Tag: 1/72 metals

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miniatures painting

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 16

So AHPC16 is upon us – well the 21st December is storming towards me far too fast.

In previous years – well the last two to be exact – first year I started preparing on the 21st way too late and then last year did prepare one primed unit beforehand but held off having a plan before knowing about the themes which then derailed me with a sci fi bug.

I found I was doing stuff (deciding about theme models or simply digging out figures to clean and prime) but not actually painting colour – much before the January deadline loomed into view!

So this year I started my plan in November!

And I have primed some of the planned pieces.

And I decided to ignore the theme and just see what came along.

And lucky me this years three themed pieces have fallen nicely into place within my plan.

Declining Empire should see some planned 1848 Hungarians appear

Childhood toy memory fortunately gets the wild geese treatment from the 1700’s

And rebels hopefully will see some Covenanters appear before the various deadlines

Alas last years failed star of my show might fail to appear yet again. As its anniversary related this is a constant theme – I started my 28mm stoke field armies in 2015……still not much progress ten years on!

And now I have scenery options nudging their way into my plan.

I was hoping to get some more Fauxterre 1930 kit done.

Then there were the 1848 Hanoverians, 1848 Neapolitans, 1700 French Dragoons, 1848 Roman infantry all crying out to be on the plan – the list goes on and on.

Way too much of course for this painting snail, which having done a plan shows so well. It means the exercise has proved its worth already.

However real life is very very busy right now so I might fail on all fronts!

The optimistic wargamer marches onwards……

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wargaming

One Hour Wargames and 2 more Sneedens

The thing about one hour wargames is it’s genuinely “pick up” attraction. If you want to throw dice, move figures and get that war game with a purpose feeling for minimal preparation, then I find it’s a winner.

Yes, the mechanisms are abstract but you have to compromise somewhere and Neil Thomas rules generally offer that blend of compromises I like.

These battles were prompted by my reading atlas of the civil war and discovering Robert Sneeden – a Union Cartographer. https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2025/06/05/a-game-wow/

In the first game the Royalists held the hill with some rookie blues and grays in action
The royalists divide their forces to hold both enemy objectives
The royalists include this new blue unit
Royalist artillery hold the town road
The royalists are none other than Danes
Danish volunteer horse make up the royalist cavalry
More Dane’s this time by Hat
Strelets Danish Royalist Guards
Everything hung on the defence of the town

Rebel forces enter the fray

A mixed brigade of cavalry
The rebels mass their infantry before the town
The royalists are caught out
The rebels quickly assault the town
The royalists seek to outflank the rebel attack
The rebel cavalry attack the rookie blues royalists

Rebel victory

The rebel attack on the town is overwhelming
The rebel cavalry destroy the royalist right wing infantry
The rebel cavalry move on the second objective – the hill
The royalist defence stiffens around the town
The rebel cavalry are destroyed
Rebel infantry struggle in the town
The royalist cavalry rush to aid their compatriots in the town but it is too late

So the second battle ends in Royalist defeat. It’s all square and all to play for…..

The royalists needed to escape through the town and up the great road……

Rebels held the river line woods
The rebel cavalry brigade – lucky toys and hat miniatures
Irregular miniatures garibaldeans
More irregular miniatures garibaldeans
Strelets rebel sharpshooters hold the town road
The royalists pour forwards
The royalists choose the remote river crossings on their left wing to make progress
The royalists are peppered by the rebel skirmishers
The royalists attack the town
The royalist left wing cavalry lead the way
The rebels abandon the river line
The royalists begin to make progress
The rebel cavalry are swept away
The rebels are fleeing pell mell
Some royalists race up the great road
The royalist cavalry take a beating getting to close to formed infantry
The royalist cavalry break
The last few royalist units must make good their escape up the great road
Again the rebel infantry shoot well
The last royalist infantry are driven away

And so victory to the rebels in the action and also the short campaign.

