Monthly progress report Feb and March 2020

”And all of a sudden it was April.” Where has the year gone?  As the days creep closer to Easter Sunday and my 62nd birthday (yikes!) the first three months of the year appear to have passed in a blur. Ok,  now we have the major crisis of ‘The Great Confinement’ the world is slowing down big time, but my painting mojo has gone up a few notches and the output has been quite staggering even for me.  The list below  contains figures painted and based wholly by me. Most have already seen action, and those that have yet to do so will be on the table next week in another campaign game. Everything completed over the past two months has been for my French Revolutionary Wars collection, due largely to the 1793 Flanders Campaign I’ve started with the participation of a number of my wargaming friends.

Hanoverian horse artillery x 12 + 3 cannon
French horse artillery x 12 + 3 cannon
Hanoverian 14th Light Infantry skirmishers x 14
Hanoverian 14th Light Infantry close order x 20
Hanoverian for artillery x 17
Emigre Light Infantry x 12
Emigre command group x 3 figs
Emigre general x 1
Scots Greys x 12
Military band x 6
Hanoverian Light Dragoons x 12
Dying general vignette 3 figs
Emigre Mirabeau infantry x 24
Austrian Grun Lauren Freikorps x 28
Hanoverian Cavalry x 12
Hanoverian Riflemen x 7

French Hussars du Mort x 12 (repaint)

Wargame shows - 2
Games - 6 (including 2 at the Club in Durham)

Sometime over the last week I apparently also passed 500,000 views on this blog. Ever since the lockdown the daily number of views has doubled or more. Of course, I don’t know how accurate the counter widget thingy is but not a bad effort if I may say so. (And I did set it not to count my visits).

April onwards, well from now really, I REALLY MUST get cracking with my 1/72 scale WSS figures, although the pressure is off as I doubt they will see the table and the big game we were planning until later this year. Plenty of time therefore to finish off more FRW figures and even base up the rest of my War of 1812 collection painted by friend Barry earlier this year. And then there’s the Italian Wars........

I hope everyone can keep safe and well (their loved ones too) during these difficult times. In the meantime we must be grateful for never having grown up and allowed ourselves to be immersed in our wonderful hobby.

Monthly progress January 2020

A new year and the same old lead mountain, plus or minus the couple of thousand figures that passed through during the course of last year, or emerged from the darkness after a furlough of several years in the case of the Sikh Wars stuff.

January has been quiet by my standards due to health and other commitments but I've done my best to keep going as I've found that my painting mojo is still there, 'mojoing' quite happily about.

Painted and based wholly by me:

3 Btns Austrian Grenadiers, French Revolutionary Wars (FRW)  - 72 figures
1 battery Bavarian artillery, FRW - 12 figures and 3 cannon
Anglo-Hanoverian ADCs, FRW - 4
1 battery Hanoverian artillery, FRW - 12 figures and 3 cannon
1 Regt Piedmontese Cavalry FRW - 12 figures
1 battery French Emigre artillery - 15 figures and 3 cannnon

Painted by somebody else, based etc. by me:
1 btn plus skirmishers and gunners, Polish Legion, FRW - 40 figures (Rob)
4 btns Dutch infantry, FRW - 96 figures (Barry)
1 regt Austrian Hussars, FRW - 24 figures (Barry)
1 regt Austrian Dragoons, FRW - 24 figures (Barry)
1 regt French Chasseurs a Cheval, FRW - 24 figures (Barry)


I seem to have quite a few (half a dozen) units on the go in various stages of completion, so I hope that these will be done by the end the month.

Games: 3

Not a bad month.

And now the scary bit! Looking back on 2019 and forward to 2020

As 2019 draws to a close in about 17 minutes I should by time honoured custom risk boring the pants of some readers and look back and see what I’ve accomplished during the year. Thankfully I’ve been keeping a pretty decent record for once, and have some monthly progress reviews to fall back on. So, here goes. It was scary when I added it all up. VERY scary!

