French Horse Artillery Battery

I totally stole this idea from the Pendraken forums, more specifically this thread (http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,10452.30.html) where the horse artillery on the base as a little vignette so I did the same!

Okay, these aren't the best of all pictures as I took them fairly rapidly before leaving on my two week course, but they do show off what I wanted to do - a small diorama.

Now compared to my previous artillery bases (smaller 20x30mm per gun), I went 40x40mm in size. Granted, compared to my foot artillery battery they take up more space, but if you include the eventual limbers for foot artillery, they should be roughly equal size. Either way, I think I don't really care that much regarding size as the look is more important. If I'm penalized in-game because the dimensions makes it a larger target, then so be it.

With Flash

No Flash

The little vignette I find gives it the obvious "Horse Artillery!!11111" feel that I'm looking for, and gives it a certain character, as opposed to just the guns with crew that unless you squint and look close enough, appear the exact same as my Foot Artillery battery.

These models are entirely pendraken, except the guns (from Magister Militum, though dimension wise are exactly the same as Pendrakens). No reason why I couldn't use the guns from Pendraken, but I had ordered a pack of MM artillery with limbers, and once again decided that I just dont like the proportions of their cavalry and figures. The gun figures and dimensions were pretty close to Pendraken's, and also had a Howitzer, so I used that along with the Pendraken limbers and Horse Artillery crew I had.

I'll be using the Pendraken artillery for my Divisional Foot Artillery Battery that will be part of my Elite Infantry Brigade - and thus completing the artillery batteries for my 3 brigades.

WIP French Foot Artillery

 A quick update on my French guns...

The crew have now been based and await varnish and then flocking. I should be able to get them finished this week.

 First Gun Crew

 Second Gun Crew

I'm a bit happier with these photos (the previous ones made them look super shiny). Again I have gone for the campaign look. Although they seem to have taken forever they didn't really take very long to actually paint. Being so busy has meant I've only been able to spare the odd 30mins here and there.

One of the major dilemmas I have had was how to base them. Originally I was going to to for all the crew and gun on a large base but I binned that idea for a couple of reasons.

1. I wanted to be able to place the figures in an infantry square if the need arises in games.
2. I will be modelling a full limber team to hitch them up to when being transported and having the crew on the base facing the wrong way would look off.

I decided therefore for the flexibility offered by basing both crew and gun individually. The next issue I had was how to attach the gun so that it could be deployed both ready to fire and then hitched up to the limber. My solution: not to glue the gun in place. In order to hold the gun to the base during play I sculpted some ruts under the wheels. Hopefully these look like the gun has been digging into the ground when it recoils.

 The finished ruts.

 With the guns deployed.

Painted in my dusty peninsula colours and awaiting flocking.

All that is left to do now are the two guns which should be pretty straight-forward and then the flocking. Photos of the finished models coming soon!

Work in Progress and bases...

I have just completed the French gunners with the exception of the layer of dust I add on when I paint the bases (it is the peninsular after all). Below  are a few shots of the gunners. My apologies for the rubbish photos, I took them quickly on my phone to give you an idea of how I go about basing them. They are not glossy in real life and the colours look nothing like those in the photos! I'll make sure that the final photos post basing are of better quality!

All the miniatures come on a small base as you can see in the photos above. These are a pain if you wish to stick them on proper bases as they stand a good 2mm high. The green stuff in the images is slapped on to hide the sudden jump in elevation. With the texture paint on top of this the models hardly even look like they are on uneven ground.

GW get around having their miniatures appear stood on top of a tuft of grass with their slotta-bases. My problem with these is that the whole model then appears to be on a plinth. Great for display pieces but unconvincing on the gaming table. I've got around this by basing the first few models of my Scavvy gang on 25mm round bases by Renedra. They make brilliant and simple bases of all sizes and are well worth looking at.

Comparison shot of the Renedra base against the traditional GW one.

As you can see I have gone for the plastic Chaos Cultists to represent my regular Scavvies. They are armed with an assortment of Autoguns and Autopistols with a variety of close combat weapons. 

I've picked up two boxes to form the core of my gang. The models are nice so I plan on painting up the first five with only minor changes before converting the second five more substantially.

More updates to follow shortly...

 

 

New Year's Resolution

I have been a bit of a Hobby Butterfly over the last few years...

With my time spread over a series of projects progress in any remains slow. When I line all the models painted up over the last year the result is quite substantial but I'm still far from getting any actual gaming in. My other major problem is that it would seem GW owns my soul!

Now I still stand by the fact that GW make some incredible models but it is the grim dark background of the 40k universe that really has me hooked. I could think of five or six armies that I would happily collect had I the time and the money to spend on them. So in an effort to get my grim dark fix and also get some actual gaming in I have returned to an old love of mine...

