Breaking the Widow's Wall 1

After reading this months Wargames Illustrated late night with its high contents of Dark Age articles, it was an easy choice this morning to pick up the paint brush and start yet again on the Vikings for Basic Impetus. This base will represent the infamous berserkers for this army and choosing the figures for the base was an interesting exercise. Rather than have a stand full of bare chested warriors gnashing their teeth and stamping their feet, a decision was made to create this by varying the figures, as the stand is represents upto 2,000 men. So a eye catching figure was selected as a centre piece for the stand with other various Viking types to back him up. Easier to let the a few pictures show how the stand is coming together:

Here is an individual picture of the centre piece and name sake for this entry:

The figures are all from Gripping Beast's Vikings, Varangian and Rus ranges and hopefully there will be more later this week.

The magazine also included an in depth battle report of Gripping Beast's SAGA Dark Ages skirmish rule set and whilst it is very tempting and has some very interesting mechanics at present it will be staying with Gripping Beast. 

Ironically, this is the last issue of the current subscription for Wargames Illustrated that will be coming this way. The magazine has not been inspiring lately and suffers from too much of a particular set of rules - understandable considering Battlefront own it. By not resubscribing each issue can be view before purchase and it possibly allows for a change by subscribing to Wargames, Strategy and Soldiers in the near future, but enough rambling there's painting to be done. 

Cheers for now.

Its all a bit of a guddle

As part of this morning was spent preparing old figures for undercoating, in fact preparing 71 Citadel miniatures from 1983 to 1984. This has included stripping, filing, basing and generally getting in a right old mess. The most time spent at the painting desk in a while and still not a brush has been wetted. That will be changing very soon.

The desk as it was a few days ago, showing a mixture of 28mm Citadel, 28mm Ancients and Dark Ages and 20mm WWII in various stages of readiness for use. Well not really to be used, more like to be used in painting but that is another story.

A couple of pictures showing some of the old Citadel figures that have mysterious added themselves to the lead mountain and a few of the WIP Allied Spartan Phalanx in the top right of the top picture; remember them?

I was happier green!

One of the reasons as to why the interest in retro Citadel figures is shown above, great sculpts with character even when they are over twenty-seven years old. The above is from the C10 Half-orc range which even now still firm favourites in the collection. The pseudo Pilos style is a dead give away as to why apart from the overall stance and character of the figure. Never sure if this range was by the Perry twins or Ally Morrison, still great work who it was.

The balance of the figures have now been undercoated, so all being well there will be some progress on a variety of items over the next few days.

Lastly a rough picture of the a WWII British Paratrooper for Disposable Heroes. Might just need to touch up the face on this one as the picture shows all the mistakes too well.

Thats all for now

Its coming

Extra Impetus 4 that is.

The great motivator has arrived, brushes ready to finally finish the Spartans and move on the next army from the many that are listed in the above title. Who knows what may lie within, oh well apart from the following:

THE AGE OF HOPLITES
Athens (2 lists)
Thebes
Sparta
Other cities (Corinthus, Megara, Argos…)
Ionic Greeks
Magna Graecia
Thessaly
Thracians
Early Achemenid Persians
Illyrians

ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE SUCCESSORS
Early Macedonians
Alexander macedoanians
Alexander Empire
Later Achemenid Persians
Classical Indians
Maurya Empire
Achean League
Aetolian League
Early Ptolemaic
Middle Ptolemaic
Later Ptolemaic
Graeco Bactrian Kingdom
Indo Greek Kingdom
Galatians
Early Seleucids
Scythians
Early Macedonian Successors
Alcetas and Minor Successors
Eumenes
Antigonus Monophthalmus
Demetrius
Lysimachos

ROME AND THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Middle Republican Romans
Carthaginians
Iberian and Lusitanians
Celtiberians
Gauls
Numidians
Later Numidians
Later Macedonians
Later Seleucids 

Too many decisions to be made for this time of night.

Cheers for now

Back to basics

The last 3 weeks have seen neither a brush being used or a post being sent to this blog. The shame of both has brought about some activity with this morning being used to flock some 20mm British Paratroopers for Disposable Heroes and tidy up some old Citadel figures from their C08 High Elves, C09 Dark Elves and C10 in preparation for undercoating. Pictures to follow shortly.

There are no plans to paint anything in particular at present, just what feels right at the time. Obviously, the last of the Allied Phalanxes for the Spartan Impetus will be a priority but as nobody at the club has a suitable opponent at present there is no great rush. The Vikings are more likely to be back on the painting table as they will have more opponents, but that said I haven't had a game of Impetus in the last couple of months.

There will be more updates over the next few weeks as something has to be done about the increasing size of the lead mountain.

Cheers for now.