Weekend Progress - 8-16-13 to 8-18-13

Well gentle readers I continued to make progress on finishing out my current Spanish and British armies for the Penninsula.

I finished 3 new stands of British Foot Artillery, plus a Division and Army Commander as well.

In addition, I got boots, pants, belts, sheaths, and jackets finished on a unit of Spanish Musketeers as well as my missing grenadier stand. Hopefully can finish them tonite.

Happy painting.

Black Watch Completed

I stole some time last night and finished up the 42nd Royal Highland Regiment - The Black Watch for my British Napoleonic Army. First time paint kilts and ticking/dicing on a highland uniform for me. I know how I would improve it, but am satisfied at table length that they look good and represent well. Here you go.

I would like to do another highlight on the flesh, but they are done for now. I may come back to that later. As soon as I finished these I base painted 3 foot artillery pieces. So I hope to have those finished this weekend.

Highlander Painting WIP

Well I stayed up late last night after attending to a bunch of other life things and voila! Here's the 42nd minus kilts, socks, and bonnets. And a final highlight on the faces. Not good photos. But photos nonetheless.

I can paint this uniform in my sleep at this point. And I love it. The Perry's Foundry sculpts are a breeze to paint, and I am continually amazed at how little Red is actually showing once all the belts and packs and lace and such are completed.

This is the first kilt I have done. I like it, as well as the ticking on the socks and bonnet.

Hope to complete these before the end of the weekend.

Painting Distractions and other nonsense

I ave been very busy as of late with life and so this little corner of the blogosphere has been quiet for me. And its been pretty quiet in the workshop of doom as well.

Since the Bones have arrived I have painted exactly  - ZERO. I finally got so Fusion paint so I can prime them black. Its my painting style so I really don't want to go back to the days of a white primer and painting out all the white. I hated that period in my painting. Anyway I'll get a few primed as a test and see what happens. Once I start I will be painting monsters only really.

I did base paint about 30 Mechwarrior Clix figures. Fleshing out units for my initial Mechwarrior forces. We may pick up the new quick play Alpha Strike rules and actually play Mechwarrior, or we may just continue to use them for whatever we decide to play. Either way, they are a nice distraction.

As I was contemplating 15mm Sci FI, Fantasy or Post Apoc to paint next in the 3 hours I had to paint last night, I pulled the trigger on one of theose units that had been vexing me for several years - The 42nd Royal Highlanders (Black Watch) for the Pennisula. My British Nappies are waiting on 2 infantry units to be finished so I said, what the hell. I got faces, jackets, and kilts all base painted. Hopefiully tonite I can steal an hour and finish highlighting jackets, doing boots and gaiters and getting prepped for belts and lace. I should have about a week of off and on painting to fnish them, but, they were fun. The 92nd Gordon's Highlanders are next and I should have 12 infantry Units finished and the Brit infantry is finally complete. No promises after that, but a few more guns await, as well as 3 more cav units. And you can't have the Penninsula without the KGL. I still have 3 Spanish Infantry units, a couple of cannons, and a cav unit to finish them off.

Then come the French. they wait patiently and are understandably perturbed about being bumpe once again, this time by giants in dresses. They shoud be encouraged though, because a new line of metal Vitula Legion has been released. Scultoed by Paul Hicks these beauties are as vital to the French cause in the Penninsula as the KGL were to the Brits. So once on the market I will gobble these up for a whole division I should think.

The RECRUITS Con announced that they were close to closing the PEL for games at this Falls event. Seems a bit early for a regional gaming con in mid-september. But you all know my love for the Con. I am sure I will run a game. But with Football practice and season starting, I'm gonna be mightily distracted.

Keep rolling sixes

LA

Finished...15th King's Own

Here's some pics of the completed 15th Hussars (King's Own) unit to help flesh out my cavalry division for the British Penninsular Army. They give me a great deal of closure. I have a couple of arty units I am going to do, but this allows me to feel like I can finally finish all the bases at one time, at least for this phase of the Brits. I must say, they are one beautiful looking army.

I took a couple better pics of the 16th Lt Dragoons as well.

