How was 2012?

Hi All,

Firstly a big thank you to every one who popped by or left messages. We have a great hobby filled with decent, gentle people and it has been my pleasure to read your posts. So how was your war gaming year? Did you achieve any goals? Maybe you didn't set any...it doesn't really matter as long as you enjoyed yourself.

For me war gaming wise I achieved little in 2012...I lost my wife and son in 2008 and they have yet to be buried due to a legal situation which will I hope resolve itself in the coming year. I suppose that it is inevitable that I cannot concentrate on anything but next year my son and I will build a modern African town to refiight "Black Hawk Down"....its all Modern Warfare 3s fault. I think that we can build a terrain board and we will both have fun with 28mm figures.

The Victorian buildings are stumbling on...the techniques used for these buildings have added to my skill set and I will plan a project for happier times.

I sincerely hope that you all have a good Christmas and a happy New Year, your comradeship has been so important to me. Thank you.

Cold Snap

Hi,

I was wondering if painting miniatures is a seasonal hobby? During the summer months I do not seem to paint as often as winter...when the nights close in it certainly feels more acceptable to be sat painting...? Does anyone else alter their hobby pattern with the seasons?

Having little to paint has made me examine my spares box...two plastic Cleudo figures are going to be started this week, an elegant female in evening gown and an officer type..not the usual war gaming figures but I've been off painting all summer for some reason. Bases for my terraced houses have been cut and windows and roofs will be added over the weekend.

My son wants to go shooting over the next couple of days but its so cold! We have over 20 old airguns and its good to give them a run out, no empty cans will be safe in our vicinity. Does anyone else shoot? It seems that these two hobbies have some connection so it would be interesting to see how many war gamers actually shoot or collect?

Thanks Chaps, next time I will post pictures of the completed figures and houses.

Foam Card Buildings

Hi

the cheapest way I have found so far to make some scenery is by using foam card, it glues easily and can be indented with a pencil so that brick patterns can be picked out by dry brushing. As yet I have not completed any windows and I am undecided as to wether they should be stuck on the card or cut out and represented by painted black card...

By painting a lightr brown on the card first a mortar effect can be produced (there is an excellent guide on someones blog but I forgot which one-sorry). Next step is to cut a base (I have lots of plywood though I know that it should really be mdf for neatness), and then the windows and roofs.

If one wanted to create a dedicated board then a very atmospheric effect could be produced by using darker tones-dark brown instead of red for the brick etc-but these are for general use and will have to do for now.

Any suggestions for windows would be appreciated though I suspect that in time I will make a mould and use "stick on" windows and doors, has anyone done this? Is there a guide?

Thanks

Access at last!

Hi All,

I have been trying for weeks to access my blog...finally managed it after having to download google chrome and alter some settings. Very complicated to a technophobe like myself, but at last. I will spend the rest of the day catching up with what everyone has been doing, already seen some interesting work, good to see people keeping busy.

Has anyone tried the "Empire of the Dead" rule set? I have downloaded the freebie from their website and it seems simple enough to try a game with my son (now 10 years old...time flies). So inspired by the whole idea of the Victorian theme I have been scratch building some terraced houses and yards for the Ripper to skulk about in. As of yet three are in preparation and two more planned out...I had no idea a two foot square board could fit so many buildings on it! I will post some pictures tonight.

Good to be back and thanks for the inspiration.

Time...just not enough of it!

Hi Chaps...just to apologise for my lack of posts...being a single parent is time consuming to say the least. Add to this my never ending search for the truth as too what happened to my wife and son...all this equals no wargaming time.

I did dust off some plastic figures and may have a go at painting them up to the best standard I can manage...they seem smaller than I remembered! Is it my eyesight?? Does this happen to anyone else? Even the mighty 28mm are not the giants I once thought them to be! The plastic soldier review is an excellent web site and I often go there for some inspiration, who runs this site? Who ever is responsible it must be one of the best resources for wargaming ever!

Oh well, keep blogging! I know I have'nt done much but i keep popping onto around a dozen blogs each week to keep up with what is happening in the real world...well done chaps.

Till next time!

Buildings and Das...

Hi All,

I have been fiddling around with white Das, its funky stuff that dries in a day or two. As you can see my first efforts have had odd results but I will still make a mold so that I can populate my board with streets of terraced housing. I certainly could'nt afford to buy resin terrain and I have deliberatley kept the frontage small, a shop and a pub are on the way along with two different house designs.

I will complete my house over the weekend and paint it up, hopefully it will be useful for a lot of periods, the very British civil war to pulp games (not that I do either in this scale!). I could put up a tutorial but youtube has some great videos on how to do this...thanks for looking.

I will apologise for the picture..my computer finally committed Hari Kiri so I am on an old XP system from my backup computer-does anyone know what programme will allow me to alter a photo?

Thanks.

Whats happened at Games Workshop?

My son has recently attended a local club where it seems everyone plays Warhammer 40 000. Naturally he wanted to have some figures of his own (he had been using his bigger brothers), so off we went to a Games workshop stockist....

