The Scottish Project

Ah, the heady delights of a new project! This week the last bits and pieces arrived so I can now begin work on [drumroll...] The Scottish Project! That's right, a new year and a new project. Not to say that the 55 Days at Peking project or the Warhammer Fantasy Empire project and going to be neglected, just um... "sharing my attention" with my new baby.

Like a certain play be Shakespeare I cannot speak it's name. Actually that's complete bollocks, but it was a good opening so what the hell. Anyway, my new project begins today - recreating the Battle of Auldearn in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms in 10mm and using Simon Miller's forthcoming For King and Parliament rules.

The whole box and (quite literally) dice. Everything I need to get cracking

Miniatures

Fortunately for me Pendraken Miniatures have a comprehensive and quite lovely range in 10mm which fulfills all my needs to cover both sides of the conflict. I'm starting, as any loyal subject of the King would, with Montrose and his forces.

One of the benefits of 10mm is cost and I was able to source all the miniatures and most of the flags required for under A$130 including shipping. Last night I spent an enjoyable hour or so divvying everything up into units.

Orders of Battle

With Simon's help and plenty of reading I've assembled an order of battle for both sides. The units involved won't change much from here although the unit stats might get tweaked a little over time once I've seen how things play out on the table top.

The Covenanters are numerically superior but inferior in quality and short on commanders, meaning the additional units will be less effective overall and harder to manoeuvre as well.

Basing Arrangement

One of the strengths of For King and Parliament is the lack of off-table record keeping and I've stretched that to the max in how I'm basing and recording data.

Units will sit on a single 90mm x 50mm base, with miniatures occupying the front 2/3 of the base and the rear 1/3 reserved for unit name and dice holders for recording experience/hits, ammunition and dash (if cavalry). The right-hand (7mm) dice holder will contain the hits dice, green for "raw", yellow for "seasoned" and blue for "experienced". The one or two left-hand dice holders will contain the ammo and dash dice.

Basing Style

I want a really atmospheric highland feel for the bases so I'm going over-the-top on tufts and bushes. This is the look I'm going for...

Photo credit "Must See Scotland - Flowers of Scotland"
https://must-see-scotland.com/flowers-of-scotland/

Martin from Tajima1 very kindly did a custom order for me (in record time no less!) and created heather tufts in a matched purple colour using his "moss mix" tufts as a base. Combined with the same moss mix tufts I should be able to get a close approximation of the dense highland ground cover above.

And that's about where I'm at right now. Time to kick on and actually paint something!

Cheers,
Millsy

Hobby Activity? 'sabot Time!

Well, thanks to the many and varied demands of modern life, things have been a bit quiet on the hobby front here in Chez Ev.

Having crafted a scenic unit base for those SAGA hired swords the Sons of Death some months back, I thought I should gird my loins and at least try and bring the rest of my SAGA figs (those braw laddies, the Scots) up to scratch with a similar set of bases. And besides, it was about time I did something hobby-related, because an idle hobby area is a terrible thing to see. Real life, you can only push me so far!

So, for 3 units of Hearthguard, 2 units of Warriors, and one unit of Levy with bows, I grabbed some more sabot bases from the box, and went to work. here's the morning's output just prior to the final inking.

Some Tajima heather, wild grass and moorland tufts to give them a bit of a lift, and voila! Suitably Caledonian scenic sabot bases for the defenders of Alba.

I was lucky enough to get some more work in on this project later in the afternoon, so here they are in all their glory.

Of course, this means that they are technically complete, and that I am duty bound to proceed with the next incomplete project. And I'm spoiled for choice in that department! What will it be...?

And a quick note to all fans of Wargame Bloggers Quarterly (of which I have the honour to be Editor-in-Chief at the present time), Volume 2, Issue 1 will be out very soon, with a rich and varied smorgasbord of hobby content for all our readers!

Stay tuned!

Ev

Paint Table Saturday - The Last Of The Free!

I scored a rostered day off yesterday, so I decided to put the time to good use and finish the last point of my Scots SAGA Warband.

The last time I posted an update on this project, my (ahem) leisurely approach to the notion of painting a project to completion was the subject of much light-hearted banter from my fellow bloggers.

Well folks, here's the last point of Hearthguard as they stood yesterday afternoon...

...and here they are as of the wee small hours of this morning, varnished, tufted and given a wonderful banner from LBMS' SAGA range (LBMS also did the shields you see here as well).

"Right, Jimmy, that's one bum note too many..."

I'm quite pleased with how these laddies turned out, and couldn't resist the temptation to get all the Sons of Alba lined up for a group shot.

"There can only be... (hushed muttering) forty-one!"

Six points of tartany goodness right there. First project I've seen through to completion in a long time (and coincidentally, that's exactly what it took, a REALLY long time). A big thank you to all those who provided their insulting moral support, it certainly had the desired effect (eventually)!

