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.

More work done on the Imagi-Nations armies.

I have managed to complete one foot regiment for each of the three nations that will feature in the Imagi-Nations campaign. They all still need flags designing and affixing, but the figures are based in fours on 40 x 40 mm bases and are now flocked.

I also built the six cannon from the two starter boxes, I gave to each to each nation. I went for the 8 pound option rather than 12 pound. I will add the larger calibre at a later date.

Each regiment has 24 figures, one base of each being grenadiers.

I am very pleased with the look so far.

Currently working on the first of six regiments of cavalry.

A box full of reinforcements to add to the two starter box sets. I am going to be busy for quite some time.

Third foot regiment now done.

Queen Josephine's Regiment of Foot ready for basing.

As with the earlier two regiments, the swords will be added once based. This is the first infantry regiment for the country of Cadesh, so now all three of the initial Imagi-Nations have one foot regiment.

Just as I was completing the gold on the officers and grenadiers, the bulb in my illuminated magnifier gave up the ghost! Will have to do without for now, I do have a spare bulb at home, so will collect it on my next visit.

Drummer in reverse colours and this time with a feathered hat.

The national and regimental flags have yet to be designed and printed out.

24 strong, six bases of four.

My wife chose the colour scheme, right down to the tan earth facings. I think they look brilliant.

I should have my MDF bases delivered tomorrow, so I can get down to some basing, I can manage that without my magnifier.

Cavalry reinforcements should also arrive tomorrow, so a break from infantry, as three regiments of cavalry will be next up.

Imagi-Nations. Line Regiment 'Barbeck' ready.

Kiracia's first foot regiment is ready for basing. Line Regiment 'Barbeck' named after the region from which it was raised.

24 man regiment with 16 musketeers, 4 grenadiers and 4 command.

I have not yet glued on the sword scabbards, as they fall off if you so much as look at them. I shall attach them when the figures are based.

Ready for action, or they will be, once based up.

Next will be the first foot regiment for Cadesh, in their violet jackets and breeches.

Marlborough's Wars Starter Box Set.

A quick look at the contents of the set.

Lots of bases, three sprues of horses, four sprues of riders, lots of options here, three sprues of artillery with a mounted commander on each, finally, seven? oh dear, there should be eight, to allow four 24 man infantry units. I have emailed Warlord, the other box was complete.

The sprue maps, flags, uniforms etc, on very nice leaflets.

Bases for the twelve cavalry and three mounted officers.

Single bases for the infantry and artillerymen.

Artillery sprue.

Horses

Cavalry bodies.

Infantry.

Very pleased with these sets, just a shame a sprue of infantry was missing, but I am sure Warlord will respond to my email and make it good.

2017 Project beginnings.

Well I said this year that I was not going to buy any new shiny armies, and I lasted until almost the end of June! However, all is not as it seems. I had the opportunity, via a private sale, to obtain a mint box set, namely Warlord Games 'Liberty or Death', American War of Independence, for about two thirds of the price it retails at.

As this war along with the French/Indian Wars, was going to be my next project in the new year, I took the plunge now, never look a gift horse in the mouth. I am not even going to unpack the neatly bundled up sprues, but thought I would share some photographs before it is consigned to a deep, dark cupboard until the end of the year.

Very nice cover art to give a flavour of what is inside.

The box is 17 inches long or 43cm.

Also a huge depth of just over six inches or 16cm.

The rear of the box shows the contents. When I first looked at this photograph on line, it reminded me of my childhood, aged about 10 years old, I would read the American comics and often at the back would be pictured a diorama featuring these very armies, for sale. Of course living in Britain, there was no chance of ever owning such a thing, no internet or Pay Pal then. Finally, 52 years later, I am the proud owner of a similar box set.

Inside the box are leaflets on how to build, paint the figures for the various regiments etc, as well as coloured flags that can be cut out and attached.

The final glimpse into the box is of a ton of sprues, still all neatly fastened up, with the 4Ground kits at the bottom. The bubble wrap contains the three resin gabions. I have my other projects to finish first, after all, I have waited 52 years, what's another six months?