Birthday Haul

 Last week was my 55th birthday, as a treat we visited the champagne district of France, we stayed in Épernay then visited a number of champagne house (17), Reims cathedral and Museum and managed three 1814 Napoleonic battle locations. When I returned home I had a number of packages awaiting pick up.

The most exciting was the Old Guard band by Warlord Games, some books on Stalingrad, French Indian war bits, French Waterloo uniforms, American airborne medics in Normandy, six T54 for my ongoing Egyptian project for Yom Kippur war, a new gardening trowel and sone zinnias for my garden. 

Very blessed with great gifts from Vanessa, Allison, Mum, and my mates. 

Cheers

Matt

Merry Christmas 2023!

Merry  Christmas! 

A merry Christmas to all, I thought I would get in early this year as we have completed our tourist and wargames season for 2023 until we reopen in April 2024.

A big year for medieval, early renaissance, ww2 and Napoleonic being the most popular periods on the table. I have also helped my friend Philip along with with the Perry translation of Valour and Fortitude for French Napoleonic players. 

Looking forward to a Australian Christmas with our family and visiting my first granddaughter in Sydney! 

All the best 

Cheers

Matt

Analogue Painting Challenge XIIII

 

 Analogue Painting Challenge XIIII 2023-24

Result of painful overstretching of the Analogue Painting Challenge

I plan to participate in the Analogue  Painting Challenge again this year, I have reduced my points to 500 points which is predominantly because we will be in Australia for half of the challenge so smaller pieces of 20mm figures will travel with me. Last years total was 3304 points, which was around 400 28mm figures painted so I doubt I will reach those dizzy heights.

 The figure painting challenge really pushes production in the winter/summer months and will also give me a spring board again into next year.  The challenge commences on the 21st of December and finishes on March 21st 2022.

You may commence the challenge with undercoated figures, and the points are scored thus

6mm foot figure = 0.5 point
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 point
6mm vehicle = 2 points
10mm foot figure = 1 point
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points 
15mm foot figure = 2 points
15mm mounted figure, artillery piece or large crew served weapon = 4 points 15mm vehicle = 8 points

20mm foot figure = 4 points
20mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 8 points 20mm vehicle = 15 points

28mm foot figure = 5 points
28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 10 points
28mm vehicle = 20 points

40mm foot figure = 7 points
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 points
40mm vehicle = 25 points
54mm foot figure = 10 points
54mm mounted figures, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 20 points
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 points

Terrain is based on 6 inch squared areas

My Cunning Plan....

I am selecting a mix of 28mm and 20mm figures and vehicles. The main project will be Swedes and the remainder of my VDV this will be my big game in April. I intend to complete two Norman and Anjou-Maine Anarchy and Scots for the 100 years war pieces. If I get motivated more 20mm ww2. There is also the side challenge, so I may partake in that to boost points.

• AB Napoleonic French 
• 28mm Greeks 
• 20mm Soviets Cold War 
• 20mm Swedes Cold War 
• 28mm HYW Scots nobles and foot
• 28 Norman and Anjou/Maine for the anarchy 
• 20mm American 2nd Armoured
• 20mm 9th Panzer
• 20mm British armour 
• Gaslands cars and figs 

Terrain

• 28mm 11th-12th  century chateau
• 20mm Ww2 and modern buildings 
• Gallic buildings 

cheers

Matt

Photo Booth upgrade

You may of noticed over the last few weeks I finally updated my Photo Booth which I have been putting off for some time. We happened to be in IKEA recently and I spotted a ideal box size and when I returned home I decided to order some model railway backgrounds terrain, buildings and sky.  When they arrived I placed them onto cardboard backing and printed a science fiction one also while I was at it. 

