The Lady And The Wolf

Last of the figures I painted up before the painting challenge began is this two figure piece that Cath bought from Spirit Games about fifteen years ago! I had started it about a year ago and it became lost at the back of the table. I would look at it occasionally but never picked it up. With the challenge about to start I did not want to get into anything too big so this and a few other bits that were part done got a go and finally got finished.

I went for a very plain look, the idea is the women lives in a very rural location, think Dancers with Wolves vibe. I wanted her to also be quite old so went with lots of grey in her hair. It's also nice to get a female figure that keeps the boobs under cover, quite a rarity I am afraid.

It's not easy to see from the pics but the wolf pelt is actually somewhat different in colour to the live wolf's. It was not an over long paint which just makes the time it took for me to get round to it even worse.

So I can finally give the figure to Cath, no plans for this so it's just for fun really. 

Winners Announcement

Thanks again to all who entered the giveaway and congrats to the winners. So who won what? I am glad you asked

The two boxes of Tufts go to Michael Awdry, can you go on the Tajima1 website and pick the boxes you want and send me an email with the codes and I will get them ordered for you.

The two Leven Miniatures 30 tree packages go to Thomas Nissvik and Adam Carriere, please email me via the contact details on the top left of the blog with your address and I will get them on the way.

The two The Manors, go to Lee Hadley and again that lucky man Adam Carriere, if you wish to pick a different Manor than the latest that's fine, just take a look and let me know which you want.

Service back to normal I guess.

Italian and British Cavalry Baccus 6mm

I continue to flesh out my Italian Napoleonic's and also add to my sons slowly growing British Peninsular collection.

Not the best shots as the weathers not allowed any outdoors shooting when I have been home. Tow regiments of Heavy Dragoons in Bicorn. As other recent finishes I have added the dice cells.

These are really nice sculpts with plenty of detail. I think they are as good as the new French cavalry figures. Baccus are for the most part my go to for 6mm the mix of detail and functionality is hard to beat.

The Italian Guard Dragoons actually could pass for standard French Dragoons at a push, I have plenty so that is not that likely. 

These are old Baccus French figures so the horses are a little on the small size. When the new ranges came out I still had (have) a fairly large number of the old castings so I decided I would paint them up as some of the allied nations that dressed in the French pattern. 

I actually have one more guard cavalry regiment to paint up for the 1812 Russia campaign but I can do that with some other cavalry at a later date. At the moment I am working on the guard infantry to go along with these.

Last few days till Giveaway closes

Just a quick post to remind everyone that I will be doing the draws for my Giveaway in just a few days. Go here if you want in.

Pre-Challenge Painting - The Cleric

I also did this quick paint before the challenge started, this is the second character for my wife in the family D&D sessions. As it's number two I did not go to town on him and as such it's a bit basic but will serve.

I think the figures from Reaper, this ones a metal figure and rather is a bit on the heavy side. You can't see the high and low shades on the white very well as the camera did not pick the detail up. It's quite subtle anyway as I don't like the in your face style of shading on white.

I like the shoulder armour, it's a couple of faces so I used brass and then washed in ink to bring the details out a bit.

Lots of detail on the back and I have to say that I really like the adventurers that come with backpacks or other bits and bobs, makes them look more realistic. The crossbow comes as a seporate piece to be glued in place, made life a bit easier.

Snow Day = Games Day

Yes we had snow, not enough to stop us doing anything though the kids spent most of the morning out playing in what we had. First snow of the winter you see. We had already planned on playing a few games if time allowed and it seemed the perfect plan for the afternoon.

First game up was Fast Flowing Forest Fellows. I picked this up for £4.99 from The Works when they first started to stock the odd Euro Game. It's a great game to introduce players to Euro's, especially if kids are involved. It's an easy game to learn with very simple rule mechanics but it's a bit shallow regarding long term play. Don't get me wrong it's both fun and it's not all luck based, it's just that it is limited to what you as the player can do regarding your moves with just two pieces to move (4 player option). This means you will enjoy a few games but despite the many board connotations you will reach for other games after a few games in a short period. 

It's been well over a year since we last played so all of us were happy to play (the kids have been wanting to play for awhile now). As such we had fun, lots of stuffing each other and forcing other players back down long currents. Cath actually won it handily as she managed to get the one log rider off the first board and safely over the finish line. Once that was done the other rider sped down the board for an easy win. One game was enough but I can see it being played again next games session.

Next up was Rummikub, we have played it once before with the kids with a not too bad a game though it's a bit of a stretch for The Boy being only nine. It's 8-adult but that's a smart 8 year old in my mind. He did struggle at the start and as such became a bit detached making it harder for him to get it but towards the end he started to enjoy it. The Girl ended up winning the one round we played with Cath coming a close second. We decided not to go any more rounds so as not to frustrate The Boy further. Funny as he has a good grasp of The Bean Game.

We do like to introduce a new game when we can and the kids really wanted to have a crack at Ticket To Ride so we gave it a go. Typical Alan Moon game, low on rules high on options making for a game the kids could get. I thought the sticking point would be the destination tickets, especially the option to pick up extra ones as the game ran on. It ended up being the most fun of the three games and both kids were asking to play again but it was time for tea. It's going to probably be one of the first games we play next time and is sure to remain a favourite for some time.

Our game was fairly close with the kids dropping off at the end but finishing a credible points score. I through away the win by picking as my last action destination cards and having to keep one failed route for minus six points. Cath's longest route +10 points nipping in front of me. 

We have been playing the Bean Game a lot recently after a lay off and I lost a game of Commands & Colors to The Boy last Wednesday so it's a bit of a games hub at the moment.

1,000th Post Must Mean a Giveaway

Way back on 8th September 2011 I started this blog to chart my return to painting after about a twenty year break. I never expected it to reach the point where I could write a post regarding hitting 1000 posts, never mind that I would have done so in such a short period of time.

Looking back I have certainly painted up a fair few figures during the last six years, indeed I have painted more in this period than all the time I was painting the first time around. Learning so many new techniques and being a more mature painter has meant I have made a steady improvement in my skills and style. 

A big change has been my flirtation with 6mm in the early 90's becoming my main scale to paint. Not that the other scales miss out but due to Project Waterloo and now the Ancients bug I have been bashing out 6mm like my life depends on it.

I have always thought blogging as more a selfish act that a sharing one. We do it as much for the response from followers as the chance to share our work. I am lucky my wife takes an active interest in what I paint but for the main part one battalion of French line infantry looks more or less the same as the 50+ I have already showed her. So it's to you dear reader that I have to thank for making comments and keeping my ego topped up and desiring more, more I say MORE :-)

So what better way to thank the poor sods who follow this blog than do a giveaway? It's about time as it's been a long time since the last one, now what can we go with?

Two boxes of Tajima1 grass tufts of your choice from the grass tufts range (up to £6 per box)

Thirty mixed height trees from Leven Miniatures wire tree range for 6mm gaming as pictured above.

2x Copy of the Latest The Manor roleplaying zine packed with interesting bits and pieces.

So that's four prizes, feel free to throw your name in the hat for any or all the listed prizes, I will be closing the giveaway on the 26th and announcing the prizes on the 27th. 

No extra goes for blogging about it or adding links back here but it would be great if you do as it gets a wider audience, good luck to all.