- working on the Hussite wagons (really Polish renaissance but I want to keep them flexible enought to use for WRG 6th as well as later periods)
- Loads of mounted men at arms and hobilars for my English HYW army
- Some dismounted men at arms for the same (but I think I'm going to need more)
- The Strelets Medieval Levy 2 (these will act as either spearmen or pike depending on army I use them in)
31/08/2009
On the Workbench - September 09
Is it September already? I've decided that this will be a medieval month so it will be:
29/08/2009
Ottoman Tufekcis
Just finished some cannon fodder for the Ottomans. This is as close as I could get to Tufekcis by modifying the Orion Janissaries by cutting down the hat and adding a tissue paper turban.
The Orion figures are better for irregulars as there are only two figures in each pose.
The musicians at the back are a bit of decoration to accompany my Ottoman commanders
The Orion figures are better for irregulars as there are only two figures in each pose.
The musicians at the back are a bit of decoration to accompany my Ottoman commanders
27/08/2009
Munitionspanzer Wespe
I acquired a third Matchbox Wespe as part of a purchase and rather than reselling I decided to add a Muntionspanzer version to my existing force. Overall 683 standard Wespes were built along with 158 Muntionspanzer Wespes. I couldn't find any interior details for the vehicle so I simply added the blank plate that covered the apperture and gave it a canvas cover over the fighting department.
When I photographed it up against the originals it was vary apparent how humbrol sand and dark green paint colour has changed over the years, assisted by fading I'm sure.
When I photographed it up against the originals it was vary apparent how humbrol sand and dark green paint colour has changed over the years, assisted by fading I'm sure.
25/08/2009
Wargame Army Planning
Phil Olley's blog raised the issue of army planning and I admit that although I try to plan, my armies just grow like “Topsy”. So I thought it was time to explain my own approach having passed 22k figures.
The origin of my lack of discipline stems from my use of the Springwood plastic Napoleonic figures. At this early stage of my wargaming life I had two small Napoleonic armies based on Airfix figures, but I decided to widen my scope to cover the Prussians and Russians. Springwood offered packs of 48 figures, 12 each of British, French, Russian and Prussian line infantry and I bought enough for 12 units of each. It also linked with the bath Wargames club plan to refight Borodino. Of course Springwood didn’t stop at one set but both upgraded the quality and increased the range of figures, the current size of my Napoleonic armies reflects this. Also given the wide number of Napoleonic armies I now have, any new figures for the period have an instant attraction such as the Strelets Eclaireurs
A long time back I decided that (a) I would stick to plastic 20mm (b) I would always build at least two sides to a conflict and (c) The army should fit on an 8 x 6 table
My SYW army is still the best example of my approach to army planning and one where I have not subsequently made any changes to it. My major constraint was using just he plastic figures available, but Revell had provided enough to cover most of those needed. Like many of my armies I worked on the premises of twelve 24 figure infantry units, in the period would give me twelve 8 figure cavalry units for a 3:1 ratio typical of the period. For the horse this worked out simply into equal thirds of hussars, dragoons and cuirassiers. I kept the Prussians to 12 units, but these were 8 Line, 2 Grenadier, 1 Frei Korps and 1 Jaeger. The Austrian foot was larger (to compensate for the quality?) with 8 Line, 2 grenadier and 4 Grenz. It meets all of my three criteria
Another pair of armies was for the Anglo-Zulu war, once Esci released the figures I estimated the rough numbers required and for most games these are what I stick with, however I did subsequently buy a small number of extra (metal) figures to enhance the army. Again it meets my criteria.
I’ve also had failures, like the Crimean war, where Esci released Russian infantry/artillery and some British cavalry, so I have subsequently been wary of starting a new period until sufficient figures are available. Btw, Strelets now have some excellent figures for the period, but…
Along with the Naps WW2 is the other period that just grows it seems that every scenario needs some additional vehicle that is not in my collection, and there is the constant flow of new figures for the period. Having a large number of armies, I am still managing to resist the allure of Poland 1940 and the Far East campaigns. The one constraint that has helped here is my attempt to use 1/76 scale wherever possible for the vehicles
My ACW armies have very much stabilised as I have more than enough to fill a table and luckily there are not that many “pretty” units you can add.
Ancients/Medievals are a lot easier as I just have to produce enough figures to meet the requirements of the army list.
Linking back to Phil Olley’s post, my TYW armies started out as a simple project, once Revell produced the figures, but gradually grew once I became committed to a demo game for the Pike & Shot Society at Triples in 1997 (I think). This was Lutzen in 1632 and I built my armies to give a scaled down representation of the forces involved while not representing every unit involved. Since them with a few minor exceptions the armies have stayed unchanged until now when Phil is tempting me on his blog and the spare figures in my stash seem to demand to be used!!
