Tag: miniature figurines

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
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/

Categories
Military History miniatures painting wargaming

The Painting Pedestal 23h: Vive L’Empereur*

It’s not often you get a major historical movie these days and even less by a mainstream producer. So Ridley Scotts “Napoleon” is a good excuse to get some figures on the pedestal.

First up is the man himself – Napoleon – as imagined back in the early 1970’s by Miniature Figurines (the Warlord of their day).

Next up is one of a kind for me…..

*the painting of the same name by edouard detaille hangs in the New South Wales art gallery showing the charge of the 4th hussars at Friedland 1807.

Categories
Mythical Realms Mythical Worlds

Not Orktober more like Norcvember

John over at just needs varnish shared his latest Ork which by all accounts was fortuitous – it was fortuitous for me as I restled with the lack of Orks or Orcs among my Danes, Germans, Austrians and Italians of the mid 19th century (there is another game in there somewhere I am sure………..)

So then I glanced at my cabinet – lucky enough to have a permanent display. And low and behold I saw some Orcs.

This neatly tied in with my recent trip to Barnsley and the Lord of the Rings event that runs till April 2024.

well I never…..
well I never again….
had the album but never even gave it a second thought – duuuurrrrrrr
The one ring unguarded!
Plenty to see and do around Barnsley – the whole museum is free

You will have to see the exhibition to enjoy its contents – its free and so is the first 3 hours parking in the centre of Barnsley 5 minutes away! Trains, buses, trams nearby as well.

Here are those pesky Orcs. They date from mid 1970’s in the days when White Dwarf editions were in their teens I seem to remember. I was absorbed by D&D for a few years then simply left the whole hobby thing altogether. The figures never got disposed of and lived in various boxes biding their time. They still are biding their time but have a sentimental place in my display cabinet.

The figures are forest orcs from Miniature Figurines.

Their purchase also coincided with my oil painting experiments, humbrol enamels being the standard painting method. These chaps have a mix, the green skin is in oils with yellow highlights while the mail and shields are in enamels complete with some dry brush. Oh and the spear wood was in gouache for some reason.

The Lord of the Rings Exhibition at Barnsley Museums Trust was an enjoyable step back in time – the event focuses on how every type of media shared and promoted the stories. Yes there are model orcs…… Some well thought out and detailed text compliments the various items on show. Of course the one ring is there but strangely unguarded………….hang on those pesky orcs have run off, I wonder where.

Categories
Mid 19th Century Wargaming miniatures painting wargaming

Buildings Blast – some C19th figures used

My “Buildings Blast” post about two games I fought after setting up most of my buildings scenery covered a What a Tanker game and then a mid C19th game between Austrians and Piedmontese.

The tanks in use were the usual suspects, however the C19th game included several units which were converted – head swops or using different paint jobs.

Here are some of the units that were in play.

For 1859 Piedmontese I basically used these Hat ACW Infantry Firing, a paint job adaption. Crucially the kepi gradually replaced the tapered stove pipe in Piedmont/Sardinian Armies between 1848 and 1870 so ACW sets are a good source for these forces and require little adaption. And at a squint can cover Danish troops in their German wars 1848-1864, but thats another story.
Hat Napoleonic Russian Militia were simply painted as Milan Civil Guard. A couple of figures had flat hats created to replace their busby like hats. The Flag is a home made effort using artists acrylic pens on dried out glasses cleaner material. Yep some “value” glasses cleaner wipes don’t have a long shelf life – and I have packets of them! However oddly they are a bit like tough crepe paper so of course ended up in the hobby spares box.

…….in the foreground my “topiary hedges are on show“

The biggest conversion on show was my 1849 Piedmontese or Sardinians – rapidly expanded infantry were sent into battle with simple frockcoats and larger red tapered shakoes. (the regulars had double breasted frockcoats and smaller tapered stove pipe hats). I used Hat marching ACW union troops and took the Shakoes and back packs from Hat Dutch Napoleonic Infantry.
These lancers are circa early 1970’s Minifigs – conversion is in my “minds eye” to some Piedmont Lancers who of course did not wear green! or had combs on the helmets, red on their pennants……oh well its amazing what you can forgive.

The cobbled street comes from Coritani (Magnetic Displays Ltd).

These figures are Strelets 1877 Russian Artillery posing as french artillery circa 1850. The “piece” is I think a Zvezda item from their Great Northern Wars range
These trusty Hussars date from the 1970’s and are French Napoleonic. They regularly turn up as Austrian Hussars in my games.
The river is from S&A Scenics and the bridge is a laser wood cut kit from 4ground

4ground and S&A Scenics Links

My last unit on show is the 1860 British Legion – that sailed to Sicily with Garibaldi’s Mediterranean Invasion Army. The figures are Strelets Russian Turkish war of 1877 Russians in summer uniform.

Even in these days of a truly massive games market the more obscure historical events being modelled benefit from some conversion and adaption in order to capture the flavour of uniforms.

Categories
miniatures painting Vienna Treaty Wars wargaming

The Painting Pedestal 23d – Composite Cavalry

Ok Cavalry has not been my top list item for mid 19th century forces. They don’t figure much in the record and are derided for ineffective battle action as well as being the scout forces that seemed to be missing in action as armies stumbled into each other.

Having said all that they still had colourful uniforms! At the end is an item about the obvious error…….

These figures date to my try a “few of many” period so no vast regiments but squadrons and patrols.

And of course composite cavalry units did seem the order of the day at times.

In this case I have opposing forces on show as well!

  • Central Italian League 1860 – Cavalry Regiment “Guide”*
  • Piedmont Cavalry 1848 – Genova Cavalleria
  • Austrian Uhlans 1860 – Freiwilligen Uhlaren Regiment
  • Austrian Dragoons 1848 – Baron Boyneburg

*I have previously posted about the Warrior Napoleonic Hussars posing as Guides for the Central Italian League.

  • The Piedmont Cavalry are Waterloo1815 French Line Lancers.
  • The Uhlans are by Lucky Toys
  • The Austrian Dragoons are Hat Austrian Napoleonic Dragoons

I have used a range of grasses here over my standard 3 colour (burnt sienna base + ochre dry brush+ yellow/white highlights) painted budgie grit.

  • The Piedmont Cavalry are flocked with Woodland Scenics fine turf
  • The Austrian Dragoons are flocked with Woodland Scenics fine turf with Gamers Grass Dense Beige 6mm wild tufts
  • The Austrian Uhlans are flocked with Woodland Scenics fine turf with Gamers Grass Beige 2mm tufts
  • The Guides also sport Gamers Grass Dense Beige 6mm wild tufts

Which do you prefer?

A – Hussars in the brushwood?

B – Piedmontese on the thin turf?

C – The Uhlans in the small tufts?

D – The Dragoons in turf and brushwood?

Out of interest the painted base looks right when viewed on the games table but not in close up.

Warrior v Waterloo1815 v LuckyToys v Hat figures compared when painted and based

Flock references above and Grasses below

This ends a small flurry of completions for my mid 19th century armies.

The Error

My Piedmontese Cavalry have a helmet “comb” where there should not be one. “No comb” was the mid century fashion for Dragoons and Cuirassiers. Yet I could not bring myself to cut them off as they make this figure…………………..

Categories
life wargaming

Improvise!

I am not a snow scenery person so you will have to forgive this small quirky offering.

Merry Christmas One and All!

Veteran Minifigs from 1970’s to the front and a kit theatre from the Norman Palace in Parlermo – its side frames show off the famous marionettes or puppets – a theatrical tradition stretching back to the 13th century.