Tag: 20-25mm

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wargaming

Fragment 26/2 supply chain

My main miniature scale is 1/72 or 20 to 25mm (because scale creep has a very long history). So I am not in the current mainstream 28mm (whatever that height that means anyway) or 15mm (another much varied war gamers scale).

28mm dominates the supply chain these days while 6-15mm seems to be prospering as a counterpoint – skirmish versus mass battles?

The ubiquitous 1/72 “do it all” scale is now largely unloved by gamers although the modelling fraternity still love it for aeroplanes, ships, vehicles and railways.

I have a soft spot for the “ubiquitous” scale and therefore trawl the supply chain accordingly.

Sadly metallics in the 20mm to sub 25mm are in decline – quite simply sculpting and casting in metal is an art and craft which you don’t start doing at the drop of a hat.

The mainstay of this production industry is not getting any younger and of course 3d printing from digital models inevitably looks the modern progressive thing to do if your starting out as a maker in this hobby

Many of the 20-25mm small metal casting businesses revolve around one of two key people and when they stop working there is often no one else to take on the business.

My current figure collection includes

B and B miniatures

SHQ

Irregular Miniatures

Warrior Miniatures

Frontline

B and B miniatures shut up shop a couple of years ago. They had one of the few extensive ranges for Franco Prussian forces in 20mm.

I should have bought more when I did but did not see the writing on the wall.

SHQ sold out to grubbies tanks who will cast some ranges to order – notably for me Kennington although I always liked the WW2 ranges.

Ian Kay at Irregular hung up his working gear this spring after 45 years. His vast range of figures in so many scales will be a loss to many gamers. I believe the 2/6mm ranges live on through a former employee taking the plunge.

Warrior miniatures run out of Glasgow by John in his 80’s has been on hold due to poor health but he did restart in 2025 only to find he needed to rework his manufacturing to make things possible. Since the June announcement I think things have gone quiet again.

Frontline and IT UK closed its doors this spring as well. I have some of their very nice ww2 vehicles.

As I have a broad tolerance on scale and indeed figure matches I can still access ranges to support my gaming, notably using injection moulded plastics sold as toys back in the fifties and sixties.

Yet today they produce some outstanding miniatures for gaming. Even so this industry has seen rocky times with Hat Miniatures seemingly stopping production at one point – think warlord just stopping – you get the picture.

Right now I am painting 1/72 metal medievals from Tumbling Dice. They come with separate shield and some separate heads. Casting is crisp with no flash and minimal mould lines – a fiver gets you 8 foot but I buy the discount packs where you get an army for 70 quid.

In the pic are some SHQ crusaders mounted in the middle and foot in foreground while some Caesar 1/72 plastics are at the right rear of the picture. Tumbling dice 1250 era mounted blue/yellow plus foot with large kite shields are to be seen middle left.

Happy gaming whatever your scale.

Categories
miniatures painting

June is for Forgotten Heroes

Screenshot

Forgotten heroes (when I discovered and read the brief) begs some thought before putting paint on a figure.

I mentioned I had ideas for this June challenge on Carrion Crows blog post.

First up is one idea which has appeared to me in many previous painting challenges but I failed to act on.

Flora Sandes left the uk as a volunteer nurse to support the war against the German Empire directly. Her story is revealed here

https://greenhowards.org.uk/announcement/flora-sandes/

Wikipedia carries an entry as well and probably the most commonly shown photo of Flora Sandes.

Her unique position is being the only female British woman to have officially served as a soldier in World War One.

I think Flora could be classed as a forgotten hero.

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wargaming

Meandering May

First up Partizan Show yielded a surprise purchase and a first for me. I ordered a 3D printed castle from Iron gate scenery.

Well boxed
The stonework caught my eye

It duly arrived this weekend hot off the printer.

I was attracted to the display model

It goes to show that sticking your latest production front and centre plus offering a show discount for bulk buy can turn heads.

In my case one who had no budget and no plans for acquiring yet more scenery.

Well the deed was done so to speak.

Painting is quite another thing. Talking of which ……

Slow progress with my medievals

My medieval figures painting has ground to a halt.

Quite simply I have been enjoying the sunny outside weather.

Role playing one of Kurosawa’s peasants

However reading has been ticking along and so has the acquisition pile.

Three themes methinks …..

As it stands springing into summer will no doubt continue the outdoor interests. Don’t hold your breath.

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miniatures painting

Afterglow Part II

Quite simply real life was followed by Armoured April and Medieval May as well Mayday May!

End result my Danish and Schleswig cavalry not to mention some Prussian hussars now sit glumly on the shelf.

Unfinished business

Never mind it means it will be a quick piece of work when I need them to get them shipshape.

They are

B and B miniatures Prussian dragoons posing as Schleswig Dragoons. 20mm scale metals.

The rebels in Schleswig drew heavily on Prussian support but still chose their own uniforms

Newline Belgian napoleonic dragoons posing as Danish Dragoons. 20mm scale metals.

Redcoated dragoons are essential for 1848

Hat 1:72 napoleonic Prussian hussars posing as 1848 Prussian hussars – they had just gone retro around 1845!!!