Figures completed (not necessarily started during 2019), based and game ready, including everything whether painted and based from scratch by me or outsourced and just based by me = 3839! (Foot = 1; Horse = 2; Cannon etc = 3)

Of which around 60% were completed in their entirety by me (in the case of almost all the Sikhs and lots of 18thC, started up to eight years ago!) while the remainder were painted for me but I completed the bases. Almost half of the completed figures are for the Sikh Wars, with the next biggest groups being French Revolutionary Wars and the late 17thC.

Periods covered throughout this painting spree were French Revolution, Sikh Wars,  Wars of the Polish and Austrian Succession, Renaissance/Thirty Years War, Napoleonics and late 17th Century (Franco-Dutch War, Wars against/for the Ottomans).

I've organised or taken part in  38 games, of which 32 were here at The Burrow, 3 were at the Durham club, 3 at the Wild Geese weekend in Kenilworth and 1 at the Battleground show. Periods played were:

French Revolution -13
Sikh Wars - 6
Napoleonic - 2
Thirty Years War - 2
Ancient - 1
The Wars against the Ottomans - 5
1670s Franco-Dutch War & similar - 2
Great Northern War - 1
AWI - 1
7YW - 3
Colonial - 1
30YW - 2

I’ve spent far too much money buying lots more French Revolutionary War figures, as well as mid-18thC French, 1670s and 80s French, Spanish, Piedmontese and sundry others, Renaissance Cossacks, Italian Wars, the War of 1812. I’ve also recently purchased a load of Strelets and Zvezda 1/72 Marlburian plastics as part of a collective project for 2020.

Next year (as of tomorrow) I'm involved in the 1/72 project just mentioned but am also determined to finish off the few remaining 1670s and French Rev figures and try and get the War of 1812 collection painted and on the table. That, and a bit of furious eBay activity as I have a big box of 'stuff' SNLR to be dealt with.

This is also my 172nd post of 2019, which isn’t bad.

So, with no more hidden treasures under the table I doubt I shall get anywhere near this year’s output, but I shall keep plugging away. I trust everyone out there has a very happy, healthy and productive 2020, and that the dice keep rolling the way you want them to.

November progress update.

I realise that these monthly updates may well bore the pants off some readers, but bear with my self-indulgence please as this monthly tally is a great boost to the soul, and of course to the painting mojo. Anyway, I almost forgot to finish this update of stuff completed during November, but here goes. Much of my focus, well all of it actually, was on putting the final touches to the Sikh Wars game I put on (with some of my friends) at Battleground.

Completed (painted and based by me):
Troop Bengal Horse Artillery - 10 figures
BHA six-horse limber teams x 3 including converting suitable extra drivers
Camels and Camel-drawn limber and cannon
Bearers, artillery lascars, Civilians and sundry vignettes (approx 40 figs)
British Sikh Wars command stands x 3 (7 figures)
Bengal Native Infantry Btn 20 figs
European infantry Btn 20 figs
Sikh artillery battery- 18 gunners, 3 cannon
Assorted spare limbers, ammo wagons and water carts - 5
Vultures x 4 bases

Terrain items etc:
Painted 12’ of earthworks for Sikh Wars game (scratch built by friend Rob Anderson of Northumbrian Painting Services)
Various tents, market stalls, encampment bits for Sikh Wars
Raised gun emplacement and large redoubt for Sikh Wars game

Games:
3 incl demo game at Battleground

Shows:
Battleground Stockton

What next?

What indeed? I have a half a dozen or so more units to do for the Sikh Wars, mainly irregulars but also regiments of Sikh Dragoons and HM 9th Lancers. I’m in no rush and although it won’t suffer for them not being completed, I really want to put this project to bed and move on to tackling another part of the lead mountain. I can’t face making a start on adding to the Italian Wars figures I bought off eBay several years ago yet, but do fancy starting my TAG Renaissance Cossacks. Of some Americans for the War of 1812. We shall see. There’s always an odd French Revolutionary War unit to paint up, or French 18th century infantry.

