Replacement fences

My old fences have seen good service over the years but they are now past it (by my current standards). So I've created a new batch out of large lolly sticks, matchsticks and an old rattan blind.

Still need a few more gates, the ones I used were MDF, but I will 3D print some more.

The whole batch

More gliders have landed

Another pair of 3D printed Waco gliders, but in this case they are depicted being unloaded.

A jeep is in one and a trailer in the other. These were the slightly smaller versions shown earlier

More Ottomans for Palestine WW1

I decided to increase my Ottomans for Palestine so I acquired a second set of the lovely Strelets figures. Part of the bundle was some more artillery crews so I printed off some Krupp 77mm Feldkanone for them to use.

In due course I will dispose of my older HaT Turks (link)

Some WW2 allied bits

I've recently finished a few extras from my oddments tray

Some US airborne jeeps that I have modified before 3D printing to remove crew from the back and add stowage. The smaller jeep/trailer combination is 1/80 and will be used as loads for my gliders.

A pair of Challengers to go with my Airfix Cromwells

Pictures from Attack 2023

Had an enjoyable day at the Attack show in Devizes yesterday. I had chance to catch with many old friends from "down south". It was particularly aided by a pint of excellent Black Rat cider. Here are some pictures of things that caught my eye.
Some lovely 28mm figures from Eagle Miniatures

Romans v's Successors

The Borderers at Oosterbeek in 28mm

Caretan in 15mm, lots of lovely laser printed buildings and vehicles

Nice 28mm Cowboy characters from Black Scorpion

A tempting selection of 20mm buildings from Blotz

and 28mm for western gunfights

SYW Grenz Infantry

These figures are something that had been on my wishlist ever since Revell released its Seven Years War figures back on the late 90s and at last with 3D printing I can produce them. The basic figures have seperate torsos, arms and heads and I rapidly discovered that assembly would be a problem at 20mm. So I learnt how to pre-assemble them in 3D builder and although not perfect they are well good enough. The first pair of units are the Banal Grenz #1 and the Peterwardiner Ottocaner Grenz, which are quite distictive in their blue and red jackets.

It would be nice to find some mirliton heads so that I could do head swaps to build other units

RCW Anarchist leaders Makhno and Schuss

A useful little addition to my Russian Civil War collection from Wargames Iluustrated digital. A pair of figures of the Anarchist leaders Nestor Makhno and Fedir Schuss. These were scaled to 20mm and one set was painted as described, but the other pair was given a more generic appearance.

I think I need a better camera (or technique) to show off the detail on the figures.

Mousquetieres Gris and Dutch Cuirassiers

After a busy Saturday fighting with my Bundeswehr against Warpac I have completed two of the latest sets from Strelets. The Mousquetieres Gris will provide the fourth unit of my Maison du Roi brigade.

At the moment the two unts of Dutch cuiraasiers ae very generic, grey coats with red or blue facing were very common and very few specific flags are available.

As for the other Strelets set, "German Cuirassiers skirmishing" I have not found a unit to tempt me yet

15mm Bundeswehr Infantry.

This is the end of my work on the Bundeswehr for now. I have 3D printed and painted three platoons of Bundeswehr plus supports.

The figures came separately, but I created bases and combined them before printingI have all the possible teams I need for Battlegroup except a heavy machine gun, so I can keeping an eye out for an stl file for this.

A close up of one of the platoons

Progress against plan Q2 2023

A position for half way through the yeear with 1,172 items completed so all going well on the "Great tidy-up".

Compared against specific targets I set

1. Rationalise my Terrain, upgrading or replacing any unsuitable items - still not started - I need to get this done while the weather is warm
2. Retouch/Rebase as many figures as possible. - Zulu War completed
3. Attempt to complete all the figures in the stash that have a clear fit with my current plans - underway
4. Clear out all unwanted items - had a first purge on ebay

Amplifying the above:

1. Rationalise my Terrain, upgrading or replacing any unsuitable items

• Wooden Fencing needs either upgraded or replaced
• Hills, I have too many of the wrong sizes
• Rivers need expanded
• Wadi/Depression edges need created

2. Rework/Rebase as many figures as possible.

• Zulu Wars - delayed from last year - All completed
• Dark Ages - not started
• Russian Civil War - not started
• possibly Napoleonic British - not started

3. Attempt to complete all the figures in the stash that have a clear fit with my current plans

• Finish the WSS - Completed all but the latest sets released by Strelets, which are now in progress
• Scottish schiltron - completed
• More "Cossack" infantry & cavalry - completed
• Baggage camels for the Crusades, Sudan, etc. - bought the relevant STL files and printed them, I just need to find some handlers
• Replace my old Napoleonic French Dragoons - Completed
• Napoleonic Spanish infantry for skirmish games - not started
• 28mm ECW cavalry - not started

4. Clear out all unwanted items, including painted figures

• Assess each existing period, army, and units to consider if I am really going to use them - underway - some sold on ebay
• Reduce the figure stash from 4 crates to 3 - underway - some sold on ebay

5. 3D Printing - the bulk of my immediate needs have been printed so I am looking at

• ways to produce matching 20mm figures & smaller equipment to complete my Napoleonic and other armies
• components for houses and other terrain - have produced some bunker doors
• work on how to make/modify files to meet my specific needs - getting reasonably adept at using 3D builder

6. Gaming

• Play at least one WW2 Sicily game as is is the 80th anniversary this year - not done yet
• I would like to try Dresden 1813 as it is the 210th anniversary - not done yet
• Attend as many shows as possible - managed Vapanartak, Hammerhead and Phalanx so far

On the Workbench - July 2023

Half the year gone already and most of June seems to have been taken up by 3D printing, but overall I am making good progress. There is a slight change in priotities with the output from the printer but I will be working on:

• Painting all my newly printed 1/100 Bundeswehr infantry (well underway)
• WSS French Musketeers of the Guard (carried over but well underway)
• WSS Dutch Cuirassiers (carried over but well underway)
• SYW two units of Austrian Grenz (again well underway)
• More WW1 Turkish Infantry & Artillery (not started, but I have printed the guns they will need
• Then as time permits work on my terrain

I also plan to be at Attack at Devizes in a couple of weeks, just meeting up with friends and conveniently visiting family at the same time.

Current state of the workbench: