Cuirassier Update - October

Another month passes and the cuirassier deadline gets ever nearer – yes I know there are months to go yet and I have made progress but I am a worrier by nature and so will worry.

The old Douglas Adams quote of liking deadlines, especially the whooshing noise they make as they go past resonates with me through so many previous endeavours.

Still October saw some movement.

I went from this pile of boxes:

To a box of horse parts:

Then onto some built horses:

Which did get undercoated:

As did a lot of cuirassier troopers:

Then the painting started in earnest!

So all troopers and horses built, all undercoated and all horses base coated. Next month I have a week off work to myself, so hopefully I can get most of the horse flesh finished then.

If you are interested in the Great Game (and why wouldn’t you be?) then more information can be found here, including links to the associated charity.

Warhammer World Part 2

Some more photographs from this year's trip to Warhammer World, this time from the exhibition. Lots of nostalgia starting with...

I've got at least one of those boxes

At this point a passing member of staff commented that they, "Knew that look." This initiated an interesting conversation, the staff member in question was an archivist and it was her job to track down old GW models in auctions and on EBay. Apparently GW themselves do not have a complete set of everything they produced, particularly the early eighties. Turned out I may have some figures that they don't!

The exhibition was well worth the entrance fee. I reckon it took me around ninety minutes to go round. There was a mixture of dioramas and cabinets of figures. If you have ever been even vaguely into GW's mythos, never mind being a current collector, then this is definitely worth a morning of your time if you are in the Nottingham area.

The pub's pretty good too and surprisingly cheap!

Anyway here are a few photos...

Even I'm not old enough to remember this edition of Warhammer

March of the Undead by John Blanche

A Cadian army on parade

Dark Angels - amazing hand painted banner on the land raider

Dwarves and airships - what's not to like?

Didn't get a good photo of this one but wanted to include it to give an idea of the scale - all 28mm

Eldar vs Tyranids

Warhammer World

Back in May I took a trip to Nottingham. As well as taking in some cricket at Trent Bridge, visiting the castle and a few museums, I took the opportunity to visit Warhammer World, a place I had often threatened to visit but not actually made it to.

Full size Rhino APC - interesting gate guardian

I found it really easy to find, mostly as I had got lost driving from Trent Bridge to my hotel the night before and had passed it a couple of times whilst my sat nav cheerily told me I should make a U-turn.

Once inside I was greeted by a couple of familiar faces...

The ubiquitous GW Space Marine

No, not a selfie... Lurtz from Lord of the Rings

Art work decorating reception

Reception also has a couple of dioramas to wet the appetite and loosen the purse strings.

Once into Warhammer World there are three stores carrying everything that Games Workshop makes and a huge gaming hall.

The gaming hall

These have some interesting custom tables which can be booked for games.

The gaming hall also has display cabinets on the periphery.

And a largish bar...

Cuirassier Update September

Procrastination has become the name of the game at chez Napier. I know what I have to do and it involves a lot of Prussian Blue, quite a few horses and doubtless the odd expletive.

But...

...as ever with big tasks its the getting started that's been the issue. Getting hold of the figures has not been a problem, several of the better known manufacturers have been kind enough to offer discounts to commanders in the Great Game. Finding information has not been an issue either, I had a few books and supplemented these with a couple of new Ospreys just to make me feel more confident.

YouTube has also been useful in giving pointers, though some of the expert work up there is disheartening when you see your own results.

Nope, the issue is me and my habit of doing things 'just in time'. The only problem is I am not going to be able to paint 111 cuirassiers, assorted artillery and commanders in a frenetic all nighter the weekend before the game. Some planning is going to have to be done.

One short cut I am considering is lowering my painting standards (believe me they can be lowered) and just giving everything a bright base coat and ink wash. That way I should be able to get through the plastic mound quickly and have a viable division for the game. Also there is nothing to stop me going back and improving the paint work once I have finished (are troops ever truly finished).

It does go against the grain, I have been trying to improve my paint standards down the years but...

Anyway, I have assembled some of them and even started work on a prototype who no doubt will be hidden in the depths of a squadron.

Horses await the dubious attention of my brushes

Soumy Regiment in 6mm

Back in February I scribbled together a description of speed painting some Russian Hussars for the 1812 campaign (it can be found here ). Well, I finally got round to basing the Soumy regiment, so they are now ready to face the French Emperor and his minions.



All figures are Baccus

July Count

Back to work this month which led to a distinct down turn in my output. On the plus side I managed to resist purchasing anything!

That's not going to last given the burgeoning Cuirassier Crisis that's building in the Napier household.

Finished:

• 7 Celts

Bought:

• 0

Monthly: +7

Yearly: +5

The Cuirassier Count

Thought I would share progress (or lack there of) on the 13th Cavalry Division for the Great Game: Waterloo Replayed.

So I've introduced a little progress panel on the right hand menu to remind me just how many more I've got to assemble, paint and base.

I still have to purchase most of the figures but I did find an old unopened box of Perrys' plastics lurking in an unloved pile of miniatures in the garage, so the madness has begun!

Photos will no doubt follow...