Tag: Irregular miniatures

Fragment 26/2 supply chain

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 18th Jun 2026
5 Comments on 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.

Tags 1/72, 1/72 metals, 1/72 plastics, 20-25mm, 20mm, 20mm metals, 25mm metals, B and B Miniatures, hat 1/72, hat miniatures, Irregular miniatures, miniature figures, miniatures painting, strelets, wargames, wargaming, warrior miniatures

miniatures painting wargaming

Paint what you got part 5: the last knockings*

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 1st Mar 2026
8 Comments on 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.

Only joking – that’s a hammerhead participation game.

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.

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.

miniatures painting

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 16

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 16th Dec 2025
4 Comments on 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……

life miniatures painting

Irregular Loss

I have just discovered that Ron Kay of Irregular Miniatures has died at the age of 98. He was full time on the team until 93, casting figures for all us hobbyists. He carried on as a part time member of the team still handling the big and complex castings. “Hats off” as they say.

I did not know Ron personally but seem to remember him at the Irregular stand at wargames shows.

I can do best by sharing some of my Irregular Miniatures collection and sending my condolences to Ian Kay and the Irregular family.

Irregular have provided me with some great 20mm figures that helped me build my 1848 forces.

1848 Danish Infantry repurposed from Irregulars colonial range

Duchy of Modena Dragoons which were Neapolitan Dragoons

1848 Rumanian infantry which were ww1 Austrians

1848 Roman Legion which were ww1 Austrians

1848 Garibaldeans in red and blue shirts

wargaming

One Hour Wargames and 2 more Sneedens

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 3rd Jul 2025
4 Comments on 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

Rebel forces enter the fray

Rebel victory

The rebel attack on the town is overwhelming

The rebel cavalry destroy the royalist right wing infantry

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……

The royalists choose the remote river crossings on their left wing to make progress

The royalists are peppered by the rebel skirmishers

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.

miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Portrait 25k: AHPC15 leftovers

Post author By lorenzoseventh
Post date 26th Apr 2025
3 Comments on 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.

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.

B and B Miniatures provided these chaps posing as 1848 Schleswig Holstein rebels.

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.

miniatures painting wargaming

Slow work in progress

Well AHPC15 has started but I have been very slow out of the traps.

I have made a start with some irregular miniatures that arrived very promptly in the Christmas post.

They are Neapolitan Dragoons circa 1860, but I took a punt on them for my 1848 Tuscany Dragoons.

To roach or not to roach that is the question in the 1840’s (image from nypl vinkhuisen collection – public domain)

Ok so they have some incorrect details – I can live with that.

I did manage some model prep for AHPC15 as well. Not sure when/if they will make an appearance.

For AHPC15 you need points on the board in January. The Tuscan dragoons will remain my focus.

Dave Stones “paint what you got” is all about clearing off what you have already. And that’s a rich vein for me.

All abandoned 2023/24 painting efforts! Queuing is no problem here.

Tags 20-25mm, 20mm, 20mm metals, Irregular miniatures, mid 19th century wargames, miniature figures, miniatures painting, painting figures, painting miniatures, wars of italian unification, wars of the italian unification

miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Pedestal 24i

Ralph Weavers’ book on the Hungarian Army of 1848/49 was my source for this unit or rather legion. They represent the Romanian or Rumanian legion who fought for the Hungarian side in the war for independence. The Austrians crushed the rebellion as they saw it but the empire was diminished.

The Romanian troops came from ethnically Romanian areas that ultimately became Hungarian ruled in the Transylvanian region after World War One ended the Austrian Empire.

Again I have used Austrian World War One infantry turning a blind eye to ammunition pouches etc.

The flag is homemade and again it suffered some bleeding when pva coated.

A trim of the peaked cap and a paint job gives me what I wanted. The fact is I bought these Austrians speculatively during lock down when I was in the hunt for capped infantry. The 1840’s is a difficult period to model as you often get the right hats with the wrong uniforms or vice versa!

World War One era figure ranges are useful if you ignore the equipment errors.

The uniform was a bluey purple so I tried contrast paints and was very happy with result.

Again I used Ralph’s text to help me decide on uniform details – the flag says Justice Fraternity.

This basically clears the decks for two painting challenges. AHPC15 started last Friday and “paint what you got” starts Boxing Day. They finish 21st March and 28th February respectively so will keep me occupied.

Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by.

Tags 20-25mm, 20mm, 20mm metals, Irregular miniatures, mid 19th century wargames, miniature figures, miniatures painting, painting figures, painting miniatures, the painting pedestal, Vienna Treaty Wars, VTW1848, wargames, wargaming, Wargaming Nineteenth Century Europe

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.