Paint monkey again.

Yes a little more Painting for Matt. As Matt got his WW1 Germans back last weekend he very kindly gave me more things to paint and some beer tokens for doing so. So what Have I managed to do in the last 5 days. There are some mounted officers and Infantry I have just started for Matt as well. So No 1/300th scale started by me just yet.









Well the answer is a Colonial Northwest Frontier Indian gun and crew. I cannot and will not claim to know very much about this period or what the gun is but all the colours are copied from the internet so I am fairly content that they are right.

As there are 4 crew we can assume one is the gun commander, one the loader, one the firer and one the Rammer! I am confident that these will increase his collection and make the Northwest Frontier more of an active project for him. I do have more of this period to do for him so you can expect to see more in the next week.


 The gun is quite small but I for one would not want to carry it up a mountain. so there are an additional 2 donkeys to help with the portage. I am not sure of the make of the donkeys, but the gun and crew I believe are Foundry, but not totally sure about that.







The last picture is them all together and not really much more to say. Thanks for popping by have a good day and with luck more again on Sunday.

Take care of yourself Clint.

New Project Alert.. You are warned.

For the long standing members of this blog you may remember this post LINK about plans for 2013. Well one of them is now on the top of my to do list so I will be starting a new project this week. Gasp shock horror! No it is not chariot racing (maybe by this time next year! Maybe!)

I have mentioned it to other club members and it looks like there is a strong possibility of doing 6mm Cold War Era wargaming. So as It stands it looks like we shall be doing this for our broadside game next year. Unless I get side-tracked or another club member wants to do something else. So we shall see what happens, but as I type this I have good intentions.

This is as much a return to my roots as it is a new project. As I used to play this kind of game a fair amount in the 80's I have found my two armies from this time and will start to re-paint and re-base them over the coming months. I will also build terrain, in fact you may say I have started already as I have three boards carcassed-out and ready to start work on. Don't hold your breath though they are a very long way from finished yet. Merely boards and Battening at this stage, nothing more.

To the right you can see some of my current bedside reading. I do have more rule options as well but as "Challenger 2" was my choice of rules back in the day I have a feeling it will be where I start. First Clash is not a rule set, but more an alternative history.

The following Blogs have inspired me so I would like to say THANKS to them as well. There are of course many more blogs out there covering this topic so this is in no way a definitive list.

http://coldwargamer.blogspot.co.uk/  Doing it in 20mm but packed full of top class information
http://stoppingtheredtide.blogspot.co.uk/ Doing it in 15mm
http://whirarwistan.blogspot.co.uk/ Another 20mm site (more modern than cold war)
http://bleaseworld.blogspot.co.uk/ 6mm Arab Israeli War
http://www.blmablog.com/ 6mm WW2 Western Desert

Well that is just a very short list and I am sure you have got your own favourites for this period and scale.

But now that my SCW game is coming to a conclusion I will be able to concentrate on a new project.

Thanks for looking today and I will have some painted figures by Friday. Just on the basing now.

All the best Clint

Shako shaken

I do not play a lot of Nappys. Lets just say bad experience in the past and leave it at that. But I had a game on Sunday of Shako. I have played these rules about 10 years ago so as you will already have worked out I was totally aware of all the rules and connotations. Also apart from reading and watching "Sharpe" this period is a big black hole in my historical knowledge. So that make me a perfect candidate to act as a subordinate commander as far as the club is concerned.

Anyway Tim was my superior commander and we had the French. Gary, Peter and Colin had the Russians. Gary was more than fluent with the rules and Colin knew them pretty well but Tim and myself lets just say not so much but we had the French. Tim devised a plan and gave me a briefing which made me happy as it meant I did not have to think about tactics or any of that hard stuff. And this is how it all went.

The French line with my troops in the foreground.
The battle was an
Encounter battle.

The Russians had a double line.
It turn out 3/4 of the way through the battle that
Tim had short changed the French
in numbers of troops we were allowed.
Ah well!

The French plan was simple.
I was to hold the Right flank seen as vulnerable
while Tim advanced on the left
and would thus roll up the Russian Line.

My troops move up to the town and then go on defend orders.

My troops hold the town and
 Tim sends his cavalry forward and pivots his infantry.
Taking the battle to the Russians.
 

Tims Cavalry charge.
The Russians form (for the most part) squares.
I think you can guess the result.

The dice were rolled and the
result was just as you expected

Yes you were right! The infantry on in square were trounced
and the follow up charge destroyed another unit.
The Other cavalry died heroically and futility.
Lots and Lots of dead horse
so we all knew what was on the menu that night!
 

Tim wanted a picture of the Russian troops he'd destroyed.

