Happy New Year 2019

"wasn´t I standing here last year?" 

This year wasn´t too bad  Hobbywise
I actually got down to painting about 90% of the stuff I bought and some from the stash, 423 bods, 56 mounted bods, 1 cannon, 3 wagons, 4 pigs, 4 dogs, 1 horse,  5 tables, 4 benches, A Bridge, a house and 1 pack mule.

What became of the plans for this year ? One came to past..the ACW Project was added to but sadly, yet again, Bodstonia got left out 😞 So similar to the Goals of last year.

Plans for next year? More ACW, if not create any storylines I can at least paint up some bods for Bodstonia...and -----?----well, whatever else takes my fancy.          

                                                                                                           
Medieval Guards on duty (2)                          
Medieval Plunder                                            
Medieval scottish Heavy Cavalry                                                                  
Medieval Drinking Contest                            
Medieval Gunpowder Castle Artillery            
Medieval Scottish light Cavalry                                                                    
Teutonic Infantry on the March (Pt2)                                                      
Medieval European Mercenaries light horse                                                
Medieval Organ Gun
Mixed Medievals for 1329                              
Swiss pike block - Uri                                    
Welsh archers for Bannockburn                    
Humphrey de Bohun                                                                                
Medieval Sailors                                            
Medieval Welsh Spearmen                            
Medieval Looting Party                                                                        
Medieval "On the March" 1                            
More Crossbowmen for Bannockburn          
The Three Musketeers -  Mesdemoiselles        
John Stewart of Bonkyl                                                                                
William wallace and Andrew Moray                                                              
Ralph de Grendon and friends                                                                        
Anthony Bek and friends                                                                                
Zombie Dogs and Wolfen                                
Medieval citizens I                                          
Medieval citizens II                                          
Medieval citizens III                                                                
US infantry Standing                                    
Confederate Infantry Standing                    
Union Infantry on the March                      
Confederate Infantry on the March                
Bods and Generals (2)                                                                                
US troops in Attack                                        
Pickett´s Charge 1                                          
US Troops in Attack 2                                    
Pikett´s Charge 2                                              
US Infantry in Attack                                      
Union Generals                                                                                              
Ratmen                                                              
Lizard warriors                                                  
ACW Wounded and Messengers                                                                
Goblin warriors 1                                              
Goblin warriors 2                                              

           

Covered Bridge

A  break from bod painting... couple more bits for the ACW Project, another house and a covered Bridge. Both constructed  using card from cereal boxes and a bit of wall paint.
As with the other Buildings,  durability and Close to the "look" rather  than historical accuracy  being the main considerations..

The First Bridge was, is, still ok but wasn´t quite as versatile as the new one, which can be put anywhere along the river sections. 

Ancient Roman Town - Update

Remember this lot?

The Project came to a Close a couple of years ago and basically the whole lot was destined  to spend its future in boxes in the cellar so rather than let it go to waste I put it up for sale HERE 
There (in the cellar) it remained until a couple of weeks ago when I got a message asking wether it was still up for sale and what scale it is.

Anyway, to cut a Long Story short it is now part of an interactive Project called "I Think I can" run  by the RSC..yep..the Royal Shakespeare Company in association with the Terrapin Puppet Theatre using the Buildings and 1/72nd scale bods (the roman citizen sets from Strelets and Linear-B) as the characters.
The idea of the project is;

Through puppetry, live video, and audience interaction, this innovative public artwork asks 'What would you like to be today?' engaging you in an optimistic task of collective storytelling

It starts tommorrow, the 25.07.17 and IMHO, it´s a great idea, just the sort of Thing I´d have been into as a nipper and I wish them all success with it.
Here´s a sneak Peak Video of the Project...recognise any of the Buildings? 

If the Video (by Kind permission) doesn´t work here´s the LINK

For more info on the Project look HERE
They´ve set up an online newspaper for the Project called "Avonville"

As our puppeteers animate the character in the miniature Roman world, you are invited to tell your character's story, which is then documented and will appear in the form of an online newspaper

Link to the Newspaper HERE

I mean, how cool is that? :-) 

Happy new year 2017

Here´s hoping 2017 is a less hectic across the world than 2016....

