Santa Clause Gets Based

I was basing up my next entry in the challenge so took the opportunity to get these based up as well. I received these great looking figures as part of the Santa Clause. I wanted to get them based as soon as I could so happy to add them to the 6mm basing session Wednesday night Thursday morning.

These are Lancashire Games again and the same as the two other Cuirassier regiments as I have painted up so fit in perfectly. The amusing note that came with them informed me they are the 9th Prinz von Schonaich Carolath Cuirassiers and hoped I did not own them already. Well I did not so again a great fit for my army. 

The hand painted flag is great. I use paper ones because I don't have the skill to do such a good job so really happy to keep this fine example of skill.

So now I have three regiments of the heavies, just one painted Dragoon and with the regiment Lee game me two hussars (more on these next post). This means I have a viable force of painted figures for a first game. That's ten months after the first figures were bought. Not at all bad, I also have two dragoon regiments about to be started so will have quite a cavalry force to choose from. More infantry needs to be painted soon I think.

So again a big thank you to my Santa Clause, your a top man and these will get plenty of time on the table

Thank You Santa Clause

Can't wait till I can get these based up, my Santa Clause has been a big hit with me and a real big THANK YOU to my giver.

My gift is the 9th Prinz von Schonaich-Carolath Cuirassiers for my SYW Prussian army and is a perfect addition. This will give me three regiments of cuirassiers and will be a good base to build my cavalry around.

The figures are Lancashire Games and the paint work is really crisp and the colours pop. I could not have asked for a better present.

I also received as gifts from family enough Lancashire Games dragoon figures for four regiments so these will be added to the prep pile soon and also four packs of Baccus Macedonian pike to replace the ones I have just finished. Great timing.

So again a big thanks to my Santa Clause and of course thanks also to Chris for running the event.

Santa Clause 2016 Outgoing

Obviously I will not be doing a Secret Santa Outgoing post LOL but this one I can. Last year my target got a really good present so I knew I had to put in some effort but that's cool.

I did the usual reading of my targets blog until I found something I thought I could do. Gary is working on a Napoleonic French army using AB Miniatures so a look on their site brought up a set of six ADC figures and I thought that would make a good choice.

I now know that AB produce some rather fine highly detailed figures and the ADC's certanly are no exception. 

They were not too difficult to clean up though the mould lines were rather prominent. Still prep time was not too long and I primed them in black.

I used a file of ADC images to paint these up so they are reasonably accurate. I have also left the bases plain brown so Gary can base them up as he see's fit. I don't know if he will use them with command figures or as just table furniture.

I was trying to paint these up to match Gary's style though in the end they were mostly how I would do them so was rather unsuccessful in that.

They were a challenge to paint as my Napoleonic painting has all been 6mm except a few 10mm and 20mm figures a few years ago. 

You will have to forgive the photo's as I only had the one shot at them as I needed to get them into the post and the winters sun was making it interesting.

I'm just glad I don't have a whole army to paint as they rival many a 28 for detail and it seems a chime not to paint it in. 

This ones one of my favourite  and was one of the first I painted. I painted them one at a time and mostly did not repeat colours to try and keep them looking that bit different from each other.

Typically they were a lot of fun to paint, though towards the end I was starting to clock watch as the days ticked by as I wanted then to arrive before the real Christmas rush set in.

Fortunately I managed to get them done in time and had just enough spare time to really enjoy the finish.

So another fun Santa Clause for me and I am already looking forward to next years event were not even out of 2015 yet.

Talking of which, I hope you all have a great New Year which brings you just the right amount of painting and gaming.

Santa Clause 2016 Incoming

I have to say that I am really pleased with my gifts both for Secret Santa and Santa Clause, both excelled this year. Tonight I will post about my Santa Clause painted gift and hopefully tomorrow regarding my Secret Santa. Sorry for the delay but I was back at work Boxing Day till 6pm so was too tired to post yesterday.

Rusty has a four part series (more to be added) regarding the construction and painting of these figures which is great for me as it shows the conversion work he has done. You can find his blog Blackriver Wargames Society here. Not sure how to follow as the blog does not seem to have the typical follow button or follow by email.

