Parisienne Mob

The past few weeks have been given over to packing for our impending move back to the UK, but there is time for one last painting session to be completed and packed.

Do not provoke the Parisienne Mob, waking this beast will result in carnage on a scale never before seen.

This is a great collection of figures from the Eureka Miniatures French Mob set.

This beast is certainly angry about something, cake maybe? You can even furnish them with Guillotine if you so desire.

There's bags of character in this set, the knitting crones, the beefy armed potato saleswoman, the child on his fathers shoulders and a trio of veterans.

Provoking this beast is ill advised!

Also, this is Bob Wainwright, Bob's not entirely sure why he is here, but there are wheels to be made so he's going to make them.

Bob's left over from the set that included the armourers I did earlier in the challenge. Also from Eureka Miniatures.

It's traditional to do a round up of the figures you painted over the challenge, so, they are all* included in this photo ;) 

Our container left last Tuesday and I hope to be reunited with my figures in a few months, fortunately it was not routed via Suez!

Tax Collector

Another entry in the AHPC Chambers of Challenge, this time my "The Snow Lord’s Treasury" submission.

The treasury needs constant replenishment, these huge armies and palaces don't pay for themselves so this tax collector has been sent out to ensure that the peasantry contribute their Écu to the cause.
 

The tax collector is a "Government Representative on Mission" from Eureka Miniatures his stern gaze and pot-metal sword should be enough to convince the Third Estate to contribute their measly tithe. 

The size of his chest represents the low expectations of the haul. I had planned to use a bigger chest, but I think they must already be packed away for the move, so this small one from the Cantiniere will have to suffice.

Recent miscellany for the Painting Challenge

Over the past few weeks I've been steadily completing entries for the Chambers of Challenge XI for the Painting Challenge, Eureka Miniatures have provided a rich vein of suitable vinettes.

The first entry is a half of the Egg Collecting set that I entered for "The Hatchery"

It's a great set but strangely the chaps at Eureka have no images on their site for it so it was a "buy blind and hope", thankfully I was not upset with it.

The second part of the Egg Collecting set was purposed for "The Guardroom" location

This "owd battleaxe" is certainly not going to be relinquishing her produce to the common soldiery.

This pair of armourers from the Wheelwright & sword sharpener set made a great pair of armourers for "The Armoury"

I've still got the wheelwright to get painted at a later juncture, but he probably is not a good fit for any of the locations available.

Although they are from the earlier French Revolutionary Wars range, I'm not so fussy that they will not fit in my 1815 collection.

Finally, not a Eureka model, but a Paul Hicks sculpt of chum Drew's dad for "The Ancestors" location.

I painted another one of these a couple of years ago, but this time I did him in a Knights of Columbus livery.

Drew can have this one to add to his collection.

 

French Field Bakery

 

The first figures completed in 2021 are a Eureka Miniatures Bakery and field oven. 

The model is from their French Revolution range, so probably a bit early for my 1815 collection, but I think it's a nice little vignette to add to the collection and will place nicely in a farmyard or tavern courtyard on my battlefields. 

It is a rather lovely set with four bakers, including a Cantiniere kneading the dough up on the table with her feet and a chap ready with a bakers paddle to load the loaves into the oven. The flour sacks and log pile are also included in the set.

I also added a couple of bottle from a set of resins I had, rat poison and a bottle of rough wine to slake their thirsts.

Exploring the Chambers of Challenge XI

 

Challenge XI is almost upon us and I've not picked up a paint brush since the weekend, instead concentrating on getting figures cleaned up and primed in preparation.

Looking at the bonus's available in the Chambers of Challenge XI I've made a small order on Eureka Miniatures to help me grab a few bonus points in the dungeon while maintaining the Napoleonic theme that I plan to have run strongly through my efforts over the next three months.

