A little bit of miniature Bingo

This was passed on to me from a friend who also blogs and games as a bit of fun. 

A simple little way to motivate yourself for painting in the new year:  Roll 2D5 and use the first for rows and the second for columns.

Have fun painting  as I am now changing the painting order on the Carthaginian warband for SAGA to the newest purchase rather than the most likely to be used. Will have one figures finished for Tuesday not all twelve of the levy unit. 

Cheers for now

 

Back to the Brushes 333

The AHPC XII is now in full swing and the entries are being posted by various challengers. Have started a few threads for this now. The pic below shows the variety in periods that are being worked on just now. 

Clockwise from the top left corner:

• Carthaginians in 28mm for SAGA
• Crusaders in 15mm for ADLG
• Hoplites in 15mm for DBA
• Sargonid Assyrians in 15mm for DBA
• Figures started before the AHPC began earlier this week
• Skeletons in 28mm for Fantasy skirmish
• Early Imperial Romans in 15mm for ADLG
• Fallschirmjager in 28mm for Chain of Command

A lot of there to keep the painting mojo going and some are parts of previously started projects whilst others are starting afresh for this challenge. 

More detail to follow shortly. 

Stay safe and cheers for now

 

Seasons Greetings 2021

 

Hope that you have a great time and stay safe throughout the festive period. 

In amongst the egg nog, turkey and family time hope that you find some space for some hobby time as well. 

Thinking of those who are less fortunate this Christmas and have made a donation to the Red Cross Kindness has no Borders appeal to help others.

All the best

30 Days 30 Miniatures - November 2021 Round Up

 A late round up picture from November's 30 Days Painting Challenge.

In total 16 figures completed last month. Slipping backwards again however, the AHPC XII will end this year and start next year in a glorious fashion. 

First session was last night and have started on the Carthaginians for SAGA and Fallschrimjager for Chain of Command. Both in 28mm. Blocking in fleshtones for humans and horses. 

Pictures to follow shortly. 

Cheers

So Glorious a War

The title of this post and subsequent posts for this period comes from the following:

"No prince has ever begun his reign by so glorious a war and so generous a peace."

- Lord Egremont to King George III of Great Britain, crowned on October 25th, 1760, just two weeks after the fall of Montreal ending the French and Indian War.

The double edge nature of the quote appealed and I shortened as the first part seems more suited to gaming than war itself. 

This figure has been on the painting table for a while now, so took the time to finish him earlier this month. Part of a larger group of twelve figures from AW Miniatures' Compagnies Franches de la Marine for use in Rebels and Patriots. 

 As this is only the second figure painted from this group, it could be sometime before they grace a gaming table. That also depends on what 2022 brings us all. 

This takes the tally for December's 30 Days to:

1 x 28mm figure

Cheers for now

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XII - and away they go

It has begun and the paint must flow and may your brush never splay. 

RIP Chris Achilleos 1947 - 2021

 

A legend in fantasy art, Chris Achellios - in my opinion - died earlier this week. 

One of many pieces of his work that decked the walls of my room as a teenager. 

Always thought of this as a great image of Elric and it reflects his loneliness as his civilisation dies because of his betrayal of it. 

He was an inspiration to many of us and  he and his work will be missed. 

Rest in peace.

Reconquista 9

Finished these off the other evening and that completes the 1st point of Levy for the Moors in SAGA. The other six to follow when the daylight allows for some better pictures. There was clouds and sleet here earlier, so not the best natural lighting for photographing figures painted in tones of black. 

The figures are from Gripping Beast and have been a pleasure to paint up and will be moving on with the second point of levy being the crossbowmen. 

This will take the warband to the following 6 point list:

• Warlord
• 4 Mounted Hearthguards
• 8 Warriors
• 8 Warriors
• 8 Warriors
• 12 Levy with bows
• 12 Levy with crossbows

After that the decision will be whether or not to include the Legendary Black Guard for a an 8 point warband or another unit of Hearthguard and Mounted Warriors. The Black Guard being the cheaper option as the figures are already here, the other two units might mean hunting through the lead mountain before purchasing yet more unnecessary new shiney. Decisions decisions...

Hope that this is of interest to you and your painting plans within plans are moving on well too. 

Stay safe and cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 332

Will be starting another 30 Day Painting Challenge this evening although there will be a slight difference in this months Challenge: 

The difference being that the AHPC XII starts on the 21st December and from then on it's only miniatures that are prepped only - none already started. 

