New Year's Eve Odds and Ends

Well, another year over and I'm still sitting on a pile of unblogged pictures, some of which are of models I finished painting several months ago.

The mounted standard bearer is has clearly had a couple of vins de trop, as has his cheval...

Teapot Rampant

After all this faffing around I've finally got round to playing the Lion Rampant rules that have been sitting on my windowsill for time immemorial. My old teacher Derek, who got me back into wargaming after my long hiatus, has assembled an assortment of early medieval fellows so the only logical conclusion was to have a punch-up.

My deployment: Left are foot yeomen with javelins, foot men-at-arms in the centre, and bidowers on the right

What I haven't been painting this year

I've been lured by the cold war for a while, largely drawn by the draw of CoD-style ultra-macho modern warfare stuff, except against an enemy who could well have clobbered the west in a straight up fight.

S & S models are generally good, but the tracks were a pain to fit. That's the downside of resin I suppose.

I learn how to resize picture in blogspot

So I've been off work again with the old mental illness, which I'm sure comes as good news to those who want to see me paint as many of the little men (and women) as I can. Speaking of which, I've also got next week off work too!

The secret to good model shots: Hold the camera close to the models

Battle reports pt 2

As you might remember, the last time Joey and I played Kings of War, Bishop Frodo of Tryeaux was soundly trounced, and suffered the humiliation of having his lawn mower dragged away in triumph by the neighbours in Isengard. But he was not idle in the following months: rebuilding his forces and enlisting his allies. When Captain Lurtz marched into the bocage* of Normandy to claim Isengard's tribute, he found himself opposed...

The armies line up. The masses of infantry face each other on my left flank while my light cavalry face Joey's infantry on my right

Battle reports pt 1

The first of my two games with Joey was a straighforward punch up: My Normans were off marauding round Middle Earth, writing bad fanfic and generally making a nuisance of themselves and the elves decided to try to restore some semblance of order.

Legolas leads the hosts of Mirkwood

Ok Devious, Don't Move!

As I hinted earlier, my general for my Normans is none other than Bishop Odo, the memorable club-wielding, tapestry-commissioning ecclesiastical relative of William the Conqueror. My depiction is based on 5 minutes looking at the Bayeux tapestry on the net, then painting him purple as it's the most expensive colour available back in the day (I think).

HIC EST ODO

Bargain Basement End Times (Part III: Finale)

We left our previous instalment as the infantry of both sides were poised to clash in the centre of the field. The Dwarves (in defiance of conventional logic) have managed to charge both units of chaos warriors: One caught unexpectedly by pursuit of fleeing skirmishers, the other held in place by magic for the perfect counter-blow.

The Rune of Slowness borne by the hammerers barely prevents my warriors from charging, allowing the Dwarves to seize the initiative. Things start to fall apart for the Hordes of Chaos

The 1200 point challenge: Halfway!

Just a quick note to let you know about the painting I've been doing. The totals now stand at:

26/40 Infantry

13/20 Heavy Cavalry

3/10 Light Cavalry

9/20 Skirmishers

2/3 Characters

A few of these need bases and varnish doing, but that won't take very long. Pics will follow once I've finished my battle report. Here's a cryptic clue about one of the characters I've finished:

Bargain Basement End Times (Part II)

We leave the Chaos Knights in their poorly-positioned slaughter and Lord Heckled Allbrass' confused attempts to goad the trolls into charging distance, and turn to Duke Rollo the Northman and his knights...

The brightly coloured blob near the centre is the Normans charging the Ironbreaker Sheildwall

Bargain-Basement end times (Part I)

The armies stood silently at either end of the plain, silhouetted in the pre-dawn gloom. Every eye was fixed  on the figures between the armies. The first stood taller than any mortal man, wearing a cascade of bronze scales as if it were a simple robe. He inclined his head to his opposite number: A stalwart dwarf born  upon a shield by his bodyguard. The dwarf spoke thusly: "What's happened to Archaon then? Couldn't make his own End Times?"

"He's off sick with the 'flu. What about Valthern?"

"He double booked. He's off fighting Nagash in the next valley over."

Both ersatz champions shuffled their feet. This was how the world ended, not with a bang but a whimper...

Here are a bunch of Dwarfs that all look identical because I'm rubbish at taking photos. Crossbows and cannons on the right, assorted Axe-wielders on the left. Hammerers plus General in the middle.