I then purchased some daylight serial led light strips form our local €2 shop. I assembled the box, added the removable backgrounds, and then tried a few photos and worked out I needed to lift the models to blend in better with the shrubbery or buildings in the background. So I then decided to build a platform to lift the models to blend in better with the backgrounds, adding flock the base to match my basing. Also I built a small pin platform so my aircraft and space ship models could be lifted up too. 

Really happy with the improvements, although I could of purchased a bigger box for artillery limbers and large regiments …… next one I guess. 

Cheers

Matt

Another year older…..

 Another year older….

Well another year older and as normal my wife spoils me, first up a few presents, the biggest surprise was the new Victrix chassuers of the guard (apparently my mate Philippe suggested it!), some books which I had ordered . Then we spent the day in Normandy as tourists visiting some of the museums on the coast and out for lunch in Falaise also on the way. …

Cheers

Matt

Christmas Haul 2022

 A big seasons greetings to you on New Year’s Eve. I thought I would pop up my Christmas gifts this year and a few projects will be completed during the year with the purchases. We are having the first four months off this year to catch up on renovations and I should catch up on some painting so expect quite a few updates over the next few months.

First up with my haul is my warlord games 28mm Caesarian Roman’s so I can complete the legion,  Perry 28mm Austrian heavy cavalry for the heavy cavalry brigade, two 1/72 Fokker triplanes for my planned Jasta 11,  a GR1 harrier for my old war Brit’s and JU52 to support my fallschirmjager.

20mm US airborne  regiment for Normandy from Simon’s Soldiers, plus a few Brit Airborne bits. 

Books, a wide mix, one set of rules from my mate Carlo Pagano, looking forward to these and my French Foreign Legion desert games, a few WW2, especially looking forward to Greg’s Jungle cavalry, Australian Commando book, plus the new Harry Sidebottom, “the mad emperor” , and a bunch of medieval reading for winter!

Have a very Happy New Year! 

Cheers

Matt

13th Analogue Painting challenge - cunning plans

 

The annual Winter Analogue Painting Challenge is almost upon us again. This year I am trying to complete 800 points as my painting target.

Points are awarded painting figures, artillery, vehicles, ships and terrain. As usual I will be concentrating on historical 20mm and 28mm miniatures with a few pieces thrown in for amusement. 

Scores are awarded thus

20mm
Foot 4 points
Mounted and guns 8 points
Vehicles 15points

28mm 

Foot figure 5 points

Mounted or artillery 10 points

Vehicle 20 points

Cunning Plans

My plan is to complete a number of projects, as I tend to squirrel and swap and change a bit to prevent boredom I have gone for a broad approach across several projects.

1. My plan this year is 1000 points in total, I plan to complete a few personal projects (British Airborne & Volkssturm) plus add armies for our wargames holiday business relating to local battles and sieges. 

• 18mm AB Napoleonic French
• 28mm ancient Greeks 
• 28mm ancient Germans
• 20mm American airborne, artillery, jeeps etc plus three Waco gliders 70+odd figures + 3 fighters for air support 
• 20mm Ww2 British Para - additions to my British para brigade, a supply section and drop area, complete three specific 1/72 horsa gliders for operation Tonga, plus my Hamilcar and tank, plus some jeeps and trailers transports. 
• 20mm Volkssturm fall of Berlin 3 battalions, artillery and bits. 70 odd figs plus artillery and AA bits 
• 20mm panzer Lehr - 70 odd figures plus half tracks, panzers etc for Normandy. 
• 20mm Cold War Warpac and Nato vehicles, plus VDV infantry regiment 100 figures  + 20-30 odd vehicles and 5 aircraft. 
• Terrain :- paint my growing pile of 28mm ancient, medieval and 20mm ww2 3d printed buildings 
• A few 28mm Napoleonic odds and sods Prussians, Austrians and French infantry and cavalry  60-180 figs planned and undercoated.
• Random 20mm kit, ww2 Dutch, Belgian, Allied and German bits ( I have a lot of built aircraft that need paint….) 