Prepping has been started and to be honest there is always enough on the sidelines to be starting with. First up will be some 15mm and 28mm being

• Sargonid Assyrians for DBA
• Carthaginians for SAGA
• Wood Elf Regiment of Renown for Oathmark
• Skeleton Warriors for Oathmark
• With various units to follow that will continue on with started projects from the last couple of years. 

As always for the 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge there is no theme to this, just to paint and complete 30 miniatures regardless of their starting condition or size. 

The outline of the challenge is detailed below, however the main point being to have fun with your hobby.

• To paint 30 (As Many as You Can month) figures of all shapes and sizes in 30 days
• The figures can be partly painted at the start as the main point is to complete figures that have been forgotten
• Basing is not necessary to count as completed
• Any scale is good
• Too have fun
• The end date is set by your start date - 21st December will be the end date of this challenge
• To post updates as often as possible
• Lastly to show a roundup post with a group picture of everything.

The Round up post for November 2021 will follow tomorrow or the day after. 

Hope that you will find this interesting.

Cheers for now 

Fury of the North 27

 A quick update on the very slow process being made on the Foundry Norman's as these two are finally based and finished for use. 

Looking forward to completing more in the coming months. 

Originally started for WAB as mercenaries, these will also be used in Lion Rampant and SAGA in a variety of roles. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 331

The last of the Moorish Archers are now finished just waiting on being varnished - and correcting the eye on the leftmost figure. 

The figures are from the venerable Gripping Beast range of Moors and still firm favourites here. Will be posting some group pictures of all of this unit shortly whilst looking to arrange a game to send them to the lions as all newly painted figures are bound to go. 

The dark sleeves and turbans were painting in black contrast paint then highlighted as required. The jury is out on these paints at present although the sleeves have worked very well. 

Based on 25mm rounds from Warbases for skirmish gaming in general. 

This takes the tally for this month to:

2 x 15mm Infantry

3 x 28mm Infantry

Still a fair amount to complete for the end of the month and then time will be focussing on a different challenge for the dark nights in the new year. 

Cheers for now

 

Back to the Brushes 330

Finished two crossbowmen earlier this week and found some time to create this wee post for tonight. The figures are from Gladiator Miniatures and are now available from Fighting 15's. 

The outer figures on this stand have been finished to join a figure from earlier in the year. Will be looking at basing these along with several other stands of this army for DBA and ADLG shortly. Then it is time to prep the cavalry as a mixture of knights and sargeants to finish another small part of the greater Crusader force. 

The tally this month so far is: 

2 x 15mm Infantry

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 329

Prepped a few figures this evening as my eyes were tired. It's always good to have prepped figures sitting just before the Analogue Painting Hobbies Challenge XII starts next month.

All Romans in 25/28mm with EIR from Imago Militium - now out of production and Caesarian Romans from Foundry. 

Will add a few more to these before undercoating along with some 15mm Roman Cataphracts from War and Empire.

Cheers for now and stay safe. 

 

 

Back to the Brushes 328

A beginning is a very delicate time. Know then that it is the year 2021 and the known universe is ruled by...

Well, the strongest obviously and this is the start of an Undead warband for Oathmark, SAGA: Age of Magic and just general fantasy gaming.

Will be posting a few progressive shots of these showing the use of "contrast paints" once the figures are all painted. For this subject they are working really well. 

Will need a few round cornered bases for these and their collection of bony friends. Warbases will be just the ticket for these. 

Cheers for now and stay safe.

30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge - November 2021

Will be starting another 30 Day Painting Challenge this evening and continuing the catch up on the growing shortfall from recent months. 

For the 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge there is no theme to this, just to paint and complete 30 miniatures regardless of their starting condition or size. 

The outline of the challenge is detailed below, however the main point being to have fun with your hobby.

• To paint 30 figures of all shapes and sizes in 30 days
• The figures can be partly painted at the start as the main point is to complete figures that have been forgotten
• Basing is not necessary to count as completed
• Any scale is good
• Too have fun
• The end date is set by your start date - 2nd December will be the end date of this challenge
• To post updates as often as possible
• Lastly to show a roundup post with a group picture of everything.

Hope that you will find this interesting.

