Christmas gifts

Well I only received 2 wargames related gifts from Santa this year.

I know I was saying that it had not turned up. BUT as it happens one of the two did turn up. I am still waiting for the Painted miniature from Chris Stosen's Blog (Wargaming Odds and ends). But I am sure it will arrive.

Firstly from My secret Santa. What I have received I can say I am truly Happy with. I was previously unaware of "Pure Evil Miniatures" And looking at the Resin beast I am very impressed. It is a multi part Resin Kit and all the pieces seem to fit together very well. I really like it and seriously doubt that I could have gotten anything better. So a BIG thank you to me Secret Santa I think this is an inspiring gift and I am very very thankful. It really is Great! I only hope I can paint it as well as it deserves.

From my sister. I received "Dragon Rampant" rules by Osprey. I have yet to read them (just flicking through the pics at the moment). But they are well presented and I hope as good as the historical version. I also hope it can get me back into Fantasy Wargaming since I gave up on GW. Whatever the out come I will keep you informed.

Thanks for Popping by I realise you must be busy today and that time is precious.

All the best Clint

I guess I have been Naughty!

The postman has been this morning (Christmas Eve) and all I got was some advertising for Virgin Media! Which is a shame as I have taken part in two secret Santa's this year and only received one parcel. While it is possible that both may be in the same  parcel, I suspect this is not the case. Afterall what are the chances of the same person getting me twice in 2 different Secret Santa's. Pretty slim I would think. But Possible.

NO Blame is attached to Cath the organiser. None what so ever. But If you are my Secret Santa and sent something it just has not arrived. Maybe it is held up from Customs at the North Pole, or maybe the British Post office has lost it.  Just maybe a Christmas Elf has eaten it! Maybe it was posted Late.  I am simply letting you know for whatever reason it has not arrived on time!

Just hard luck for me. Or maybe there is a Naughty list with my name on it. (There probably is, more than once I would suspect!).

It is better to give than receive though and I hope to take part again next year no matter the outcome.

But Most importantly have a good few days, relax and recharge any batteries and Chillax as much as possible.

All the best Clint

EDIT CHRISTMAS DAY 8AM.

I must apologise to my secret Santa. I am so sorry it had turned up after all. The one that is missing is the Painted figure from Chris Stoenson's Blog https://plus.google.com/103023746985592538617/posts,

I wish to say for the record I am very happy with the gift and feel foolish for making a fuss. But without opening it there was no way to tell which santa had not arrived.

Once more sorry about that and I will do a post about the gift that has been sent in the next day or two..... All I need now is some painting ideas for the colours to use!

It really is GREAT. ThaNK YOU

They're off!

Well the Analogue challenge has started and I have yet to apply the first brush stroke. But It will happen as soon as I stop typing.

You are reminded that the Painting challenge is all about stamina and endurance. And many people suffer burnout at OR even before the end!

Personally this year I will be starting slowly. How you tackle it is up to you and as long as you have fun then it was right for you.

But the challenge has started at 6am this Sunday Morning GMT and will last for 3 months.

I have a few things on the painting table all ready to go. I have done some research to get the markings right and the colours correct. I know that it will not be enough and that I will need to do more before the challenge ends.

But I will be starting with some "Modern" wargaming but I can honestly say I have no idea what I will be painting by the end of the challenge.

If you want to follow the challenge It can be found here! Good luck to everyone involved.

http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.ca/

Still on Prep.

yep still on the prep for the Analogue painting challenge. Not that I have done a lot. Mostly ordering stuff. Today  2 parcels. 1 is a load of "Tufts" from eBay so I don't run out in the challenge. But I can still order some more before the challenge ends.... and I am sure I will.

The other was a figure order for 2 6mm starter armies from Heroics and Ros.{ Click this link )
needles to say as starter armies there are lots of extras I can (and no doubt will) get to add. And If I can pick them up unpainted 2nd hand from eBay or Colonel Bills I will, that is  for sure (assuming I can save money).