British Napoleonics - 15th (Kings Own) Hussars

I have been making some good progress on the next British light Cav unit, the 15th Hussars. A beautiful unit, they were in the Pennisula from the beginning. Here:s a couple of reference pics:

Reference from Osprey - Chap in the Center is from the 15th



Painting of the battle of Sahagun Spain 1808



An action figure. But it shows clarly the detail of the uniform



Reenactment Group for the 15th

I have completed eveything on the figs from the neck down. Now its time for faces, collars, busbies, cords and bags. Should be just one evening and they will be dine. Pic when they are.

That will leave me with 3 cannon and crew and I will have completed the first and 2nd phase of my British Penninsular Nappy Project. Still in the wings, but maybe there for a bit are another 3 units of Cav, 2 Highlander units, and 3 Infantry Units that are certain to become KGL(as will one or two of the cav units).

28mm Penninsular British - Light Cav

Well I hit the British Light Cav pretty hard this weekend. The 16th Light Dragoons to be precise pre 1812 uniform with Tarleton helmets.

Unit of 12 figs for Black Powder. Only two more units for the British Cav division. The Hussars are waiting with horses done. Dragoons are sitting unscraped in a bag. I also have 3 more cannon and crew awaiting primer.

Hope to get some time on Hussars this week.

As ususal these are crappy unedited pics straightfrom the camera. When I finish and flock the army, I will spend some time on some glamour shots.

28mm British Penninsular - Update

I wanted to get some pics up since there have been so few lately. I just got an iphone 4. Love the camera. so hopefully, better and more pics coming for the Lead Addict Blog.

Thought I would start with some group shots of where the British Pennisular Army is. I have gotten through the bulk of the infantry. I have 2 highlander units to do, and then a 3 units of KGL infantry, if I want to do them. I have the figs. I am working on the next 2 units of light cavalry. After that another light and another heavy. Finally, I will need to finish about 6 more cannon, another army commander, and 4-5 more division commanders. Some of that is just filling out the army, but as it stand right now, I am 2 infantry units, 3 cav units, and a couple of commanders and cannons from being complete. That's a great thing for me. Now for some pics.

Overall shot of the army to date. 10 unit sof infantry, 6 cannon, 1 hvy cav unit, army command, 4 division commanders.

Overall from the front

Close up of right half

Close up of left half

close up

close up

down the line

French are next.

28mm Nappy Pennisular French Army - the Start

Well after a few minutes over lunch, here is the plan for the French Army for Black Powder. The units shaded in Blue are complete.

Here is the Brits. Everyting here is complete, and actually, more than this is complete.

French Napoleonics...a trade

This is kinda long winded and rambling on a hot KC monday morning before the MLB All-Star game. Its kind life and gaming stuff with no pics. So read at your own risk.

So I have been blessed with an amazing gaming group, a best friend who really is to blame for all this mini madness some 25 years ago, and a brother in law who is an incredible painter and all around obsessor of toy soldiers in a way I could never attain, try as I might.

I have spoken many times about how many of the Baron's and mine own experiences are shared ones, both in gaming and in life. But I never speak much about my brother in law, who was my friend first and then bro in law, and how over the years my bro in law has opened up many new horizons for me on the gaming front, as well as show me, by his own actions, how to be a decent, selfless person.

It was he who really amped up the GW obsession at a time when GW was putting out things like Man O War, and Blood Bowl, and Necromunda, as well as 2nd and 3rd edition WHFB and 40k. He had a small but respectable shop he opened on the weekends cause it wasn't his first job, and he had a loyal following. He would be the classic Old West barkeep. Talking to everyone and friends with everyone. Generous to a fault.

He was the one who introduced me to real historicals. The BAron and I dabbled in DBA, but found it lacking. And as the Baron was devouring history and his own personal obssession with gunpowder and pointy sticks, I was being introduced to wars and battles on an (at the time to me) unfathomable scale. 10's of thousands of men and horses with horribly inaccurate guns and gruesome conditions, fighting in full dress uniforms with giant hats and plumes and lace. It was all so...dignified and horrifying at the same time. And so my first case of Nappy Fever was born.

