Back to the Brushes 379

 

Last work in progress picture from 2023 and regrettably there isn't a finished piece to do another post with.

Perry's: Wars of the Roses Warwick the Kingmaker

In the background, there is one of four figures being painted as Northern Borders Scurrours in 15mm. The figures are from Museum Miniatures.

Unknown foot knight.

The foot knight has been spray undercoated with Army Painter Gun Metal then washed in Nuln Oil. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 378

A revised list for the AHPC XIV adding in Wars of the Roses in both 15 and 28mm

• 10mm DAK for O Group
• 15mm Assyrians for ADLG
• 15mm Mongols for ADLG
• 15mm Wars of the Roses for ADLG
• 28mm Romano Brits for SAGA
• 28mm Moors and Arabs for SAGA and ADLG
• 28mm Late Crusaders for SAGA
• 28mm Late Romans for ADLG
• 28mm Wars of the Roses for ADLG
• 28mm Christian Spanish for ADLG

Aiming for approximately 45 points per week this year to achieve the Challenge target of 500.

Let's see how things roll. 

Season' Greetings 2023

 

Merry Christmas to you all near and far.

Wishing you all good health, cheer and above all peace.

Back to the Brushes 377

No plan survives first contact and prepping for the AHPC IV is no different. 

The foot knights below were painted in a previous challenge and are being repurposed in this year's AHPC. This time the focus will be on creating a Lancastrian force for ADLG in 28mm.

The pile of shame, that way lies.

The next two pics shows a slow start on more foot knights and the first retinue bowmen; all from Perry Miniatures plastic sets. 

Don't tell them but the next lot include the Yorkist Lords

The foot knights and Lords below were prepped previously and have in a drawer, waiting...

We've been waiting for this for a while

The AHPC IV starts on the 21st, so there will be more posts sooner rather than later. 

Cheers for now

Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XIV

 

Winter is here and the prep for this year's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge has started. Having joined the lists again I am needing to find 500 points of 10, 15 and 28mm miniatures to paint between the above dates. 

Decisions are not always the easiest of things to make and can often change how the challenge runs. The initial running list includes: 

• 10mm DAK for O Group
• 15mm Assyrians for ADLG
• 15mm Mongols for ADLG
• 15mm Late Romans for ADLG
• 28mm Romano Brits for SAGA
• 28mm Moors and Arabs for SAGA and ADLG
• 28mm Late Crusaders for SAGA
• 28mm Late Romans for ADLG
• 28mm Christian Spanish for ADLG

There are more options, however, I'm looking to finalise a set list and point values from the above with a schedule to ensure that there is time to complete sections across the Challenge and to keep things interesting throughout.

Cheers for now 

Back to the Brushes 376

Some armies are never truly finished for some people and the Late Roman army would be in that category here. 

I will be participating in a day's gaming with ADLG at the weekend and found that the list created has one more unit of Heavy Cavalry than is painted.

A quick trip to the pile of shame provided enough figures for this unit and many more than would be needed under these rules.

The three horses above are from Footsore Miniatures  Late Roman range and are painting up well; despite the hobby lamps best efforts to prevent this. The charging point has gone on it. 

More to follow on these figures across the week as they need to be finished for this Sunday coming.

Cheers for now

Lest We Forget

 

Back to the Brushes 375

It's been a few months since the last work in progress pic, so here's something in line with the Orctober theme:

First up is Eeza Ugezod, who will be used as a sub-commander for SAGA: Age of Magic. There are troopers to follow for this Regiment of Renown

The small gent to the left of the above pic is Khurma the Fleshripper; who will be the Warlord of Age of Magic Warband. The figure to the left is a puny human from Foundry's Late Roman range for scale comparison. 

These will also be used in a variety of other fantasy skirmish games. 

Hope to post more shortly.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 374

A couple of test figures for the Christian Spanish re-conquistadors to give the Moors a worthy opponent. 

The figures are from Gripping Beast's El Cid range that will also morph into early Crusaders if the opportunity raises. 

Will be using a range of muted reds, yellows, warm greys and beiges across these figures. Not wanting complete uniformity in the units but will use colour to show better units from their peers.

Back to the Moorish cavalry soon. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 373

Sat last night and continued colouring in these two Hearth Guard minis for the Moorish Warband. 

