Lion Rampant

Hi,

Just a quick update on my Wars of the Roses Perry figures.

They are hard to paint!

Is it just me or does anyone else find these little chaps a tad small and full of detail? It is taking me an age to make progress which is a shame as I really want to try out the Lion Rampant rule set.In order to turn this into a marathon I will order the Mercenary box set because I really would like some pikemen painted up as Scots....

So, mounted crossbowmen, halberds and bowmen await me on the desk, my respite from these intricate figures are some zombies. For every three or four Perries I treat myself to a couple of zeds which are so easy it feels like speed painting!

The Perry twins once helped me date a halberd of my fathers (strange thing to have around the house...) and they were really helpful despite being busy, nice chaps who have really helped most gamers in their pioneering of plastic production. Now back to the medieval 28mm world of difficult figures to paint figures!

Osprey just take my money!

Hi Chaps,

It is Saturday yet again! The weeks seem to go by quicker as I get older but this week I managed to cram in one big painting session which saw six mounted figures assembled, primed, painted and based! I have never managed this before so maybe my painting has become quicker?

The figures are the very affordable Perry miniatures from their Wars of the Roses range and I have to say that I even enjoyed the snipping and gluing involved in the construction process. Another six to go and my late medieval cavalry needs will almost be complete...then onto the long bowmen.

Osprey books have produced yet another winner in the form of Lion Rampant which read very well and I am sure will be fun to use. Almost all the rule sets that I have purchased lately have been from Osprey who just seem to get their subject just right. The range covered by Osprey is growing and I can only hope that they bring out a post Apocalypse set for the inevitable Zombocalypse....come on Osprey I am relying on you (unless Warlord or Mantic do a decent job first).

The photo of my messy work station sets my skin on edge...it's a military thing but I like to have order in my little space. As soon as I publish this I am off to clean out the table and have my paints and brushes back in rank!

Vice in miniature! (an a cart or two)

Hi Chaps,

For my bases I usually order from Warbases http://war-bases.co.uk/ this excellent company not only can sort all your basing needs but also your miniature vices as well! My last purchase of bases also had with it a few ladies of the night which have painted up OK and will help populate my slowly growing Victorian metropolis.

These are a work in progress and will eventually have cobbled or stone bases....one of these girls looks worryingly male-maybe it was a thing but my research will go no further on this.

Another purchase was from ebay and consisted of three Lledo carts, they seem to fit 28mm close enough and will in time receive a new coat of paint and a base....less than £5 posted proves that bargains for skint gamers are still out there.

Finally the bartender from reaper mini's who has been waiting patiently for a year or more has gotten a coat of paint....now just to build him and the girls a bar to work in.

Keep blogging Chaps....this hobby can still be cheap.

Progression as a hobbyist?

Hi Chaps,

I have been thinking about how one advances within this hobby? Obviously we all have our own personal goals and I suppose mine as a solo gamer (very rarely a gamer) is to try and improve the standard of my painting.

Others may want to build a complete army or compete in competition or even win awards...war gaming is an intensely personal endeavour. I don't suppose that there is a flow chart of progression or a set standard for improvement that can be measured but occasionally one knows when an individual has raised the bar for everyone.

Take a bow Moiterei. This blogger has an amazing skill with a brush and his World War Two Germans are stunning. In comparison I am painting with crayons but for hints and tips on painting this site is a must go to for mere mortals.

http://moitereisbuntewelt.blogspot.co.uk/

James Wappel is surely world (wargame?) famous and his blog too is a must see for any war gamer looking for hints tips or inspiration. War gaming truly is an art form when taken to Mr Wappel's level.

http://wappellious.blogspot.co.uk/

So, no time soon will I be painting like either of these two masters (there are of course many others) but the next time I paint a figure I may take just a little more care or add one more line or shade because of something I saw on the masters blogs....

Have fun progressing and keep blogging!

Enjoying the painting vibe

Hi Chaps,

Maybe it's the weather but I have enjoyed rising a little earlier than usual to get an hour or so of painting in, does anyone else do this? Mostly it has been 20mm Germans but for a break I have been painting the odd Space Marine that my eldest bought me as a birthday gift or a random figure that has been taking up space in a little box somewhere.

The two chancers above are almost finished with just a basic lick of paint and with no particular project or army in mind there is no restriction on colour or theme. Having mentioned armies I will put some pics of my Germans up when the next company has been completed, they are competing for space along with their Russian comrades on my "to do" list....dozens of them!

The space issue has compelled me to put a few odd figures on ebay which will no doubt help fund more figure purchases and not really solve the space issue at all....again does anyone else have this habit? I do enjoy drooling over pictures of others gamers figure cabinets mostly to see how they are stored but I always end up finding more figures that I "need" to paint!

Take care and keep blogging!

Where to buy 28mm windows and doors?

Hi Chaps,

It seems that asking questions on blogger is becoming a bit of a habit but I am rather stuck and the internet in general is throwing almost nothing up.

I am intending to start a scratch build session of epic proportions-well 2 full days but I would like to amass all the bits I need to maximise my build time. An attempt at miniature project management to save time and pennies.

The items I am looking for are 28mm scale windows and doors suitable for the Victorian era. Whilst  could scratch build for the poorer buildings I feel that a machined look is in order for the better areas of town just like in this pic

The amazing model town can be found on this link...world class war gaming stuff on there as well (I do hope that the owner is cool about me sharing this pic).

http://www.warin15mm.com/Victorian-Gallery.html

I was hoping that someone may produce mdf windows, doors, guttering that I could stick onto or into my brickwork that has been carved into foam.

Thanks in advance for any help....my miniature building site needs a final fix!

What is the best 28mm Zombie Post Apocalypse rule set?

Hi Chaps,

Can I ask what you fellows are using for modern post Apoc. type games? I am after a simple ruleset for 28mm games with my son or solo. I have FUBAR third edition and may just stick with this but the upcoming release of Warlords new sets is starting to interest me greatly.

The craft knives are out for a spot of modelling to create some 28mm buildings to go with the ones I already have, has anyone made a 28mm Hesco barrier or the move able concrete ones? I will post some pictures shortly of my new board which has been coming along slowly as real life keeps interrupting my hobby!

Keep Blogging chaps I need your ideas.