Sunday, October 16, 2011

An Extra Figure


So in the middle of painting Austrian and French Artillerists I took a 8 minute break to paint a Clan War figure I had laying around.

Not kidding eight minute paint job. It took longer to get the ballast on the base than it did to paint the figure.

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Looking Ahead to 2012

As October 15th comes to a close I am looking ahead to next year. Gaming wise this year has been a disaster to say the least with a total lack of time and ability to push lead minimized by the personal issues that have haunted my footsteps. But the end of a number of issues is in sight, there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel and it doesn't appear to be an oncoming train. So yes I have thought about my projects for next year.

I will be running two games at Con of the North and partcipating in a couple of others. The first game is a 25mm Brother against Brother Scenario for my 1861 (Early War) collection of figures I am painting up. The second game is a 25mm Horse Musket and Gun scenario featuring my French and Austrian Collection in one of the lesser know battles of the 100 Days Campaign, la Suffel. So I am busily painting up figures for both of those games. In addition I am working on adding enough terrain to make those an interesting as possible and still be playable. No Roman Hedges in my future.

My next project is my 1862 Battles on the Peninsula game I am looking to run, hopefully at a spring ReCon. I am working slowly on figures for that as well. My plan is to use the ACW variant of Rank and File, but if Horse Musket and Gun works I may just stick with that in effort to not teach people too many rule sets.

Speaking of Horse Musket and Gun I plan on doing far more work on that over the winter. Many discussions with Kelley and what's left of the group in Stuttgart really made me reconsider how some of the mechanics are working. The result of these email exchanges have lead me to consider making two rule sets rather than one. The First Rule Set is for Mass Battles the second is more of smaller skirmish (small action not 1 to 1) game. I have been trying to combine the two into one game and honestly I think that has been my problem.

With that in mind I am going to attempt and run what I hope will be a large 25mm Napoleonics game on Saturday June 16th. My goal is to have a table 30 to 40 feet long and 3 five foot wide sections as the field of battle. That is a lot of space, the question is do we have enough figures and more importantly enough players to make it worth while.

On the figure side of that question, I have just shy of a Corps of French Infantry, light Artillery, Command and Cavalry. I will be adding 6 more battalions of painted French from the Old Glory Painted, leaving me short six battalions of Legere for a French Corps and a Division from the Second Corps. Artillery well I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy some more figures, probably a mix of War Games Foundry and Old Glory 1st Edition. Legere however is a tough question, I wouldn't mine some of the Plastics, but man are the poses hideous. In the Vitrix I figure I would be throwing out 1/3 of the figures.

I also have a division of Minor and by Minor I mean minor, French Allied. You got to love the minor Confederation of the Rhine states. With them and the other figures I am planning on buying that should give me two full French Corps. Fitz has a Division of French, short Artillery. Keith and Violence both have a Brigade of Bavarians. Joel Gregory has a French Corps.

On the Allied Side I have a workable Austrian Corps. Fitz has a Russian Corps, short Artillery, Joel Gregory has two Prussian Brigades and a mix of Austrians.

Jim has informed me he has 300 to 400 unpainted Prussians, BJ and Ray have decided to paint Russians and I have way to much unpainted and half-painted lead.

So if we get everyone to show up it could be well worth while game. Especially as a couple of other players hem and haw about participating.

I am also painting up a good deal of Austrians and Swedes for the Era of the War of Austrian Succession. Yeah I know Swedes foe the Hat's War, I love punishment. I have a good Start on an Austrian Brigade and Swedish Battalion. I am hoping to try a game of BaR by the end of next year. As a continuation of this I have a French Brigade and a British Brigade technically for the F&IW but who's counting.

I am really taking a long hard look at my AWI collection and wondering what to do with it, as the Wilderness Wars Rule seem to be too fundamentally flawed to continue with and I have way to many figures painted. Maybe a BaR variant?

Well off to bed, after listing a small sample of what i will be working on for 2012, and I am already looking at 2013 with reverence and awe, as the 200, 150, and 70th anniversaries. I see Gettysburg, Leipzig and North Africa in my future.

Monday, October 10, 2011

The Plan for November

As I continue to concentrate on 25mm figures I have decided I need a plan or at least a theme for each month in an effort to convince me to paint more figures.

For November it is 25mm Napoleonic Artillerists. Or maybe Artillerists in General, but for now Napoleonic Artillerists.

