Secret Santa and Challenge update.

I was very lucky to have two fine gifts from my Secret Santa and Santa clause, I got two greta packs of Perry's Samurai that will be cleaned up and based this weekend ready to join the ranks o my Ronin figures also some great terrain scatter in the form of barrels. My Secret Santa Clause was a great figure produced by Gringo 40 this is an officer of the French Foreign Legion who will when based become a stream ship captain for the Sudan.

I took a quick shot of my paint desk, you can see that I have my Bengal Lancers under way plus some Afghans and Dark age stuff.

I was able to get my first entry in to Curt the other day a group lot of NWF Foundry Figures that I had great fun painting.

Regular Posting will be interrupted

I think my plan to post each day during the challenge and to challenge myself to complete 4500 points was always going to be a loser. I want to spend every possible second with brush in hand and stopping to take photos and blogging has taken a back seat.
I will try and post fairly regularly but it may just be a few photo's of WIP and the odd comment. Please be assured I am still reading as many blogs as I can and am very active on the FB page (as it sits next to my painting desk) but if anyone wishes to contact me drop me an email of FB message.

 

Wild Bunch Day 6

Back up to full speed again today, I completed the Guide Infantry ready for base work and dip. On the base front I have been thinking and I plan to paint the base's with the craft paint and when dry will paint the dip on the figures and base I will then complete the base work with dry brush and tuff's.

I have completed the flesh on the Camel Corp so then will see more attention this weekend. After putting away the finished figures I dug out my next batches. I am starting on the Afghan's these I will do in groups of ten painting them in the same colours and then when I put them all together they will look irregular.

I have one of my Afghan Command stands and the first unit of Bengal Cav, I think you can also see in the end of this picture my entry for the first bonus round a figure from Perry Miniatures AWI range.
Peace James

Wild Bunch Day 5

Its been a day of big changes in the Brewerton world, anyone who is friends with me on FB will know I had a shocking start to the day but I slept well and was able to hit the brushes this evening. While I did get plenty done I had no time left to take and upload pictures before getting ready for work so it looked like I was going to fail at my post a day challenge after only 4 days but I said to myself get a grip and have grabbed 5 min at work to fire off this quick post just before the days end.
The big change I talked about is at work I held informal talks with my manager on Monday and tonight I put in a formal request to return to the day shift, my manager informed me that he had already broached the subject with the Ops director and been told I would be accommodated so it looks like 2014 will be the year I return to the light. How this effect my hobby well time will tell but I do know it will free me to go gaming on evenings so I think it will only be good for my hobby.
I was going to leave this post pictureless but remembered a picture on my phone I had taken to show Dad how I plan to base our Zulus, the picture shows 2 units of NNC (2x20) the Zulus will vary from 15-20 Married to 20-50 Unmarried the bigger being on two bases the smaller on just one. It does mean a slight change to my painting tec as I will now base them after painting as even I would have trouble getting my brush in to all areas if I based first.

 

Wild Bunch Day 4

Well my painting time was well busted today..let me tell you a tale. My Daughter moved out 4 months ago but at the moment we still have her dog, this means every evening she comes home to [use our wi-fi ][eat our food ] walk her dog. Now she has a Virgin mobile phone on the same contract I bought for her 16 birthday we paid her bill all the way through Uni but I told her as soon as she got a job it was up to her to pay, so when she got her first job I dropped a few hints about sorting her bill out but a few months went by with us still paying in the end I did what any good Dad would do, I cancelled the standing order and let her know she needed to sort it out before the next payment.... you can guess what is coming. While I was on holiday in Norfolk we had a panic call from Cardiff station as her phone had been cut off and as the contract was in my name they needed to talk to me what followed was a three way talk with me in Norfolk and Mel in Wales and I am sure the Virgin rep was in India. This I stupidly thought was the end of MY troubles.... no chance the contract is up and Mel is wanting to change her phone/contract but get this I am still the name on the contract but all data protection info is Mel's so they would not speak to her but I could not answer the questions. After 20 minutes on the phone we got them to accept it was Mel's phone and she promptly cancelled it.
Problem over I hoped... Mel seemed happy and was looking at new phones on the Internet this is where I slipped up as she said I hope I can get it sorted soon.
"" you will never get it before Christmas now"" said I
Now anyone who has seen a baby after a candy has been taken off them mid chew will know the look I was now faced with. I could see my painting time fading into the night as I knew I would have to step up as Dad and get this sorted.
"" Unless you go and pick one up from a store""
"" I can run you up to the retail estate and wait while you sort it and then run you home""
The look of relief was great to see,not sure if this was all for the phone or partly for the offer of a life home as it is evil out side tonight. I had not been totally selfless in this offer as you will remember yesterdays comment about looking for craft paint at Hobby Craft (which is on the estate). So while I waited for Mel to get her phone I picked up a huge tub of brown paint for £2.
I did get an hour on the brushes after all the fun was over and have almost completed the Zulu War command stand and progressed the two Warrior monks.
So Fellow painter always remember to think before you speak as it can impact on your painting time.

