The long and the short and the tall.

Early weeding in the morning sun gave way to serious sorting indoors with the family. There was however hobby time on and off during the day.

 A garden railway structural item was primed ready for assembly later in the week. I intend to make my own buildings if possible but I got a resin kit to begin the process. Other preparations took place too.

The painting desk p.m with the long, short and tall. The long is a 54mm Homeguard chap who had gone missing and turned up during the sorting process. He , like his fellow platoon members needed, needs a repaint before being used for gaming. The short are some lovely 1st Corps castings of rather familiar looking characters from much beloved children’s books. I had forgotten that I had bought them . They turned up in a wee nook and cranny in the painting desk and I couldn’t resist giving them a whirl. The tall are two 16mm scale railway figures. I can’t recall when I last painted anyone that tall , I am interested to see how I get on with them and their fellows...

Here are the finished  favourite characters. I am quite pleased with how they turned out. They are just crying out to be involved in a game or perhaps a visit to Tradgardistan... 

Old box

This sits on the dresser/sideboard near my painting area. It is as bought and looks pleasing amongst the bits and pieces.

 I like the look of the cardboard box which speaks to me of a gentler age perhaps. I got it via eBay quite a few years ago and it has sat here on display ever since

The contents are as bought. I wonder if they were someone’s treasured toys or just bunged in prior to selling . Needless to say I imagine the former.

A collection of semi flat animals, people and scenery. Once the pride and joy of a nursery or bedroom, we will never know. Although I use them in some of my games I like to return them to the box afterwards, it seems the right thing to do.

Meanwhile in the Shire or the Society for Convivial Anachronism, again

“Ever since Mr Baggins found the secret rooms off the back pantry things haven’t been the same round the hill. There’s been a clunking and a clanking, a coming and a going. Sack after sack dragged out into the light of day. Now Mr Baggins and his friends dress up in rusty old armour, march back and forth, here and there and end the day with a slap up meal and beer. They calls themselves the Society for Convivial Anachronism or SCA for short. Arrows flying everywhere, rummaging through the fireworks and emptying them into funny iron tubes,but that’s a story for another time”
Overheard at “The Green Dragon “ inn near closing time...

 Mr Frodo Baggins and his young friends in all that noisy , rusty and clanking armour.

The aghast customers and staff of “ The Green Dragon “ 

Another view of the SCA fellows in costume.

(I have found it hard to settle on any particular figures to paint this week, doing a bit then putting them aside. However these resin hobbits were a joy to paint and I am currently working on more of them...)

Semi flats found in the shed whilst sorting

I had forgotten these semi flats,they are around 40 mm with the Germanic looking ones being taller.

There are around fifteen painted in that blue uniform ( not sure why I did so now) and a bag of around twenty odd unpainted. Sadly there is only one tank but a chunky, charming model it is. The artillery piece has a solidity too but not quite as detailed as the tank although I think that might have something to do with the paint it is smothered in. The detail on the infantry is not too crisp but they would make an interesting force. In the unpainted bag there are a few officers on foot with cane and a few mounted officers/cavalry 

Although few in number I do like these figures especially the wonderfully animated soldier with cooking cauldron over fire with steam/smoke billowing forth. The cavalryman is a simple but effective pose and the marching soldiers look good to me. They are in the uniforms I purchased them in . I don’t know their age or manufacture ( of the moulds I mean) assuming them to be homecasts. Anyone out there got more information?

A bit of bother,part one

The game has begun but not got very far yet. The Colonial Portable Wargame rules are providing a great game so far. One would think I could get the game played but there are so many other distractions, things to do, anyway here is the state of things visually-

As ever click on the photo to read the comments.

Arrivals

Yesterday saw a flurry of activity in the garden to plant more seeds. We all worked together on this. Time also to flick through old copies of the American magazine “Garden Railways “ for inspiration. Some work was done on the Ruslanders but not too much. The weather here in the Duchy is to be colder and unsettled so less reading in the garden or alfresco meals. Often when the beech hedge comes out it gets quite windy and this is happening once more. A couple of arrivals-

I located these old Britains figures who will take their place in the Rusland Army. I got them in some eBay purchase ages ago and they have now found their niche. A repair to one of their rifles and some paint and they will serve . The plastic figure has been pva prepared and started to be painted. He will serve as a scout and guide. 

The courier brought the first of my garden railway purchases yesterday. Here they are having been unpacked. More about them over the coming week.

Today I hope to fight the Bit of Bother in Tradgardistan game  so be ready for a battle report later, probably tomorrow.

Who are they?

I didn’t get round to playing the Tradgardistan game yesterday with one thing and another. I did take the opportunity to assemble fellows from Replica metal soldiers -

Who do you think they are and who will be their allies? Clues are in my labels at the bottom of the post.