Not going to Salute

Yep that's right I am not going to "Salute" show this year. It is just TOO big and TOO expensive. As has become my practice I have made 2 (so far) "NOT GOING TO SALUTE!" orders over the weekend.


Order 1 :

Yes I caved! I caved in and succumbed! Yes I am weak and I have pledged to this Kickstarter. ( LINK ) I only went for the "Heroes" option. as I have more of a use for them. I did look at the Villains very closely but as there was only 3 I would (at this point) use I dismissed it. MAybe in the future I will get the 3 I want from these selection. maybe I will  not.

Most importantly I am also going to get the "stretch goals!"  So for the price of £22 (plus postage) I should get the Heroes and the stretch goals. And to be honest the stretch goals are more to my liking at present than the figures.

Yes I am an awkward cuss!" At present the Ark of the covenant is not in the stretch goals but maybe by the time it closes it will be. (Fingers Crossed).  We  all like a few stretch goals!



Order 2:
As "alternative Armies" was having a sale I splurged and ordered some figures.  ( LINK ) Not a huge order but (I hope) enough 15mm US cavalry to finish an army! We both know that I will still buy some more at a later date. But this should be enough for my 9th or 10th US CAVALRY "Buffalo soldiers!" yes I could have done 7th Cavalry as seen as famous in the films but these are more interesting.

END NOTE
Sorry it is only talking today. I have had a step back and rethink on a project. Enough of a re-think to make me start again but using some existing items.

Ad a special thanks to Ray for getting me back in touch with an old friend. Not that they are old but we had lost touch over the last 23 years. So thanks again Ray I appreciate it!

A Little Late, but crucially not too late!

I finished these two at 8pm last night. As such I decided to photograph them this morning. The are as I am sure you will already know two Foundry Crimean War British Artillery crew. AS such they are painted for Matt and he shall get them this morning, Barring accidents! (Oh why did I say that now I am just tempting fate.

I am sure you know the details by now. Foundry 28mm Crimean war that I still know almost nothing about.

 Bought on eBay, more d6. I know  I know I am quite mad I have enough dice! So why buy more.
1) It's an obsession I can't help it!
2) I am looking for the lucky one. The one that will roll what I need when I need it!
3) Tim Has touched all my other dice! (Sorry mate I could not resist that comment)
4) I have worn all the luck off of my other dice.
5) I liked the pretty colours.
6) I want a set for show games!

Some of the above are whopping lies while other reasons are spot on. We all know that a factory only puts so much luck on a dice as part of the manufacturing process!! (That might not be true|)




Lastly the hot weather Dried up several of my paint colours. And as I do not use metallic all that often I found this guy selling samples reasonably cheap. All 6 colours cost me £5 including postage. So far I have to say they are the best golds/bronze/copper that I have ever used. I only hope that feeling lasts.  That should do for now as I have NO need to buy bigger and more expensive pots of acrylic gold. These were bought on a whim and I am not disappointed.


15mm sci fi. I have (I think) finally settled on my alien force and a quick bank check shows I can afford them (Out  of this years Interest..... JUST) so with a few chats today I hope to send off for them Monday. (Fingers Crossed)

That's it for today (Should have been yesterday) enjoy the weekend and play if you can or paint if you can't. Take care all the best Clint

Sorry no painting!

Well you Know it has been hot! For me far to hot. I sit in the same place to paint and I drip! OK I have started some figures for Matt. So expect some Burpas by the end of the week.

Change of Subject 1

Yesterday at the club we gave "What a tanker" another game. They decided I was not to have a tank destroyer this time. (thanks Richard). They also for a change decided Russian front.  I started in a German Tank lasted a turn and a half and was shot and no save and as we had unequal numbers I was then started in a T26. The lowest level Russian tank possible. I think they may have regretted it 3 kills later.

Here are my Tank Crews

British A13                                 1 Kill
            A13 (Second vehicle)     1 Kill    

Russian T26 B                            3 Kills         

German Panzer 2 A-C                Dead
              Panzer 35t                     Dead
              Panzerjager 1                4 Kills

So I can always have at least 1 tank with at least 1 kill in future games OF THE SAME TIME PERIOD. Not boasting but few other players at the club have gotten more than a single kill in a game. So at present I have a target painted on me and ALL players are trying to get me to some extent.  I bet they get me soon and with much celebration.


