A reply from Conquest minis,my Seminoles left this morning,halelujah,it`s only been 3 months,they are great looking figs though,i just hope my painting can do them justice.They`ll probably arrive alongside the Helion Austro-Hungarians and the Perry BAL Riflemen,i`ll be spoilt for choice at the end of March,oh i`ll have a new baby as well,due date is April 1st-no chance of going to the Triples,then.
cheers,Andy
Tuesday 17 March 2009
Friday 13 March 2009
Memories
I`ve just seen on the Steve Dean forum that a new range of figures for the Crimean War is on the cards,there`s no mention of the manufacturer,but suffice to say if it`s one of my favourites then a new period is definitely on the way.
Which all takes me back to the halcyon days of the late 70`s when i had no money to buy figs with but plenty of time to paint them.In those sun-drenched days of school i used to buy Peter Laing 15mm figs and they used to cost 7p for infantry,14p for cavalry,21p for a mg and 28p for artillery(if memory serves).I used to save up my pocket money until i had £7 and then i`d ask my father to write me a cheque and i`d buy the required amount,always £7worth,because p&p was free on orders over £7.The point of all this is that i used to buy Crimean War figures a 15mm Russian infantryman took about 2 minutes to paint,black boots battleship grey coat and muffin cap,bit of flesh on hands and face,brown line for his musket tipped with silver and "hey presto"complete.
If i wasn`t buying Crimean figs i was buying Belgians and Austrians for 1914 and then re-fighting the table-top teasers printed in "Military Modelling"magazine and my WW1 armies used to manouvere and fight in the manner of their 18/19th century counterparts.
Was i happy,you bet i was!
Which all takes me back to the halcyon days of the late 70`s when i had no money to buy figs with but plenty of time to paint them.In those sun-drenched days of school i used to buy Peter Laing 15mm figs and they used to cost 7p for infantry,14p for cavalry,21p for a mg and 28p for artillery(if memory serves).I used to save up my pocket money until i had £7 and then i`d ask my father to write me a cheque and i`d buy the required amount,always £7worth,because p&p was free on orders over £7.The point of all this is that i used to buy Crimean War figures a 15mm Russian infantryman took about 2 minutes to paint,black boots battleship grey coat and muffin cap,bit of flesh on hands and face,brown line for his musket tipped with silver and "hey presto"complete.
If i wasn`t buying Crimean figs i was buying Belgians and Austrians for 1914 and then re-fighting the table-top teasers printed in "Military Modelling"magazine and my WW1 armies used to manouvere and fight in the manner of their 18/19th century counterparts.
Was i happy,you bet i was!
Thursday 12 March 2009
What a difference 45 minutes makes
Well,that didn`t take long,a quick look through my lead pile and i`m back in 1830`s Spain,painting up a Perry minis Isabelino mountain gun and crew and the 18th century is forgotten(for now).
cheers,Andy
cheers,Andy
New Periods
In my last post i wrote about an early 16th century set-up,now i`m seriously thinking about early 18th century.I`ve always fancied The Great Northern War,and i bought and painted quite a few Musketeer Minis Swedes and Russians before the range stalled,but now i`m thinking Duke of Marlborough and Front Rank figures and GNW and Reiver minis,i`ll give it a few weeks and see if i`m still enthused,the great thing about the two manufacturers named above is that they produce almost complete ranges for the wars mentioned and i do fancy an 18th century set-up(Phil Olley`s site has tempted me once too often)
cheers,Andy
cheers,Andy
Thursday
Whilst i wait i`ve started to paint up some Great War BEF cavalry and some Anglian regular army Abysinnians,it`s odd,but,no matter how many figs i`ve got in my lead K2 i still yearn for new figs to arrive rather than paint the "must haves"/"can`t live withouts"that reside in numerous shoe boxes on top of my book shelves.
I ordered some TAG Spanish sword and buckler men for the early Italian wars yesterday,i`ve gone off at a complete tangent and am now contemplating building up armies for the opening conflict of 16th century Western Europe,i`ve always been interested in the Italian Wars,but all that plate armour to paint was just too much to contemplate.
I`ve been tinkering with the Schleswig-Holstein figs and i have now decided to go with a white under-coat and to shade the figs and possibly use "washes",although this was a technique i was never very good at,we`ll see how they turn out.
Over on Phil Olley`s site he speaks about the "Macdonaldisation" of our hobby,people want a quick fix paint an army up in a matter of days and then move on to the next,that`s fine if that`s what you want,me i prefer my more leisurely approach,and i genuinely enjoy having several armies/periods on the go at the same time,i really envy people like Phil who can stick to one period for years build up a beautiful collection and then move one,but is a collection ever finished?Do you ever have all the figs you need for an army?I don`t think so painting is an integral part of our hobby and i think we never just play with our figs we`re always tinkering with them in some way,re-basing or touching them up(ooer).
Makes me wonder if we`re ever satisfied.
cheers,Andy
I ordered some TAG Spanish sword and buckler men for the early Italian wars yesterday,i`ve gone off at a complete tangent and am now contemplating building up armies for the opening conflict of 16th century Western Europe,i`ve always been interested in the Italian Wars,but all that plate armour to paint was just too much to contemplate.
I`ve been tinkering with the Schleswig-Holstein figs and i have now decided to go with a white under-coat and to shade the figs and possibly use "washes",although this was a technique i was never very good at,we`ll see how they turn out.