Cheers for now 

30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge - October 2021 Round up

October has passed and with that the clocks have changed in Scotland and the journey through the long dark begins again.

No orcs on show and nothing to climb over or hide behind either; just a few minis here and there.

From front left to back there are

12 x 6mm Norman infantry

8 x 15mm Crusader Infantry

3 x 15mm Early Imperial Roman infantry

1 x 28mm Moorish archer

5 x 18mm Bavarian Line Infantry for SYW

1 x 28mm Norman cavalry

5 x 28mm Moorish archers

The total of painted figures for October was 34. 

This month will see another painting challenge and the start of prepping for the Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge, but more of that soon. 

Cheers for now and stay safe. 

 

Back to the Brushes 327

 Since it's October and the Battle of Hastings was in October here are few Normans of very different sizes.

First up, is a Norman Milite from Gripping Beast that has been waiting a few brush strokes to finish him off. Another versatile figure range that can be morphed into El Cid Spanish and 1st Crusaders and early Feudals as well. This figure is part of a Hearthguard unit for SAGA and other skirmish games as well as the possibility of WAB at smaller point games. 

Next are two stands of missile troops for a Norman DBA army in 6mn. Crossbows to the left and archers to the right. The base sizes are the sames as would be used for 15mm figures just a few more figures per base. The first units of spearmen are on the painting table just now but most likely to be next month before they are here. 

The same versatility will be available with these figures once finished and they'll see a fair bit of use in the future. 

This takes this month's tally to:

6 x 28 mm infantry

1 x 28mm cavalry

12 x 6mm infantry figures

Getting there and the 6mm figures are a bit cheeky but still count. 

Hope you found this interesting

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 326

The next batch of painted Moorish archers are below; figures from Gripping Beast's Moors range. 

The brighter colours used here are to reflect an Andalusian influence whilst the stark contrast below with the black for more of a Moorish feel. Both are purely artistic licence 

A versatile range of figures that will see use in both SAGA: Age of Crusades and Lion Rampant and possibly a few other skirmish styled games as well. 

This takes the tally this month so far to:

6 x 28mm Infantry

Still a fair bit to go but there is a lot in the side lines at present. 

Hope that you found this interesting. 

Cheers for now. 

Back to the Brushes 325

Still working on these two buildings from Warbases. The walls are textured, base coated and washed ready for the layering to finish and the tiles - where applied and base coated are ready for drybrushing and weathering. 

Window frames and woodwork still to be worked on and then there is the front porch - to flagstone or not to flagstone?

A lot of potential for gaming in 28mm with these kits as the roofs lift off but more on that later. 

 The next posts will show other progress on figures and such stuff. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 324

More Moorish archers for SAGA today and getting near to the final paint session with both groups. The figures are from Gripping Beast and still hold up well considering their age. 

Starting to get the jist of Contrast paints and seeing a lot of potential with them for certain things especially as using as glaze to bring colours together.

Still to complete any figures or terrain this month but there are a lot of items on the painting table. That's part of the problem, needing to focus more on a single element and get it done rather than butterflying around from one shiney to the next shiney. 

Hope that you found this interesting and stay safe. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 323

A brief update for this month's 30 Days 30 Miniatures and the initial pics of the two buildings currently on the painting table - Warbases Veni Vidi Vici range barracks A and B. A is on the left as viewed and B, well it's obvious isn't it, sits next to A.

The starting point for these after building is to create additional texture. The tiles are from Warbases and the mix for the exterior walls is a blend of PVA, paint and very, very fine sand. Once the roof tiles are in place on both buildings it will be time to start colouring in. Washes and layers will provide the basis of this with contrast coming from the windows, doors and woodwork on the porch. Will look at possibly weathering these buildings further by using weathering powders.

As the barrack blocks can be displayed singly or together will be looking at painting the roof and long walls in a single session to keep the colours close to each other. The gable ends will be done next before looking at the windows, doors and woodwork at the front of the buildings. 

More work in progress pics to follow

Cheers for now and stay safe

30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge - October 2021

 Will be starting another 30 Day Painting Challenge this evening and continuing the catch up on the growing shortfall from recent months. 

For the 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge there is no theme to this, just to paint and complete 30 miniatures regardless of their starting condition or size. 

The outline of the challenge is detailed below, however the main point being to have fun with your hobby.