On the Napoleonic Front I have about 100 Austrian Artillerists and 24 French Artillerists laying around waiting for paint. Obviously I don't need 100 Austrians but a good 40 wouldn't hurt. I am going to have to pick up some additional French Artillerists, but I guy has to do what a guy has to do. For the Seven years war I have about 30 Prussian and 30 Austrian Artillerists

Maybe I can convince my friends they two need artillerists painted and November is the month for it.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Accomplishments for the Weekend - Part 2



My second project for the weekend was to paint the remaining 9 of 10 Swedish Jager's in Schwarter's Company for the Seven Year's War.


Again an easy figure to paint, starting with a black primer, Snot Green for the pants, shirts,and jackets, White, burnt umber for the undercoat of the faces, bestial brown for the muskets, snakebite brown for the leather, a couple of flesh colors, bleached bown for the gloves, gun metal, and brass highlights. In all each figure took about 10 to paint once the Snot Green was completed.

Accomplishments for the Weekend - Part 1

I almost completed my son's new Tau Empire Fire Team. Eight of twelve Tau and both drones completed.




The figures were extremely easy to paint, while not Games Workshop magazine quality, it still a very acceptable finish.



I started with a black primer, used Africa Brown for the hoofs, Brunt Sienna for the lower legs, than used vermin brown to highlight the skin, leather suit (nor sure what it actually is.) I then used Vomit Brown for the Armor and Weapons. Followed by highlights of Brass and Red. With some Bleached Bone for the straps and unit markings.

For the Tau Skin it was a fairly simple procedure. I started out with a slightly waterred down Shadow grey over the black primer. I than dry brushed on a 50/50 mix of space wolf Grey and and water. That's it.


The figures look well together as a goup and pretty sharp singally.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Some Bad Pictures

The first is a picture of Schwarter's Company of Light Infantry from the Swedish Army in the Seven Year's War Era.



























The Second Picture is Swedish Artillery, Light Artillery Battery of two Cannons, from the era of the War of Austrian Succession until the Seven Years War.























The third is 12 of 16 figures (need more bases ) of the Liv Company of the Narke-Varmlands Infantry Regiment for the Era around the War of Austrian Succession. They wore red pants during the Seven Years War.






















Yes someday I will figure out how to take pictures of figures, obviousily not today, but someday.

Tau Empire

Gunther has asked if he can play Warhammer 40K, well more exactly he has asked to play that cool looking game with guys in space suits (Space Marines) that has Monsters (Chaos) and Aliens (Tyranids) that the boys were playing with at the Source. I should add tha most of the figures were just primed and not painted.



So we spent a few hours looking over the website and looking at boxs and Gunther has decided on an army from the Tau. Not wanting to be another guy with half painted or only primed army I decided to buy the figures one set at a time and only after that set gets painted will i get another set.


The first set was a Tau Fire Team, which includes 12 Troopers and 2 Drones. I have completed the first 2 troopers and one drone this evening. I have the second drone primed and still have to assemble the other 10 troopers.

Monday, October 3, 2011

Swedish BAR

Yeah Yeah I know I am supposed to be Austrians, while I am painting those too.

I completed the LivCompany (16 Figures) for the Swedish Regiment Narke-Varmlands in 25mm for our BAR 1741 project. In addition I completed 4 of the 8 Figures for the Command Section, and the 8 Artillerists and 2 Cannons, plus the Regimental Officer and Brigade Commander.

For Narke-Varmlands this leaves 4 Figures for Command and 32 Figures for the Second Two Companies.

I also got all the Figures for the Dalarnas Reigment (2 Battalions) which is the mate Regiment in the Brigade. Plus just because I own the Figures every mad jack of the Swedish Jagers will be covered as well.

On the Austrian Front I completed the First Company of the Carl Lothringen Regiment only 120 more to go for them.

Friday, July 15, 2011

25mm French and Indian War

Over the past week I have painted up some more figures for the French and Indian War (Seven Years War in North America) that have been sitting on my painting table way to long.

I completed the 10 British Artillerists and 2 Cannons, 20 British Independent Company Soldiers, and am getting started on some more figures for the French La Sarre and Guyenee Infantry Regiments and the Command for my Compagnies franches de la marine. I think most of the those figures have spent the better part of two years on my painting table. All toll it is 76 figures, most of which are at least half-painted. I'll just say cross-belts and be done with it.

Looking in the British box I see another 20 Rangers in the half-painted stage plus a full Regiment of Foot plus the Royal Americans in Hunting Shirts,that are at least half-painted. The French box is even worse with three battalions of figures painted white many with the black bits already painted.

I have to get out of the habit of starting one project and jumping to the next, very very bad habit.

