Friday, 2 August 2013

Hi-definition Romans


I'd noticed that the quality of my painting had been suffering, particularly when I didn't wear my specs, but even when wearing the glasses I have been using (an old prescription).  Today I have taken delivery of a new pair of bifocals, with a focal length of around 12" that is perfect for painting, and a long distance prescription that will help me focus on my other favourite hobby, watching the box! They are glare free which should also help whilst painting under my lamp, and lightweight.

When I just looked at these minis, painted by Andres of Einar Olafson, I could see detail I've never noticed before!  :-)   On the downside, my painting rate will slow right down...  :-(

Wednesday, 31 July 2013

Please name my ship

I've more or less completed the first of 2 "Roman" ships for my Autumn display game (Thapsus).  This is the smaller of the two vessels, and is intended to be a small trade ship of the kind that might be found around the fringes of the Mediterranean sea, that might be pressed into use for transporting troops.
  
This is lightly converted from the 1/100 Zvezda "Nina" kit. Luckily, the Romans had lateen sails, so I was able to use the very nice one provided with the kit.  I cut away some renaissance features, and added steering oars.  I've given her some basic rigging, sufficient to pass muster on a  wargaes model, I hope.

I don't have a crew yet, so a couple of figures Andres painted for me are standing in, to give an idea about size. This pic shows the railings and stern-post I made for the stern, and the steering oars. I will later add a bow-wave and a wake.

Next time I will go with a lighter coloured wood for my vessel, but all-in all I'm cautiously pleased with my first venture into things naval, and Roman... 

I'm now looking for a suitable name for her; probably should be female, and likely of mythological origin; any contributions gratefully accepted! 

Monday, 29 July 2013

Shipbuilding IV

I've been busy working on another project, but last night managed to get the smaller trade ship base-coated. I will highlight and stain in due course.... it is at least looking somewhat Roman.


I was surprised how quickly one can paint a ship, compared to figures.  It looks like the ship will take less time to paint than its half dozen crew!

Note to self: hull was sprayed using Army Painter Leather Brown, and highlighted with a 50/50 mix of Vallejo flat earth and tan earth.

Sunday, 28 July 2013

BigRedBatmobile

I recently wrote my ancient 1999 Galaxy off in a minor accident, and have been vehicle-less for a month.  This was becoming a looming problem, what with Partizan and Colours beckoning.


Here's my new battle taxi- literally a taxi- until last month it was roaring around London as a minicab. I knew I had to had it when the chap showed me how all the rear seats fold into the floor, creating a very large "hold".  I reckon I could get all my terrain boards and all my 28mm minis and terrain in there....  

Wednesday, 24 July 2013

Shipbuilding III; the mothership!


Last night I laid the keel (metaphorically speaking, at it is a waterline model), of a larger vessel that will hopefully become a Roman merchantman.  The original "Nina" is on the deck for size comparison purposes.  The new kit is 42cm long, and will be rather longer once I've finished with it!

The new model will be based on the Zvezda St Thomas, a 1/72 medieval English warship kit.  I will use the hull and mast, as per the kit, discard the lovely castellated turrets, and add a bowsprit, cabin and a deck at the stern.  

This latest is a serious undertaking, and may not be ready in time for Partizan, but should be at Colours, hopefully alongside Legatus' Leviathan.  I may need to add more sea boards...  ;-)

Monday, 22 July 2013

Shipbiilding II


A brief update; I've added steering oars and the mast.   Could still do with some details, perhaps an awning over the stern.  

Next I need to think about painting her, I'd ideally like to find a wood-coloured spray primer, to save time.

Sunday, 21 July 2013

Shipbuilding

Last night I water-lined the Nina model and began to tinker with it, to give it an appearance closer to that of a small Roman trade ship.


So far, this has involved removing the rudder and replacing part of the stern, and adding a curving stern post.  I increased the size of the hold-openings as the kit is 1/100 scale and my minis, 1/48.


Later I'll add masts, steering oars, an awning and deck clutter which will help it to feel more in-scale.

Curiously, I have seen illustrations of Roman ships that aren't a million miles off this.  I think it'll pass... might even be OK for the Rhine.  Which gives me another idea for what I could use this for...

Friday, 19 July 2013

Ice Cold in Alexandra Palace

Last night, inspired by the sweltering heat in these parts, we played a Western Desert game with my venerable army of microtanks, and my adapted Memoir '44 rules.


Above the British "defenders" dig in on what passes for terrain.  Below, the German anti-tank screen moves forward.


The British so-called "defenders" attacked from the outset, and eventually left much of the Afrika Corps burning in the desert!  This was down to a combination of superb cards and inspired play; one air attack, alone, took out most of an artillery regiment and also a battery of 88's.

In place of Heineken, we drank a chilled Italian wine.

Thursday, 18 July 2013

A ship!

This arrived in the post today...  I'm not really a kit builder, nor much interested in the renaissance, and am strictly 28mm.  But I do have a cunning plan.  :-)


Wednesday, 17 July 2013

A third legion for Caesar...


Here are the first 6 cohorts of my latest, third, Caesarian legion.  All photos are clickable...


Around a third were painted by Nick Speller, a third by myself and the remaining third are eBay repaints.  It doesn't show in the photos, but the shields, tunics and plumes are in a variety of different shades of red.  