Since those first days of gaming with my bro in law, he had a tradition in his gaming circle of horse trading. This has gone on since the day I met him. Its a special thing to watch as traders try to eek out every last piece of value for their painted/unpainted figs and terrain and books and magazines for the at thing they just had to have. In the years I have witnessed it, I have seen amazing trades, and amzingly bad trades. Most are in the middle, but you can't stop a man from his own obsession, and many times I have seen that ruin a person's collection. But for those of us who have been doing it for so long, it all has a way to even out in the end.

And I tend to not mention trades and trading on the blog. But the fact is, as much as I love to paint, I am terribly slow, and I have way to many periods that I will never get to. So I do actively purchase and trade for figs, mostly painted, some unpainted. I have gotten over the last few years, through purchase or trade: a huge amazingly painted viking army, three large gangs of Necromunda guys, with more lead to paint myself, a hundred or so ancient GW/Marauder rougue trader era painted figs, 2 small 15mm ECW armies, a large 28mm ECW army, a small 15mm sci fi army, and small collection of 28mm WWII. Several years ago I traded for my bro-in-law for an entire collection of 15mm Nappies and 15mm Civil War. Pretty varied stuff. All of it very good wargamming quality or better(some much better).

But you will notice there is no 28mm Nappy in there. That has always been the holy grail. That has always been the one period I would be painting myself, or I would have figs from a very limited palette of people: my bro-in-law, his best friend Mike, or the Baron. And It was a project I never assumed I would fully finish in my lifetime. And I was OK with that.

Well a couple of things changed that for me. One, Black Powder. Finally a ruleset that allows a gentlemanly game that's fun and could be finished in 3-4 hours. Two, the painting I did on the Pennisular British this winter/spring. I could finish this to a scale and degree I would be happy with. And I don't need to get huge masses of troops on the table. So as I have written in this blog, the Nappy project is in full swing. I reached out to some of the guys in the BG's who would have interest in doing a unit or two of French so we could get to the table quicker. The Baron is even gonna paint a unit of French. we may get there yet. I was predicting at least 5 years to have the British, Spanish, French, and Portugese.

Well, as horse trading always is, you never know when it will come up or why. On a fluke Sunday afternoon, as I was painting some 15mm fantasy(this was only 2 weeks ago), my bro in law came over. we were talking and he was looking at all of the boxes of unpainted lead on my shelves. I never have anything he is interested in. But he saw some old GW stuff I had amassed over the years. A bunch of it. He decided he would like to trade for it. and I couldn't blame him. It was great stuff. It was still in the blister. And it was all right there. I let him know that I would only really trade for a couple of things. Painted Nappy French, and an old Spanish Village I wanted back I had traded to him a while ago. He tried some other things, but he knew I only wanted painted stuff in exchange.

Well, 2 weeks to the day later, and many late nights, he painted 3 units of french line in campaign dress, and a couple of cannon to throw in the deal. He knew I wanted 4 four units so he threw in a legere unit he had already painted. and the Spanish Village. In return he got 6 stuffed shoeboxes of in the blister GW figs. We both placed great value on what we had to offer the other. In the end we both were very happy with the trade. I must say that over the years, this is the most even trade we have ever made. It hurt to lose those  figs, but I may actually have a painted French Army in a year. That's inconceiveable.

Oh by the way, did I tell you the figs are beautifully painted. No. Well they are. I'll post them when I get them based up.

So completing a French Army is possible now. Sometimes it just takes a little push and a start. Well a full Division is a good start. And if the BG's paint a little we'll have a second one. I guess I need to get started on the other Division. The Spanish may need to wait. I still have a couple of Highland units to do for the British. But I am excited about the next year of Nappy Fever.

British Napoleonics Update - 6-11-12

Wanted to do a quick update on the painting front. I have put the Hirst Arts on the shelf, my terrain cravings stiated for the time being, and began painting a couple of units of 28mm British Nappy cav for my Penninsular Army.

I have had these particular figs on sticks for a very long time and it is nice to see them getting some love. I got the ponies done on two units of 12 figs. One of Hussars (in their rediculaous tall fur hats), and one of Light Dragoons on their distinctly British Tarelton helmets. Why they stopped using these and went to the french style Lt Dragoon uniform and shako is beyond me. How the hell would you have told them apart on the smokey battlefield is beyond me.

