Continuing the revolution

I've cracked on with my terrain, soon my table top with be covered with snazzy new pieces.

Firstly, trees! I decided to bite the bullet and have a go at making them myself. They're not hard and helped along my a tutorial over at Mitch's blog i got some tips and had a go.

Masking tap is wonderful, and so far i've made 4. One's painted brown after a coat of glue and sawdust as a test, just need to drybrush it with lighter browns and greys then add leaves (the next hurdle).

They're not that hard, and a lot cheaper than buying them as my trees are rather big (6/7 inches for the smaller ones and the big one is almost 12 inches high).

My prototype stream sections, with the banks painted. Just need to work outhow to paint the water, as i bought some blue paint but realised 'streams aren't blue!'. A quick Google search and memories of Sunday ways back in the UK showed that they were more a muddy brown. So i'm painting one as a test (the back 2 are not painted, it's the light from my computer screen but it backs them look blue, doens't look too bad...)

Coat of brown and a pause until i can decide on the next course of action. Any ideas from the readers?

The barn is now painted and has some thatch too. I'm working slower now, in strips to get it flatter (not like my houses). It takes longer but i've got lots of things on the go so while it dries i paint a tree, the stream...

And finally to end the post, a little pig sty, copied from Mitch. I will do it planking (to avoid more paper mashé) with a thatched roof and wattle fence around it. Should make my village look more like a real village.

Terrain revolution

I don't usually get English wargames magazines, being on the wrong side of the Channel, so when i do get them they are well read. I usually prefer the smaller magazines as i find Wargames Illustrated is a bit like White Dwarf; lots on one subject and if you arn't interested in that period, there's nothing in it for you. Seeing ass i'm a medieval man, my period does not get covered as often, at least not when i'm in the UK to pick up a copy!

Where am i going with this? Well, i recently got the latest Miniature Wagames magazine, and inside was an article about how wargamers think; buying shiny new figures but not thinking much about their actual tables and instead being more interested in the detail on figures. Although i don't agree with all he said, when i finished the article i instantly thought 'i need some better terrain'. I made a little mental list; the stream, trees, a  road, bases for the trees (not just bits of brown fabric), fences and some buildings to make my table actually look real. Seeing as i only do medieval esque things, i'm lucky as i can make terrain only for the period.

'Not my words, the words of Miniature Wargames Magazine!'

So, work began in earnest, first off with a barn (i've been meaning to make one for ages) and some tests for my stream sections. I've made bases for enough straight sections to go all the way across my table, then i need some bends.

The barn, with a figure to scale. It looks huge, but it has to be and looking at other people's barns on blogs/forums it's the right size next to my other houses.

Last night i managed to continue on the stream sections, make some test walls (for a walled garden) and 40 inches of wattle fences. Now just need to texture them and paint it all before my figures arrive.

All i need now are some trees, pine trees as i'm aiming for a table to represent the Kaliad Shore where my Kaliads and Runissians will be battling.

Making a start

Made a start on my new 15s and painted up two of them. They went quickly and they might not win any painting competitions but i'm looking for a full force, more impressive en masse. Just the bases to do and click for more detail.

I did a little conversion on the spear man, turning the hand and clipping a hole in the spear. I did add a little axe head in plasticard but it fell off so he's a spearman. I kept highlights to a minimum, mainly on the armour and the crossbowman's surcoat.

I've also made a start on a hall and two houses for my campaigns in Runissia and the Kaliad Shore. I'm aiming for a mix of Saxon/Viking buildings for the poorer and rural buildings with later medieval manor houses and towers/keeps for the richer and fashionable men.

Figures to show the size.

The hall's big, but it has to be! I won't stick the roof on so men can go inside.

I plan on doing a tower, like the one i have already in 28mm but perhaps in stone this time, as well as some more farmers houses and a barn and smithy. That was i can have a village, a manor around the hall or a motte and bailey castle around the tower. I'll make a circular palisade from plastic sprue too. Hmmm, plenty to do!

