An interesting YouTube post featuring my Skrym gaming board

Earlier this month I was browsing YouTube when I came across this tutorial showing how to paint a fantasy house for D&D or Frostgrave. The tutorial has many of the techniques I use when painting my scratch built terrain, but that's not the reason I am featuring it here on my Blog. 

The author has decided to use one of my magazine articles as a background - namely the construction of my Skrym or Modiphius Games gaming table that I built some time ago. For more information on the magazine article/articles, see these two posts here and here. which show the construction and then the painting of this board.

You can see the YouTube tutorial from JH Miniatures showing how he painted his fantasy house here and my Miniature Wargames magazine article in the background. I went back over some of his earlier tutorials to see if he used any more of my magazine articles as background but couldn't find any. I just found it funny that my MW article/tutorial was used in this way and thought it was worth posting here.....

I have seen many of my models featured in various YouTube and 'other' internet posts over the years and think it is something of a complement. If any readers know of any others, please post details here.

Tony

The Hound of the Baskervilles - BBC Going Classical

The BBC 4 series Going Classical features the BBC orchestra and world-renowned singers or musicians performing in some of the UK's most beautiful halls. In this case we have the orchestra performing a new piece with Mark Gattis and Sanjeev Baskar as Holmes and Watson re-telling the story of The Hound of the Baskevilles. 

I think this was the best piece of TV I saw (or more accurate listened to) over the holiday period. For more information see this link.

You can still enjoy it on BBC iPlayer. Highly recommended.

Tony

Old Tom - A Tale from the White Liar Tavern

Day 21 of the Orcs in the Webbe 2023 Advent and a short White Liar Tale written by me. Old Tom is based on the Robbie Burns poem Tam O'Shanter with suitable Flintloque themes. I hope you like it.

For more details see this link.

Happy Advent

Tony

Orcs in the Webbe 2023 Advent Calendar day one

Day one of this years Orcs in the Webbe Advent Calendar features some simple spaceship battle rules written by Matthew Hartley. The rules come at a very opportunistic moment as I have a couple of squads of converted spacecraft sitting on my desk just waiting for a game and although mounted on circular plastic bases instead of hexagonal, I'm sure I can find a way of 'muddling through'.

For more details, see this link.

Happy Advent.

Tony

Orcs in the Webbe 2023 Advent Calendar just one day away

With just one day to go - I for one am looking forward to this years Orcs in the Webbe Advent. The free content is a long standing tradition by the Orcs in the Webbe host Craig and this year will be the 16th year of hosting free content (and not all Flintloque/Alternative Armies based, but a wide range of game systems). For more details see this link.

Tony

A chance encounter

Earlier today Sue and I had a casual drive out to Evesham and Pershore. I managed to pick up some bits and pieces but it was while we were in Pershore that I spotted this monster. A Scammell Pioneer Tractor called Lady Polly.

I took some photos for reference and although I have no intention of modelling it, I still think it is a real beast - so ugly it's beautiful.....

Tony

Stormbringer from Warhammer

Earlier today I picked up issue 1 of the new Warhammer/Hachette part works called Stormbringer. At just £2.99 it was a real bargain, but I don't expect to purchase any more, well maybe just issue 2! I picked my copy up from WHSmiths, Stratford upon Avon.

For more information of this new release see this link.

Tony

The Geologist's Hammer

On my last visit to Swansea I was given this old Geologist's Hammer by my Uncle Ray. The hammer had once belonged to a visiting student who was researching rock deposits on the Gower Peninsular and who had stayed with Ray and Liz when they owned Tenby House - a Bed & Breakfast hostel in Mumbles, Swansea. When the student left to go home he was very upset to have mislaid his hammer. Many years later Ray was working in his shed having moved to a new house and came across the hammer which had obviously been placed in one of the old tool boxes. Ray had heard how I had been educating my two Grandson's about rocks and minerals and how I had given both Finley and Charlie both tools and fossils for them to collect.

Ray said that I could have the hammer and I thought it would be a great renovation project. The hammer had since been painted black and the handle was very loose.