Saturday, May 28, 2011

25mm Guals

Okay, I know a project flop for the weekend, however I pulled out my 25mm Guals for the annual I should really do something with these figures weekend. I have Caesarian Romans to, however I haven't really done anything with them either since they got painted up fo the release of Warhammer Ancient Battles. And this year I actually did do something with them, can you say painted cross belts or the gallic equivalent anyways.

I finished the 32 Gaeseti Mercenaries for playing in the Punic Wars period, plus 48 Swiss - Heleveti Tribe - warriors for 16 stands, got a good start on 16 Javelinmen and 16 slingers for all of those figures I will ever need.

Somewhere I have the Chariots done for the period, will have to get some cavalry for the Caesarian period.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

15mm Napoleonic Figures

On Saturday Tom Zwirn handed me a box of 15mm Napoleonic figures that he painted for me, included were 100 Austrian Landwehr, Charles Legion (Prague Students and Mahrisch's Battalion) and Viennese Volunteers and 50 French Young Guard and 16 Sailors of the Guard.

Always nice to get more painted figures in the collection, wish there was more interest in the period.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Completed 2 Sections of Confederate Artillery for Brother Against Brother

While it isn't a huge under taking I completed two sections of Washington's Louisiana Light Artillery for Brother Against Brother. This includes 11 Artillerists (1 Officer and 2 NCOs and 8 Privates) and 2 Union 12# Napoleonic Guns.

I purchased a bag of Union 12# Napoleonic Guns and if the project gets large enough will pick up a confederate 12# Napoleonic Gun Bag I just can't justify $35 ($21) to get two guns and let the other four just sit there for now. Considering most people can't tell the guns and limbers apart I am okay with it for now.

Next on to completing the 20 Louisiana Tigers I have started plus some more terrain.

Thursday, May 12, 2011

June 25th - ACW my place

My wife (future ex-wife) and Son will be out of town the weekend of June 25th and 26th, leaving me to my own devices. Seems like a perfect oppertunity to get in some extra, wait considering how little I game lately ANY, gaming in. I am really not in the mood to game in public, I might be a bit too high strung and ready to go ballastic on too many people to endure a ReCON!.

My Goal is to put on a smallish game of Brother Against Brother putting on about 6 squads a side plus some artillery.

I have been working on finishing up some 25mm Terrian, have a plan for some Corn Rows, and maybe break down and get some other road sections done. I hope to purchase a building from JR Miniatures and maybe a barn, however I am committing to get a lot of stuff painted between now and then.

If I can't get stuff painted will fall back on a 15mm Game either Rally, Fields of Honor, or Fire and Fury, there are enough of those figures floating around.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

1862 Project Google Document

The following Google Spreadsheet is openly viewable for those people that want to follow this link.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Brother against Brother

Years ago I purchased a number of 25mm ACW figures for a couple of projects, the first was attempting to do 25mm Mass Combat (cough Gettysburg Campaign cough). I have/had a fairly substantial collection of 15mm figures, mostly Confederate Troops that were supposed to be for a number of failed campaigns. Right now I think I have at least 75% of the Army of Northern Virgina, short Artillery and some of the Specialized Figures at 1 stand = 100 men and 1 gun = 1/2 battery.

Lately I have been painting up the 25mm figures which have been in a box unpainted for at least eight years. The Union I Corps at 1 stand = 50 Men painted at paper strength is coming along, with four Regiments of thirteen Regiments completed. There are another two regiments in the works on the painting table. For the Confederates I have been working on Heth's Division of with two regiments painted and one more on the painting table. So now that I am getting to a point where I will be able to demonstrate the game and attempt to get other interested in painted time to look at some other figures.

I have 60 Zouaves with Straw Hat that I purchased for a Brother Against Brother (BAB) project that never went anywhere. Like so many other projects I got started in more than a decade ago my partners all disappeared when it came time for the rubber to hit the road.

I think I am going to try and get a some number of figures done for BAB as well. it really won't take many figures to make two playable forces and I have a good start at some terrian. Arguably to make two armies to allow 6 to 12 players a chance to push figures and roll dice I am talking 60 figures a side, give or take a couple.

In talking with Tom Zwirn, who has an interest in doing 1861, an idea sprung into my head over the weekend, 1861 for BAB. Units would be relativily small and there would be a wide variaty of uniform options available.

The Two Forces I plan on painting or Wheat's Tigers and 2nd Rhode Island Infantry Regiment, being the two forces collided at the First Battle of Bull Run it is a fitting grouping.

