Merry Xmas and happy New Year

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas, and I wish you all a very happy New Year. 

I’ll be tied up with holiday happenings for the next couple of weeks or so.  Therfore it is unlikely that’ll I’ll have the chance to do any major postings here till after that.  Summer holidays also tend to keep my away from my paintbrushes!

My Minden Miniatures finally based

Well, here they are, hot off the press … er, painting board,  my Minden Miniatures French and British regiments, and finally based on their Litko bases.  These figures are the first two regiments for my imagi-nation project, the Barryat of Lyndonia, painted up as per the movie ‘Barry Lyndon’. 

If you click on the photos, you’ll get nice big versions where you can easily see all the blemishes in my impressionistic painting style!

Oh, by the way, these photos are quite roughly set up, basically just as I finished flocking each base.  So some things may be in wrong positions – grenadiers, flags, officers etc … but the pics give the general idea.

[above] Gale’s Regiment of Foot marches into a skirmish against a rearguard of Frenchmen who occupy an orchard beside a road down which the English main force wish to pass.  

[above]  The French Régiment de Royal-Cravates counterattacks.

[above] A closer view of the Régiment de Royal-Cravates counterattacks.

[above]  This is what big wargames units look like!  Sixty-plus figures, including lots of separate officers, NCOs, drummers and so on.  The exquisite flags are by GMB Design.

[above] And here’s the same view from the French side.

Great ruined temple model

I stumbled across a great blog tonight, Golconda Rising, which is about gaming the 18th century colonial wars in India.  The blog, whilst new, already has some really mouthwatering treats on it. One picture in particular struck my eye – a ruined temple made by Herb Gundt of HG Walls:

The reason this picture appealed to me so much is that it reminds me of one of my most favourite places I’ve visited in my travels – the ruined and overgrown Ta Prohm temple in the Angkor Wat complex in Cambodia. Here’s a couple of my photos of Ta Prohm (only spoiled by the Japanese tourist in the gateway of the first pic!):

While Cambodia is a long way from India, I think you’ll agree that the model on the blog really portrays the look and atmosphere feel of a ruined temple.

I must say the Golconda Rising blog sorely tempts me to break out from my Euro-centric constraints for my current Seven Years War project!

PS: If you click on my two pictures above, the large images that result make great desktop wallpapers, if I may say so myself! 

Minden Prussians underway

I undercoated my Minden Prussians last night to commence the next regiment in my ‘Barry Lyndon’ armies (or, the armies of the imagi-nation of the Barryat of Lyndonia).   I’m starting with a grenadier company of 18 men plus supernumeries, and will then do two similar-sized companies of musketeers to fill out the regiment.

Above: A company of painted Minden French and the undercoated Prussians, along with an errant painted Foundry pirate.

 The Minden Prussians are lovely figures, as per normal.  The sculpting and casting is exquiste, and the poses really capture the look of eighteenth century soldiers.

After much musing, I’ve gone for Litko bases in the end.  I’m told they have been despatched, so they should be with me very soon.  So I’ll then backtrack to my painted French and British regiments and finally get them based.

I’ve also got a unit of Prussian dragoons waiting in the wings to be painted after the infantry are completed.  These will be done in light blue coats with pink facings.

By the way, I might get a bit more painting time next year, albeit reluctantly, as my job is being disestablished at Christmas.  So if anyone knows of a good job for an unemployed writer/project manager/educator/trainer, please let me know!