Today of course saw the end of 3 days of fighting at Gettysburg – the great Union victory which along with the capture of Vicksburg saw the war finally turn against the Confederate Southern States.

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miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Portrait 25k: AHPC15 leftovers

I just missed the end of AHPC15 with some 1848 era artillery.

Rather than park them like last year I decided to get these Properly finished.

Three types of artillery on show
I have added to my Danish artillery
Irregular miniatures bell shako British do good service as Dane’s of the 1840’s
Guns were different to the Russian 1850’s version.
Full complement with earlier model to fore.
These are 1848 Duchy of Parma
Same manufacturer as the Dane’s
Same guns as the Dane’s
B and B Miniatures provided these chaps posing as 1848 Schleswig Holstein rebels.
They are actually 1870 Prussians
One 4 pounder horse gun and one 6 pounder field gun both rifled breechloaders
But it’s hard work getting pickelhaubes for the 1840’s and the figures come with the guns – waste not want not. At three feet I can live with the difference.
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wargaming

The Painting Portrait 25f Logistics

AHPC15 not only saw me make progress with my mid C19th century armies. Much delayed Fauxterre 1930 or my Lockdown Bricks and Mortar Shop project actually got in on the act.

Back in Covid times I decided on a whim to try and build some WW2 armies by walking into shops and physically buying stuff! Yes I know this is a bit of an old technique nowadays. At the time the logic was “get out and about”.

As it happened I had found a book in a shop window and snapped it up by………walking in and buying it. At the time shopping was a weird but satisfying escape. Sold as a vintage item it was Charles Grant Snr’s Battle! Practical Wargaming (B!PW)

Now this book gave me a way into WW2 on the limited basis I was looking for. Also Grant was quite happy to use german and US kit for his Russian forces – in other words country kit for that country only was not that important (of course the Russians used any kit they could lay their hands as did the germans) and indeed his forces were RED v BLACK – pure fantasy. Ok so that meant Russians versus Germans in reality.

Now this fed my need for a “fantasy historical” WW2 set up. I would use the technical aspects of the period but mess up the actual forces involved and of course the countries would be make believe. Thats Fauxterre. Sorry no zombies or rayguns.

In keeping with a theme I had developed, Fauxterre 1930 started to take shape. Why 1930? Well I had on this particular journey become more and more interested in the early war set up and less and less the final years. This escalated into pre war when I started to look at aircraft. I was quite taken with the transition from biplane to monoplane. And before you know it I was looking at AFV technology.

Did you know – the fairy swordfish biplane flown by the British Royal Navy fleet air arm in the 1930’s was still in combat duty in summer 1945 armed with rockets! so much digression….

The net result is I am trying and failing to get Fauxterre 1930 off the ground. My Plastic Soldier Company US and Russian troops were my first choice for figures when it was Fauxterre 1940 and are fine for the early war period but somehow I don’t like the figures if I roll back a decade. I do like them but not for Fauxterre 1930! They work for Fauxterre 1940 so would be ok but that is parked for now.

On a trip to a toy show I picked up some bin end corgi trucks.

And before you know it I had added to my Fauxterre 1930 logistics kit.

This is a link to my AHPC15 entry.

https://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.com/2025/01/from-johnb-sinews-of-war-143-corgi.html

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miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Portrait 25b 1848 Bavarians 4th Line

Next up for my Painting Portrait is another Paint What You Got effort, this time it’s the 4th line who differ only from the 7th line in their facings – yellow for the 4th with white metal buttons while the 7th sport pink with yellow metal buttons.

Painting Portrait 25a details the scenery.

My mid nineteenth century units are four 40mm square bases coated with pva and budgie grit followed by a three colour paint job – burnt sienna then heavy dry brush yellow ochre finally light dry brush a yellow white to highlight.

Firing line

Peco railway scenic grass is the final addition. I tend to match the base greenery to the uniform colour accepting my armies are mixed based.

