Another friend gone

Hi People,

Blogs about miniature war games are not meant to be sad places but on Monday I lost my best friend.

A memo has been sent out to my remaining friends to stay alive because this is the second friend that I have lost this year.

As you can imagine not much painting was done. Just the usual visits to relatives, platitudes and sorrowful moments. Anyway please have a look at the pictures of my mate who had just had enough. Mental health is a real issue here in the UK.

The first six pictures are of my great friend Lee who was best man at my wedding and a superb friend to myself and my children.

The last two pics are of Calvert, a gentleman, a friend and an unstoppable force of nature. I really thought that these guys were immortal.

So. Sorry for the downer. Mental health is a real issue and please just savour every day it really is a gift.

Keep blogging people, my next post will contain hobby stuff I promise.

Still Alive and Kicking

Hi Chaps,

It has been a few weeks since my last post so I thought that I would give a quick update on what has happened. As usual the culprit is life. Busy with family and looking for a new home. That is about the top and bottom of it. Painting is usually infrequent for me in summer anyway as one has to take advantage of the weather here in England-it has been wet though!

No new purchases other than yet another box of zombies from the Zombicide range, strangely the cheapest place I have found these is on Amazon UK. I am waiting patiently for Z War One to be released just so I can have a nosey at more undead.

Finally I have been experimenting with printed paper to stick onto foam card and mdf....something that I have previously turned my nose up at but infact it looks OK. My terraced housing now takes 1/10th of the time to create and is passable....Winter of 79 in 28mm keeps popping into my head!!

If you have read this far thank you, my next update will contain photo's, over 70 Zombies and counting....

Summer Holidays

Hi Chaps,

It is the summer holidays at last and my son and I have dragged out the old sets of Space Hulk that we bought and played last year. We used our own figures last time we played but on inspection we will try to renovate the ancient figures from the box this time.

The metals will have the old paint removed using nail varnish remover and the plastics will just get a respray.

I never got into the 40K thing so I have no idea what the Marines should appear like but I will attempt to follow this guys painting video on youtube for the monsters....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuy0KeVfWUc

There are some amazingly talented people out there, this chaps videos are remarkable, up there with james Wappel.

Thanks for looking

My Wife arrives safe.

Hi Chaps,

Well it has been a strange July. I was married in March but my wife's visa did not kick in until July 1st....Oijai arrived safely and is adjusting to life here in sunny Lancashire. This has obviously had an impact on my hobby activities but things are gradually forming a routine and a building has been completed and a few models are on order...life has turned a corner.

The building was made quickly and the rear is very plain with just a couple of doors and windows, two more are in the early stages of production. The eagle eyed will have noticed that the gun (Putilov 76mm) and crew are WW1 era but I am on a budget and they have been drafted into my WW2 Russian army. I have four of these based ready for an undercoat and a couple of items I won off ebay on the way so there will be no shortage of toys to paint-only a shortage of time!

Thanks for looking.

The wonder of spectacles and 20MM

Hi Chaps,

It has been a harrowing few weeks...I realise that I am no longer immortal as I once thought and I am indeed subject to the aging process. This humongous realisation had been brought about by an eye test....reading had become strenuous and uncomfortable and I was told that I needed glasses ... In the comfort of my own room with my door double locked I began to experiment.. Its been a revelation!

I had given up on 20mm as being too small for anyone to paint successfully but with my new superpower of normal sight restored I had to try this cheapest of scales one last time. An old box of Plastic Soldier Company British infantry was dragged out from under the bed and the painting began. The figures look fine on the table and despite all the flaws showing up in these photos they actually are passable.

Each infantry companies officer has a different head and a sergeant in a different pose. I did print out some labels for them but it looked too formal so I went with the painted option of ID.

The artillery is the veteran of WW1 the 18PDR. TA units were deployed to France using this weapon which had been updated for transport by motorised vehicles with pneumatic tyres and new brakes, it was a good excuse to make something unique to my little force.

The Bren carriers are from the Plastic Soldier Company as are the MK6 Vickers tanks. This company have excellent customer service and seem to always get your order too you within 2 days...I just wish that their web site was easier to navigate....though I now realise that could be my old age....

