Constructive Work on B for C Game

Just a quick post to share a few photographs of our test games for the Bloggers for Charity. There will be a few full reports of what we came up with as all of us have blogs and post on the B for C blog. Without giving much away by Saturday evening we had nailed down the forces needed and some real show stopping extras that will make this game a real bit of eye candy.
A big thank you to Loki and Kev for traveling to the coast for this weekend and to our host's my Mum and Dad. One bonus of our hard work yesterday is that we can spend today playing SAGA only broken by a great Sunday roast (its a hard job but some one has to do it)

We ran through the game twice and both games were great fun
Peace James

Plaid new style.

I have been busy painting a fair bit of plaid recently and have picked up a new way of doing it off a blog, the blog is a fantastic one about the Scots in the Civil war, check it out Project Auldearn 1645. So inspired I created the below plaid.
If you are wondering why I am only showing the back of the figures it is because these are part of a SAGA Irish force I am painting for Loki as part of a Community Trade.

I am very happy with the look of these and I will be sticking with this style from now on. I have also finished the base's on Johns F&IW French which will be packed up this weekend and sent home next week.

Blog Giveaway Winners WIP

While it has been hot as hell in my painting room I have knuckled down to work on two of my Blog giveaway winners prizes. I have finished the painting on the Front Rank F&IW French for John just the base's to do these have been great fun to paint and I know they are going to get some great use.

The Blog Giveaway winner Carl sent me a load of Pulp fiction figures I have henchmen, Scientists, Spys even some Capt Scarlet troops. To start with I have done the flesh on these Jumpsuit henchmen. I have added an image of the colour that Carl wants them painting.

Phalanx 2013

This Saturday I nipped up the road to St Helen's and the Phalanx show this was the first show I made it too after I returned to the UK so it holds good memory's for me. This year I was more going there to network rather than buy stuff, but it would be just wrong to not come away with anything. I think there were lots more traders that on previous years and less demo games, for me it was getting a little claustrophobic.
I picked up two box's of GB plastic's which I can use for Saga and Dux Britannia, they should give me enough troops to do all the core units I need and I will take my time looking around for leader models. I picked up another 2 pts for SAGA Irish to add to the starter force I already have these I am painting up as part of a trade with Loki.
I had arranged to meet up with Loki so we could catch up with all things Bloggers for Charity and generally put the gaming world to rites. We both wondered over to catch up with Andy from AW Miniatures who had brought along the latest greens which were incredible I have added a few pictures for you below.

I also remembered to pick up some new paint brushes.

Painting Desk Progress

It seems a shame to ignore this great sunny weather and sit indoors and paint, but I think 12 years of Mediterranean summers has given me enough Sun to last a life time so I happily sit in the cool and try and paint quickly before my paint dries on the pallet.
First up I have finished the 6 Indians with bows I have the movement tray and base's to finish but very happy with these I have painted so many Indians I fine them very quick to do now.

Next up are my WIP shots I have started my Dad's Saga Vikings doing the Leader and 4 Berserk's, I have these Vikings and Anglo-Danes for Dad and I have Scots Welsh and Irish to paint up and sell. I have added a shot of the 3 BB Goblins I am working on now.

I plan to do a little challenge in a few weeks. My weekend runs from Sat 06:00 till Monday 22:00 which means I like to do a load of painting on a Monday after I have dropped my Wife off at work. I plan to challenge myself to paint one of my Saga 4pt armies in the 24 hours from Sunday 16:00 till Monday 16:00 (which is the time I pick my wife up and return home to sleep before work). I plan to try and do a few blog posts during the 24 hours and try and post hour by hour updates on the Saga forum.
I will update more on that when I work out the details.

Painting Desk update

I have been a busy boy, last few bits left on the 3 Orc BB figures and started on the 3 Goblin BB figures. The F&IW Rangers are just awaiting the flock and other base materials. I have started on the next 6 F&IW figures Forest Indians with bows. I have also completed the first batch of 15mm WW2 Germans part of a commission. The last thing I did today was sort out the prizes for my Blogs third anniversary, I will be creating a post for that later today which is two weeks out from the day. As a taster I have 6mm 10mm 15mm and 28mm figures some even painted will also be a voucher for my painting services.

Assegai Officer

I have almost finished the unit of Zulu war British, these are BlackTree Design Figures which while very nice are not my pick for this era. This may give you a hint as to what I will be mostly painting if Curt run's the Winter challenge again (and I get a place), I bought rather a lot of Empress Miniatures Zulu War british at Salute this year which are sitting on my shelf waiting for winter, I will be buying and building lots (and lots and lots) of plastic Zulus this year ready to be primed for winter.
I have just a few highlights and the lace to do before I finish the base's, hope to have them completed this weekend.

I have also made good progress on the F&IW Rangers.

Painting Progress

I have been so busy with other things that I have not got as much painting done as I would normally. That along with the weekend trip to Triples has left me with little progress to show you.....Bazinga any one who follows me know I need little time on the brush to make progress.
Below are the 6 French/Canadian militia and movement base. The current position of the Zulu Brits (these will be for sale after if anyone is interested), the next 3 Orcs and 6 Rangers. Enjoy.. Also just for Ray I have my latest 15mm commission work.

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.