As you can see the detail painting is fabulous and even has colour in the eyes! Certainly an upgrade on my painting standard and my Saga army will be lead by these great figures in the future.

The detail is just wonderful, I really like the crisp pattern to the tunic whilst the pointy guy happens to be a little more subtle in decoration but no less impressive.

I also love the detail of the severed head, it's not over the top with the gore and the pale flesh just looks perfect. I can't exaggerate how happy I was to open such a great looking base on Christmas day. So a big thank you to you Rusty.

Santa Clause and Secret Santa THANK YOU BOTH

Whilst I had a quick look yesterday at blog land I have only today been able to post and I want to say a big fat Thank You to both by Secret Santa and Santa Clause. Both presents are great and will get some use.

My Santa Clause gave me this very nice Dio of a prospector and his trusty mule. These look wonderful and the colours are perfect. I really like everything about them.

Bags of character and detail, and as they are also on separate bases these can pop out and be used in games and split up allowing for much fun I am sure.

I can see the mule also making it into the roleplaying given the desire to carry so much equipment the two ponies they have may not be enough!!

If that was not enough I also was given this great Mexican. I don't think I have  mentioned it her but I was planning on putting together a Mexican force so this guy will fit right in and I cab see I will need to start thinking of suitable characters to go with him.

The figures are all from Blue Moon so I will start there as I really like the look of these figures. I know Spirit Games sells or has sold these ranges so maybe a visit to Burton is in order?

As you can see, he is packing more than just the two pistols he has by his sides :-) I think before the week is through he could wind himself in a shoot out as the kids try and kill Dad, something of a tradition in our house.

My Secret Santa was no less a welcome present. Three Plastic Soldier Company T34's which is just perfect as I am currently painting up the Russian infantry that will go with them. No I did not peek, just very lucky to be working on them on the run up to Christmas. 

My plan now is to finish them and also start the assembly and painting of the three tanks so that I have my fledgling force all done and ready for a game when I get the chance. Even so I will still need to add some support to the force being very light in this respect but that's all part of the fun. So I will be doing quite a bit of internet browsing as I rally want to do these guys justice.

Again thank you to both of you, both presents hit the mark and from reading some of the blogs I was not the only lucky one.

Last Call For The Santa Clause

Chris over at Wargamer's Odds and Ends will be assigning targets very soon for The Santa Clause, this is the one where you supply about £5 worth of figure/s painted up by yourself that proved a lot of fun when Cath ran it for the first time on my blog last year. When Cath said she could not run both this and Secret Santa Chris was quick to offer to take over and has attracted quite a posse so it's looking to grow each year like Secret Santa.

So you have about 24 hours to sign up over at his blog, link above. Last year saw me painting up some si-fi robot's who knows what I will be doing this year. The great thing is that it can give you the opportunity to paint up something you would not get to do. I trolled my targets blog until I found something I thought he would like then matched up the painting style to his and off it went.

Idea wise? well £5 or equivalent helps cull the possibilities to manageable size so at 28 mm it could be a command stand, 15mm a few guns or a cavalry unit and 6mm a whole army LOL. OK a regiment or couple of buildings or..............

Actually you have a very wide range of items to choose and a quick look on your targets blog can help you fit that sweet spot that will have them thrilled. The best bit? someone's doing the same for you :-)

Santa Clause and Secret Santa Are GO

First up the hot news is that Santa Clause is Go as in gone elsewhere. Chris over at Wargamer's Odd's and Ends has kindly offered to host Santa Clause after Cath said it was to confusing to run both from the one blog. Top man and we already have a few of us signed up. Some of the originals and nice to see some new faces as well. So if you want to join in the more the merrier, it would be great if we can double last years entrants. Everyone enjoyed it last year and the opportunity to get two wargame related presents under the tree was just too good to pass over for me.

Secret Santa is already buzzing with interest and looks to break last years record. This will be three years running at a participant increase. Again it's great to see old faces, most back for the third year and just as good to see so many first timers getting into the fun. I was really spoilt last year and still am taking pleasure from looking at my gifts (I will be watching both films again over the winter). 