Wild Bunch Day 3

So I am starting to really get into my stride, today I have been working more on the Sikh Infantry and the Zulu War Command stand. But I have been itching to get painting some of my Sudan stuff so have pulled out my Camel Corps these are by far my favourite casts from the Perry Sudan range (so far). I have not actually put a brush on them yet but they have made it from the box's to the desk.

As you can see to the left of my desk I have two warrior monks on the go again great Perry Miniature casts. I have been thinking about what to do for my base's I have loads of Sudan and NWF which I want to base the same so I can swap in units when needed. That will be a huge area of base to paint and if I use my usual colour I will soon run out of my brown Vallejo paint. I have come up with the plan of nipping to my local hobby craft and picking up some cheapish craft paint of the right tone of brown. This will last me so much longer and save me money in the long run. I have plenty of tuff's of various brown's and gold's which will finish off the base's just fine. The Zulu war stuff will use the same paint but as I have not used the brown primer on them I and sure the end colour will be a bit darker.
I have been keeping track of all the wild bunch's progress and have found the FB group a great tool while painting I can chat to fellow painters which is so much fun and gives a real group feel to this years challenge. I have been highly impressed with the efforts put in by all so far this year and Curt keeping track of all the fun side challenges has been a fantastic addition to this years challenge.

This is a view of my side storage to the left of my painting desk (which I worked out I have now owned for 24 years being as my Mum and Dad got it for me to do my A level studies on, my painting desk not the computer desk shown) as you can see I have my laptop which also provides my music, usually BBC radio 2 or a CD. All the figures you can see are my non-colonial figures for this year mostly Dark-age and Samurai with the last few French and Indian War figures.
Anyway I hope all my fellow challengers are getting into their stride and having as much fun as I am.
Peace James

Wild Bunch Day 2

Just a quick post today before work, I had a good day on the brushes and pushed the Sikh and Civies up to dip and base point. I have also started on the next unit of NWF infantry which is the Guide Infantry. I have picked out a few more of my Samurai figures as I enjoyed the last one so much.

Wild Bunch Day 1

So the day has finally arrived all of us wild bunchers are free to paint like mad things for the next three months. I was awake early today as I am having real issues sleeping on my nights off at the moment and at ten to five I gave up and took my boys out for a walk, as I returned the boys to their leads after a great run around the field my oldest Mackie took a bite at Toddy 99.9% of the time they get along fine and most of the times they don't its all bark and posture but today Mackie got his teeth into Todd's ear and drew blood. Back home I checked the damage and by then the blood flow had stopped so I cleaned him up and sorted out breakfast. The canine related issues did not stop there as I was making my cup of tea I had not latched the gate keeping the boys out of the kitchen and when my old cat came in the boys burst into the room and attacked the cat (this has happened before and I am not worried about them hurting her but her causing damage to them) all I can do when this occurs is block the dogs enough to let her make her escape, which I did today with only me suffering scratch's. All these things occured before 6 so as you may guess I decided I needed to chill out a bit and let my nerves settle before trying to paint.
When I hit the painting room I logged into Facebook and was please to see several fellow Bunchers already online and chatting away. How cool is the world we live in when painters from all over the world can chat away and enjoy their painting together.
First job was to pick out my first batch of figures to paint, anyone who followed me last year will know I like to do several bunch's of figures at the same time. I started off with some Sikh troops from the NWF and civies from the French and Indian war, I picked out one of my Ronin and added a command stand from the Zulu war and finally one of my NWF Screw gun and crew.

The pictures show you  where I am leaving them today, I have a full day of painting tomorrow before work at 22:00. I am enjoying painting all these figures but find the Ronin flesh the most pleasing work today.

Peace James

The Wild Bunch last few days till launch

Well I like many of my fellow Wild Bunchers am champing at the bit to get started on my challenge figures. I managed to add a last order to Perry miniatures this week for a bit more Madhist Cav and Camels. This was due to the very good new that my daughter her had her contract at work extended so I no longer had to hold back some money to cover her rent (if needed). I should see those in the post tomorrow and get them prepped up for Sunday.

