Ancients were my primary interest at the time I encountered blogging and began to follow various sites.
So a couple more blogs that caught my eye and propelled my interests in 20-25mm or 1/72.
First up is Philotep whose 1/72 minis kingdom showed what potential there was in these minis when well painted. Very inspiring.
Second is Parade Ground Again 1/72 going on 20mm this blog also introduced me to Newline figures which I had seen at a few shows in bare metal but never registered until I saw the painted product online.
Ironically blog interest itself resulted in my interests in wargaming changing. My Ancient armies remain largely a work in progress.
Unfortunately I bit off my than I could chew entering two painting challenges over Christmas. Dave Stone had kindly let me in to “Paint What You Got” after it started. That would have been fine except I had not bargained for the effect of the library theme at AHPC14.
The upshot is that I have only managed two of my many units on the paint production line before the challenge ended. But I reckon this last unit needs to see the light of day.
The first units completed were the 15th and 7th Prussian Landwehr circa 1848.
And then I did nothing – well I managed to slowly progress one unit and that was my Danish Volunteer Cavalry circa 1848.
These had been started back in January 2023!
They are based on an illustration in Ralph Weavers excellent Partizan Historical Guide on the First Schlieswig Holstein War.
This short war yielded a lot of volunteer units which adds to the variety of uniforms recorded as in being around this time.
The figures are Strelets 1877 Russian Hussars which were the nearest match I could make without modifications – especially as I was looking for raised kepis. Headgear is a bit of an issue in 1/72 plastics. However cut and pin techniques are easily done. Here instead I felt I could ignore the hussar details. further license is the pistols – I reckon the officers have privately got themselves the brand new colts from the USA! Apparently this was quite common in the mid 1900’s. Anyway as a volunteer unit I am assuming the regular quartermaster stores were short for them…..
Increasingly I am using contrast colours in a way I have used washes in the past. As GW citadel seraphim sepia has been very popular I first tried their CC browns. And I have used them here on the horses.
Coat d’Arms horse basic colours were overpainted with Citadel Contrast Gulliman which was a bit of a sudden test on my part. It worked for me although I was already happy with the CD’A colours.
The other use was to cover a very flat and washed out VJ intermediate green with Citadel CC warp lightening green. This darkened and enriched the green uniform more to my liking.
Other than that I just used regular acrylics from Vallejo.
Basing used my standard 3 colour over bird grit tried and tested GW suggestion from many moons ago. And this time I used some tall 12mm gamers grass with a dead wintry/summer look. I have found the gamers grass tufts very effective.
Well that wraps up my Paint What You Got challenge. Better late than never I say. It has been a success because 3 units have moved off the production line – all having started their long journey back in January 2023.
Thanks to Dave Stone for organising and maybe next time I might be a bit more focused.
In this post you can see my first entries into the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 14 or AHPCXIV.
Why enter? good question for me – as these events have not really been my thing in the past. I suppose I entered because some other bloggers I follow do it and it seemed they had fun?
I did tip my toe in the water with Dave Stones one where I completed a tower. That was only back in August last year scenery season challenge
Then again I decided it might help me with my painting plans. Quite simply the answer to that has been proven to be a resounding YES. It definitely focused the mind and I have painted more since entering both events.
However I have also deviated from my plans in an enjoyable way.
In keeping with my purpose to increase painting activity my Danish Forces of 1848 have been first to benefit.
I decided to bring forward units earmarked for the back end of the project. First up I chose to paint some Danish Guards and then some Danish Light Infantry.
In my next few posts I will pick up what AHPCXIV has been landing on the Painting Pedestal.
Well suddenly VAP was here and then gone for another year.
I turned up early and got in quick and did a rapid recce including the bring and buy.
I managed one participation game in the end, collected some preordered figures, bought some stuff I had not planned to, but did want, and chatted quite a bit.
The show seemed as busy as last year but maybe emptied out a bit quicker? These thoughts are subjective as it depends what your doing and when – you don’t notice stuff going on if your immersed in a game or a conversation.
Overall I had a good VAP24 and the queue seemed to move promptly at ten with plenty of attendants present: Last year there was a slow ticket purchase process which delayed entry obviously causing a deal of grief for the punters.
The reenactment vikings entertained the front of the queue – not sure it was appreciated as people often use the queue time to chat. It was a neat idea though.