I've got a whole load of stuff already prepped and primed, including a unit of British Light Dragoons and a French Infantry battalion already stuck on bottle caps ready to paint, there are a few commanders already to go, and for when I fancy a break from Napoleonics, a Gambrel Barn, Han Solo and a Renault R-35. Yes that Southern Comfort mug really does contain two battalions of Hanoverians!

Yesterday evening was spent building a battery of Victrix Artillery ready for priming today, the anticipation is palpable.

There are also some figures I prepared for last years challenge that were never done, so it looks like I'll keep busy these next three months.

Maximillian 1934 (4)

This pair of Eureka Miniatures figures for Maximillian 1934 have lain on my painting table for several months, primed and ready for painting but pushed aside while the Hundred Years War collection got all the attention.

The chap on the left is "Driver running with pistol" while on the right is Maximillian himself with his trusty mutt. Both really nicely sculpted with bags of character.

These were a really simple paint job and probably took less than an hours total 'brush time' for the pair of them, don't know why I did not get them done sooner.

Maximillian 1934: Death Match

Thursday saw another game of Maximilian 1934 in the gaming room. Only myself and Drew were able to make it this week so we played a Death Match with each of us having two $1000 vehicles.

Drew again ran Red Bess, a jalopy with a pintle MG, extra armour (1pt each F&R, L&R) and armoured engine, he also upgraded the driver to be both driving and gunnery '3'. Alongside this he used the newly painted Black Death a jalopy with two light cannon, extra armour to the front and the driver upgraded to be both driving and gunnery '3'.

I decided to use my two 1st Corps vintage speedsters. Firstly Sand Piper a buggy armed with three fixed machine guns and with the crew upgraded to driver skill 3 and gunnery skill 4. This was teamed with Green Nasty a jalopy armed with a pair of pintle mounted machine guns and a pintle mounted light cannon, an armoured engine and additional side armour complete the ensemble. Green Nasty does not appear in any photos of the game, but can be seen here.

Game 1 was a short and brutal affair, some deadly shooting by Sand Piper saw Red Bess with a dead driver in the second turn of the game. A couple of turns later Black Death had been cornered and dispatched. We lined them up again!

The second game was much more involved. Both sides were a lot more cagey and the initial shooting was nowhere near so deadly. Red Bess and Sand Piper paired off again and were chiselling lumps off of each other. To avoid a collision Sand Piper slammed on the breaks, Red Bess missed the fate roll and in the ensuing head-on Sand Pipers driver was killed and Red Bess immobilised!

The wide turning circle of Black Death meant that Green Nasty had the initial advantage, but the lack of driver skill soon showed and Green Nasty had rolled a couple of times trying to make tight turns to keep inside Black Death.

Every so often Black Death would swoop by hammering cannon rounds into the stricken vehicle and Green Nasties engine and steering were shot up, but Black Death was taking mounting damage whenever Green Nasty could reply. Finally, Black Death succumbed and Green Nasty was the last car standing, although probably on its side at the time.

A good couple of games again, but long vehicles like Black Death do seem heavily penalised in this sort of scenario, I also think it would have benefit from more players.

Maximillian 1934 (3)

I've been away working in Krakow this week, but despite the bloody awful jet-lag when I got back I managed to finish off this pair today.

First a Eureka Miniatures 'Flyer'  I've done this one off of a base-coat of Royal Blue, highlighting up with a little Pastel Blue. The trim, wheels, hubs and spokes is done in Gold-Brown highlighted with Flat Yellow. Like the Roadster I did last time, a small cardboard windscreen was added.

This beast is armed with a single fixed Lewis gun and a pair of swivel mounted Lewis guns operated by the guy in the back.

The vehicle has been somewhat pimped with components from the accessories pack, including a new snout and running boards.

At Historicon I also purchased one of the Eureka Miniatures motorcycles. This is currently withdrawn from the website, I understand so that it can have a cast-on base. I used a lot of mitre-bond to get mine to 'stay'

I armed mine with a single fixed Lewis gun and limited the 'pimping' to adding a lot of chrome.