The origin of my lack of discipline stems from my use of the Springwood plastic Napoleonic figures. At this early stage of my wargaming life I had two small Napoleonic armies based on Airfix figures, but I decided to widen my scope to cover the Prussians and Russians. Springwood offered packs of 48 figures, 12 each of British, French, Russian and Prussian line infantry and I bought enough for 12 units of each. It also linked with the bath Wargames club plan to refight Borodino. Of course Springwood didn’t stop at one set but both upgraded the quality and increased the range of figures, the current size of my Napoleonic armies reflects this. Also given the wide number of Napoleonic armies I now have, any new figures for the period have an instant attraction such as the Strelets Eclaireurs
A long time back I decided that (a) I would stick to plastic 20mm (b) I would always build at least two sides to a conflict and (c) The army should fit on an 8 x 6 table
My SYW army is still the best example of my approach to army planning and one where I have not subsequently made any changes to it. My major constraint was using just he plastic figures available, but Revell had provided enough to cover most of those needed. Like many of my armies I worked on the premises of twelve 24 figure infantry units, in the period would give me twelve 8 figure cavalry units for a 3:1 ratio typical of the period. For the horse this worked out simply into equal thirds of hussars, dragoons and cuirassiers. I kept the Prussians to 12 units, but these were 8 Line, 2 Grenadier, 1 Frei Korps and 1 Jaeger. The Austrian foot was larger (to compensate for the quality?) with 8 Line, 2 grenadier and 4 Grenz. It meets all of my three criteria
Another pair of armies was for the Anglo-Zulu war, once Esci released the figures I estimated the rough numbers required and for most games these are what I stick with, however I did subsequently buy a small number of extra (metal) figures to enhance the army. Again it meets my criteria.
I’ve also had failures, like the Crimean war, where Esci released Russian infantry/artillery and some British cavalry, so I have subsequently been wary of starting a new period until sufficient figures are available. Btw, Strelets now have some excellent figures for the period, but…
Along with the Naps WW2 is the other period that just grows it seems that every scenario needs some additional vehicle that is not in my collection, and there is the constant flow of new figures for the period. Having a large number of armies, I am still managing to resist the allure of Poland 1940 and the Far East campaigns. The one constraint that has helped here is my attempt to use 1/76 scale wherever possible for the vehicles
My ACW armies have very much stabilised as I have more than enough to fill a table and luckily there are not that many “pretty” units you can add.
Ancients/Medievals are a lot easier as I just have to produce enough figures to meet the requirements of the army list.
Linking back to Phil Olley’s post, my TYW armies started out as a simple project, once Revell produced the figures, but gradually grew once I became committed to a demo game for the Pike & Shot Society at Triples in 1997 (I think). This was Lutzen in 1632 and I built my armies to give a scaled down representation of the forces involved while not representing every unit involved. Since them with a few minor exceptions the armies have stayed unchanged until now when Phil is tempting me on his blog and the spare figures in my stash seem to demand to be used!!
22/08/2009
Mobelwagen
literally a "furniture van", it's a real box on tracks.
I had to construct four new sides as the original was missing three. There were two styles of side wall one with the top sloping inward and the other just made of a flat plate, so naturally I made the flat plate version. Unfortunately I only discovered to late that the small plates on the front and rear were made to fit the side wall when it was lowered to about 45 degrees, typically I had copied the small plates for the sloped sided version!! Hopefully the camo will hide the error most of the time.
Here's a picture of the original Eidai Mobelwagen as purchased.
In retrospect perhaps it would have been just as easy to build one from scratch on an Airfix panzer IV chassis.
I had to construct four new sides as the original was missing three. There were two styles of side wall one with the top sloping inward and the other just made of a flat plate, so naturally I made the flat plate version. Unfortunately I only discovered to late that the small plates on the front and rear were made to fit the side wall when it was lowered to about 45 degrees, typically I had copied the small plates for the sloped sided version!! Hopefully the camo will hide the error most of the time.
Here's a picture of the original Eidai Mobelwagen as purchased.
In retrospect perhaps it would have been just as easy to build one from scratch on an Airfix panzer IV chassis.
20/08/2009
22K and counting
Just updated my figures database and I'm please to announce the passing of another milestone, I now have over 22,000 painted 20mm figures.
made up as follows
2,974 Ancient/Medieval
1,908 Renaissance
3,403 C18 - WSS/AWI/SYW
6,400 Napoleonic
1,344 American Civil War
1,182 Colonial
4,846 20th Century
22,057 in total
made up as follows
2,974 Ancient/Medieval
1,908 Renaissance
3,403 C18 - WSS/AWI/SYW
6,400 Napoleonic
1,344 American Civil War
1,182 Colonial
4,846 20th Century
22,057 in total
19/08/2009
WW2 Partisans
I'm not sure why I painted so many as I can't see myself using all in one game (but that is now the challenge) in retrospect it would have been better to have used two of each pose and traded the rest.
The force is made up of the contents of two Caesar sets WW2 Underground Resisters (Partisans) and Partisans in Europe. There are some lovely figures but for some reason some of the poses only have one figure. I particularly like the figures in trench coats (front left) and the will make excellent gestapo, etc. I managed to find a couple of MMGs and a mortar in my bits box so the partisans can have some more substantial firepower. My only other quibbles are the large number of SMGs and the thickness of the bases.
The force is made up of the contents of two Caesar sets WW2 Underground Resisters (Partisans) and Partisans in Europe. There are some lovely figures but for some reason some of the poses only have one figure. I particularly like the figures in trench coats (front left) and the will make excellent gestapo, etc. I managed to find a couple of MMGs and a mortar in my bits box so the partisans can have some more substantial firepower. My only other quibbles are the large number of SMGs and the thickness of the bases.
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