Onto my purchases
Ubiquitous pendraken bases and some neat spears I kept meaning to buy some extra road and of the flexible kind – these are from early war miniatures Plus a curveAt Irregular miniatures I picked up my preorder of two packs of colonial British in bell shakos which will give two battalions each of Danish infantry 1848 and a Tuscan regiment along with some 1848 danish artillery in bell shakos
I participated in the Lance and Longbow Society game – this time it was 1177 and the crusades. Modified Lion Rampant and 1/72 plastics in abundance. It was fun.
Lance and longbow society game – Saladin attempts to halt Baldwin, but it was not his day. Loads of 1/72 plastic miniatures on display and no heavy lifting!
I went with three gamers. We puzzled about whether the show was busy or different compared to other years. It felt like another transitional VAP reflecting hobby developments.
This Venice game shows how scenery quality has really been transformed by the industry offerings in the hands of talented wargamers
2022 felt the benefit of post covid and lockdown ending while 2023 felt that some changes were afoot. In 2023 we said goodbye to the likes of SHQ Miniatures and Magister Militum (in the past MM had been a significant stand at VAP).
Harrogate Wargames’s club offered the battle of ferrybridge – a wars of the roses action in 28mm
It felt though that there were less games this time. The normally crowded ground floor had some big spaces, mainly around the York Club game tables.
Then again it felt like more use had been made of the upper floors to give people more space for circulation. Frankly in previous virtual scrums were a big deterrent in reaching some traders.
Overall this extra room was a really good thing. And accessibility was improved as a result.
1866 kepis in Europe – once again Garibaldi is up against papal forces and losing?
I reckon there were 65 tables all up this year (all types of activity) compared to 57 in 2022 but it seemed many were smaller offerings: For example Helion Books were absent. But their space was used by a smaller vendor.
And the bring and buy seemed to have less turnover – I went at the beginning and some sellers were still there much later on.
Which ever way you cut it VAP is still a great show to meet the hobby, throw dice and make some sound buys.
Last week York was inundated with cameras as its annual flood season reached its peak.
Anyway if in doubt get a coffee. You can view Irregular Miniatures figures in the gifts section at the Alma cafe on copper gate
And Irregular Miniatures will be at VAP on the racecourse site so here are some of my buys over the last few years.
Austrian ww1 infantry repainted as 1850 danish Ww1 Austrians repainted as 1864 danish British colonial infantry repainted as 1848 danish British colonial infantry repainted as 1848 Tuscany troops 1859 range Straight painted garibaldini for 1848Their 1848 French opponents stolen from the 1859 Neapolitan range
I use the 20mm ranges with extra washer bases to compliment my plastics which are typically 2mm taller.
Last but not least danish artillery for 1848 although the piece is suspiciously looking a later rifled version – based up these 20mm chaps have no problem with their plastic cousins
The last photo also shows one of my entries into AHPC14!
So I will kick off the painting pedestal slot in 2024 with some more pickelhaubes.
In this case it is some Oldenburgers. These chaps are again a straightforward repaint of Hat ww1 german infantry. The pickelhaube sculpting works to my advantage having a higher crown. This gives a nod to the the Pickelhaube design prior to 1870.
And 1848 was still a time for Shakoes. Another contribution to the German Confederates is this unit of Saxons. They are SHQ Napoleonic Hanoverian’s. I have not been able to track down a suitable officer/musician/flagbearer set as it appears the SHQ ranges are incomplete.
I really like the facial sculpting on these SHQ metal figures. This is notable because with 1/72 plastics the mould line/flash and sculpting often all come up short at the face.
Of course at 3 feet – my normal viewing – this is all academic.
Once again I have belatedly found a painting challenge. This one by Dave Stone started at Christmas and is about getting stuck into your figures backlog – assuming you have one?
This is my first contribution.
15th regiment
These figures were prepped and on painting sticks on the 10th January 2023 according to my painting journal. A year in production is not uncommon in the Erratics world. I had made more progress by November with the main colours done when I stopped all existing production to do some new acquisitions!!!!!
Finally I have finished them complete with gaming bases.
For many years I did not record my painting activity or maybe kept random notes until with lockdown I decided to consolidate my notes and eventually opted for a handwritten journal. It has stood the test of time and has repaid the effort as I have added duplicate figures and simply dug out the recorded paint guide.
