quiet time

So October was a quiet month. A combination of work trips and week in the sun with the family have eaten into the painting time. However I managed to finish the bicorned french and have just got the webbing to do ono my askaris and marines. I tried a new colour on the askaris - the gw iyadan darksun - a sort of yellowy brown. A the moment it looks too yellow but I'm hoping that once dipped it will look sun-weathered.

No new e-bay stuff though so I might actually have reduced the mountain!

Bought - none

Painted - none

even more parcels

so I won the sudan figures and some zulu war british (which may get used for the sudan). The missus has been mollified by a new pair of shoes and some home cooking, with the promise of more to come.

I was looking through my lead mountain and realised that I'd forgotten about the 10mm WW1 project I'd planned, felt guilty and so put it at the bottom of the pile.

parcels what parcels.

So this week has been one of confrontations - a unexpected run of winning bids on ebay has left me with a parcel being delivered every day. This has caused some consternation to my better half who not unreasonably asked what it all cost.

So what had I bought? Well a 6mm Napolionic French and Austrian armies from baccus, a WSS 6mm Bavarian army again from baccus. This was followed the next day by 4 brigades of 10mm FPW french and a pack of pendraken imperial french. Finally a rohan army for WOTR and the guns and gettysburg rules.

Hopefully I won't win the sudan figures I'm bidding on otherwise I might need some protection from the wife....

Lead mountain:

Plus lots and lots (but little so they don't really count)

sloow painting

Somehow I managed to start a load of projects but am stalled on all of them. Got some 28mm modern Us delta force with a view to using the ambush alley rules and day of the ranger, but then remembered how much I hate painting cammo (mainly 'cos I can't). So then moved on to some Duchy of Warsaw grenadiers and voltigeurs. Tried to have some economy of effort by finishing some 20mm french line for my son but again the numbers made it hard going. I think it was made worse by doing this following on from a box of Perry plastic Naps. on that subject I think that they are easier to put together than the victorix but with less poses available.

The 20mm plastic US Vietnam are stalled on the undercoat stage.

So the lead mountain stands as follows:

bought = 10 28mm German WW1 marines

10 28mm German Askaris

German a4 tank

british Mark IV tank

no finished projects so +30

this week

So I've finished the Sash and Sabre Russians, as well as a WW1 german fleet. Thanks to Neil Shuck I've branched out into a new period - Vietnam. However I've tried to limit the cost by going 20mm Plastic. 48 US special forces and NVA for £10. So now have to see if the painting goes to plan. When I've tried to paint plastics in the past i've had trouble with the paint peeling off after a while, so tried a new undercoat of PVa glue. then will undecoat in black. When they're finished i'll try to post some photos.

Next on the table are some Front Rank Austrians from e-bay.

Lead Mountain

bought 96

painted 50 + 15 ships

balance +31 oops (again)

this week I've mainly been

Well I've finally finished the Victrix 28mm British. I have to say that the sheer number of figures was daunting but the end results are good. Not convinced that you need 4 officers and drummers though.

On the reading front I've just read an account of the Agincourt campaign which has rekindled my interest in the 100 years war. I think perhaps I'll wait and see if I'm still interested when the Perry plastics come out.

Now on the painting table are 50 sash and saber 28mm Napoleonic Russians who are almost done. Then it's off to WW1 for a bit I think .....

Don't be cruel

So I've worked out how to upload pictures and here is a very bad shot of my 28mm Austrian Cuirrassiers and then some EIR. Just re based them onto 40x40 bases. This will work for both foundry's rule and General de Brigade (I think) . In the background you can see the carnage that is my painting table. As you can just about make out I use a mix of Vallejo and citadel paints pretty much interchangeably. It's heresy I know but I then varnish with a gloss varnish. I like my toy soldiers to look like toy soldiers. Also it helps when my son drops them onto the floor.

The Romans are from foundry. I went to one of their open days and ended up buying more than I needed. I think at the last count I had enough to make a century in 1:1 scale together with another of auxiliaries. Given that I've still got a box or two of Warlord plastics to put together I think in the end I might try for a complete legion (cue evil cackle of megalomania)

the painting front has been quiet. I've almost finished the first box Victrix british, and halfway through 50 Sash and Sabre Nap. Russians (bought direct when the dollar was very weak). Getting fed up with all the cuffs and collars so I think I might do some celts after these are finished before the Duchy of Warsaw infantry (impulse e-bay buy together with 48 french in bicornes)

So in terms of decreasing the lead mountain:

Painted 52

Bought 80

balance +28 ooops!