What is interesting about the Two Units is the detail of the Uniforms that are available for the 1861 Campaign. I personally like the Kentish Guards for the 2nd Rhode Island.

To start with I will be painting 30 to 40 figures in two companies for both sides. Starting with the Tiger Rifles and the Kentish Guards, my goal is to have 40 figures in each of the Companies (four squads of 10) with one Squad being the Color/Guard and three Squads of Troopers. Both Sides will end up with Five Companies, that 200 figes a side, which I think is reasonable.

For the Wheat's Tigers:
Company A - Walker’s Guards – (WBS-41 – Zouaves with Fez)
Red Fex, Blue Tassle, Dark Brown Jacket Red Trim, White Pants with Stripes
Company B - Tiger Rifles – (WBS-42 – Zouaves with Straw Hats)
Straw Hat, Dark Blue Jacket, Red Trim, Grey Pants)
Company C - Catahoula Guerrillas – (WBS-39 – Zouaves with Kepi)
Blue Kepi, Dark Grey Top, Red Trim, White Pants
Company D - Delta Rangers
Red Fez, Red Tassle, Dark Blue Jacket with Red Trim, White Pants with Blue Stripes
Company E – Wheat’s Life Guard
Red Fez, Blue Tassle, Dark Blue Jacket with Red Trim, White Pants with Light Blue Stripes


I don't have all teh details yet on the 2nd Rhode Island, so stay tuned.

Company H - Kentish Guard

Sunday, May 1, 2011

ACW 1862 in 2012

After talking with several people I am going to move forward with the plan for a game in summer of 2012 to commemorate a number of battles fought in 1862, which I am for now call 1862 in the East.   Due to the scale of the game I am considering trying to organize I think a year’s preparation time may be needed.
Tentatively I am basing the concept of the game around the Seven Days’ Battle which was the conclusion of the Peninsula Campaign using Rank and File in 25mm with 1 stand representing 50 men.   The game will be configured for approximately 20 players, 10 players on each side with each player pushing roughly a brigade of troops.  
The game is based upon the Peninsula Campaign I will be using troops from a number of Corps which are available so the Order of Battle is not exact.   My figures are organized for the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign, Union I Corps and Confederate 2nd Division III Corps.
Union
4 Brigades (provided by Jeff J)
1 Brigade (provided by Fitz)
 
Confederate
4 Brigades (provided by Jeff J)
 
I know several people have figures for the period, both painted and unpainted and have ‘volunteered’ to provide figures, so I am asking people to commit now, even if it is just a Brigade.   
If we get beyond 10 brigades per side brigades will be added equally to both sides.
 
A generic Brigade will consist of 4 Regiments of 5 (or more) stands.   My figures are mounted 3 infantry figures to a 1 ½” square base.   It is not the figures that matter but the bases and as long as the bases are close in size than all is good.
At this Scale an Artillery Stand represents 2 guns, so 3 stands represent one Battery.
 
The game will be played on either four or five tables.   If only four tables two tables stacked in the center and two single table of each flank are a possibility (depending on location).
Prior to the Game the players will be assigning brigades to each of the tables.   Each Table will have a number of points available varying be sides and the strategic importance.   The idea is that players will be doing grand tactical movement and then each table will be fought independently. 

24th Michigan part II

I have completed painting all 30 figures of the 24th Michigan Regiment of the "Iron Brigade" today. For as little time as I spent painting those figures I think they have turned out fairly well. After getting the figures on popsicle sticks I may have spent a grand total of six hours painting them.
Once I figure out how to post images with the iPad I will do so.

Already have the 147the New York Infantry Regiment on popsicle sticks waiting to be primed. I hope to get the painted by next weekend.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

24th Michigan

This weekend I primed up 30 figures Old Glory "Iron Brigade" figures that will become the 24th Michigan Regiment of the Iron Brigade (1st Brigade, 1st Division, I Corps, Army of the Potomac).

I got about half the unit completed, painting 3 figures or 1 stand at a time. Currently my plan is to paint up 10 stands for each unit (unless like the Vermont Boys there were 15 stands) and a 1:2 ratio for Artillery. That ratio should allow me to drop down to 1:100 and 1:200 fairly easily if need be. However for now...

Once I complete the 24th Michigan that gives me the 2nd Wisconsin and the 24th Michigan out of the Iron Brigade and the 14th Brooklyn out of the second brigade complete. I have the figures short command for the 147th New York, and a third unit tbd out of the second brigade. That leaves 3 Regiments out ot the Iron Brigade and 2 Regiments of the 2nd Brigade. To complete the 1st Division. Man that is a lot of figures.

