Last night we had a 100% turnout,and instead of having a game,everyone brought their newly painted figures up for us all to "ooh and arr" over-it turned into a good night!!
First up was Graham's Dutch/Belgian militia,from Perry Miniatures-these are just a small section of Graham's ever-growing Napoleonic collection,which will,hopefully, be on the board very soon!
Next up was Brian's Perry plastic 100 years war archers and men-at-arms-this is going to be such a colouful and "brutal" period to fight-can't wait!!
Dave was next-he is also painting up 100 years war figures from Perry,but metal ones!
Dave is not the best painter in the club,because I am!!-but he comes a close second!!!!
WW2 German guns from "E-bay" bought by Dave and Paul-wonderful paint job!
More "E-bay" purchases,German and Russian troops-magnificent-roll on 24th November!!
Now,what we've all been waiting for-Dave and Paul's Napoleonic figures,back from being painted by Fernando Enterprises in Sri Lanka....................................
71st highlanders-very good quality painting,plus a matt gloss-Paul hadn't even had time to unpack the figures,but he should have a few based by next week and will bring them up for us to see.
Russian Hussar and Prussian infantry,the "boys" worked it out,taking into consideration postage and packing, that it cost in the region of £1.20 per foot figure and double that for the cavalry!!!
A close up of the Prussian infantry and a shot of the table,full of boxes-just like Christmas!
We had a good night and discussed up and coming events,demo games etc-a nice change from playing,but no real substitute!-roll on next Sunday,we will be fighting the battle planned for this Sunday,then a WW2 game.
Over the past few years I have introduced several new periods to our club,viz."El Cid",Mongols,Teutonic knights,Crusaders,and last night The Plains Indians War.
I can not expect the same enthusiasm that I have for new periods,from the rest of the "lads",but I try!!
Last night Graham,Brian and I tried this interesting period,using a combination of Colonial,and our "usual" fighting rules-it wasn't a great success,although I really enjoyed it!
Perhaps we need to try a few more games,and have a few rule changes,as well as reading up about tactics,weapon capabilities etc.etc.
Top photo is scenario,bottom is table before any movement-I controlled all of the Indians,Graham controlled the 7th Cav. and Brian controlled the 2nd Cav.
In this shot(no pun intended!) Graham has got both his troops into position,and is giving the Cheyenne a right old drubbing! however the foot "soldiers" of the Cheyenne are approaching fast!!!
I have managed to surround Brian's command in this shot,although I did take tremendous casualties from my first attack!!
The Cheyenne are still on the table(just!) and are about to be supported by the second Sioux camp warriors.-note Graham's command is vastly reduced in numbers-hurrah!!
"He who fights,and runs away,lives to fight another day"
Final shot of the "battle"-Brian's whole command is slaughtered,and on the other flank,Graham is also "done for"-a great win for the Indians-another hurrah!!
Finally,a couple of photographs of the "camp followers" from Irregular Miniatures,painted up as Squaws!!
Roll on next Sunday.
I originally was going to use the Plains Indians and US cavalry as a solo project,but I'll try another couple of games,involving all the "lads" and see what they think.
What every Western scenario needs is a Log Cabin-but I didn't have one! I decided that I would make one.................................................
Top photo is the "former" made from cardboard and black tape,middle photo is the dimensions I worked out before I started,and last photo is the mainstay of the whole operation-Bamboo Placemats!!
I covered one side of the placemat with black tape,because if you don't do that and you start to cut the mat,then the threads holding it all together would be cut,the thing would fall apart, and you would look like a right "tit"-the more observant of you will be asking "How did he know that?"-Hmmmmmm!
Pieces cut to size and door and windows cut with chisel,now to glue the pieces onto the "former".........................
Done,and looking good(??)-THE WIFE,cleverly spotted that it didn't have a roof or chimney!
That's because I haven't made the bloody things yet!!!!!-darling.
I just happen to have a block of air-drying clay(which I am using on another project!) so made this chimney,ready to stick to the gable end.
Stuck and looking part of the cabin already!-but what of the roof??
Mounting card,which I just happened to have too!-note the carefully cut section to go around the chimney top.
Roof in position,so what next?-well,painting the chimney and roof..........................
Finished!! now who would live in a house like this??
Settlers and Pioneers,that's who-I wonder what the neighbours are like?????
Ooh-er!!!-I wish he would stop waving his big chopper about,it's frightening the wife!!
Before I took a bit ill,last week,I had ordered, and received, a batch of figures,and have now started to paint them.............................
These are "Camp Followers",cauldrons and spits,from Irregular Miniatures,which I am going to paint up as Plains Indians Squaws.
Also on my painting table are some 100 Years War Knights and some Zulus-although I do have quite a number of Zulus,my centre regiments are in need of reinforcements,so another 48 winged their way from Warrior Miniatures!!
I am painting them in batches of 12,and are easy to paint,the detail is excellent and the poses are full of action!
The 100 years war knights are from Lancashire Games,and are superb! However they are "whopping!",and probably will not mix in with the figures Dave and Brian are using(Front Rank,and Perry's) but I thought I might as well paint them anyway!!.....................
Grand figures!-note the hand-painted shield devices,and Barding devices (LIAR,LIAR,LIAR!)
These ,of course, were photo-copied and reduced to a size that fitted the shields and barding,and then stuck on with PVA glue-quite effective I think(??)
The other two in action!
One minute you're sitting at home painting figures and looking forward to Sunday's game,and the next minute you're in Hospital suffering from Diverticulitis,being drip-fed antibiotics,and not being allowed to eat or drink for three days(not to mention the "hellish" three nights!)
The next thing that happens is that my wife and I had to return to the hospital today so that she could have an operation to fix her fractured little finger!!!-this is a long-winded way to explain why we didn't play on Sunday!!
I have been told to take it easy for a few days,and have a "light" diet(???) but,hopefully, we should be playing the Plains Indians war battle that I had planned for last Sunday.
"prep'd" and awaiting CT scan,then off to ward.
Highlight of the day-visiting time(note Guantanamo Bay style PJ's!)
Just a small bandage!!!! for a little finger.
We'll look back on this and laugh-NOT!!
roll on next Sunday.