I have to do the horse furniture and tack, but the ponies themselves are done. Simple brown. about three shade variations for variety. Pretty sloppy at this point. But that will change.


Hussars



Light Dragoons

Both Units

I hope to get some real time with these guys over Fathers Day weekend. But with spending time with my dad, stepdad, and father-in-law, that might be tough.

May have to move out the end date for finishing the Brits till August. Probably more realistc as the last 2 months have been spent on house and deck projects.

And for something really different...

Ok so this is how my Gamer ADD works. I thought I would give you guys a little glimpse into the mind of a derranged gamer. I have been talking about needing a bit of a change to recharge the batteries. Now that my Nappy Fever has sttled down to about 100 degrees and simmering(simmering is where all the flavor is made), I felt a littl ebit of change needed to keep the juices flowing and not burn out. Seems resonable, but then I want to make sure I get to the finish line as well, that is finishing my British army and my small Spanish Army by the end of August. So I don't want to get too distracted.

So I resolved myself to painting my 1st Hussar unit as a reward. I ususally save Cav as a reward for pounding through the infantry. they are on sticks, they are rimed, they have base flesh painted and have a flesh wash. Good solid start, I'll stay focused on that so I can meet my goal fo August. Here they are, happy as a clam I am starting on them:

SO, I had 30 minutes on saturday and decided It wasn't enough time to work on faces, so I looked up from my table and saw these on a shelf: 

These are 28mm scale scrathbuilt shanties that I haven't finished yet for post apoc and sci fi. I pulled a couple down modestly and started to do some painting on them. Great I can always pick these off one at a time and get them done too. Good idea sir!

 Prgress on two of the shacks. I really had a lot of fun scratchbuilding these. Times up! Gotta go.

So I leave, and then I start thinking...Well, I can't just go from well made buildings to shanties(I am thinking in terms of Sci Fi here. Because I am particularly taken by the Sarissa Precision and MicroArt SciFi building for Infinity). And as the society develops, there will be a transition. So so small buildings, but better built than just a shanty. So maybe some concrete or plock buildings that have metal and scraps filling in the gaps, then full on heavy construction. Well I think I have some casts left over from all of the Hirst Arts Egyptian molds I cast about 3 years ago. Then the block house shaties were born. see below:

 So of course this morphed into, hey you need some more blocks cast. You have a 50 lb bag of unopened dental plaster. Just cast a few molds when you have some time this weekend. Keep it small. No bug deal. This is a fun side project when you have alittle window of time and dont have time to commit to painting.

So I found a couple of hours sunday to cast a few more basic block molds.Well, while digging for those molds, I ran across the scifi molds I got for xmas 3 years ago. Never been cast. Well maybe you could try a floor modl out...

Two hours later I have this:

 And this:

 This is the from the cavern molds I never cast.

Man I'm screwed. I love this stuff. and its fun to cast and pop them out of the mold. I never got one pour of the block molds, but I will. I think I may take a minor break and do some more of this. I know this won't last long cause its a lot of work. But if you have the materials cast, the fun part is scratch building stuff to use.

Sometimes you have to embrace the ADD, and let it take you where it must.

Don't worry sad Hussar. I will put your paint on soon. Don't worry.

And I just wanted to show you guys this resin cast model that is available for purchase. Isn't that incredible.I absilutely love it. I may have to pick it up. Its expensive and I don't remember who makes it, but holy hell that's beautiful.

Update 5-7-12

Well, I have been busy doing other things, but, a spring thunderstorm allowed me to put some much needed time in on the British Guards Units I was working on.

And success. I finished both yesterday about 8:00. I now have 10 British Infantry Units for the Pennisula. A great feat for me for sure. I have 2 units of Highlanders on the table ready to be started. and I am sorely tempted. But painting 50 figs at a time is a slog. It is great when they are done, but man its a marathon. I may need some relief. I have painted the equivelant of 7 units on tha last few months and I may need a break. That may be the most productive I have ever been in painting an army.

Problem is, I really wanted to get the Highlanders, a Lt Dragoon, an Hussar, and a couple more Cannons painted by the end of July. If I let ADD take over I will be off on a tangent and who knows when I will come back. If I don't take a break, then my painting may suffer. The verdict is out. Maybe some Ponies, then finishing with the Highlanders is what I need to do.