The miniatures are mostly Foundry and Companion, a mix of armoured and unarmoured, but I've also included a few Warlord Games casualty figures (on recommendation from Andres), which blend in very well.  May need some more Warlords...  I think the legate may be a Classical miniature, which were (for about 24 hours) available via Aventine.

I've gone for a slightly different approach on basing.  All the legionaries are in 8's on 60 x 50 bases, to save time deploying and moving them.  The deeper bases also help to protect the relatively fragile spears.

If you want to see them in action, they will be in action at Partizan, Colours and SELWG...

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Look, no dice!

Shots of Tuesday night's game.  New cohorts received a baptism of fire.


With help from friends I'm play-testing a "lite" version of my "To the Strongest!" rules, with this version driven by cards rather than dice.  They rattle along very nicely.... at 5- 10 minutes a turn. 

Tuesday, 9 July 2013

Too much painting...

...not enough blogging.  Unfortunately, there are times one just has to get the bit between one's teeth and plough on to complete a project; this is one of those times!


These are the remainder of the painted Caesarians I had, plus two dozen I painted myself.  Together with the ones I completed earlier, they give me six cohorts and command; the core of a third legion.  Later, I'll add another four.  

Tonight we'll be trying the "lite" version of my rules in a Roman on Roman bash, based on the Thapsus battle that I'll be taking around the shows in the autumn.

Tuesday, 2 July 2013

One door closes...


4 cohorts down, bar flocking.  So now, unfortunately, I have to start the next lot (below).  :-(  I don't mind painting the legionaries, but the signifers and cornicens are a pain.


On the plus side, when these are all finished, I'll have 28 cohorts and will be a gnat's whisker away from 3 legions-worth at 1:20.

Friday, 28 June 2013

Caesarians WIP


I've not posted this week, because I've been busy gaming and painting.  

The paint-ees are above; 4 more cohorts of Caesarians, now partially based.  The minis were painted by Nick Speller, some by me and some repainted from eBay.  They blend nicely.

The game was with local mates Ian, Dr. Simon and Jay, and eldest Miller scion Harry.  We tried yet another rule-set I've written; this time a set of ancients rules on a single side of A4.  These "lite" rules enable a game to be played in around 90 minutes.  So far they seem very promising... and rather fun.

Sunday, 23 June 2013

Even more Romans...

As I move steadily towards the basing stage on my Caesarians, my mind is turning to another project; an Early Imperial Army, with a twist.


I've been buying up odd lots of Perry Romans, on eBay, and must now have a couple of hundred, all told.   The below are mostly from a single purchase, last week; a nice lot.


I have formulated a cunning plan for a project involving them, which will be the subject of a later post (and hopefully, in due course, a magazine article...).

Unusually today, I am sat in the executive lounge of the Antwerp Hilton and have a solid 9 hours to plug away at adding diagrams to my "To the Strongest!" wargames rules.   

Thursday, 20 June 2013

A tale of two Ptolemies

For last month's Raphia game, I found myself in the unusual position of having a commanding general too many. I never got around to posting the "finished" shots... 

The first Ptolemy IV, below, is from Polemarch, kindly donated by Jim Clarke, who commissioned the range.  I put him on a Foundry horse, asked Nick to paint him, and gave him a couple of Polemarch aides (painted by Raglan), an Aventine Standard and a Salute-giveaway Punic military advisor (very kindly donated by Jeffski off the WD3 forum).  I named this Ptolemy the Effete Youth.


I also wanted a Ptolemy with more military bearing; after all he did lead the bodyguard cavalry, in the battle.  The Dashing Commander below is an Aventine, with a Polemarch standard-bearer, again both on Foundry horses and painted by Nick Speller. The eagle symbol was used by the Ptolemies.


On the day of the game, I went with the Effete Youth, over the Dashing Commander.  The rest, as they say, was history...

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Even more Caesarians

I'm just finishing off the command figures Nick painted for me (foreground), and working through a group of unarmoured legionaries that will add variety to the legion.  I'm also painting my first Warlords- some casualties- nice minis!


The red on the shields and on the unarmoured figures is mostly Halfords red primer, with washes of ink applied over it; I think they will look good, when completed (they are just blocked in, so far).  I'm going to use the Army Painter inks to add depth.


Sunday, 16 June 2013

Caesarian


I had a productive day yesterday, and the 90-odd legionaries above are now inked, varnished and highlighted.  The tarted-up eBay cohorts at the back now match Nick's at the front, much better.  Below, left, are Nick's command stands, and right some mere primed legionaries that I'm going to mix in, to add a little variety.  Red seems like a promising base colour...  I'm still mulling over what to do with the horses at the back.


I've decided I'm going to base four cohorts in the first instance, and, after an interval, paint the extra figures for another two.

Thursday, 13 June 2013

New Polemarch Scythed Chariots





Jim at Polemarch very kindly posted me these pictures of his new scythed chariots, which I believe  will soon (but I gather not quite yet) be available via Gripping Beast.  They had a gratifying number of points and sharp edges, which is very nice as some previous scythed chariots have tended to be rather blunt instruments!

I shall be having at least a couple, once they come out.  I don't yet have a Seleucid army but I do aspire to a Pontic...

Caesarian Legion mustering


A quick WIP shot of the new legion that I'm mustering.  I've been doing my best to bring the standard  of the eBay milites (left) up to those of Nick's (right).  At least the shields match, now!