26/06/2024

More progress with the 3D printer

I've been investing in quite a few new STL files and working on a number of others and now it's time for the printer. The most major effort was a bathtubbed Horsa glider, which pleasingly printed perfectly.
Others were a bit mixed as expected for a first run. The Opel Blitz bus failed to print its left wheels, ditto the Light Reconnaissance Car and the Daimler hull losing one wheel. The M8 Scott, SWS, ML20 and Crusader Gun Tractor were all fine, together with the French drivers I created.

25/06/2024

Renault TN-6 Bus

I bought an STL of a Renault TN-6 the claasic Parisian bus of the 30s and 40s that was also used by the military. it was cheap, but I discovered in was for an FDM printer and needed to be printed in pieces and then assembled. Luckily I have learned enough to be able to build it virtually and this is the final version straight off the printer.
Just a little fettling to do like increasing the diameter of the support poles in the cabin.

24/06/2024

Poles & Muscovites v's Ottomans big game

As is traditional on the day after Phalanx he Gentlemen pensioners mustered at Steve's in Salford for a big game. This year we were reduced in numbers with only five of us, but we had a great days gaming.

Poles/Muscovites to the left Ottomans to the right.
I took command of the Muscovite right wing up against hordes of Ottoman cavalry
At the height of the action

22/06/2024

Phalanx 2024

Not to early a start for the show as it was just over the Mersey at St Helens, thanks to the Spartans for being such great hosts. We (Lance and Longbow ran through Montgisard 1177 twice with both the Franks winning both, but in one it looked like the Ayyubids might just mange a non-historical win. Thanks to all those who participated.
Just to keep Martin happy, here's a Macro shot
First game in full flow
Our club game of DAK Attack in 28mm generated a lot of interest in the game and also our club
Other games of interest
Omaha beach
MAWS western desert WW2
North West Frontier - tempted to make the Chitral style fort
Big boys toys 54mm Napoleonics in bulk

21/06/2024

Yet more Napoleonic "French" skirmishers rebased

These are the last of my Napoleonic skirmish games figures to be rebased.
Strelets Foot Dragoons and HaT Young Guard
Strelets Poles from a couple of their early sets providing enough for two normal units and one small unit of Grenadiers
Off to Phalanx tomorrow where I will be rerunning my Montgisard 1177 game for the Lance & Longbow Society and also helping out on our own Beacon Wargames Club game of DAK Attack.

19/06/2024

Continuing the Napoleonic Peninsula rebasing

Another four units rebased, these were very much the left-overs from my main Napoleonic collection as the poses did not fit and I had enough skirmishers already. Now rebased as 3-2-1 for Rebels and Patriots
The British - Revell Infantry and HaT Light Infantry.
The French - HaT Light Infantry and HaT Fusiliers

17/06/2024

Napoleonic Spanish Guerrillas rebased

My Spanish Guerrillas were a collection of various figures accumulated over time and various styles had been applied to each era. So they were an obvious candidate for rebasing to the 3-2-1 standard I am using for Napoleonic skirmish games.
Figures are a mix on Hinton Hunt, Newline and HaT.

15/06/2024

A bit late for D-Day - Paratroops

I didn't manage to complete these before visiting my older daughter, so they are only now completed since my return. So here are the new Mars US and British Paratroops plus a few extras as noted.
The British, these include some rebased personality figures from SHS and my 3D printed Para with carrier pigeon.
The US, this includes a couple of command bases that have the Wargames Illustrated Captain Winters figure added, scaled and printed in 20mm

04/06/2024

On the Workbench - June 2024

I've managed to finish most of what I planned to in May, so I have an almost empty painting table to start the month, I will work on
  • some WW2 British and American Paratroops for a D-Day painting competition - these are underway
  • Rebasing my Napoleonic skirmish game figures based on my old plaster based basing
  • Similarly rebasing my German Mediterranean Fallschirmjager and adding a few extra heavy weapons
  • French Dragoons for Egypt 1800
  • Continue working on my 3D printed oddments
  • Start up the 3D printer, hopefully to produce some Horsa gliders plus some other new STL files I have bought
Finally I will be at the Phalanx show in St Helens on 22nd June, I will be supporting both the Lance & Longbow Society and my local Beacon Wargames Club.

01/06/2024

WW2 Russian winter troops reworked & rebased

My WW2 Winter Russians like some other figures painted around the same time were based with plaster filler, gradually over time it discoloured and recently it started to crumble. So time to upgrade them with new bases using decorators caulk and snow powder.
The three original units were organised for Rapid Fire and didn't give enough gaming flexibility so I added extra figures to make them up to three platoons with supports

Ski troops
1st Platoon.
2nd Platoon