Birthday Weekend

Previously for a couple of big number birthdays I’d painted a commemorative miniature. For my 40th I painted a Grey Knights captain (no you’re not expected to know what that is) and for my 50th I painted a Warhammer giant (pretty sure you can understand what that is), and Warlord Games’ sale had me coming around to the idea that 55 was another birthday worthy of a commemorative figure.

I embrace a broad swathe of our hobby. This is the Aztec god Quetzalcoatl, the “feathered serpent”. It was reasonably priced in the sale…

Over half a kilo of resin! Blimey O’Reilly!

Limited time and the weather, in my opinion, not suiting spraying on the undercoat, has meant that this beast of a model hasn’t ended up as a birthday special. You will see it in all its technicolour glory eventually.

Happily my birthday tends to coincide with the Battleground show at Stockton. There was a good turn out of the Westerhope boys to put on a game of Naseby, 1645. There we are, resplendent in our sky blue!

It’s a great show, if you’ve never been. Very friendly, well organised, smashing venue, some great games and a good mix of traders. There’s even lectures! I understand I missed a grand talk on border reivers which would have suited me down to the ground. I was too busy trying to overturn history and secure a Royalist victory.

Okey’s dragoons crackle with flanking fire as Rupert’s cavalry trot by.

The Royalist centre and left flank cavalry. Figures all painted by the Westerhope manor governor John. Mostly figures from the sadly defunct Warrior Miniatures. I did spot at least one interloper of a Foundry Miniature.

The left flank Royalist cavalry isn’t the pushover it should be and the right flank cavalry steam through the opposition… and over hill and dale… the majority of us agreed that victorious Royalist cavalry needed to pursue. Much to the frustration of the Royalist infantry, they disappear out of view. The infantry tussle, sorry, push of pike had begun and the Royalists were giving as good as they got when it was already time to pack up! 

We’d had an entertaining day, as ever a pleasure to spend time with the Westerhope boys, and there’s always fellow enthusiasts and other friends there to exchange ideas with, generally catch up with and have a laugh. I think that Robbie (of Independent Wargamer fame) may have had more to say about the new Napoleon movie than Joaquin Phoenix has lines in it!

So what did I make of my birthday weekend?

First class!