Monthly production report, September 2019

Quite a busy month but most effort spent on basing up figures that Barry painted for me.

Based up and finished but not painted by me:
2 regts FRW French cavalry 24 figs
7 btns FRW infantry  168 figs


Everything done by me:
Dooli bearers and load
Bengal Horse artillery troop - 11 figs and 2 cannon

Games played/hosted:
3 at home plus 1 at the Durham Wargames Club

Shows attended:
1

Priorities for October all to be done in house:

Finish troops and vignettes for Battleground game in November (approx 100 figures)
Ditto terrain, tents, baggage etc
Sort out terrain for Jena game on 12 October
Finish 18thC French infantry in time for Rossbach game in November (approx 200 figures)

Monthly progress July and August 2019

It’s actually been a while since I updated the progress log of figures completed. I’ve been busy with, well, completing figures, some big games and the normal pleasures of being a gentleman of leisure so technically I didn’t actually accomplish very much in July and August apart from a furious basing frenzy thanks to the good weather and an expedition into the caverns under my table.

Based up or re-based, already painted:
24 Ottoman cavalry (Dellis)
24 Ottoman Tufceci infantry
9 Imperial Cuirassier

9 battalions of SYW infantry (English, Hanoverian, Hessen-Kassel, Brunswick)
9 cavalry regiments (Hanoverian, Brunswick, Hessen-Kassel)
6 Battalions 18thC French (42 figs each)
6 battalions WAS/SYW Spanish ( 42 figs each)
2 regiments Spanish Horse (12 each)

5 battalions French Revolutionary Wars Prussians (24 each)
1 regiment French Revolutionary Wars Polish Legion cavalry (12)

Completed from scratch:
1 Sikh Artillery battery (16 figures, 3 cannon)
1 Dooli bearer set
1 battalion Sikh Wars Gurkhas 20 figures

Games : 4
Shows: 1

I wonder what September will bring? I might even make a start on my new project, but I also have the game at Battleground in Stockton to complete the preparation for.

June painting and production totals

June’s highlight was the Wild Geese annual event in Kenilworth ( as described in a separate post). Despite not being well for a week or so I still managed to get a fair bit done. Perhaps next month will see the last of the Sikh Wars marathon, or not as the case may be.


Completed (by my own hand)
3 Sikh Wars vignettes (snake charmer, fakir on bed of nails and Indian rope trick)
1 bullock and civilian drover
1 Sikh commander (Alexander Gardner)
10 Sikh irregular/feudal cavalry
10 Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Skinners Horse)
9 assorted baggage camels
2 camels pulling limbered heavy cannon (Sikh)
1 x Dr Brydon one of the “sole survivors of retreat from Kabul” vignette
2 British Sikh Wars command stands (5 figures)
40 Sikh Irregular Feudal infantry.
1 Bengal Foot Artillery Rocket section
3 Elephant drawn limbers (Sikh)

Games: 7 (incl 3 at Kenilworth)

Shows/Events: Durham Wargames Group annual show; The Wild Geese weekend in Kenilworth.

Not a bad month. I have also starting selling surplus and never-likely-to-get-painted lead on eBay. If anyone wants 28mm French Wars of Religion stuff let me know.

May production output.(updated 31 May)

May felt like a more productive month but in terms of actual numbers of figures ready for the table I think it was about the same. I think perhaps (no perhaps about it really) that finally getting the Sikh Wars collection on the table for a game after a wait of seven years since the bulk of the figures (I.e. most of the infantry) were painted is this month’s most significant milestone event. I must say I’m having great fun painting up the last remaining units for these armies, and my mojo is definitely running at full steam ahead, even if only for a few short periods each day.

