3 more

I blame the hot weather. It has been hot in the South of England okay not compared to some countries but for England. The consequence is that I am not sleeping. The follow on Is I have been painting when it is still light but not too hot. Like 4am. As such I finished these 3 this morning. At 6am, and then went and varnished some of the woodwork in the garden!

Yeah I know.


 The figures are Redoubt again and finish of the Archers I was painting. I should now have a suitable woodland Indian force for "En Garde" the rules by Osprey. So maybe we can start doing some new world adventures.

Colour wise these should fit in with the rest and while the two on the left look at first glance to be the same if you check their head attire they are clearly different. So I painted them about as different colour wise as I thought I could get away with.

I was going to put some VSF on today. (They are now finished) but as I get less post  views on a weekend I thought they could wait until the middle of the week.

Thanks for Looking. And tomorrow at the club I will be trying "Mantic's The Walking dead -all out war!!" At least that s the plan. It may  change you never know.

Another post on Monday all the best Clint

3 Little Indians (28mm Redobt)

Sometimes I paint very slowly, I really do. Especially when painting for myself.
And these 3 are painted for myself.

These 3 were bought from REDOUBT (LINK )
at the Broadside show last month. I did have a distinct lack of American Woodland Indians with Bows  so I rectified that by buying a single pack of 6 figures for the princely sum of £.50 (at the time)

As you can see from the second picture they are destined to fit in with my other Indians. I have 3 more on the painting table and hope to use them in an "En Garde" game. It is all in my head at the moment so perhaps best not say any more.  However should it take off you may expect to see a few more of these sorts on this blog in short order.

The 3 further Indians are all bow armed as I have enough with muskets for now and I hope enough with hand weapons of various sorts. But if we start playing in earnest I suspect that may change.

These were definitely painted for myself though and are now put away in a padded box until they are needed.

Thanks for looking and with luck (But no guarantees) a finished In Her Majesties Name (IHMN) force on Sunday. Until then, take care have fun and try not to overheat.

Now where did I put the Ice-cream I bought yesterday?

2 Little Indians

Yes 2 28mm "Redoubt" woodland Indians.

While I do not think the sculpts are the very best I do appreciate the prices. They work out at £1.40 per figure and at that price who can possibly complain. I still have a few left to paint so when it gets quiet I will paint some more.

Both carry daggers in addition to their main weapons so they look like they know what they are doing, even if I am in charge and the reality is that they have no idea!

I do struggle when painting "Warpaint" as I just cannot imagine it properly. I am however keeping to just 4 colours (Red, white, black and ochre) as I believe they would be the correct colours but I have NO evidence for that.

As mentioned I do have more of these to do and I will be getting some more as well as it turns out I have none with bow and arrow. And that just seems wrong!

That's it for now more in a day or two.

I am undecided what to put on next, an AAR or some more figures. If you have a SATRONG preference mention your choice in the comments.

All the best Clint

Up a creek with out a........

Continuing the French Indian wars theme, I have pain ted a canoe! So just a simple piece of scenery. The Canoe is part of the Redoubt range and I got this one without any figures as Tim does the resin castings for Redoubt and this one was a miss cast. As a Miss cast he could not sell it to a customer paying the full price, and as once the resin has been cast you cannot (as far as I am aware) reclaim anything from it. So it has taken a fair amount of work filling air bubbles and filing down the sides where the resin had pooled but finally after a few hours (about 3 1/2) the model looked good enough for me to slap some paint on and get it finished.

If the model had not been miss cast I would be full of praise for it. I really do like it and may even get a few more (even if they were miss cast) as I think they would lend a bit of atmosphere to any French Indian war Game. And knowing that if I was to buy one it would not be miss cast but pristine does fill me with confidence about the company not wanting to pass on second best to their buyers. So that's a BIG thumbs up from me.

Muskets and Tomahawks (Again)

Well it was a club day yesterday and Tim Bought along  his "Muskets and Tomahawks " models for a game following an email from me in the week asking what he wanted to do to which he replied "As the oldest and wisest among us I will make the decision! I went with it.

The scenario was pretty much the same one we played at the Broadside show but this time with the British attacking and the French defending. There really were a few differences like all the regular troops starting off table and having to arrive, the French also had an artillery piece (More of that later) and a blockhouse and the British troops had a few special abilities (Rangers with sharp shooter skills for example.) You get the idea basically the same game but with a few tweaks.

 The table looking from the wooded wilderness towards the settlement and block house (Top left hand corner.

 The three characters from the book/film with Natty Bumpole (aka Hawkeye, you can see why he changed his name!) on the left next to Uncas and Chingwachok (Yeah Ok I spelt it wrong, so sue me!)