So I think a certain amount of celebration is in order;

Purely for medicinal purposes, you understand...

What the hell, it's Hogmanay somewhere in the world... Slàinte mhath!

Ev

Paint Table Saturday - Just a wee update

It's only four more hearthguard for my SAGA Scots, but it represents so much more; these are the Last of the Free, the final point for the warband.

(And yes, I am fully aware of just how long this has taken, so if we could keep the references to painting in geological time to a minimum, I'd be most grateful...)

Once these lads are done and dusted, that'll be six points of tartany goodness to grace the table. They're looking a wee bit rough at the moment, but we'll highlight and finish and tuft up their bases until they're fit to join their comrades and show the enemies of Alba the folly of daring to set a hostile foot upon Scottish soil!

Stay tuned...

Evan

And A Few More Cross Words...

I finished the Stone Cross late last night, much to my own amazement. But what the hey, when the painting muse strikes, all you can do is go with the flow. Three hours from the last instalment to its present completed condition, which is a tidy pace by my standards. Honestly, if I could maintain this pace all the time, I'd be a much more productive painter, but I am a creature of fits and starts (and basically a lazy sod).

As I'd already done a bit of work duplicating lichen on the base of my Scots Warlord, I thought I'd see about trying something similar on this piece of terrain. So, here it is;

"The lads are taking a 'lichen' to the new terrain... I said, a 'lichen'..."

"Laugh? I nearly did."

And as you can see, I tufted the living daylights out of the base, drybrushed all the grass with a light brown to vary it a little, and voila! 

I used the pink flowers since they reminded me of the pink seathrift growing in the lichen-encrusted sandstone ruins of the monastery on Birsay, the site of the martyrdom of St Magnus of Orkney. Apparently, the flowers miraculously appeared at the spot where he was slain (although they grow like weeds all over the Northern Isles, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt).

Some people take the damndest holiday snaps...

That's all for now, but I still have the last point of hearthguard to finish off, so stay tuned!

Evan

A Few Cross Words

Or a few words on my new Celtic Cross... Just enough time to post a quick WIP shot before I leave for work!

I bought it online direct from Ainsty Castings as a bit of atmospheric terrain for SAGA.

As you can see, it cleaned up a treat; after some work to clear a minor casting fault (one blocked cell in the cross - no big deal), it was based on a piece of MDF with sand for texture, and undercoated in black.

I've just drybrushed it in various shades of grey (not quite 50, more like five) and I think that'll do for the moment; I'll be painting on a bit of lichen to dress it up, and some more of the new Tajima1 tufts around the base. The puffins in the background indicate that this might be somewhere in the Orkneys, who can say?

More later, stay tuned!

Evan

Paint Table Saturday, or 90% Inspiration, 10% Perspiration

Greetings, friends, followers and casual visitors.

Those of you who have followed the sporadic progress of my SAGA Scots warband (and, indeed, any of my alleged 'projects') will have long since realised that I'm not an industrial-scale painting machine. I leave that to my more motivated colleague and partner in crime, Millsy, whose Stakhanov-like output has been on show for all to see over at Curt's Analogue Painting Challenge. But alas, I am not the stuff of which such exemplars are made, so I work on a smaller scale and at a more... erm, leisurely pace.

But lately, I'm feeling a little more inspired, thanks to seeing more of the work of a good many industrious and talented painters and modellers, both in the Challenge and in the Google+ community Paint Table Saturday.

This is the second week in a row I've actually posted something, so try not to reel in astonishment...

Remember last week's post? Got me some tufts and a piece of terrain, and there has actually been some progress.

Now, I've gone a bit crazy with the Tajima1 heather tufts on the 5 points of Scots already painted, based and varnished;

OK, so maybe I went a little overboard, but I like the lift the flowering tufts give to the figures, and would certainly recommend them to anyone who has yet to give them a go.

Part two of last week's post dealt with the recent acquisition of a Celtic Cross from Ainsty Castings. Well, it's been cleaned up, any imperfections in the casting have been remedied, and it's now sand-based and awaiting an undercoat. 

No, those aren't ninjas standing nearby; that's the last point of undercoated hearthguard for the SAGA Scots, next up for completion, including a standard bearer with a flagstaff cut down and converted from a North Star 100mm spear. I've already bought myself a suitable flag from LBMS, and it looks the business.

At six points, I will deem the Scots completed to an acceptable level and will be able to move on to my next project; more SAGA warbands, more terrain for same, or something completely different? 

Will I be able to shake off my antipathy to big projects and try something after the manner of the multitude of PROPER painters and modellers currently gracing the blogs? Well, maybe, maybe not - but I know that if I do, there are plenty of you out there to keep inspiring me to greater efforts, for which I remain eternally grateful.