After polishing the hammer head, I was ready to attach it to the cleaned up handle - a hickory handle which I had modified and sanded smooth.

The finished head and handle were reattached with both a wooden wedge and a metal pin.

Finally I painted the handle base in a transparent green colour and oiled the handle before polishing it.

A great little project that I'm proud to own. I hope the previous owner - The Geologist who was visiting South Wales approves of the renovation. I will show the Grandson's the finished hammer when I next visit.

Tony

Orcs in the Webbe Advent Calendar 2022

Craig Andrews of Orcs in the Webbe has just posted details of the Advent calendar 2022 over on the Orcs in the Webbe Facebook page - for full details see this Facebook link or go direct to OITW at this link.

Craig is looking for content for this years Advent and if you have ever thought of writing for OITW, now is the time to get in touch.

I'll be putting something together in the next couple of days and hopefully there will be more.

Happy pre-Advent.

Tony

A Flea Market Purchase

This well-worm wooden mallet was picket up at one of the Malvern Flea Markets earlier this year for just 50p. It was in a very sorry state and you might have been forgiven for thinking that it was a waste of 50p.

But after taking it apart, trimming the head and shortening the handle I was able to sand the wood and polish it with clear wax to produce this.

November has been a bit Silver Bayonet heavy and this post is no exception. Taking inspiration from this image (see below), I carved the mystic sign on to the mallet head and now have a Silver Bayonet themed mallet.

No doubt the SB theme will continue for a while (sorry) with the Elf (French) unit taking pride of place, but once they are finished, I'll need an opposition force. 

Tony

Happy Halloween

Foul Mouth Freddy and the Worm of Villa Rocca.....

All Hallow's Eve just wouldn't be the same without a tall tale on Orcs in the Webbe and here in 2021 we have this fishy story for you to enjoy. For full details see this link.

Earlier All Hallow's Eve Tales can be found here.

Tony

The Silver Bayonet - a Wargame of Napoleonic Gothic Horror

The Silver Bayonet is a new set of rules from Joseph A. McCullough and published by Osprey Publishing and a book I am very much looking forward to purchasing when it is released (publication date - 11th November). For more details see this link.

There is a pre-publication review over on You Tube from Wargames Illustrated which should answer any questions you may have about the contents. The review is an extensive 35 minute tour of the new book and showcases some of the new miniatures from North Star. For details see this You Tube link.

I've written about this rule book in earlier post and am looking forward to picking up a copy as I think it will work well alongside Flintloque/Slaughterloo.

Tony

Malvern Airbrush update

This vintage airbrush was picked up at the Malvern Flea Fayre last month. For more information see this post. After a quick clean I tested the spray with both plain water and some acrylic ink. It worked perfectly and I have since used it to spray paint a piece of scratch built terrain (more on this in a later post).

After using acrylic paints, I thought I had better give it a thorough clean and left it soak in some airbrush cleaner. Unfortunately the steel screws (there are three of them) started to rust and discolour the chrome. So it was time for a complete strip down and clean.

The airbrush cleaner had done most of the work for me, but I did need to clear up the rust stains. I used mild metal polish to clean and polish the chrome and once that was done I lubricated the innards with WD40. A test spray highlighted some air seepage around the plunger so I wiped on a tiny amount of petroleum jelly to the polished needle and can report that this simple £7.00 airbrush works perfectly.

I have not been able to find out that much about this model or the company - the airbrush has these markings;

COLOUR SPRAYS LTD LONDON and the model number 5018. If any reader can supply more information, I would be grateful. 

I have once again included a link to my Dampf's Wargame Terrain Survey and would welcome any answers to the three simple questions. For more information on the survey, see this link for details.

Thank you.

Tony

Malvern Flea Fayre 2021

Sue and I attended the Bank Holiday Show at The Three Counties Showground, Malvern at the end of September. We try to get to at least one show or fayre each year as I enjoy walking around the stalls and seeing all those items I used to own!

I picked up a number of interesting finds which I felt could be of use when building or painting models.

The main purchase - I bought it for just £7.00 was this antique airbrush. The markings show COLOUR SPRAYS LTD LONDON and 5018. I've tried to find out more information, but the best I could do was an image of three similar models with different cups. If you have any additional info. please comment.