 The first few actions were all about getting the regulars on the tabe and out of the Block house. I controlled all the irregulars so this was nothing to worry about for me. The cannon might have been a worry but despite it firing at every opportunity failed to make a single hit in the whole game. But it was enough to worry us. I even set the three characters up to take a shot at the crew at extreme range but with typical dice rolling could not have hit a barn door even if I was standing inside the afore mentioned barn. Oh well, it's the thought that counts.

Rob was controlling the French irregulars, against my British irregulars, Tim Played the British Regulars and Mast the French Regulars. Not two separate boards but a river in the middle! (In case you wondered what the Blue strip was).

 The French Indians are in quite big groups. And with the Coeur de Bois got lots of actions before I could do very much at all, but being card driven activations I knew I would get mine more towards the end of the turn. But this did allow them to advance quite far into my half of the table without any response.

 Yep here they come!

 I did finally manage to get some shooting done at them and force a recoil. But my light Infantry (in the Red were in an exposed position.

 Meanwhile Tim and Mat get their regulars on the table and Tim looses a volley. Totally annihilating some civilised French Indians. So First blood to the British. We were on a surge!

 Over on my side the Indians were now in cover and no matter how many dice I rolled I just could not hit them. So much for my rangers and the "Sharpe-shooters" skill. But they look good in the Photo so that counts for something.

 The British Indians are forced by morale to recoil of of the ridge line and out of cover.

 Things are not going Tims way either! So much for the surge! The two settlers in the building manage to force the British "Blue Jackets" to recoil. So there would be no burning of the settlement this or the next few turns.

 The French Regular Lines fired. Big Units in Muskets and Tomahawks are lethal. Tim looses 16 regular troops in one round of firing.

 The British Light Infantry moved both to cover from standing out in the open and getting shot at and to a position to block the French advance.

 More regular shooting and one of the British 32 man units is reduced to 4 men only. (Yet somehow passes morale!)

 The British Indians fire at the French Locally raised militia and do diddly squat! But all is not lost afterall it is only one round of bad dice rolls.

 The French settlers continue to punish the "Blue Jackets". On paper they have no chance but that's before any dice are rolled.

Bob Launches a close assault and I beat them Back. So I launch one in retaliation and cause casualties but the French pass their morale so hold the line.

Then as luck would have it the French get two Indian cards in a row and manage to charge two of my units (the Light Infantry and my Rangers who are already in melee. The writing is on the wall and both my units are instantly reduced to s signal man and an officer each. I pass the morale and they cannot run away and have to fight on!

Time is now getting late and I have far too many troops to hold the left wing and Tim's regulars are so badly chewed up we concede the game. A Major French Victory!

Well done to Mat and Bob. And commiserations to Me and Tim!

While it is subject to change next month at the club I will be teaching some guys "Battletech" and 2 weeks after that we plan to do a Chain of Command VBCW> So that's the plan anyway.

Thanks for reading today have fun and I hope to see you all soon.

Broadside Game 2015

Yes I got the year right this time! Stop sniggering I can't help it!

Ok so for the Broadside Game this year Tim Hosted the game using all his figures and scenery and his knowledge of the rules. The Rules we were using were "Muskets and Tomahawks" and the setting was the French Indian Wars, somewhere in Canada. Matt played the British, Tim acted as Ref and I played the French. All the figures were "Redoubt" and painted by Tim. And I must say did look good.

There were a couple of side missions, My Indians had to loot the village for example and Matts Civilians had to escape! Both Matt and myself set up our regulars in the open areas  opposite each other with our irregular troops in the woods and for the most part across the river.

The doors for the show opened at 10am so that is when we started simply chatting and going over rules and forces before that time. No point in stressing about it. I must say we could have all played faster, but that would have meant no time away from the table for a look around or shop and a lot less time chatting to the people there, but as both those activities are important to a show I am sure you'll forgive us all.

 After a very short time the Irregulars were in a position to start firing. The card activated turn sequence was with me and I got the first few units to fir. While not devastating it did give first blood to me as my Indians with muskets and frontiersmen chance to get their eyes in. I do send a small unit of Indians towards the village and they take 3 activations to cross the river. But they have no muskets and only hand to hand weapons.

 Two casualties from the British Rangers who were not in cover thanks to some lucky dice and Matt learnt that cover is your friend as his return fire was not as effective as that and I took no casualties. But the skirmish in the woods was underway and it would continue all day long in real life or about 30 minutes in the figures life.

 Out on the open areas, again my French big units fired first. If you have never played Muskets and Tomahawks with big units and several people during the day said they had not, you will note that they can take a lot of casualties before they need to worry about morale very much. Likewise when they do shoot they can and do make a bloody mess. On Average between 7-9 casualties inflicted each time they fire.