Plenty of colour in 1848

Strelets 1:72 Russian 1854 Crimea war lancers posing as Danish Guides of 1848.

These newline metals are true 20mm chaps

These will make the “portrait” at some point no doubt.

Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

Armoured April

The winter painting challenges have stuck the usual spanner in the works.

I will hopefully still post a second “afterglow” post wrapping up the whole thing.

Right now though my head has finally been turned. After analogue hobbies painting challenge (AHPC) finished at the end of March, I had a tidy up while finishing some figures slated for the other challenge. I have posted my afterglow about AHPC while I have yet to finish those figures that complete the afterglow for “paint what you got”.

First thoughts were plough on through the paint queue. That idea was ended pretty quickly. That’s despite some of the queue counting the years they have been in it – somewhat sadly.

And then as usual a book triggered some thoughts followed by digging out figures from the hoard and then embarking upon a great book sort out.

This is one of my top ten books on military history. Michael Mallet makes every word count in this journey through medieval Italy. Don’t let the title deceive you as the story begins in the 12th century
Although they overlap I find both books very useful for Italian medieval armies

The end result is I am back in medieval times and I plan to paint my tumbling dice 1250 era samples. I also hope to progress my 100YW plastics who have been in the queue awhile. Then again they’re competing with some other figures washed and stored that have also been gnawing away at my brain.

I dug out my tumbling dice 1250 figure samples bought a while ago.
Some mounted knights
Some foot knights
Militia spearmen
They prime up nicely

Roll on Medieval May

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miniatures painting wargaming

Afterglow I – AHPC16

I have had a successful third year in the analogue hobbies painting challenge.

I kicked off with some Fauxterre 1930, trucks 1/60 scale lledo models

This year the challenge was less heavy on a theme and returned to a greater focus on the painters choice.

The theme was about rebellion and resistance – 3 subjects and in my case the first was 1848 Hungarians rebelling from the Austro Hungarian Empire (Hat 1/72)

In my case that focus on figures paid dividends as I got plenty done.

A second theme entry was the Duke of Berwicks Irish Regiment (strelets 1/72) the wild geese

In fact it’s my most productive AHPC so far. The constricted theme helped.

More Fauxterre 1930 trucks by PSC in 1/72
Tumbling dice 1/72 English civil war figures – Covenanters made my third and final theme submission



These Covenanters were painted in standard block method

A show freebie king Stephen in 28mm

King Stephen was painted with contrast paints

A scratch build of an 1848 Hungarian steam engine using 2 Airfix Stephenson rockets in 1/72

I had made the steam engine for AHPC15 but it missed that boat because it was only part finished by the end of the challenge

This was a garden rescue figure – games workshop era elf – another contrast paint excursion
40mm Vikings by Irregular Miniatures who retired their business this Spring

I used a combination of block, contrast and washes for these figures

Two “days past” OO gauge railway model transporters carry as it happens John at Just needs varnish gifted Renault tanks for Fauxterre 1930

https://justneedsvarnish.wordpress.com

Johns Renault tanks have some campaign colour while most of my AHPC16 trucks are fresh from the factory

1/76 Airfix Morris tractor and bofors anti aircraft gun

At this point the challenge entered its last month and you can see entry photos prep seriously declined…….

Three 1/72 plastic soldier company Opel blitzes
1/72 plastic soldier company Valentine tank
Hat miniatures 1/72 World War One British lancers

Just for fun I returned to using static grass without applicator.

Mardav printed 20mm Italian support group

These Italians got a mix of craft paints, contrast paints and dry brush to get the green I wanted- they too are rookies with shiny new helmets

Left to right antitank gun, medium machine gun and a light mortar
The challenge was a success
The ones that got away!

My idea for “afterglow” is mainly centred around what nearly got painted during the challenges. In this case 1:72 strelets War of the Spanish Succession, French Dragoons which were fun to paint. I really like the sculpture work in this range – the wild geese Irish also being from that range.

The uniforms were done in Vallejo yellow ochre topped with deep yellow while the bags and cuffs were done in Oxford blue
The horses received coat d’arms chestnut brown followed by citadel contrast gore grunta

My 1700 era armies are based in a toy soldier style – these are perry bases from the 28mm box sets

Paint What You Got ran in parallel to AHPC and I aim to post about an “afterglow” for that too.

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miniatures painting wargaming

Paint what you got part 5: the last knockings*

I got distracted yesterday – the last day of “paint what you got”. Instead of knuckling down with some final painting I legged it to Newark for Hammerhead. That’s Newark, Lincolnshire, old England.

Anyway I did finish a few more pieces although there is no “painting portrait” show as such.

Lots of figures!

Only joking – that’s a hammerhead participation game.

The reality

So “Paint what you got” has been very productive with a lot of miniatures stuck in the paint queue making it over the line.

I finally finished B & B miniatures Prussian limber. 20mm Franco Prussian war figures. Sadly the business shut its doors last year I think?

Then there are 3 wagons from Irregular Miniatures 20mm ranges – I think these were all ACW. I have a couple Hat miniatures ww1 French artillery men on them.