Militia archers and a little 'how to'

I thought i'd show you how i made my 'light box';

It's very simple and rudimentary, made up of some paper or plasticard, a box, bluetack and, of course, the figures and a camera.

Put some bluetack on the box.

And stick. Easy.

And these are the photos they take. Here are the first of the militia retinue, three archers and one with a crossbow.

The right hand man obviously forgot his jacket, and the only thing that ties him with the group is the red diamond on his jacket.

Pavise stuck on. I only did a very simple design on the facing. They're only militia after all!

All finished, except bases, but they can wait.

I've also been experimenting with bigger hills in my games after a post on someone's blog and a message on the Toofatlardies yahoo group. So i placed two Perry boxes under the carpet, and the hills rose high.

Solid border tower looks out for raiders (Vikings, Saxons or even rival English).

Would you like to live here?

Felt inspired and started a new building.

 

It might not be 100% historically correct, but i saw it in a game and wanted to make it. It would work for Runissia perfectly.

 

It will be timber framed, like my other medieval buildings.

 

I also made some conversions; two Runissians, using ideas posted yesterday, and two others. The two men with shields are Runissians. The man holding the flag (which is from the trumpet) will perhaps join the Hanbury retinue, or a new retinue. The man at arms might go with the flag bearer. He wears a gauntlet on his left hand, taken from the mounted men at arms box.

I will perhaps be buying some new figures soon, some for Runissia, but also some English for another retinue. I want to try out Jim's Lord of Battles campaign with plenty of longbows and mercs!

Finished houses and WIP mercs

The dux has been lost in the post. After four weeks, i messaged the lards and they have sent me another book, that should arrive in 10 days after their site. Great service from the lards, but not from the post...

Well, at least i got these done.

I painted up the two medieval houses i built, they only need some detail on the doors and shutters, and one needs an interiour but for now it'll be bare. Here, a little scale image with some new pike men.

Close up. These were supposed to be Burgundians, but like a complete numpty I swapped the livery colour. Doh! Now they are German mercenaries who followed Maxamillian to Flanders.

WIP of next batch. Being mercenaries, i went for less uniform colours, but this in fact made it worse as it takes longer to do each man's hose or tunic. More uniform in the future i think. All i need to do on these men are the pike shafts and handguns, some silver details and patching up, not to mention bases.

I do love modelling, and men at arms are my favorite as you can make really good looking armoured men with the Perry plastics. The left hand figure was created using a Mercenary command body and arms, with an armet from the knight bow, and the right hand man is from the English box with arms, axe and armet from the knight's box (you can't really see the axe, but it's pointing up!). Men at arms are also easier to paint ;)

After the batch above i have two mounted sergeants/coustillier/whatever to paint up. Best get cracking before my book arrives!

Back and at it

I'm back from England! When i got back i had 2 boxes of perry mercenaries waiting for me, so i got stuck in.

Here are two pictures of the start of a Burgundian band, it will be joined by some mounted men later and some more missle troops.

Another picture, in case the first was bad.

Before i left i also decided to make some proper medieval houses. Here's the first.

When i returned, i built a second:

Everything's unpainted, my pile of figures is getting much bigger! I will post some more interesting figures once done (tomorrow perhaps...)



An Englishman's tower is his home

No pictures of the knights, no camera :(

I do have some pictures of my latest finished terrain piece, a medieval tower. Based on a Norman keep, i read that wooden castles were used lots in the 14th century so i'm sure some would still be around in the 15th.

It's made up of two pieces, a lower section and the roof section. The figure is shown for scale (it's about 8 inches/20 cm high).



It is made from a shell of thick cardboard, which i covered in scrunched up newspaper and slapped on with the aid of wall paper paste. The beams are thin card.

I then painted it white, then the beams and floor boards brown, using darker paint on the beams and thinned down lighter paint for the floor boards. For a weekend's work, it's not too bad (and it's cheap).

Inside the hall. It will be filled with tables, tapestries, weapon racks and other stuff, all loose so it can be used elsewhere. In the top right corner of the photo is the trap hole to the ground floor where the stores are kept. The room is about 7''x6'' (18x15 cm), i tried to keep it about the right size of a castle in Italy, the name i can't remember but it's in one of our many books.