A bit of a Review of  production in 2016
Approximately  360 bods, 124 nags (with and without Mounted bods) and 9 carts.
                                                                                           
12 bods   woodland Indians Tecumseh                                                      
6 bods Hussite Camp 1  - Footfolk/workers (Pt 1)                                     
8 bods Hussite Camp 2 - Footfolk/ workers (Pt 2)                                        
6 bods and 8 nags    Hussite Camp 3 - Medieval horse Care                                    
1 bod, 2 wagons and 8 nags    - Hussite Camp 4 - Wagons                            
6  seated Knights                                                                                             
12 American Militia in Winter Dress 1812                                                    
3 bods and a cart - Medieval Camp followers - Finished                               
10 bods and 10 nags - European Mounted Men-at-Arms                               
12 bods and 12 nags - airfix US Cavalry -                                                   
4 riderless wargs                                                                                         
Airfix CSA Cavalry                                                                                    
1 bod and 7 mounted -  Crested Knights                                                     
5 bods, 2 wagons, 3 mules, a cow and a Bullock                                        
40 bods -  Medieval builders                                                                          
4 bods and 5 nags,- Mounted Teutonic Knights Command                         
4 bods - Goosey Goosey Gander                                                                
1 bod and six nags - Teutonic Knights Pt2                                                     
2 bods and six nags   - Teutonic Knights Pt3                                               
9 bods, 2 nags - Bannockburn                                                                     
18 bods, 2 nags and 2 mules - Teutonic infanty on the march                    
5 carts and 10 nags - Wagons for Bodstonia                                                 
26 orcs                                                                                                              
Teutonics restart       1 bod     2 nags                                                           
Norman Army Camp   27 bods    6 nags                                                         
Medieval guards on Duty    17 Bods                                             
Medieval guards resting     14 bods                                                                 
Medieval Alarm                13 bods                                                                  
Airfix Tarzan                    8 Bods                                                                    
60 airfix ACW bods, 32 Airfix ACW Cavalry, 3 guns, Crews  and limbers

Other Bits and Bobs
Fort Sahara to monastery conversion
Roman Villa MK2
24 Beehives and 3 stands
StuH 42
Camping acessories and tents
3 ACW scratchbuilt houses
Airfix "What If"

What was planned for 2016 and what didn´t happen? Well, 4 of the 10 planned Projects actually got done but work  on the 1329 Teutonic dio took precedent and then the Airfix ACW wargame Project popped up....
Roman Villa
Finish the last 6 Seated Knights
Paint up a Hussite camp
Finish the Medieval / Bodstonian town (another 10 or so buildings)
Base the Medieval / BodstonianVillage
Build a 17th Cent Meeting house /Fort
Paint every pose of the Airfix Afrika Korps set...the Tarzan set was Chosen instead
Paint the Strelets Tecumseh set
Scratchbuild a "Medicus" wagon
and a couple of Weird and wonderfull scratchbuilds,

Plans for this year?
Continue work on both 1329 Teutonic dio and  the Airfix ACW wargame Project.
Wargame the ACW bods using the rules (with possible mild adaptions) from the Terry Wise book. ..this should actually happen.
Re-Boot Bodstonia. Those  Bodstonians have been getting on without me so it´s about time I had a look at what they are up to.


That will do for 2017 plans, As always, I´ll probably get side tracked into some other stuff as well.

Airfix ACW Wargaming (Pt3)

Taking a bit of time off from painting the rank and file..Some conversions
A Union General. This one was a bit of a more complicated conversion than I´d intended but after rooting about in the bits box I found a similar conversion (seen HERE in glorious Humbrol enamels along with a few other early conversions) I´d made some 30 plus years ago so it  Counts as "old school"
Nag and legs from the Airfix US Cavalry set, Body from the Waterloo British artillery set and a small concession to the "Nothing but Airfix", head and hat from the Revell 30yrs war Swedish Infantry

CSA Musicians. The drums are made from bits of sprue..
The Drummer made using the odd running and waving pose. He Looks like he´s trying to ease something out...Wind?

CSA Standard bearers. I´m sure a lot of People have come up with These   (and other) ideas to create Standard bearers.
Flag poles - flower arranging wire
Flags - Printed

Another building, this time loosely based on General Meade's Headquarters (The Leister Farmhouse), Gettysburg.
As it´s a gaming Piece and not an historical reconstruction, I didn´t bother adding the steps at the front or the Windows at the sides and back. And look at the size of those shingles/tiles!!!! In reality Theyéd be what, 1.5metres wide and tall ? Still, it got the Roof decked in quick time  :-D


"Don´t worry Victoria, I´m sure it will all be over by Christmas"

Well, Big John may be being  a bit presumptive or he isn´t refering to this Christmas?

Airfix ACW Wargaming (Pt1)

As if I haven´t got enough to do, Hobbywise, the start of Another Project, this one based on Airfix ACW using just Airfix bods.
Why Airfix ACW? Simply cos I´ve got a few bods already finished and......…

..........and a few spares and..

,,,, the Airfix bods are easy to paint and, Rivet Counters beware,  the historical innacuracy of the bods  gives me a good excuse to say, Any historical accuracy is purely accidental.
Obviously they will be painted to represent both sides but I won´t be getting hung up on wether a CSA bod is wearing a tunic of  exactly the right tone of  Butternut Brown or a Union bod is wearing a Kepi or a Hardee hat. As Noted at PSR, these were intended as toys..and toys are meant for games and games should be fun..not a chore.

I´ll also be making some Conversions. I did so way back when I first got into wargaming/collecting but they will be as simple as I don´t want to get bogged down with the Project which usually gets me distracted into doing something else.

