AHPC Bonus Round Entry - Nasty Hobbitses!

The first Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge IX Bonus Round is up and contains some amazing stuff. My entry is the iconic Warhammer Fantasy Dogs of War unit Lumpin Croop's Halfling Cocks.

Make sure you check out all the fabulous work and vote for your favourites!

Cheers,
Millsy

Holiday Project: Dice Rolling Tray

While I was in Queensland last week I took the opportunity to spend some time in the shed with my father-in-law. To give us something to do while we yacked away we knocked up a dice rolling tray for my games table from off-cuts of timber from his past projects.

The sides are 20mm thick hardwood and the base is 5mm plywood. The internal dimensions are
10.5" x 9.5" x 2" deep - yeah I know, I love mixing decimals and imperials ;-).

I've given it a few coats of a lightly tinted semi-gloss varnish which hasn't changed the timber colour much but has brought out the lovely grain. I lined the inside with a black felt and glued a layer of some to the underside to prevent scratching.

Initial test are very positive. Nothing has escaped a decent throw and there's a very satisfying thunk as dice bounce around inside. Overall I'm really pleased with something that cost absolutely nothing but time and that very well spent in great company.

PS. Miles, happy to be critiqued :-)

Cheers,
Millsy

Goodbye 2018, Hello 2019

G'day All,

I'm a little late with my annual looking back / looking forward post this year because I've been on hols. It's something I enjoy though as I always find it motivating and it helps kick me into gear for the year ahead. Here we go...

This year has seen the Distractability Index at close to an all-time high and whilst that has got loads of stuff done, it means a LOT of it wasn't from Glorious Plan Millsy 2018 (or maybe it was?).

Focus! Focus damn you!!

The plan for 2018 consisted of three main goals...

1. Continuation of the 55 Days at Peking Project

This one stalled big time. Too much of a good thing proved to be a bit of a killer for the enthusiasm but I did still manage to knock out a unit of Japanese Infantry.

I also managed to get a couple of games in which was great fun.

On the plus side I jumped on the Warbases Boxer Rebellion Kickstarter and will be shortly receiving another 8 beautiful building kits in the post. Add those to the table plus a few unfinished items and it will really look the duck's nuts! Enthusiasm restored.

2. More Warhammer Fantasy Empire

Great progress with the Empire in 2018, largely thanks to the first Old World Army Challenge spurring me on. It's back again this year and I'll be continuing my Empire so there will be a lot more stuff completed in 2019.

3. Other Stuff Yet to be Decided

I hinted that SAGA Crusaders might make an appearance and they did. Well, the start of them anyway... The rest are prepped and will be appearing over the next few months in AHPC IX. I'm also tray basing as you can see for use in To the Strongest!

Now I mentioned earlier that the Distractability Index played a bit part in 2018 and here's proof...

Konflikt '47 United States Army

Unplanned and not even on the lead pile. One beer, a chat and suddenly I have a large (but painted!) US Army for Konflikt '47 and Bolt Action.

Kill Team

Another "where the hell did that come from" effort means I also have a Heretic Astartes Kill Team, the Half Dozen Second Cousins of Chaos...

Fantasy Skirmish Warband for Frostgrave

If Evan gets his finger out we might actually play a game one day...

And quite a few randoms as well...

For King and Parliament

Finally, Simon Miller's For King and Parliament got designed and laid out. It's proved a huge success and I'm absolutely stoked for him!

Glorious Plan Millsy 2019

Finish the SAGA Crusaders
Already started, fully prepped and I'm keen as mustard to get these done.

Konflikt '47 Germans
Yep, I bought another army. Double face palm.

To the Strongest Later Medieval
TWO armies for this, of which I already have approximately 60% of the material in the Cupboard of Shame - Burgundian Ordonnance and Italian Condottieri.

Warhammer Fantasy Empire
There's another 1000 points to be painted for OWAC II.

More Commission Design Work
I currently have another two projects on the go, both well advanced. One is for an existing client and the other a new one.

Plus goodness knows what else!

Happy New Year people. Looking forward to seeing all your stuff and welcoming you here in 2019.

Cheers,
Millsy

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas fellow blogonians!

From myself, Ev and all the other lads here at Canister & Grape we wish you lots of love, joy, safe travels and a wonderful 2019. Oh, and hopefully some shiny new toys under the tree...

Cheers,
Millsy

Hard Core Challenge Prep

Entering my 7th Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I like to think of myself as something of a hardened veteran. I've reached the point where my planning and point totals spreadsheets are a thing of statistical and mathemagical beauty. Refined to the nth degree they enable me to plan my efforts to minute, leaving nothing to chance and driving me to the finish line with the unerring accuracy of an award winning marksman's championship shot*.

* Quite possibly the biggest load of b0llocks you're likely to have read all year.

All this means I take my Challenge prep every bit as seriously as the painting itself. See for yourself the lengths I will go to in order to be properly prepared!

Complete SAGA Milites Christi and Konflikt '47 German forces ready for painting:

Another 1000 points of Warhammer Fantasy Battle Empire troops, likewise to be fully prepped prior to the 21st.

And finally, some corrective surgery to my left hand, or as I prefer to call it... Painting Claw II.
This was very carefully timed to ensure it is properly healed and can't impact on my brushwork regime. Yes, really.

5 days to go people. Are YOU properly prepped?

Cheers,
Millsy