I am very much looking forward to getting some great Colonial gaming done in 2014.
below is a rough list of what I plan to paint over the next three months:
NWF:
Gurkhas (Foundry)
Guides (Foundry)
Sikhs (Foundry)
Black Watch (Foundry)
Gattling and screw guns (Foundry)
Bengal Lancers (Foundry)
Guide Cav (Foundry)
Tribesmen (Foundry & Old Glory)

Sudan:
Naval Brigade (Perry Miniatures)
Black Watch (Perry Miniatures)
Egyption Inf (Perry Miniatures)
Camel Corp Mtd&Foot (Perry Miniatures)
19th Hussars (Perry Miniatures)
Gattling Gun (Perry Miniatures)
Madhist warriors (Perry Miniatures)
Madhist Camels (Perry Miniatures)
Madhist Cav (Perry Miniatures)

Zulu War:
3 x Infantry Units (Empress Miniatures)
1 x Marines (Foundry)
NNC foot and Mounted (Empress Metal and Warlord Plastics)
Zulus (a few :) ) (Warlord Plastics)

Dark Age:
Saga Anglo-Danes (Gripping Beast)
Viking (rather a lot) (GB Plastics)
Viking (not as many) (Foundry)
Dux B Saxon Force (GB Plastic)

SYW:
Hussars (Foundry)
Lancers (Foundry)
Hanoverian Inf (Front Rank)

F&IW:
Indians (Warlord/Conquest)
Canadian (Conquest)
Civies (Foundry/Conquest)

WW2:
Red Beret's (Renegade Miniatures)

I have a load of other odd figures like my Samurai and Cowboys that will see paint if all above is completed.

I will try and post pictures each day of the challenge so watch this space.

Peace James
 

My Challenge.

I have seen a few raised eyebrows about the target I have set myself for Curt's Winter challenge and other comments about standards..
Well I wanted to set the records straight about why my target is so high and how I plan to meet it. My hobby life has been a large part of my life always but in the last 18 months the fun and satisfaction I get has been huge, two events have been the main cause of this. First my Dad retired and threw himself fully back into the wargames hobby, this has given me a reason to paint like a mad man as we build up all the armies we want and the periods we love. Second I signed up for Curt's painting challenge, here was a challenge just up my street. I have always been a quick painter and can turn out vast amounts of lead in a short time but I work best when up against a deadline. The challenge gives me just that, I am not that interested in the challenge as a competition (in fact I turned down my prize last year) but it challenges me to complete all I want in the time set.
Now last year I had no plan just a lot of lead/plastic that had built up over years of planning but never painting. Dad and I where building our SYW and F&IW stuff so most of what I put out last year was along these lines. But Dad and I had other periods we wanted to get into and this 3 month challenge is just the push I need to paint all we need for that. To that end Dad and I have spent all year buying the lead and plastic we need for the Zulu War the NWF and the Sudan. All three of these eras have one side which is massed infantry while this is many painters worst fear, it is my one true love. Given a choice I will paint units and warbands the rest of my days. The three periods mean a lot of figures need painting and that is MY challenge, the points I score will be my little pat on the back but the real prize I am aiming for is the days of Colonial gaming Dad and I will enjoy in our wargames room.
 Now I paint to my own style and one of the tools I use it the Army Painter Dip, in some quarters this is still seen as a dirty word and not real painting. For me it is just another tool I use to produce my wargames figures, I happen to like the effect it gives my figures and I have never worried about the standard of my painting because they are my figures and no one else's. I think we are a small enough hobby without breaking down into paint styles too.
This years Target is alot higher that last years but that is due to the periods I aim to complete and the fact I have planned to do these with my Dad since March 2013 and the end of the last challenge, I also know I will have more time to spend painting as I do not have Christmas off work as I did last year and quite frankly my Wife will not be breaking her arm and needing surgery and looking after as she did in January 2013. So I have a better planned painting list and will have about 30% more time to paint, the target may look large but I hope to get their, I may not but that is why it is a challenge.
I set up the Facebook group so the painters could have a laugh and interact with each other, so we could swap tips and encourage each other and if you feel like it throw in a bit of sledging. Any one who knows me will know that I am well up for helping and encouragement but am not to fussed over sledging. My work is not the best part of my life and I enjoy a bit of an escape by going online in my break and reading blogs and FB posts but I have been absent for a few weeks as I have no desire to read multiple posts sledging me, I know you all enjoy it and say ""its just a bit if fun"" but those words have been heard by many a bullied school kid. I was taught that if you cant say anything nice say nothing, which is why I have been very quiet in the FB group, once the challenge begins I will be available to offer helps and tips and shout words of encouragment but till then I will be off line as I prep for the challege and finish the last few commissions.
I leave you with a picture of me and my Dad busy playing in our wargames room and planning our next periods.