And now for the upper section. When put together the door is accesable by a ladder, but when used alone the top part makes a convincing strong house. I painted studs on the door, easier to do. There is another hatch on the top floor that leads to the chambers (this is what there would be in real life, on the model it's just an empty space).

In the backdround you can see the laptop for pictures and music, and the oblicatry tea mug! No man should be without tea at work! It's probably why I tire early at lycée...

By next week I will have some pictures of the famous knights, and i will do another AAR report, perhaps centred around the stronghouse. I do have a scenario in mind, but that's for another post.

Ships and halls, and little men

End of holidays and back to lycée this week, so i will be posting less recently than during the holidays. Never the less i will try and do at least one post a week. And so, i present you with the fruits of this weeks labour.

I have been waiting patiently for my store to get some Perry knights in, but alas they do not have them yet. I've got loads of conversion ideas and i'm itching to do them, but i will have to wait a little longer.

First up are some 6mm figures i made last week and painted up on wednesday. Yes, i made them for no real reason, just an experiment really with the miliput. I might make a small force to use with Impetus or DBA, as they are easy to make and easier to paint. So far, i've made 12 generic combat armed men, some wearing some plate armour (the ones not carrying shields)

This weekend however, i did not feel like making little men, so i decided to start on a long boat. I had drawn up some plans a while ago and decided to make something today. Besides, whats a viking without a boat. Here i have a WIP pic of a smaller trading vessel; a proper longship is in the pipe line but i thought to make a more modest model first.

Planking done a drying, now the inside to do and the mast.

I have also put together some tables and benches for my dark age hall, as well as a wall to seperate the chief's room. This is another project that i've been meaning to do for some time. A lick of paint later and they'll be ready (by my standards at least!).



Right, back to my ship!

More figures and a castle!

I have wanted some Perry's for quite a while now (indeed, before my Saxons i was thinking of buying some). Since i have 128 dark age troops, and i only really play skirmishes, i didn't need any more more the moment (until i make an Irish band, but that's for later...) so i again looked at the Perry figs. To my pleasure my 'local' shop supplied them and having worked while away i had enough cash to buy a couple of boxes, meaning 80 lovely figs coming my way. Perfect!

Got them on Thursday and began instantly as i got home, sticking 3 together in quick succession before the dark halted my progress :( However work continued over the weekend and now i have 26 of the chaps up and assembled, some pictures included below.

These models really live up to the Perry reputation, and they scale perfectly with a LOTR figures! The wargames factory chaps are slightly bigger, but on the table they're fine.

As you expect, detail is crisp, unlike on some WF bodies were the folds are a bit shallow. I love the brigandines, and the fully harnessed men at arms are wonderful (love the armet, even with the injection point).

I decided to do these as men under Henry Stafford after i read a bit about him. I had the idea to have the armoured man on the left above as a minor noble who chose Henry as his 'good lord' and wears the Staffordshire knot and sends his men to fight for him. Perhaps i'll call him 'Sir Walker of Hanbury'!

The madness doesn't end there! While in the south east i read a little book on the Cathars, the heritics in the XIII century, and i was captivated by the castles and keeps high in the mountains. I decided to make one, and for once i did! Here are some shots of my work, not finished and to be added to!

I think the rest of the family believe i'm going mad and that i'm becoming obsessed with cardboard. 

The gate is from GW, a present from my brother years ago. I made the rest of the fortress to it's size which works perfectly for my figures. The walls are about 5" high and the towers 8".

To create a rough surface i'm going to paper maché (?) it all, which will also cover up the gaps left my my mediocre building skills.

I need to build more walls to make a full curtain wall, and i want to attempt a huge round tower like those on the Cathar castles, but unless i can make a decent cylinder from hard card a hexagonal one will have to do.

I also did some siege works and mantlets, can't have the defender having all the fun! A siege tower is in the works, and perhaps a trebuchet...