Progress against plan 2026 - Half Year Review

Half way through the year and only 446 items completed, which is very poor progress, but I did get both the 3D printers running. It leave me with quite a sizeably painting backlog to complete by the end of the year Breakdown of progress so far:

1. Reworking my Napoleonic Russian Army - well underway
2. Enhance existing armies- well underway
3. 3D printing terrain (FDM) - started, but lots of learning to consider
4. 3D printing vehicles and figures (resin) - First run of the year completed
5. Continue to clear out all unwanted items, including painted figures - Good progress
6. Enjoy Games & Shows- OK so far

Amplifying the above:

1. Reworking my Napoleonic Russian Army

• Rebase existing Russian Line Cavalry - completed
• Decide whether to replace or rebase existing Cossacks - tested rebasing and decided to stay for now with existing cossacks
• 3D print Infantry to replace Version 1 Springwood Infantry - all now printed
• Rebase Version 2 Springwood Infantry, plus new 3D printed officers, etc. - printed as above, now ready to paint and base
• Decide how to replace existing Militia (HaT) - decided to sell and have sold them, I have printed some extra infantry to replace them

2. Enhance existing armies - already planned are

• Napoleonic Saxons/Westphalians when I can find suitable STL files - still have not found suitable files
• 28mm Wild West terrain including a mine (non MDF) - completed
• Some more 28mm Gunfighters including some Indians- have printed mounted Mexicans and a stagecoach
• 28mm Gangs of Rome figures.- not started
• Some Spanish medieval infantry for the El Cid period- completed apart from some crossbowmen
• 3 units of Almoravid Heavy Cavalry- completed
• 3 units of SYW British Infantry - 4 units, half of which are painted
• 4 units of WSS Spanish (Walloon?) Infantry - purchased
• 3 units of WSS French Cavalry- not started and I have acquired another 4 units
• Legion Nautique for the French in Egypt 1800 - printed I now need to paint
• Hanoverian limbers for the SYW - completed
• a couple of units for the SYW - I decided on Hessians and have completed them.
• Assemble and paint Wild West buildings received at Xmas - I have assembled and painted them apart from some signage. I have also added some purchased buildings I now need to paint them.
• Support the stash reduction by painting useable items - started

2. 3D Printing Terrain (FDM)

• Test printing a Horsa using FDM- conducted a digital test and decided it was feasible
• Vietnamese hooches - Printed, but I need to finished painting them
• Western European buildings - not convinced by the files I have
• Spanish/Mediterrainean buildings - not convinced by the files I have
• New bridges - not started

3. 3D Printing Vehicles & Figures (Resin) - in the summer

• Napoleonic Saxon and Westphalian Infantry - not found suitable files yet
• Napoleonic Russian Infantry - Completed - all printed
• Maybe Napoleonic Russian Cossacks? - not needed
• Gradually replace existing diecast and other poor quality AFVs in my collection - slowly clearing them out, quite a number went when I sold my winter troops

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 - cleared out my winter terrain, various naval projects and my 15mm West Germans
• Sell the identified surplus, probably on ebay - sold quite a lot now, but need to keep on selling
• Review stash (figure and plastic bits box) aiming to reduce from 3 to 2 crates by painting or selling the excess - no progress yet
• Identify replacement STL files for my 1st version Springwood Prussian figures for 2027 - not convinced by the files I have found so far

5. Gaming

• Continue supporting the Beacon Club and attending as many weekend events as possible - OK so far
• Try to attend the same number of shows as last year - Managed to get to Vapnartak but unfortunately WMMS was cancelled this year and I only managed to attend Phalanx this quarter

On the Workbench - July 2026

In June I had still not recovered my painting mojo till late on, but I did get a substantial amount of resin 3D printed.

I hope to be working working on:

• Remaining two units of SYW British infantry (All primed)
• Complete the Vietnamese buildings (Primed and first coat now painted (base colours are now on I just need to finish off the final washes, etc. - still waiting to be finished)
• 3 units of WSS French cavalry (Assembled and washed ready for priming - Still)
• 4 more units of WSS French cavalry (from my latest purchases)
• Paint the wild west buildings acquired at Games Expo
• If time permits get started on the Russian Napoleonics I have printed

Also, I plan to attend Attack in Devizes

SYW British Line Infantry - part 1

This is only part 1 as I only produced two out of the four planned British Line Infantry Regiments so far, there are the 20th and 25th regiments, who both have yellow facings, the 20th being paler.

The figures are Redbox Jacobite Rebellion British, which are well suited to the Seven Years War. The 20th are at the front in the bright morning sunshine.

Almoravid Heavy Cavalry

A slow burner as I always have difficulty selecting the right colour palette for irregular troops

The base figures are Almoravid heavy cavalry from HaT and will be used with the rest of my Islamic forces either for El Cid and Crusader era skirmish and big battle games

Sunday in the Sudan

As is traditional after Phalanx we all particaoted in a big game over at Steve's in Salford. This year it was the Sudan. The Egyptians were defending the Riverside town and neighbouring village against a horde of Mahdists. The British plodded across the sand in the baking sun to their rescue.

My command, the cavalry and camelry

The Egyptians repel three assaults

Still holding on except the Mahdists have taken a building in the town.

By the end of play thanks to the staunch Egyptian defense there was no hope of success for the Mahdists.

Phalanx 2025

Myself and a contingent from the Beacon club put on Nantwich 1644 at Phalanx, as other members who had planned to produce a game were running behind schedule. Still is was a great game using a modified big battle version of Pikeman's Lament. These are pictures of the pre-battle setup as once action was started I spent most of my time organising the action rather than taking pictures. Nevertheless the battle turned out a narrow Parliment victory.

Other games

Seelowe 1940 Germans v's Home Guard

Culloden in 54mm, lots of entertaining conversions

Zorndorf - SYW Prussian Russian bash

Ramillies

An age of sail ship v's shore engagement, I would have liked to have time to find out more about the ships and the rules

And no picture of the Lance & Longbow stand where I would have usually been participating as it was too busy - well done guys

On the workbench - June 2026

So May turned out to be a complete distraction from painting. First my insurer decided to write off my car so I had to hunt for a new one, and then I realised with the sudden onset of hot weather I could get the 3D printer started again. The month ended with an outing to UK Games Expo, quite an experience. Also I managed to sell off all my Winter terrain and armies. But overall not much progress on the painting so I am working on:

• Almoravid heavy cavalry (almost there, needs a final push on all the detailing)
• Four units of SYW British infantry (All primed, half with their facings blocked in - no progress in May))
• Complete the Vietnamese buildings (Primed and first coat now painted (base colours are now on I just need to finish off the final washes, etc. They were already good enough to use in a game last month))
• 3 units of WSS French cavalry (Assembled and washed ready for priming - Still)
• Paint the wild west buildings acquired at Games Expo
• Complete the latest 3D printing campaign, mainly Napoleonic Russian Infantry, plus various ypgrades/replacements for existing vehicles

Finally Phalanx is on this month and the club is putting on the battle of Nantwich 1644