It took some time for the initial shock to wear off but really I still cant believe it-up to £15 for a figure because it had special abilities in the game?? The army boxes started at £65 and a box of 5 was £15....even my son who was really keen to start his own army refused to part with his piggy bank of savings at those prices.

So what to do? 20mm Hat to the rescue! My son is on the Plastic soldier website as I speak decideing which to order, thank god forHat.

Will post some pics later.

A new day!

Hi Chaps,

I have just spent a pleasant afternoon floating around the blogs that I follow (I follow lots) and its been inspirational! I had totally forgot about Hordes of the Things...my 9 year old son would love to game that...and then there is the painting, zombie games and lets not forget that feeling of being amongst kindred spirits.

There has not been much happening wargame wise in the Hendrickson household except for the boardgame "Zombies" which my son loves and is getting too good at. In short I apologise for the lack of posts but the weight of life in general took over-until this afternoon.

So...I have a parcel to post too New Zealand-sorry that man for the wait and some figures to order and to paint...but most importantly some games to play with my son!

Thanks chaps you all helped out today.

Plastics are everywhere!

Hi All,

its been a few weeks since I blogged but life has that annoying habi of interfering with ...well everything! Picked up Wargames Illustrated and I am so pleased to see the plastic revolution continuing though as yet nothing has really grabbed my enthusiasm but I am putting that down to just life in general.

I have been catching up with what everyone has been up to there are some amazing people out there!

Keep blogging!

AK47 Peter Pig Mercenaries and Militia

Hi,
I crept into the garden to take these pics of my last few painting session endevours. I am seriously enjoying painting 15mm, so much so that I may even try and paint some Serb or eastern european types along with some vehicles....just need to sell a kidney to fund it (15mm =more expensive than plastic 28mm!!).

there are 10 stands of militia and a couple more professional...also 4 battle winning mortar stands to paint up, by which time I will have ordered again-Peter Pigs stuff is more addictive than crack cocaine! Awaiting basing are 3 buildings-they seem so small to build in this scale...but even my small table suddenly looks rather large.

Have a good weekend and keep painting!

Blogger Templates and Peter the Pig (is great).

Hi All,

I made the mistake of fiddling with my blogger template and then wrestled for hours (OK 10 minutes) trying to ungirlify it! So sorry about the new look which is akin to some mad 70s theme.


The real reason I opened my blog was to praise Peter Pig...excellent service, next day delivery and quality products. There is currently a unit of professional types almost completed along with a few militia. The types of figure doesnt really matter for me as I like all of them-the chaps fighting "tackle out" strike me as odd and frightening...I will post pics shortly but will they need blurring?

Have a good weekend chaps!

A walk...and does anyone want some 20mm figures and artillery?

Hi Chaps,

there is a lot happening re my solicitor and court at the moment so I went for a walk up the Hoad...so windy that for the first time in my life I was blown off my feet...at just under 18 stone (its all muscle I tell you) it must have been damned windy. Anyway as I was tootling about I saw a cammo Ford Ka-when I blank the reg out I will post a pic...also a Land Rover all cammo...lots of cool people driving about these parts!

On my return home from my mini marathon I had an email that my Peter Pig order had been despatched-well done that man/woman!

Due to my limited space and a limit to my time I have some 20mm WW1/back of Beyond figures that are just languishing in a drawer...first dibs must go to Doc Vesuvius-I have been looking for Victorian space stuff but to no avail. The tanks belong to Doc but I would like to follow his example and pass these onto someone who is in need of some figures.

Thanks Chaps!

1960s Die Cast

Hi,

I have been rumaging around for something to do and found some old Lesney lorries which are about the right size for 15mm. I am hoping that a quick respray and lick of paint will make them acceptable for gaming. The urge to play a modern campaign just wont go away (for about 2 years now!) and I have finally given in! Tomorrow I am going to order some QRF vehicles and maybe some Old Glory African militia types. Thinking about it I have wanted to campaign this "period" for a long time because I have remembered where my copy of AK47 is-back in Thailand and I have'nt been back for 4 years!

Its out with the maps and training manuals now, after a quick float around everyones blog to steal some ideas. The HMG below is in the Dock Museum in Barrow...its a fairly decent little museum which contains lots of model ships...probably Barrows only tourist attraction though I would'nt recommend travelling to pay it a visit!

The future is plastic!

Hi All,

its been a steady week painting. Its been so long since I painted 15mm...back in the 90s just a few DBA armies, its so different compared to 28mm. Really in 15mm I feel as though I am painting for effect rather than adding details but it is quick and fairly simple to do. My battalions are for Rapid Fire so one box of plastic soldier company has so far produced three battalions-I am going to give the fourth to a mate as I could never have all these figures on the table at once.

The tanks are not really finished but I may not even bother with the cammo on this company, these are Zvezda, I got 5 from fleabay for around £13 delivered...next week I may get some Russians so my son and I may game away. About 70 Germans left to paint and two tanks-buildings next.

Have a good weekend.

Objective Marker 15mm

Played around last night and created an objective marker in 15mm, its strange because I dont really need one but I got a tram from a car boot (20p) and thought it looked OK for 15mm....its a work in progress really because I have still to finish the paint on the tram.