Analogue Hobbies Winter Challenge Facebook Group

If the sledging on the page I set up is any indication this group will be a fun place to follow the challenge, I have set up a Face book Group for anyone who wants to join. If you are one of the Wild BUnch or just an avid follower check it out, at the moment I have kept it a cloased group but just send a request ann I will OK your entry to the fun.

 

The upcoming Colonial Winter

I am sure a few of my regular followers are going to just love my Winter output. I am busy mid-prep but already I can let you in on my goals for the winter. I plan to complete my three favourite colonial period forces. I have Empress Miniatures Zulu war Brits Vs Warlord Plastic Zulus fasands of em (well 200 anyway), next up I have Perry Miniatures Sudan Brits Vs Perry Miniatures Plastic and metal Mahdists and finally I have Foundry Miniatures NWF Brit (plus colonial troops) Vs Foundry and Old Glory Tribesman. All these armies will be using the Black Powder rules so I have command stands and casualty marker to do also.
If that was not enough I have a load of Dark age Viking and Saxons, the last few French and Indian war figures and a SYW Hanoverian Brigade.

 

 

If I get all that done I have a few Oldhammer Dwarves to paint and some WW2 Para's

Should be fun, I wish all my fellow Wild Bunchers good luck and strong brush tips.

Peace James

EDIT** forgot my Zombicide Zombies and Survivors, plus the survivors I bought for my game :)

Calm before the storm

I know all my blogs have gone quiet, but as a swan gliding over a lake below the surface I am paddling away feverishly. I have prepped and based over 200 figures and still have the plastics to go at, I am also finishing off a few private commissions ready to have a clear table when the 15th come around.
I am not sure how many posts I will be making before the challenge starts but rest assured I will be a very busy boy.
Below are a few of the bits I have boxed up today ready to be sent home over the next few days.

I am enjoying watching all the other challengers preparing themselves for the coming fun.
I may not be posting but James is watching
Peace James

The Challenge is thrown down

So as I hoped Curt has thrown down the annual challenge, I have gratefully accepted. In some ways I have been planning for this since I was pipped at the post last year. You will have already seen my efforts at prepping lead, well I have been at it again today. I have almost prepped all my lead, which will mean I have o move on to my plastic which takes a bit longer due to the sticking together. So far I have just based all these figures next is the huge job of graveling the base's and then a mega undercoat session (or two or three).

I have been thinking about my par target for this years challenge and want to push myself, last year I aimed for 3000 and I think I made it to 3800 (cant remember and cant find where I posted about it) but I have plans in place to exceed that this year so I plan to set myself a target of 4500.
I also wanted to take time to shout out about some fantastic service from Warbase's I posted earlier that I had used some Birthday money to start building my town for the Zombie game. I ordered over £75 worth of building while on my break at work on Wed night and when I woke on Friday afternoon I had one of those "we tried to post a parcel" cards, I went up today to pick it up thinking it would be one of my figure orders ( I have several I am waiting for) but was shocked to see it was my Warbase order. That means that they had picked and dispatched my large order in less than 24h FANTASTIC SERVICE.

even more prep, Sudan and Dark ages

A huge Warbase order picked and dispatch in less than 24h

the down side of too much prep, need to empty my bin

I hope to get back to daily posting during the challenge.

Exiles review of a busy week

Well what a week I have had from the high of Blog-Con to a very low at work mid week. I want to thank every one who was at Blog-con for making my 40th Birthday weekend one to remember.

I may have shared this one but the second was all mine :)

Always great to start the day with a sunny smile

Not Christmas yet but we had our own three wise men.

