Where did these come from?

 As mentioned in the last post, the painting table clean up project is mostly completed.  Below are the last two blister packs I uncovered on the table.  

At first I couldn't recall ever buying any French Guard Artillery, but then the cobwebs cleared and I remembered that I bought these at Cold Wars 2020 (my last convention).  At the time I seemed to think it was a great deal, I think I paid around $10 for each of them.  At least now I can finally say that I have some French Old Guard troops.

Just about all, if not all, additions to the Napoleonic forces for the last 2 or 3 years have been French.  My Russian troops have informed me that unless the Russian Rosters are increased soon, there may be a Palace Uprising - something that all Czar's live in fear of.  And heaven knows I have plenty of Russian lead laying around.  

Figures are from Warlord Games.  

For my Napoleonic figures I normally use joint compound/drywall spackle to coat the bases for texture.  This was a new container of 'lightweight' spackling and it didn't give the same results as the old variety. But I guess it will do.

slightly different view

That's all for now.  Stay safe and enjoy the summer.  

So much lead, so little time

Cossacks

 It's been gloomy and damp with precipitation of some sort every day this week.  So, not much getting done in the yard which has allowed the 'clean the painting table' project to move forward.  The good news is that we seem to be far enough North that the winds aren't bringing us any of the Canadian smoke.

About 50% of the painting table top is now visible, and most of what is left is either space fighters/bombers or 6mm Infantry.  (I hate painting 6mm infantry)

These were the last of the loose figures.  It took a while to locate the treasure chest amongst the clutter, but I finally found it.

Figures are from Eureka, I think.  These were part of a vignette as I recall. I think it was called 'Cossacks Looting' or something like that.  A couple of the figures really have a lot of detail that the camera doesn't do justice too, especially as dark as the gloomy weather is making my gaming room.

And for the folks that are part of our Napoleonic ImagiNation game, the final photo sums up some of the action from last week.

just a little something to brighten the Yurt

Dancing a little jig

Fine wine and full saddle of loot.. I mean purchases.  What more could you ask for.

The photo and brushwork don't do this one justice.  The poor horse is so loaded down our spry young cossack lad has to walk.  But at least he has a duck to keep him company.  Looks like momma's getting a new mirror.

There really is a lot of detail in this sculpt.

Nice to see they're doing a 2-man lift on any treasure over 50 pounds.  We don't want any back injuries.

View from the other side

Fuddland Cossacks return home following a successful trading mission to S'Gottland.  Not shown was a half a flock of sheep, the other half having been traded for the services of a popular minstrel group to perform for Czar Elmer.

Guard Cossacks watch over the Cossack 'merchant' caravan as it travels home.

One more post and the painting table clean up project is pretty much done.  Now, on to the more challenging lead pile clean up - or at least clean up enough that I'm not literally tripping over figures that have fallen from the pile onto the floor of the gaming room.

So much lead, so little time.

Prussian's?

After finally completing the last unit of French Leger the other week I was digging through the organizational disaster that is my game room looking for one of the boxes of French Napoleonics to put them in when I uncovered a forgotten army.  

I have no recollection of when I painted these.  But I think they were used in one of Peter's Historicon games when it was still being held at Fredericksburg.  I do know that they were painted long enough ago that I wasn't standardly using a finish wash on my figures, so at least 10 years would be my guess.

At the time I had this grand idea of running the northern actions of the 1812 invasion of Russia.  Now, I'm older and less ambitious.

Figures appear to Perry, 3 infantry battalions, 1 Uhlan Regiment, 1 6# battery and a command stand.  Not much of a force, and one I'm pretty sure I'll never use again.

Sadly, I don't remember what units they are supposed to be and what little I know about Prussian's at the time I've forgotten.

Anyway, here they are.

2 post in one day?  That may be a first for me.

Take care,

So much lead, so little time

Animal Farm

 Just a smidge more painting completed.  Some of you may have already seen the center piece over on Joe's 'Fish Tales' blog.

The Pigsty is a 3D print from 3DEgos.com on Etsy. The quality of the 3D printing was good without much clean up required. I'm not sure how much use it will get on the table, but sometimes you paint stuff just because you like it, not because you'll use it.  Although it could see some use in Silver Bayonets or other skirmish/role play type games.

And I also uncovered some random barnyard lead in the lead pile.  (rather good timing).

Hmmm, maybe for the Outlandishian campaign the Earl should try a sheep/pig raid.  I hear it's all the rage these days in my campaigning circle.

It might be the only way the Earl can get something in the win column.  I'm sure I have some rules somewhere I can cobble together for a skirmish raid... need to think a little more about that.

