On the painting desk from now until April.

I am now back home in the city for winter, and I now have access to my mancave once again. However, the large table has been disassembled as it was too large and heavy for wargaming, it was originally built for a model railway. With that out of the way, I now have a 5' x 2' 6" folding table. Though obviously smaller, it is far more practicable for this small room. A 6' x 4' piece of MDF or similar, will be purchased, and it can sit on top of the table for larger battles when required. At other times the table is both my paint station and computer station.

For the next three and a half months I shall be concentrating mainly, but not exclusively, on 28mm figures. I ordered the Conquest Games Normans to do battle with my Anglo-Danes and Vikings.

I went for a single box of Archers.

Two boxes each of Knights and infantry, that should give me all the troops I need. I also want these guys to double up as early crusaders, to battle against my Saracen army. I am not sure which way to go for basing yet, either singly the same as the Vikings and Anglo-Danes, or four infantry figures per base as the Saracens.

I am currently working on the 4 point Viking warband from Saga, these are the metal figures to go alongside my already completed plastics. I also have a 4 point Anglo-Dane set to paint up as well.

I can now also return to my Imagi-Nations project, I still have one cavalry and three infantry regiments to paint, as well as metal command figures and gun limbers from Front Rank.

With thoughts of a much smaller area once I return to the coast in April, I ordered a 10mm Marlburian British starter army from Pendraken. It all comes in one bag, with a couple of artillery pieces, limbers and crew, in a smaller bag. I have already cleaned these guys up and am very impressed with the sculpts. I need to order both mounted and dismounted dragoons and some mounted officers as they don't come in the starter bag, nor do any figures in the shooting pose.

Having now seen the quality, my next order will be the French starter army with the required extras as mentioned above. This will be my project over the summer to build the basis of two Wars of the Spanish Succession armies. Other nationalities will be added in due course.

Finally, I am awaiting delivery of an order from Baccus. I was very short of cavalry for my ACW armies, as well as officers for basing as Divisional and Corps commanders. The cavalry will be based on 30 x 30mm bases as opposed to the 60 x 30mm I currently have. This will allow for column on roads etc. much as I did with the infantry I completed last winter. I hope to do some work on these over the winter to enable me to take them all back with me in April. The 6 and 10mm are ideal for the small space I have available during the summer months. All the 28mm will remain here, for use over winter months.

Imaginations Project. - Summer Reinforcements Challenge completed.

Having successfully completed my challenge of painting up four infantry battalions and six mounted commanders, I took the opportunity to muster all the troops so far built and painted.

Walivia have a squadron of cavalry at the rear, three line regiments of foot, two artillery pieces and of course, two mounted brigadiers.

Karacia have exactly the same make up of units.

Cadesh has only two units of foot so far, a third will be added.

Some shots looking along the ranks.

I would like to eventually have five battalions of line infantry for each nation, this would then allow me to form a combined grenadier battalion of 20 figures, leaving five line battalions, also of 20 figures.

I can then begin to add some fusiliers, guards in bearskins etc.

What you see lined up is the contents of two Marlborough Army starter box sets, with the addition of just one extra cavalry squadron.

Now at a more leisurely pace, the first of three more standard cavalry regiments is well underway. Another unit for Walivia.

Once each nation has two standard cavalry squadrons, they like the infantry, will receive some fancy units, Cuirassiers, mounted grenadiers, possibly lancers too. This is after all, Imagi-Nations.

I will post another update when the final two cavalry squadrons are complete.

Imagi-Nations Project. - Summer Reinforcements Challenge.

The project is progressing very well, mainly due to the Tabletop Commanders Summer Reinforcements Challenge. The challenge runs from the 1st of June until the 31st July, I pledged to complete four regiments of foot and six mounted commanders, in that time.

I did purchase two Marlborough Army starter boxes a while back, I had already completed the cavalry and artillery, plus three regiments of foot, so the boxes were emptying quite quickly. However, with the lovely weather, I could find plenty of other things to do, and the project slipped a little.

