Hobby Plans 2021

With the passing of 2020 hopefully soon to be forgotten by all its time to look ahead to 2021. 

A year of endless possibilities, change and new challenges? Probably all and many other things.

In terms of hobby plans for this year here is a brief outline:

• Successfully complete the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge XI
• Finish painting the following:

• 18mm Bavarians for the Seven Years War
• 28mm Prussian Landwehr
• 28mm Hoplites
• 28mm Caesarian Romans
• 28mm Phalangites
• 20mm D.A.K.
• 15mm DBA matched pair for the 2nd Punic War

• Try to game as often as possible virtually or once the vaccines are in place safely in person
• Develop painting skills further and possibly look into a basic airbrush set

That should keep things busy for the year without adding in any new shiney that might catch a magpie's eye. 

Stay safe and thanks for visiting

Cheers for now

30 Days 30 Miniatures October 2020

A bit late considering that almost a third of November has already gone, however here is the round up picture for last month's 30 days painting challenge. 

Managed to complete the following figures last month:

3 x 20mm WW2 terrain pieces

2 x 28mm Norman Crossbowmen

8 x 28mm Prussian Landwehr

11 x 18mm Bavarian Grenadiers

8 x 28mm Caesarian Romans

Just for the fun of it I started another 30 Days 30 Miniatures Painting Challenge the other night, 2nd November. As with last month there will be no theme to this, just to paint and complete 30 miniatures regardless of their starting condition. 

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 round up post with a group picture of everything.

Hope that you will find this interesting.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 287

Finished off the other five Prussian Landwehr the other night completing the first unit for the Napoleonic period ever. 

The figures are from Warlord Games and paint well with enough detail to give interest and not too much to stifle motivation. 

Next for these will be some command figures although this will be in next month looking at the calendar. 

This takes the total for the month so far to 24 figures

3 x 20mm WW2 terrain pieces

2 x 28mm Norman Crossbowmen

8 x 28mm Prussian Landwehr

11 x 18mm Bavarian Grenadiers

Looking to finish a few more this evening to complete for Samhain. 

Hope you found this interesting 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 285

The next completed figures for this month are from Warlord Games and are the beginning of the end. Napoleonics, the one period I vowed to never ever ever go near, and yet here we are. 

These will be the first unit of eight for Sharpe Practice or two thirds of a twelve man unit for Black Powder. This evening will see another session on the next five who will hopefully be done by Samhain. 

The bases and movement tray are all from Warbases and will facilitate play if and when these actually see a gaming table in the future. 

So this takes the total this month to 

3 x 20mm WW2 terrain pieces

2 x 28mm Norman Crossbowmen

3 x 28mm Prussian Landwehr

Still a few bits and pieces to get done by the witching hour this coming Saturday. 

Hope that you found this interesting. 

Cheers for now.

Back to the Brushes 281

 A few work in progress pics of what is currently getting some painting time. 

The first pic is of Foundry Caesarian Romans and a Gripping Beast  Cornicen from their currently out of production Caesarian range. 

More from Gripping Beast this time with Norman or Christian Spanish Crossbowmen for El Cid. The figure at the far left as viewed on screen is now complete. 

Lastly there are the first of the Compagnie Franches de la Marine from the moulds of AW Miniatures and lurking at the very back are Warlord Games Prussian Landwehr. Three of the Landwehr are now finished. 

 The blues on the Marines have been done in two very different ways. 

 

On the left, the blue has been painted with Citadel Contrast Ultramarines Blue and highlighted with Calgar blue and on the right with Foundry Napoleonic French blue triad in layers. The jury is still out on both colours and methods of painting and will trial the Contrast paint again on another two figures with a the wraith-bone under coat. 

Hope that this has been of interest.

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 280

A quick post on the progress of Warlord Games Prussian Landwehr. Good progress so far although finding the blue harder than thought. And to think it used to be red that that was the devil colour. 

The base colour is Foundry Prussian Blue A which may be just too dark for the tone of Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue. Currently mixing these to create an intermediate tone. Whilst it is helping its also creating another layer that wasn't counted on. 

The command figures are all metal and are good sculpts although the plastic troopers are offering better surfaces to paint. Who would have thought a stuck in the mud on metal figures would be saying that 😂

More to follow on these and some Caesarian Romans soon along with a murky figure or two...

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 272

Blink and before you know it another month is drawing to and end and this has been an eventful month with a few significant dates happening:

• Reaching the half century
• Celebrating 20 years married
• The young Padawan starting school.

Whilst this has all been good and rewarding in very different ways, there has still been a little time to get some painting done including the following work in progress pics:

The Late Roman archer's horses are already done and these two ponies belong to some undercoated Huns. 

Half of the started Gondorian archers for Dragon Rampant. Been playing about with the base colours for the plate armour with these so there will be some difference in the finished appearance from previous figures in this retinue.  

More Prussian Landwehr moving slowly forward. The blue is taking more time than anticipated for such a large area of colour. The base coat is looking more like a contrast paint and requiring over painting when it shouldn't. 

Hope that this has been of interest to you 

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 271

It's the final day of the 30 Days 30 Miniatures Challenge set at the beginning of this month. 

Here are the last two pictures for the last figures to complete the target. 

First are two Prussian Landwehr from Warlord Games. 

There should be yellow piping on the hats however after repainting one hat twice thought bollocks to that. At the rule of 3 foot who will notice? 

Next are eight Late Roman Cataphracts of which six have been painted over the last 30 days. The back two at the left hand side were painted prior to this. 

These Cataphracts have been ongoing for about ten years in different ways with the command stand and one other figure seeing use in Impetus last decade. Finally decided to get them finished although there are more to be painted in the future. 

So how does this leave things standing? Well here is the breakdown:

28mm Infantry: 22 figures

28mm Cavalry: 6 figures

15mm Cavalry: 2 figures

Thirty figures in thirty days and will be looking to do the same again next month. 

Hope that you have found this interesting

Cheers for now

Back to the Brushes 269

One day, don't know when but one day, am going to regret ever opening this door. Always said that it would never happen and yet here it is. 

The first line of Prussian Landwehr from Warlord Games and will be a part of a force for Black Powder and suitable skirmish games for this period. 

In retrospect should have gone for Brunswick as once undercoated black they are a third of the way to painted. Hey ho, hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

Cheers for now