David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Saturday 23 December 2023

'The Thin Red Line'

Finally the 93rd, the Sutherland Highlanders, muster into GHQ eager to see action in the new year. They have been a more complex regiment to paint for this project than any I've tried to complete so far, largely because I had to finish the entire lower part of each figure before fixing them to their MDF hexes ready to complete. This was mainly due of course to kilts, hose and sporans needing fiddly details. While the sporans turned out to be reasonably straightforward, the hose and kilts were more complex. In the end the patterns are 'suggested' rather than replicated as you can see in the photos ~

Of course, as I've consoled myself many times, on the tabletop battlefield at gaming distance they will do just fine. They are wargames figures, painted by a wargamer, for use in a wargame and we would all do well to remember that in our own painting if you ask me! The figures are by Great War Miniatures of course, with flags from North Star and bases from Warbases as ever. There is an hiatus in painting activity now though as I'm rebasing and re-varnishing the cavalry from the Prodigal Foundry Collection to better fit in with the more contemporary look of the project. There will be more on that in the New Year of course. 

In the meantime gentle reader, that's it here on the blog until after Christmas Day, so whatever floats your boat, I hope you will enjoy your Christmas!

17 comments:

  1. They look damn fine to me David…

    Have a splendid Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

    All the best. Aly

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  2. Very nice, adding to what has been a very productive year for your painting.

    Your point is well made about painting for the wargames table. Enjoy your Christmas.

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    1. Thanks Norm. Looking forward to your Christmas Day post!

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  3. Fine wee laddies there, they will do splendidly indeed!

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  4. Lovely, Merry Christmas David to you and yours.

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    1. Thank you George! Merry Christmas to you and your family too!

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  5. Fine, fine work David and at gaming distance or not, I'd be more than happy with that level of painting. Merry Xmas to you and yours!

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  6. Cracking job on the thin red line!

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  7. Splendid work David they look just fine, reminds me I have another unit for the Peninsular to do in the new year ! Lastly wishing you and your family a great Christmas 👍

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    1. Thank you Matt! I hope you and yours will have a grand Christmas too!

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  8. A sight to strike fear I any Russian cavalryman. Great figures.

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    1. Thank you Andy! We shall have to see how they fare in the New Year.

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  9. Nice to see this unit completed Dave... absolutely splended work! The extra work and fiddly bits when painting highlanders always to me makes then seem that little bit more special! Let's hope they fight as well as they look 😉

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    1. Thanks Paul! We shall see how they fight quite soon I hope.

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