What is your Current Miniatures Project?

[prymus]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

Nice stuff all. Great blogs, terrain, photos(wish I could figure out my cameras macro mode), and minis. I've been stricken the last few weeks with the joys of home ownership, and busy with painting and maintenance. On top of that, my usually prompt painter has taken 5 months to paint 24 Austrian Lancers and I still don't have them. On the plus side, I have a new washer, new range, new fridge, and soon a new water heater.UGH! Thanks for the posts guys. Keep 'em coming please.

 

[custardpie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

Great looking stuff there and nice blog!

Like yours as well. I have started to follow, like the story you are setting up, makes me want to get my old Rolemaster stuff down for a simular run through, but I need new terrain LOL

 

[custardpie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

That was a great AAR! I really have to start at the beginning and catch up with the story. Now you inspired me to start work on my Warhammer minis.

I really hate you for your excellent terrain, btw.



I agree with Soccer! Nice stuff there! I liked your "Bring out your dead" entry.

You guys are setting a real high standard for me to meet. :OHNO:

It's great to be back painting after a long lay off. I entered a painting contest and whilst I knew I was not fast I have been blown away by the speed and quality some of the guys are managing.

Ian

 

[prymus]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

I too have been amazed at some of the mini painting I've seen. I like "Wargames,Soldiers, and Strategy" magazine and they have some pics of minis that are just astounding. Hard to believe the detail some of these folks get onto the smaller scales. I have always been impressed with the galleries at Baccus miniatures, 6mm at that. Some look better than a lot of the 15mm I've seen. Even though 6mm is supposed to be the scale for mass, getting close up you see that the paint job can really pick out individuals. Impressive to ssay the least.

 

[custardpie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

I too have been amazed at some of the mini painting I've seen. I like "Wargames,Soldiers, and Strategy" magazine and they have some pics of minis that are just astounding. Hard to believe the detail some of these folks get onto the smaller scales. I have always been impressed with the galleries at Baccus miniatures, 6mm at that. Some look better than a lot of the 15mm I've seen. Even though 6mm is supposed to be the scale for mass, getting close up you see that the paint job can really pick out individuals. Impressive to ssay the least.

Yes I have the lattest copy of the Mag (my mate wrote the Gladiator rules that someone did House Rules for in the last issue).

I have just finished painting two French Hussar Regiments in 6mm, I can tell you the lace of the Pelise was a challenge!!! The figures even have pony tails! Baccus are fine figures so it helps with the detail.

I have seen the 6mm Naps featured in the mag in the flesh. The guy who owns then lives about 30 miles away and I saw them at one of the local shows. They really do look that good!!

Ian

 

[Vinnie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

I'm still working my way through the "Ballet Boyz", my 40k Orks to play against my son's space marines. They were supposed to be the "Bullet Boyz" but someone didn't spell it right.

I'll post some pics when I remember.

 

[prymus]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

Vinnie, while I'm not familiar with your project, I too had the joy of wargaming with my son and we had some great times together. Enjoy this opportunity. Gaming with my son are some of the most wonderful memories I have.

 

[custardpie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

I watched the Superbowl last night (in the UK it finished at 3am) finished off 24 20mm Roman Aux. Just had the sheild details to paint but it still took best part of the whole game!!!

Now to varnish and base, oh the joy.

Ian

 

[custardpie]

Re: What is you Current Miniatures Project?

OK I give you the 6th and 7th Regiments of Hussars, these are added to about 6 other Hussar Regiments alreay painted.

These are 6mm Baccus castings. The detail is fantastic as they even have pigtails!!

 

[prymus]

Wow Ian, very nice indeed. And are you kidding me, pigtails on 6mm figures. My goodness. I have heard a lot of good comments on the quality of the Baccus line. Do you do Baccus exclusively or do you mix in other manufacturers? Also what do you use for your base texturing treatment? I use a fairly complex method and am happy with the results I get but wonder if there is something available that would give me similar results with a little less work. Lastly, what rules are you using?

 

[custardpie]

Wow Ian, very nice indeed. And are you kidding me, pigtails on 6mm figures. My goodness. I have heard a lot of good comments on the quality of the Baccus line. Do you do Baccus exclusively or do you mix in other manufacturers? Also what do you use for your base texturing treatment? I use a fairly complex method and am happy with the results I get but wonder if there is something available that would give me similar results with a little less work. Lastly, what rules are you using?

Yes pigtails really!!!! On the Dragoons you can see the gloves are gloves and not hands (well gauntlets!) also on the some of the figures is the cords on the hats but many don't have it so I did not paint them on at all. The pics look better on my blog to be honest.

