Creating order from ebay chaos

Hi Chaps,

As Christmas approaches (seasons greetings all) I have been spending very thriftly and my painting fix has arrived via an ebay purchase. After watching a youtube video by Lukes Aps-found here...

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsmD5774MOQhjYBkXqu3Jdw

I was enthused enough to try and strip paint from plastic minis. Given that one can often buy figures for half price or less on fleabay it had to be worth a shot. So I purchased a bunch of Games Workshop elves and gave them a bath in methylated spirits-I do have a cleaner that probably helped to speed up the process which was painfully easy even for me... 20 minutes tops.

A little paint remained after scrubbing and another dip in the meths would have taken it off but I decided it would not be worth the time and effort. The figures that had been painted had a THICK coat of paint on that I was sure would never move... but it did...

Within 30 minutes of fiddling around I took this picture and 10 minutes later another picture with the undercoat on... despite two swords being broken the figures were very acceptable and ready to take paint.

Painting these figures is not really a pleasant experience for me as they are the small side of 28mm which is standard for Perry designed miniatures generally. I do prefer more heroic scale figures as this helps my old eyes but the bowmen are practically done and will work for any games system as Elves.

The 16 figures cost just under £8 including delivery, I am not sure how much they would be buying from Games Workshop but I expect probably double that. Two more "sets" have been purchased which total around 40 men of Rohan which will need a chemical bath to prepare them but for less than 50p per figure it is worth the 30 minutes of messing about. 

I do recommend buying plastic figures if you are financially challenged (like myself) or if you just want to have a go at painting something different on the cheap it does make sense-the methylated spirits was £1.75 and can be used again and again-do wear gloves if you have any cuts on your fingers though as the meths can sting.

Have a great Christmas everyone.

PS 

Lukes Aps Arid Grasslands base ready is great for finishing bases, cheap and speedy delivery as well.

Games Workshop Back in the Game? Old world returning?

Hi Chaps,

Well I can't complain. I have been lucky enough to have a spare few quid to buy 3 boxes of figures to make a proxy Imperial army for Warhammer and what happens? The day after the last box arrives Games Workshop reveal that they are bringing back the Old World as a separate game system!!

Makes me think that despite waiting a couple of years I was too hasty! So I will send Warlord Games Landsknechts over to my son in Barcelona and keep a box of Perry Mercenaries and Light cavalry in my stash... I had no intention of starting a Wars of the Roses army so if anyone has any GW Imperial Guard (the human looking guys right?) kicking about I would be up for a trade...

Anyway this is what I have been working on the last week or so...

To a certain extent all are a bit of a work in progress as they need a matt varnish and a few things added... the Dwarf flag needs some runes bases need completing. Games Workshop have really put a spanner in the works for what I had planned to do but despite throwing almost £60 at it I am not even cross that the project is now on hold. 

So probably back to the Russians unless I can get hold of some Imperial Guard to mess around with. I don't play 40K and the starter box has no appeal for me so I have no idea what they will be used for. I really must see if I can take some pics of my figures as they are on my shelves...

Keep blogging Guys-I feed off your ideas!

Still Alive and kicking (well painting)

Many Apologies Chaps,

My absence can be explained by the usual life hassles working a 6 day week usually over the weekends... we have all had it. Anyway I have still been painting but still not gaming. I had considered staring a new blog as I pretty much only bother with 28mm due to my aging eyes but thought I would keep updating this until I have worked out which platform to use.

I sincerely hope that you have all been keeping well, that you are happy and that you are gaming.

I insanely purchased the winter German boc from Warlord then the Grenadier box which then led to a few other metal and 3d printed stuff... no idea if they will ever see a gaming table.

Oh there were some Russians purchased as well as zombies just a distraction. Finally two boxes of Perry Wars of the Roses and a box of Landsknechts from Warlord as well as a few wizards. 

So Chaps, plenty to paint but very little time to paint it all in... saving them for my retirement possibly.

What have you all been up to? I have missed you.

A new computer...

Hi Chaps,

It is certainly difficult to update a blog without a computer! My old laptop developed the infuriating habit of randomly deleting files if you attempted to open them! If anyone knows the cure I would be very happy to hear from them as I still have the accursed item. The replacement item is a cheap and cheerful laptop from PC world-but it did come with Microsoft office which made its princely sum of £190 seem a little less eye watering.

Anyway despite the technological hitch I have still been clearing out and have firmly decided to play a few games this year. Bolt Action in 15MM is looking the favourite as I had ignored this scale until seeing the Battlefront and Plastic Soldier Company figures in the flesh. They are so effective and "armies" for this system become very affordable.

My recent obsession with 15MM has caused me to scratch build a couple of African buildings and accidentally purchase a large (for me) group of modern figures and the pdf for AK 47 which upon re reading does indeed deserve its cult status. I am keeping those away from the painting table for the moment, I want to savour painting those little guys and will watch some appropriate movies beforehand.