Stay tuned!

Evan

Paint Table Saturday, or When The Going Gets Tuft

It's a rainy autumn morning here in Sydney, we've had breakfast, and the flat looks a little less like a bomb site, so I figure it's hobby time. And, as luck would have it, it's the ideal moment to make my first contribution to Sofie's Paint Table Saturday. The estimable Ms Vandersmissen has set up a Google+ community for painters and modellers to show off their latest WIP, and it's going gangbusters. If you haven't been over yet, take a look (especially if you're having difficulty motivating yourselves - it'll shame you into action).

So, to business; I recently took delivery of a consignment of Tajima1 Tufts in assorted colours, courtesy of a bulk order placed by my blogging colleague (or 'blolleague'), Mr Mills. Tajima1's postage deals for overseas orders are extremely generous, given that Australian hobbyists are regularly ravaged by international shipping charges (we're not exactly handy to the shops and close to transport). Orders of four or more boxes are shipped free anywhere in the world. So when Michael announced he was placing an order, I threw my hat into the ring, since I had a batch of SAGA Scots in need of a little more local colour in the form of the self-adhesive Heather Tufts.

I was not disappointed - no buyer's remorse here! The tufts are ludicrously easy to use, and are giving my braw laddies a real lift.

And another bonus in last week's post was this delightful piece from Ainsty Castings - a 28mm scale Celtic Cross in resin. This is the first piece of terrain I've bought to complement my SAGA Scots, but it would suit any British Isles game setting from Arthurian to VBCW and beyond. It's a nice sculpt, nicer than any other equivalent pieces I've seen on the market, and with minimal bubbling to the cast. I expect that it will paint up a treat.

So, I hope to post the newly-tufted Scots in all their glory before too long; stay tuned!

Ev

Another Year Over...

What a year it's been!

The C&G blog is going great guns, thanks in no small part to the efforts of the estimable Mr Mills (may his tribe increase), who has been doing most of the heavy lifting around here, often in extremely difficult circumstances. And he's doing the Analogue Painting Challenge as well! An inspiration and an example to us all.

Of course, the greater part of the equation is our audience; the friends, followers and visitors whose comments and support give our efforts direction and meaning. Without you, we're really just scrapbooking.

We've grown apace in 2013, and look forward to sharing more adventures in the world of wargaming, painting and modelling in the year to come. And it speaks volumes about our hobby that I can use the term 'adventure' in conjunction with a pastime that keeps us indoors more often than not... and with a straight face too! Anyway, you understand what I'm getting at.

So Happy New Year to all, and Happy Hogmanay from the latest recruits to my SAGA Scots, the Levy (now with bows!).

They're maintaining unit coherency, at least until they hit the whisky.

A few finishing touches are still needed in the paint department, like brooches, strap ends and a coat of varnish, but that's 5 points of Scots painted to a playable standard. As you can see, I've gone for a more 'homespun' colour palette, in keeping with the less affluent nature of the unit.

I have four more Hearthguard to paint up, and then it'll be on to the next project, just as soon as I figure out what that might be.

Stay tuned!

Ev

SAGA Scots Warlord Complete!

Truly, from little things, big things (or at least, more complicated little things) grow; this unassuming pile of pine bark chips and pebbles was to become the lofty crag from which my Scots Warlord surveys the field of battle.

I was looking to do something in the basing department which would allow my Warlord to stand out from the rest of the warband and convey something of the windswept terrain of the Highlands, so we're going with a rocky outcrop theme.

As you can see, this substructure is filled in with spackle (aka polyfilla, call it what you will), which is built up around where the figure will stand.

I drilled and pinned in the centre of the figure's 'footprint' for added security, and undercoated the assembly before texturing and drybrushing.

"A' yer base ur belong tae us!"

At this point, I think I was getting into the whole Highland landscaping thingy a little too much, since I went a little mad dotting the rocky outcrop with spots of lichen to give it that 'authentic' Caledonian touch.

I then glued the fig into place on the pinned footprint and filled the gaps around his cast base with green stuff. The putty was roughly sculpted to mimic the 'strata' of the pine bark, and left to cure.

Once the putty had cured, it was time to paint it to match the surrounding outcrop, dullcote the model, and voila!

After all the tartan of the warband, it was nice to muck about with bits of stuff and actually build something, even on this modest scale. I'm pretty pleased with the the result, and think it complements the figure quite nicely.

So what's next? My partner in crime and Blogmeister-General, the indefatigable Millsy, has 6 points of excellent Anglo-Danes with some Levy to provide shooty support, while our good mate Nugget has completed a Viking AND a Strathclyde Welsh warband, so I'm probably going to need some lads with bows to encourage these potential threats to keep their distance. Alas, a visit to the gaming shop today turned up no Scots levy, so I may have to resort to buying online.

