El Cid Era Spanish

A bit of a whim purchase, I thought they would expand my range of options for using Lion Rampant. They do, and I've now ordered more foot to make up a bigger force (for now). The figures are all HaT from their El Cid range. Unfortunately most of the figures are still of their old bendy soft plastic.

In the meantime I have been getting the 3D resin printer back in action.....

Islands (in the sun?)

I acquired two sets of islands from Irongate Scenary at the Wirral Warboot. Although I was tempted to make them look more fancy I decided on keeping them robust enough to cope with normal game/club usage.

I may make another set with a more mediterranean colouring when I get the chance and inclination.

Progress against plan - 2Q25

Progress is beginning to pickup with 841 items completed, normally I would have completed over 1200, but there have been various distractions. Hopefully I can get back on track for the rest of the year.

Progress on my broad themes:

1. Enhance existing armies - Underway
2. 3D printing terrain (FDM) - Nothing done yet as I still haven't had a clear period to run it.
3. 3D printing vehicles and figures (resin) - About to get started, I hope
4. Continue to clear out all unwanted items, including painted figures - Nothing done yet
5. Enjoy Games & Shows - Going well

Amplifying the above:

1. Enhance existing armies - already planned are

• Continue rebasing the French Napoleonics - Now waiting for figures to be printed
• then I will start on the Austrians - All the figures have been rebased, but I need to print and paint some replacement flying artillery gunners
• 28mm Female Gunfighters - Completed
• 5 units of Napoleonic Spanish round hat infantry (1 of which will be skirmishers) - Completed
• 4 units of Napoleonic Italian line infantry - Completed
• 3 units of Napoleonic Young Guard skirmishers - Completed
• WSS Danish Cuirassiers - Nothing done yet
• Hanoverian limbers for the SYW - Nothing done yet
• Some Spanish medievals for the El Cid period - Nearlt done
• plus the figures listed below to be 3D printed - Nothing done yet

2. 3D Printing Terrain (FDM)

• Test printing a Horsa using FDM - Nothing done yet
• Vietnamese hooches - I decided the hooches I bought were not well designed and I need to find something better
• Western European buildings - bought files from a kickstarter
• Spanish/Mediterrainean buildings - Nothing done yet
• New bridges (all eras) - Nothing done yet

3. 3D Printing Vehicles & Figures (Resin)

• Napoleonic Saxon and Westphalian Infantry - Nothing done yet
• Napoleonic Russian Artillery & Gunners - Replacement files have been purchased
• Napoleonic Polish Lancers, French Guard Horse Grenadiers and Chasseurs a Cheval - Nothing done yet
• WW2 Russian paratroops - Nothing done yet
• Gradually replace existing diecast and other poor quality AFVs in my collection - Nothing done yet
• Working on more figures with the Resin printer using the more robust resin I have found - Nothing done yet

4. Continue to clear out all unwanted items, including painted figures

• Re-assess each existing period, army, and units to consider if I am really going to use them - Nothing done yet
• Maintain stash (figure and plastic bits box) at 3 crates and hopefully reduce the numbers - Nothing done yet - but nothing substantial purchased
• Consider the future for my 1st version Springwood figures as I have the capability to replace them with more compatible figures to the 2nd edition - Nothing done yet - but I am tending to favour selling them

5. Gaming

• Continue supporting the Beacon Club and attending as many weekend events as possible - Well underway with additional periodic games at Si's "Officer's Mess" during the week.
• Try to attend the same number of shows as last year - Like last year only Phalanx this quarter

On the workbench - July 2025

Well June has been quite a month and my painting effort has been concentrated on our local pub rather that figures.

So there has been little progress and I am working on:

• Work on "El Cid" figures to modify my existing Crusader armies to Spain - well underway and I've nearly finished painting the figures
• Islands for Naval Games - well underway
• Start assembling the 28mm "Gangs of Rome" figures - still unstarted
• Bystanders for "What a Cowboy" - slowly being painted
• WSS Danish Sjaellandske Cuirassiers - Now ready to be painted
• Two units each of Austrian and German Cuirassiers - with the arrival of new figures I have sorted out a rough plan to progress.
• Start up the FDM printer - not yet done as I never seem to have a clear period to get started
• Restart the resin printer - as per the FDM printer
• If possible start on a US Army platoon for Nam 68

Mid month I hope to visit family in Wiltshire and get to the Attack show at Devizes.

Recent purchases

With the arrival of some new sets from Strelets, it was time to top up the stash.

So my plans for using them are from right to left:

• The Orion figures will provide some well needed figures to create a US Army and USMC platoon for Nam68 to replace my old Esci.
• The Chinese will add a bit of colour to any WW2 Burma or "Back of Beyond" game.
• The WSS Duch will become exactly that, a brigade of Dutch Foot
• Holy Roman Empire Grenadiers will boost my existing Austrian Foot
• The WSS British Cavalry were intended to boost my French Line Cavalry but somehow I only bought one packet instead of two
• Similarly the SYW (Jacobite) British Infantry should have been two packets, but the intention was to use a pair of these two items to make up the order to give free postage, but something went wrong

So I've already started on another top up list

Dutch Line Infantry for Trebian

Bunker Hill 1775 refight

Followng Phalanx the Gentlemen Pensioners gathered in Salford to refight the battle of Bunker Hill 1775. I was Prescott, one of the rebel commanders, commanding the defence of the front and south face main redoubt. The rules used were a modified Rebels and Loyalists (?), which all of us apart from the umpires were unfamiliar with.

The British on the move

The British threatening the redoubt, my command is the front facing off a feint attack

The assault rolls in, and the British Grenadiers break in on the weaker northern side

Overall a historicl ending with the British taking Breeds Hill with heavy losses, especially on their southern flans.

An enjoyable days gaming before friends had to depart to the various poimts of the compass.

Phalanx 2025

A big day for the Beacon Club as we had two games at the show, Dave & Owen's Post D-Day bash and Si's battle of Arsuf put on for the Lance & Longbow Society. So to start here is Si's version of Arsuf 1191 AD Richard the Lionheart's victory over Saladin.

Ready for the off, with Saladin catching Richard on the march.

Mid point of the first game with the Crusaders under pressure

We managed to play two games over the days with Richard just managing to win both.

Now onto Dave and Owen's game which won best in show

Well done guys

Now other things that caught my eye, like these well painted crusaders and saracens by the LWA

Our neighbouring game was the Italian Wars

A nice looking WW2 jungle game

Fuentes de Oñoro 1810

WW2 action in Greece 1941 with Rapid Fire

Sassanid and Byzantine

My limited booty, the Dewotine will become a Vichy version and the two Panzer 38(t)'s will replace a plan to print a few more. The 28mm Hoplites was very much an impulse buy to go with my gangs of Rome, but couldn't be passed up at £5 for 34 figures, the Krupp Protz will just go in the stash for now.

Overall a great day out with not too far to travel