Building of the Week - Medieval

I painted up these three medieval buildings with the main intent of using in future ECW games, even though these are a far off future project as I need to paint up a fair few more units before I can hope to get a game in.

These are two of the Leven Miniatures FAR05 Medieval Town House and costs £2.50 a building. They have a stone ground level and the timber and render upper floor. 

It does not come across in the images but the render colour is slightly different on the two buildings. I have painted these before so have a bit of a collection going which is great as they can also be used in Europe and once based will help pad out my town.

This is the FAR11 Medieval Farmhouse at £2.50 that again I have painted before but this time it will be used as another of the older buildings in the town. Again I find myself repeating that the quality and price are both great and these should be on any 6mm gamers list who has an interest from Medieval to Napoleonic as they are s versatile. Even up to modern in the right setting the odd building could be used.

I am back to the Project Waterloo buildings fr the next couple of weeks as I want to get more of the key buildings finished though I will be fitting in a few others in the coming weeks as well.

Essex Miniatures 15mm Roman Slingers

Just a small unit for a few points and a bit f help for my Roman fledgling army. I actually have another four bases worth but I am fairly sure I can't use them in the Field of Glory army lists but will see.

Not terrible castings but the swords seem too be way to big, almost broadswords rather than the small ones I would expect for such troops and period.

I also have a bunch of bow armed troops for this army that I have started and hope to get done within the next two weeks but I have a small matter of a few hundred Zulu's in front of them in the queue. 

I had three submissions into the challenge this week with a fourth finished but terrible photo's so held them over for next week. As they could be the only figures finished it's probably just as well. I still have a fair chance of getting the Zulu's finished though so you never know your luck.

Christmas Present Arrives

This year I had no idea what I wanted so ended up with a chunk of money. Part will sit waiting for future spends but I have been thinking of getting GMT's Command and Colours, either the Ancients or the Napoleonic's but had not connected it to Christmas. Indeed the £50 label had put me off, strange given the amount of times I have spent up to double that for a ASL product.

Suddenly I connected free cash = free game and then it was just a case of choosing which to go after. Well given my Son gets a real kick out of Napoleonic's I had an obvious choice and ordered it Sunday and it arrived today. 

Quality and production are high and I was surprised how quick I got the stickers in place for the first scenario having read so many moans about the time it takes. I will continue to finish the blocks over a DVD and will have the lot done before bed tonight I think. 

I had given my Nephew Battle Cry years ago, written by the same author and a more basic version. I played my Son at that Tuesday night having borrowed it back and he seems to have the idea fairly in place and so either Friday night or Saturday we will take this baby for a run.

Only issue is that after discussing it with my Son we have decided that I will paint up 6mm bases (6 infantry to a base etc) so as to have an even better experience. Guess the new project idea did not last long but in my defence we will take it slow and besides it's not mine it's the boys....honest.

A Little Wolf Action

I bought two packs of Verdel Timber Wolves years ago and finally got round to painting up the seven that should have been done soon after the test figure but somehow I had never got round to it.

I painted up four of them white grey over a base cote of black. These are quite chunky figures so would count almost as Warg size. I really like the models and they have a lot of character about them and maybe some characters in them?

These are some real mean looking boys and well it would be a shame not to use them at some point in the future.

I went with yellow eyes as the photo's I had looked at it was the yellow ones that looked the most scary.

The last three I went with a brown finish, again though with yellow eyes. I also did not put them on a base as the base they come on was big enough. I did not have to gunk the bases as they were alrady textured so just shaded and flocked.

Here is the whole pack including the original test figure, so what's the chances of four characters V eight wolves eh?

The Kids Cowboys

Way back in 2013 I think, Dave D sold me (well lets call it gave me) a bunch of western figures including a bunch of Foundry mounted and dismounted cowboys and whilst I painted up almost all the other figures I got from Dave I had not got round to the Foundry stuff so I finally got this sorted out in time for the second bonus round.

This one is my Daughters, two things give that game away. First he is on a white horse and secondly he has a red bandanna that a number of her cowboys happen to have.

These are both chunky and heavy but have plenty of detail. The glasses gave me fits! The kids both picked figures that had shotguns, their favourite weapons by far.

