What I've let myself in for

A whole 5 models complete! 4 of them weren't painted before lockdown!

 

I'm sure like many of you, my initial optimism about the effect of lockdown on my plastic pile has faded. Not only does painting time still seem hard to make, but self-medicating my mental health by buying models has made things even worse. So, some months before the publication of this update, I found myself needing to paint a dozen knights and two cannon in time for the Clash of Kings in October.

Trololol

I thought I had uploaded these chaps at an earlier stage of painting,

but I hadn't, so after goodness knows how many years, I've finally given the trolls of my early years a good paintjob.

Fresh from their parent's basements, the trolls roam the land in search of mountain dew to drink and insulting comments to add to forum threads

Now (partly) Finished

Well, after a long time I've at last finished the basing on the latest batch of Anglo-Normans, plus made progress on the 'Mechs. I leave work for two months tomorrow, so hopefully updates will become more frequent (some hope).

Archers in a variety of postures, featuring the last of the Wargames Factory torsos.

The Battle of Anachronism Bridge

As habitual readers may be aware, I often like to come up with little stories to explain why my toy soldiers have come to blows. In this  particular report, however, I cannot think of any reason why Edward Longshanks and William Marshall should be ganging up to fight Bishop Odo.

Derek sets out the forces of Edward Longshanks in cover of the trees

Announcement and picture

Just a short post tonight, I have been advised by a friend of Derek's to add a 'follow' gadget to the blog. I've never followed anyone else's work on blogger before, but am always keen to match supply to demand.

I try not to let a post pass by without some sort of model-related content, so I will relate to you the participation game Derek and I took part in at a show that I've forgotten the name of (Help!).

The game was a skirmish from the Trojan War, featuring two heroes and a few random goons on each side, run with the Song of Blades and Heroes rules. A good set of rules, producing a quick, elegant and brutal game. Unfortunately, it also requires a bit of getting used to and good dice rolling skills, which is what I chose to blame for the end result of Hector and Paris dead (Hector on turn two...).

There's only one photo because I wasn't doing very well, but it displays the only combat where I won a round, as well as some very well painted models too.

Two nameless spearmen who held of one of the Achean heroes (Nestor?) for a majority of the game.

New Year's Eve Odds and Ends

Well, another year over and I'm still sitting on a pile of unblogged pictures, some of which are of models I finished painting several months ago.

The mounted standard bearer is has clearly had a couple of vins de trop, as has his cheval...

Battle reports pt 1

The first of my two games with Joey was a straighforward punch up: My Normans were off marauding round Middle Earth, writing bad fanfic and generally making a nuisance of themselves and the elves decided to try to restore some semblance of order.

Legolas leads the hosts of Mirkwood

The 1200 pt. Challenge

Five months after assembly, I've finally got some models painted, based, and varnished. Plus I can at last post my Crusader Empire knights in full battledress. I can now announce my 1200 point challenge: Paint 1200 points of chaps for Kings of War by the time of their Autumn global campaign. As you know, it was going to be 2000, but I haven't got time. Stupid jobs.

You know what, the shields look pretty good now they're in use.

Journey Into Base

A Miracle! I manage to post the blog update on the same day I did the painting! I've been very bored today. As you can see below, I've put the static grass on the bases that had already been flocked, flocked the bases that had already been gritted etc.

My bases are the regulation 'Old School' green

2015: A Base Oddessy

Addendum: the previous post should have been called "Shields of all Shades in a Shed", but I only thought of that after then event, so the present title stands testament to my shame.

Anyway, Basing tests!

I found a use for Renedra plastic bases after all!

Shaping Up Nicely

After a massive paint orgy on Friday, I'm at the stage where quite a few models are in need of basing. Exciting times! I've based up my best examples into impetvs-sized units to give an impression of what the finished army might look like, The units will be single-based, and affixed to a sabot-base. I briefly considered using magnets (like every other blogger seems to be...) but realised that a cheaper solution already exists! Blu-tac! 

This was using my Vallejo greens, which don't seem to work. I am currently mixing blue and yellow to get the colour right.

Base Intolerence

There is only one way to base 28mm cavalry, and that is on individual 25x50mm bases. I don't care what comes in the Norman Knights box, I don't care that only 8 horsemen are based properly, I'll just buy more bases.

The two chaps in red, one with a very poorly stuck together javelin.

From Russia with Models

Hello again, dear readers! Another update promised 'tomorrow', another update arriving many weeks later. Are you surprised? No! Will this happen again? Yes! Anyway, on with the blog!

Having measured these chaps, I am pleased to confirm my suspicion that they're 15 mm.

Painting Bottleneck

It has become increasingly clear that I am too lazy to finish the models I have started painting. Let the Plastic pile (beloved of all those other wargaming blogs) commence! As I have no money, this may turn to my advantage. Anyway, I post my latest results, with the promise of more tomorrow. Maybe.

Here we have the white-basecoated infantry looking rather better

Ups and Browns

I'm sitting on about three posts worth of updates at present, so time to start clearing the backlog.

First off, I have decided to break my painting down, by painting enough models for a saga warband, then enough for a small game of warhammer, etc.etc. I have also discovered a nearby-ish wargaming club which I shall poke my nose in when time and painted figures allow.

Crusader horsies looking lovely.

Compulsory Post Christmas Bragging.

Yes! Like all bloggers (although a little later than most... blasted work) I must regale you with tales of how my parents are better than yours. Well done Mater et Pater for correctly interpreting the subtle hints I gave: two boxes of knights and one of infantry is on the edge of over-generosity in my book.

Caption competition: Can YOU think of something amusing for this size comparison image?

Brown brown everywhere ner any a drop to drink.

Apologies for the lack of posts, silly things like 'work' and 'socialising' are getting in the way of important things like Shed Time. Nonetheless, I sneaked a few hours the weekend before last, and painted some things brown.

First on the agenda were the bowmen, who now sport basecoats of skin and leather (scorched brown, a colour which goes under most things it seems...) All of them are going to be white, but I might try to get variations of skin tone, and not use the same browns on all of them.

Still not sure about the trousers. They don't really have any raised bits for highlights. 

My Lovely Horse

Sorry for a second equine-themed title, but I love Father Ted too much. Good morning's shed time this week, and I can provide the first completed Man-At-Arms.

Basing to follow when I can do a batch.

My Little Pony

 Finally found time to slink off to the Mighty Shed this morning, and started on New Stuff, first of which is the Black-skinned marauders. The massive bulging muscles of the models are perfect for highlighting, as are the expressive faces. I'm not sure if I can pull off the gradual shades of dark brown perfectly, but there are lots of marauders for test pieces at least. 

First layer of paint on the black-skinned marauders