To the winner the spoils

Well just back from the show and of the 4 comps I got first in the vehicle and highly commended in the others, but Warlord had given prizes for the best historical entry in each comp and guess who made a clean sweep.... Exiles has lots of Warlord goodness will take pictures of all later.

But the most amazing thing was the prize for 1st in the vehicle which is a group of figures from the brush of
Mike Mcvey (if you do not know who he is google him). These I will take as good as pictures as I can and post at a later date.

My WECW was great fun too.

Peace from a flabber gasted James

Welcome to the followers

I thought as I have a few followers I would take this chance to give you a few more details about my hobby life. I got into wargames early at about 9 I was taken by my Dad to the local club on a Sunday so he could finish his game, while watching Singe (Dads opp) let me move his Roman Aux archers and roll the dice, I guess I was hooked from then. By the age of 10/11 I was attending the club nights at Akrotiri Wargames Club (RAF Akrotiri Cyprus), I mostly played SYW and colonial era all in 15mm and with club rules mainly written by Jed. My first army was a 15mm Carthaginian WRG army which I painted (badly with enamels), but as a few more followed (roman, Zulu, Afghan) I got better and by my teens I was painting others figures.

    My teen years where great for my gaming I had a few other lads my age all keen to game all the time, school holidays would be filled with all day colonial battles and SYW conflicts. Then the new Army Regt arrived and my world was blown apart these guys (Royal Regt of Fusilier's) had a new game called Warhammer and 25mm figures. Well soon lots of fantasy armies were winging their way to Cyprus and Dad and I had great fun painting them. My happy years of gaming had a few breaks mainly due to security threats meaning the club became off limits (due to it being a stones throw from the air field). Nearing the end of my schooling I started to find other things to do with my free time and then the Gulf war started. The club stopped as most of the members had to work pretty much 24/7. By the time things calmed down I was into my A-level and my main gaming buddy had returned to the UK his tour over, so wargames slipped down the pecking order and I grew older and wiser.

   A-levels were taken some passed and Uni beckoned, on returning to the UK I reconnected with my gaming buddy so my student digs always had a painting area and I would traval down to my friends every couple of months for a weekend of gaming. Unforunatly my friends marrage broke down and we lost contact so once again gaming and paintng got packed away. Uni lasted a few years till I dropped out and got a proper job. The next few years went the way of many gamers work, marrage, kids and not much more. Then my old man told me that Games Workshop were looking for managers ( I had drifted in to retail by now) and I applied, dusted off my paints and figures. I got the job and spent 11 months working for GW while the job was a dream the money was a nightmare and with a family to support I had to swallow my dream and left to take up a job in Warehouseing. I lost the gaming bug for a few years again but then found WAB and was reborn, before long I was attending a gaming comp every month or so and had started doing commission work on 28mm armies. I stopped the gaming after awhile but kept on painting and in the last few years have been using the on line community to improve my level of painting.

  At first I thought I could get good enough to win a Golden Demon but having now seen and talked to many winners I know I do not have what it takes to do that, but I do have a very good skill in being able to produce great TT minis in a very short time. So where does today find me, well I work nights in the Warehouse (I supervise now) and with the release of WAB 2.0 I am getting back into gaiming ( I have always played a few games every year with my Dad mostly ECW). My daughter is at Uni herself now and I have 2 mad Scottie dogs to keep me active, I have launched my painting company Exiles Painting and am starting to pick up a few jobs. Over all life is rosey if I could lose a few more stone I would say life was perfect. If you are stil reading thanks for sticking with it and I hope I can pass on some useful tips in my blogg.

Peace James

The Brewerton Boys 2010

Greek Hoplite WIP 2

I moved on to the armour started with a base coat of the africacorp highlight, washed over that with the devlan mud the repainted high areas with the africacorp, final highlight was with the pale flesh. Happy with how it came out going for a bit more that TT without spending too much time on each one as loads to do.