I actually enjoy the giving the best. The item I picked for my target went down well and I had spent a fair bit of time going through first his blog then the suppliers website until I found the perfect present. The supplier went the extra mile as it needed sending abroad and it arrived in time. The item was ordered in time but I missed that the supplier was on holiday and had a backlog when he got back off holiday but on finding out it was a Christmas Bloggers gift cast the item after hours so as not to hold back other peoples items and that's what I call service!!

So if your interested in giving and receiving a gift of around £15 value (anywhere in the world) then comment below stating your interest and send an email via the Email Me bit on the top right hand of the blog. I will pass your details to Chief Fairy and your in baby.

Santa Clause A Plea for Help

I mentioned after last years festive fun and again before launching The Secret Santa that Cath would not be willing to run both Secret Santa and Santa Clause as it caused too much confusion last year and as such I would be looking for another blogger to take over the idea. I really don't want it to die out as I had loads of fun painting up the Si-Fi stuff for Ray and of course receiving my gift as well.

So is anyone willing to either take on the role of running the Santa Clause painted gift or getting their better half to do so, so they can join in like I did last year?

Obviously new house would mean new rules if wished. If no one want's to take it on I have a solution as I have a second blog and could run it on this but it would be a little less smooth than on a known blog.

Santa Clause Wot I Gave

I don't see Santa Clause in the same light as Secret Santa so I am happy to spill the beans on who was my victim. I was a little perturbed when I was given Fran, or the Angry Lurker as my target, thanks babe. I spent a fair bit of time going through Fran's blog before deciding what to buy and paint. I decided Si-Fi and as a supplier Ground Zero Games so next up was what to buy?

I went for three remote controlled robot weapons which rather annoyingly are shown with a 15mm figure who looks like he is the controller. Why annoying? well first you don't get the figure and second it does not tell you this. So I felt a little flat when they arrived and no time really to order any as I had left it a tad late.

One other reason I went for these was that Fran had already said the GZG's vehicles were a pain to make up so thought I would save him the bother of making these up. Actually they were not too bad if you ignore the legs on the walkers. The wheel version came in eleven parts  the walkers in six which given the scale was a fair amount.

The sun bleached them a little, this is closer to the colour I painted them. I was trying to match a faction Fran had already painted, hope I came close.

Detail wise they were great, though not a lot of scope to tart them up. I tried to get close to the blue that Fran uses for his lenses but figure a quick touch up and it will fit right in.

All in all I think the Secret Santa and Santa Clause went well. One parcel I know of however failed to arrive though that is in the process of being sorted out and I look forward to hearing it's eventual resolution.

However Cath struggled a few times trying to work out issues and requests due to running both this year. Cath has already agreed to run the Secret Santa this year as she had a blast and all the kind messages for both really made it for her so thank you all very much for helping Cath have fun as well.

Cath has asked me to see if I can get someone else to run the Santa Clause though (the smaller of the two themes) so if anyone want's to take it on or has a spouse with the nounce please step forward. If no one want's to take over either myself of Cath will still run it. See below for how it was run last year.

£5 or equivalent worth of miniatures to be painted up and given to your target receiver

Names are randomly picked for who you will send to and who will send to you

You need to have a blog to be part of this so the painter can get ideas of what to paint.

Presents to arrive by Christmas, can be anonymous or come with your details, all up to you.

Of course if someone takes over they can change the rules.

Christmas Secret Santa and Santa Clause THANK YOU

Just a quick post to say THANK YOU to both my Secret Santa and Santa Clause for helping make this Christmas rather special. I have also received from family various hobby related presents which I will post about tomorrow as I have only just got back home and need to take pictures of the loot.

First up is my Secret Santa, which is a veritable mix of all things hobby related. I will start with this most excellent monk who is blessing a die. It's a great present and I am looking forward to using him in games so opponents beware!