The tanks need a little work and I was shocked to see that I had missed the wheels off the 2 pounder (I waited years for this model which is from Zvezda) but the BEF is getting there....I also realise that these are not early war Brits, the most glaring error is that the Sargent should have a Thompson sub machine gun. Also my painting guide may be out of date...lots of old Warlord comics and black and white movies helped me decide the colours as did my grandads old kit bag-which is definately a yellow colour and not green.

Thanks for popping by, the Germans are up next....then I will start on the trucks! I will save my pocket money for a few weeks before I put in an order with Frontline...its a good time to be a war gamer when you can actually see the figures!

Fighting communists, crazy paint and marraige

Hi Chaps,

Its been a busy few years but now I am hoping that life settles down into a family routine once again.

Whilst in Thailand I came across these vehicles left over from Vietnam's push to destroy the Pathet Laos which spilled over into Thailand....pretty impressive stuff just by the roadside and painted in the maddest possible colours-I asked a guy who worked as a curator and he said the colours were authentic. Good news for modern players! You cant get it wrong.

I was not brave enough to go inside and play with the 50 calibre machine gun in the cupula as my wife is a phlebotomist whop deals with around a dozen snake bites a week....speaking of wgich here is a pic of my wedding. I am amazingly lucky to have met Oijai.

Now back to the hobby...

A week off from painting?

Hi Chaps,

I may have to put the brushes down for a week as my girlfriend is over on a rare visit. It will be a pleasure to show her around the North of England's finest historical sites (managed to slide in my interests without her noticing there).

Aside from any freezing cold weather we should be able to get out and about, Nid has travelled with her work as a medical scientist across Asia but I doubt if she has tried anything as exotic as fish and chips, black pudding or stout. 

Manchester visit and the next painting season.

Hi Chaps,

I must apologise for the lack of posts but this summer has been a pain in the proverbial. First off the visit to Thailand which took the wind out of my sails and then more legal delays....excuses over with.

Can anyone ID the aircraft that the rear gun turret is from? I would never have guessed it...I even read its information card twice. The tank is an easy one but I just wanted to put its picture on here...if your ever in Manchester the war museum there is well worth a visit. I did take lots of photographs but the place is dim and my camera was old even before I bought it-my sons I phoney took far better pictures.

As I intend to resume painting soon I have been spending hours online looking for something a little different...what do you chaps think of Mantic games? Are the figures nice enough to paint? They certainly look interesting enough.

http://www.manticgames.com/mantic-shop/deadzone/getting-started/product/rebs-faction-starter-11-figures.html

Despite being mostly a solo player I may try and find a local club...it may encourage my son away from the Xbox and I may actually play a game against a live opponent. The only club I previously used to attend regularly was Burnley Wargames Club which I have fond memories of...some of their members were amazing artists as well.

http://www.meetup.com/The-North-of-England-Gaming-Group-NEGG/events/143961322/

Good to be back and it has been good catching up on what you fellows have been doing.

The Summer Break

Hi Chaps,

It has been a month or more since my last post but I find it difficult to organise my painting/hobby time in the school holidays as I am a single parent....so I take a break. When I say break although I am not painting I am busy taking pictures of Victorian buildings and museums ready for the new season of building and generally messing around in miniature.

This new season will be somewhat different in that I intend to thin out my collection of figures and concentrate on 28mm Victorian era projects based on In Her Majesties Name. Each year I just paint what I like-my 20mm German WW1 army is a keeper but unfortunately my storage space is full. Thankfully I am not alone in this collecting madness which is peculiar to miniature wargamers so I am sure that you will understand.

Thanks for blogging and keeping my interest alive and well. I look forward to our adventures in miniature together.

Back in Blighty

Hi Chaps,

just a quick hello! I have missed my hobby and being able to read about your exploits but that will all change in the coming weeks. I will post a few pics of Asian architecture but these reference photos will stand for Sierra Leone and probably a lot more of Africa as well....

What rules would you chaps use for modern small scale wars? I have Force on Force but I do not like them at all....any other options? Does any company still carry At Close Quarters?

Thanks in advance....

Going off the grid...

