Casting Room Miniatures

Well the midst of all the SYW additions I've been working on for what seems like an eternity on  occasions, I've been painting up a few figures for our Italian Wars project. The reasons for this diversion will become apparent later in the week, so I'll ask you to bear with me for now.

The very first figures I painted for the Italian Wars project were a Command set of a mounted figure and two retainers on foot by Casting Room Miniatures, the seemingly poor relation of Wargames Foundry. They had been a gift from Phil, along with one mounted figure he had kindly painted for me. Like the figures from TAG, they are very paint friendly I found, though perhaps the sculpting and pose of the figures is of a different style. Despite this, they have a certain charm, paint up really well, and the range is quite extensive with many character and special packs lacking in other ranges. They are an underrated gem in my opinion and deserve a wider audience, but that is just an opinion of course .

The set I've been working on represent a group storming a defence and comprises two figures rushing forward with a ladder; one figure climbing a second ladder, with two supporting infantry waiting their turn to climb, all armed with swords and carrying round shields; and lastly, a lone crossbowman posed firing up at the defenders. I've added a Wargames Foundry medieval mantlet to his base as the pose just fits him firing over the top.  As you can see from the photos, I painted the face of the mantlet in alternate red and yellow ochre sections, to match the one on the light gun already in the collection. The figures are posed on three 40 X 50mm MDF bases, from Warbases as usual. I find painting difficult sometimes now as you know and the thought of struggling with designs on the shields was daunting. Luckily I had an old sheet of Skytrex WWII British Divisional signs in stock and amongst them were several designs I felt I could use with a clear conscience. I opted to paint the shields in yellow and white quarters, using the black bull design on the yellow quarters. I'm chuffed with how they turned out, even though I know the bull would be better off red than black! 

As a side activity while paint drys and hardens I've also been painting up the scenic bits and bobs I bought from Irongate Scenics at R.O.B.I.N. last month. They will make nice additions to the buildings I've made, giving a more lived in look. They are a bread oven, a small flour mill, and the bakery ephemera. I've also finished the last of the tents I scored at the Penkridge TT sale back in January ~

Now though it's back to the SYW and the 2nd Horse for my British army.