Based (already painted):
10 Governor General's Bodyguard
40 Bengal Light Cavalry (4 regiments)

Completed (painted and based):
30 Bengal Irregular Cavalry
1 Maharajah's elephant (with Maharaja)
10 Sikh Akali cavalry
12 Sikh Akali infantry
60 Sikh Feudal/Irregular Infantry
1 Six-Bullock limber team and three Bengal Foot Artillery native gunners
1 European command base (3 figs).
2 Bhisti
8 Bengal Horse Artillerymen
2 variants of Harry Flashman

Games:
3
Shows:
1

In the pipeline for June and already started are the 3rd Bengal Irregular Cavalry (Skinners Horse), some more Sikh feudal infantry and cavalry, another battery of Sikh artillery, Bengal Horse Artillery limbers, some Gurkhas (for both sides) and another European regiment (2nd Bengal Fusiliers). There are also some baggage camels and various vignettes in various stages of completion.

Later down the road I have HM 9th Lancers to do, hopefully in July. I have enough figures for another 3 or 4 battalions of Sikh regulars but don’t need to push these to the front of the queue. I will probably do them in white summer uniforms.

April production progress report

A slow month in April due to taking a week off on holiday and various other commitments. However the sunshine over the early Bank Holiday weekend meant I could take myself outside and base up lots of figures.


Basing only, already painted figures:
20 Sikh Wars British cavalry (3LD and 16L)
120 Sikh Wars European infantry (6 btn)
240 Sikh Wars Bengal Native Infantry (12 btn)
48 Sikh 'Regular' cavalry (2 each cuirassier and lancers)
6 bases Bengal Horse Artillery gunners (3 troops)
12 bases Bengal Foot Artillery gunners (6 batteries)
240 Sikh Wars Sikh regulars (12 bun)

Painted and bases finished:
18 6pdr and 9pdr cannon for European Sikh Wars gunners
2 x 18pdr cannon as above
6 x ox drawn limber teams
4 x elephants and limbers
8 x Governor General's Bodyguard

All these units with the exception of the Eureopeans need their flags adding.

Games:
4

May will hopefully see me finish 20 Sikh irregular cavalry, 12 more Akali, 10 mounted Akali and my two Sikh Ghurka battalions, as well as three Bengal Irregular Cavalry regiments. I have some Sikh irregular infantry to do and some Bengal Horse Artillery limbers and EIC Gurkhas on order from OGUK.

March painting and production totals

A better month this time as I've had a massive splurge on basing. I’m not going to get anything else done before the end of the month (tomorrow!!!!) so here’s my output as of this morning:

Basing (already painted, many like the Sikh Wars stuff, some time ago):

• 11 battalions of assorted 1670s Savoyards, Papal, Venetian, Bavarians, Saxons and Brandenburgers  based up. (33 bases in all plus movement trays)
• 3 regiments of 1670s Savoyard, Bavarian and Celle cavalry. (9 bases plus movement trays)
• 72 Sikh Wars Gorchara cavalry (12 big bases)
• 10 Sikh Wars Zambareks (3 bases) and 4 deployed slightly bigger camel guns (2 bases)
• 6 Sikh Wars Sikh command bases ( 16 figures)
• Rebased 124 Ottomans.
• 48 Sikh gunners in 4 batteries (incl 12 cannon)
• 3 elephant drawn limbers

Completed, incl basing:

• 12 Royal Navy Jolly Jack Tars hauling on ropes pulling a cannon for my 1799 Helder campaign.
• 3 1670s mounted  command figures
• 9 1670s Hannoverian horse
• 24 1670s Bavarian infantry ( 1 battalion)
• 4 1670s Savoy gunners (plastic)
• 12 assorted Sikh Wars commanders (British and Sikh)
• 12 Tartar irregular cavalry for the Ottomans.

• 2 resin makeshift barricades
• 1 circular redoubt (resin)
• 1 Mediterranean style built up area base completed
• 3 big games played

Objectives for April:

Complete basing of as many Sikh Wars units as possible

Source some more British generals for the Sikh Wars and get them started/finished
Elephants and bullocks to pull Sikh Wars cannon
Bengal Irregular Cavalry
Finish 60th Rifles

Rebase the rest of the Ottomans where necessary

Complete another couple of 1670s regiments of foot/horse/dragoons

Make a start on basing my French for the War of Polish Succession as well as getting cracking on the last of the infantry, artillery and commanders.

