11,200 hits in June and 230 followers!

This month I have seen my Blog stats counter confirm over 10,000 hits per month for the first time. I am aware that there have been a number of minor issues with Blogger and that these figures may need revising, but please allow me some satisfaction in recording 11,200 hits for June 2011.

I instigated a Blog counter just one year ago and I have seen a regular increase in both followers and hits with an average hits per month of between 8000 and 9000 or 2000 plus per week. In June these numbers increased to an all time high with 11,200.

In addition the number of Followers has also grown to over 230. Thank you for your continued support and more importantly comments. Comments are always welcome.

I started this Blog to record some of my model making and figure painting adventures, but it has since grown to include a whole host of labels and topics. I have no regrets and look forward to writing more.

Once again Thank You for your support.

Tony

Princess Juliana Chaseur Elite - an update

Gavin at Alternative Armies informs me that the LEUo3 Princess Juliana Dwarves are selling fast and will soon be sold out. I am also aware that a number of sets have been sold to customers in Germany. If the purchaser/purchasers are reading this - I would be interested to know what it is that you are planning to do with them?

For full details see the official AA site although there are a number of entries here on this Blog relating to this very special limited edition set. See Flintloque Label.

Tony

More 40mm Skeletons

I have found time to paint up a number of Spartan Games 40mm Skeletons for my Typhon Mythical Greece/Ancient Greece project. As with the earlier models - the Spartan Games Hero and the two Minotaur's they are based on 1d coins with the metal bases blended with Milliput and further textured with sieved sand.

The sculpts are very fine and super detailed, but are just a little bit too flimsy and required some repair and strengthening before painting.

I have tried for a very worn/bleached effect which I think works well against the brighter and 'cleaner' painting style of the Greek Hero. The Kraken shield design was hand painted and copied from a 'still' image of Jason and the Argonauts, the original film version by Harry Harryhausen.

I still need to varnish and flock the bases and will do this when I have a larger group of figures. the final image is of the same five skeletons posed on an old Ladybird story book called Famous Legends book 1 which I picked up in a charity shop for just a couple of pence.

They have been fun to paint and a great interlude. I should now concentrate on work!

Tony

Wargames Illustrated 285 and More Gallipoli Gaming Board

Page 69 of the latest Wargames Illustrated shows an advert from Grand Manner that features the new Sudan boats and terrain.

In addition I have just come across this video of Dave Bodley discussing the Gallipoli Gaming Board from Salute 2011. Enjoy.

For more information on the Grand Manner website, check out this link

Tony

40mm Skeleton Test

Having 'bitten the bullet' and painted up the two Minotaur's (see earlier post) I thought I would attempt a 40mm Skeleton. The figure is a 40mm Spartan Games (Heroes of Myth and Legend) Skeleton which I have had for some time. The sculpt is exceptionally fine, in fact (in my opinion) too fine as the legs in particular are much too thin and prone to damage. However I mounted the miniature on to an old style (Sterling) 1d coin and built up the base with Milliput and textured with fine sand. The figure is painted over a grey undercoat and uses heavy drybrushing and washes to define the detail and give the figure a very worn look.

Photo One - Shows the finished Skeleton awaiting a coat of varnish and some base flocking.

Photo Two - A work-in-progress shot.

Photo Three - A size comparison shot with the Skeleton standing alongside the Spartan Games Hero. The Hero stands 40mm (head to toe), while the Skeleton is a little taller at 44mm.

As with the earlier posts, I have attempted a very different paint scheme and technique on the Skeleton and think it works well. Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Tony

New Sudan and Middle East Models now available

Dave at Grand Manner has recently uploaded images of the new Sudan and Middle East Terrain and Boats. The buildings and modular boats were a joint venture between Dave and myself and took a considerable amount of time to produce, cast and paint.

Photo One - Shows a selection of the new Adobe Buildings, there are four in total and all feature lift off roofs and internal detail. The aim was to produce a range of Sudan inspired building that were more than just 'plain bricks' and that could be used for a wide variety of periods and backgrounds, each one full of individual character.

Photo Two - The Rear Wheel Paddle Steamer, Iris. Named after my Maternal Grandmother and I think one of my favourite hull configurations.

Photo Three - The Side Wheeled Paddle Steamer, Joseph. Named after my Wife's Father.

Photo Four - The Screw Boat Gnat. All models feature lift off roofs.

There are two main hull variations, then Side Wheel, Rear Wheel and plain Screw propulsion variants, as well as over 50 various deck and hull detailing parts to produce literally hundreds of Colonial, Sudan and even Far East Steam Boats. There are even two varieties of armoured boats available for those that wish to re-fight the Great Nile actions.

With this range of boats and fittings I challenge any gamer not to find the boat/gunboat variant that they have been longing for!

For full details go to this link and see the beautifully painted 'show models' sailing down the new Nile display board.

Tony

Greek Hero and Minotaur's

For some considerable time I have wanted to build an Ancient Greek/Greek Mythology group of 40mm figures. Earlier today I was clearing out some miniatures to put on e-bay and came across these Grenadier, Guthrie Minotaur's which had laid unloved in my lead mountain for ages. I was thinking about putting them onto e-bay but at the last minute relented and while my Wife was watching Wimbledon, I based and painted the pair of them.

All three figures still need to be varnished and flocked, but I thought that I would share my days painting and modelling.

Photo One - A Spartan Games 40mm Hero facing two Grenadier Minotaur's.