Also included is this excellent Napoleonic Green of a 18mm Drummer that was suggested could be used as an objective marker. Instead I plan to just keep him as is, it's a real pleasure to own a Green and I know I will take a great deal of pleasure looking up at this fellow during painting sessions.

I also received this troll figure that will find it's way into the painting challenge and fairly far up the painting queue as you will see fairly soon. I have no idea of the make of this figure but I like the scaled skin and already have ideas working around my noggin'

Remember the Blazing Skies planes? Well I get some much needed British reinforcements. These will get started once I get some of the transfers for all my planes, this should be bought at either York or Sheffield depending if Lee can pick them up for me.

To round off this very generous gift I have these two films which will act as a most welcome foil to the sweet mush that Cath has had for Christmas  ;-)

However that was not the end of the present, along with a nice card was a present for Cath to say thank you for running the Secret Santa which has really added to her enjoyment and so a BIG extra thank you for this.

Grateful (for the) Dead

My Santa Clause was also rather stunning with a nice set of three miniatures to add to my Fantasy game. I had plans to use the undead at some point so these are most welcome.

As you can see these are rather grizzly skeletons and the bone wagon really tops this off. I really like the style and will certainly copy the style when I reinforce the skelee's later.

This is a great looking figure that screams to be used, or is that will make the players scream fro it's use? Either way I love him and want to get him on the table once I have the players ready to suffer at his hands.

This guy is just to much fun. I already have a scenario idea festering in my mind on how to use him and now just need to gather up the necessary support figures to get him into play. 

So another excellent present well and truly gratefully received but again the present included a nice card and another present for Cath which she loves so once again a big THANK YOU and I wish both parties and indeed all who follow this blog a very Happy Christmas for you and your loved ones.

The Santa Clause is GO

OK by now all eight Santa Clause participants should have received the e-mail telling them who they are paint up some lovely figures for. If you have not, then check your junk and if your still wanting then get in touch and I will check with Cath.

It would be great if you just confirm (as some have) with Cath that you have received your target. I have mine and have already started to look at what I can get for them and start painting it up. 

It's up to each person if you want to let the receiver know who you are. I certainly will as I want to post about it on my blog as well. 

Don't forget you have just a little longer to get your name down for the Secret Santa, that's where you spend about £15 worth of shiny for a randomly picked participant whilst getting the same from another wonderful gamer. This is one way to guarantee some wargames fun will be under your tree this year and whilst you can make a list on your blog you can also just let it roll and see what comes of it. If I got Big Lee in this, I would supply him a set of dice with just 5 and 6 pips on all sides. Maybe though that could be a bad idea as the dice may NEVER stop spinning.

Talking of reminders though, time is also running out to put your name down on the 500 post come two year Giveaway, so if you like DVD's, Brushes, Flocking Powder or little painted houses you need to click here. Or if books, old Salute figures or a 54mm Figure painted for you, well go here. 

You can enter both giveaways and you can put your name down for any of the prizes and even enter if you are not a follower, it's cool just go for it.

Work Desk and a Few Reminders

It's been an interesting weekend and a bit. It's mostly gone something like this........

Prep some figures, stab myself with a bayonet,

Prep some more and now stab myself with my scalpel,

Say sod it for tonight and then pick up where I left off in the morning, yes stab myself again with the scalpel,

Take a break to go blackberry picking and get stabbed repeatably with thorns mostly from blackberry bushes mixed in with other spiky plants and stings from nettles to mix it up.

After that it's back home to stab myself with my needle file and as it never gets old my scalpel.

End result though is..............

This is this months target in 6mm figures, other figures will be added in through the month as I feel like it. Given that Lee and I have started building Quatre Bras this may be a tad optimistic but if you don't try...

Lee also provided the OOB he want's to break his Saxon's in on. I need to provide 42 Prussian Infantry Battalions so we either give it a go early next year or I go for double production for October and November and we can try for the Christmas break. It's possible so lets see.

At least I have something finished, well if you don't include basing and post varnish touch ups then it's finished. I should get the base either tomorrow or more likely Wednesday so I aim to have it finished for Friday if possible. I won't rush it but I am looking forward to passing it on.