A few more Vendean rebels to,add to the masses.

All of the above are largely aspirational especially as we are away for almost a week, but to be able to tick a couple of them off the list would be worth a pat on the back and a generous gin and (slimline) tonic or two.

Keep focussed!

February painting totals

Not such a productive month as January but we did go away for ten days which did knock me back a bit in terms of the production line. It was a well deserved break, first in a spa converted from a WW1 era fort, then Waterloo and then Ypres. Nevertheless the following was achieved:

1. 12 more Austrian French Revolutionary Wars artillerymen painted and based up.
2. A unit of 9 Savoyard dragoon’s for the 1670's. Not yet finished the bases.
3. A unit of 15 dismounted Savoyard dragoon’s (same regiment as above, and yes there are more on foot than mounted but that’s just the way I base them so all units whether on foot or mounted have the same 180mm frontage. I also finished a horse holder and three horses to go with them. Again, the bases are not yet done.
4. Completed the basing on four battalions of 1793 Dutch, 96 figures in total. They had been painted languishing in a box for months but kept creeping down the basing queue rather than up it.

Loads of stuff is still work in progress, for example I have just fixed 20 battalions of Sikh regulars and Bengal Native Infantry (400 figures) to their mdf bases, and these will hopefully (they bloody will!) be finished by the end of March, but my priority is the completion of the bases of my 1670s Piedmontese for a game on Friday a week today. In addition I’ve had a really big clear out but apart from emptying a fair few really useful boxes that sit waiting to be refilled with stuff and adding more stuff to the eBay box I’m not too impressed with my efforts just yet. Let’s wait till I’ve finished.

January Painting Totals

I’ve been on a bit of a roll painting wise since Christmas so I thought I’d start doing a monthly roundup of my ‘achievements’. I wonder how long I will keep this up (both the output and the roundup) but let’s have a go.

The rules:
1. I only count figures I personally have painted from scratch. Stuff done for me does not count.
2. I don’t need to have based them up.
3. Basing is a separate category as I tend to have periodical phases of basing frenzy. All figures count.
4. Terrain items are included.

January 2019:
1670’s-1680’s ‘Turkenkreig’ - 27 cavalry, 196 infantry (Savoyards, Venetians, Saxons, Celle, Papal, Brandenburg and Bavarian)
Vendée - 4 Royalist infantry
French Revolution - 12 Austrian artillerymen which were also fully based up.

4 Hovels Dutch-style buildings

No basing frenzy in January (December’s base-fest burnt me out) but this month I must get all the Turkenkreig units based and tabletop ready.  I’ve unearthed four or five  more units (one foot, one dragoon, which actually count as two u it’s as I need to do them mounted and on foot, and three of horse) to paint up as Savoyards, Venetians or Imperial troops (maybe a unit of Bavarian infantry as I have the flags for some reason). All manner of German stets sent troops to help Venice and the Austrians fight the dreaded Turk so plenty of variety for sure.

I also want to make up some FRW Hanoverian flags so I can swap them out temporarily with my English FRW units which will then ‘do’ as Hanoverians for a few games I have in mind e.g. Hondschoote, Famars. I seem to have subconsciously started gaming the major battles of the War of the 1st Coalition in sequence and by theatre of operations. That sounds like a good plan to have for  2019, although there are surprisingly few battles in 1793 that are game able i.e. they’re too small or geographically too dispersed, or too one sided to make it much fun for the underdog. However, next weekend I might turn the clock back to 1792 and do a refight of Valmy, not as it panned  out in reality but as a ‘what if?’ the Prussians had pressed home their attack.

Now f it’s not snowing in the morning I can get cracking on undercoating a couple of units.