I will also try to do a few pieces for the side adventures, mostly at a whim and if it involves aircraft (which I love building), naval or space ships.

Hopefully get as much as I can completed in the 90 day period permitted. 

Cheers

Matt

Polish Army 1939 Project part 1

 

Polish Army project part 1

This year I also want to revisit my 1939 Polish Army and complete all of the unpainted vehicles (30 odd), and paint two more battalions figures I already have sitting in storage, some dating back in 2012. I want to purchase some to fill out the ranks by adding another battalion with the new 20mm XAN infantry figures (match his original range sculpted by him for Fantassin Miniatures which make up my current battalions). I also want to get the resin Scibor vehicle crews and command figures as they look fabulous.

For the AA, artillery and AT guns I will add a mix of pieces. First to Fight plastic gun crews mostly to crew some plastic, resin and metal gun pieces and Early War Models metal crews for the specialists. Lots of horse drawn equipment is required so more HAT and EWM horse drawn wagons. For trucks FTF Fiat and Praga trucks and IBG kits for fiat staff and radio cars.

For the next article I will cover my organisation of my cavalry. I need to purchase FTF mounted Uhlan cavalry for command figs and horseholder. I already have the HAT plastic French for the mounted component. I would also like to add First to Fight dismounted cavalry portion and some SHQ also. I need to purchase the specific FAA miniatures for the 10th Motorised Cavalry Brigade motorcyclists. Finally scratch build and purchase some more vehicles mostly soft skins mostly motorcycles but I may print some also. I have set a target of completion for next year for the cavalry.

My fighter and fighter bomber air component is complete except for a bomber, which I will wait for one to come up on ebay or such.

Rapid Fire does not have a official list for Poles yet, but there are some unofficial lists around on which I have loosely based mine on. Rapid Fire does have the charts for guns, vehicles and aircraft though which is helpful when playing.

The first task is to build a Infantry division of a single regiment, than add the support elements for extra goodies for game play, as I like to see supply and medical especially on the tabletop. The Polish Infantry Regiments were very large and basically followed the same structure, 3 battalions plus support elements. I am not planning on painting any reserve regiments or the static units, although I am tempted in the future to build Polish field defence bunkers.

9th Polish Legion Infantry Division

9th Dywizja Piechoty Legionów

Polish Army 1939 Rapid Fire Organisation

Division HQ
CO x 5, Fiat 518 staff car, Fiat radio truck, MP motorcycle

Supply company
10 figs Praga RV supply truck, 4 supply wagons

Medical Coy
10 figs Fiat 621 Ambulance, 2 x horse drawn ambulance

Fiat 621 Ambulance

Recon battalion
BHQ Co + 2 mounted on horses
1st coy 6 figs and horses
2nd coy 12 figs cyclists
MG coy
4 figs 1 x MMG wz30 with wz 36 Tatchanka horse drawn cart

MMG wz30 with wz 36 Tatchanka cart

9th Sapper Battalion
OC + 5 car, Praga RV truck with foot bridge trailer, mine detector, 1 motorcycle
1st Coy 12 figs Horse drawn wagon
2nd Coy 12 figs Horse drawn wagon

AA Battery

Battery HQ 

OC + 5, staff car , 508 radio car, supply truck

AA light coy
4 figs 1 x 40mm bofors AA gun and motor tow
3 figs 1 x MMG truck mounted

AA heavy coy
4 figs 1 x SP wz.97/25 75mm AA gun

Artillery

9th Light artillery Regiment
RHQ
CO + 11 figs staff car, horse towed radio/telephone trailer, 508 radio truck, horse drawn supply wagon, AA platoon MG Fiat 621 truck

1st sqn
8 figs 2 x 75mm wz 1897 Schneider horse drawn

2nd sqn
8 figs 2 x 100mm wz 1914/1919 Skoda horse drawn


9th Heavy Artillery Regiment
RHQ
CO + 11 figs staff car, horse towed radio/telephone trailer, 508 radio truck, horse drawn supply wagon, AA platoon MG Fiat 621 truck

1st sqn
8 figs 2 x 105mm wz.1913 C7P

2nd sqn
8 figs 1 x 155mm wz.1917 C7P

22nd Infantry Regiment

RHQ 

Co + 7 figs staff Car, Fiat 308 radio car, cyclist, motorcycle.

