Painting update 31 December

And I manage to finish a few more in 2012.

My WWII project continues.

US Infantry in winter gear (Italeri)

Revell US Paras

Germans (mix of Esci, Italeri and metals of unknown make)

WWII minis work in progress

Very close to the finish with these and hoping to be able to count them against the 2012 completed minis.

Revell US paras

Italeri US infantry in winter gear

Esci, Italeri and unidentified metal early war Germans

Painting Update 15 December

Finished varnishing and basing some WWII figures now - there are a lot more in the pipeline so hopefully I'll get another update in for December.

US Para heavy weapons and command.

Revell BAR gunner (converted by removing the bipod) from the US Para set, 

Italeri Bazooka and Officer from the Anti-tank team set.

Revell US Paras.

German Infantry, largely from the old Esci set now produced by Italeri,

the MG crewman third from left is from the Italeri Anti-tank team set 

and the rifleman fourth from left is a metal miniature of unknown make picked up on ebay.

Dark Ages - age of art.

I've started watching the BBC's new series  The Dark Ages: An Age of Light which is very entertaining and does show that artistic work didn't die out when the 'barbarians' took over from the Roman Empire.

One striking moment for me so far was Waldemar Januszczak standing in front of Theodoric's tomb and saying "I love this thing its so stocky and unusual" which I thought could be applied to him too.

Well worth catching while its still available on iPlayer in the UK.

WWII Project Next Steps

With my WWII project I've got plenty of unpainted plastic and metal to deal with before I start buying much more stuff.

The next tasks are:

1. finish the basing on the figures that I've matt varnished.
2. retouch/finish the figures with damaged paintwork (about a dozen or so).
3. sort out the next batch of undercoated figures for painting - I'll probably concentrate on the US paras/infantry for a Battle of the Bulge game.
4. sort out the undercoated Revell and Italeri late war German infantry for the Bulge game and paint them
5. do a couple of quick games with Nuts! from Two Hour Wargames and Flying Lead from Ganesha Games.
6. finish off US Para and German Volksgrenadier platoons.
7. get started with some of the vehicles that I've got hanging around.
8. do some games with Nuts! including vehicles and Too Fat Lardies' Troops, Weapons & Tactics.
9. get on with all the other stuff that I've got including other wargames periods and projects

At the moment I've got all the following to work on:

• Esci German Infantry (early-mid war), British Infantry
• Revell German Infantry (late war winter), German Panzergrenadiers (mid war), British Infantry (late war), British Paratroopers
• Italeri German Elite Infantry (late war winter), US Infantry (late war winter), Anti-Tank teams 
• Armourfast StugIIIG, Pzkfw IVG, Sherman M4A3 (75mm)
• Airfix Opel Blitz and Pak40 - possibly going to sell and replace with other items as these are a bit small in comparison to the other stuff and not quick build wargames models.
• SHQ German Infantry (assorted early and late war including HMG), late war Sdkfz 7, Kubelwagen.
• Zvezda German HMG (early-mid war)
• Platoon 20 US Paras, Russian Naval Infantry
• Pegasus 75mm le IG18

Which should keep me busy. Main needs are some Halftracks for the Allies and Germans, Jeeps and some more AT guns.

WW2 Miniatures Project

Some soft plastic WW2 miniatures that have been hanging round to base and finish off for ages.

Just need another coat of matt varnish to protect them and some basing and ready to use. I've also got a load more in various states of preparation that I need to get on with.

German Infantry - early to mid war uniforms - Esci figures apart from one Italieri figure from their WWII Anti-Tank Team set on the far left in the front row. 

Italieri WWII US infantry in winter uniforms (first three) and US Para Bazooka operator and Officer from the WWII Anti-Tank team set

Revell US Paratroopers.

Third Flintloque section finished

And my painting frenzy continues with some more Flintloque figures and some Dwarves.

My first section of Ferach Elves. Chasseurs of the Garde from the Shilling Service pack. Now only the Esprit   du Garde cavalryman to go now. 

Three more dwarves for my Song of Blades and Heroes warband - two Alternative Armies models figures flanking an old Asgard miniature. 

Painting update 10 November

And some more work done as I get closer to finishing some Ferach Elves and Dwarves. Just the last touches of varnish and flock onto the bases and they will be ready for use.

Elves with nearly everything completed.

Dwarves - this came out a little dark as the battery was going.

Painting update 1 November

Work in progress on painting

Ferach elves from the Catalucia shilling service pack from Alternative Armies, only needing the last washes and highlights for completion.

Elven duellists, again from Alternative Armies also nearing completion.

Latest ebay purchases - some old Asgard miniatures which will need some work to replace broken or missing separate weapons, but the dwarf second from right will help to reinforce my existing Asgard dwarven force. 

Painting update 25 October

Some finished dwarves and elves with work in progress

Dwarves - an Heritage figure that has been rebased and given a couple of washes plus a fresh varnish,  two Alternative Armies crossbows and a Citadel White Dwarf newly painted plus a Citadel Gnome rebased and varnished

The Ferach Elf Infantry out of the Catalucia Shilling Service Pack

Esprit du Garde Curassier out of the Catalucia Shilling Service Pack

Todoroni without the flash

Without flash photography that is! As all self respecting todoroni will be truly flash anyway.

The command and a noble from the front.

A back view of the command

and the rest of the section

Second Flintloque section finished

Now finished a second Flintloque section - Joccian Ratmen of the Black Watchit

Drummer, Officer and Standard Bearer, front and back views.

Three troopers, front and back views. 

Painting Update 30 September Fear of Tartan

Finally managed to overcome my fear of painting tartan to get on with my Flintloque Black Watchit Joccians.

The tartan is based on the Government Tartan worn by the Black Watch. 

Painting it really calls for a steady hand. 

Section command front

Section command back

Line troops front

Painting Log 25 September

At last some completion of figures.

9 Alternative Armies Flintloque Todoroni

1 Citadel Human Barbarian

5 Goblins of unknown make

Todoroni Noble and unit command

Rear view of Todoroni command

Todoroni section troopers front and rear

Goblin leader and barbarian front and back

rest of the goblins

And to follow - some Alternative Armies elf duellists that don't need a lot of completion.

Painting Update 19 September

Todoroni - now just need varnishing and basing to be finished

Dwarf warband - now got their armour painted

Painting Update 10 September

Tororoni!

Nearly ready now with washes applied, just the last highlights and any retouches to do - then varnishing and basing.

A Noble and the Command

I'll probably try and find a flag that I can print off using a colour inkjet or else a design simple enough to colour by hand. 

The rank and file