Tag: miniature figures

Categories
wargame shows wargaming

Recon 2024

The last wargames show of the year for me is Recon. It takes place at Pudsey Civic Hall. It used to be run by Wakefield Wargamers but since last year The Pit Gaming Shop have taken over. While it is one of the smaller shows its still a great day out and in the case of the venue you get free parking on site, level access to a well lit two storey event space with civilised toilets (yes I have been to Partizan many times….) and a decent licensed cafe bar on site selling a good hot food range.

The show supported “models for hero’s” who were at the entrance – no queuing as the show is FREE entry. You could make a donation as I did and also Pit Gaming ran a raffle.

Pit gaming had a good range cowboy skirmish material – notably dead mans hand

And if thats not enough a great range of traders and lots of participation games were to be had not to mention some life size sci-fi warriors wandering the aisles.

Hopefully The Pit Gaming Shop will host this enjoyable, relaxed and friendly wargames show again in 2025.

No apologies for pens – this was a to be played game not a demo.

This year I managed to take part in two medieval games at the lance and longbow stand. They were very enjoyable with veterans and beginners playing a modified version of Lion Rampant.

The game was designed for a balanced play and it delivered with both battles being close run affairs. It is always a challenge to design a scenario that gives enough opportunity without a walkover by one side. “Show” games are peculiar with the dynamics of unfamiliar players, unfamiliar rules and the distractions of other games, demos and traders. So they need to be interesting.

In this case the heavy mounted knights (attackers) looked like they would steam roller the bow and bill (defenders) albeit behind stakes. However in the first game just as the defenders looked to collapse the knights leader fell to his death and the attackers lost their will to press home the attack.

In the second battle the defenders were again overrun but no lucky leader death seemed forthcoming when the battle ended – so a sort of draw maybe:Exciting to the end though.

At the end of the day I had plenty of enjoyment from these games.

In fact I neglected to take many photos around the show.

Yarkshire gamer brought 1867 Italy – garibaldi trying to knock over the papal state despite French resistance
You can never have enough red shirts!

There were plenty of traders but at the moment I am on a clear the iron mountain and plastic pit push. Of course impulse buys override such plans and I indulged at blotz.

28mm (but in 20mm) Bronze Age fortress starter pack made up there and then with a nice discount-thanks blotz

To be fair I had previously gazed at their Bronze Age fortress yet held off. Now though I have some converged plans which mean the fortress bit the dust or rather my wallet did!

Recon 2025 is in my diary already.

Categories
wargame shows wargaming

A Genteel Fiasco part 1

Autumn sees me on the move – the other partizan is done and now it was the turn of Fiasco in Leeds.

In contrast to the Newark show I reckon I was about fiftieth in the queue despite arriving about fifteen minutes before the doors opened.

The dock hall is a sombre black lined but very high ceiling cavern! Today there was plenty of space due to less traders and some missing games and others, compared to previous years.

Maybe it was a bit of half term effect as numbers held up during the day?

I was done trader wise in thirty minutes in terms of checking out who was there and what was on offer. So I could then home in on those traders that took my fancy.

Caliver books and Dave lanchester books absence meant that the show was book free except for some stalls typically selling old ospreys.

There were plenty of games being played and in that sense the show was vibrant. Few straight demo/display games or showstopper demo only tables but again every table that set up was playing as far as I could see. Gaming tables for gaming and there was plenty of variety on offer.

Some traders were clearly doing excellent business while others looked a bit too quiet from their owners early doors looks.

Now I went back in the afternoon and I reckon it was still as busy as at ten. You don’t get that at other shows where there is an initial rush and then numbers dwindle.

Fiasco was enjoyable as you could shop without the scrum at many of the big names traders.

I had no particular buying plans for what is really yet another convenient Yorkshire show.

I ended up buying a few things that were wanted plus some surprises.

A few tables caught my eye.

Recycling partizan……

Ok so I forgot to snap this one in the dock hall lucky for you I caught it at partizan

Winter…….

Ice flow was a favourite board game of mine but no one else liked it so it got the heave ho – wargaming on ice anybody? This looked an engaging fantasy game with bespoke rules

The Yarkshire Wargamer presented his Italian wars game nineteenth century style. Think ACW with vineyards and garibaldis – no not the biscuits!

The French
Papal zoaves
Garibaldis hordes
Artillery and a machine gun?
Garibaldis men
Live recording as Yarkshire man throws a double six seemingly to order….
Earnest efforts all round
1867 and all that

I chatted to the what a cowboy gamers who were typically happy to converse over their lunch break hence no fighting on the board…..

Warlord game – boardgame/wargame crossover? Maybe a take on what Zvezda art of tactic sought to achieve?

Buying wise I am still looking at nearly mechanised….

Airfix trusty old kit

A Japan surprise from EWM

These vehicles I bought from the friendly helpful guys at battle zone games

Grubby tanks yielded this ancient Tower in more ways than one from one of their bits and pieces boxes.