 

 

Matt was eager to get the civilians away and lead them straight in front of the French firing line. We did suggest he was employing them as a human shield to protect his regular units. Tim said any casualties inflicted would have to be on the Civilians before the Regular British units could take a single hit. Did that stop me firing at the unarmed civilians? The short answer is NO! I was not aware of Matts secret mission at this stage. But one phase of firing and they were all dead and some excess hits had gotten through to the British!

 Out in the open areas the mas ranks of the firing slowly grinds units down until they start to fail morale tests. The British will fail a morale test  and withdraw 4 inches in the French turn. Then in the British turn they will advance back into the firing line and fire on the French, forcing them to withdraw. And so it continues neither side giving an inch to the other player but the mass ranks getting more sparse each turn.

 Meanwhile back in the woods. The British Indians move up and bring fire on my Frontiersmen who instantly fail a morale check and they flee back to safety and out of sight hovering 4-5 inches from my base line. Lucky shots from some of my Canadian militia force the British Irregulars back as well. 

 To make things a bit more interesting Tim brings on some reinforcements for the British,  A small bunch of civilians with a mission. And my closest troops currently hiding due to the morale can make no actions at all so have to let them get very close.

 Another British unit (Large and Regular) is also bought onto the game. But these are to make the game look better and are a long way from any action and knowing the day is coming to a close I decide not to bring my reserves on, as the only logical place would get them into the fight far too early and would unbalance the game.

 But as the show ends in 15 mins I make a mad dash with my melee Indians and get them to the outskirts of the village. In truth they had moved at every opportunity in the game but had taken their time in clearing the river and the wood edge, but they did finally make the village just as the game was set to end.

 

And as my last action my Frontiersmen recovered from the disastrous morale check of earlier and were able to assault the civilians. Which resulted in another casualty for them and my slaying of Uncas and my capturing of one of the females!

 

That was it and the time had run out. It pretty much was a draw, but Tim and Matt declared it a French victory as I had managed to capture one of the cinematic leading ladies and had the Indians in the village to loo as much as they wanted. But the cost to my regular troops was so high that in reality it really was a draw. But a fun game and the rues worked very well and gave a fun game and that means as far as I am concerned Mat, Tim and myself were all equal winners on the day.

 

Thanks for looking today more again soon. Cheers from Clint

 



Empress Maria Theresa

 Well something a little different, not a leather stocking in sight. Nor a gun, sword axe or other weapon of war. Back in 2013 when I entered the Analogue Painting Challenge, Kawe of Westfalia Miniatures offered each participant a limited edition figure. And here is mine painted up. I received it during the Salute show and at the time though "I have no use for this!" But then I got thinking. Yeah I know It's dangerous. Now I don't know who this figure was in real life, I am sure I could do the research but lets be blunt I am just too lazy to do so!

The figure is 25mm and not 28mm but that is not an issue because people all come in different sizes in real life and it is not uncommon to see people of 5 feet tall and those of 6 feet tall stood in close proximity. So undaunted I set about splashing some colour on her! Given that modern dying techniques were not used prior to 1846 I went for a Peach or coral pink for her gown with lighter pink for the lace and trimmings. Simply because I saw this shade of pink on "Poldark TV Series" worn by "Verity" in one episode, and if the colour was acceptable for the BBC I knew it would be OK for me as well. That may sound like a weak solution but it works for me.

So what will I use the figure for? Well I think it will go in my 3 Musketeer collection, but it could equally well go in with Settlers in the Americas used against my French Indian wars Indians. So not of the greatest use to me but another figure done and dusted, varnished and put away.

I did find here hard to paint but that is probably just my ineptitude and a better painter may have no problems at all. I found the face in particular a challenge but I think it came out OK so I am not displeased at all.

And finally my cousin has returned this week from a vacation in Australia. As such I was given a packet od Australian sweets to try. The chocolate outside was nice but I did not like the interior. I thought looking at the packet that it might be soft and chewy, but it was hard instead. And while I am delighted to have tried them I don't think I will ever again.

So that's a late post for me today as to be honest I was not expecting to finish the figure today at all. I am not sure what will be finished just yet but with luck I should have something finished in a couple more days. So until next time., take care, slap some paint on a figure or two or maybe play a game. All the Best from Kent, England>

Cheers Clint

Yet more Woodland Indians!

Well the title gives a very good clue about these figures. Continuing with the Redoubt 28mm French Indian Wars range today another 4 Indians. I am grateful to Simon Jones for leaving a comment on my last lot of Leather stockings. I am sure he may be correct in that they were made of trade blankets by this stage, but I will continue to paint them as leather for three reasons. Firstly because the James Fennimore Cooper books are called the "Leather Stocking Tales". Secondly because most players mine included expect them to be this material in the same way that many people paint Ninja figures dressed in black where there is NO historical evidence of them wearing black. And Thirdly because I like the look and they may not actually be used as historically accurate figures.