I have 30 of the 36 artillerists and I am pretty sure all the actually artillery pieces.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Painting Plan - Napoleonics

Well I really need Plans (and Painting Plans) for a number of periods I have made my semi-official not going to change my mind plans for at least another week plans for the Napoleonic period. Historically I have changed plans every time the winds blow. Which has caused me to get like ten tonnes of lead and not whole crap load of that lead is unpainted.
That doesn't mean I don't have a a lot of figures painted, I just don't know what to do with everything anymore, since so many projects died. (I can say the same for a number of periods, but this is the one I have the most lead for.)
Wars of the Second Coalition (1798-1800)
General de Brigade (1:20) in 15mm
Mounting figures for Napoleon's Battle for Infantry and Artillery and 1/2 stands (2x1) for Cavalry.
Alexander Suvorov's Italian and Swiss Expeditions
Please note I am still looking for a partner in crime for this project. Jim is interested but time and figures are limited.
Crisis on the Danube (1809)
Napoleon's Battles (1:120) in 15mm
Mounting figures for Napoleon's Battles with 1/2 Stands for Cavalry
I am painting up the Austrian Army and the French Allied (starting with Bavarians and Saxons followed by the less units of the French Allied.) Will be using my 1815 French Infantry for the French.
I find this probably the most interesting campaign as the Austrians suffered from poor leadership is certian places but good quality troops capable of going toe-t0-toe with the French. For a wargamer a lot of possibilities.
Wars of the Sixth Coalition (1813-1814)
Napoleon's Battles (1:120) in 25mm
This is sort of a lie, units actually will be organized at 1:30 but the math of 1:30 and 1:120 allows us to play either scale. My Goal however is to have this the dominate game (NB) in 25mm for a number of reasons. (Size of the table needed, space requirements, figure requirements...)
The killer in this plan will be the 240 figures of cossacks needed to do something along the size of Leipzig.
I have Austrian and French (plus some minor French Allies), Fitz has British, Russian and French, Joel Gregory has Austrian, Prussian, and French. There are some others with British, a few Russians and some French.
It would be Assume to do Leipzig in 25mm for Napoleon's Battles on October 16-19 in 2013, the 200th Anniversary. But that will take a lot of work and coordination. It is definetaly doable, the more I think about it the more doable I think it is.
100 Days Campaign (1815)
Horse Musket and Gun (1:30) in 15mm
For this I am planning to have the entirety of the campaign painted by 1815. I have Two French Infantry Corps, the Guard Corps, 1 1/2 of the Heavy Cavalry Corps completed. I have the Hanoverian Army Complete and one Division of British Infantry and the Heavy Cavalry Completed. In addition I have all the odd ball units completed. For the Prussians I have most of the Artillery Completed and a good start on all the landwehr. An odd assortment I know, but it happened to be organized around the figures I owned and what we needed for other games.
I am not sure WHY I got dragged into this campaign in the first place, oh yeah I remember a failed Campaign, not really a very interesting campaign but I now own the figures and I am committed.
Other Armies
That leaves two Armies/Figures that I really need to figure out what to do with.
Russian Army 1807-1813. I have a large number of figures both before and after the uniform change.
Austrian Army 1813. A fairly complete force.
I plan on looking at the Austrians for the Invasion of France 1815 in Horse Musket and Gun and what the reorganization would take. The Russians I am leaning towards completing painting and selling them off. I have a goodly number of figures in a variety of paint jobs. But they just aren't going to be any sort of focus for me.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Horse Musket and Gun

Posted some new files in the Yahoo Group. Man is formatting a pain in the ass.

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Horse-MusketandGun/

I will be working on the formatting of the remaining chapters and trying to get them posted in the next couple of days.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

The Shattered Ring World

Years ago, about 25 to be more exact, I started working on a Campaign setting for AD&D group I ran. I wanted something new and different than your typical Greyhawk setting. And I created the Shattered Ring World.
Over the past years I have continued to work on the setting and it has grown matured and now takes up a couple of Composition Style Note Books. I can’t say that I have used the setting much since my last campaign in the Mid 90’s which is now 15 years ago. But I kept adding notes and other thoughts.
It been suggested more than once that I formalize the work and work towards maybe writing a book with all the back story I created.
This year one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to put the information out there for people to use. I have no false illusions that this anything but what it is, however if a group or two uses the setting and finds it as enjoyable to use as I have written than it is a good thing.
You can find the Wiki here.
I am looking for people to help fill it out. Let me know if you have some spare time and want to suffer with me.