Adventures on the Wargames Table

As well as starting a new job at work (same company, but different development team) I've also started a new army! Here are the chaps of the first section for my Chain of Command British. I'm collecting the force with the Normandy campaign in mind, although I've included a mix of equipment types. The later war British figures tend to have helmets with webbing and foliage, but I've mixed in plain helmets too. Looks fine to me. Here's the Bren Gun Team. They're a mix of Artizan and Crusader figures. The Corporal with a Sten gun. The Rifle Team. My painting "recipe" is as follows. Undercoat Start with a good, even coat of Warlord British Uniform spray. I did some figures with a lighter sand colour which was 'ok' but the darker uniform base seems to work better. Base Colours Uniform - Vallejo British Uniform.This just looks more 'British Uniform' than the spray. Webbing - Either Foundry Boneyard mid or Vallejo Russia...

It's been a few years since we last went along to Salute. I've plenty of good things to say but first, let's start with the no-so-good points... Demo games where the demo-ers are too "busy" playing to interact with polite, interested show attendees. If you can't be bothered to talk to the show-going public then don't bother to put on a game at show. (We have put on a number of demo games over the years and engaging with show-goers was always a priority) Thoughtless, smelly, fat blokes who seem to think that they can use their all too considerable mass to barge people out of the way. Just stop it eh? Oh, and take a bath occasionally. Demo games that are simply club night games put on at a show. If we want to see ordinary scenery/figures then we'll just play a quick club game. It's lazy and frankly an insult to the paying public; and to those gamers making the tremendous effort to put on superb games. Rant over. Thank you. Now the good stu...

One hundred years since the Gallipoli landings began. Lest we forget.

Here's another post to showcase Colin's splendid model buildings (available directly from Charlie Foxtrot Models ) along with Jenny's scenery painting talents. This is “La Brasserie”.  What else could we call it but “Café René”? :o)   If you're confused then please have a look here . Jenny decided to decorate the interior with suitable vintage wallpaper, wood and tile flooring, plus a fireplace. Good innit?! The roads are made from printed cobblestone-effect card mounted on 3mm cork tile. Since taking these pictures I've mounted the building on an MDF base that includes a paved area to the front. Plus I'm building a walled and cobbled backyard area with a store building and a pissoir. We've also purchased some tables and chairs from 4Ground to complete the scene. If only someone made a set of German Officer figures seated at a table, leisurely enjoying a glass or two of wine!!

I have painted something! :o) Here a new support team for my beleaugered Panzergrenadiers in Chain of Command. Again, the pics aren't great as they're taken using my phone, but hopefully good enough. The figures are from Crusader Miniatures (via Northstar); the F/T is from the Engineers pack and the other two are from a regular rifles pack. In Chain of Command these weapons can be quite fearsome - if used correctly ;o). As it's only a List 3 support option I'm hoping to be able to use it in most games. If you can get a Chain of Command dice then having this team ambush the enemy can be very effective indeed. Currently on the go I have some MP44 wielding Panzergrenadiers to replace some of the extra MP40 chaps in my current squads, plus a FOO team (officer and chap with radio). Then I may add another Panzershreck team and possibly make a start on a fourth infantry squad.

Here’s some counters that I’ve made to go with Jenny’s British Celt army. The figures are from Black Tree Design – Legionary and Auxiliary casualties. The bases are from Warbases. They were undercoated white, then black and chainmail/brass for the armour. The rest was block painted in Foundry base/shade colours before applying a thin wash of GW Agrax Earthshade. Then it was simply a matter of applying the shade / mid / light of each triad. Since she’ll be playing War & Conquest they’ll be used as Push & Shove markers (basically a way of recording one side’s advantage in an ongoing mêlée). I’ve also painted up a very interesting “Boudicca” model, but that can wait for a later post. ;o)