Supply Coy
4 figs horse drawn cooks wagon, horse drawn supply wagon.

Medical platoon
2 figs horse drawn medical wagon

AA platoon
3 figs MMG wz30 AA with wz 36 Tatchanka horse drawn cart,

Scout Company
4 figs horses, 4 cyclists 1 AT rifle UR/WZ 35

Artillery coy

3 men 1 x 75mm wz.02 / 26 cannon horse drawn

Anti Tank platoon
3 men 1 x Wz 37mm Bofors AT gun, horse drawn

1st Battalion
OC + 12, 2 horses , 1 horse drawn supply wagon, 1 radio car, 47mm mortar coy + cart, 1 AT rifle UR/WZ 35

1st Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
2nd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
3rd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
4th Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
Heavy weapons coy
6 men 2 x MMG WZ 30 browning horse drawn cart

2nd Battalion
OC + 11, 2 horses , 1 horse drawn supply wagon, 1 radio car, 1 47mm mortar coy + cart, 1 AT rifle UR/WZ 35

1st Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
2nd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
3rd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
4th Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
Heavy weapons coy
6 men 2 x MMG WZ 30 browning, horse drawn cart

3rd Battalion
OC + 11, 2 horses , 1 horse drawn supply wagon, 1 radio car,
47mm mortar coy + cart, 1 AT rifle UR/WZ 35

1st Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
2nd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
3rd coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
4th Coy
13 men, lmg wz 1928
Heavy weapons coy
2 x MMG WZ 30 browning 6 OR horse drawn cart

Regiment Support
OC + 1, observers x 2 ORs

MMG coy
6 men 2 x MMG WZ 30 browning 6 OR horse cart

Mortar coy
12 men 3 x 81mm mortar horse cart

Next Article will cover my cavalry and armour, followed by painting guides and then aircraft.

cheers
Matt

References

Polish army structure 1939, by far the best reference I have found is here
Andrew Mollo, The Armed Forces of ww2
Steve Zaloga The Polish Army 1939-45
David Higgins German Soldier vs Polish Soldier 1939.

Happy New Year! 2022

 

A big Happy New Year to our family and friends across the world! 

Wishing all of you a happy and successful 2022. I am enjoying the sunshine and warm weather back in Australia for a number of weeks before we return to kick off the 2022 season. Over the next few days I will do a sum up of 2021 results

Cheers

Mattk

Joyeux Noel to One and all

 We wish you a Merry Christmas 

To all of our friends and followers a seasons greetings from a very fresh Mayenne winters night. 

I have a few posts to complete for the year and I plan to get them all out tomorrow and complete the photography on my last pieces for the year. 

Cheers

Matt and Nessa

Analogue Painting challenge Preparation

 Analogue Painting Challenge part one Preparation ….2021-22

I have commenced preparation for the Analogue Painting Challenge has commenced with me making a shortlist then preparing the miniatures for the 3 month long challenge. 

Number One!  French War of Breton Succession.

This army is the closest to completion for my war of Breton succession collection

Cavalry I have two units, one of 6 French and 6 Italian chevaliers to paint. Total 120 points

Infantry 24 heavy infantry (two units of 12) total 120 points

Total 240

Number Two HYW English  

Again a army that is very close, I may also do some extra foot that I will receive for Christmas

24 Welsh longbow 120

Total 120

Roman Army

This army has been on my painting list for years, 6 or 7 at least time to get a start on it!

