Western additions

I've managed to finish the final four figures for Lord Walton's Foote ~ see the previous two posts for more on them. I've also completed the 'furnishing' and re-roofing for the Undertaker's building in New Paddock City.

As I'm sure you'll recall, the building is from the wonderful Battle Flag range.

While the 'furnishings are from Frontline's growing resin range. Here we can see into the area I decided would be the workshop, enhanced by some Foundry Old West figures.

While in the main part of the building mourners can pay their respects to their 'dear departed' ~ three Dixon Miniatures' figures in this case, glimpsed through the door.

 

Or in this alternate bird's eye view.

 

I've also completed the build of the photographer's, also from Battle Flag, although to date I've only got some bedroom furnishings for the upper floor.



 



That only leaves the very large hotel to build, which I'll probably attempt in December, as I want to complete a fourth ECW Foote unit first, Robinson's Whitecoats, a Royalist unit for Phil to command I hope in our 2013 games.

 

It's been a difficult seven weeks since the knee replacement, but at last I can sit for a decent period of time to paint, though not as often as I'd like. Still, KBO, as Winston would say...

Nearly there...

I've made some progress with my latest ECW unit of Perry Miniatures, a Parliamentary unit designated as Lord Walton's Foote. I've completed the pike block now and one of the sleeves of shotte { the second sleeve has four figures still to finish off.} A few snaps, taken on my camera phone.



I've also embarked on my latest rebasing madness: this time my two Foundry War of 1812 armies, again using the MDF bases from Foundry and from Warbases. More of that next month. In the meantime, I have those four musketeers to complete first...

Lord Walton's Foote

Plodding on with painting in slightly longer short bursts, I've been working on another Parliamentarian unit of Foote using Perrys Miniatures. Same problems as before with some poor castings and endless vent runs to remove - no matter how careful I've been I still seem to miss some, which only show up after I've sprayed the figures white for painting! Perhaps my old eyes are not what they were...
Anyway, this is an 'unknown unit' using some nice GMB flags, and will be Jon's named unit in our ECW games next year. As ever I started with the command stand...



I've also completed the front rank of the pike block, and have almost completed the second rank. Popping back and forth to the hospital takes up quite a chunk of time some days but I'm hopeful they will be finished tomorrow. I've chosen a tawny colour for the coats: Foundry Conker Brown shade; Conker Brown light and Orange shade as the final highlight has given me a nice warm colour for the coats.

The bases are the lovely MDF ones from Warbases, whose service I'd venture to suggest is second to none. The tufts are from Mutineer Miniatures and the static grass from Heki.

What a 'Carry On...'

Painting in short bursts, I've managed to finish the two Mutton Chop 'Carry On...' characters. I plan to include them in our 1940's Operation Sealion/Blandings Castle games in the coming months. Here they are, Sid and Charles ~

I've also painted the free figure from last month's Other Partizan show, some sort of armed monk I believe. A crude and somewhat overlarge figure, not a patch on the figures from the last several shows in my honest opinion. He'll be deployed in 1940 too, the Hermit of Blandings Forest perhaps.



Obadiah Bykleigh, a stout Parliamentarian...

As I've remarked on previous occasions, progress with painting has been glacial since I came home. However, I have finished a second ECW personality figure, this time for myself. I present to you, Obadiah Bykleigh, a stout Parliamentarian from Rushall, in the county of Staffordshire. The figure is from the set of three mounted commanders by Perry Miniatures. While I enjoy painting the figures, they are seeming to take an increasing time to clean up for undercoating and, I'm sorry to say, the finished quality of the castings is vague too often for my money.

Since the brothers can't fail to be aware of this problem, reported as it is on any number of Forum Boards, one can only assume that they don't think its important enough to address. Perhaps its an object lesson in sculptors with no higher authority to answer to? Perhaps they have their eyes firmly on those plastic monstrosities? Or waggons even? Perhaps I'm just feeling my age even?
I still have two further foot units to round off my project, which I hope to do by the end of November. Though I am tempted to add a few items from the new Empress offerings, perhaps at least a gun and crew as a token presence in my armies?



 

 

In the meantime, back to painting as and when I'm able. I have the Partizan free figure and two Mutton Chop 'Carry on...' characters on the go now, knee permitting. In a game-free month, the bits of painting I can do have proven very important for morale here in GHQ. 





Sir Marmaduke Robinson & Rupert's Blew Coats

I managed to finish up the last three figures to complete Rupert's Blew Coats for my ECW Royalist army today. The first picture shows the pike block, three ranks of five figures, and the two sleeves
of shot, two ranks of four figures.

The second picture shows the whole unit, including the non combatant 'Command' stand and the 'Spent Base' marker.

The third picture shows the character figure for Phil in the Royalist army, Sir Marmaduke Robinson, later 1st Baron Rawnsley.

 

But, all this is trivia set besides today's wonderful news: Sue and I became Grandparents for the first time when Arthur Benjamin Howard Bickley arrived, Matt and Sarah's first child. To say I'm chuffed would be an understatement!

 

 

 



 

 



 













Its progress,Jim,but not as we know it.

 

I can finally sit at my desks to paint and work on the computer, though only in two or three 15 minute slots each day, or my knee begins to seize up! I had the staples removed from my wound on Friday, all 35 of them, in what could best be describes as an 'interesting experience'. Thankfully the wound is healing well: the District Nurse pronounced it a good wound! My next milestone is the start of Physiotherapy classes on Thursday. I've already been to the centre once and can safely say that the most apt description of Physio is that its what the Gestapo might have been like if they'd been English: "We are going to hurt you, I'm afraid; sorry!" Of course its all necessary, but still a bit sharp I have to say...

Back to wargaming them. First I'd like to thank all the folk who sent me their best wishes, many of whom I'd never met except on the net. It really does rally the spirits when you're low you know, so 'Thanks!', to all of you! In the meantime, some ECW Foote:' Rupert's Blew Coats', a unit I started before the operation and one I've subsequently been working on in short bursts over the last two weeks. All Perry Miniatures, based on MDF bases from Warbases.



The Command Stand. I finished this before I went into hospital. The flags are from GMB and the flowering tufts from Mutineer.



The Pike block, three ranks deep, to remind me that its a unit with a ratio of pike to shotte of 1:1. The base still needs grassing and tufting before its varnished.



A completed sleeve of shotte, still need the base grassing and tufting before varnishing.

The second sleeve of shotte, still have to paint three more musket armed foote.

If I manage to complete the unit in the next day or two I've got a couple of Mounted Command figures which Jon gave me, so I'll be trying to do them too. Also in the queue are the Partizan free figure from last month and two Mutton Chop characters of 'Carry on...' fame! After that, for October, I've prepared an third ECW Foote Regiment: an unknown one I'll be painting in tawny coats as Lord Walton's Foote.

Well, the knee is well and truely stiff now, so this will have to do. Enjoy your gaming, you'll br managing more than me this month I expect...