Swiss Pikemen

Seems to have taken ages, but here are the bulk of the Swiss, 96 pikemen. It took a while working out how to assemble them and what proportion of pike to halberd I should use. I ended up with a 2:1 ratio, so the next stage is modelling the halberds on the next 48 and then painting them. They are organised as three large pike blocks that can also be split in two, each half relating to a canton,(more or less). All the figures are MiniArt Swiss Pikemen.

Bern and Unterwalden


Zurich and Uri


Schwyz and Basle


All the pikes are welded on replacements from florist's wire Figures are based for WRG 6th, but the front rank pikes have extra depth.

The next stage is to create halberdiers from the same figures
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For those interested the flags are mostly modified from FOTW versions or from Alex's flags There are also flags available at Dansk Figurspilsforenings.

New club website

After what seems like a long wait, Deeside Defenders has a new website.
http://www.deesidedefenders.co.uk

Legation Walls - WIP

Been stuck in a bit of a modelling rut as various projects have stalled for one reason or another. On Thursday at the club, Pete and I had a quick check of the plans for the Boxer game planned for the SOTCW at Gauntlet(*) this summer.

preparing for this at least spurred me into action and here is progress so far on the legation walls

Pete also posted a version over on the SOTCW events blog containing his figures.

The walls are basic foamboard, these were quite rough on one side so I made a virtue of this and added some vegetation over the rougher areas. Tiling is just a strip of corrugated card.

The main effort is adding the firing steps, I've added two sorts so far a timber frame and banked up earth, but I will also add a stone step to the others, but this can be removable.

Result of the test was I now have a clear plan of what is needed, which is about triple what I have done so far. This will also include gates into the legations and also some broken sections.

* Gauntlet will be held on 2/3 July at Broughton Wings Club, Chester CH4 0DR. Unfortunately there are problems with the club website at the moment.

WMMS

Had a very enjoyable day out at WMMS apart from some very slow trucks on the A41 on the way there in the morning. Lots of impressive games and each time I left the stand I remembered too late to take my camera and vowed to remember it on the next attempt!!.

Among others I met Ubique a fellow blogger, it's always nice to put a face to a name and he has posted some pictures of the games. Hopefully Alumwell will post some pictures on the club website shortly.

Not a great deal of purchases

• Matchbox Sdkfz 11 + 75mm + figures from the B&B, that will go into my longer term DAK project.
• Pegasus WW2 French Infantry - should round off this army nicely (who am I kidding)
• Plastic Soldier Company WW2 British Infantry - I'll use this to upgrade/replace my existing Matchbox figures.
• A job lot of Revell Prussian Hussars and Austrian Dragoons - I've got the SYW bug again, and I've only a few left.
• Riever Pilots - for my MS406 and LA-7 as I can't find the ones I previously bought and I've hunted high and low.

Only managed to sell one of my mate's books on the B&B, what a disappointment, seems I am cursed to having these around the house for a while longer. I also sold four old WW2 British trucks, which I had converted from the Airfix Austin K2 Ambulance and now replaced with the QLTs/QLDs that I painted earlier.

SYW Extras (3) The Hessians/Brunswicks

The last of my extras are these Hessian and Brunswick cavalry, which enable my AWI Germans the opportunity to operate in Europe, again under contract to the British Government.

On the left are Hessian Hussars, Von Militz Kuirassiers and Lieb Dragoons. On the right are Brunswick Hussars, Karabiniers and Prinz Fredrich Dragoons.
The Brunswick Prinz Fredrich Dragoons did not exist in the SYW, but it does mean I can use them as cavalry in the AWI as well, if they had found any horses.

WMMS on Sunday

I'll be there, but there won't be a Lance & Longbow stand, so I can be found helping out on "Dave Lanchester books". It does mean I'll get some more time to browse the traders and displays.

Airfix Bedford QLs

Just completed a pair of the new Airfix QLT/QLDs. A great kit, with hardy any issues in construction, just fixing the windows in place and I suspect the tarpaulin on the QLT is a bit fragile. The decals were also a great selection allowing a good range of options.

As per most of my Northwest Europe British, these are marked up for the Guards Armoured Division and the QLTs for the 5th battalion Coldstream Guards.

Also note GB&SB are selling them at £7.50.

SYW Extras (2) The British

Like my French, the main weight of the army comes from my AWI collection and the only additions are cavalry. In the front are the 16th and 17th Light Dragoons, full strength version of the same figures (Italeri) and units I have for the AWI. Behind are the Kings Dragoon Guards, 4th Dragoons and the Royal Horse Guards.

At the right rear is another home made caisson.

SYW extras (1) The French

While I had my camera handy I took some photos of the extra units I created a while back to make my AWI armies capable of fighting in the Seven Years War.

Firstly the French. As you would expect it is just artillery and cavalry as the infantry is well covered in my AWI army. behind the guns is one little extra, a unit of engineers.



On the right, Bercheny Hussars, Mestre du Camp General and La Reine .

To the left, Chasseurs de Fischer, Orleans and Royal Cravattes

A couple of generals

While painting the SYW Bavarians I also completed this pair of commanders for my War of Spanish Succession Imperial and Bavarian armies

The mounted figures are from the excellent Zvezda GNW Russian Dragoons, I would use more of the mounted officers but I'm not sure what else to do with the rest of the set.

On the Workbench - March 2011

Ok, fresh from my success from last month another stretch target

• 144 x Swiss Pikemen (Miniart)
• 2 each British Guards Armoured Division QLD and QLT (Airfix) as part of the Dave Howitt (Britannia Miniatures) memorial build on The Guild
• French Morane Saulnier MS.406
• Russian Lavochkin La-7

Plus I still need to get some legation walls sorted.