140 legionaries 700

114 Auxiliary's foot and archers 570

8 cavalry 80

14 praetorians 70

8 command 40

2 wounded 10

2 war machines 4 crew 40 points 

Total 1510

I should top out somewhere here, however as I am afflicted by the Wargames squirrel,  I have also added some back up stuff

Ww2 British (back up plan 1) just because they are ready for paint.....

2x Cromwell regiment 14 tanks 210 points

Armoured car regiment 9 vehicles 135 points

Total 345

Austrians (back up plan 2!) Ok need to be assembled, I have good intentions.......)

Austrian Generals

200 infantry 1000

6 mounted officers 60

60 cavalry 600

2 guns and 8 crew 60

Total 1720. 

French Napoleonic

I have French Imperial Guard cavalry and two battalions of 1805 infantry 

Terrain

I really want to keep up my terrain tuesdays so I have also added in two chateaux to be built and a few other medieval pieces.

So even with some squirrel switching between periods I should keep up the interest and it not become a chore. 

Cleaning brushes nd clearing the decks for Tuesdays commencement!

cheers

Matt

Analogue Painting Challenge 12th edition

 Analogue Painting Challenge 2021-22

Result of painful overstretching of the Analogue Painting Challenge

I will be partaking in the Analogue  Painting Challenge Again this year, I have reduced my points to 1200 points which is more achievable and less painful than last years stretch of 1500 points, which incidentally I failed by 150 points.

 The figure painting challenge really pushes production in the winter months and will also give me a spring board again into next year.  The challenge commences on the 21st of December and finishes on March 21st 2022.

You may commence the challenge with undercoated figures, and the points are scored thus

6mm foot figure = 0.5 point
6mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 1 point
6mm vehicle = 2 points
10mm foot figure = 1 point
10mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 2 points
10mm vehicle = 3 points
15mm foot figure = 2 points
15mm mounted figure, artillery piece or large crew served weapon = 4 points 15mm vehicle = 8 points

20mm foot figure = 4 points
20mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 8 points 20mm vehicle = 15 points

28mm foot figure = 5 points
28mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 10 points
28mm vehicle = 20 points

40mm foot figure = 7 points
40mm mounted figure, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 15 points
40mm vehicle = 25 points
54mm foot figure = 10 points
54mm mounted figures, artillery piece or crew served weapon = 20 points
54mm vehicle, limber, etc. = 30 points

Terrain is based on 6 inch squared areas

My Cunning Plan....

I am selecting a mix of 28mm and 20mm figures and vehicles. It works out at 240 28mm figures basically. Plus I intend to complete my two Chateaux builds, Norman conquest of Maine and 100 years war pieces. There is also a side challenge with a sci-fi theme, so I may partake in that to boost points.

• Imperial Romans Foundry (in the pile of shame for 6 years)
• HYW Scots
• HYW English
• HYW French
• Breton Succession French 
• Napoleonic Austrians
• Napoleonic Russians
• Napoleonic French (maybe) 
• Republican Romans (maybe) 
• 20mm Panzer Lehr
• 20mm American 2nd Armoured
• 20mm 9th Panzer
• 20mm British armour 
• 20mm American Armour
• 20mm modern BAOR

Terrain

• 11th century chateau
• 13th-14th century chateau
• Ww2 buildings 

Any other suggestions lads?

cheers

Matt

Gladiators Dust and Shadows Part one

We are but Dust & Shadows

Terrain Tuesday Gladiator Arena thoughts

Model at the Museum of Jublains

While I was suffering painters block a few weeks back I turned to movies, books and local adventures to put me back on course. All of the options however added some more kit to my painting and construction tables, and some ideas were moved to the front rather than at the back, moj is back happy to say and going through a purple patch now!

On one of the tours we visited our local Amphitheatre at Jublains, the former Roman capital of the Diablintes tribe about 10 klms away from the Maison. This gave me inspiration for two things. One was the Gallic farm buildings (see previous post) and the other was gladiators.