So this time they are a musket heavy group. There were 4 muskets in a £7.50 pack but I swapped one out last time and replaced with a war club one. Surprisingly good value I think despite the fact that they are a little chunky in places. Let's put it this way I am happy to have the figures for the Price.

The third Photo shows a little clearer on the Faces. You can all thank or curse Anne for that! For War paint I have stuck to black, white and red just to keep them all looking somewhat regular in setting. I have not looked at any traditional references for the war-paint preferring to just make it up and be happy. You will see that some have it around the jaw and others on the forehead and yet others still across the full face. For Gaming purposes I am happy to mix and match like that and not do any in-depth research! yeah I am a lazy so and so! So If you want to do the research and let me know I will be happy to listen as it will save me a job!

The final picture for today has all the ones painted so far together. Only 11 but they look quite fearsome and imposing, at least to me.

While I have no Donnybrook plans for them they may or may not get used for that. In the back of my head I do have a "Fantasy" use for them (I can imagine Ray shuddering) but one should be careful about putting "Fantasy" and "Leather-stockings" in the same sentence!

Thanks for looking today, have a good weekend and get some painting done!
I have some to do as well..... more mundane than these!

More Leather stockings!

Yes a couple more figures from the redoubt French Indian Wars range. This brings it up to 8, a long way short of an army at present but destined to grow a bit more . I can say that with confidence as I have 4 more started.

I started painting these figures from Redoubt after playing "Muskets and Tomahawks." Yes I like Native American figures I can't help it. Only met one in real life as far as I am aware but they were nice enough. So no complaints there! While some of the proportions on the Redoubt figures may be ever-so slightly off As I already had them I will not complain too much. I knew when I painted the last 4 which were just for fun that I had a couple more tucked away. Well it turns out the 3 or 4 I thought I had were actually 11 or 12 so yes you can expect some more of these to get paint slapped on them before too long.

Price wise they are £7.50 for 4 (+P &P) so I expect that I will get a few more when I next go to a show with Redoubt present. Just to round the collection out, not because I actually have a use for them, although if I try hard I can probably find a use. Yes Ray I know they can be used for Donnybrook! A really enjoyable paint and great fun trying to think up different war paints for each of them.

Thanks for looking today and with luck something else in a day or two. All the best from Kent, England and I hope you had an enjoyable general election if you are in the UK. And if not better luck in 5 (or less) years time.

Cheers Clint

Leather stockings

Well a bit of a change. Only because I needed a break. But I can assure you there are some more 20mm Vietnam figures coming. And a shout out to Peter in the wargames club for giving me two die cast helicopters.

But today something a little different. While at the skirmish show you may remember I was given charge of some woodland Indians in a "Muskets and Tomahawks" game. I would have done well if I had not had quite so many Indians killed by my arch nemesis Graham.

So just for fun I painted up some 28mm "Redoubt" figures. They ready were a nice change of pace from the 20mm Vietnam stuff. AS I was compelled "Last of the Mohicans" By James Fenimore Cooper while at college and it at the time was a heinous chore of the greatest magnitude being as I am dyslexic and the book was not written in modern English. Anyway I was at least able to remember the Last of the Mohicans was not a stand alone book but was part of the "Leather stocking tales" which all tell the story of "Natty Bumppo" (Yes I know it sounds like a Hobbit name but is actually the name of the lead character) commonly caller Hawkeye.

So anyway I painted up 3 Indians just for fun. As you can see they all have warpaint and leather stockings as well! And carry a mixture of traditional native and European weapons. I bought them several years ago (about 12 I think) and they have finally made it as far as the painting table. I will be doing some more in the future and may eventually make an Iroquois or Abanaki war party for "Muskets and Tomahawks" but at this stage I must stress they were only painted for the joy of painting and not part of a plan.

Do not take that to mean I have no long-term plan for them as I do. But do not expect to see too many of these in the near future. (Famous last words).

There are problems with the Redoubt figures. They are slightly taller than most 28mm figures and sometimes they are not amazingly well sculpted, but for the price I think they are pretty hard to beat in that you can get 6 for £7.50 (+P&P). And I have found that they do paint up quite nicely so I may well pick up some more at the Salute show. Just another pack or two, not a whole tribe or force but just to be able to put a few units on the table for any future "Muskets and Tomahawks" Games.

Thanks for looking today. More (Vietnam) again soon, then maybe some more WW1 German Jaegers or Zulus or something completely different.

Enjoy the rest of Easter and take care and paint a few figures. I know I will.

Cheers Clint