Triples 2013, and the bloggers

Just back from my day trip to sheffield to meet up with fellow bloggers and talk about our charity game for next year, we were able to meet up with AW Miniatures who is keen to help us out with our venture.
I am super tired as I got zero sleep last night so no long post just a few pictures (Loki has had his identiy hidden to protect those of nervous dispostion)
Below is Charlie Kev Loki and Mike

The second picture are the great AW Miniatures we will be using for our charity game next year. I will post more after I have slept.
 (EDIT)
After an OK from Loki I can now unmask the man himself.

What has my Blog's done for me lately

So before I show you what I have been working on today I wanted to muse about blogging and the internet. I am at heart a shy guy, don't get me wrong when I am in my comfort zone (work, wargame's, sports teams) I am as talkative as the next guy but put me in a crowd of strangers I find the nearest corner and watch the world go by. This blog and the internet in general has let me get to know people remotely and made it so when I show up at events I feel relaxed.
The Internet was made our hobby into one big wargames club, I have friend's who I may never meet in person but I follow their efforts to build new armies and try new games I interact with guys all over the world and closer to home I make connections that lead to meetings and friendships. As a guy with no club I am slowly building a group of friend who I can get my wargames fix with. Do not get me wrong the internet is not all good like any aspect of life you have people who just want to make trouble, but it's easy to block them or ignore them. Also the internet can be a cruel reality you may think you are the best painter ever but once you search through the internet you find you may not be as good as you think.
What is all this ramble getting too, well with all these blogger give aways going on I had a look at when my blog started and found it was June 6th three years ago along with this year being my 40th one on this earth I have decided to clear my lead pile with a huge give away, I will be posting soon about my planned give away but just to let you know I will have some thing for all painter/gamers 6mm, 10mm, 15mm, 28mm and large scale.
So if you are still with me thank you for sticking at it below are the latest figures crossing my painting table, I have the next 3 BB Orcs, a unit of F&IW french/Canadian light troops and a unit of Zulu War British I found in the loft last month these are acting as practice figures for the Zulu war project Dad and I are starting and when complete will be sold to fund said project.

Figure Painter Magazine

A good friend and fellow painter Shane has started a new venture, after producing the Wamp Forum E-mag Portal for a few years he has now created his own Magazine.
Figure Painter issue one is now ready for download at only £1 it is a great read for any budding painter be he a wargamer or a display painter, as the magazine progresses it will feature show reviews and game reviews, so plenty for the gamer to enjoy. (edit just had my first read through...you may recognise a few of the figures in the back :) )
Pop along to their FB page and upload pictures of your latest works,
Figure Painter Facebook
www.figurepaintermagazine.co.uk

 

 

 

New Dip with mixed results

So I had a bit of a disaster in that I failed to put the lid back on my AP Dip and it is now so think I could use it as brown grout. I have had a pot of B&Q varnish for a while with an idea to use instead of the AP stuff.

I took a chance and used this on the two units that were ready for dip, with mixed results. The Indian's I think look even better with this redder dip while the WW2 brits came out a bit too red/brown, not bad enough to redo them as they are only TT fodder so are good enough for that.
I have also been working on the next 3 BB Orc's getting a dab hand at the flesh on these greenskins now. Anyway take a look and let me now what you think.

I think I will pick up more varnish but darker, as the difference is so little but the price so much less.

Bloggers for Charity (Battle of La Blooger-Family)

Morning Gents/Ladies,
  I have already contacted a few fellow bloggers and got a good response so thought I would just put this out there and see what I get back. Since the blogger meet up at Salute I have had an idea flitting around my brian. If we are happy to meet up why not meet up with a purpose. I am thinking that we could have a blogger Demo game at Tripples 2014, but we would also try and raise money for charity. The idea is that we put on a big game of Musket and Tomahawk but as a twist, we as a community paint up the opposing forces and run a raffle (on blogger and at the show) the winner of the raffle wins the painted figures used in the demo.
  I have been looking at battles to fight using Musket and Tomahawk that gives us a good mix of units and figures and fallen upon http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_La_Belle-Famille   or as we should call it The Battle of La Blogger-Family,in this battle a smaller British force with Indian and American allies ambushed a larger French relief column containing regular french and lights plus plenty of Indians. Using M&T points we are looking at about 600pts of Brits and 1000pts of French.

Brits:
46th Foot -12
44th Foot -12
60th Foot -12
New York Regt -12
Light company -8
Rangers -8
Iroquois -6

French:
5 Line Companies - 5x12
1 Grenadier Company -12
1 De La Marine -12
6 Indian units -6x6

I think we should be able to cover terrain between all bloggers that join in. The lead costs would be spread between all taking part, I am thinking we get as many people involved as possible. Some might just paint a General or one unit of Indians while other can churn out Reg units, we have 12 months so no rush. Some bloggers might just want to attend the show and play the game one day or both. Also we might have bloggers with other skills like creating great posters and IT. I will put myself forward as the quartermaster I will distribute the figures for painting and make sure all gets done. What I need for now is for you all to spread the word around the blogasphere and get back to me if you want to get involved.
Peace James

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A full painting table.

As anyone who has read my blog will know I like to have several things on the go at once when I am painting and while I have not been painting much over the bank holiday weekend I did get back down to a couple of hours tonight.
Below is a shot of my painting table (missing a 15mm commission on the go). and a close up of the current WIP's

Also I finished the bases on the first unit of Forest Indians and the test model of the NWF Gordon Highlanders.

Sheffield Day Trip 19/05/2013

 Sheffield Tripples 2013

One of several projects being prepped

In a couple of weeks I will be packing my passport and crossing the Pennines. I am attending the Tripples 2013, I hope to be able to catch up with some of my fellow Ronin. I know its a bit "up North" for my southern readers but anyone who is going to be their feel happy to tap me on the shoulder and say hello. I will be wearing my Wamp Forum T-shirt which has my username on the back exilesjjb.
On the painting front I have completed the first unit of Forest Indians and started on the second. I am busy prepping several different projects including two commissions so will be plenty of painting to see over the next 2 or 3 weeks.
 

AWI and Forest Indians

I completed the AWI cav yesterday I managed to get them photographed today, just simple table top paint jobs.

Then today I started on a unit of forest Indians, these 6 along with a movement try from Warbases will be painted and sold in Viking Studios. I have made a break through in my painting, its one of those points that changes your style for the better. I have refined my painting and show less on the undercoat, most noticeable is the flesh where my base color is a deep flesh color. I am going to hit these guys with AP dark tone to add a bit more shading.

NWF Gordon's Highlander

Finished this chap yesterday, was happy with my first go at the Gordon Tartan. I would give myself a solid 7/10 but have learned loads so the rest should be even better. I am still fighting with this new camera, you cant see the blues in the tartan and I keep losing half the pictures I take so I may be going back to my old one for now. I have the two units of Dwarfs and the AWI cav to photograph when I get a spare min.

NWF Gordon Highlanders (tester)

I have loads of NWF figures that Dad and I are going to use with a version of Musket and Tomahawk, as this is a skirmish level army and also one of my first loves as a wargames period, I have decided to push the boat out and push my painting style a little bit.
Below is my tester model, I have completed all the easy stuff just the tartan and sock tops left.

Also I took a shot of how the BB team is looking at the moment.