SAGA WIP

Hi Team
Well so far I have painted about 8 'Hearthguards' as part of my SAGA project.
After spraying I've added in the 'Block Colours' (with a bit of detail as seen).

 Next I dipped in ARMY PAINTER STRONG SHADE, (see below).

BTW, the bases are covered in a rendering paint the wife picked up as part of another project,... our BBQ area 'beautification'. I comes in a massive drum. Whilst applying it to our back outside wall I thought it might be a good flocking paste. I'll provide more details on this next post.
Once these guys are dry I'll spray with the 'ARMY PAINTER ANTI-SHINE' (dullcote is similar), and paint up and attach their shields.
I'll keep you posted.
Comments Welcomed!
Cheers
Trailape

My 'SAGA' erm, saga begins!

 

ABOVE: My copy of SAGA, and

BELOW: Some of the BTD miniatures I purchased over a decade ago finally look like they will have some play.

Hi All

So what do you do with 100+ 28mm Dark Age Miniatures you find in an Army trunk hidden at the back of your garage?

You purchase a copy of SAGA from EUREKA MINIATURES, (or your LFGS) and start painting.

BELOW: Some of the 100+ BLACK TREE DESIGN miniatures I purchased in 2000. 11 years later and they final get a lick of paint!

 

I want these guys painted up as quickly as posible, and they are rather simple miniatures. Either tunics or chainmail essentially. So I'll use the ARMY PAINTER method.

For the 'Levy' and 'Warriors' in tunics I'll use the base colours of Navy Blue, Desert Sand, Army Green and Black from the ARMY PAINTER range, and a simple Flat Grey I purchased from my local hardwear store.

For my  'Hearthguard' I'll try initially to undercoat using the AP 'Chainmail'. I find it hard to think of a metallic / silver colour being any good as a base coat, but I'll try it on a sample of 8 figures and see how it pans out.

I also purchased the 'BEOWULF' collection of miniatures from EUREKA MINIATURES, so these guys will become my 'WARLORD' and (elite) 'Hearthguard' I'll add photos of these outstanding miniatures soon.

Oh and BTW, the Rules "SAGA" look excellent. They are skirmish rules for the Dark Age period, but I think they will be addaptable to other periods. I'm thinking of maybe the Trojan Wars,....

That's all for now.

Trailape Out!

On The Workbench

ABOVE: British Tanks for my FoW Early War British. A9, A10 and A13 Cruisiers and three Mathilda MkII Infantry tanks.
Hi All
Time for another Blog update.
So what's on the workbench? Well, I've started work on my FLAMES OF WAR (FoW) Early War (WW2) British. I purchased a swag of Tanks and Artillery from OLD GLORY's Command Decision range. At 40% off with my OG ARMY CARD discount it works out to about $5.00 AUD per tank including postage. Less than half the price than BATTLEFRONT's tanks at about $12.00 AUD each. And the OG tanks are ALL metal, not a Resin / metal mix. Bargain!!!

I also visited EUREKA MINIATURES recently and purchased some more Revolutionary French Infantry. Whilst there I picked up what might be the best miniature Ney ever!
Below is a photo of Ney with a PERRY MINIATURES OLD GUARD Pioneer. As you can see Ney is looking well ready for a scrap. The miniature appears to be modelled on the "Retreat From Moscow" when Ney commanded the rear guard.

I'll paint Ney using the ARMY PAINTER method and will keep yu updated on his progress. I also have the PERRY Ney, depicted charging on horseback as at Waterloo but the PERRY Ney comes in a set of three mounted miniatures.

I also received a big order from the awesome PERRY MINIATURES. Mainly DUTCH BELGIANS, NASSAU and BRITISH but also some French OLD and YOUNG Guard
Below is Marcehal de camp Cambronne. Again I'll use the ARMY PAINTER method to paint him and again I'll keep you updated on his progress.

My wife Raechel has offered to paint some miniatures for my mate Stan. Two miniatures from the 'INCURSION' game. I give you the Von X sisters! Freaky Nazi chicks in kinky Gestapo gear commanding Zombies; what's not to like?!

Raech has also offered to paint these two lovely ladies below that I obtained from EUREKA. Every army needs two pillow fighting girls in Hussar costume,... I shall call them Jess and MJ.

That's all for now.

Trailape Out.

Tatty Highlanders

 Hi All
I'm promised on the TMP I'd upload photos of the Highlanders that GUNNER DUNBAR painted for me a while back and I've finally got around to getting them uploaded.
They two units are the 42nd and 79th Highlanders, ('Black Watch' and 'Camarons'). The miniatures are a mixe of VICTRIX and PERRY plastics, with some VICTRIX metals, (the Mounted officers and the charging Pioneer).

For those who claim you can't or shouldn't mix the Perry and Victrix figures, I think this shows they mix rather well. The Figures are based on 50mm x 40mm bases for LASALLE rules, (my perfered rules).

I'll add a few single mounted Characters also, and use them for SHARP PRACTICE.

The Skirmish bases are 45mm wide x 40mm deep with two figures indicating a Skirmish value of 2 (SK2).

 Danl (Gunner Dunbar) wanted to do these two units looking rather 'battered' after some tough campaigning and given they are destined for my Peninsular War British I thought it would be a good idea. Besides, when Danl has an 'idea' you know it's going to be good.

 As you can see these Lads have had a lot of modifications done and they really look 'Tatty'. Only the Officers and musicians look 'Regimental' with the rank and file looking rather 'worse for wear'.