Over on Phil Olley`s site he speaks about the "Macdonaldisation" of our hobby,people want a quick fix paint an army up in a matter of days and then move on to the next,that`s fine if that`s what you want,me i prefer my more leisurely approach,and i genuinely enjoy having several armies/periods on the go at the same time,i really envy people like Phil who can stick to one period for years build up a beautiful collection and then move one,but is a collection ever finished?Do you ever have all the figs you need for an army?I don`t think so painting is an integral part of our hobby and i think we never just play with our figs we`re always tinkering with them in some way,re-basing or touching them up(ooer).
Makes me wonder if we`re ever satisfied.
cheers,Andy
Wednesday 11 March 2009
Still Waiting
For Conquest to send me my Seminoles(or just answer an e-mail),the Helion Austro-Hungarians(well worth the wait)and for Perry minis to send me some BAL Riflemen and Carlists advancing at porte,i haven`t decided on the unit yet.I could also say for England to win a test match,but that would just be silly.
cheers,Andy
cheers,Andy
Wednesday 4 March 2009
Feeling Strangely Fine
You`ll have to excuse the use of a Semi-Sonic title for the post,but it sums up my current mood,must be the sunshine and the knowledge that Spring(or something like it)is fast approaching.
Bad news this morning,an e-mail from Duncan at Helion tells me that the Austrians won`t be available to send out until late March,i was in that "could come any day"mood,but now i know i`ll have to wait,oh well you never know the Seminoles might make it over the Atlantic one day,i`ve noticed on the Northstar site that they have started to stock one pack of the pre-order figures,so you never know my order from December 6th might not be far behind!
Grreat news about the Carlist wars book from the Perrys that should be out for March 28th,i really like the way that when the Perrys do a range they do the lot and they also give you a great deal of background info the period covered,oh nice figures too.Speaking of all things Carlist,i may have to order some figs i`m very taken with the BAL rifles and i`m thinking Richard Sharpe 30 years later(maybe his son-now would that contravene copywright-is that spelt right?).
Over in Schleswig-Holstein,1848,things progress slowly.I`m finding the figs a bit awkward to paint using my usual style and i`m thinking of going back to the old "white undercoat"method that used to work so well.Matt has posted pictures on his site of the new Schleswig mounted officer and i have to say he is a superb figure,speaking of Holstein,we currently have a 4 pack of Holsten pils on offer buy 3 for a fiver,buy a full case for a tenner.With staff discount that`s 24 bottles for£9 or £1.50 a litre sounds good to me so good i`ve got a case chilling in the fridge right now.
Anyhoo,i`ve got the house to tidy and the washing-up to do and i`ll probably stick a load of washing on before i go and pick my daughter up from nursery.
cheers,Andy
Bad news this morning,an e-mail from Duncan at Helion tells me that the Austrians won`t be available to send out until late March,i was in that "could come any day"mood,but now i know i`ll have to wait,oh well you never know the Seminoles might make it over the Atlantic one day,i`ve noticed on the Northstar site that they have started to stock one pack of the pre-order figures,so you never know my order from December 6th might not be far behind!
Grreat news about the Carlist wars book from the Perrys that should be out for March 28th,i really like the way that when the Perrys do a range they do the lot and they also give you a great deal of background info the period covered,oh nice figures too.Speaking of all things Carlist,i may have to order some figs i`m very taken with the BAL rifles and i`m thinking Richard Sharpe 30 years later(maybe his son-now would that contravene copywright-is that spelt right?).
Over in Schleswig-Holstein,1848,things progress slowly.I`m finding the figs a bit awkward to paint using my usual style and i`m thinking of going back to the old "white undercoat"method that used to work so well.Matt has posted pictures on his site of the new Schleswig mounted officer and i have to say he is a superb figure,speaking of Holstein,we currently have a 4 pack of Holsten pils on offer buy 3 for a fiver,buy a full case for a tenner.With staff discount that`s 24 bottles for£9 or £1.50 a litre sounds good to me so good i`ve got a case chilling in the fridge right now.
Anyhoo,i`ve got the house to tidy and the washing-up to do and i`ll probably stick a load of washing on before i go and pick my daughter up from nursery.
cheers,Andy
Sunday 1 March 2009
March
Already!doesn`t time fly when you`re getting older and your mortality is starting to become a real issue?Will i have enough time to paint all the figs i want and game all the periods i`m interested in before i die?will England win a test match???will Man City win an effing game?It`s all pretty depressing innit?Will i ever paint those TAG Polish winged hussars that have sat in my "to do" box forever?Iknow i said that 17th century Eastern Europe was off the cards,but who was i kidding(only me)and now the Italian Wars are looming and we all know that landsknechts and Ottomans means Mohacs(1526 not 1697)so now 16th century Eastern Europe beckons,where`s Elisabeth Batory when you need her?
Before i go,it`s late and i`ve got an early start tomorrow,i am the only one who thinks all the publicity about Jade Goody is only that and that there`s nothing wrong with her or am i just an evil ,old cynic,who`ll feel really bad when she dies(my mother died of breast cancer and i don`t remember Mohammed Al Fyed giving a shit about her).
cheers,Andy
Before i go,it`s late and i`ve got an early start tomorrow,i am the only one who thinks all the publicity about Jade Goody is only that and that there`s nothing wrong with her or am i just an evil ,old cynic,who`ll feel really bad when she dies(my mother died of breast cancer and i don`t remember Mohammed Al Fyed giving a shit about her).
cheers,Andy
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