Gripping Beast figures with their older style of horses that don't depict the pride of Andalusian horse flesh that well. 

Have opted for darker shields for the Hearth Guard so the small details jump out in various hues of yellow. 

After that, there is only a few bits of equipment to finish on this pair before moving on to the next two. 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 372

Continuing on with the theme of El Cid and with a nod to Dean's superb WAB Corner blog I am picking up on a Moorish Warband for SAGA.

Original started prior to the pandemic, this project stuttered out early in 2020 leaving the Warlord and his Hearth Guard to finish for either a four or six point warband.

Every warband in SAGA has a Warlord and above is a work in progress pic of the Moorish Warlord from Gripping Beast. 

A single piece miniature, well sculpted and cast has been enjoyable to paint. 

Unlike the rest of the warband, I've used brighter colours - yellows to be precise - for the majority of the clothing on this character. A theme that will carry on to the Hearth Guard unit to follow shortly.

Hope that this has been of interest to you. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 371

It's been a while since my last post here, almost three months to be fair. Could say this has been because of real life, lack of motivation or just plain couldn't be arsed. A combination of all three would be about right. 

So, in an effort to rid all three malaise I am starting a new project in 28mm: El Cid Spanish and Taifa Kingdoms.

Above, shows the first figure for the medium/heavy spearman. The red in the top left image is base coated with Mechrite red from Games Workshop's old foundation range. Each picture moving clockwise then adds a layer of Foundry Red Shade, Mid tone then the highlight.

The figures will in the main come from Gripping Beasts fantastic El Cid period range with a few here and there from other suppliers such as Artisan Design and Crusader

The four spearmen above will make up the rear rank of the first stand. The yellow, is the Foundry Yellow Ochre triad. The central red is the Foundry Madder Red triad again over Mechrite Red, which is perhaps too strong a base tone for this red. 

More to follow with these and a few older projects shortly. 

Imperium Sine Fine 34

Recently completed as a part of the AHPC XIII these Equite Cataphractii from War and Empire will soon be clumping  their way across tabletops  in ADLG, DBA and Hail Caesar. 

Each stand has a fair wee heft to them with the fourth horse fitting to each stand, even if this did involve a less than linear final appearance to the base.

The figures are good sculpts and slightly smaller than the other cavalry figures in the growing force for Early Imperial Rome in 15mm. One day there may even be a start made on the 28mm figures for the same army. 

Next up there will be other cavalry units for this army. 

Cheers for now.

Dance of Bronze 29

Recently completed and photographed before being matt varnished, these Spartan cavalry from Xyston should provide easy pickings for other Greek cavalry if history and gaming stats are correct. 

The figures were clean sculpts and casts with the minimum of clean up required. The limited palette and equipment on the figures made for quick painting and basing. 

Still to be varnished as they have joined a small queque of figures waiting for the same. Will get round to the them all this week; real life all being well. 

 Cheers for now

Fury of the North 28

It has been a while since I've painted Vikings in any numbers and since rebasing those that have already been painted on to 40mm squares for Hail Caesar there will be a good few coming this way soon. 

First up are the three on the left of the conga starting with the bare chested axeman.

The other figures are all repurposed from a SAGA warband that wasn't getting any use, so rather than paint more figures yet more rebasing happened. The bases are from Warbases, my friendly local gaming store. 

The berserker winding himself up by baring his chest is from Shieldwall Figures available through Gripping Beast. The overly hairy bare chested warrior is from Wargames Foundry with the rest of the motley crue hailing from Gripping Beast. 

Painting figures for the Dark Ages allows a lot of freedom with colour,  poses and general outlook of the figures. Something that you find less of in later periods and some earlier periods as well. This allows more creativity with the painting and posing of finished figures for the final bases. 

There are a dozen or more Vikings on the painting table at present along with a few other projects that are far more regimented so it will be good to break the monotony of production painting in these guys. 

Cheers for now. 

Back to the Brushes 370

As the Early Imperial Romans begin to leave the painting table their space is quickly take up by the above figures from AB Miniatures; British Line Infantry for a small 1812 -15 project involving the following regiments:

• King's German Legion 5th Line Infantry Battalion
• King's German Legion 8th Line Infantry Battalion
• King's German Legion 2nd Light Infantry Battalion
• British 95th Rifles Battalion
• 42nd Highlander Infantry Battalion (the Black Watch)

The picture above shows the start of the 5th Line Battalion, based on 24 figures per battalion, the same basing model will be used for the other battalions as they progress. In time a several squadrons of cavalry and a small artillery force will be added to round this out. 