Any half decent looking battlefield Needs some bits of scenery  so first up a couple of generic farmhouses.

As this is supposed to be a fun  Old School  Project,  reliant on being cheap, quick  and easy, so everything about it, including any battlefield "decoration",  has to cost virtually nothing, be Basic, no excessive Detail or in depth historical accuracy, if it looks the part it´ll do and lastly,  durable.

Thin Card from cereal boxes etc glued with PVA

Roofing

Ridge tiles

Chimneys made from high Density foam

and here´s a very inspirational blog.  20mm Crimean War Wargaming & Other Stuff

Bob is also doing an Airfix ACW Project called  Project Battle Cry & Airfix ACW.
The look he´s achieved is what I´m aiming for.

Teutonic order 1329 - More pics

Some more piccies of the dio.
Prisoners  (possibly Lithuanians) in the main square

 

More of the Market place

A new winter guest.  The local hedgehog protection Group phoned up asking if we could take in a small (in the photo he weighed only  200 gramms) and feed him up.
He now weighs nearly 500 gramms :-D

Teutonic order 1329 - Progress so far

Wolfgang has started putting the dio together, testing Placement of the bods etc.

Wood collecting

Market place

The guards (in red/White)on the Bridge and hiding in doorways at the market I haven´t had time to Show the pics. They and  other pics of the dio in Progress will follow.

Roman Villa MK2

Roman Villa MK2.
The design and size  is based on my previous  Upper class roman house (built over 3 years ago..how time flys!!)
This one is for a collector who wanted one with a removable Roof and internal deco.
Walls - Scratchbuilt
Roof - lasercut
Mosiacs/Murals/paving - prints

Without roof

Kitchen

Bedroom

view from the garden / backyard

Along with the  Villa,  a set of Beehives with stands.
Beehives - resin
Stands - scratchbuilt

Monastery Upgrades

A couple of additions to the Airfix Fort Sahara -  Monastery conversion.
A small storehouse and...

.....Garderobe (toilet) added.

A couple of People have commented that the Monastery has no church so a bit of explantion is needed;

Monastery is one of those  Terms that is commonly misinterpreted to mean a building containing several Monks.

Monasteries vary greatly in size, comprising a small dwelling accommodating only a hermit, or in the case of communities anything from a single building housing only one senior and two or three junior monks or nuns, to vast complexes and estates housing tens or hundreds.

Not every Monastery had a church, either inside, attached or seperate to the building..a lot only had (and still have) a chapel,  a room set aside for prayer/Meditation and could be used as an oratory, ie; it could be used in the way a classic church would be with a Speaker talking to the congregation.

A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may be a chapel, church or temple, and may also serve as an oratory.

Generally as in, not always  ;-)

Logically, Some monasterys having only a singular Monk,  would make having a Chapel, let alone a church,  a bit much to ask of  the poor lonely celibate. This all of course depends on the Interpretation of what constitutes a "church"

In the case of my "monastery" it could theoretically be that the place of contemplation/prayer is inside the main building  in a crypt for example  or entirely seperate from the main building and not in view..and that´s if I was to use it as a Monastery.

Airfix Fort Sahara - Monastery

Finally my head is getting clear and it´s back to painting etc.
First up this year, (apart from a Roman Villa and a couple of other bits) Something not on the "things planned for 2016" a Reconstruction of the Airfix Fort Sahara into a Monastery..usefull for a wide (or wider range) of periods, from early medieval to modern.

Basically, the idea Comes from Robert and his excellent Remodelling of the Airfix Fort Sahara into Le Monastère de Zinderneuf .

Some pilgrims are coming to visit…

...whilst inside, the Monks are either discussing what´s on the menu...…

..or maybe wether Brother Cedric´s Attire is quite appropiate

The re-build.
The original box with Contents.

Sanded down, the Little stubs of beam Ends and the door hinges removed.

The stairway is in a bit of an odd Position, anyone running down would stand a Chance of crashing into anyone coming out of the bottom door,  so it has been re-positioned

Addition of Quoins and brickwork around the doors and Windows

Stairway fixed in it´s new Position...more brickwork added, a start to adding stonework to the walkways.

The internal walls added. The bottom doorway gets covered over but it´s not much of a loss and was part of the plan anyway...and the main reason for altering the Position of the stairs.

Finally all the stonework/paving is finished

Walls smeared with a thin layer of PVA and sprinkled with fine sand, basing added. The Paving outside of the doorway had to go.

Paint it Black

Base coats and some weathering

Roof for the Tower, which will be removable. Scratchbuilt from card with a bead and a toothpick

Doors re-sized. I´ve scratched them up to add a Basic grain effect and cut bits off to create a "used" look.

Road and steps up to the Castle/Monastery

Little tufts added to the paving

I might add some other bits like a well, small storage hut, Garderobe but when there´s time