Sunday 8 May 2022

Space Marine - Finished Army

 Unusual for me to actually finish something but the custard marines have even been in action! Admittedly they got trounced (by Tau and then other marines) but that's more of a reflection on my generalship than their shortcomings as an army. As ever I've now purchased some more units to augment the force and there's a Titan or two in the bedroom just waiting for the Adeptus Mechanicus to get their plastic clippers out.





Sunday 13 March 2022

Something different...

 Just completed the first of a new Blood Bowl team.


Unfortunately, for me, I now realise that this thrower is the first Blood Bowl miniature I have completed for 33 years... I need to lie down after typing that...

Sunday 13 February 2022

Confederates

Lots of them... I'm nearly finished the Confederate part of the US Civil War starter set I purchased last year from Warlord. I haven't gone for specific units but just a general rebel feel, well as rebel as you can get with a muted palette of greys and browns.

The first six regiments

I went with three bases per unit and purchased some additional command stands for the resultant extras.

This time with a few Brigadiers

So far I have:

  • 15 completed regiments
  • 5 just waiting for bases to flock
  • 5 waiting for paint.

Then finish the guns and cavalry



And onto the Union and some garage games!

Sunday 30 January 2022

Space Marine

 A few months ago I mentioned that one of the groups I play in was getting into Space Marine. This resulted in me digging out my old copies of Adeptus Titanicus and Space Marine. Of course not content with some 30+ year old unpainted miniatures I in true wargamer style went off and bought some new stuff...

Whirlwinds, Vindicators, fighters and a devastator sqaud from Vanguard Miniatures

Some dreadnoughts from Alternative Armies

Close up of Pseudo-Predators

All in my favourite livery of the Imperial Fists aka the Custard Marines!


Sunday 16 January 2022

Battle of Britain: Monday 15th July 13:50

 "Collins was unlucky enough to be the only one fuelled and loaded when another scramble came. The weather was tolerable with a bit of cloud and Collins soon found the bandits - 3 Ju88s heading over the coast having just completed a raid"

This was based on an encounter between Ju88s from LG1 who were intercepted by a lone spitfire after bombing the Westlands Aircraft works. The Luftwaffe had to get as many planes as possible off the table, Collins had to shoot down as many as he could.

Collins is rated with a Regular pilot rating the Ju88s conjured up 2 Aces and a Regular. The Luftwaffe's good rolling continued into set up with 2 of the Ju88s starting in an Advantaged state.


Turn 1

Collins decides the situation does not require subtlety and comes in fast and hard inflicting a hit on a Ju88 and with a failed save the Luftwaffe aircraft goes down a level. The Germans all get a chance to fire using their turrets but the Hurricane is too swift and nimble for their gunnery.

Collins opens the engagement

Turn 2

The advantaged Ju88s move first this turn and go full throttle for the table edge. Collins gets another shot at the Ju88 he hit last turn but misses. He then burns advantage to ensure he gets on the bomber's tail but his subsequent shot also misses. The Germans blaze away with their defensive guns but it proves ineffectual.

The Hurricane gets in behind the flight of Ju88s

Turn 3

Nothing much happens this round. The Germans all move first and Collins uses his turn to up his advantage level ready for turn 4.

An uneventful turn

Turn 4

Collins gets in behind his target and lets off a burst - its a hit! The German fails and this time it means one of their engines has been knocked out slowing the aircraft for subsequent turns.

Turn 5

Collins persistence pays off this round. Another hit and the damaged Ju88 plunges into the Channel. Confidence up Collins tries for the flight leader but misses. The Germans again fail to register a hit.

One bomber downed another in his sights!

Turn 6

The first Ju88 fires with no effect. Collins' first round of shooting misses but his second inflicts some damage on the flight leader but he must have got too close as he in turn takes a hit and fails to save!

The Luftwaffe and RAF exchange boom chits

Turn 7

The Germans move first with the flight leader managing to inflict another hit on the Hurricane. If Collins fails he will have two boom chits and have to break off. In keeping with my habitual dice rolling standards Collins fails, so this will be his last turn in combat. He doesn't make anything of it missing with both shots before turning his Hurricane round and nursing it home.

Collins dives away and heads for home

Luftwaffe win - 2 aircraft escaped

"'Heavy escort was there, sir'? Collin's mechanic asked when he saw the number of holes in the Hurricane's  airframe. 

'Eh, yes...,' Collins replied somewhat sheepishly, '...a fair few but I got lucky; you know spun, dived... bit of throttle.'

The mechanic didn't look as impressed with Collins' piloting skills"

Sunday 9 January 2022

ACW Farm House

 First completed building out of Warlord's Epic ACW box, the model is a Sarissa kit.

All I need is a rocking chair, a sunset and some moonshine

Very simply done with the walls given a straight white base coat and then a grey contrast paint wash, the roof a medium grey basecoat followed by black ink. The windows were just done in a medium grey which happened to pick out the frames nicely.

I don't usually put my buildings on a base but decided to make an exception here using a Sarissa tile, simply undercoating it brown and then covering it randomly in two colours of flock and a little gravel before sealing with watered down PVA.

A Confederate regiment trudges past

 


Tuesday 4 January 2022

Is that the time?

 2022 already and the first post for a while due to my attention being diverted elsewhere for a time! So what am I planning to do in 2022 - a list seems to be what is required at this juncture:

  • Finish the Battle of Britain campaign - its stalled due to my reluctance to go into a cold dark garage in the middle of a Scottish winter!
  • Paint the Warlord ACW stuff - there has actually been some progress on this in my absence - 14 Confederate battalions complete, 5 awaiting final flocking and flagging and only 5 left to paint. I've also built nearly all the terrain that came with it and am in the process of building that. Some pictures soon;
  • Finish the 6mm Austrian army - well on its way!
  • Fight some Napoleonic battles - no excuse other than my pathetic endurance skills due to the weather described above;
  • Paint up my Blood Bowl teams and have a game - there's a lot of nostalgia tied up with this game and I can feel a saccharine confessional coming up at some stage!
  • Finish my BRS planes - they will be needed for the grand 15th September game!
  • Finish my new Imperial Fists army for Epic - this is something the group I play with got into just before Christmas and I succumbed! (like there was ever any doubt I wouldn't)
Probably more than enough to be going on with, though I do have plans for 2023, its going to be Great Northern War shaped!

Naturally, I should now review my 2021 list and see just how successful I was in getting stuff done (it's hardly a spoiler to add not).

Happy New Year to all in blog land.