Hi Chaps,

I have been enjoying reading about your miniature exploits immensely. Hopefully I will be able to continue reading about your adventures over the next month or so. My son and I are returning to Thailand to sadly have a funeral for my wife and son...years later than it should have been but I suppose that is the system we have here....

Anyway I hope to keep up to date with you all and if I see anything military and interesting I will snap a picture and plop it on here. As I will be in South East Asia I will definatley see some unusual stuff which will appear on here....In Her Majesties Name asian style will be a challenge!

Thanks for keeping me sane, keep blogging and be happy Chaps, you are all very special individuals.

Legal Stuff ends...

Hi Chaps,

this is not really related to wargaming though it does explain my occasional absence or lack of output.

http://www.nwemail.co.uk/hospital-trust-settles-claim-with-ulverston-dad-following-deaths-of-wife-and-baby-1.1137776

I will now start to look forward to actually living a little and attending a few games shows and who knows even gaming.

Thanks for keeping me sane.

Carl

Real life intrusion into my hobby time!

Hi Chaps,

Well I have not posted anything for a couple of weeks due to real life pressures and a lack of time. Its only when I am unable to indulge in my hobby that I realise how much I miss it and just how valuable I regard all this miniature madness.

In passing I have dragged out my Russian 20mm to be worked on, with an eye test booked this scale may become a little easier to paint. Also I have a list of modern 20mm that I will order from Britannia. (One of the best parts of the hobby for me is making army lists...).

In my reading time I am keeping up to speed with the blogs I follow.

 Thank you for keeping me sane! Sorry about the lack of posts I will be able to explain why in the coming week or so.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all in blogland from Carl and Oijai

It has been a dark time.

Hi Chaps,

The death of my wife and son was covered up-it's official.

http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/reports-and-consultations/reports/health/midwifery-supervision-and-regulation-report-of-a-complaint-from-mr-m/3

This is a bit heavy and non hobby related so do not read it unless you have a similar experience. It is my explanation for so few posts over the last week or so.

Thanks Chaps...I will be back soon, hopefully with painted T-34s and some Victorians!

My life with Hammer House of Horror.

For two years I lived (very happily) at Bank Hall Lodge in Bretherton Lancashire. The rent was cheap and I had free roam over my garden and accompanying estate, verily I ate Grouse, Pheasant and Venison.....and rabbit...and Woodpigeon...you get the picture. The gatehouse I lived in was built in 1609 and was really amazingly creepy....

It was cold and lonely but it was home and I loved it! recently I discovered that a couple of Hammer House of Horror films were made on this spot (my teenage years were molded by this film company) so I just had to share my story. Just behind the lodge is an old bridge which is very picturesque and from which I shot so many rabbits!

The actual house which was used for a lot of filming is now in a poor state of repair, I have wandered around inside but did not give it much thought at the time. This national treasure is soon to be restored...can I have my lodge back please?

The tower still exists with rotting books still on their shelves...the gardens are full of trees. Pheasants are everywhere!

Leyland...and Centurian tanks

I have recently moved back "home" well back to Lancashire where I spent my youth, it is good to be home. Driving down one of the (new to me) by passes I had to do a double take because plopped by the roadside is a Centurian tank!

Within minutes my son was looking around this still impressive vehicle placed as a monument and reminder to the people who produced them in Leyland back in the day. Confirmation that this is indeed a cool town!

Never moving house again!

Hi Chaps,

I have just got back online after moving home...never again...so much junk! Over the next few weeks I hope to catch up on all your blogs and sort my own paint station out. Plastic 28mm are an option now as I actually have a model shop in the next town-Trains and Transport of Preston. This weekend will be my first visit, I will buy something as I already have a new can of primer waiting! (hows that for logic?).

Thanks all....its good to be back, your blogs, painting and gaming are inspiring.

I want to join the Thai Army!

I have been painting a lot recently but I have no pics as yet due to poor lighting. My brother in law has sent me a pic of how Thailand runs its forces...

Now I would not mind sharing a few nights in the field with these squaddies! In case my girlfriend sees this...I am sharing this information with military enthusiasts so that we can gain a broader knowledge of weapons and uniforms....