Photo Two - The based and undercoated Minotaur's although shown here with a pure black undercoat they were later washed with a very dark brown.

Photo Three - Minotaur 1, awaiting varnishing.

Photo Four - Minotaur 2, awaiting varnishing.

Photo Five - The pair of Minotaur's. I have tried for a very different painting style with these figures, a dark brown base layer and more subdued colours.

Photo Six - The Spartan Games Hero, nearly finished. Once again I have purposely tried for a subdued colour scheme, less primary and with dark brown shading rather than pure black. More natural!

Photo Seven - The painted Hero awaiting a coat of varnish.

Photo Eight - As above. I had wanted to have a GW Blood Angels decal on the shield, but instead went for this traditional Greek letter, slightly highlighted. My initial plan was to have a group of five Blood Angel Spartans and then a similar group of five Ultra Marine themed Greek soldiers.

Photo Nine - A comparison of the two figures, the Spartan Miniatures figure is 40mm tall (head to toe) and the Minotaur scales out at roughly the same height. I have been collecting Greek Myth miniatures for some time and wanted MY Minotaur's and Monster's to be 40mm or there about rather than the huge monsters of current gaming vogue.

All three miniatures are mounted on to the unusual base of an old 1d coin, or 31mm. and only slightly blended to keep the height low.

Now that I have finally taken the plunge to finish three figures, I would hope to proceed with this project. A couple of groups of Greek soldiers and a hand full of monsters, maybe a group of skeleton's as Jason and the Argonaut's.

My plan is to use the Alternative Armies game Typhon as the core rules.

Tony

Flintloque Ghost

Happy Fathers Day! Here is another modelling interlude a converted Grenadier Ghost, modified and converted into a Flintloque Undead character.

The sequence of photos shows the original model, conversion and painting - in this case I think the photos speak for themselves.

The only problem - since painting the figure I have read a tutorial about painting ghosts light grey and I am now thinking about repainting the miniature.

Tony

Modelling interlude

Some weeks ago my Wife and I were returning from a walk into town and I spied this unusual pebble on the path. When I picked it up, I had no idea how I would use it. It was the striped or striated shape that took my attention.

I have mounted it onto a small oval of 3mm thick plastic card and built-up the groundwork with Milliput. Once textured and painted I think it makes an attractive Dolmen or Standing Stone.

Photo Two - Shows the bare stone.

Photo Three - The finished Dolmen, ready for play. Painted in my usual colour scheme of Snakebite Leather from Games Workshop.

Tony

Foul Mouth Freddy - a gaming scenario for Flintloque part three

Craig Andrews at Barking Irons has just uploaded part three of my Foul Mouth Freddy adventure Foul Mouth Freddy sneaks past the ****ing Guards, for full details go to this link

Part One can be found here and part Two here All three adventures were originally written as a one part story called Foul Mouth Freddy Steals a ****ing Horse, but Craig re-wrote, added to and amended my notes to produce this linked adventure. Thank you Craig. I think you have done a GREAT job.

The story is based on actual events only the location has been changed to protect the 'not so innocent!'.

Uncle Freddy has been banned from most of the pubs in the Sandfields - his latest plan was to use his newly acquired Puch moped (50cc and peddle power) to motor down to the Students Union bar - the beer was cheap, there were special 'freshers week' offers and he had yet to 'blot is copy book' with the steward!

The only problem was the UK Government has recently passed a law requiring that all motorcyclists were required to wear a crash helmet. Fred had no such helmet and so used his sons plastic scateboard helmet instead.

The journey home was even more eventful as he rode his Puch down the promenade instead of the main road

Tony

Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft

Radio 4 Extra (previously Radio 7) is serialising the H. P. Lovecraft novella Mountains of Madness. I have caught part one and two, but might have to miss part three as I am out this evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00vpkkt

I've enjoyed the narrative story so far and would recommend it to all CoC fans.

Tony

Thinking the un-thinkable

I am thinking about getting rid of my White Dwarf collection! After thirty years collecting what must be between 80% - 90% of all White Dwarf issues ever published I now find myself thinking about getting rid of them.

There are two main reasons, firstly I find myself buying the odd current issue, but after a quick browse I am usually disappointed, secondly, there is the room that hundreds of magazines take up. My attic is full of box-files each holding between 50 - 60 magazines some of which have not seen the light of day for years.

I have earlier issues from no. 12 and almost an unbroken run of what I consider to be 'The Golden Years' prior to it becoming a mouth piece for Games Workshop and loosing its soul.

I was wondering if there are others who feel the same way?

I think I would find it very difficult to get rid of all of the issues, as some have such great articles and retain fond memories of my youth, but I am almost resigned to clearing out a great number of the later issues, possibly 25%.

As an aside. I quite enjoy having a slouching day and bringing down a random box of WD to read on one of those days when there is nothing urgent to do or planned.

I will update when I have made my decision. This really is a very dark day for me.

Tony

Stone Barn an on-line build part four

In any organised procedure I should have painted the roof tiles first.

I choose to paint the doors and shed instead. Using Snakebite Leather from Games Workshop, I applied a layer straight from the pot, then a number of subsequent layers mixed with Skull White. In the brush strokes I have tried to highlight the sculpted woodwork and tried not to go too light.

Tony

Games Expo - Birmingham

Having just returned from a great day out at Games Expo, Birmingham I thought I would post this array of images just to give a 'feel' for the event.

It really is a friendly show with loads to see and do. I would recommend it wholeheartedly.

Tony