I am also working on some counters for the game I have planned but until they are finished I will not be showing them. When they are finished I will be doing a quick walk through of the making process. But at  this stage there is little that will make any sense on its own.

Ao pretty much a nothing post today as I clean up the H+R order. That is how the painting challenge starts for me as I have "Mostly" cleared my painting desk ready to start. There are a couple of things still loitering though so I may get on with them in the next couple of days, but I am waiting now for the Analogue painting challenge to start.

All the best from warm (I am in a tee shirt) but overcast Kent.  Cheers Clint

The quiet before the Storm!

I am afraid I have nothing newly painted this post. But as we now have only 6 days before the Analogue Painting challenge starts I thought I would share with you just a little Prep that I di yesterday in anticipation. At the club yesterday I played a board game about making wine, then left early so no Pics of that. I mention it as I was able to get two bases case in resin by Tim (LINK to Frontline) From Frontline wargaming. For what I need they are a little too large, but totally serviceable as any smaller and they will fall over.

These are them in the raw state. and they are the smallest flying bases he make. What is more I scrounged them free so that makes them twice as good. They do not come with anything to make the flying things hover in a flying position high from the table. So I roughly worked out the bases centres and then drilled a very small hole at an angle. as you can see in the third photo.

Not a huge amount of preparation but more than I have done either last year or the year before. Some bright spark is going to ask what I will be painting that needs flying bases. But I am not going to say just yet as the figures have not arrived. (but I do expect them today or tomorrow). And until they do arrive I don't like to talk about it too much.

I have got more preparation to do this week, some of which are markers and terrain so I will score no points for them in the challenge so best get them done before hand if I can. SO expect that to be the next post as well.

Additionally I am the very happy winner of some figures from Ray's blog post giveaway. Link to Ray's Blog! Just the figure I most wanted that he was offering and I have emailed him asking if he can hold on to them until the Cavalier show at the end of February. That should save him a few pennies in postage.

Finally I have set a new high score on World of tanks. (I found out that high scores only last a week so it is still good, but not awesome. Again in my German Light tank. I am not so good and I do die a lot in it, but 2 kills in a game where I am the lowest level tank in the game is not anything to be sniffed at!

Back to more prep today and trying to source a Polykarpov P15 (Biplane) in 1/200 th (10mm) scale! I do not need one but having one would be nice,

All the best and enjoy the day.

Clint

BUF Auxilary (Part 2)

Well I suspected that I would get them finished and well, here they are. 10 more BUF Auxilary troops for a very British Civil war. There are a few weapon swaps mostly changing a rifle here and there for a smg which can be seen twice in the top picture. One kneeling guy has a rifle, the other a sub machinegun. Also the two guys o the right were the exact same figure until Matt swapped one rifle for an SMG.


On the second picture the man on the right has been converted to be a flag bearer but for the first time ever Matt did not include a flag pole for me, so it is easier to leave him un-flagged! The man in the centre is carrying lewis gun ammunition while the one on the left is an officer of some description.

So that is it for today 10 more troops all for Matt and I will pass them on tomorrow at the club and I hope pic up some more figures to paint.

Have a good weekend.
Cheers  for looking Clint

BUF Auxilary (Part 1)

Hurray Painted figures! Yes today here are 10 BUF Auxiliary troops. They are all 28mm and by Musketeer miniatures and available here (Click this link ) and are painted to represent the BUF in the North Somerset campaign, but they will be used in Kent for the crossing of the Medway and the ongoing battles with the AL.

They have been painted for Matt and he has done some weapon swaps among the figures but I do not notice any in the first photographs. So they may be finished for Saturday. Overall very nice figures to paint and base and I have enjoyed doing them. 10 more to finish for now, but who knows after that. Apart from the Lewis gun they are all rifle armed with chevrons on the jacket sleeve for the far right figure in the first photo.

That is it for today. With luck another 10 on Saturday. All the best from sunny Kent.

Cheers Clint

3 good things

Well progress is being made. Not on figures, that is going remarkably slowly at the moment. But all my news today is good.

