Black Powder Epic US Civil War

 Just want I needed another scale, another conflict, another hole in my wallet! So I bought into the Warlord Games Epic scale big time having purchased items from all three waves they have produced so far. Of course they joined the general painting queue (due for completion at some point in the next millennium) but I couldn't resist testing a couple of generals and a cannon to see how they looked. My ever middling results are below...

Warlord ACW

On Christmas day I succumbed, I'm weak, feckless and they offered me 10% off. Tell me you wouldn't have done the same?

Enough of my emotional and financial issues, the box finally came this week!

A big, heavy box

Just what I always wanted - brown paper

A Union Brigade and Confederate Brigade box peek out

The main event!

ACW Epic supplement

                      

A5 rulebook

Lots of sprues - 24 battalions, cannon and officers

Indistinct but resin versions of Lee and Meade

Some Sarissa buildings and fences

The ACW supplement for Black Powder

Another three buildings

Some Gettysburg specific buildings

Finally in the big box, loads of flags

Brigade box

More sprues and flags

At some point I'm going to be very, very busy!

Black Seas Starter Set

 This was item 5 on the New Year list. Black Seas Starter Set from Warlord games.

Front of the box

Back of the box

Some intriguing stuff in there including smoke and a rule book

Lots of lovely sprues enough to construct 3 frigates and 6 brigs.

Various flags, sails, counters and build instructions

The set comes with a mat and terrain - like this large island

Finally, lots and lots of counters - what do they mean? Looking forward to finding out!

Aerial Fields - Deep Cut Studios

 Just received a mat from Entoyment. Its a Deep Cut Studios' one designed for aerial wargames. Six foot by four it neatly covers most of the living room floor (fortunately the garage is available!).

The full map

ME 110s and a JU88

Close up of the planes

Ju 87 Squadron

The Stuka's reputation didn't survive the Battle of Britain and it was withdrawn from the campaign in mid-August. But it did play a major role in the initial battle, particularly Kanalkampf, the opening phase, before losses became too heavy.

These models are not accurate for the 1940 campaign being Warlord's JU87D box and the plane which actually took part in the Battle of Britain was the B-2. However, I was unaware of the distinction at purchase and decided they would still make good proxies on the battlefield.

Hurricanes

These are Warlord Hurricanes from the Blood Red Skies range.

They were painted using the Vallejo RAF set for the Battle of Britain. Base colours top and bottom were airbrushed, I then used the colours with a brush to add the green camouflage This worked well though everything did require two coats due to the paint being designed for airbrushing.

The squadron markings are for 242 Squadron (Douglas Bader's during the Battle of Britain), once again from Warlord, but in my upcoming Battle of Britain campaign they will form a fictitious unit.

Blood Red Skies - Test JU88

This is from the Warlord box of 3 that is in fact a re-box of a Zvezda model kit. Wasn't particularly impressed with the model, didn't have the panel definition found on the in-house Warlord ones which meant my technique of a diluted black wash to highlight panels didn't work.

Still, it'll do a turn until I get some He111s. Next up is to finish off some Hurricanes and then my day by day Battle of Britain campaign can start.

Blood Red Skies - Test ME110

The BRS project continues this time with a test ME110. Once again I used the Vallejo Pre-War to 1941 paint set.

The model itself is from the Warlord range.

Blood Red Skies - Test Spitfires

Hot on the tail of the ME109 comes two Spitfires from 74th Squadron.

As with the ME109 these were painted using Vallejo paints this time from their RAF Battle of Britain set. Again these were airbrush paints and unusually for me I did the base coats of blue on the under side and brown using my airbrush.

It wasn't a fear conquered, however, as I applied the green with a brush.

The two were finished off post transfers with a 50/50 GW Nuln Oil and water mix to highlight up the panels.

Models and transfers are Warlord.

Blood Red Skies - Test ME109

I bought Blood Red Skies (BRS) last year when I visited the Warlord store in Nottingham. I have in mind for it a day by day Battle of Britain Campaign but as with all my projects there are so many distractions out there!

This is my first test piece for BRS an ME109 out of the starter set. I used Vallejo's Luftwaffe Colours Pre-war to 1941 boxed set for paint. These are designed for airbrush, and I did use my airbrush to do the undersides, however I found the paint excellent for just brushing on though some of the darker colours did require two coats.

The colour scheme I got from the Air Power magazine dedicated to the ME109 and reflects a common pattern used until mid 1940. I have two flights of 109s to paint and the second will be a later 1940 pattern, more grey than green.

Transfers were also purchased from Warlord.

Nottingham Loot

Recent trip to Nottingham led me to the HQ store of Warlord Games. Had some interesting chat with the staff there and of course succumbed to a slight spend:

• Celtic cavalry
• Celtic archers blister
• Celtic chieftains blister
• Roman general (who in now way looks like Russell Crowe in Gladiator - honest)
• Roman generals
• Roman auxiliary command
• Blood Red Skies - an impulse buy backed up by some interesting reviews I'd read on the internet. I have an idea for this, more when I actually get round to it!
• Wargames Illustrated - don't always buy this these days but noticed a BLB article!

I was also given a  miniature of a crusader for visiting the store.
I allowed my credit card an evening to recover and then wandered over to Warhammer World (those of a historical disposition may want to look away now).

• Forgebane - self contained WH40K set with loads of cool Mechanicum models
• Some Primaris Reavers... no can't explain that one other than I like the skull motif helmets
• Aeldari web gate - it's scenery, you can't have too much scenery!
• A selection of paint - this is actually for my Romans and Celts!

Now all I have to do is explain this to the better half, on reflection perhaps I should have brought her back more than a mug...

...or maybe not blogged about it publicly!

Guarding the Chateau

This is a Warlord set I purchased to give the French Resistance somebody to kidnap or assassinate.

There's a shady Gestapo type..

A party functionary with a familiar hairstyle...

And finally a couple of sentries.

Now I just have to find them something to guard!

Fallschirmjager - Finished Unit

Some of Warlord's finest 'Green Devils' all set to face the US 101 Airborne and of course those pesky resistance types that have been pottering around these pages.

 

Eighteen in all with some lmg and mortar teams to come.