The strange thing about this project is it's something that was never planned and but for lock down and an interest in "Wellington's Crisis" moment at La Sainte Haye it would never be here. 

Watch out for future updates for this...

Cheers for now 

Imperium Sine Fine 33

Recently completed for the AHPC XIII these 15mm Early Imperial Romans from Plastic Soldier Company and Corvus Belli have been great fun to paint. 

The supporting Saggitarii figures in the rear rank are from Essex Miniatures and their older sculpts hold up well against the newer and chunker legionnaires at the front. 

Shield transfers from Little Big Men's superb range

The legionnaires are double ranked for ADLG basing although this will be getting adopted as standard for 15mm figures on future projects.

The finished figures will join the ranks for an ADLG army as well as use in DBA and Hail Caesar in the future.

More finished figures to follow shortly.

Cheers for now.

 

Back to the Brushes 369

Challenge Update

As the AHPC XIII starts it's final fortnight here are a few of the hopeful's for last posts. 

The Viking with the bared chest and the ochre tunic and axe wielding loon to his left have already made the pass. The question is how many more will go with them. 

Pictures to follow of some finished 15 and 28mm figures. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 368

General Work in progress update

A lot of things on the painting table just now, too many to be honest; concentrated effort this week on those pesky Early Imperial Romans amongst other things. 

Spartan cavalry, dramatic Thracian skirmishers in the background and an UUruk bezerker for Lord of the Rings.

A wee update on the Vikings with the armour blocked in and the start of colours on the clothing.

Roman auxilia in column, Wars of the Roses men at arms and Cultists in the background. The first four stands of the auxilia are now waiting on basing. 

More pics to follow shortly. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 367

Is there ever a good time to revisit a past project; perhaps in the last four weeks of the AHPC XIII isn't the best time or maybe it is. 

Over the last few weeks have had a hankering to return to the Dark Ages, to an age of raiders, ravagers and raven standards, an age of Vikings! 

This has been promoted by the arrival of Hail Caesar 2nd Edition and a brief conversation with a gaming friend; the Dark Ages are calling. 

A quick survey of the painted Vikings not currently based for any specific rules worked out at nine fully painted bases of Hirdmen and three of Bondi; a bit of painting time required to make this a viable gaming force however, it is a good start. 

The picture above shows the start of some frothing loons for the bondi troops and a few more Hirdmen to full out the ranks. 

As none of these have been started before the 21st December 2022, any completed will count towards the tally of the AHPC. A tally, that is far lower than it should be this far in. 

Anyways, enough rambling for now. 

Cheers!

Imperium Sine Fine 32

The Early Imperial Romans are still struggling forward in rough ground; typical deployment error with heavy infantry here - drawn towards the mud and seldom get out.  The Legionnaires are from Plastic Soldier Company

The rear rank have been completed as a part of the AHPC XIII and have been based in support of their command group. 

The shield transfers are from Little Big Men and whilst fiddly at this scale are worth the time and effort to set a unit off. 

Auxilia archers are an option in ADLG  for legions so as there are figures spare...decided to paint them for this very purpose. They'll also double as additional light infantry archers if needed. The auxilia archers are from Essex miniatures are slightly finer in scale than the PSC figures. 

Currently working on more Roman archers to complete the full array of options in the list - basically more units of the same. 

Cheers for now. 

The Sunne in Splendour 5

Recently started a Wars of the Roses retinue for Lion Rampant and similar style skirmish games.

Following in the footsteps of the DBA army painted a couple of year back these will have Lancastrian colours and will be under the colours of Roos.

The figures are from Perry Miniatures metal ranges and paint exceptionally well. The detail is clear and crisp with not too much flash if any. 

There are another three figures on the painting table at the moment and these will completed later this week. 

Whilst being painted for skirmish gaming, the use of sabot bases will enable these figures to have a bit more use for larger games as well. 

The next group for this retinue will have a darker approach to the painting of their armour; check out Medieval on Netflixs for ideas. 

Cheers for now.