I am looking back at Blog-con and see many positives, the venue was perfect Foundry made us very welcome and kept us supplied with plenty of hot drinks.The atmosphere was all I hoped and wanted it to be, very relaxed and friendly. A few bits I will drop going forward, the demos just did not fit in with the relaxed schedule I wanted, I am most grateful to Andres and his family for showing up and it was great to put a face to another blog but I think demos would need a more planned and scheduled event. The pick up games were just not needed as every one there was either playing a demo game or chatting. Talking to guys who where there we have decided that next year will be a one day event but with a planned meal and night out after for any who wants to. I plan to speak to Foundry once we have nailed down a date about maybe opening longer for just the one day. I will also encourage people putting on demos to pair up so they do not spend all the day demo running and get a chance to join the fun. I am happy to say that both Dave and Ian have agreed to continue helping with the Blog-Con 2014 planning, so keep an eye on the blog and like our Face Book page.
I was truly inspired by Dave's Blazing Dice game and along with the Zombicide board game I got for my Birthday I see a great an fun table top game. I have been buzzing all week about it and used all the birthday money (its great when family find you hard to buy for so give cash) to invest in a dozen or so figures and buildings to start my village. I have completed the first draft of the rules and once I have doctored a deck of playing card will start some play testing. I will be refining the game over the year and bringing it along to Blog-con 2014. Following Dave example i will be sharing all the materials I create with you either on this blog or on its own dedicated blog.
I was so happy to get an email from Curt drop into my email inbox this week inviting me to join in the fun of the Winter Painting Challenge this year, as you will have seen I preempted this invite and have started prepping away, I have almost prepped all my NWF figures, started on some SYW and FIW figures and I will have loads of Zombies and survivors.

A Very British Zombie War

I have been truly inspired by Dave’s great game BlazingDice, my Birthday Present Zombicide and Michael’s fantastically quirky Zombie survivor figures. I have an idea for a game bumping around my head, I have approached Dave to ask permission to use his rules as a base and Mike who will help with play testing and painting. But in a nut shell it will be as the post title says a Very British Zombie War, imagine wargaming Shaun of the Dead.

A few brief ideas I have so far are that the Zombie apocalypse will have happened so quick that the only groups to survive will have banded together where that were at the time so the factions will be along the lines of work places and groups for example Michaels great Sixth form and the police (Hasslefree do great Hot Fuzz style figures) I even have two figures in mine for some night watchman..... the Zombies will move towards the noisest area or towards blood, so a big gun may not be your best weapon. The Zombies will spawn more each turn so the quick you complete your mission the less of the undead you will face.

Also the game will be fought over truly British battle fields, Private school grounds, country Halls, picture postcard Villages. I plan to develop this game and share it on the blog any cards/ sheets I create I will make available to anyone (much as Dave does with his blazing dice). Best of all I have piqued the interest of my Daughter and her friends as play testers.

 

If all goes to plan the game will be my contribution to Blog-Con 2014.

Watch this space.

Blog-Con Eve

Well it is almost here tomorrow is the first Blog-Con, it seems to have been in the planning for ages but is was in fact only 27th June when I posted that Blog-Con was on. I think that as a whole community we should be patting ourselves on the back for pulling together at putting on what I am sure will be a fantastic event, it is so great how things have come together, in only the last 48 hours I have been able to add a Napoleonic 6mm game and a Rouge Trader game to the list of games, I am so please that we have such a great painter and Andres to share his skills.
As to how I feel well I am excited, nervous, tired, hyper and many other things all at once, I did not sleep well today I awoke at 13:50 and my brain switched its self up to 11 so no chance of catching more sleep (I usually sleep to 15:30). I am at work as I type but have taken tonight off. This means I can sleep before travelling over to Foundry but more important lets me have a family meal tonight as our celebration of my 40th, I do not know many wives who would be happy for their hubby's to disappear for the weekend but Liz is a star. So tonight I will enjoy a Chinese banquet with my family before loading the car and hitting the sheets. I will be up early to get my boys walked and fed before I jump in the car and set off. I am picking up Mike at Stoke-On-Trent and onward to Nottingham and Foundry for 9.
I will try and take as many pictures as possible but I may find myself buzzing all around the place and forget. I am happy to say that the offer of Birthday Cake I teased you with before has come to pass my Mum has kindly cooked a couple of cakes for all to enjoy, and if you were not aware I am not the only one having a "big" Birthday +Gary Amos is also do the celebrate his birthday over the weekend so double fun.
I have packed almost all the stuff I plan on taking and I am taking the chance to offload recycle some of my lead pile with some 1/350 planes going to Ian and a large box of old GW stuff going towards the Oldhammer boys.
Anyway not much of a hobby post but wanted to get something posted as it may be next week before I have time to post again.

Me with my Wife Liz and Mackie and Toddy (our Scotties) and Tango

Me and my Boy Mackie chilling on Holiday last month