Heads up

 I just want to give a heads up to this blog-

https://talesfromthetoyroom.blogspot.com/

It is full of wonderful toy soldier inspiration and well worth a visit. Pop by , you certainly won’t regret it . Always enchanting often surprising , it is a delight. I particularly like the miniature worlds created by Graham with their scenery and gardens too. 

Currently unable to leave comments there ( and many other blogs too) due to blogger. 

Vibe

 My enthusiasm for my current projects ( Hawaiians , Craigshire and VBCW Welsh)seems to have withered on the hobby vine. Knowing my enthusiasm will return at some point (plastic storage drawers opened and the work restarted ) I put things aside and looked for a wee hobby palette cleanser in the shape of 54mm figures and a pig-

Being lying around for ages. Funny thing is before I wargamed I painted 54s , often Rose Miniatures, all long gone. I got bored with the figures as they just sat on shelves. Got the Rose figures at the Toy Tub.

Filling the cracks  left by my bad assembly work.

A couple of old eBay Britains in the need of TLC…

On Saturday l saw an inspiring exhibition at the local museum/ library/ gallery 

Beautiful art on display, well worth looking out for…

Sailing by …

 It is a busy time at Penedredfel station. The “Boat” is being prepared for some track inspection work after the terrible storm of the other day-

The mast and yardarm have been collected from storage.

The driver of the “ Boat” or should it be skipper, waits patiently.

All is ready but where is the canvas sail ? A hunt for it has begun…

For more information on a similar contraption see below-

https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/The_Boat

http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/sail/sail.htm

Moving forward

 

Most of the Hawaiian figures are painted and it was time to think of a game…

Eventually settled on 5cm square bases , figures stuck on with blue tack to allow their use in skirmish games.

Found some card and cut my 5cm square bases. Each base represents 25 - 150 men , depending on type , fighting as a distinct “ Company” as the rules call it.

Testing the basing size by drawing on paper, putting the figures on an leaving it. I came back and forward over the day to see if it would look better bigger or smaller.

The rules which l think should work well. They have a Polynesian army list btw..

The rules have period and locality flavour built in. All measurements are in units (u) which is the frontage of the company base, in my case 5 cm.

Seasons

 

Sunday saw us able to have coffee in the garden, maybe the last time this autumn, who knows.

Autumn has arrived and attempts are made to tidy up prior to winter.

A fox ponders things then makes for cover, stepping carefully through the luggage.

The leaves are changing colour.

The Acer turns a glorious red.

Finally a song-

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=q0jawY8r-ik

On the painting desk

Last week we got signed back into Apple TV, long story short. It was in time for the sublime “ Slow Horses” restarting as well as the rest  to catch up with. Another programme “ Chief of War” really caught my imagination. It is a drama set in 18th century Hawaii. Since l read an article in Slingshot about Hawaiian warfare years l have retained an interest. I tried the Tribal rules but they are not suitable for solo play and a tad outre or complicated for me.

Anyway watching the tv drama gave me an urge to paint some Polynesians. Not more cash splashed I hear you ask! Not in this case . A wee rummage and I found what I was looking for- 28mm Hawaiian figures by Eureka, lovely casts just waiting..

A few experiments later , unsuccessful attempts at skin tones and I called upon the collective encyclopaedia of hobby information that is the Virtual Wargames Club. Emails were exchanged and ideas sought and found. Armed with a plan l ventured into my local hobby shop and came out with some paint, particularly a base colour and a Contrast Paint to apply over it. I worked on the figures Saturday and Sunday and am pleased with the results so far-

Friday’s disastrous attempts, no idea what I tried now but awful.

Post Saturday model shop trip and things moving forward really well.

The painting desk Sunday and I feel l am getting somewhere…

More figures awaiting finishing, varnishing and basing to be completed. All coming along well. Incidentally it was interesting to paint figures who have no metal weapons whatsoever. Wood, sharks teeth and other natural materials are the order of the day.

More to paint up then some skirmishes against themselves and perhaps some 19th century sailors. I must pop back to my Patrick O’Brien’s as there is an exciting battle on an island with indigenous opponents.

I haven’t enjoyed painting so much for ages , this contrast paint methodology would work well with Bronze Age Greeks for example…

Resins to be cheerful and money well spent.

 

This was waiting for me on my return home yesterday. A charming guide to a model railway pioneer. Lovely coloured and b&w pictures and interesting text too. A bargain imho.

Glasgow looking lovely in the sun yesterday.

New resin recruits in 28mm to be used for VBCW Welsh nationalists supplied by France.

Some metal Welsh , including a Mari Lwyd used as a standard.

Pictures from Wednesday’s game. The village people and opponents in a shooting match.

Enemies encounter each other at the village bridge.

The Scout section takes heavy casualties.

The Blackshorts have seen off their opponents at the churchyard.

My opponents gain an upper hand in the other end of the churchyard. The game was declared a marginal victory to my opponent. Even more marginal when I reminded him all my troops were all inexperienced except for two medium machine guns . He fielded a variety of grades of troops including veterans.

Visitors to the Firth of Forth.

Doing some background reading on the Welsh nationalists supplied by Al Front many moons ago. He helped me get hooked on the interwar period.

Sitrep and Juxtaposition etc

 Last week post Ambleside passed quickly in a flurry of volunteering, preparing for the 30th birthday gathering here on Saturday and the game l posted about. It was hectic but the family gathering went really well and daughter number two really appreciated the event. As a result little hobby stuff was done as creative energy and time went into the garden and house. However a chance encounter with this splendid conversion from Brush and Battle on his Instagram-

It led me to consider 40k Feudal Worlds , something totally new to me. Basically for me a juxtaposition of medieval society and weaponry with hi tech kit. I found some illustrations to inspire and produced these conversions-

Here’s the painting desk and gathering too.

Trying to move Craigshire forward too. Maintenance of the aim..

Penedredfel Light Railway at night