Firstly I have received a "SECRET SANTA" parcel. And while I do have a postcode I will not be checking to see where it originates as that seems sneaky and not in the spirit. I just want the sender to know it has arrived and that I am very excited by it. I will be sending mine out the end of next week so they arrive closer to the deadline, but still in plenty of time. So whoever set it THANK YOU!

I also noticed that Ray over at http://onelover-ray.blogspot.co.uk/ Also known as "don't throw a 1" is celebrating his 1 millionth page view. As such he has a giveaway should you wish to take part. It is all historical as far as I can see, but all of some use. So feel free to click the link and pop over and sign up he just may have something for you.

And finally for today (more painted figures on Thursday). I have received a Kickstarter package. I do not go in for very many kickstarters and had totally forgotten about this one. So 18 months later it arrived! Not that it was a large pledge at all. Very small in fact but I have 2 gangs (or squads if you prefer) of 15mm figures and the rulebook. I went 15mm as opposed to 28mm as at the time I was into 15mm sci fi. But times change and I am now thinking 28mm would have been the way to go.

The Game is a tabletop wargame for those who have not seen it before. The basis of which is set in a Blade-runner like future. Each player forms a criminal gang in order to make a profit by stealing "Fabricants", android human like robots. The rules seem very simple and I strongly approve of them and the setting. I do like the game a lot, but now I am wondering if I will ever make the terrain. If I doyou will be the first to know. (After the materials supplier of course and I tell them noting.) The rules have grabbed me as has the setting so it may happen. But in reality I do realise that making a fururistic street setting is a LOT of work so it just may not get of the ground!

That is it for today. More figures painted by Thursday and the next post as I should finish a squad this afternoon/evening with a little luck.

Until then, have fun take care and splash some paint about. All the best Clint

EDIT FOR FRAN.....................................................................................................................................

Here are the 15mm figures. It is a Yakuza Gang so only 6 of the figures are HUMAN. The rest are Fabricants (Replicants in Blade Runner terms) so are PHYSICALY bigger stronger and probably faster as well. But they can be hacked by other gangs. (so NOT scale creep) The 6 Humans are mostly hackers able to alter the environment (setting of alarms (or not) changing the light levels calling the police to different areas or to this one If things are getting a bit edgy for them. You know the sort of things).

The figures are slim but well proportioned and more anatomically correct than many 15mm figures. I intend to paint them as part of the analogue painting challenge so expect to see them soon enough!

Stupid Boy!

 When I joined the Wargames club I did liken my command acumen to that of the incredible (in his own mind) Captain Mainwaring. Ten years later I still meet those high standards, but only just! This figure was an absolute joy to Paint. Matt had added a Thompson Machinegun tucked under his right arm and to my eye it fits very well indeed. The colour choice of a dark brown suit was to give him a sombre appearance. The light blue armbands of the Anglican league contrast very nicely with the brown. Of course it had to be a black bowler hat as befits a bank manager and my one extravagance was the dull red tie against the white shirt. Many other colour choices were of course available but this seemed to fit the character nicely. I know he wears a charcoal suit in the TV series so I will just claim that a man in his position potentially may have more than one suit!

From the back you can see there is no shoulder stock on the gun. It would have been nice, but Matt did not waste time or effort by adding one. It would have given me a lighter brown to work with but overall unless you are being picky it was not a nessercary addition. The umbrella will no doubt be used for pointing at things and was part of the original figure and a very  fitting accessory.

This should be the last Dad's Army figure for a while. (at least a year). Which is not to say no more homeguard but just no more TV series characters. I am painting some more figures for Matt as you read this and they should all be finished by Thursday. (Some BUF) for handing over on Sunday next week.

So until Tuesday when I get back to my "normal" blog posting schedule. "Stupid Boy!" Sorry I could not resist!

Alas Pike and Jones!

 Firstly let me say I have has internet problems. But now I have had a visit from Virgin Media Engineer and a new Modem and as far as I am concerned am back to normal. The Engineer thinks it is probably faster now, but in truth I see no change of speed.

