Thursday, 22 May 2014

Pontoon bridge part 2


My bridge is coming on apace; it's just over 1 metre long. Last night I built the approach ramps from balsa, foam board and the inevitable coffee stirrers. The only work remaining is to build the supports that sit in the pontoons and prop up the roadway, and I can't do those until I've built the river, or I might get the bridge's level wrong. I also need to add the 4Ground balustrades and paint, of course.  In the background I'm building a section of the raised Via Postumia.

The 1st Bedriacum (Cremona) game will be fought at Partizan on 1st June, and I still have a couple of places left if you would like to play; drop me an email at the address on the front of my blog. I'll also be running a somewhat larger version of the same game, along with several other big Roman battles, at the Wargames Holiday Centre on the weekend of 28th/29th June, at which I believe there are some spaces left.

Wednesday, 21 May 2014

More Romans and a baboon


A hasty and rather nasty camera phone photo of three units of Roman skirmishers that I'm basing. Most of these minis were painted by mate Legatus Hedlius; I've added some Black Tree poses for variety. A better photo will follow when the basing is finished, perhaps after Partizan. I owe Legatus a further debt of gratitude for recommending "Lewis" as a successor for my "Morse" boxed set, which I finished last night. So far I'm liking Lewis!

Finally, I've painted an old Citadel baboon to pass to Scrivs for the Keren game.  IIRC it will have a role harassing the BBC, so presumably it is a fascist baboon.  ;-)


Monday, 19 May 2014

Black legion based

...but not yet flocked.  I'll take a proper photo later on.


There are 101 miniatures in four units, with a legion command stand and a couple of "heroes".  As I've previously mentioned, I'll add a fifth unit later on.  These boys are going to be V Alaudae.

Last night I painted a bunch of archers, that will form the final three units for Partizan.

Friday, 16 May 2014

Pontoon bridge part 1

I've made a modest start on my Roman pontoon bridge.


These 5 sections are the roadway, and are simply made from coffee stirrers stuck to card.  They slot together to form a single piece, around 65cm in length. I'm currently "distressing" the wood, to make the stirrers look more like ancient planks. Next, I'll attack the railings on the sides and  frame of supporting timbers underneath.

Thursday, 15 May 2014

The black Legion musters

Last night I finished painting of the second legion for Partizan.


Tonight I need to finish staining them (I'm using inks in Johnson's Klear), and tomorrow I can get on with matt varnishing and highlighting the metallics.  I'm nicely on track for Partizan, although there is still a challenging volume of terrain to complete.

Partizan should be very interesting this year, as (due to a foul-up by the owners) it's going to be held in a huge tent, instead of inside Kelham Hall.  It'll be one to remember, one way or the other!  I'm really looking forward to it.

Wednesday, 14 May 2014

Roman Pontoon bridge...


...kit.

This will become the Roman pontoon bridge that will feature in my Bedriacum game at Partizan, in just over 2 weeks time.  Gulp.

It'll be built of coffee stirrers, card, bamboo skewers and balcony edges from 4Ground.  It's not a complex build, but I've left myself very ilittle time to do it, and I also need to knock up some terrain boards, including the River Po.

I've always wanted to own a Roman pontoon bridge.  This will be one of the largest terrain pieces I've built, and one of the cheapest, too!

Thursday, 8 May 2014

Back to black

...instead of following through on basing the yellow shields, I decided to push on and finish the second, black-shielded legion. These figures are around half of them, and are the ones that came ready painted; they are the work of three painters, who I like to think of as the good, the bad and the ugly. The "good" ones in row 3 and 4 are more well-painted ex-Legatus Hedlius minis, and just needed shield transfers. The "bad" ones in rows one and two needed a near complete repaint. The "ugly" ones at the rear had just been blocked in, and look much better for a little highlighting.


I need one more session on this lot's shields, two more on the rump of the minis, and then I can think about varnishing and basing. It is going so well, in fact, that I have cockily decided to paint a cohort or so of archers to provide some fire support.

If anyone would like to see all of the completed minis together, then they will be at Partizan on 1st June, and at the Wargames Holiday Centre on the 28th/29th June, where I'll putting on four large games.