Table dressing...

Sometimes, when my motivation to paint multiple figures for a unit flags, I’ve found it refreshing to embark on small projects within a game genre of a non combat variety. These have multiple purposes within a game from mere table dressing, through markers, to victory objectives in a scenario. While I plough on painting my Republican Romans here are a some of the ephemera I’ve added over the years ~

This coronavirus malarkey has certainly made me reflect on what is important in my hobby life and it's no surprise that it's my friends above everything else. Keeping in touch as a deaf person precludes the phone, on screen chats and tech-aided remote games, so I get by with text conversations mostly. In the meantime, I look forward to entertaining my chums in GHQ sooner rather than later! In the big wide world out there, keep well and safe all of you!

A Republican Roman commander

I wanted to paint a test figure for the small unit of Republican Roman Cavalry in my start-up force and so I chose to paint one of the three mounted officers I’d added to the starter set offer. He will lead my cavalry force as it expands beyond the one unit of three bases, or nine figures if you prefer. Initial observations when assembling all the Mounted figures were that the horses were correctly on the small side. The figures themselves fit on the horses well, which is not always the case with some manufacturers I’ve found! While I quite like the inclusion of separate heads I’m less keen on the two part bodies, but fortunately this figure was a one part body. My painting technique now is a simpler process, usually base coat and highlight from the Foundry paint triads. However, as there’s a good deal of exposed flesh on the arms and legs of these figures I opted for the same method I’d used on my Late Roman armies. The flesh is blocked in using the Foundry Flesh midtone and then, when it’s thoroughly dry, I wash the flesh with a 50:50 wash of water and the old Games Workshop Flesh Wash. {There’s a bit of a backstory to this, as I bought three jars in a hobby shop located in the small South Australian town of Moonta. Subsequently I carried these round half of Australia and home via Singapore. So they are well travelled!} Anyway, no more waffle, see what you think of the end product ~

I’ve started now on the Legion figures, two Hastati first. The shield transfers haven’t arrived yet, so I’ll wait until I’ve finished a whole base now before showing any more of this project, probably towards the end of next week I’d imagine.

What's in a name?

We wargamers are fond of giving our generals names, often verging on the silly, but more commonly amusing I find. I am no exception to this trend, as various iterations of my name on this blog can testify. When it came to giving a name to my Republican Roman general it was clear this approach wouldn't serve. With much of our hobby, not to mention real life, on hold there seemed to me only one option. He will be known as Coronus Cunctator, or Coronus the Delayer, giving a nod to both current events and classical history!
The figure painting is underway and I have completed two bases of allied levy skirmishers, eight figures in total ~

I should  say here that in GHQ Phil, Jon and I play our occasional Ancients game using our in-house version of Neil Thomas' Ancient and Medieval Rules. For this a single base can represent a unit enabling games to be played once the two parts of the collection reach eight bases of figures. The bases are from Warbases and are 80x50mm, with each of the three elements of the legion also having an officer, standard and musician on a 40x50mm base. In addition, the legion has its own command base mounted on a 40mm round.

Coronavirus or Shinyitus?

Well, the 'Lead Pimple of Everlasting Fame' has been steadily declining in size these last few months (as I've finished 260 figures since the turn of the year) despite having received two orders from Dixon Miniatures! Bearing in mind that on my 6' X 6'6" tabletop battlefield here in GHQ there is a limit to how many ACW regiments, or indeed any other period's regiments, can be sensibly deployed for a game using 28mm figures the constant desire of the Wargamer for something different to paint and game with clashes obviously with the physical reality! So, even as I've reduced said Lead Pimple to less than one 4L RUB under my painting desk I've been thinking on what I might turn to next...
While I hadn't fully ruled out an expansion to my 1066 Normans, I just didn't feel like going in that direction just now. Nor did I feel it even remotely sensible to expand any of my Black Powder Era collections, though the SYW could always do with added cavalry! So, I've been filling the odd hour with trawling images of folks' collections on the internet for ideas and inspiration...
In the end I came to the conclusion that despite my many well aired reservations I'd start a completely new project! Mad idea, isn't it? I turn 70 on the last day of the month(DV) and have more toys than GHQ can handle in a game! Yet here I am looking at the prospect of painting two new 28mm armies! Shinyitus, more deadly to the wargamer perhaps than even coronavirus? Well, of course not, but certainly dangerous to the bank account! As an added dimension I determined after much searching to source figures from a company (or companies) new to me. Following due deliberation I decided on building two small armies for the Punic Wars, initially using Aventine Miniatures, and here are the first figures I've received eventually curtesy of the Post Office’s somewhat slower service, Republican Romans ~

I've subsequently put in a second order for a few extra figures to flesh out unit bases, but mainly for the shield transfers. I also bought an Osprey for ideas on painting up the figures, being pleased to get two by Terry Wise in one hard back copy ~

I'd hope to paint these first figures in about two months, enabling me to order their Carthaginian opponents sometime in late July. When the core of the two armies are completed then I shall look to expand both over the winter I hope, bringing a new game to the tabletop here in GHQ for 2021, and beyond hopefully. In the meantime, it’s been on with more bits and bobs remaining in the Lead Pimple! Stay safe and well all of you!

Anglo-Canadian Militia Command

Continuing with the depletion of the Lead Pimple here in GHQ I've finished the last two mounted command figures for my War of 1812-15 collection. They are from Perry Miniatures, one from the British in Egypt range and one from the British Peninsular War range I think. They are a Colonel and an ADC. They seemed to me to fit together well in a dynamic way, suggesting an urgent order being sent out verbally during the heat of battle ~

That leaves just two Foundry American infantry regiments, in the later war tombstone shakos, to paint up at some stage later in the year. In the meantime, a new project is stirring here in GHQ. More on this in a subsequent blog post next week.

Only Two years...

...in the Lead Pimple? It seems longer somehow now I think about how many times I've seen these waiting their moment under the brush. These are the last part of my Salute pre-order of 2018, shared with chum Colin Ashton to take advantage of the great discount and to avoid postage charges! These are Eureka Miniatures French Battalion guns and crew which I think I ordered in the end just to make up my side of the order, as I'd already painted four sets from Trent Miniatures. That probably explains why they sat so long in a RUB under my desk! Nevertheless, here they are finished at last ~

I thought that I'd try a few close ups as well to try to show how even average brushwork enhances the on table look of figures and units ~

No wargames project should ever really be called finished, and indeed I have a unit of Scots Greys still awaiting the command to be made, along with another French infantry battalion gifted me by chum Aly Morrison, but it's hard to see anything else being added any time soon!

Chipping away at the Lead Pimple

Like many of us confined to quarters during this pandemic malarkey I've been keeping my spirits up through my hobby. As the Lead Pimple is now reduced to less than one 4L RUB, the choice of what to paint is somewhat limited; in fact to ACW Cavalry, US Regulars of 1812-15 or some FRW French infantry and battalion guns. Oh, and some ACW Personalities from Perrys.
As I was on a roll with horses after my recent FRW French cavalry I plunged right in to paint my remaining Union cavalry by Dixon Miniatures and here they are, finished ~

My Union cavalry force now comprises two Brigades, each of two regiments; one Brigade each from New York and from Pennsylvania ( I had the flags from GMB Designs) I've not quite enough dismounted figures if I deploy both brigades in a game, but I can get by.
With these done I've started on a FRW French Battalion gun and crew, the last of my Eureka preorder from Salute two years ago. I will also paint the second gun and crew up of course once this one is done. In the meantime, do keep safe.