The US figure is the only 15mm figure I possess and was used just to get an idea for the scale, the idea of objective markers is a good one because I get to use up the rubbish from my parts bin!

Have a good weekend and keep gaming chaps!

Thanks Chaps..20 000 hits!

Hi All,

a little landmark has just passed by...20 000 hits on my blog which I thank you all for-it makes me feel warm and happy! Theres a long way to go to reach the dizzy heights of some blogs and they are always an inspiration to visit.

I have plopped some figures on ebay to fund the purchase of yet more! Does anyone else do this? I dont really have a project or theme just yet this year but playing games with my son is my main objective...at 9 years old though its zombies, undead or things that look cool! Rank after rank of fellows dressed all the same will have to wait a few years I think.

Thought I would include a pic of HM once chubbiest most drunken but contented squaddie! This pic was taken to give the impression that I worked on or even near a helicoptor-the sad reality is that this is the closest I ever got to one!

28mm Copplestone completed...

Hi All,

I have had a few painting sessions and now I have completed the Azante (?) Copplestone Africans...also for some reason I have been fiddling around with some foamcard to create a few buildings though they dont look as good in pictures as they do on the table. I may try and read up a little on photographing miniatures as my efforts are pants.

What do you chaps think is the best scale to game in? My son who is now 9 is really keen to play some games...I dont really want to paint up two DBA armies in 28mm whats the quickest way-barring 6mm?

I have not had a real project for a long time but with all the plastics being produced I am sorely tempted by Black Powder. Doeas anyone play AK 47? Would my son be able to understand this set? I had a couple of games of this but it was a long long time ago....

Keep painting chaps!

Wrap up warm!

Hi Chaps,

hope that you are all surviving this cold snap...I advise you all to stay in and paint/game by the fire, none of this travelling about nonsense. On my internet travels I came across this chap

http://www.shiftinglands.com/tips&tricksworkplace.htm

What a talented man and what a workshop!! Rather puts my little corner of the bedroom into its place. I will post some pics of my latest painting later but for now I am off into town to trawl the charity shops for a dark towel to thatch some buildings...rather ignoring my own advice about the weather...

happy painting

Pictures (of a fashion) at last!

Hi Chaps

its been fairly hectic here but I have purchased a battery charger and rushed off a few pictures. The Ashanti are a bit fuzzy but when I have completed the unit I will take better pictures. Having "seen the future" earlier this month I have to admit that my first purchase of 2012 was not plastic but Copplestone metal...and excellent quality it was too! Ordered Tuesday and dropped onto my doormat Thursday-now that it impressive by any ones standards and yes I will be ordering from this company again next month. (My order was £20 including postage so really it was tiny...yet still top notch service, well done Copplestone).

At the moment I am just painting whatever takes my fancy...inevitably I will sell some figures later in the year to make room for more-Black powder fever is just around the corner but it would take months to paint up even two opposing brigades in 28mm....Jervis Johnson and Rick Priestly have a lot to answer for.

Slightly unrelated but worth a mention is the quality of other peoples blogs. I now follow lots of you chaps about-nothing like stalking at all-honest. It maybe just me but everyone seems to have upped their game, could it be that the internet is giving us all inspiration and knowledge?

Oh well good luck to you all and keep blogging!

First unit of 2012 completed!

Hi Chaps!

well the first unit of 2012 has been painted and almost based...Copplestone Chinese Bandits in 28mm. To be honest they were the only figures I had to paint and I was in a painting mood! I am very pleased with the result but I dont know what to do with them as I have no other figures to go with these. I would like to post some pictures....but my battery charger fell apart! It was 6 years old but now I am left with no way to take pictures!

French Empress Dragoons by Perry maybe next simply because I want to paint them! I am thinking of Black Powder with avarege units being 3 stands of 5/6 figures...would this work? A cavalry unit would be 3X2 cavalry figures...I dont know why I'm asking as I play solo anyway! Maybe I need confirmation that my plans are not completely insane?

Good to see you all working away on your blogs...there is some really good stuff out there!

Take care till next time....(with pics hopefully).

Carl

I have seen the future! (Its 28mm and plastic!)

Hi All,

I do hope that the hangovers have been forgotten and plans are underway for new armies? Last year I purchased the "Black Powder" ruleset and they read OK and others seem to like them. Being a solo gamer I have to paint both sides (and more importantly pay for) so any new undertaking is a big deal. Also this year is going to be a big one court wise...in the high court in a few months so I am unsure really as too how much gaming time I will have.

Having said all that I am VERY impressed with all the plastic 28mm figures now available. Also having done a little maths the 28mm are actually the same price or even cheaper than 15mm metal! So the future is 28mm and plastic!

Photos soon

Happy New Year!

Hi Chaps!

Happy New year-another opportunity to start a new campaign or period....probably the best thing about a new year all told. So what will you fellows be embarking on? A total new period or scale? I havent decided myself but my 20mm inter war armies continue to grow thanks especially to Doc Vesuvius.

Oh well must crack on...I will post some pictures of the Barrow workers militia soon...along with their new tanks!

Take care All!