Once finished fully and with the owners permission I will post better picks. Then I will throw some spare painting hours in the direction of the Balaclava diorama I have for myself. This one was a walk in the park compared with the complexity of that one so I look forward to the challenge and hope it's as much fun to do as this one.

OK reminders. 

If your in the Santa Clause and you have yet to send your details please see the last call post and get in touch.

Secret Santa, you have three weeks to sign up, then I will be closing the list and asking for email addresses though you can beat me to the punch if you want and get your details to me. Tomorrow I start to chase the Clause guys and girls.

Last up is the giveaway. Again tomorrow will see a couple of extra items added that I forgot to include, but if you have yet to throw your hat in the ring for a prize feel free to check out yesterdays post and say which items you are interested in. You can go for as many prizes as you like, if you win one you still get put in for the others.

LAST CALL FOR BOTH SECRET SANTA AND SANTA CLAUSE

If you want in you have until the end of September for the Secret Santa and the end of the week for The Santa Clause.

Secret Santa = Buy and receive a gift of about £15 value (or equivalent in other money) of wargames related item/s see below for full details.

Santa Clause = Give a figure/s of about £5 value and receive same, again full details below.

If your name is not on the lists below but you want in let me know in comments below.

Same goes if you want it removed, just let me know.

All who are joining in in either of these, can you please send me an e-mail giving me your name and address (along with blog) so I can pass on to Cath so she can draw targets for each of us. You can reach me at ian_willey at hot     mail        DOT       CoM just don't forget to remove the spaces and all lower case etc etc.

Can you do this in the next few days/week as time will run out soon enough.

Thanks for all who want to join in this time around

The Secret Santa is already bigger than last years and I expect as the months tick off we will get more interest so if your looking on from the side lines and want to join in, just leave a comment below. Directly below is the names of all who have said they want to join in with names of a few who have shown interest but was not sure. If your name should be on any of the lists and is not, just let me know. If you want removing just do the same. If it's not but you want to join in then shout out. Below these is the list of all the Santa Clause participants, again if you want adding let me know, or if you want moving from one list to the other. You can like me, join in both.

Secret Santa's Signed Up.

Andy McMaster

Conrad Kinch

Tim

Þorsteinn

James Brewerton

Phyllion

Mike

Dartfrog

DaveD

Vladd309

Michael Awdrey*

Thomas Nissvick

Fran

Ray

Jonathan

Ian Willey

So all but one of last years Secret Santa's have signed up already!

Possible SS participants

Pauls Bods

*Michael may move to Santa Clause or do both

Now a recap of the rules.

1. To enter you need to either have a blog or be a regular follower of this blog already. This is to give confidence to all involved that everyone will follow through to the end. If you have a blog and don't follow this one it's OK to join in.

2. The present should be around £15 plus postage (best to buy the present actually in the country the receiver lives in so cutting down postage costs)

3. It's OK to have a wish list but it's just as good to buy something you think the person would like. Blog details of your target are given so you can snoop.

4. Whilst it's not essential it really added to Cath's enjoyment when the SS checked in with her to let her know target had incoming.

5. You should pimp the Secret Santa on your blog to hopefully increase the numbers joining in.

6. You should sign up by last day of September so to allow time for picking gifts, that's THIS month.

7. Gifts should arrive by 20th December if possible. It's fine to get the supplier to send direct and I would be cheeky and ask them to gift wrap  ;-)

8. Item/s should be wargame related though it's OK to throw in something odd if you want to.

Santa Clause 

James Brewerton

Anne

Francis Lee (FRAN)

Michael Audrey * see above

Thomas Nissvick

Mike

Chris Stoesen

Ian Willey

The idea is that each person involved buys a figure or figures to the value of less than £5 and paints them up to fit in with what the target blogger wargames or collects. Best would be some kind of command for the bigger scales but maybe a unit or two of such as 6mm or a building or... you get the idea.

I am not offering this as a cheap alternative so much as a great opportunity to send and receive something that will be special BECAUSE it's a one off from a fellow blogger. Not that you have to limit yourself to something useful, feel free to paint up something that will just sit aside the painting desk or study etc and just give pleasure.