Tim's troops
follow up but have to clamber over
piles of dead horses.
They too get repulsed for the most part.

So as the French Attack had been repulsed.
The Russians went on the offensive.
Firstly with their Cavalry against our reserve cavalry.

The Russians started to advance on the town
 so I brought up my reserve. Yes I was still playing
you cheeky so and so!

Tim brings on some more troops
 as we had forgotten to include them in the army
 at the beginning of the game. I have one more unit to
fill the gap and crest the hill.

From the other side/end of the table.
The Russians having taken the hill
close on Tims Fresh Bavarian troops.

The Russians (under Colin) attack my troops
and the town. The troops on my far right
were driven back. But all others held.
Despite 2 or three columns attacking each of my
Line troops. Yes I got luck with some dice rolls.
 

Eventually the Russians push through the French line.

 

And that's when the French army had taken sufficient casualties to force a withdraw. I think we have to hand it to the other players Gary, Peter and Colin on a good solid game and in Gary's words a Pyric Victory for the Russians.

That's it for today I shall do another post very soon. Thank you for reading. And it has made me want to play some more "Shako" in the future. Take care and I hope you are well.

Can you tell what it is yet (2)

The answer is probably clear by now but for those still in the dark it is 35 of scale 10-15mm dry stone walling. What cha mean it don't look like that? Well it is now close enough for the wargames table. (Yes Jo you guessed it was walls give yourself a smug point and well done!)

Ok so what did I do? starting from the hardboard bases I cut chip board into thin strips. Without a guard or a guide it was all done by eye and some are noticeably thicker than others. That's not the point, it's not even the issue! Then as the chip board was about 12mm thick I was able to break them with my hands to give an un even top and a ragged edge.

Then with a hot glue gun I attached the chip board to the Hardboard bases. I will be the first to admit that I am barely competent with a hot glue gun but it worked for the most part. I only used it because it is pretty instantaneous in drying...... I think it dries too fast if I am honest. A couple of safety tips, as I have seen kids in schools try to use them in glue gun fights I can assure you that it is not a good idea unless you want to ruin each others clothes and loose all your pocket money for a long time! I would also suggest you do not eat the glue (hot or cold!) And lastly if you get it on you immediately wipe it off onto the work bench, do not wait to attract a teachers attention or rush to a sink. Additionally it is not butch and macho to see how long you can bear to hold the hot glue! Lecture over and common sense reinstated for the thicko's out there, you know who I am talking too!


The following day (I went in for some tea) I painted the hardboard areas with a mixture of green paint and Pva White wood glue and coated them with sand. The day after that I watered down some burnt umber acrylic and added more PVA and washed the chipboard to make it darker.

Another day later I repainted the hardboard and sand in a medium green and when that was dry I dry brushed some light green and yellow onto the bases.

As you can see it is all very straight forward but I did need to do it as otherwise my 10mm SCW battle field will look very barren indeed. So these added to my hedges and buildings should give enough cover so the machine guns do not decimate the other troops. This method will work for 10mm troops and 15 mm figures and 20mm figures should you wish to try making cheap simple and effective dry stone walls.

Thanks for looking today and I plan to update on Monday. And If I forget my camera at the club tomorrow I will have to let you in on one of my secret plans (Mathyoo already knows)!

As ever comments are welcome. Have a good weekend and take care of you and yours all the best Clint.

I am sure you are no doubt sick of 10mm SCW by now. So I will say sorry as I present my latest two

trucks. I thought I had finished, but yes here are 2 more. I am expecting a small parcel of figures to arrive so I was going to Blog about them. Unfortunately they did not arrive so maybe by Saturday. I was going to blog about the wargames terrain that is being worked on up the shed, but that was not dry yet. Or I was going to blog about what I am sure will be my next wargames project (a real step back in time to my early wargames years) but until I get either the terrain up the shed finished or the parcel arrive I feel that will be premature!

So I had two spare bases and two spare trucks so I thought I would expand my SCW forces yet again. (Sorry if this is getting boring by now). They are both Skytrex "Action 200" Range. (LINK ). While I have not found any detail of command vehicles in the SCW that has not stopped me painting one. After all if they were used in WW2 it can't be too much of a leap forward. And an open top 6 wheel truck with a left hand driver. ( By which a driver seated on the left and not one who only uses his left hand.) I think this was originally part of the American forces for WW2 but without rivet counters commenting who really cares.

So while I am forced to wait on other things to arrive or Dry I thought I would just bash out a couple more SCW trucks. Now the good news is I have no more bases for any more trucks (Yippee! I can hear you shout even from here). So It is very unlikely I will get any more done.

