Wagon Train

I feel as though I should be hitting myself over the head with a tin tray right now.* Four wagons all from Front Rank rebased and touched up ready for the Triples game.

I've had these for a number of years but I guess they've only been on the tabletop a couple of times. After all there aren't many games where wagons are required and even thought they add a nice touch to the tabletop they are not really required for a nights gaming.

(For those of you with an aversion to shiny figures - the shine will disappear once the spray varnish has dried).

*of course that was a reference to "Mule Train" by Bob Blackman.

Dwarves

The new blog has been started with the first figures completed. Actually done last week before the op but with no opportunity until now of getting posted.

More Artillery

Okay yesterdays post wasn't the last one before the doctor wields the knife.
I've had these figures for a while but have never really got full use out of them.
Originally I bought these six small field mortars and crew to compete with the English battalion guns. Probably the only "beardy" thing I've done for this period.
The rationale was simple (to me anyway). The English, Dutch, Danes, Imperialists (anyone other than the French it seems) all had small calibre artillery pieces attached to their infantry regiments. Under our rules these gain an extra volley at long range and two extra volleys at short range for the battalion they are attached to and have often proved a worthwhile points investment for their owner. The French have none of this but were known for the number and variety of their artillery.
So I thought I'd buy some small mortars and mix them in. Strangely it never really worked for me and they've stayed in their box for a long long time.

The Triples game has provided incentive to rebase and repaint them for the tabletop. So repainting them from their original (and incorrect) artillery blue uniforms to the bomadiers in red, basing them on new bases and adding in a few more crew figures I am now the owner of some mortars that might actually make it on to the tabletop.

The majority of the crew are Irregular figures. Very simple, no detail and cheap. Other figures are Old Glory & Reiver. The mortars are also Irregular and are lovely little models, much better than the crew and well worth purchasing.

And before anyone asks - yes those are dwarves you can see in the first photograph.

I've decided to turn to the dark side and venture into fantasy gaming (again - this will be my third dwarf army that I've built).
Not sure I can tell you why but I think it has something to do with wanting a complete change after painting all these WSS figures.
New blog for these coming soon so don't worry you won't have to put up with fantasy chaff here!

Artillery Train

Almost the last stage. The arrival of the artillery limbers marks the end of the true project and only leaves the baggage train and other bits and pieces.
So here then is the massed Franco-Bavarian artillery and their associated limbers. The limbers are from a variety of manufacturers.

There are six of these from "Under the Bed". The limbers are simple and uncomplicated being a T shape with metal supporting struts. The horses are ungainly, typical of the sculpting style from this company but all the more endearing for that. I used some simple painting (red or grey undercoat with white or brown dry brush) and the army painter dip. Net result is a very pleasing shading and definition of the harness.

Above are some of the light limbers from a manufacturer I can't remember. The horses are Hinchliffe and are very old (very very old I think). Still they look good and whilst smaller than others I've done they fit in with the overall scheme quite nicely.

At the far end of the above shot is one of the Front Rank limbers. A single horse and light limber. Front Rank are always good quality and this is no less true of there support figures. I've also made two of their heavy limbers which can just about be made out in the first photograph (the two on the right of the front row).

This may well be the last post of new stuff for a while since next week I go into hospital for an operation and then will be unable to access the painting room for a week or two afterwards.

French Artillery

Nearly there now.



I've just finished revamping the original Old Glory artillery in my collection. There were four pieces but right now I've trimmed that back to three with the option of a fourth later and all down to losing two crew figures during the rebasing process (very weak ankles on the old glory figures).

The figures are better than I remember them being and the gun models are lovely. In fact I would go as far as saying that the guns are probably the best models I've seen for the period.

The barrels are well cast and adorned with terrific reliefs just like the pieces in the Royal Artillery museum.

In addition to the field guns I've also added some heavier pieces.

These I've mounted on planked bases which can be emplaced for siege works.

Two bases but several options and variety. Above is a howitzer. Okay I'm not sure that these were used but the model is a lovely piece*.

Then there is the option of a 12" mortar.

Or a smaller 10" piece. In all cases the the crews are from the recently launched French WSS range from Reiver availble through "Under the Bed Enterprises" (http://www.underbed.co.uk/) and I wish they had been available ten years ago because they are very very good.

Probably not to everyones taste, the anatomy can be a bit off and the detail lacking in relief in places, but for me they are excellent. I love the faces and the expressions as well as the simplicity of the figure. Great work.

So now I've got the limbers to complete (half way through those so hopefully pics next week) and then the baggage train. That just leaves all the little items to do - some odd single figures for the game (you'll understand in a few weeks) and some casualty markers to create (when I say some I actually mean forty or so).

* the howitzer and the smaller mortar are actually Games workshop Empire pieces. the howitzer is the new plastic Empire mortar and the other is the original now oop metal variant. Shhhh - I won't tell if you won't.