 I just completed the basing and I hope I've done Danl's fine brush work and sculpting justice.

 BELOW: The 'Black Watch' from behind.

 BELOW: A VICTRIX metal mounted Colonel.

 BELOW: A Close up of the 42nd Skirmish base.

 BELOW: A close up of the 79th Skirmish base.

 BELOW: Hamish takes a ball to the chest: "OCH!!! Such is life,.."!

 BELOW: Captain Jimmy MacDoogla and Drummer Jock McPlop stagger under the Frenchie's skirmish fire: "Hoots Mon, but it's gettin hot"! 

 BELOW: The VICTRIX metal Pioneer seen charging!

BELOW: "The line will advance"!

The next Highlanders I'll get done, (hopefully by Danl again) will be for the 100 Days, so they will be more 'Regimental' in appearance. Gordons and hmmm,... not sure.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Trailape Out!

Prussians and French in the 100 Days. A Lasalle AAR

ABOVE: The cavalry battle on the right flank about to erupt.

Hi all

I played my first game of Lasalle after returning home from Afghanistan yesterday. My mate Stan came round with his 100 Days Campaign Prussians, so I thought I'd use 100 Days French. Last time we played I had used a Young Guard organisation and had been successful and the time before that Liberation War French infantry (with a sea of conscripts) had again got the better of 'Jerry'.

So far the score was 2-0 to the French over Stan's Prussians, so I was confident the Emperor would recieve another report of another heroic victory! BRAVO!!!

So as core units go I had 6 Vetern Infantry and a battery of artillery

Versus:

Stan's 3 Landwehr, 3 Reserve Infantry, 2 regular Musketeers Battalions, two detachments of Jager 'skirmishers, a Foot battery and a Landwehr Lancer Regiment.

As it turned out, Stan didn't field a reserve battalion or a Landwehr battalion.

Would he come to regret their absence??? Only time would tell.
Stan's Prussians would be the attacker in this game after rolling a 6 to my 1, (a bad omen?).

The table was based on the Lasalle Map generator number 4, "The Chateau and the Town".

As defender I placed a ploughed field and an orchard. Stan then placed a marsh. I was hoping the field and orchard would go some way in channeling the Prussians into a killing ground in front of the objective. I assumed Stan just liked to have a Marsh near by to water his horses in,...

I picked as my support option the Light Cavalry Brigade. Two Hussar and two Chasseur a Cheval units and a Horse Artillery battery would provide enough mounted to cancel out most of Stan's advantage in mounted. Stan also selected a Light Cavalry support option.

I massed my Light cavalry Brigade on the right, and placed half my infantry on the left flank. My last 3 battalions were in march column so as to move quickly towards the objective, namely the Chateau.

BELOW: The Prussian Infantry commence their advance and are greeted by Napoleon's daughters, BOOM!

BELOW: French Hussars and Chasseurs of the Light Cavalry Brigade moments befor they crash into the Prussian cavalry.

The Battle commenced with both Cavalry Brigades advancing on each other. I was confident my lads would have the better of the contest, but it wasn't to be. Initially it went well, with both Landwehr cavalry units destroyed within 2 rounds of combat, but after that it went badly or the French, with the Prussian Dragoons knocking over both the 5th Hussars and then my reserve Chasseurs a Cheval. The 6th Hussars eventually were destroyed by the Prussian Hussars 'though the Prussian Hussars did sustained 3 distruption.

ABOVE: As the Cavalry prepare to engage each other on the right flank, the Prussian Infantry advance on the French center and the Objective, the Chateau.
BELOW: The 5th Hussars clash with Prussian Dragoons (near camera) after destroying a Landwehr Lancer Regiment. In the centre the 6th Hussars continue to melee with the Prussian Hussars. In the distance the Chasseur a Cheval hack into Prussian landwehr lancers for a second round of combat.

BELOW: Veteran French Infantry prepare to meet the advancing Prussians

As the French Cavalry routed on the right flank, the Prussin infantry advanced in the center. The Prussians on the left of the attack took a pounding from the Battery and infantry, with on reserve battalion being destroyed. But the lead Landwehr pushed on and turned out to be 'Valiant'.

The situation was now desperate. With my right flank smashed I need the Prussian infantry to destroy themselves on my infantry line and within the 'killing ground' in front of the objective.
BELOW: French Artillery pound the advancing Prussian infantry
BELOW: The last of the French cavalry go down fighting the Prussian Hussars and Dragoons.

When the lead Prussian Reserve Battalion was routed, it gave me a glimmer of hope. If I could swing in my infantry onto the advancing Prussian's flank all might yet be saved.

BELOW: A battalion of French Light Infantry advance off the hill after routing a Prussian Reserve battalion. The 'Valiant' landwehr crash into the French Line battalion posted on the left of the Chateau.

Unfortunatly for me, the valiant Landwehr smashed through my line battalion, and continued into my battalion posted in reserve and routed them also. This was all too much for my boys, and the cries of "Save yourself" were soon heard amongst the clatter of dropped muskets and stamp of running boots.

BELOW: The Prussian heros of the day. Valient Landwehr. The crashed through two French battalions and ruptured my center!

Another great game of Lasalle.

Most of the miniatures are AB miniatures. Stans Prussians were pained for the most part be FERNANDO ENTERPRISE with the Commanders and Skirmish bases painted by me.

Model Citizen Miniatures painted my Cavalry and about half my infantry. I painted the Artillery and the French infantry in the center, (wearing greatcoats and dying in droves).

Feel free to leave a comment.

Cheers