In column
March attack
Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Portrait 25a 1848 Bavarians

This is my first contribution to this winters “paint what you got” by Dave Stone. Last year I managed to get going by 7th January so it’s even slower progress this year.

Anyway this post also marks the switch to “painting portraits” after the demise of the “painting pedestal” before Christmas – it has a nice new home – just not mine.

The portrait approach should enable me to show scenery as and when it appears.

First up then are 7th line infantry of Bavaria who were sent on behalf of the north German federation to fight in support of the Schleswig Holstein rebels against the Danes.

The 1848 war was a victory for the Danes.

The figures are in fact Newline 20mm Prussian Napoleonic Landwehr. I simply trimmed the hat top and used some liquid green stuff to mask the officers coat long tails.

I must say these figures were a pleasure to paint and I really like the colours I chose in the end. This makes it all the more surprising in that I actually primed these figures back in March 2023!

The building is total battle miniatures bought ready painted – still my favourite piece – it no longer features as the range has changed. I think it was from their 15mm range or old 25mm one now they advertise only 28mm or 15mm.

The trees are mainly S&A Scenics by Lancashire Games. Again some of my favourite off the shelf pieces.

Finally I tend not to do flags straight away so came up with a furled flag option using some black tubing and a ball topped pin head.

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miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Pedestal 24h

It’s been quite a gap since June when I posted the last of my AHPC14 miniatures – Danish artillery 1848. And I had not clocked a pedestal moment since my French cuirassiers appeared in May.

In fact the pedestal has physically moved on to a new home but I plan to keep the post title for now.

Today on parade are some irregular miniatures I painted as part of a challenge I did with John@justneedsvarnish.

https://justneedsvarnish.wordpress.com/

The figures are actually 20mm Austrian World War One infantry.

I like irregular’s style of figure which works for the relaxed 3 figures per 40mm square basing I use for my nineteenth century armies

I trimmed the peaked caps and a paint job later I got my 1st Roman Legion (who became the 10th line infantry) of the Roman Republic.

My reference is Ralph Weavers Garibaldi and the Siege of Rome published by Partizan Press. I used his text description which differs somewhat from the colour image in the book.

As I mix old 25mm, 1/72 and 20mm figures from different manufacturers basing sometimes includes height adjustments.

2mm washers help these 20mm figures blend in.

The flag is homemade and the emblems in ink bled when I pva coated them! So that flag will need replacing-one day!

Finally the background tree was a bring and buy find while the two very nice trees to the fore are from “scenics ?”. The cottage is one of my very old airfix models given a makeover during Dave Stones season of scenery this autumn.

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wargaming

A Plan of Sorts

First up, I normally plan my wargames activities in darkest December during the lull in UK shows.

This summer I began thinking that perhaps the football season cycle is now more attractive?

I tend to stop gaming and painting in spring as the outdoors beckons. This kind of coincides with the football season ending climax in early May.

It’s been a good summer for me

And as football returns and autumn beckons my thoughts tend to turn towards indoor interests.

Ok so this summer I did do quite a bit of scenery work courtesy of Dave Stones season of scenery challenge.

Plenty of long in the tooth scenery pieces got some attention-this resin one dates from 1970’s according to its makers mark!

https://wargamesculptorsblog.blogspot.com/2024/09/put-one-foot-infront-of-other.html?m=1

That however, seemed to reinforce summer as a break.

So if this is now to be the start of my wargames season what’s on the cards for the next twelve months?

Well firstly probably the plan will fail! With that out of the way what might be done if it succeeds?

Painting wise I feel it will be more mid 19th century forces.

Some more obscure units are likely – Jutland sharpshooters 1848

Also nearly mechanised feels like it will get an outing.

My pontoon bridge but John at just needs varnish provided the armour!

Brief summer spells of interest in ancient and renaissance plus Wild West periods have fizzled out in 2024 and I can’t see that changing into 2025.

I guess one wild card could be sci fi which has gained some traction in recent years.