I am yet to build the amphitheatre, however I want it to be around two x two foot tile, oval which will look a little different, with a removable rear wall so I can remove it then also add a straight section and second corner for chariot racing on the big table.

The arena tile will then also fit on my chess table for extra transportable use around the house.
I have six gladiators already completed for around 10 years or so, but also had a lot unpainted gladiators, animals and chariots, so this week I added another 20 odd to the table front and centre, and most will be off the table this week over the coming days while the blood is up!


I am yet to find a suitable set of rules which would be good for French Wargame Holiday evening games, looking at Steve Barbers gladiators set and possibly the old board game set, any other suggestions ?



Jublains Amphitheatre 1st Century AD

Artists Impression of Jublains Arena I will build something like this with removable wall

Cheers
Matt

A little snow in sunny Mayenne

 

 Oh the Joy!

We get excited when it snows! Vanessa and I eagerly watch snow forecasts, and 100% snow predicted this week we were sure we onto a good thing. When it started its was wafts and flutters, but as the evening fell it all turned white and we were treated to a winter wonderland! We have been in France for almost three years and this was our first proper snowfall as Ville Mayenne is in a weather Zone 8-9 and we are only 80m above sea level. So although we often see photos of snowfalls in the surrounding countryside, its more a dusting here in town. I thought I would share some photos of the exciting event as two Australians run around excited like school children! And for the first time in my life I shoveled snow off a footpath......and today I am feeling it!

Our view across the Square to the Montpinçon hotel, my favorite view!

 The Final Countdown 2020

2020 is done and dusted, and as we all know a very strange year..........we are still here, and looking forward and currently planning for a prosperous 2021. 

A big thank you to our customers that did manage to attend and play a wargame this year. A big thank you for your continued support here on my blog, on Facebook, Instagram and the various Forums I haunt.

     ______________________________________________________________________________

Totals

Summing up my Wargame painting and terrain progress this year on my goals I achieved about 75% with a few minimal diversions. I may of completed more looking back, but motivation was up and down depending upon the external stresses of this strange year. On the positive side a lot of my stash completed with very few purchases of new lead or plastic.2020 Goals Achieved

War Room redecoration

95% complete, curtains still being made....lets just say this is not me......

Construction of the wargames table

16 ft Completed

28mm miniatures painting goal 2020

Gaulish 260 figs

59 painted roman auxilia

16th Auxiliary Cavalry 

9 Sassanid cavalry

50 early medieval cavalry

168 early medieval infantry

31 Medieval cavalry completed 

528 Medieval Infantry completed

18 Napoleonic cavalry 

12 Napoleonic infantry

1 Santa!

24 ACW union 28mm infantry (commission)

8 union 28mm cavalry (commission)

24 Napoleonic 28mm artillery guns (Commission)

16 Vikings 28mm (commission)

40 WW2 british 28mm (commission)

18 Pulp figures (commission)

48 7YW infantry (commission) 

24 7YW cavalry (commission)

Completed 28mm Infantry 1174 

Completed 28mm Cavalry 186

Completed Artillery 24 

WW2 1944 20mm 

160 infantry 

32 tanks completed

6 x Armored cars built

9 trucks completed

6 AA guns and crews

4 AT guns mixed 6pdr & 17pdr completed

5 gliders built

2 built-in buses

16 trucks and jeeps built

8 x AT guns kit built 

8 x Armored cars built

Bunkers 4 completed

16 landing craft built 

8 aircraft built 

20mm Infantry 160

20mm vehicles 56

Miniatures rebased and touched up

54 ACW rebased and touched up

8 cavalry rebased and touched up

34 Gauls rebased, touched up and hand painted shields

Other Science Fiction

1 Jedi Starfighter 

Total Terrain System For Now (TTSFN) Goals achieved

Castle board (1500x1200), includes  Gaulois fort, dark ages Motte and bailey, and 100 YW castle under construction ATM 40%  complete

