HESSIAN JAGER

Well I managed to finish more troops for my AWI armies last night, this time some Hessian Jager. I did try painting stripes on their trousers but gave up as my hand is not steady enough! Yesterday was also my first day of abstaining from alcohol since the Christmas and New Year binge-fest of the last two weeks! I'm just waiting for an order frmo Maelstrom for some 'highland tuft' to finish off the bases. Also completed are a unit of six Armand's Legion cavalry. No picture yet as the one I took this morning is totally rubbish so will add a photo later today. I'm very happy with the progress I'm making painting these troops, and they don't look too bad. However, I am also very lucky that I have an over-the-bed-type table which I've set up in the lounge, so I can paint, watch tv and be sociable all at the same time! It's one of the few good things that come out of breaking my leg big time nearly 4 years ago and being confined to downstairs for eight weeks in an ankle to thigh cast, as my partner and also my mates brought my painting stuff down from my games room and here, more or less, it has stayed ever since (except when anyone comes to view the house).

AWI BRITISH LEGION AND TOBACCO

This weekend I managed to finish my Architects of War tobacco field and my British Legion Cavalry - both pictured here. I've just started my Hessian Jagers and next up will be Armand's Legion cavalry, followed by the Queen's Rangers I think, although I still have half a dozen American units to do. I'm off this week so in between practical parenting, taking the Christmas decorations down, and getting my daughter ready to go back to school I hope to continue the good progress made so far.

The end of the old and the start of the new

Well, 2010 is gone and hello to 2011. I was thinking this morning what I had achieved in the last year and it is quite impressive.

Started the year with 28mm Russian Civil War/Back of Beyond and now have getting on for 400 figures for the whites and reds, including nearly 100 cavalry, with assorted aircraft, artillery and armour, plus an enormous armoured train. Still need to finish my Freikorps though ;o(
The run up to Easter saw VBCW hook me, so I've managed to collect (and paint) troops for the BUF, the 'Government', Anglican League and the Socialists. Again probably around 400 figures plus more lots of vehicles, trucks, artillery, aircraft and TWO armoured trains.
October saw me go back to my favorite period, i.e. the 18th century, with the purchase of 28mm AWI. I've already listed whats been completed to date and I think this project will keep me busy painting for several months yet. I also managed to squeeze in some additions to my SYW armies with 24 Russian Cuirassiers and two 36-man infantry btns. Added to all the above has been the addition of a fair bit of scenery, including a Russian village, a variety of 20th century buildings and terrain pieces for the RCW and VBCW (including a factory complex), plus half a dozen AWI buildings. I dread to think how much all this lot has cost me but I won't even begin to justify it - much of it was recycled cash from ebay sales. Shame I sold my old 18th century Piedmontese army though but it hadn't seen the light of day for years! Won't ever sell painted stuff ever again though! The down side is that although I have some really lovely armies that have been great fun to collect and paint, I've only played about half a dozen games all year (excluding solo) due to work, illness and other stuff. Never mind, I'll be moving my games room across the top landing into a bigger room this week and look forward to being able to set my new 10' x 6' table up soon after that.

Happy gaming for 2011!

The Family Plot - Architects of War

I was quite taken by the recent adverts in the various wargames mags for Architects of War. Thankfully Warlord Games are their UK distributor so I ordered a couple of items to complement my AWI terrain. First up is the "Family Plot". Easy to put together and a joy to paint - all completed last night. This weekend I will try and get my other purchase completed - the tobacco field.

American War of Independance update - the armies grow!

Well, its the middle of December and I've not played a game since the end of September. A combination of work and more recently the crappy weather has well and truly scuppered any plans we might have made. The weather also prevented me visiting Smoggycon and Pudsey, so the next show I am likely to get to is York in early February. The UP side of all this is that as I was snowed in for well over a week (and work from home anyway), I've got quite a few more of my AWI figures completed. I now have six battalions of British plus a battery of guns and nine (and should be ten or eleven by this time next week) American battalions, a battery of three guns and a squadron of continental dragoons. I also managed to finish generals for both sides. I have managed to get back into the swing of painting 18th century uniforms en masse, and whilst the results are not show-winning quality I am happy with them (except for the wrong shade of army painter disaster!). There are now more than enough figures for a game (solo or otherwise) over the Christmas break which will allow me to try out British Grenadier properly.

Pictured above are a couple of my new units.

Mind you, missing two shows didn't stop me spending money these last couple of months. I ordered several AWI buildings off Hovels and Magister Militum. The Hovels Georgian house and barn are very nice, as is Magister's Guilford Courthouse. I also ordered the Chew House off Magister - an excellent and imposing Georgian building! I'm currently struggling with what looks like about a mile of snake fencing to add to my growing collection of American scenery in 28mm. I ordered some Hessians off Perry last week, to give a bit more choice and flexibility for the British, as if I need it and am waiting for some more flags off GMB as I took advantage of his recent offer. Finally, my extra terrain mat arrived so I really must now move my games room across the top hall landing and set up my 10 x 6 table.

Having decided to steer clear of British in their 'warrant' uniforms in favour of the campaign dress that everyone now reckons is what they wore from quite early in the war, I will be putting about four or five batallions of Foundry British on ebay over the holidays.

Going back to rules, I think I will like BG, but I just don't like small batallions in 28mm, especially for the 18th century. My Seven Years War are all in 36's for infantry and between 24 and 36 for the cavalry, so even dropping to between 24 and 30 is a big leap for me. I hope the rules will work for my larger units. I shall give them a go.

BUF Motorcycle Recce Platoon

Finished these off the other day. Will be the last of my VBCW figures for a while until I have broken the back of my AWI army painting. The figures are Call of the Cluthu cops. Not a very good picture so I will replace it asap.

FIRST AWI TROOPS FINISHED

Well, I have finished the first burst of activity in getting my next project off the starting blocks. I'm not sure I like the end result so far but time is of a premium so getting two opposing armies ready for a game is, as always, my main priority. Target date - Christmas holidays 2010. I have really gone off painting and after 10 months of 28mm Russian Civil War and VBCW getting back to 'proper' uniforms is proving to be a big adjustment. Just waiting from some finials from Front Rank to finish this lot off (and I've just noticed I need to paint the base edges of several of these units. ooops!). I've not made my mind up yet about rules or anything like that so am using 30 as the standard unit size for the English and 24 for the Americans - I can always remove a base or two depending on the figure scale required AND I like big battalions! As for rules, British Grenadier look ok but might be a little too complicated for my aging brain to handle. I think Rank and File or Black Powder will work well, as will our own 'house' set of 'old school' rules. Its half term this week so I have a few days off. My aim is to get two more Anerican battalions finished (both half done) and then try and get some generals finished for both sides and start some American artillery and cavalry. I have probably (definately) gone a bit OTT again, as based on my recent purchasing binge, I will end up with 12 English/Scots/Loyalist battalions, plus guns and a small body of cavalry to face something like 18 units of Americans with cavalry and artillery in support. Oh dear! Too many English but it'll give me some variety - that's the plan anyway. Honest! Actually, I am in the process of moving my games room across the top landing to a the much bigger spare bedroom (games room will then be decorated and become a smaller spare bedroom but big enough for any transient guest who might drop in needing a bed). This will mean I will be able to fit a respectable 10' x 6' table in the new room, which will be nice except I shall have to buy a new terrain mat! Happy days ;o)