Change of Subject 2

Due to ease of building I will be going for option B, the Hidden Valley for the "Pulp Alley" game board. But I also plan to float an airship over the board to emphasis the height! At this stage DINOSAURS will be at a minimum. (Sorry Michael) but this will allow me anything from Victorian explorers all the way back to Cro-Magnum man and everything in between. SoTim shall be allowed Aztecs and Matt shall be allowed British Royal Navy! And Kev can (if he chooses) have Undead Egyptians!

Who knows what everyone will pick!

That's it for now too hot to sit in the sun typing!

All the best Clnt




          

An easy paint

More talking than anything else today. I admit it I got side-tracked into real life. Maybe for a good thing maybe for a bad one! Who knows at this stage!

Here  are probably the easiest things I have ever painted. 2 Elephant tusks, or Mammoth tusks or if you choose really large alien teeth!

They are by Wargames Terrain Workshop WTW (Link) Thanks Dave. I really do like them simple and effective and can be used for almost all 28mm wargames. Maybe they were just loot or maybe they are objective markers of in my Back of Beyond just really large Mammoth tusks. Who knows at this stage.

I am continuing to paint 6mm sci fi vehicles but the seem to be going very slow at the moment, perhaps due to lack of sleep in the heat. But at least they are coming along and I shall have some to show next week. Until then a sneak peek into my mind...... AHHHHHH! Yeah I thought that would be both scary and unpleasant.

Subject changed:

Next year, I know it sneaks up fast! Anyway next year at some local shows I plan to run some "PULP ALLEY" games. At this stage I have 2 plans and here they are!

Option 1;
A Victorian Science fiction game set in a Victorian steam-punk dockyard.  Above is a Picture of Chatham Dockyard so you get an idea of what kind of feel I would be looking for,

here are my initial thumbnail sketches.

 At this stage all is likely to change IF I go down this route. So only take the layout as a rough guide and do not try to find the exact option.

All buildings would and should be enterable and as such all should have fully functioning interiors Which means in warehouses piles of crates,sacks and the like for loads of cover.

You will no doubt note,  as one of my players did the airship and the submarine. These ideas were seized upon and to those members of tHe club became for a very short while the most important parts. Where as I looked upon them as being added extras, there to be finished last so if they were not finished they would not matter.

I already have the figures and am happy to get a few more. So figure choice would not be an big issue.

Option 2:


The idea of a secret valley. Harder I found to sketch! I am deliberately not saying if \I would choose to make an Ice age  Crevice, an African rift or a South American canyon. If this is selected I hope to make that decision with the aid of club members. I do like the idea of an airship somehow being involved for 19th and 20th Century Pulp adventures, as well as a possible Tarzan type character.

As such I have all the figures OR am willing to buy a few more.  Again no reason why in a pulp setting German or Royal Navy could not be involved. Just think of "Doug Mc Clure" films and I am sure you will get the idea. Although at this stage I shall not be going full "Valley of Gwangi!" Unless players really want me to.  I am sure we all remember the T-Rex in Tomb rader though! Still brings a smile to my face

ANYWAY:
if  you have a strong preference let me know. I shall of course pay a lot more attention to my club members as they will have to play it.  Maybe try a few other clubs as well before a show. All depends on how soon I pull my finger out and get on with it!

If neither of those ideas appeal I am happy to listen (BUT it shall be "PULP ALLEY" ) to alternatives. I have learnt in the past though that the more options given the less decisions are made and the more debate is had usually by the people willing to do the least work and try to claim the most credit! So please stick to the above ideas unless you  have a really smashing, bursting to get out never been seen at a show before idea!

Not Going to Salute LOOT

As most will know I did not attend Salute this year! I do not regret it. I am sure it was great and many interesting things were there. But it just costs too much to go every year. So here is what I spent the money on instead.... and it s still cheaper than the entrance and travel costs.

• What the Tanker , a new set of rules to try and having watched a few vids on toy-tube it does look like my cuppa!
• Zvezda t-26 in 1/100th scale, (not quite 15mm but close enough) More of this later
• Warpaint "Monster Brown"
• 3 Lucid Eye figures. Yes the pack had the wrong price on it so I nabbed it quick.
• 2 Brushes

Total spend less than £44 so for me a cheaper option. Whine over!

lets start with the brushes. these are just to replace ones that have been worn out! they really were the reason I went shopping! The paint is brown paint as I always use it in a variety of shades, almost every day! The Lucid eye Figures well as they should be £7:50 and I got them for £4:50 I won't say too much more.