So Today I thought I should give you 2 figures to make up for my few days of no blog posts. I will Do one more tomorrow as well trying to catch up with where I think I should be!

Firstly we have Corporal Jack Jones who does have a number of catch phrases so feel free to put them in the comments and get them out of your system. As a veteran of the Sudan wars Jonesy carries both a rifle and a spear ( queue the famous quote!) Yes we all know what they don't like!

The addition of the rifle is another Matt special but I do think it helps the character and will be definitely useful in table games. And you can hardly see the join. Looking at the figure again I should have painted the apron dark blue THEN added the "white" stripes. As It would have given a better effect, still you live and learn. So Next time. I am not saying it is a disaster at all but would have looked better the other way around! Other than the apron I am quite happy with the figure so no real gripes.

 And then we have the young Private Pike armed with a cricket bat. I am sure he would have been a menace with that weapon. The bat shows many red and white cricket ball marks as it I always better to add a few extra colours on the model. Likewise the West Ham Scarf has also allowed me to introduce another colour.

The face was touched up AFTER seeing this Photo and the darker skin tone is less prominent now. It is always worth seeing the figure with fresh eyes or in this case lens  as I quite often see things with a second look that I might otherwise miss.

While in Bank Clerk suit he also carries a civilian gas mask in a card board box. These cardboard boxes soon got decorated by family members, either kids with paint or more often a wife with some material so by 1942 few looked like the brown cardboard that was issued. My Grandfathers (I am told) was covered in an old rug! While my mother and sister would no doubt have used ribbons! But I have kept it plain as it is easier to identify.

Overall another splendid Warlord Games figure from the Dad's army box set.

Walker.

yes today we have Private Walker in muffy. (I admit I painted his eyes wrong). But here he is none the less. he does have the distinctive sky blue arm bands of the Anglican league as Matt wanted them painted but us main weapon is a kitchen knife tied to a broom handle. (Ok there is also a rifle on his back but you cannot see it from this angle).

While in the Tv series he is mostly in a grey suit (when not in uniform) I went for a brown suit instead simply as Wilson is in a grey suit and I did not want tem looking similar.

Overall apart from the eyes I am happy with the figure as he does fit in very well with the rest. As with all the others Bolt action warlord games 28mm Home Guard. But you know all that.

I had a mini pre Christmas splurge. It is a combination of 3 things.
 1} Knowing that I have the painting Challenge coming up! And wanting something easy to paint because I am a wimp!
And 2} Ground Zero Games having a pre Christmas sale.... yes I am weak.
Ok and 3} Being told I need to buy things for Christmas so my Mother and sister know what to get me.

The results is that I am giving up on 15mm sci fi. (Sob sob or Cheers if you don't like science fiction). So My plan is to re-paint my 6mm desert terrain. (That will be coming soon on this blog)>
And instead of 15mm Sci fi swap to 6 mm science fiction (Hooray! or Bo If you choose) .

As a Result I went to my local wargames/model/railway shop which stock Brigade games and bought some sci fi trucks in 6mm. These will not interfere with GZG and should compliment them. And as the "Dirtside" rules are free to down load I will be playing them as I know some of the club are interested as long as they do not need to buy anything, paint anything or read any rules, but they do like the "Stargrunt" rules so with luck in the new year we shall be playing "Dirtside!" (No Ray that is not a sexual thing!!!)

Frasier and the grave digger

 Two more today. The town undertaker Frasier together with another figure who I think is the grave digger but not sure. Frasier wearing a sailors jersey and in dark blue because of his Naval backstory. The Grave digger because he was a spare figure that matt once again converted and armed with a rifle yet still carries his trusty spade. he wears dark clothing so not to show the dirt but he could equally be a road mender or the stoker on a train. So I will let Matt create any background he wants.

Not sure who I will paint next so it could be anyone tomorrow!


Until then, take care, have fun and get some painting done.
All the best from Clint