My Figures for tomorrow IMP contest

I have just finished these two entries for the painting comp tomorrow and wanted to share then with you. I will let you know how I get on, also entering a FOW tank and a WW2 Commando bust.

Txt for last post

I gave up trying to put txt in the last post it would not let me leave the photo edit area. Anyway I have posted a few comments about the Warlord games ECW plastics so I wanted to take the chance to show some of the figures I have painted and what I have WIP at the moment.

Warlords ECW

Warlords EWC Pike&amp&Shote Box set

Warlords Firelock WIP

Pea dot Camo easy as 1-2-3

I have used this colour scheme on both 1/35th and 15mm and feel its look just as good on both.

Greek Hoplites WIP 1

I am having to do these guys different from my usual wargames minis because I usually make the most of the faces as a focal piont of the figure, with these you see very little of the face. I plan to make the shield the new focal point, by using the decals provided and some well placed battle damage the shield should draw your eye very well.

I started with a base coat of tanned flesh followed by a wash of devlan mud. Dwarf flesh was used then with elf flesh as the highlight, not too sure how well I have done till I fill in more of the colour. I have 150 of these to paint so will do each batch with the same colours and then mix them up when I base them.

If anyone sees and glaring mistakes just let me know somtimes you are too close to the figure to spot all the mistakes.

Peace James

Picked Up the ECW boys

As I said in my last post I picked up my ECW army ready for the demo game I am to run at the weekend. I also took the time to photo the army before packing it up. The figures are all Renegade and painted in a table top std, but as a whole army I think they look very effective

I Know I put it here somewhere?

Well I had a fun weekend away from the painting table. I think its always good to have a break, also the other half likes to see more than the back of my head occasionally.

I got home a took this photo to post on the WAMP forum as we have a thread going about work areas and the to-do pile. As you can see I have a very healthy To-do pile :). I am looking forward to getting a few WAB armies done and trying out the new set of rules. The celts have been paid for by my Dad and posted to me for painting, but the Hoplites are all mine, not shown on this picture is the beginning of an ancient Indian army (my second, sold the first Doh!)

Getting Involved with the IMP

http://sheffieldirregulars.co.uk/ is a group of painters who are having their annual show, I have been asked to help out as they had a last minute drop out, so I said I will put on a demo of Warhammer ECW
Below is the advert for the show.
IMP is back, bigger and better than last year!

This year we are using two venues to make IMP a really special day.



Once again, Patriot Games, Sheffield will be hosting our painting workshops, the speed painting challenge and participation games (new for 2010) across BOTH floors, as well as providing you with a chance to do a little shopping.

La Perle delicatessen, which is just across the road from Patriot Games is one of Sheffield's lesser known dining gems. The Golden IMP Awards, and miniature display will be held in the room above the main eating area. We hope the amazing array of cakes and pastries doesn't delay you from entering!

The Golden IMP Awards - now with more prizes!

We're very happy to announce that Warlord Games and Hasslefree Miniatures are providing sponsor prizes for our painting competition this year. That's ON TOP of the medals and Best in Show trophy already up for grabs.



* Single figure * Unit * Vehicle * Open * IMPling (for 16yrs and under)

The Best in Show trophy is awarded to the piece with the highest number of votes, cast by everyone in attendance on the day. This means ANYONE can win it!
Warlord Games have donated £100+ of prizes for the best historical entries in the Single figure and Unit categories, as well as runner up prizes.
Hasslefree Miniatures have donated prizes for the best painted Hasslefree miniature in any category.