These figures are Hat 1/72 World War One German Infantry who have simply been given a paint job. I decided the boot detail was fine at even close distance. This then magically turned them into the 7th and 15th Landwehr Regiments of 1848 who marched into the First Schlieswig Holstein War.
7th regiment
The bases use my standard technique taken from Warhammer Ancient Battles – birdcage grit on PVA followed by Burnt Sienna, an Ochre dry brush and a yellow white highlighter. I then use a Javis mid green turf to finish. Bases are from pendraken.
Cockades were popular
The figures are based on 4 No. 40mm square bases which allow me to use a variety of wargame rules.
In line for a variety of rules
The flag is from Warflag (They are certainly worth a donation or a few) and I have opted for plain flower arranging wire flagpoles with the paper flags glued to recycled covid testing sticks – the hollow sticks fit the wire just right. I am still deciding on how to arrange them – whether to give them caps to set them at the height I want. Right now they just drop onto the figure.
Ok so pistols were only just arriving in 1848 but I like the figure as is…
The only difference between regiments is in the shoulder strap colours. The 7th are yellow while the 15th are light blue.
My reference book is Ralph weavers armies of the first Schleswig Holstein war 1848-1851 published by partizan.
Brilliant guide by Ralph weaver
You can also see a glaring mistake – one base incomplete with only two figures. Quite simply back in 2023 I managed to miscount the figures being put on sticks and never checked again until basing them! This was a puzzle as I used all 48 figures from one box to paint 4No. 12 man units……
Oops one of my men went missing
So that journal will repay itself again as I paint that missing figure – when I find it!
Stockton on Tees and nearby Thornaby played host to a very friendly and inviting show I had never previously attended.
Located in a Sports Hall on the University site I was a bit late arriving so only just got a parking space in the adjacent carpark, although in fact there is plenty of parking around the site generally. The Railway Station at Thornaby is 800 yards away plus there are bus services to be had according to the well detailed Pendraken Show website. It even has pictures of the road junctions you will encounter on the way in.
And I have not even talked about the event itself!
I found the venue bright (something I struggle with at the Fiasco black hole in Leeds). There was less catering than many shows but enough – coffee/tea and snacks plus an outdoor food wagon. With a big shopping centre nearby you were not going to starve.
But it was the wargaming we had all come for in terms of food for the brain.
This is not a big show in the sense of a Salute or a Newark. However it has some particular aspects which make it a rich experience. Quite a few reenactors, living history groups were dotted across the show – I guess the point here being a lot more than you might normally see.
Then there were two talks in a dedicated room – one about the spanish civil war and one about anglo-scottish border warfare. I failed to get to either simply because there was so much I wanted to see elsewhere in the show.
The Sponsor is Pendraken and entry was not only free, you also got entry into a prize draw – some 20 odd prizes being offered.
So what about the show – traders, games etc.?
In that respect you would be right to say it has the same sort of mix as many other shows.
Here are some selected photos
The Schlieswig Holstein War (the first one!) Demonstration caught my eye and I will post again about that encounter.This RPG horror in Venice had some impressive paper buildingsThe theme of paper was to the fore with these “flats” – a massive Spanish Succession WargamePaper Buildings plus some humour all made for an engaging demonstrationNaval interests were also to the fore with this galley action being hard to missAnd this medieval naval battle was equally vibrant and a participation game into the bargain of which there were I guess 50% at the showNo daylight but a well lit arena and the viewing area allowed people to easily sit out for a while The usual traders plus some local and regional companies were present. Irregular Miniatures have a stand which itself is veteran class yet I still love to examine figures in the flesh like these 20mm metals which have character. Sorry despite the infinite ranges of newly printed 3D they seem to be too accurate for my liking when compared to say Irregular’s metal sculptures.Irregular do lots of basic ranges in lots of scales complete with guns and wagons. Late on I found this participation game I had missed several timesI have only ever dipped a toe in the 6mm water below 15mm scale but these League of Augsburg 10mm figures were quite enticingThe show was celebrating 10 years in its various formsNeedless to say no564 did not win any prizes
All in all a very enjoyable day out (that was prize enough) and a show that will be on my list for 2024.
Next week if all goes ok I plan to go to Recon 2023.
I did not go to Battleground with a shopping list and as it happens none of my usual interests drew my wallet out. However I did pick this book up at the bring and buy – yep I don’t do desert war in any scale!
The Wargaming Erratic 