I the mean time, Khurusan has still not released the Jasmine Throne Foreign Battalions yet. Hmm...

I may be needing some Post Apoc goodness. We shall see.

Quick Update 4-26-12

I didn't get a chance to post after lunch yesterday, but I made some good progress on the British Guards units at lunch. So  little bit of the old WIPaL(What I Painted At Lunch) still lives. I got the tufts and swallows nests painted on the shoulders, the lacing on the jackets, the ever so small turnback of the coat at the waist(thin white line), and backpack straps.I also got the belts and the backpack shoulder and T straps on the first unit complete.

I was going to finish the belts and do the shakos at lunch today, but I got a request to participate in take your child to work day, so that usually means lunch out with dad. So no painting at lunch. But I like that painting at lunch will allow me some guilt-free painting time and it can actually be productive on assembly line painting.

Playing a play test of SFAR with the Basement Generals tonite, so we will see how that goes.

Quick Update 4-25-12

Got an hour last night. So the canteens are highlighted, the canteen straps are done, the bedrolls are done. On a whim, I brought them to work today to paint at lunch. I figure I can mindlessly paint white lace for lunch and get a step ahead. So, except for the black highlights, which I do right before the buckles and barrels, the backs are done. Now to the fronts and all the laces and finery. Oh yeah, I did tell you I am doing 52 figs at a time didn't I? I'll have an update after lunch to see how I did.

Done before the weekend? Maybe. I may skip gaming this week to finish them. then its those damn highlanders. They'll take twice as long with all the dicing and tartan. I did read someone's post on Lead Adventure that referenced an account of the Higlanders in the Penninsula soaking their kilts in a grease so they would be more water proof. And it darkened them up considerably. Probably can't get away with that, but its a thought. It will be full parade for these fellows I suspect.

British Napoleonic Infantry - 4-18-12(pics)

Well, well, well. I am sure since my last few posts have been all text you can't believe I have pics. Well I do. I snapped a few shots of my Brit infantry before heading in this morning. Pics were quick so I apologize for the washed out color a nd a couple of blurry ones. Also some shots of the workshop. some look better small. A bit shakey. I have to get a tripod.

the first shots are a bit of the process I go through to knock them down.



Pants on all and jackets started



roughing in belts and lace

 

Just details left to paint(cuffs, collars, muskets)



rear is done

and the latest unit of Guards and The Royal 4th.

the complete 4 line units

Unit 1

Unit 2

Unit 3

Unit 4



Adding in the Light infantry and Rifles, 8 units of 24 fig/6 stands each



95th rifles

Lt Inf Unit 1

Lt Inf Unit 2

Lt Inf Unit 3

Mtd Commander

Mtd Brigade/Army Commander

Mtd Cmd 2

Laid out in Reinforced thin, red, line

 A few notes: There a numerous things done right in the figs and the paint. But there are a few things that stickler Nappy Gamers/criticizers will point out. I know those issues. But after all is said and done, I am painting these for wargamming, not a museum. Hope you enjoy them.

I got the pants base painted on my next 50 figs, as well as faces. So that is the missing stand for the 3rd Lt Infantry unit, and a Unit of Guards (I assume I will do the 2nd), and a Unit of the 4th (a Royal, but not Guard unit, for the blue facings). Then its on to the Highlanders. Been researching the best way to get at Gordon's and the Black Watch kilts. They are the same government pattern with different over stripe. I will ignore the switch to trews and the terrible nayure of campaigning in a kilt and presnt all of mine in kilts and with pipers. Cause I want to.

And one more note on the commnad stands. I really want to have both the regimental and the royal flags for each unit. So I may need to paint up an extra flag bearer for each unit and replace somebody.  or pack somebody else in. We shall see. I plan on using WARGAMES FLAGS! for there flag sets. A huge variety of British Flags and they look nice.

I will be doing all of the ground painting and detailing as an army. So that's why there are no painted bases. I will be using my standard base covering, then my 3 part color system, then I am going to have some fun with Silfor grass tufts, field flowers, and such. Hope you enjoy.

Leadaddict