I also have Irregular but my plan is to swap over to Baccus and possibly Adler as the size difference shows a little. That being said my Irregular are old castings so are fairly crisp. I don't know if they have got better but at one point Irregular had become very bad. I also have in my Prussians Heroics and Ross as well. I have over two corp of Prussian and about one of French so far. I intend to keep painting them till I could do Borrodino.

For 6mm I have so far just used a good quality flock in mixed green and patches of brown. Just water down PVA and chuck on the brown in patches. Leave over night, tip off excess then add the green. Lave till afternoon (heeped up high) and then tip off and tap to remove loose. Looking at doing duble bases so may change to static grass and very small bush patches with broken ground. Have to put some thought into that.

Searching for the right rules. Not happy with Baccus rules but like some of the rules they have. Working on my own set at the moment, want to seporate casulties and disruption from each other whilst still having them effect each other and combat effect. Mainly want them to work with large battles and play quick with no bookwork. Basics look to work but it's early days, it will be covered in the blog (just looks like you will have to follow it LOL)

Ian

 

[prymus]

Thanks very much Ian. I game in 10mm and like it very much. Unfortunately the figures I mainly use are no longer available. I began my 10mm forray with the AIM line, initially from Roger Dospil at Division after Division, then GFI, now GFI is bordering on extinction. I believe Minifigs bought the rights to the AIM line but as of now are only producing the ACW range. Despite my pleading(and whining and crying) they have no plans to put the Napoleonics range into production. So I have had to make due with figures from Irregular, Pendraken, a very few GHQ(beautiful figures but incompatible with my current figs), and a few of unknown origin(came from a Bartertown deal as throw ins) and some castings from the old Jack Scruby line(which are still available). I've yet to sample the Red Line(old Flashing Blade) and Magister Militum ranges, but from what I've seen they look very nice.
Thanks for the tips on the ground cover. I use ground foam glued to the base. Once dry I soak with cheap acrilyc brown paint, let dry then dry brush a bit of light brown, then add smatterings of green foam, grass and gravel, with the occasional "boulder" or "log" thrown on to add a little variety. As I said this is a lengthy process, but does give very nice results. I've only done this method on a few stands so far, most are just ground foam. I am unlike others in that I don't really mind that bowling green look on my stands, but I hate it on my battlefield.
Rules! I think they are the bain of every Napoleonic gamer. I think we all have a concept of the "Proper look" of a Napoleonics game. Wherever it came from, we want our game to conform to our vision. I don't know how many sets I have tried, but well over 30. I've been doing Nappies for well on 30 years now. 25mm, 30mm, 40mm, 6mm, 15mm, and now 10mm, and most likely 25/28mm for skirmish level games. I've written 3 sets, none of which gave me what I want, tweaked them, tweaked the commercial sets, and after all that I am still looking. Have you any experience with the computer moderated sets? I've heard and read a lot of praise for "The Iron Duke". They do have a certain appeal to me with all the calculations and such being dealt with inside the program. But NO DICE! Blasphemous!
Any how, thanks for the input Ian, your project sounds interesting. And yes, I suppose I'll have to head over to your blog, thanks for the shove ;-)

 

[custardpie]

Hi Bill

10mm Magister do look good from what I have seen. Not paid a lot of attention to them as I only go on their stand for the 15mm Ancients.

You need to post pic's of your bowling greens LOL. My bases are flat, I used to add texture in the old days and paint it. That did look fine at the time but now I am happy I have to rebase them as they look dated. So now my baseing is flat, but quick(ish) and low cost and looks better than before. I also add the odd rock (I nick chicken grit from the feed bags for our chucks LOL) also I have started to use Tuffs.

Once I have my rules in any kind of state I will send to you to knock holes in them, the more minds the better. Very much like most rules of today I will not have you forming square, rather allow the man on the spot to sort that out (though it is possible for him to fail to get it done) I will use square markers though, so if the player wants to have units painted up as square for this event they could.

I can't remember the two sets of computer rules I have played in the past but I am going way back. The last set had real issues with when two units with exactly the same strength etc charged each other the one that was typed in first always won. Not a pleasent experiance. Other than that it was a great set of rules.