I had a chat with Mr Grubby himself as ever willing to talk to his potential customers and just not sell even though he was very busy. He has now selectively cast SHQ/Kennington and has sold them on request. So I need to get an order in for some 1848 Saxons!

https://norber1424.blogspot.com/?m=1

Artillery feature at actual size miniatures. I found a miscasts box – bag ‘em yourself for 1 pound – a bargain I reckon. The owner even helped me match the barrels to the carriages! Chapeaux as cyclists say.

Well that’s it or would have been except Fiasco has a fantastic addition. The royal armouries is a minute across the square.

A decent range of traders and games means this show is worth a visit in 2025
Unlike partizan (an agricultural show facilities wise) Fiasco has tons of food options – even gluten free – proper tea for one yes two Yorkshire tea bags in that pot: And table service. The wrap? I was technically late for the breakfast menu at the museum cafe but they knocked me up a gluten free bacon sandwich with some imagination-the wrap was “loaded” with bacon.

Part two properly covers my museum trip. But you’ve read that already – probably…..

Footfall measure? – last valley still had stock on the shelves a couple of hours in. But at least you could shop like human!

Next up……

New venue……
Nice to see 1848 Danes on show in the promo flyer
Categories
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.

Categories
Scenery wargame rules wargaming

Off Season? or what?

The Football season properly got underway this weekend (although the hard workers were already on their second weekend) after the summer break and it kind of gels with my view of the wargaming calendar year.

My off season is spring and summer. Well yes I know there are lots of wargamers who are of the 24/7 variety and make up the engine room of this fine hobby.

I am much more the peripheral player – wargaming fits in with lots of other activities. In summer I like to get out in the daylight and enjoy the warm rays of sunshine – not too warm though!

So it occurred to me the other day that it was odd that I might post a plan for the year at the turn of the year. Yes thats when many other things get planned and reflected upon – makes sense to do the wargame planning stuff at the same time in those dark months.

The reality is that my transfer season (= all those painting plans or rules/gaming period changes) and this disruption really happens between May and August. And thats because as my painting tails of in Spring my mind starts wandering.

Looking back I have noticed Summer has been quite fruitful for projects going awry and new ideas popping up.

I mentioned earlier those 24/7 wargamers. Well even if I dont paint much in Spring and Summer I do tend to read and that is the devil in my wargaming. Or rather it is the seed point for another idea or ideas.

What has seeded this summer?

Back in early spring I was on a roll (no pun intended!) painting, well inspired by the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XIV.

Trojan horse…..

My main project – Schleswig Holstein Wars were well served yet also some new material like a kit airplane – first in decades, retro citadel fantasy figures, gameshow freebies and even a magazine WW2 freebie figure Sci Fi carve up.

And then the finale posting by Karl at AHPCXIV featured a trojan horse. How apt, as it drove the Bronze Age front and square into my wargames thinking.

Soon I had the books out, which rules, which figures to paint, heck which scale? I am the sad possessor of 15mm and 1/72 chariot armies none of which are complete – in the case of 15mm not even started……

Scale – not a chariot in sight….
25mm subs for those non existent 15mm chariots – in dba cavalry or chariots it matters not!
High water mark of this summers Bronze Age push!

In the end I managed a strip or two of Assyrians undercoated and then opted for my version of 2mm armies. A successful campaign with DBA using a previous mapped world followed and then nothing.

Back to reading again. Suddenly William the chivalrous knight sprung upon me – I got all medieval and then it passed: And so did the book.

A great period for heraldic colour

The same happened to my wild west thoughts.

The cowboys got as far as the rockery before getting shot to pieces…..

The season of scenery challenge popped up. and I briefly made progress on a long overdue Italian hilltop town.

And then the Pike and Shot 16th century erupted with books on history, rules and uniforms spilling out of cupboards. A whole set of stockpiled figures got cleaned, reading progressed and rules were contemplated. Taking a lead from my Bronze Age moment I created some 0mm, yes 0mm armies for the Italian Wars – France versus Spain. I had intended them for testing rules including Pike and Shot by Warlord but bailed out using Neil Thomas Wargaming an Introduction instead – Pike and Shot Rules. These are easy and simple to use.

A promising start with 0mm scale armies to test a myriad of pike and shot era wargames rules including warlords pike and shot soon petered out….

One wargame later and dust started to gather on the abandoned field – no second game.

The pike and shot did get washed and desprued but alas that was it…..

So you see spring and summer has been properly, my fragmented wargames season. Its not an “off season” or indeed a “low season” but its definitely a season of sorts.

And its still going on………….pretty much what you would expect from a wargaming erratic I guess.

Categories
miniatures painting

The Painting Pedestal

It’s summer! And my brushes have scarpered again.