My pledge would see the completion of every miniature in the two boxes! Once I started, I soon got into a rhythm and the four units of foot were built, primed and painted in short order, I was on a roll.


Four completed units of foot, however, the regiment in sky blue with red facings, was begun before the start date, it was the final foot regiment in the first box, so I am not counting that as part of the challenge. The other three though, have been painted in the last ten days.

I intend to have a mass basing and flocking session when all the regiments are complete.

The final regiment in the second box, is now well underway. Another battalion for Karacia.

The final part of my pledge is the six mounted commanders, they have now been built, both horses and riders, the latter just loosely sat on their mounts for the time being. I shall prime and paint them on completion of the last foot battalion.

I expect the whole pledge to be completed by the 21st of June, so a total of three weeks. I will probably take a break from the painting for a while, as I would love to put some of these on the table and fight a battle or two, using Pikeman's Lament or One Hour Wargames rules. I think I have earned that reward. I do still have three boxes each of cavalry and foot which I ordered after the box sets, once I knew exactly how my Imagi-Nations project was going to progress. I also have of course, those metal command figures and gun limbers from Front Rank, patiently awaiting their turn on the painting table.

I think that the three boxes of cavalry will be the next priority, and maybe I will increase my pledge to include them. We shall see.

Imaginations Project- More work done and command figures.

I recently took delivery of my very first Front Rank figures. I wanted command figures that were a little bit special for my three nations of Culm. They are not cheap, but the quality is amazing, the sculpts are superb. Very little flash and mould lines were cleaned off with a couple of passes with a mini file.

First up, I ordered four limbers for the guns. They came in in at a hefty £6.25 each, but the quality is excellent and if I want limbers, then pay I must.

Although I currently have six artillery pieces, I only ordered four limbers as well as eight draught horses to pull them. The horses are £4 a pair, so the limbers and horses in this photograph came to a grand total of £41. Expensive, but you get what you pay for, and they are simply superb.

I also received a number of the command figures from their War of the Spanish Succession range. So the Duke of Marlborough, Marshall Bouffiers et al, will become generals or even kings, in my three armies.

The figures do not come with horses, you have to order them separately, but I think you will agree, the sculpts are top notch.

I also received the cards and two sets of dice for Mortem et Gloriam, an Ancient and Medieval rule set. I am currently well into the planning stage, with my good friend Nik, for a campaign game set during the Hundred Years War. We have a map, values for regions and cities, as well as a campaign system, which we are tentatively naming 'Point of Honour.' It will allow for numerous battles and should keep us entertained for many months to come. The campaign will be filmed live, so you can watch us on You Tube. The rule set will also be ideal for my Wars of the Roses armies too.

A second infantry battalion for Walivia has also been completed and work has started on the second battalion for Karacia. This is part of the Tabletop Commanders Summer Reinforcements challenge, to which I have pledged to paint up four battalions of infantry for the Imagi-Nations project by the end of July. I will of course post photographs here on my blog too.

Imagi-Nations. A progress report.

I have completed the third squadron of cavalry to add to my forces. Introducing the unit for Karacia.

The tufts are still wet with PVA and the sword scabbards are still to be added.

A line up of of what I have managed to build and paint since mid March.

 

Karacia.

Cadesh.

Walivia.

This gives me an excellent nucleus to build upon.

I still have three more cavalry and eight more infantry units to build.

They will all be standard line infantry and regular cavalry, the specialist troops will come later.

Imagi-Nations. Second pair of artillery done, work commencing of third.

Cadesh now has its two 8 pound artillery pieces and crew.

Violet uniforms with lemon cuffs.

Also in tricornes, rather than the round hats that come with the kit.

The bases turned out pretty good.

Very happy with these two units.

Basing work started on the two Karacian eight pounders.

The crew are built, primed and now receiving base coat colours.