I don't think I have ever had as much fun as when I began playing Necromunda with Leon all those years ago. It makes sense to me. I get to convert and paint up a small number of models, I already have two opponents lined up and a small 4x4 table is all I can fit in the house right now. Ironically since GW no longer support the specialist game range all the rules are free along with all the published material from over a decade of war in the underhive.

I have opted to go for a Scavvy gang as I like the idea of the dregs of society fighting back all be it with some pretty shoddy wargear! The gang also gives me lots of conversion options. I have ordered enough bits to get my gang on the table.

Talking of the table this will allow me to build some terrain for the first time in years. I have ordered the following to start me off but from then on it will all be scratch built. The set reminds me of the old card terrain that used to come in the box but is more detailed and robust whilst still maintaining that multi-level feel. I'll update this blog with progress as my bid to control the underhive commences.

With this in mind 40k will take a back seat. I still have a few images of my Orks and Vostroyans that will feature but no longer will this be my focus. Instead I want to get more of my Napoleonics done. I have been inspired by Leon's 10mm project and impressed with the speed that he is getting models on the table. I have also been reading Bernard Cornwall's Waterloo which gives a great account of the series of battles that culminated in Napoleon's final defeat. My own 28mm British and French Peninsular armies have been stuck in shipping but have now arrived. Currently on my table are two French Foot guns and a British and a French Colonel.

 Work in progress. I now only have the two guns to complete but I'm still not sure as the best way to base them...

That means that I now have two battalions of redcoats to complete and a British Gun before I run out of models to paint. My New Year's Resolution is to get all of these finished before July. In July I will be back in Cornwall where I have a French infantry battalion, a squadron of dragoons and a small group of Spanish guerrillas waiting for me. 

So expect a lot more Napoleonics and Necromunda in the New Year!

Christmas update: Part 2 - French Additions

Part Deux of my Christmas update, this time showcasing the progress I've made with the French. I wrote in a previous post about adding some Elite Infantry units that had a mix match of great coats. I decided to test that out with a Legere unit. I know I know, I vowed to stop painting these because I have far too many unique snowflake units. Buuuuuuuuuuut.... I will be adding two battalions of Elite Line infantry so.... that make's up for it. Yup.

Excuses, I know.

I've seen several people go for the Swiss or the converged Grenadier battalions for their elite, but I wanted something more... campaign worn. Dirty, ragged, and definitely veterans from several seasons of campaigning. These would not only look different from the general mass, but would also *feel* different. To make them even more unique snowflakey than they already are, I went ahead and decided to perfect the arts of finicky 10mm conversion.

What's that you may ask?

Well, making the standing chasseurs kneel, of course.

True, this is quite finicky, as it involves clipping the left leg (front leg) at the groin, and the right leg at the knee, and then glueing them back. I did manage to "perfect" this however. For the front leg, one will want to shave the top of the knee ever so slightly so that it fits right under the elbow (like a proper modern kneeling firing position). Add green stuff to close the gaps and model the thigh. You don't need to be super good at the detail work (I sure am not) as you can "fake it" by painting shadows. Besides, once you start adding flock, you wont notice the imperfection. One will also want to place the right leg so that it forms about a 90 degree angle with the front leg. Thats the best way to do it without it feeling wierd. Apply painting to again, fool the eyes.

The end result? Looks damn good, especially when you start mixing models together.

Obligatory image that highlights my handpainted flag I am proud of.

Kneeling troops, someone wearing shako covers, other wearing great coats, its different enough that it makes up for the lack of poses. I can't even complain, these look so good put together.

While I do intend on having my Line battalion being formed up in close order, these ones represent veteran/elite light infantry (if you squint close enough you'll even make out the "9" on the flag, as it's meant to be the 9e Regiment d'Infanterie Legere, "Incomparable"). I also decided to go with 24 mixed models, rather than my customary 32 to represent either a broken firing line (fire fight), or to represent skirmishing troops. I'll just declare at the beginning of the game which formation they'll be in.

Adding to the collection... much needed GENERALS!

Sure, they're from Magister Militum due to lack of figures from Pendraken, and yes, I'm not a huge fan of bizarrely proportioned horses from MM, the generals came out quite OK. I decided to make two General de Brigade (one infantry, one cavalry), and one General de Division with his staff. 

Mucho pictures below, so feel free to view them at your leisure and don't be afraid to write a comment :)

And I think that's it for this year 2014. Quite productive, and hopefully 2015 will be as well.

See you next year!

Christmas update: Ze Austrians Arrive!