After a quick clean with plain water and washing up liquid, I was surprised to find that it works perfectly. I've since used it to spray paint a piece of scratch built terrain.

The two Swann-Morton scalpel handles were spotted on a art material table, and for just 50p each I thought it would be silly to miss out.

The final item is this universal set square which was £1.00. I'm aware that it will need some cleaning up but for model making, it is just the right size.

So for just £9.00 I have now have four very handy modelling tools.

I am still looking for replies to the Dampf's Wargame Terrain Survey, just three simple questions to help me with future terrain builds - for more information, see this post. Thank you.

Tony

Sherwood Forest Railway

We have just returned from a short three day break camping in Sherwood Forest. The highlight was spending time with the grandchildren and visiting Sherwood Forest Railway - a 15 inch gauge, 5/8th scale pleasure line that is just full of character. We rode on PET one of the steam engines. 

I spent time sketching some of the features - like the sleeper-built water tower and the abandoned V skip-based enclosed wagon both of which could find their way on to The Yellow Pelican Mining Co. layout.

For more information go to this link.

Tony

Airfix Cloud Climber Glider

A charity shop find.....

Airfix Cloud Climber Glider in original packaging for just £1.00. I'm estimating the model to be from the 1960's or 70's - So do I open it?

Pattern No. 1645

I think I will and have the fun of flying it.

Tony

Magazine Haul

As a Father's Day treat Holly accompanied Sue and I for a walk along the river front in Bewdley. Although the weather wasn't great we enjoyed our stroll, feeding the ducks and watching the rowers.

Before returning home I stopped off at Bewdley railway station on the Severn Valley Railway and picked up this selection of second-hand, foreign language railway magazines.

You may wonder why?

Well these magazines nearly always have a specialised model making section - for example this article by one of my favourite authors Emmanuel Nouaillier and at just 20p an issue - it's a real bargain bucket treat.

I'll enjoy looking through them over the next couple of weeks, cutting out articles I want to keep and then passing them on to a cadre of railway modellers in Droitwich.

Tony

Sahara - M3 Lulubelle from Miniart

Images taken from The Modelling News 26.05.2021

While browsing the internet earlier today, I came across this new release from Miniart - The M3 Lee featured in the film/films Sahara. There have been two versions of the film, a later re-make with Jim Belushi and the classic Humphrey Bogart which in my opinion is so much better. (See image below).

For more details of the M3 Lee release, see this link.

The earlier 1943 film inspired me to build a 1/56th scale model of Bir Acroma the centre piece of the climactic battle. The model features in my Pen & Sword book Wargames Terrain & Buildings North Africa and The Middle East. For details of how to order a copy see this link.

Here are a couple of images of the finished model.

I've see both films and although the earlier film is in black and white and has some anomalies, I prefer it to the later re-make. What do you think?

Tony

The Silver Bayonet from Osprey Games - Napoleonic Gothic Horror

I recently saw this and thought it was worth while re-posting details.

A Napoleonic Gothic Horror game from Osprey - The Silver Bayonet is due out this October/November. Regular readers will no doubt be aware of my love of Flintloque which covers the same style or genre and background - Orc Redcoats against Ferach Elves with Undead Russians thrown in for effect.

For more information, see this link.

I look forward to reading more.....

Tony

BLOOD BOWL and TYRANID ATTACK from Games Workshop

I was recently given a carrier bag full of modelling materials and these two games. The modelling materials have already been moved to the shed and will no doubt be used very soon but I'm not sure what to do with BLOOD BOWL and TYRANID ATTACK.

As you can see both games are either complete or nearly complete - I have not had chance to check ALL of the contents.

Tyranid Attack looks to be all there with some of the pieces constructed and painted (at least with an undercoat).

Both boxed games were a gift from a friend of my daughters who was clearing out some of his older content. I would normally offer the games to my son who has quite a collect of board games, but he has said no as he already has a number of GW games that he does not play.

I think I might try to paint up a couple of models and see how I get on.

Thank you Mal.

Tony