Categories
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
Categories
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
Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

A tale of two painting events

Winter 2023/2024 proved to be quite productive painting wise. I don’t keep stats on numbers painted although I do record my painting colours and techniques in case I wish to replicate a figure/unit.

“Paint What You Got” by Dave Stone and “Analogue Hobbies Painting Competition” (AHPC) by Curtis Campbell and Co. both provided a big push to my painting in a very positive way.

In both cases I had planned a limited involvment to secure yet more mid 19th century completed units for my Danish and Germanic forces of the 1st Schleswig Holstein War.

Initially all went well and the fruits of my work can be seen on the AHPC14 site and in previous posts on this blog.

Paint What You Got

Paint What You Got II – better late than never

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge 2023/24

Then I fully succumbed to the “Library Challenge” on offer with the AHPC event.

So out went the 19th century and in came whatever thematic library section I found myself in next.

The result?

  • One 1/72 Reconnaisance Spitfire – now gifted to a lover of all things aerial.
  • One 28mm Noggin the Nog super hero from the 1960’s childrens black and white TV. Bought from the Little Toy Soldier online shop.
  • One 28mm General Siskorski hero of the free Polish during World War 2: A Partizan Newark freebie.
  • One 25mm veteran (1980’s) games workshop fantasy Cyclops: found at Doncaster Toy Fair.
  • One 28mm Empress Matilda (12th century): A Partizan Newark freebie
  • One home built “button monster” (DeathZap Pastor created these inspiring SciFi/Fantasy creatures)
  • One home built “Nissen Hut” left behind in some village in the East of England after world war 2 “upcycled” – before the term was invented – to a village library.

Quite a haul and it was a very satisfying period of painting and making. The AHPC served up some great contact with the other painters as well.

After what was in effect for me a serious 12 week painting/creating blast – I literally hung up my paint brushes. March has rapidly become April and I have been drifting: I cannot blame outdoor activities like gardening as spring has been one soggy wet mess and still is.

So much for getting on with the 1st Schleswig Holstein War forces. That project has been a case of two or three steps forward yet now stopped.

Maybe that stop was coming anyway. My Wargame projects have that way of shuddering to a halt for no good reason.

1940 France – mk1 spitfire in camomint camouflage
1980’s games workshop fantasy cyclops rescued from Doncaster toy fair!
12th century Empress Matilda – a freebie from Newark partizan show
Just squeezing onto the painting pedestal is a scratch built ww2 Nissen hut library from the post war
Polish General Siskorski again a Newark Partizan freebie and the link is double in that Newark was home to polish air squadrons during ww2 and after General Siskorski and his family died in an unexpected plane crash over Gibraltar in 1943 the general was buried in Newark until repatriated in the 1990’s
Noggin the nog
A German ww2 magazine freebie with mods to make a sci fi character of sorts
A button monster made from a 54mm ww2 soldier.
AHPC 14 proved to be very productive!
Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

Blog Influences 4 Pauls Bods

Pauls Bods is a blog that celebrates 1/72 plastic wargames figures. Yet it is so much more because Paul as an ace modeller who can turn even unpromising sculpts into fantastic pieces of the wargamers art.

His head, body and everything else swops are inspiring.

He also has a great sense of humour which appears often in his creations.

The headline image is of my own work prompted by Paul’s bods. Taking a leaf from his book I painted some mini art medieval cavalry that were given a searingly negative plastic soldier review.

Here are some posts highlighting the range of his work.

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2010/10/run-rabbit-run.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2010/10/houstonbeepwe-have-problembeep.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2010/12/airfix-acw-infantry.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2010/12/world-war-ii-deserters.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/03/dalek-command-post.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/01/after-sandstorm.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-set-from-e-bay.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/04/bear-fight.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/04/airfix-guards-band.html

http://paulsbods.blogspot.com/2011/08/fantasy-island.html

Sadly I think his work is disappearing as some of it was in paid storage products that no longer operate.

Categories
miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Pedestal 24d The Cavalry

From the 1970’s era I have had three cavalry types – Cuirassiers, Hussars and Lancers in my collection.

They are all minifig.

The Lancers and Hussars have done sterling service especially in more recent times appearing as mid 19th century units for my Italian Wars of Independence forces and their Fauxterre equivalents.

These French lancers have served many a country both real and imaginary across the nineteenth century
These French hussars have also become generic as well – often appearing as Austrians
These minifigs cuirassiers don’t get out much as the battles in the mid nineteenth century were the twilight era for cavalry

In addition I have some Warrior Miniatures French dragoons. The first batch were in green and were sold years ago. Then I got inspired by a funcken image of French napoleonic dragoons in red……

These warrior metal french dragoons have been a more recent addition long after they were bought!

https://thewargamingerratic.home.blog/2021/10/12/the-late-running-1800-from-oxted-to-victoria-has-just-arrived-on-platform-1-45-years-late/