In What a tanker a T-26 is the starting tank for the Russians. Therefore I imagine it will see early are action either by me or by a friend. I will be going for the Russian Northern front in WW2 as this seems to give the greatest variety. Russians with some lend lease from Britain and America as well as Germans (with Finish allies, Italian Allies, Hungarian Allies and Romanian allies (yes there was also the Spanish Blue legion as well but they were without tanks). So More variety of tanks than any other front. yes the Germans did use some captured French equipment as well) but no Japanese tanks were used in Russia in ww2 (China yes, Russia nope! Unless of course you know better)

So that is todays up date more on Sunday when I get some painting done!

WIP and Spendz.

Yes it has been a SLOW week wargames wise. However here are the first Work -in-Progress (WIP) photos of the Dieselpunk project. I HASTEN (Capitals and underlined) to add that is only the rough and is subject to change  in a very big way. In fact I have reached this stage before and scrapped it all so I am aware that it may happen that way again.

The "donor" vehicle is a Matchbox "Yesteryear truck and equates to about 28mm. All good so far. I have to add some armour to the sides and a turret and maybe a mine or oils slick dropper to the back. I will have to see as I get closer to completion.  The biggest problem of course is that each panel is a 3d curve so it has to be cut and shaped separately, tried in place and then attached with superglue. It's tricky time consuming and frustrating BUT when it is finished I am sure it will look very Dieselpunk and will become a much cherished vehicle, even if it is horrible in game terms. As for game terms we will just have to wait and see. I have at this stage NO clue how it will do.

Wargmes Terrain Workshop
A great display
I am told Dave is a regular
visitor to the shop
so if he wants to meet face to face one time
just let me know and we will
make it Happen.

LUCID EYE
in sock

You may remember that 2 weeks ago we (as a club) could not attend a local show due to the POOR weather. So I thought I would cheer myself up and have a little spend. I was of course in Rochester Wargames and model Railway shop.  They seem to have a lot more stock in most of it of interest to me

LUCID EYE (LINK) are now stocked. A figure range I have seen on eBay but not in the "Flesh". If youi do not know the range click the link to find out more.

The shop has also started to stock 15mm figures. WW2 Flames of war has been in stock for ages, but now some ancients and I must say BRAVO for that.

I was also interested to see some 15mm Vietnam stuff. I am VERY picky about Vietnam wargames so I did not get any. However it is a pleasure to see it  among the usual GW fodder.

No I did not look for necromunda. I meant to just forgot.

Here is what I did buy!

• A 1/100th scale JS 2 This will be a quick add to my AK 47 force for battles in Africa. After all we all need some heavy tanks!
• A pack of Savage Core (lucid eye) figures. More of these when I paint them. I hope to start them this week
• 2 pots of much needed paint
• A rules supplement. I had to import this from America, took about 9 working days and is the supplement I really wanted for "Force on Force" but was never able to find in this country. (sold out was the most common answer) again more on this (but so far not able to put down) in an upcoming post.

Well that' it for today I promise to get on with some hobby stuff today after I make the Roast Dinner (No none for you) wash up and then paint the kitchen cupboards. So that is my day planned out.

All the best Clint. Have a good day folks.

Epiphany (well sort of)

Ok that might be over doing it. (and It may be spelt wrong) but you get the idea. The figures are 20mm SHQ purchased at the recent Cavalier show (on Impulse). Personally I like 20mm figures and I like SHQ Miniatures and I like Cold war wargaming. Thus for me it is a shame they will possibly never get used.

I know the kind of wargame I want and have never found the correct rules. You can imagine what I wanted looking at the pic on the left. I have even looked into making and casting the "Iron Cow" Yes Bryan I know if I ever do you want one in 28mm scale. I know this. But I would be working in 20mm IF I ever did it, or maybe in 15mm depending on the other manufacturers and what they make to fit in as opposition. But my plan has always been 20mm.

Anyway that will have to wait. Probably till I die and someone else does it! So hold your breathe if you want but I would not advise it!

OKAY so why the Epiphany? Well while looking for some suitable "The Zone" rules I can across "Black Opps" by Osprey. Now I will admit they would be kind of suitable, but they would need a few tweaks to get the flavour right. What they would suit is Vietnam. Now the Vietnam conflict is just my thing and I have 2 forces ready to go. In fact they are itching to get going and have been for a LONG while. In a weeks time I do have a Veitnam game (Peter Pig rules) at a show. Personally I do not like these rules as I feel they are more about the game than the conflict. Yes I have looked at SEVERAL other sets of rules Including (but not limited to) FNG, Buckle for your dust, Body Count, Force on Force, Skirmish Sangin, Specte and even Flames of War. None of them quite give what I am after. FNG is closest but I do not like the mechanics as they come across as unwieldy. However "Black Opps" is the right scale (about a squad) easy to explain and use and should I hope, give a good Vietnam game. So that is my plan at this stage.