Activities
By no means an exhaustive list, but we have lots on offer throughout the day:



Goody bags (while stocks available)
Urban basing workshops
Rock painting workshop
Blood and gore effects workshop *Just confirmed*
Flora basing workshop *Just confirmed*
Speed painting challenge
Malifaux participation game
Wings of War participation game
Warhammer Historical English Civil War participation game *Just confirmed* Thats me Folks
Songs of Blades and Heroes participation game *Just confirmed*
Privateer Press Warmachine game *Just confirmed*
Irregular Magazine display
Miniature display - with prize draw for all who display their work
Miniature amnesty - loose some of your horde, or swap for something different
Opportunity to get some painting time in
Chat to other painters from around the region

Plus we plan to have more participation games and more workshops confirmed over the next few weeks


So if anyone is around pop in and say Hi I will have my user name across my back Exilesjjb


Peace James

Wamp - Painting Stand by Exile

Wamp - Painting Stand by Exile

Wamp - Tool for all your weathering needs

Wamp - Tool for all your weathering needs

Wamp - GW Imp Guard Squad using Army Painter

Wamp - GW Imp Guard Squad using Army Painter

Better shots of SAS figure

The light was good today so even though all that has happened is the paint drying I took a few more shots of this guy to share, hope to do some more work on him soon but seem to have loads on the go at the moment.

Warlord Roman

Painted up this nice Warlord Games Roman Officer, went back to my old foundry style just nice to do a quick easy paint job. Will base him up and take him along to the Sheffield Imp on the 31st.

Peace James

The First image is a FOW AA vehicle I am painting for a comp I hope to do a SBS as I use my airbrush. The last 3 images are of thr US Rangers painted this weekend.

Peace James

Productive weekend

I had a good weekend I was given a unit of FOW US rangers on Sat morning to do as a rush job. The client had undercoated them and provided the paints and the painting guide which was very nice. I started them Sunday night and completed the today, I have taken pictures and will upload them in the morning.
I was also approached about putting a demo game on at the Sheffield irregulars paintfest which I am attending on the 31st, as I am going up to the Old mans house this weekend it meant I could pick up my ECW figures and some terrain. I was happy to say yes and will be brushing up on the rules in the next few days.
The ECW cav commission is almost done now on to the last dozen, but with all this work was not able to touch my large scale figures but it gives the oil chance to dry.

I will post an entry with just the updated pictures tomorrow.

Peace James

Large Scale progress

As you can see am making good progress with the SAS dude and have started on the bust. I know you cant see them well but the eyes are done on the bust. The shine on the SAS figure is just due to the oils needing to dry.
I think I will have him finnished soon then just have to wait for the replacement gun to show.

Peace James

WAB 2.0

Well I have been looking over the new rules, there is loads of eye candy and a few bits by one of my friends from the Wamp-forum. Not only do they look good but I think Martin has done a grand job updating them too. I am kicking myself for selling off my 4000pts Indain army now as I have to get an army painted up before Dad and I can get a few games under the belt. I painted 80% of a Gripping beasts Carthaginian army last month and Dad has bought over 160 Celts to go with the 80 already painted so we can field a Gallic army, on top of this I have 160 of the Immortal miniatures Greek hoplites to paint which I can use as allies or a stand alone army (you have to love the classic period where everyone fought with and against everyone else).

All this means that I shall be posting more pictures and less words soon, the Celts will be done with Army Painter so will be a quicker job whereas the Hoplites will be a more classic Foundry style.

If this was not enough I am planing to paint a few figures to enter in the Sheffield irregulars IMP comp on 31st July, plan is a single Roman general a unit of Zulu Brits and a FOW German AA vehicle. Watch this space

Peace James

I went to Figureworld on Saturday, it was a first time figure painting show with some truly wonderful figures to look at. I took along a few of my pieces and the above diorama was photographed.It is of 4 PMC troopers in Iraq the figures are 1/35th plastic minis. As the pictures are far better than anything I have taken I wanted to share them.
I spent a little money at the show buying a great spartan bust and a small dwarf king bust. On the painting front I am almost done with the ECW cav and have started on my greek hoplites. I will try to get some pictures to put in the next post but for now I'm off.
Peace James

Large Scale Models

Below are a couple of the larger scale figures I have on the go at the moment. The colonial guy is 54mm and 90% complete and the figure with just the flesh is my 120mm SAS trooper. Both of these figures are being painted with oil paints.

The 54mm guys pictures show more of the details of the base as I completed this base also as part of a challenge on www.wamp-forum.com .