Sunday 13 January 2019

Cuirassier Update - December 2018

At last what feels like progress! The trooper horses, that’s all ninety of them are nearly done, all that remains is to put the numbers on the little….

Which is proving tricky. Doing ‘1’ for the 1st Cuirassiers was a doddle but I’m struggling to paint a legible 4 or 7 in such a tiny space.

I have purchased some transfer paper to make my own decals using my home printer and I’m going to try these before attempting to paint 144 tiny numbers.

I know, given the sheer volume of figures on display and the quality of some of them, nobody’s going to notice if the numbers are sharp but I’ll know and that’s enough!

Still got the first one finished before the bells. 

The first completed cuirassier!
Officer from the first squadron of the 1st Regiment. Given I was using him simply to test colours etc. was surprised to find him the first to be completed.

Loads more to go.
I do have horses
Riders are next.
Believe it or not this is a tidy desk



Sunday 6 January 2019

It's a New Year - more resolutions to leave unfulfilled!

Well the best thing about 2019 as far as my hobby is concerned is that the miniatures painted/bought scorecard gets reset to 0 after a disastrous 2018. I really must complete projects before I purchase. I feel that the cuirassier project has improved my speed skills and I need to reduce the number of colours and washes I use. (at least for rank and file). I’m not convinced that the results merit the time and who is looking that closely when the troops get out on to the battlefield anyway?

More speed needed
Some planning would help too with project completion. The 6mm Napoleonics does have several monitoring tools in place. I’m using the Wargaming Company’s source books to plan purchases and ensure I have the correct forces to fight through the various battles, hopefully ending in Borodino. I also have a burgeoning solo campaign idea based round a fictional squadron in the Battle of Britain using the excellent Battle of Britain: A day to day Chronicle by Patrick Bishop as a the primary source.
But both of these have to wait until the cuirassiers are complete.
Yeah... those guys...
Finally, I really need to play more games. I’ve been accumulating stuff now for the ten years since I re-entered the hobby and most have never seen even a minor engagement. There are barbarian hordes, Wehrmacht Divisions, Napoleonic armies and who knows what else kicking around the garage and study wondering if the call to deploy will ever come. I don’t get them out to look at either. Perhaps its time to look at joining a club, at least until the twins are old enough to compete…
Much more of this required...
Resolution Summary
1.       Finish those cuirassiers – this is the priority as there is a hard end date for these!
2.       Start planning projects – decide in advance what’s wanted and needed and to what purpose
3.       Finish projects – maybe I can break the habit of a hobby-time and finish something!
4.       Play more games.

And of course, use that airbrush…
Happy New Year everybody!