Let the games begin!

Finally, after what seems like months of solid painting, be it 6 or 28mm, I have enough units to actually fight a battle or two. The Cigar Box Battle Mat which I ordered a month ago has also landed as a bonus. This is the mixed scrub land 6 x 4 feet which is devoid of roads, rivers etc. this will allow me to place down my own as required. The mat is the same high standard as my other mat and will be christened with a few practice battles over the coming days.

Looking down the whole length of the CBBM, the table is currently set at three feet wide so a generous twelve inches actually hangs down the front of the table, I do have a couple of hinged flaps at this side of the table to give me a full 8 x 4 foot table.

A low level, close up shot of the mat showing the texture that has been achieved by the manufacturer.

I have four rule sets, all of which will be used over the coming months, some are more suitable for skirmish others for larger battles.

Lion Rampant prefers that the figures be single based, however the other rule sets recommend bases. I have a shed load of these old Zvezda Age of Battles bases, which I have covered in card and then flocked.  They measure 80mm in width, the ruler also shows imperial measurement for those, like myself, who still think in that scale.

Width or depth is about 60 - 65mm.

Of course I can stand any number to together to increase the width or depth of a unit.

A unit of foot knights in Lion Rampant, though they in actual fact would not be on a base for that rule system.

Can easily be converted to a stand of 12 figures for other rule sets. I did also base them in such a way as to allow for casualty removal should the rules call for it. Always good to be versatile with basing.

A unit of light cavalry fit perfectly, three to a base, to represent a unit.

Same unit with the photo taken from a higher angle to show the excellent fit for the bases.

So the reward for all the months of painting is lots of battle ahead. The mat will also be perfect for my 6mm ACW as well. Good times ahead!

More thoughts on Stock.

After yesterday's blog entry, I actually rooted out a few bits and pieces, both to show you and also to remind myself just what was lurking, untouched and unloved in the storage boxes. Even I was amazed at just how many boxes of figures and also kits, sat there waiting to be discovered.

The 28 mm Romans from the two box sets are mostly still on the sprues but I did find that I had actually painted up about 20 legionaries as opposed to the half a dozen I thought I had done. A few are shown in the following two photographs.

They really are lovely sculpts and should really be seeing some action on the table top. With close to 300 figures  Roman, Celt and Ancient Briton, all to be painted, that is a project that will be tackled sooner rather than later, too long have they sat idle. All the painted figures are mounted on one penny pieces, I may continue that trend and simply put them on movement trays. The Hail Caesar or even the L'Art De La Guerre rules should do nicely.

My attention then turned to the 1/72nd scale figures that had been squirreled away, many have been painted and based, but far more sat ignored. One of my first finds was a kit for a castle and also a second kit for a fortress. Both by the same manufacturer and they were bought to be built as a larger castle, parts from the fortress being used to enlarge the castle kit. Lovely artwork on the box by MiniArt.

The kit itself is still sealed in a poly bag, unopened in the five or six years I have owned it.!

The instruction sheet is also still in the box.

The smaller fortress kit, which was and still is, intended to enlarge the castle. The extra walls and possibly the towers put to use.

Once again still sealed in its poly bag.

This was bought to be built and used in a Hundred Years War period or could also make an appearance as a Crusader castle in the Holy Land. An MDF base and some foam board is a must for this project.

In a couple of plastic tubs are some of the unpainted figures, a mixture of Hundred Years War and Napoleonics in this case.

Crusaders and Saracens as well as elephants and more Hundred Years War figures await.

 
In a second box lurk more figures, again a good mix of periods to have a crack at in here.

A real treasure chest of goodies and there are also a couple of cardboard boxes not shown, that are also full of 1/72nd scale treasures. Including Greeks, Persians, AWI British and Continentals, more Naps and even a couple of kits for assaulting the castle, namely a catapult and a battering ram!

Actually seeing and handling all this goodness has rekindled my desire to actually paint them all up and see them' do their stuff on the table top. I think you will agree, I don't NEED any more new shiny things for at least a year!