• To paint 30 figures of all shapes and sizes in 30 days
• The figures can be partly painted at the start as the main point is to complete figures that have been forgotten
• Basing is not necessary to count as completed
• Any scale is good
• Too have fun
• The end date is set by your start date - 31st October will be the end date of this challenge
• To post updates as often as possible
• Lastly to show a round up post with a group picture of everything.

Hope that you will find this interesting.

Cheers for now 

Back to the Brushes 322

There goes September as we move into October and the last quarter of 2021 and another 30 days 30 Miniatures Painting challenge has ended. 

September's painting

A few different periods and scales here this month as well as picking up on stalled projects. 

From left to right there are the following:

1 x 28mm ruined classic column from Templar Wargames

1 x 28mm Norman archer from Gripping Beast

3 x 28mm Moor archers from Gripping Beast

4 x 28mm Fallschrimjager snipers from Warlord Games (Centre) and Artizan Design

9 x 15mm Early Imperial Roman Legionnaires from Plastic Soldier Company

This takes the total for September to 20 completed figures including the building for Warbases. Short of the total however, there is a lot sitting so near finished that October will be a full on month. 

Imperium Sine Fine 31

 A recently completed scenery piece from the Warbases Veni Vidi Vici range in 28mm - the Stone Granary.

Stone Granary

A range of paints were used on this from masonry paint, emulsion, artists acrylics and modellers acrylics to achieve different colours and finishes different than normally used.

A scenery piece like this really sets off your gaming table and this range are superb kits with a huge range of potentials and not just for gaming but in different painting styles and conversion opportunities. 

With painting buildings, I have always thought that texture is everything. The dimensions of the model carry themselves well, however, texture allows colours to be built up in layers much easier than plain surfaces.

A painted or plastered wall is seldom just the one colour - go take a walk and look at the differences in painted buildings. Age, weather, condition are all contributing factors that change the colour and some of this is shown on this building, more will be shown on another future project where weathering will be added in. 

Really enjoyed painting this and will be looking forward to doing more from the same range in the coming months. This takes the tally this month to 2 finished items so far with 4 painting sessions still to go... 

Cheers for now and stay safe.

Back to the Brushes 321

Working away on these archers for the Moors in SAGA as levy troops. The figures are from Gripping Beast and hoping to finish those below in the next painting session. 

The two archers in black below were an experiment to start off with using Games Workshop Contrast paint for the black; I forget the name, its black paint. 

 The levy will be made up of a mixture of these two figures and two other casts still to be started. 

There are a few items finished that will take the count to roughly halfway for this month; just need to take the pictures to show. 

Cheers for now and stay safe. 

Back to the Brushes 320

First figure for September's 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge is the lead Thessalian cavalry man below. These are a part of an ongoing project for a Macedonian DBA army in 28mm.

The rider's thrusting spear is still to be added however, it's best to let one glued piece set before gluing another piece to the same piece. 

Next in this project will be the Companions with wee Eck himself. These have already been started with the horses about finished and the flesh tones on the riders. More of these and other updates throughout the month. 

So this takes the running total this month to

1 x 28mm cavalry man

A few more to go however, will get there this month and a few extra as well. 

Stay safe and cheers for now. 

Dance of Bronze 25

As the Thessalian cavalry stand nears completion just taking this opportunity to show a stand of Greek or Paeonian Light Cavalry. 

The figures are from Wargames Foundry and are great characterful sculpts with good detail and posing. Unlike the Prodromoi shown last month the tunics are more mundane for these figures as befits the more general nature of this light cavalry stand.

Strangely, with the horses on these and the Prodromoi the painting was less of a chore than some other horses that have been painted in the past. Could be the sculpts, although looking at the horse below in the foreground it is most likely the trappings being more defined on the horse. 

Horse trappings have been a bugbear of mine for a while and for no other reason than they are there annoy me. It's not that they are hard to paint, just time consuming and often cause a bit of reworking. So how to tackle this in the future? Keep dropping by and there will be a post on how the pain has been reduced. 

Hope you found this interesting. 

Stay safe and cheers for now. 

