Picture)
My Infantry were lorried forward and it turns out the random  event was that my army had caught a severe cold and I had to loose a figure each turn to illness from now on.  Random events were a LOT kinder to me in this game than in the previous one, but Tim did seem to get of lightly as the only random event I recall was a light shower which had no effect on the game.


 Along with the Anglican league a wandering band of Morris dancers turned up. Having just sat down from a quick shop at Colonel Bills I was aware they were not mine so gleefully opened up and inflicted 2 casualties. Graham played in his absence.

 More and More Fascists arrive behind the Pub (theoretically my objective but I was going no where near it,) Including a Heavy MG which set up on the top floor. My troops in the centre field took a beating from that gun as it was a short range and they only had a hedge to hide behind.
 Tim got back to the table after a LONGER walk (about 3/4 of an hour) realised that the Morris men were not his and let loose and after 3 turns on the table not a single  Morris man was alive. Like the Anglican league they acted as a good cushion for my troops and really were BULLET Magnets!

Overall a much better game and It did look spectacular on the table and had many pleasing comments from the public. Some of whom had not seen a VBCW game before and were interested in the background and setting, so maybe a couple more players converted to the cause.





The show ended before a game result was achieved but my troops in the field did not fair well and a unit of 12 was still passing morale checks when just 3 survived! 

From my point of view a good game at a good show and a good result.

Thanks for reading today. If you have sun where you are enjoy that this Sunday and if you have rain stay in doors and paint like billie-OH!

Cheers Clint (Warm but overcast here in Kent today). Another post on Tuesday>>>