Thanks for reading my babble. next time some Vikings. (I hope)

Cavalier swag!

Show report probly tomorrow.

Internet has been down here so I missed a few posts but I have not been Idle so posts will come soon.

However until they do ... Just got back from the Cavalier show so I thought to share the loot/swag haul.  Here it is.

left to right top to bottom.

2 28mm Panserschrek teams for WW2 Germans got Chain of command.

6 Lewis Guns. These will be for conversions for my diesel punk project. Which I HOPE to START this week.

2 packs of Anstiy castings (Tea chests and stacks of boxes.) generally useful but also I do have a specific plan for them.

4 28mm Victorian Science Fiction Robots. (Ironclad Miniatures) Wait and see!

2 20mm SHQ Modern British gulf war soldiers. To paint as BAOR troops part impulse buy and part I want to do some "Cold War"

1 pack of plastic slotta bases because I am running out.

1 pack of German Aeronef Digs.

2 rule sets (Gift from friend so no cost) "Triumph and Tragedy for BoB. I already have the rules so either for Matt or another at the club.
and the Spanish Civil war supplement, which I was not expecting and now I am thinking of starting SCW in another scale!

4 Pots of Paint. I always need more paint since I found that the world stops spinning if I do not buy paint regularly! (No it does truly it does and if I wash my hair in it I will never go bald..... one of these comments may not be true, but why risk it?)

1 other secret thing I hope to get painted as a gift, But if I tell you it will not be a secret so I may just have to stick with the paint shampoo!

That's it for today. I will try to get a show game report done tomorrow

All the best folks.

Clint

Mixed bag

Yes a mixed bag today. A REAL Mixed bag. Infract a liquorice allsorts type of post.

Let me explain. Matt dropped of some figures on Sunday and they are based and undercoated and I HOPE to show some in a few days. But this put me in a position where I was starting afresh with nothing ready to share on todays post.

BoB Back of Beyond.
Having looked at the prices of Trains on eBay suitable for BoB wargaming I was quite frankly alarmed. A single locomotive ranged from £30-500. (Plus postage). But this was for a train to go around a railway track. I found that a cheaper option was to go for a "STATIC" model, which in this instance cost £5.95 inc.
postage. Which if a far more acceptable price. The model is only a little bit smaller and once taken from the base (4 screws) and weathered shall I deem make a very acceptable wargames piece suitable for the Back of Beyond.

Roman Necromunda.
Well not quite but still a good set of rules and one that allows you to play ancient skirmish games quickly easily and with a minimal of fuss. Yeah but it's Fantasy...... Well yes it is but my argument would be it is true to what was believed at the time. Okay that is only partially true. It is a bit like saying that people today believe in ghosts or the Loch ness Monster or UFO's. And True some people do and everyone is entitled to their own beliefs. I am not going to criticise anyone for what they believe or don't believe.

Several differs types of "warband" are featured in the rules but any enemy of Rome could be featured if you were willing to do some background reading and approach the rules with an open mind.

If you want a review of the rules let me know. Personally I like what I read, but it does mean you have to have an open mind and or like Fantasy games.

Longships.
This project has come from the back burner to the front burner. Two Christmases ago my Secret Santa (Blogger) sent me some 15mm Peter pig figures. I have felt guilty ever since as I had not used them at all. As Tim (at the club) has 2 10mm WW1 Middle east armies nearly finished that project fell of the burner altogether. Which opened up some space. Some of you will be aware that I used to be in a Dark age Re-enactment group, as such I have an interest in this period. As such I did have a VERY old DBA army (I actually had 4 at one stage but only kept hold of one). Therefore I an repaimting and rebasing a force to sit in with the Peter Pig rules "Longships". I hasten to add than no new purchases are at present planned (Ok some are, but only loosely and no money has parted hands so far.

One of the good things about the Dark ages is that once you have an army it can be used for multiple opponents.  Seriously there is no difference in what a Viking wore or fought with or an Anglo Saxon, or Scots or Welsh or... you get the idea.

14/400. yes tis is 14 points from 400 needed for a game. The figures are old, very old, they are about 35 years old and were the first army I ever bought. Re-painted now . The two with bows are "Minifigs" the 2 with slings are "Tabletop games" (A company no longer in existence at all.) Each stand in the Peter pig rules is worth 7 points. They are skirmishers and a Viking army historically did not have many of them at all.

I will not flood the army lists with skirmishers but it is useful to have 1 skirmish unit if no more. Having NO skirmish units is I have found a disadvantage.