Take care,

So much lead, so little time

A little more painting

 The risk of frost is mostly gone, and the pool is open, so spring must be here.  Yard work and other distractions may slow down my already slow painting progress, we'll see how it goes.

The herculean task of trying to organize the painting table continues.  First up is a long suffering unit of some generic blue pant wearing Napoleonic Infantry, (or Leger to you Francophiles out there).  Or as a friend refers to them, targets for Russian Artillery.

These poor lads have been sitting on the painting table primed and patiently awaiting their uniforms for over 4 years, so I guess it's about time they were finished.  I'm still not happy with how they turned out, in fact I scrubbed off the first go around of paint on a few of them and gave it a second try.  I guess it's just been too long since I painted figures for a proper era in the one true scale.

But, enough with the words.  Figures are from Perry.

And finally, what I think are the last of the fantasy figures from under all the detritus on the table.  I'm not sure who the manufacturer is for these.

That's all for now.  Hopefully those of you in the U.S. had a chance in-between the BBQ and other festivities to reflect on the real reason for yesterday's holiday.

Take care and enjoy the warm weather.

So much lead, so little time.

WPBC REPORTS

 

WPBC Reports

 

More Odds and Ends

 Not a lot going on regarding the gaming front of late.  The foolish attempt to clean up my painting table continues.  Sadly, as I work my way through the various layers of detritus I keep getting distracted by the 'ohhh shinny' items I uncover, (shocking I know).  I almost feel like an archeologist, excavating my way through the various layers of projects and foolish ideas hidden on the table.

Of course the best way to clean the painting table is to paint what you find, so...

I seem to have discovered the Fantasy epoch in the latest excavation. So, as they were uncovered, they were rapidly splashed with various pigments, and below is the end result.  Some of these were purchased in the early to mid 1980's, and boy do they look tiny next to the 'new' stuff.

This Firebrand was found still in his blister pack and is fairly new.  The figure is from Reaper.

Another fairly new figure, also from Reaper.

The photo doesn't really do the detail of the sculpt justice.

This figure is also from Reaper, plastic this time.  I'm not normally a fan of plastic (other than for space ships and the like) but it painted easily and has fair detail.

The last of the Reaper figures, back to lead (well, pewter).

I think this is a Ral-Partha figure, probably from the mid 1980's.

Another Ral-Partha figure (I think) probably from the early 1980's.  She looks like she's about 15mm when compared to the others, so definitely same age on the figure. (and it takes a brave man to say that about a female warrior).

Another old figure, my guess is Ral-Partha, or some other carrier from the 1980's. Not really apparent in the photo, but she's a nice hot assassin. 

Another very old figure, probably from the 1980's.

I also uncovered this Satyr, from Black Tree Design.  It painted up nice and quick.

Halflings anyone?  Also from the 1980's, no idea who the manufacturer was.

While I was painting up these rediscovered treasures, I also took the opportunity to paint up some scatter terrain I had laying around (on the top layer of the painting table).

Some 3D printed items, not sure where they came from

A fountain from Black Tree Design

And finally some 3-D printed Loot markers for Stargave.

Hopefully I'll get back to the Wilhelmsland response to the most recent invasion by their neighbors soon.  And I haven't forgotten ab out the Outlandishan Tales, I'm just trying to come up with a scenario that the Earl may be able to win, without having to invest in any new figures.

Take care and enjoy the Spring,

So much lead, so little time.

 

WPBC REPORTS

 

Odds and Ends

It really has been too long since I painted something larger than 6mm scale.  I had hoped to have a unit of French Leger ready for this post, but as I said, it's been too long since I painted something in the one true scale... and I wasn't happy with the look, so I'm starting over on them.

But, I did manage to paint something as part of my ongoing effort to clean up the rats nest that I call a painting table.  It's amazing what you can find when you dig down through the layers.

First up some command (or hero/adventurer) figures from Revenge Miniatures, these are from their Saxon Command pack if I recall correctly.  Despite the poor lighting, they actually turned out pretty well if you see them 'in the lead'.

A while back I posted a photo of this same pose, although this sculpt seems to have a bigger nose than the previous one did.  I guess I should have trimmed that down a bit before painting.

I'm pretty sure the grave is something I chased 18 or so years ago from Games Workshop when I was doing a Vampire Count Army.  The Wolves are plastic from WizKids, not the greatest detail in the sculpts but for $2 a piece, I can't complain - although I wasn't happy with how they took the dry brushing. I can see these being useful in Silver Bayonet games.

And finally, 3 more Earth Alliance Omega Class Destroyers.  This gives me a total of 4, which will probably represent a small independent Planet/System if I ever get moving on Project Z again.

Daytime temperatures have been consistently above freeing for the last week here, so spring may get here eventually.  

So much lead, so little time.