Actually the dusters also tie them in with her gang. I am still in shock over her desire to take the bad guys over the Sheriff. As he looks a gambler I guess he went to far in a poker game and now runs with the bad un's

My son went for an obvious rancher type and would fit in with his towns men or indeed also fit with my cowboys. Not sure he would lend me them though.

Again the trusty shotgun. I still have about eight more double figures to paint up and whilst thy may be after the challenge has finished may get painting time alongside the Mexican's I need to buy.

I really need to get round to painting up the towns buildings, especially as I plan to buy a building or two at the next show I go to. Funny how side projects suck up time and resources but it's always a favourite with the kids.

Building of the Week Well Sort Of.

Had these two bridges since Joy of Six when Mike from Leven Miniatures passed them onto me with the rest of a fairly large order. This one is BRI06 Culvert Bridge at £2.50 and is a nice simple stone bridge. Looks a bit blue in the photograph unfortunately.

Enough texture on the inside to allow a dry brush to bring it out and typically it's a good little model that will see use on many fronts and periods.

BRI07 Double Stone Bridge is far more impressive with it's twin arches and reinforced central pillar though the price is a nice low £3.00 making it a steal. 

Leven have the seven bridges at the moment with another for later release but it's these two I would think are the best sellers. I certainly will be using these in future games from Cropredy Bridge to Napoleonic tussles just need to get the games arranged.

Leven have a number of exciting products on the horizon at the moment not just the Napoleonic ones bound to get my attention but also a generic castle set that will allow you to design your own forts and even something for the ACW fan. 

I am starting my planning for the next order as I will be needed some Ancient looking buildings in the future and will be dipping into the Middle East selection and with 13 buildings to choose from I can't go far wrong

December Mountain Climbing

Given all the various activities that December threw at me I still managed a very credible month no doubt that the Analogue Painting Challenge helped. Not actually buying too many new figures also has kept a lid on the growth side on the mountain. So lets take a look shall we?

6mm.

I needed about 8-12 figures to act as Elephant escorts so of course bought 4 units worth. I already had a carry over of two units but painted up a total of nine to reduce the total to minus 3.

Cavalry wise I carried over twelve units and added a further three of the new Baccus Naps but at least managed to paint up three leaving me with the twelve carried over again.

I also bought seventeen command figures whilst painting just three leaving me with a plus of fourteen.

I painted up a single limber and twelve guns and crews but had carried over eight guns from a previous purchase but resulting in a minus 4 so more improvement.

I also painted up a further 10 buildings bringing the excess to just 10 buildings, I should get these done in January.

Elephants and WWI planes remain unchanged, probably remain the same through January.

15mm

After a year of ignoring what was once my primary scale for a whole year I painted up thirty two figures and yet more will be painted up each month for some time. Given I have not bought any for over a year this will help a great deal in reducing the lead pile.

20mm 

I carried over 96 figures from November when I bought the WWII Russians, I have now painted up one box less 4 unusable ones that have been thrown so half the mound see's the pile reduced to just forty Eight. The second box may or may not get work as the quality is not that great.

I also received three T34's for my Russians from my Secret Santa which are in the prep stage and should be done early January.

28mm

Also a good month for these guys. Last month saw me finish with one less model than the month before and I have painted up a further twenty  infantry carving a nice chunk out of the mountain, expect this to continue.

I have painted up two mounted and with only about sixteen altogether these should be dealt with soon enough.

I failed to paint up any more of the buildings so I hope to get a couple at least done this month, lets see shall we.

I even finished the four coffins on the table for months, well I do need the space.

32mm

Well as mentioned last month, this is for later, expect me to start sometime in the spring.

So weight wise I have cut a sizeable chunk from the mountain and January should hav much the same with limited purchases and good progress bringing more areas down to the levels I had when I started to monitor purchases V Painted and plenty of reductions in number beyond that figure.

Notable exceptions will all be 20mm, I have ordered three boxes of Celts and will be getting some 20mm support for the Russians. Next show will be February so I don't think any other purchases till then. However it's likely that 6mm will get another influx of figures as I will pick up any new French from Baccus and plenty of Ancients.