Redcoat

Give it a read.

Redcoat
The British Soldier in the Age of the Horse and Musket
Richard Holmes
466 pages

I picked this book up at my local second hand book seller. I paid a miserly $11 for the book which sold for $22.95 in 2002.

I found the book to be easy to read and the style that Richard Holmes uses makes the book a good read. I could prattle on for ages, but I'm still working my way through the book. It has made me look at my Prussians (in 25/28mm scale) again, which will of course make my sparing partner Andrew Ross very happy.

While I'm on the period of Napoleonic's Phil Barker has made available the rules which I use (along with many others). Check the freewargamesrules.co.uk and look for the ones by WRG.

September Madness Prices

For the month of September I'm offering a special on my services.

For each model I paint I will only charge $4 plus a figurine. The equivalent exchange will apply for the model. ie a 28mm figure for a 28mm figure, vehicle for a vehicle.

For example a squad of 10 marines would cost you $40 plus 10 models.

Sunday Update

Slogging through a number of tasks at present.

1. Clean my game table down.

At present the table is used as a generic storage facility. On this I dump finished items of interest. This usually means, DVDs, folders, mail and so forth. There are even some models on the table. I've therefore managed to consolodate papers to keep in one huge precarious pile (seriously in danger of toppling if the table is bumped). It's there until I can determine where I can store said papers.

2. Tax Time

Part of the above was the need to find a number of important papers to solve my Tax puzzle. Starting to find all the pieces, but have serious doubts about how it all goes together. Well, there is always tomorrow.

3. Fringe

While the above is going on I am watching Fringe. Perhaps I should really say listen, as I've watched the series a few times already. A great series that I'm hoping Season 2 comes out soon for me to purchase. Heck it might even be out already but sadly my funds are extinct at present so it will be a wait I think.

4. Retribution of Scrye

On top of all of the above, I'm still painting my Retribution.
I've polished off:
Dawnguard Invictors (10 model unit) and the Officer and Standard for them.
Dawnguard Sentinels (10 model unit) and the Officer and Standard for them.
Chimera

I settled for Mithril Silver (GW range) as the base for all models. I've then applied a Thraka Green Wash (GW range) over the model. After they dried I've then drybrushed Mithril Silver again over the model. This has achieved a greenish tinge to the armour which I've then applied Skull White (GW range) to parts to highlight and contrast the effects. With their basing they aren't looking too bad.

I"m sure that there is more to be done.

Still in hospital two days a weeks.

Waiting for the new Malifaux, War Rocket, Lord Chompy Bits and a few other items. I'm a patient man, they are on their way and will get to me sooner or later. I trust my suppliers.

Retribution of Scyrah - Update

I've started to assemble the models.

I really do like the stances and moulds of this range. However! Yes there is always a "however". I've had two bugbears with the assembly process.

1. Mage Hunter Strike Force
These would most likely be my favourite models from the range. The only fiddly bit that drove me mad, layered my fingers with superglue was the crossbows. Fiddly, fiddly and damn it all to heck fiddly. Trying to match the arrows/quarrels and balance the cross section with such a small surface was time consuming and annoying. In the end patience won out and they are now all assembled. They are my favourite at present.

2. Dawnguard Sentinels
The packer of my figures decided that the swords should be packed into the smallest compartment in the plastic blister box. Every sword was bent at the hand join, and the arms were twisted horribly. It has taken me about and hour to sort out the mess and at present only one model has had his sword irretrievably broken. I'm not sure how I'm going to tackle this one yet. I may break the sword and attach the smaller section to the hands (in the hope of it sticking) and placing the shards at his feet. One other has a dodgy join which I saturated with glue in the hope of it gelling, but I'm not hopeful. The whole arm sword section was not in my opinion a great cast, I had to guess which arm poses best matched the model. In the end patience won out and they are now all done.

Only the warcasters to assemble now and two more heavy warjacks. Then it's decision time as to whether or not I go for the white look that PP have given the faction. I really do dislike white, and it's the hardest colour for me with the lest numbers of successful applications. I'm thinking a high shine light silver will be the go. Time will tell.

Cheers

John

Joys and woes of laminating

My friend James got in for me some laminate pouches to protect some of the cards I use for my games. I am a novice when it comes to this laminating lark and had to ask some advice to get the best results.

The best results I got were from the advice I received from James.

TIPS:
1. Let the laminator run for 30 minutes. Don't start when the little light comes on saying you can start laminating.
2. Run the item through the laminator a few times. I found four times the best.

So thanks James, the results have come out trumps.

Retribution of Scyrah - New Project

Call me mad, but when you feel absolutely crap what do you do? You start a new project. That new project is Retribution of Scyrah.

I've had these figures sitting in a box since the beginning of the year (or thereabouts) and have decided that seeing I can't get any Circle of Orboros I'll just have to settle on what I actually have.

So I'm in a frenzy of assembling now. Lots of infantry types to assemble, only 6 warjacks at present. Need to have a few games with this faction before I start lashing out on additional models. (Not that that is really a deterrent)

I must say that the models are very nice. I feel that this is an army I may decide to paint differently than any other. I shall paint one figure at a time rather than using the batch system. I think that the quality of figures needs a truely awesome paint job to go with them. Time will tell if I get any further.

What do you do when you have to many interests?

It's a question I ask myself every time I enter the Lair.

I currently game at the Blind Pig these days. It's close, it's friendly and the venue is top notch. The BP meet twice a month, and at present I'm there from 9ish to 4ish. So that's 7 hours or 14 hours a month to play games.

So I ask myself what do I play?

My interests are as broad as my girth and height. I'm really interested in "off the beaten track" game genres. For instance I have a large collection of Wild West figures (a left over passion from QGMC), and Piratical figures. Add to this my Vietnam and 20's Gangsters and you're starting to get the picture.

To make matters worse a particular hobby business keeps showing me lots of shiney new toys and I'm off on a tanget again.

So I come back to that all important question.

What do you plan to play in that 14 hour time slot for the month?

Will what you take with you get any takers to participate in a game?

Do you go with mediocrity and play what everyone else is (which isn't a bad thing, don't get me wrong) playing?

There really isn't any answer to those questions.