Phew, this has been several weeks work of almost non-stop frenzied painting! That said, despite it being the Christmas holidays, I still need to be working, and so as such I got less done that I wanted. No matter, the good news: Pendraken stuff arrived, and I got to paint more new soldiers! Woo Woo.

So without further ado, I must make the announcement that the Austrians are arriving to my tabletop collection! 

Austrian contingent in its current form

Oh these guys are nifty, and once again, Pendraken models REALLY do stand out with their high detail. I had mentioned in the previous blog post about how I was very so-so about Magister Militum's miniatures, and how I was disappointed that the Voltigeurs were not up to the standard of the MM's Jaegers. I still hold that believe, and after painting these Jaegers, I feel it more so. Though I do wonder how Pendraken's Jaegers would compare? I love the Pendraken sculpts oh so much, and for me they are hands down the reference for 10mm scale miniatures, but sadly.... they are a bit lacking in their variety of poses, a common complaint of mine.

 These Jaegers are totally cool though, and I based them in a skirmishing "irregular" formation (if following Lasalle rules).

Next up were the regular infantry, though I do now regret going 'Hungarian' Austrians, as I do have a Grenz regiment to paint as well, I think I should've gone for the full white 'German' Austrian regiments instead for the ease of painting. I had afterall, decided to go with Austria as a change of pace from a rather tedious experience with the French Legere. Sadly, painting 48 Austrians sort of hit that "tedious" level too. And the hand painted flag. Not. Doing. That. Again. Still, I think the effort was worth it.

Austrian Hussars... hands down the most beautiful of Pendraken miniatures, but also the most colorful in terms of regiments. I held no punches and went with this regimental color scheme which I am incredibly proud of. You could also perhaps note that after my "Never Again" experience with the Austrian flag, I decided to simplify it. I think it turned out okay, and the quality of the cast (once again) makes the regiment that much more alive on the table. What a beauty.

I am cutting this post short in order to split up my work, which also includes French troops, and thus... that's it for now for the Austrians!

I do have some Grenz that need painting, some Uhlans and another battalion of infantry. I'm not even sure when I have the time for that, as I'm literally over-booked until March... we'll see if I can squeeze in some projects during the week nights....

Arrival of Magister Militum order.... and putting them aside.

Well, my Magister Militum arrived for my napoleonics, following my initial order of Austrian Jaegers that arrived several weeks ago.

And the verdict is....

I don't like the figures for the French.


While I do appreciate the variety in poses that you get in the Magister Militum packs... the sheer lack of detail or should I say, the shallowness of the recesses in the details makes it so that painting them is an absolute pain. Its to the point that it reminds me of painting 6mm figures, with the time it takes to paint 10mm. Maybe my painting technique is off, it could be quite possible.

Regarding the sculpts, like mentioned above, I like the variety in poses. Its a bit too bad that they're skinny compared to the Pendraken sculpts, and regarding cavalry, the proportions of the horse's head compared to the legs are just... wierd. Feels like monstrously gigantic heads compared to really skinny legs, which is a huge minus.

This was a bit of a surprise as I had expected something closer to the my Austrian Jaegers I had bought from MM, which I felt had the detail and the variety of poses I was looking for, and being a bit 'beefier' to be comparable to Pendraken.

I guess the Napoleonic French line of MM is just an older line and the master mould is getting tired.

I'll be setting aside my MM infantry for now, and focus on painting up the generals and fill in the gaps of my Pendraken collection. It's just too bad that Pendraken has a fairly long delay for the orders to be shipped, but looking at how its expanding steadily, I can't fault them and honestly, having painted 6 battalions worth of infantry and 5 regiments of cavalry... the wait is worth it, as the quality is really top notch for 10mm.

You just have to make sure to plan your projects well in advance.



In other news, experimenting with MM infantry has led me to the discovery of French Infanterie Legere blue - a tone of blue that has been elusive and eluding me for quite some time.

I've been base-coatinng my french infantry with Kantor Blue, followed by highlights with Alaitoc Blue. The Legere's blue is infact the Alaitoc Blue with a Nuln Oil wash applied over, with a slight highlight of Aloitoc blue. So I'll be doing that for my next batch of Legeres... of which I keep a bad habit of wanting to paint despite trying to force myself not to.

Well, my next batch of Legere will just be one single battalion for the "Elite Infantry Brigade" project.

I think my Voltigeurs from MM I'll be donating that to my gaming partner who's also been itching to start Napoleonics - as I wont be using them. I might also donate my Eclaireurs de la Garde pack as well - I'm just not a fan of the MM sculpts, and would rather the Pendraken ones.