Good to get you accross and please join I need the followers LOL

Ian

 

[prymus]

Hi everybody. Still trying to get some pics to post Ian. Saw some intersting news today over in my Yahoo groups about Adler releasing some 10mm Ancients. Cruised on over to their site to check them out and they look pretty good. Now if they'll just get going on some 10mm Nappies I'd lime to see. Emailed the gent, Simon, at Magister Militum and they are sending me some samples of their Nappy line. Eager to see if they'll mix in with my existing collection. And Ian, joined in with your groupies, I don't get around to many sites lately, but will try to make yours a regular stop. I have enjoyed your blog, keep it up. And thanks

 

[custardpie]

Well I hope you like the Magister Naps, I have nothing but praise for those guys, their service is great. I admitted to possibly losing a figure from a recent purchase and 100% lost an older figure (from the days before they owned the company), he sent me at their expence replacements for both even though I had offered to pay. Glad you like the blogs, they keep me off the streets ;-)

I have just finished painting 9 Russian and 8 Yank 28mm figures, the Yanks have Company B decals on them, including rank stripes, will be matt varnishing them later whilst I wait for the bases to arrive. Already cleaned up a further 11 Germans and prepped my 15mm camp for Field of Glory which I will do at the same time. Once these two are done (10 days max I hope) I have 4 brits and a bunch of Japs to paint, all need to be done in the next 2-3 weeks ready for Heroes at Blackpool.

Ian

 

[prymus]

Sounds like fun Ian. For somebody that has a lot of time on their hands I sure can't find the time to get some painting done recently. I have been extremely busy trying to get soime projects done for Native American dance outfits. Lots of things to do there. Then on top of that I committed to making 2 dance fans for a powow auction, one done, one almost done, one not yet started. Those need to be complete by May. All the outfit parts need to be finished by the end of March. So lots still to do, and painting will have to take a back seat for a while. Then I got sucked into the whole Skyrim black hole. Man that game is so cool. I had it for about 2 weeks before I installed it, and now wish I had waited to install it. As much as I hate toe do it I'm going to have to send off some figures to get painted. There is a painter here in my state that does a decent job and is very inexpensive. Only problem is that he is slow. But if I get several hundred Austrians off to him in the next couple weeks he will most likely have them back to me by May, in time for the summer gaming season. WooHoo, BIG Nappy games on the horizon.

 

[custardpie]

Sounds like fun Ian. For somebody that has a lot of time on their hands I sure can't find the time to get some painting done recently. I have been extremely busy trying to get soime projects done for Native American dance outfits. Lots of things to do there. Then on top of that I committed to making 2 dance fans for a powow auction, one done, one almost done, one not yet started. Those need to be complete by May. All the outfit parts need to be finished by the end of March. So lots still to do, and painting will have to take a back seat for a while. Then I got sucked into the whole Skyrim black hole. Man that game is so cool. I had it for about 2 weeks before I installed it, and now wish I had waited to install it. As much as I hate toe do it I'm going to have to send off some figures to get painted. There is a painter here in my state that does a decent job and is very inexpensive. Only problem is that he is slow. But if I get several hundred Austrians off to him in the next couple weeks he will most likely have them back to me by May, in time for the summer gaming season. WooHoo, BIG Nappy games on the horizon.

Sounds like you have your hands full. Must be a pain getting others to paint when you can do so yourself. Now I have all my figs matt varnished and it has done what I wanted, the shine on the decals transparent parts has disapeared so it's not an obvious decal. Really happy with the results and now had an e-mail from the mate with the bases, I should have them sometime this week. The next lot of figures are cleaned up and stuck down ready for priming, will do this first thing and ready to paint when I get back after treatment, just the ticket for post blood sucking LOL

Ian

 

[prymus]

Hey Ian, what are you using for the matte? I used Testors dullcoat for a while but then switched to a cheaper matte spray from Krylon. I've used the Krylon for a few years now and have not noticed any yellowing. Same price as the dullcoat but at least 3 times the product. have done about 500 10mm, 200 15mm, and 20 or so 30mm. I thinnk I still have about 1/3rd of the can left, so it has worked out to be a good deal.
Hope your treatment goes well my friend, and hope you continue to be getting better.

 

[custardpie]

Hey Ian, what are you using for the matte? I used Testors dullcoat for a while but then switched to a cheaper matte spray from Krylon. I've used the Krylon for a few years now and have not noticed any yellowing. Same price as the dullcoat but at least 3 times the product. have done about 500 10mm, 200 15mm, and 20 or so 30mm. I thinnk I still have about 1/3rd of the can left, so it has worked out to be a good deal.
Hope your treatment goes well my friend, and hope you continue to be getting better.

I use Vallejo 400ml spray can varnish. A couple of thin coats, but it's not the cheapest. No where near the amount of figures you managed, maybe it's the double spraying LOL I got the Army Painter varnish and primer last time which is about 20% cheaper. I will be swapping back as the primer is a bit grainy (I used Vallejo primer before) but nothing seems wrong with the varnish other than it goes on somewhat more thin.

Got to go now but will try to post some pics soon

Ian

 

[prymus]

Hey Ian, what do you mean the primer is a little grainy? I know where I live, and it could be the same for you, if it gets just a little to dry(the weather that is) my paint will go on a little rough, kind of grainy. So I have to wait for the humidity to be a little higher then all is right in paint land.