Review: Conquest Games Plastic Norman Cavalry and Infantry

As promised, here are some product reviews to alleviate the boredom of waiting for me to paint dozens of similar figures. 

A selection of assembled foot models. I only recently restrained myself from sticking on the shields before painting: it makes the whole process less fiddly.

The 1200 pt. Challenge

Five months after assembly, I've finally got some models painted, based, and varnished. Plus I can at last post my Crusader Empire knights in full battledress. I can now announce my 1200 point challenge: Paint 1200 points of chaps for Kings of War by the time of their Autumn global campaign. As you know, it was going to be 2000, but I haven't got time. Stupid jobs.

You know what, the shields look pretty good now they're in use.

Journey Into Base

A Miracle! I manage to post the blog update on the same day I did the painting! I've been very bored today. As you can see below, I've put the static grass on the bases that had already been flocked, flocked the bases that had already been gritted etc.

My bases are the regulation 'Old School' green

2015: A Base Oddessy

Addendum: the previous post should have been called "Shields of all Shades in a Shed", but I only thought of that after then event, so the present title stands testament to my shame.

Anyway, Basing tests!

I found a use for Renedra plastic bases after all!

Shields in all Shades

Today I went down to the shed after a quick breakfast, and the next thing I knew it was Lunchtime. Fifteen chaps now sport natty painted shields, and there's a few more not far from completion. 

"On the command 'Three', hoist the white flag!"

Shaping Up Nicely

After a massive paint orgy on Friday, I'm at the stage where quite a few models are in need of basing. Exciting times! I've based up my best examples into impetvs-sized units to give an impression of what the finished army might look like, The units will be single-based, and affixed to a sabot-base. I briefly considered using magnets (like every other blogger seems to be...) but realised that a cheaper solution already exists! Blu-tac! 

This was using my Vallejo greens, which don't seem to work. I am currently mixing blue and yellow to get the colour right.

Base Intolerence

There is only one way to base 28mm cavalry, and that is on individual 25x50mm bases. I don't care what comes in the Norman Knights box, I don't care that only 8 horsemen are based properly, I'll just buy more bases.

The two chaps in red, one with a very poorly stuck together javelin.

"Lax State of Affairs"- a series of armchair strategy articles.

So, as promised, here are my scattered thoughts on what a campaign game set during The Anarchy should look like. I'm basing these thoughts on my own inventions and this set of things wot I found on the internet, plus a bunch of stuff half remembered from Extra Credits videos on Youtube. I'm keeping all articles on this separate from the main blog, to keep this sophistry away from the people who just like pretty pictures.

From Russia with Models

Hello again, dear readers! Another update promised 'tomorrow', another update arriving many weeks later. Are you surprised? No! Will this happen again? Yes! Anyway, on with the blog!

Having measured these chaps, I am pleased to confirm my suspicion that they're 15 mm.

Painting Bottleneck

It has become increasingly clear that I am too lazy to finish the models I have started painting. Let the Plastic pile (beloved of all those other wargaming blogs) commence! As I have no money, this may turn to my advantage. Anyway, I post my latest results, with the promise of more tomorrow. Maybe.

Here we have the white-basecoated infantry looking rather better

Sick as a Parrot, Odo.

Two more games against Joey and I'm still without a win. If Arsene Wenger managed like this he'd have been out long ago. Still, I present for your viewing pleasure my complete and utter humiliation.

Game one was a Scenario from the Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring rulebook. I prefer scenarios to pitched battles: mindless bloodbaths are fun, but they can get very same-y. Joey's objective was to get over half his force across the finishing line, and mine was to stop him.

The Battle: Evil (left) has to get half it's force past the ruins to win.

Ups and Browns

I'm sitting on about three posts worth of updates at present, so time to start clearing the backlog.

First off, I have decided to break my painting down, by painting enough models for a saga warband, then enough for a small game of warhammer, etc.etc. I have also discovered a nearby-ish wargaming club which I shall poke my nose in when time and painted figures allow.

Crusader horsies looking lovely.

Compulsory Post Christmas Bragging.

Yes! Like all bloggers (although a little later than most... blasted work) I must regale you with tales of how my parents are better than yours. Well done Mater et Pater for correctly interpreting the subtle hints I gave: two boxes of knights and one of infantry is on the edge of over-generosity in my book.

Caption competition: Can YOU think of something amusing for this size comparison image?