I do want to keep painting 28MM but I am undecided on what period... Black Powder looks like a great game to play I just need to resist the urge to buy 6MM as my collection is shrinking in size and not number.

The unit of troops and cannon above are currently on ebay…. I made the artillery from scratch and have purchased more mdf wheels so that I can make a battery for some 28mm WW1 Brits

 which have waited patiently on my to do list for a long long time.

Keep blogging Chaps.

18 Pdr Completed and ready to roll dice.

Hi Chaps,

Well with some great advice from Tinshed (Mark) from the Lead Adventure Forum my little artillery piece is now completed and ready to roll dice in anger. The build was actually pretty straight forward once the length of the barrel was worked out and wheels found.

A cereal packet provided the front shield and other iron plate bits of the gun and greenstuff helped create the breach. The crew are Plastic Soldier Company Russian plastics with new heads from Sloppy Jalopy and the Warlord German box set.

The same was done for the Infantry unit... so now almost for free I have a little Spanish Civil War/VBCW unit. More importantly if I ever need artillery for something I can be sure of scratch building if I can't afford to buy one.

The scratch building will continue as I have just purchased the Peter Pig Pdf for AK 47. I really do want to make some little terrain pieces for this game-15MM will be a massive change but I used to love this game back when I actually used to play!

Thanks for popping by Chaps you keep me going with your blogs, I love them all.

A Very British Civil War 28MM

Hi Chaps,

Well its been the most productive day or two for months-years? During my clear out I came across some Plastic Soldier Company 28MM Russians still on the sprue. Out came the clippers and the bits box and a few hours later I had a company of Spanish Civil War types...

So with the 18 Pounder that I had begun earlier in the week it seemed logical to see what I could cobble together for the wonderfully British idea of a civil war in 1938. As it turns out I ordered a group of miners from Sally 4th (they arrived very quickly) and some odds and ends-drivers and a dispatch rider from Empress and Footsore...

Whilst passing my local hobby shop I rashly purchased a box of Warlord British Expeditionary Force troopswhich are now based and awaiting an undercoat. So, for the first time in a long time I have 30 or more metal figures awaiting delivery or paint, happy days indeed.

A second 18 Pounder will be started and if I can source more wheels more artillery will be constructed-it really is addictive and I just like the thought of them being home made. I believe that the Perry twins (are they knighted yet?) are going to release plastic figures for world war one which is the best war gaming news I will have ever heard.... the next best would be a re release of the Warhammer Great War set.

Keep gaming and blogging Guys I will update when a few militia units are painted

New Painting Station

Hi Chaps,

Well after a brief intermission from painting I have had a good old fashioned clear out. In fact it was so good that I will shortly be left with just the one army (gasp) a Perry Wars of the Roses era bunch of figures based singly. It was literally amazing to find drawers full of old paints-enamels that had not been used nor ever to be used again...20MM plastics...bits of wood kept for a purpose long forgotten. Anyway the lot went in the bin.

During the clear out I decided to make a new paint rack. This had the potential to end up like Homers spice rack...

Anyway with just the jaw bone of an ass the rack was completed and now houses a mere 145 pots of paint plus a few sundries. First thing I googled last night was the paints on my wish list!

The new table top is a whopping 24"X33" which if I keep tidy should be large enough to paint on. There are three model cars on the shelves which should give a clue as to the next project which has been subject to meticulous military style planning. No expense has been spared on forming army lists and terrain needs... now it just has to get passed the chancellor ie. my better half.

Just incase no one has come across the Lead Adventure Forum please give this website a look. It is a mine of useful information and helpful people. Currently I am attempting to scratch build a couple of 18 Pdr field guns and the help has been tremendous. 

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=116040.0

The workmanship of some of the guys is astounding-in cardboard-I just want a passable gun on the table and I will be happy and will have saved £30 or more! 

Keep blogging Guys next installment will be a pile of figures!

Back from the void.

Hi Chaps,

How many times do you read a blog with the opening line similar to..."its been a long time since my last post"? It happens rather a lot and probably all for very similar reasons... life is just busy. Life has been too busy for myself but I am determined to make some time to update the blog and paint the occasional figure. I apologize for my absence it was almost beyond my control.

I have been painting over the last six months but only on the odd hour here and there. Despite having no time I have completed the Kill Team set from Games Workshop which is an excellent buy-really good value (who would have thought?). Here are a couple of the miners from that set.

As is normal I apologise for the picture quality, my experiments with lighting have led to naught but failure. I will be attempting a different technique shortly involving an i phone.

My Empire Army has grown in size and is now 4 units strong but I am resisting taking pictures for the moment until I have painted my two remaining units and I can provide an army showcase of sorts. The medieval/fantasy theme s still a favourite of mine and I cannot resist buying the odd Reaper miniature now and again because they are cheap and full of character...

Despite not having time to paint I purchased a couple of boxes of Perry Wars of the Roses infantry and Mercenaries. The problem I face is do I base them singly or on multiple bases? Tips would be welcome.

Keep blogging Guys you got me through a crappy 12 months.