The painting table is more likely to see guns rather than spears it would seem.

Gaming wise I think it will revolve around campaigns and again currently mid 19th century wins out along with nearly mechanised.

Nothing like a map to get the campaign spirit moving

I hope to go to the Other Partizan which I missed last year especially as I missed Partizan this year. Oh and I should manage two out of Battleground, Fiasco and Recon.

One more year…..

Recon will be the last at Pudsey civic hall as the property is being sold off.

And just maybe online painting/modelling challenges will figure given both AHPC14 and season of scenery have seen my output of painting and making increase and diversify.

The 2023/24 ahpc14 haul
Testing out a quick build Italian hilltop town for grid gaming during season of scenery challenge

Purchases wise the war chest has been thin of late more because I have what I need so it follows the figure mountain and scenery pit are full.

Books wise purchases have trailed off since 2023. Although 2034 gave me a surprise. But that’s another post.

If I do buy it is more likely targeted. For example I would like some more Irregular Miniatures bell shako infantry as well as some garibaldi men.

Well that seems like the bones of a plan. We will see……

Happy Wargaming.

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Mid 19th Century Wargaming miniatures painting wargaming

1st Schleswig Holstein War – Royal Danish Army uniforms 1848

The Royal Danish Army of 1848 was characteristically mid 19th century in dress. It still had a napoleonic uniform as such, yet things like the peaked cap and Hungarian kepi had begun to change the look. Pantaloons were noticeably full length and trouser like.

1848 line infantry in bell shakoes

At the start of the war infantry uniforms were red tunics and bright blue trousers. Uniform regulations for 1848 planned a change to essentially all dark blue clothing complete with a bright blue kepi.

1849 line infantry in Hungarian kepi’s, new tunic but old knapsacks

The regulations crept in although the kepi was so popular – soldiers often threw away their bell shaped shakoes in the field.

Light infantry in the flat cap

Other elements of the army – Artillery and Engineers kept the older kit for longer.

Danish field artillery in 1848 uniform

The Cavalry had largely reduced to the Dragoon in combless metal crested helmet (a fashionable trend) while the Hussars wore a small tapered shako. Dragoons wore red tunics and bright blue trousers, the Hussars wore all pale blue.

Jutland volunteer cavalry
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Mid 19th Century Wargaming miniatures painting wargaming

1st Schleswig Holstein – the Rebels uniforms 1848

The Rebel forces in the Schlieswig Holstein War comprised local pro german forces including those who had served in the Royal Danish Army. To these were added many volunteers alongside their numerous allies.

Saxon allies to the rebellion

The rebel cause had wide spread support from states within greater germany at this time “the Confederation – in its post Napoleonic form”. Notable were Prussia but also Saxony and Hanover. Austria was a significant objector and refused to become involved. Although they did apparently send rocket troop batteries.

Initially Rebel uniforms were a mix of Danish, improvised and various state uniforms. Later the Schleswig Holstein regular Rebel forces obtained a more distinct uniform for themselves.

Prussia was a stout ally to the rebels initially before signing the first peace treaty, the federation itself refused to sign it – you get fascinating politics during this war

This makes the war fascinating in terms of uniform, lots of german states still preserved a distinct character in their uniforms while fashions were still a mix of the Napoleonic coupled with more recent french led fashions such as the kepi. The Pickelhaube (invented in Russia and made a success by Prussia) and the Frockcoat (from the dresscoat of Napoleonic times) were now noticeably popular in german states. The classic mid to late century Prussian uniform dates from the 1840’s.

Another Prussian line battalion

The smaller flat top tapered shako was in wide use long before it identified again with this time British Crimean troops or indeed the Rifleman of Prussia who kept it till world war one.

Oldenburg line infantry sent by the federation

Therefore Armies comprised troops still wearing napoleonic uniform alongside others who would not look out of place in the American Civil War 13 years later and even subsequent conflicts.

Lippe line battalion