When I finish another unit I will tell you both the points of the unit and the total paints for the army. Remember it if out of 400. so as mentioned this is 14/400.

That is it for today more again soon. Matts crew next I hope.

As always any questions, comments or observations are welcomed.

Plans! (2018)

My plans are as always very fluid. However here are some thoughts for the new year. I will of course continue to paint for Matt (and other club members if they pay me). But that is not really a plan of mine for the new year.

Bellow are the things I want to achieve for myself I will try to only show the basic plans and hope this time next year I can cross them off. (I usually can't).

1] I shall continue with the BoB (Back of Beyond) Project in 20mm. This will definitely happen as I feel enthused by the whole game ethos.

2] Crimson Skies: While still reading the rules I see this as a club game that may actually take off. I still need to read all the rules but so far so good. It should make a very suitable game for the club and I am at present contemplating making some sky boards even maybe a zeppelin! Remember you heard it here first.


3] WW1 Historical. For this I really need to do a few things first. The easiest being talk to Tim at the club. When that is done I need to sell all my colonial figures (to raise funds and make space.) Tim has an UNPAINTED Turkish army and an UNPAINTED Imperial (British) army. So I will need to see what he says on Sunday and maybe start an army within 2 months of that. As well as Galipoli and Lawence of Arabia there are many other battles that did take place and it makes such a change from Western Front.

4] Dieselpunk. As I had the "Gaslands" Rules (osprey) for Crimbo I find I like the ules but dislike the setting and scale and therefore changes NEED to be made. As such I intend to make a scale change to 28mm. Easy done just enlarge the templates. I also want to take it back to a 1930's setting. Yes this will be loads of work to get the cars right.... in that they will need to be converted. But just imagine how spectacular it will look. Assuming I can get it finished. I know this is by far the biggest plan and fraught with difficulties but if it works it will be great.



In addition I will continue to work on my dark age aries (yes I have 2 started, one in 28mm and one in 15mmm) > These are not a priority at present so do not expect huge leaps to be made in them. I also have some Lord of the Rings figures to paint and hope to do one every 2 weeks.

Lastly I expect TO GET SIDE TRACKED. This is almost inevitable so do not hold it against me. Hope fully something will grab you as well. If so please feel free to leave a comment.

All the best Clint

And little can be done until a chat at the club but at least these are my plans.

All I want for Krimbo is......?

Well I must say I am very pleased with the gifts I received this year.
And here they are.

 Firstly my mother is very nearly back to normal and this is the best gift.

As she was poorly she could not get any gifts so I treated myself. I bought the new Osprey rules "Gaslands" which I must say are rather quite good. While designed for a specific scale and setting there is a paragraph in the rules For changing the scale or the setting, so I think I will be edging towards Dieselpunk games.

I was also VERY lucky and managed to snag (on eBay) a mint version of Crimson Skies. It really does not look like it has ever been played with so I am just going to have to play it like crazy! I have about 20 "Wizkid" planes and will be working on getting this game as fully 3d as possible. Maybe not straight away, but soon my precious soon!  More Dieselpunk!

My sister got me the DVD of Rocketeer so that will add to the dieselpunk vibe very nicely. It is what I asked for and I am grateful.


Lastly from Matt and completely unexpected I got some German Aeronef ships. These are Brigade Models and they are helping to lift my spirits immensely. Totally unexpected and again I am very grateful for them. Cheers Mate.

Not (so far) a bad Krimbo at all. Yes I did buy everything in the top 2 pics myself, but I got exactly what I wanted and am smiling like a Cheshire cat!

Another post (Assuming I get anything finished) in 2 days

Until then take care have fun and paint if the mood takles you.

Best Wishes and seasons Greetings Clint

2 things

My Sister on Khan (the horse)
at Hickstead this year.

Firstly a big congrats to my sister. She came 9th out of a field of 29 at Hicktead Horse Trials. She was competing in Dressage.  While 9th is not Olympic standard it is still pretty good. (FAR better than I could have even attempted to do!)

I do not mention my sister often as she has NO interest in my hobby.



And the Rosette for coming 9th

Can I ride a horse?.... I have learnt to cling on but I am in no way proficient.


















Ok back to wargaming...... here is the start of Matt's Aeronef British fleet!


At this stage he has Far to many small aeronef and they have been a right paint to paint. But they are done now so I can put them out of my mind and get something else done.

below are a series of close ups of various class vessels. With the brown ones at the end being airships. I had to paint 3 times before I was happy with them.

That's it for today. Take care have fun and paint if the mood takes you.

best wishes Clint