So that's the idea, two ways to connect with your blogging friends and get something really exciting at Christmas. I await your response ;-)

Secret Santa II July Update

The Secret Santa is already bigger than last years and I expect as the months tick off we will get more interest so if your looking on from the side lines and want to join in, just leave a comment below. Directly below is the names of all who have said they want to join in with names of a few who have shown interest but was not sure. If your name should be on any of the lists and is not, just let me know. If you want removing just do the same. If it's not but you want to join in then shout out. Below these is the list of all the Santa Clause participants, again if you want adding let me know, or if you want moving from one list to the other. You can like me, join in both.

Secret Santa's Signed Up.

Andy McMaster

Conrad Kinch

Tim

Þorsteinn

James Brewerton

Phyllion

Mike

Dartfrog

DaveD

Vladd309

Michael Awdrey*

Thomas Nissvick

Ian Willey

So all but one of last years Secret Santa's have signed up already!

Possible SS participants

Anne

Pauls Bods

*Michael may move to Santa Clause or do both

Now a recap of the rules.

1. To enter you need to either have a blog or be a regular follower of this blog already. This is to give confidence to all involved that everyone will follow through to the end. If you have a blog and don't follow this one it's OK to join in.

2. The present should be around £15 plus postage (best to buy the present actually in the country the receiver lives in so cutting down postage costs)

3. It's OK to have a wish list but it's just as good to buy something you think the person would like. Blog details of your target are given so you can snoop.

4. Whilst it's not essential it really added to Cath's enjoyment when the SS checked in with her to let her know target had incoming.

5. You should pimp the Secret Santa on your blog to hopefully increase the numbers joining in.

6. You should sign up by last day of September so to allow time for picking gifts, that's just two months away.

7. Gifts should arrive by 20th December if possible. It's fine to get the supplier to send direct and I would be cheeky and ask them to gift wrap  ;-)

8. Item/s should be wargame related though it's OK to throw in something odd if you want to.

Santa Clause 

James Brewerton

Anne

Francis Lee (FRAN)

Michael Audrey * see above

Thomas Nissvick

Mike

Chris Stoesen

Ian Willey

The idea is that each person involved buys a figure or figures to the value of less than £5 and paints them up to fit in with what the target blogger wargames or collects. Best would be some kind of command for the bigger scales but maybe a unit or two of such as 6mm or a building or... you get the idea.

I am not offering this as a cheap alternative so much as a great opportunity to send and receive something that will be special BECAUSE it's a one off from a fellow blogger. Not that you have to limit yourself to something useful, feel free to paint up something that will just sit aside the painting desk or study etc and just give pleasure.

So that's the idea, two ways to connect with your blogging friends and get something really exciting at Christmas. I await your response ;-)

The Santa Clause

The Secret Santa remains the main focus for a Christmas of giving and getting (if your not sure what this is look back through my post list and you may well want to jump in) but I also had another idea based on a few comments. 

We all like to receive something hobby related and the Secret Santa is set up to do just that, each person spending about £15 equivalent on a fellow blogger, last year was a blast and looks to be bigger this year. But not everyone can (or wants) to commit to such a high price with so much pull on our resources at that time of year. So how about a kind of mini SS which I will call Santa Clause.

The idea is that each person involved buys a figure or figures to the value of less than £5 and paints them up to fit in with what the target blogger wargames or collects. Best would be some kind of command for the bigger scales but maybe a unit or two of such as 6mm or a building or... you get the idea.

I am not offering this as a cheap alternative so much as a great opportunity to send and receive something that will be special BECAUSE it's a one off from a fellow blogger. Not that you have to limit yourself to something useful, feel free to paint up something that will just sit aside the painting desk or study etc and just give pleasure.

This will need a shorter deadline than the SS due to having to paint something up and of course you can join in both if you wish, I know I am, so lets here from you, if your game or possibly game please comment below. Hell, please comment even if you think the idea sucks. If I get enough interest I will open an official list to take it forward.