Standard boards x 6 

Plowed fields 

Maize/corn crop fields 

Harvested crop fields 

20mm buildings x 8 

Dark Age Buildings x 6 

Medieval buildings x 10

20mm ww2 buildings x 6

Bocage mark V 12m

Stone walls  (master completed)

22 trees

Board game played

3 games

Wargames played

Ancient games x 3

Medieval games x5

Renaissance games

French Revolution games

Napoleonic games

Ww1 games x2

WW2 games x6

Modern games x1

Naval games x1

Fantasy

Science fiction x2

So quite happy with my results, although I am way behind on posting due to running out of my basing paint color....I did complete a further 18 bases of mostly medieval Infantry in the Christmas to New year including a lot of cavalry. I will post these over the coming week or so.

I think I will do a parade of the Medievals and the Gauls as they really were a big task. I think I have around 30 Gallic warriors remaining to do to complete the 300 figure starting goal so no spares in the drawers of doom. The medievals will continue this year, but WW2 will become the main focus as it makes up 75% of our main Wargames Holiday Business.

Completing bits from my project drawers and the focus on terrain has helped me a lot this year, as now I have space to plan 2021 which is well underway. I will continue to post every week as it helps me keep track of what has been completed. 

Let us all hope this pandemic can be over so we can socialize and share all of our new painted goodies, and watch our recently painted units flee off the table once again.

cheers

Matt

Happy New Year

 

Happy New Year to all of my Friends and followers, let us hope 2021 becomes a more normal year at some stage

Cheers

Matt

11th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge

 Well this year I have decided to enter the Analogue Hobbies painting challenge for the first time, aside from painting miniatures worth various points you can also participate by painting small challenges along the way for extra points. I have decided to stay focused and complete my own painting schedule, unless I finish early or get a little ansty and bored of what I am painting.

This challenge I will be painting some 28mm Napoleonic Cavalry, Infantry, and Romans to the total of 1500 points. You also need to paint a gift for one of the other participants...not sure what to do yet....

Each 20mm foot figure 4 points, cavalry 8 points

28mm figure is worth 5 points, cavalry 10 points

Napoleonics 

• Cuirassiers 
• Gendarmes d'elite
• Dragoons
• Mamelouks

Romans 

• Imperial Legionarys
• Auxillia
• Cavalry

And if I get board Medievals

• Bretons Guerre Folle
• French HYW
• Maine Plantagenet wars

wish me luck

cheers

Matt

Salon de Guerre part IV

Today I started to add the Moloton (wall fabric underlay) and the 18th century reproduced fabric for the walls. Nessa commenced the restoration of the chandelier which was completed this afternoon.

Really happy with the 18th century reproduction fabric and how it looks with the gold and grey/white walls. Tomorrow I will erect the chandelier and complete the fabric on the 5x2 m wall.

Cheers
Matt

Salon de Guerre-Wargames room part two

Salon de Guerre

My “salon de Guerre“ Wargames room, will be the second one in France that I am aware of, the first of course is in Versailles palace, the other of course in in “l’hotel de Hercé” in sunny Mayenne!

I finally returned to work on the Wargames room restoration on the first floor this month after spending two months on the second floor renovations. We finally selected the colour combination after charging it from a darker scheme to a lighter putty colour and gold trim on the decorative wood work. The ceiling repair was a bit of work to get it 100%, I moved the communication cables and added the cat six cable in behind the skirting boards. The Exterior door repairs With some new glass and exterior waterproofing has to be done also. We opened up the fireplace again and it requires a little work before I fire can be lit in it again.

Overall very happy, still need to finish off the doors and some detail work, remove the heaters and paint behind them and put them back again (tomorrow’s job)  add the fabric to the large panel and the curtains (which Vanessa has made). The goal is to finish by next Wednesday.

A few photos of the progress

Cheers
Matt