Thanks for looking today and with luck something interesting by Saturday. All the Best Clint.

They don't like it.... yeah we all know!

Yeah we all know how that line goes and it is very common for wargamers to utter the immortal lines. They did have great script writer back then but that is really no excuse! These figures were hidden from me last time I painted my 10mm Sudan figures up, they have since re-emerged from the "put somewhere safe" place and now had some paint slapped on them.

So today I am pleased to have finished another 9 stands of 10mm Beja from Pendraken. Who are rapidly becoming one of my favourite figure manufacturers.


All painted and based to fit in with my existing colonial SUDAN figures. So they should give the forces of the Mahdi a little bit more of a punch.

That's just a very quick update for today and at least it's a few more painted figures and lets be honest the Mahdi can do with more troops which may mean I can paint more British troops (eventually).

Thanks for popping by and with luck I may get something in the mail.

Have a good few days and I'll post again soon.
All the best Clint

Rural Spain 10mm

I could not leave it alone! "Leave it! Leave It!" Yes I know but I was like a terrier. Consequently I have painted a few scenery/terrain bits for my Spanish Civil war game. While at Salute this year I came across The Square a wargames company I at the time had not heard of and miracle of all miracles they had some 10 mm Spanish terrain. So of course I bought it. So today here are three of their rural Spain buildings. I seem to remember they cost about £6.75 for all three. Resin cast one piece castings and they have a real rustic appeal. They are not perfectly cast, but for the price I am very happy with them.

All three of them were good fun to paint and that's from a person who does not like painting terrain or indeed resin. Still never mind that. I did find a couple of air bubbles and some bits of miss cast detail but I would get some more of these if I was able. So from my point of view I now have three 10mm Spanish Farm houses. I would like some out buildings as well, but I am sure I can find something for that. You just never know. This has even made me think very briefly about getting some 10mm Peninsular war Napoleonic's- I quickly sought medication and am recovering now. So no Minnie Sharpe antics planned!

As you can see I have painted some different coloured doors and window shutters. This will allow me to quickly identify buildings and maybe even have them as objectives. For example if you say the blue house it does become very clear which one it is.

I have tried to keep them in traditional Spanish rural colours but If I was to get another pack I might consider doing some in an un whitewashed look.

Well that's it for today. If I don't get side tracked by the football I will have some figures done soon and the "Can you see what it is yet" Terrain moved a step or two closer.

Hope to see you Tuesday, all the best Clint

Can you see what it is yet?

Yes a bit cryptic perhaps but I have started making some terrain up the shed now that the Robins have left the nest. (Yes I had Robins nesting in the shed!)At this stage nothing to see as I just slice up hardboard with a "Stanley" knife. Just to say at this stage all the hard board has been chopped to the right size, with is to say as strips 8-12mm wide. I will no doubt continue this for the next few days.

Yes it's boring with little to see but it is a nessercary step.

That's today's up date. Very un glamorous but much as I would like showing freshly painted every other day is a hard thing to do.

 There are a couple of things on the painting table at present and with luck I should have something painted by Sunday (no promises).

All the best Clint.

Enough for now?

I think I now have enough Spanish Civil War troops. They are all 10mm Pendraken miniatures. One of the benefits of the Spanish Civil war is that the uniforms, clothing and equipment are about the same for each side. Thus by changing the flags Republican Militia can represent Nationalist Militia, and as regular army uniforms were used by both sides again by having interchangeable flags that issue is resolved.

The top picture shows my forces as I have tried to explain they can be seen as interchange able by swapping the flags I shall list the troops from right to left, starting at the front and moving backwards.

• 3 Platoons of Guardia Civilia with a single 14.5mm Hotchkiss Machinegun.
• 6 platoons of troops in regular army uniforms. These may be regular army, Communist or Facist troops or indeed most other factions as mentioned uniforms were used by all.

• Regular army uniformed Machinegun company again all 14.5mm Hotchkiss machine guns. 10 guns in all and company command. These may be split inot the platoons or grouped together as the situation demands.
• 1 Platoon of Guardia Assaulto (pre war paramilitary police). You had to have served in the army before being accepted into this force before the war but I am not sure that was the case during the war. Again used by both sides.
• 2 Medium trucks to be used as tows for the 155mm (French) Field Guns. The guns have crews in regular army uniforms.
• a Single Bilbao Armoured Car of the type used by the Guardia Assalto.

• 7 platoons of Militia dressed infantry. Again these could be on either side as Flange Militia, Poum Militia, Anarchist Militia, Communist Militia etc. So very versatile troops again just needing a change of flags.
• 2 Heavy trucks.
• 5 Medium trucks 3 with Trailers. Again all trucks are interchangeable and my be used for transporting troops or supplies.