In the background two types of cavalry but from the same company. Strelets are a Ukrainian company who make plastic injection figures.

I quite pleased with the cavalry as they look a bit brutal in the raw plastic

In this case the figures are from their Crimean War series – British Dragoons and Russian Lancers.

I had only minor tweaks to the models before a paint job transformed them to 1848 Prussian Dragoons and Lancers

The lancers are 5th Westfalia

The dragoons are 3rd Neumark

I have a very good funcken uniform book for 19th century European armies. It covers the transition from coatees and shakoes to frock coats and casque type helmets.

*the phrase last knockings as well as knocking off at the end of the day relate to the end of something – a task, process or activity and completion.

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wargaming

Fragment 26/1

Last year I started some posting ideas around bits of things which did not really make a post but when combined with others could justify a post in their own right.

After the first two fragments of 2025 things sorted of dried up a bit. Or rather my focus was on specific miniatures or gaming posts.

I am going to have another try this year and ironically the first driver is the same as last years – magazines. And with further irony the second idea mimics fragment 25/2 – books.

However to kick off 2026 fragments I am going to mention painting challenges. These have kind of taken over my painting activities to the extent that three define my painting year.

First up is “paint what you got”. Now this challenge by Dave Stone works for me because it drives me to dig out what I have either half painted or abandoned. It has proved its worth.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/mid-19th-century-wargames/page/2/#:~:text=The%20Painting%20Portrait%2025a%201848%20Bavarians&text=The%20portrait%20approach%20should%20enable,a%20ball%20topped%20pin%20head.

Second is the Analogue Painting Challenge. I took this on at no14 and so I am on year three.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/fantasy/

This challenge has caused problems in that it got my ideas flowing and instead of reducing the lead mountain I ended up scratch building models during the challenge as the “themes” caught my imagination.

On the positive side I have found a use for those magazine freebies and indulged in my recycled household junk heaps to create spacecraft.

Klim class Intra planetary trader from AHPC15

I also think it propelled me into painting a background for my model displays – retiring the painting pedestal in favour of the painting portrait. In fact I even produced a sci-fi background last year.

Ahpc invariably overruns well into spring so now absorbs about half my painting year!

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2025/04/26/the-painting-portrait-25k-ahpc15-leftovers/

The third challenge is Dave Stones scenery season which runs over the summer. Or in my case summer into autumn. This has proven a godsend as scenery production was nil and an ever increasing list of kits, models or ideas were tying me up in knots.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/category/scenery/

So three challenges which basically cover the whole year of my painting activities.

Maybe in another fragment I will say something about the impact of these challenges on my painting activities themselves.

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wargaming

Paint what you got – cowboys

These figures are by Dixon except The leader who is none other than Jesse James modelled by Blue Moon 2007 slice of americana distributed by old glory in the uk.

Both ranges remain the cowboy figures of choice in my view. They have superb character even if they are slightly oversized.

Rusty Maguire’s Iron Ore gang all together the blue moon Jesse james figure centre is slightly slimmer and taller than the fulsome Dixon figures.

Facial details on these figures remain stunning given these mouldings are decades old.

The gang is led by Rusty Maguire…..

My figures were bought at the last Sheffield triples show. And then they joined the lead pile.

The bauxite brothers

Pinky bauxite
Rhett bauxite

During lockdown they finally got white primed and then craft paint red sienna washed.

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/tag/contrast-paints/

Now they have had some extra washing with Windsor and Newton sepia ink plus the odd brown/cream clothing picked out.

The original very Matt sienna paint reminded me of Rusty iron so that gave me an idea for names – after all you have to give these wonderful characters names!

The ore brothers

Magnus
Sid
Lim

I varnished them with Vallejo Matt varnish and then top coat of Vallejo super Matt varnish.

Not sure when these guys will get out and about – but watch out – they carry a lot of lead😁

Based on old coins they received a pva coating then “games workshop” era stoney sand.

The gang……..

Rusty Maguire gang leader

The ore brothers

Limonite (Lim)

Siderite (Sid)

Magnetite (Magnus)

The bauxite brothers

Pinky

Red (Rhett)

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wargaming

Paint what you got Challenge Pt2 – Citroen Avant

ACE models seem to have reputation for accuracy and detail. This was my first kit by them.

The kit went together well and I am happy with the result.

Yet the glazing element was not modelled- you got some paper outlines to make your own.

I think because it’s a car and to be honest a small car sold in a standard sized kit box and at a standard price (excepting low cost vintage airfix/hornby) the omission of some glazing or say a driver feels a bit mean. Maybe we are spoiled by airfix in terms of content.

Back to the vehicle I have given it a simple green finish and have yet to decide on transfers/markings.

I made my glazing from some delicatessen hard plastic packaging. Was it German sausage or French charcuterie – I can’t remember!

I scratched the rear window to imply it’s cracked while I added some cardboard wipers to the front screen – again these are a feature of the vehicle yet omitted by the maker.

So another Fauxterre 1930’s vehicle joins the growing car park.