Or... I do have a pack of eight psychos for hire, the Gall-Gaedhil, aka the Sons of Death; these guys aren't shooty, but they tend to charge in and keep the enemy occupied... That's two more points right there. Well, we'll see what inspiration hits when next I plonk myself down at the workbench.

Stay tuned!

Ev

SAGA Scots Warriors Complete!

Never let it be said that Ev doesn't believe in the good old-fashioned concept of suspense. It's been two months since I posted my 2pts of completed Scots Hearthguard on C&G. So, at long last, here are the two remaining points of Alba's finest.

Well, some of them, at least...

I haven't got as far as painting the Argyll socks on them yet. And turn around, the camera's this way!

Here's a fine body of men, stalwart of demeanour and stout of heart. They display the stoicism for which the sons of Caledonia have become famous.

"On foot should all guid Scottis warre..."

The lads below, on the other hand, are an altogether different proposition.

"Hinka canfeh? C'mon then!"

Yes, this means that, all bar the Warlord are now completed to a playable standard. So here's the assembled multitude by way of summary;

But who, I hear you ask, is the tall striking fellow in the middle? That's the yet-to-be-completed warlord, awaiting the construction of a base worthy of his heroic status (Because, let's face it, a paint pot lacks the necessary scenic appeal for a nobleman of ancient Alba). Other than that, he's almost done. Here's the story so far;

(Incidentally, these old-school GW paint pots are great for this kind of thing.)

A bit of tidying up, and it's on to the basing - should I see if I can lay hands on some Viking casualty figs to decorate the scene a bit?

And where to from here? I still have a point of Hearthguard in their blister pack, or I could assemble those formidable Hebridean hired swords, the Sons of Death. Either way, I'll have to move pretty smartly, since my illustrious adversaries Millsy and Nug are both recruiting formidable warbands of their own! Mayhap the borders will be aflame with red war sooner rather than later...

Stay tuned!

Ev 

SAGA Scots Hearthguard Complete!

Well, it took a little longer than I would have liked (I plead a shortage of decent matt varnish and excessively rainy weather), but the 2 points of Scots Hearthguard for my SAGA warband are now complete.

The basing, shields and varnishing are all done, and (for better or worse) here's the result.

All that tartan can be a headache to paint, but I'd like to think that perseverance has paid off in this instance. The Plain Thane (lower pic, second from left) is now not so plain; I thought I'd keep the red cloak and give it a decorative border in black and gold to reflect his high status. Not quite Book of Kells standard Celtic knotwork, but what the hey, close enough for the wargames table! The only downside is that I'm now going to have to make the Warlord look really splendid so that he stands out like the proverbial.

The shield transfers are by Little Big Men Studios, and I have to say that not only is their graphic design first-rate, with a nice weather-beaten look, but they are ludicrously easy to work with. They do give a nice finishing touch to a figure, and I plan on using more of the transfers on my next warband.

Next up, I have to complete the 12 remaining warriors for the warband, and then figure out what to do about the warlord.

Stay tuned!

Cheers,

Ev

SAGA Scots Hearthguard - WIP

Clearly, something has stung me into action in recent days. I've ended up with 2pts of Hearthguard close to completion on the workbench. Started Friday afternoon, and it's Saturday night.

Now, before any of you ask, "Who are you and what have you done with Ev?" remember that this is only eight figures, not based or varnished, nothing too flash. So let's take a look at how it all panned out...

This is the one with the most work left to do - I call him the Plain Thane, since I haven't sorted exactly what sort of tartan he's going to end up with. Not really sure about the cloak, either; red might be a bit garish, but then again it is a good colour for a high status individual. So he's on the back burner for the moment.

Here's the hornblower - quite pleased with this one.

 

...and the rest of the thanes. I've decided to try a few brighter and more complex plaids to reflect the high status of these warriors. Once they're based up and varnished, I think they'll scrub up quite nicely.

So where did this sudden (admittedly modest) burst of activity come from? Well, I've been looking around here and at other blogs, seeing what they've got on the boil, and frankly, some of it is astounding. Monty over at Twin Cities Gamer has just finished some cracking Norse-Gael raiders for SAGA, C&G's own Millsy is recreating the Kingdom of Mercia in his games room, while the estimable Mr Awdry over at 28mm Victorian Warfare has been producing vignettes whose composition and conception are truly amazing.

The motivator here has been shame, pure and simple; while these exemplars of the hobby, and thousands of others just like them, toil selflessly to inspire sluggards like myself, I've been sitting on my worthless backside doing sod all. Until now, that is.

So here's a big thank you to all the lads and lasses across the blogosphere whose manifold efforts have served to rouse me from my torpor with the best of examples. I certainly wouldn't have done this without you!

Cheers,
Evan