• 2 Platoons of militia armed 14.5mm Hotchkiss Machineguns. Just as the regular army machine guns they can be grouped together or allotted to each platoon.
• 5 stands of Cavalry both mounted and dismounted. These were mostly used as scouts.
• a small platoon of Dynamiteros. only 6 stands because we don't want to over do it.
• Trucks already mentioned.
• A single Armoured truck armed with a machine gun and enclosed.
• a Light truck with 3 medium mortars. These are in regular army uniforms.
• 4 Tankettes (Italian C33s). 2 man very light tanks armed with Breda Machine guns. A gift from the Italian Fascist Government
• 2 Unknown tanks I am not sure what they are but they look right and will probably not be used
• A light truck with ambulance markings.
• A staff car of a type usable for civilian as well as military intentions.
• 3 T26 of Russian Origin but used by both sides as sufficient numbers were captured. They are in a grey livery as they were at this time and interestingly Russian Tanks changed to a green livery by the end of the war. Needless to say many were re-painted to suit local conditions.
• 2 Italian 65mm Mountain guns with Civilian crews and also packed up on mule mounts for transportation purposes.
• 1 105mm Howitzer with limber. Civilian crew.
• 1 fuel tanker with trailer.

Additionally I have sufficient casualty markers for a game and a single pill box. Unpainted (and unmade) I have a transport aircraft. Yes tis will be done, but aircraft were really rare. Although I might buy some just for fun.

By many peoples standards this is not a huge army it is however large enough for a battle and I hope enough to keep 6 people entertained for a day. I am writing my own rules as I have not found any commercial rules for this conflict that I like. So please do not ask what rules I will be using. I am going to keep it simple though and not sweat the small stuff.

 I hope that has satisfied you with a SCW fix now you can see what I have been working on.

So what's next. Well in the short term more 10mm colonial stuff.
Thanks for looking today. Have a good couple of days and I hope to see you all soon.
Best Wishes Clint

A couple more trucks

Having forgotten my camera for the club yesterday I will gloss of that. Just admit I lost. And forgetting my camera I am thinking of as a "senior moment".

So I thought I would carry on with some more 10mm Vehicles for my SCW collection. Yes well spotted here are two more Opel Blitz trucks (old Skytrex action 200 range) and a heavy trailer. That's a very very brief update for today, thanks for looking and I will post again on Wednesday.

Take care all the best Clint.

Modern British Mortar crew.

I know I was expecting Spanish Civil War as well.. OK so what went wrong. Well as I was putting away my Camels from the Arab revolt game I found some British soldiers from my Afghanistan game a few years ago that were un painted. This little selection is from Brittania now run by Grubby Tanks LINK.

These were given to me when I placed the order a small gift from Andy Grubb for my purchase. So I got side tracked and managed to paint them up this morning.



These troops are 20mm and nicely proportioned. While I had no use for a mortar and crew at that stage (or indeed now) as they were free and I needed the room for my camels it would have been rude not to have painted them up.

Obviously this is a three man team with an 81mm mortar. As it is hot work crewing a mortar all the figures are in light kit and ready to drop all kinds of brown smelly stuff on the enemy. There is an officer with a map and two other men in the crew so I would expect a great rate of fire from this weapon.

As I look on this as a finished project now there really is not much else to say just that they round out the troops I already have.

When I found these troops I found 12 more troops for the SCW tucked away somewhere safe which is why I have delayed doing those just yet as I now have some extras to do. After those I only have officers and flag bearers to go so expect them finished very soon. Mid week I would expect.

Hopefully more on Monday. Until then take care and make sure the paint does not dry too fast in the sun. All the best Clint

SCW Regulars

Well It has been a little while since I last posted any painted figures but that does not mean I have been idle. So here are another 14 stands of Spanish Civil War Regular troops. By Regular I do of course just mean that they are all wearing the "regular" Army uniform. 






You can see there is one command stand as well as a machine gun stand as well as 12 other infantry stands. These will help bulk out my troops and should mean that I am getting to a point where I can get a game suitable for a few players. Yes I shall do a group shot a little later which should show the forces as a whole.




One of the joys of painting 10mm figures is that they are pretty straight forward to both pain and bas. Add to that that they are easy to transport and cheap to buy and you can see why I am falling in love with them. It is also worth noting that more companies are now producing 10mm figures than ever before.


That's it for today but I am slowly approaching a couple of new (or at least very old) projects so expect more about 1 of them by this time next week.

Thanks for looking today. Maybe another post tomorrow and then back on track Monday.

All the best enjoy any sun that may be about and take care. All the best Clint.