The New MW magazine

The first issue of this magazine has arrived. Whilst changes are to be expected with the new editor and board, I was disappointed to see the return of the white text on black background. It is so difficult to read that I must confess I skipped all those pages. I hope that this  will not keep happening, but look forward to the next issue.

Autumn thoughts 3

I'm having a little think about what I really want to do in the hobby. There's stuff going on in the real world that's making me re-evaluate an awful lot of things. At the moment I'm going towards 10mm for a lot of periods. Again I realise that this is a process I've gone through several times in the lifespan of this blog, but the new Pendraken sculpts are lovely. I might stay with 28mm for the Hundred Days and do 10mm for everything else.
With regards to the 10mm I've started with some Austrians, going 8 on a 40x20 base. This would mean that French would be on a 30x20 base, needing me to buy more bases in a different size. I already have 30x30 base so might just see how 6 French castings look on this base.

I was sent some 2mm ACW, and have to say that they look ok. Each 30x30 base represents a regiment or brigade so could allow for some big battles. Having painted up some of the terrain that came with them, I've got the bug so they've jumped up the queue.

The most current things on the painting table are some 10mm CSA and 10mm Austrians. I'll post some photos when they're done.

Autumn plans 2

Colours was a relative disappointment. I managed to pick up some packs of casualty and horse-holders for the ACW project, as well as some 10mm Danish for 1864. Seeing as I 've decided to do 1866 in 6mm and 1870 in 10mm, I might as well allow expansion to other eras. The Pendraken sculpts are tiny masterpieces and I'm looking forward to getting some paint on them.
One minor irritation was not being ablento get the bases I needed. The trader explained that imperial measurement bases are produced to order and if I'd pre-ordered I could have collected them. I think that if items are only done to order then it should be displayed promenently on the website. Who know's it might increase sales?

Plans for the Autumn

Taking photos of the shed for the proposed magazine article has prompted me to rethink win what order I'm going to tackle the lead mountain.
I think that the first thing that needs to be done are the 10mm Prussians and ACW figures. These will be based for RF&F so should get me usuable units fairly quickly.
At the same time I'll try to drop a few units of 15mm Persians in as there are quite few of them to do. Especially as I've got the War and Empire 2 figures coming at some point.
I'd like to go to Colours as I need little things like flags, casualty markers and bases. Going ti a show will allow me to save on the p&p, as well as perhaps allowing for a bit of Father/Son bonding if either of the boys come with me.

I hate technology

I have been asked if want to contribute to one of the wargaming magazines. The words were easy-ish but I've had no end of problems trying to get good enough photos to go with the article. Finally I resorted to taking my phone out of its case and using every setting on the camera to take the same shot. Hopefully the editor can make some kind of silk purse out of this cow's ear.

Butterfly nature

No sooner have I posted about my historical passion then I've moved onto something else. I bought the Stormclaw box for the last edition of 40K and left it sitting on the to do pile. Whilst sorting out the shed I found a box of orc raiders from Rogue Trader and felt they needed painting. I've chosen a very simple colour scheme. Since they all have coal scuttle type helmets, they've been given feldblau uniforms with black webbing etc. The guns are valejo gunmetal blue as is the armour plates. With a soft tone wash they are suitably grubby. This inspired me to paint the orcs from the stormreach box, as well as some random Dark angels I found on eBay.
I have the Betrayal at Calth set and I think I've decided to paint the lot as Blood angels as that will give me 6 Chapters: Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Angels of Redemption (DA successor) and Golden Scythes (Space Wolves successors).  That should be enough for any campaign or set of rules.

It's all a matter of scale

My obsession with the late 19th century continues. I sold some 28mm castings and promotly reinvested the money in smaller scales. Although I've got large numbers of 28mm ACW to paint, I've always had a feeling that a smaller scale would be better. I've tried 15mm and 6mm so have gone for 10mm. I've a feeling that my original plan of 30-40 castings on a 100x40 base might look great but not be fit for any ruleset that I might end up using.
I recently bought the Wargaming in History covering the 1866 campaign and have been so impressed with it that I'm thinking about getting other titles in the series. The authors use 10mm figures and a varient of regimental fire and fury. Since I already havr the rules, I picked up a few 10mm FPW figures to try them out. I think I might be doing the same as Henry Hyde and doing 1866 in 6mm and 1870 in 10mm, although I do have a 6mm Bavarian corps to paint.
I think what may happen is that I'll paint both and use them for a bit to see which speaks to me more. It may well be that I end up keeping both scales, but then I wouldn't be the first wargamer to have multiple scales for the same period. I've already decided that the ACW will be Perry in the Virginia theatre and Spencer Smith in the Trans-mississippi.