30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge - August 2021 Round up

Round up for August's 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge below. Quite simply ran out of steam on the third rider for the Thessalians 

In the above picture there are the following:

2 x 28mm cavalry riders only - Thessalians from Foundry

2 x 28mm infantry  - Normans from Foundry

2 x 28mm infantry - British and Fallschrimjager from Warlord Games

4 x 15mm cavalry - Bedouin from Museum Miniatures

Above there are:

12 x 15mm infantry - Early Imperial Romans from PSC

6 x 15mm cavalry - Ghulams from Minifigs (?)

1 x 20mm scenery piece

12 x 15mm infantry - Minifigs (?)

This gives a total of 41, not 39 as shown in the pics, tsk, tsk. 

Got a bit of basing to do in the coming weeks!

Stay safe and cheers for now

30 Days 30 Miniature Painting Challenge - September 2021

 Will be starting another 30 Day Painting Challenge this evening and continuing the catch up on the growing shortfall from recent months. 

For the 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge there is no theme to this, just to paint and complete 30 miniatures regardless of their starting condition or size. 

The outline of the challenge is detailed below, however the main point being to have fun with your hobby.

• To paint 30 figures of all shapes and sizes in 30 days
• The figures can be partly painted at the start as the main point is to complete figures that have been forgotten
• Basing is not necessary to count as completed
• Any scale is good
• Too have fun
• The end date is set by your start date - 30th September will be the end date of this challenge
• To post updates as often as possible
• Lastly to show a round up post with a group picture of everything.

Hope that you will find this interesting.

Cheers for now 

Back to the Brushes 319

Another two items towards this month's challenge. 

Both are for use in WW2, the first in 1/72nd scale is the row of sandbags. A generic piece of scatter terrain that fits in with another piece painted in recent months.

The second figure is from Warlord Games Bolt Action range and is the first 28mm British Infantryman from this range. A lot of character in these figures and they paint up well. 

This takes the tally this month so far to:

3 x 28mm infantry

6 x 15mm cavalry

1 x 20mm terrain piece

Stay safe and cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 318

 

A few of the different projects on the painting table at present.

Clockwise rom top left PSC Early Imperial Romans in 15mm

Arab light infantry from Minifigs again in 15mm

Fallschirmjager from Warlord Games in 28mm

British infantry from Warlord Games in 28mm

All to be included in this month's 30 Days 30 Miniatures Paintin Challenge.

Stay safe and cheers for now. 

Back to the Brushes 317

Started working on the Macedonians again last night. Rather than select one group of troops over another opted to continue with both the

Thessalian Cavalry

And the Hypaspists

As there eight Hypaspists to paint its looking more likely that the cavalry will be ready first.

The tunic started as Foundry Wine Stain A, a mix of the shade and mid tone were used for the layer and then the  midtone only was used for the highlight. The armour was base coated with Vallejo Old Gold, washed with AP  strong tone and will be highlighted with base coat and silver mix to suit. 

The pteryges were painted with the Foundry Canvas triad to almost white.

Hope this was of interest.

Stay safe and cheers for now. 

Back to the Brushes 316

Finished the painting on these Arab Ghulams last night for this month's challenge.

The figures are old Minifigs and rather than use a single pose per stand have mixed the different figure types up. This is enough to give each element a slightly different visual hook without buying anymore figures.  The colours unify the stands across the table. 

This takes the tally this month to:

2 x 28mm infantry

6 x 15mm cavalry

For a running total of eight figures out of thirty. Good start to the month. 

Stay safe and cheers.

 

Back to the Brushes 315

Starting this month's challenge with these dismounted Milites from Wargames Foundry. 

Whilst newer sculpts for Normans do exist these are still some of the best on the market and are a pleasure to paint. 

Once the shields have been touched up a little - due to slightly broken lines on the strips - these will join others from this range as Norman mercenaries in SAGA, WAB and general Dark Age skirmish games. 

This takes the tally this month to:

2 x 28mm Infantry 

Still a good few to do.

Stay safe and cheers for now

Dance of Bronze 24

Here are the Prodromoi or those that run before the army painted during AHPC XI. The figures are from A & A Miniatures and are armed as sarrisophoroi. The sculpts don't give the option to arm with javelin and they are for use with a Macedonian army. 

A colourful unit with perhaps the original "Nike" top on even if it is made of different layers of material. 

Incidentally, have another 4 or 5 figures that will be surplus to requirements if anyone is interested. 

What now? Thessalian, Companions or Hypaspists - they are all part painted just need to find the motivation to dust them off and continue to the finish with them.

Stay safe and cheers for now.