Marshal Marmont

 When we visited the museum at Châtillon-sur-Seine I also visited the Marchal Marmont room of the museum, and later we visited his townhouse (by then my battery was flat) but missed photos. The few I did take are here. 

Treasure of Vix

 We visited Burgundy two weeks ago and as usual we spent time visiting museums, charming villages, sampling the local food and drinking wine. One of the visits we planned was to Châtillon-sur-Seine and the treasure of Vix. Now I had seen images of the vase and burial pieces, but like Sutton Hoo I was unprepared into how fabulous it was. The vase stands at 1.64m (5.4ft) and has the most fantastic carving and motifs surrounding the handles and rim. The gold Torc is also incredible, with the finest gold working I have seen on a la Tene period piece. The burial representation also was fantastic especially the reconstruction of the chariot wheels. The museum also houses a large number of Roman period pieces and items of Marshal Marmont who was locally born and is also buried in Châtillon-sur-Seine. 

I would certainly encourage you to visit this museum, it is a real gem. 

Painting Spot

  We have been renovating for 8 years now, so finally I will get a full time painting spot by the end of August (if things go to plan). My current space will change (in a bathroom with no natural light) to a 3rd floor office space. Hopefully in before autumn begins. Still will not be as good a view as my first location view on the first floor, but very close! 

Cheers

Matt 

Plans and Goals for 2025

2025 goals and plans 

I have a few big goals and lots of plans in sand. I main focus is in two main directions this year Napoleonics and WW2. I really want to complete my French guard cavalry (all front rank), add more Prussians and then in 20mm, American Armour, infantry and Airborne units. Germans units this year will be more units for Normandy and then bits for the Berlin project. Another big goal is to complete my 28mm HYW collection, I need to concentrate on completing the Scots and a few more English foot and mounted. Then my Cold War kit additions the Russian naval infantry division is close to complete, then I would like to add a Russian motorised brigade too, then for opposition BAOR units, the six day war will also get further additions. The other stuff is all ready to be worked on as the mood grabs me. 

Purchases on the horizon French guard foot, Front Rank, 10 Mamelukes guard Gringo 40s, Prussian Landwehr cavalry, Austrian 1805 Dragoons and Cuirassiers Perry for my Napoleonic collection, then some more 20mm Waffen SS AB and PlanaMayor for a autumn camo unit. 

My plan is for the next three months concentrate on my French Guard cavalry, 20mm Americans and the British Army Waterloo project 1/72 Cuirassiers during the analogue painting challenge. 

28mm Napoleonic 

Complete my French Guard Cavalry (96 cav)(front rank)

Complete 4 battalions to French Line in greatcoat (warlord) 1812-14 (156 foot)

Complete  2 regiments of (warlord) Lancers 1812-14 (36)

Complete Baden foot infantry regiments x 6 (200 foot) (Skytrex-Warlord)

Complete two regiments of Prussian Hussars (36 figs) 

Complete two line battalions Prussian foot (72 figs)

28mm Other

Additions 13th century collection 40 cavalry, 60 foot (Mirliton, wargames Atlantic, Fireforge, Gripping beast)

Additions my French 1488 Mad War Ordonance army 60 foot, 20 horse, 2 guns. (perry)

HYW Scot’s 60 foot and 12 mounted (Perry)

HYW English 20 cavalry, 30 foot (Perry)

5th century Greek 80 foot (immortal-Warlord)

80 Thracian foot, 12 cavalry  (Foundry)

20mm Napoleonic 

120 French Cuirassiers for the British Army Waterloo Project 

20mm ww2

82nd airborne division 

210 foot, 6 artillery and 18 vehicles, 4 x 1/72 gliders (AB, Alder and Simons soldiers, heller, italeri, airfix SHQ)

US 5th Armoured 

30 tanks, 90 foot, 4 guns and 12 halftracks, 12 trucks and other vehicles (heller, italeri, AB, Simons Soldiers, Alder)

90th infantry division 

70 foot, 21 vehicles (AB, Alder and Simons Soldiers)

US landing craft x 12 various sizes marked up for Omaha. (Airfix and italeri) 

17th SS 

4 x StuGs, 4 x JGD IVL,  60 infantry, 12 vehicles (PSC, italeri, Plana mayor, Battlefeild, FAA)

101 panzer ersatz training battalion 1 pz iii, 2 x H39, 2 x R35, 10 infantry, (heller, first to fight, Battlefeild) 

Panzer Lehr 

15 tanks, 26 vehicles, 60 infantry, 4 guns, 4 x Flak guns.(elhiem, Simons soldiers, PSC, Airfix, Italeri, hasegawa) 

British airborne 

5 gliders with correct markings for operation Tonga. 1 Hamilcar glider (airfix, italeri, planet models) 

20mm Cold War 

67 War Israeli 

7 tanks, 5 half tracks, 60 infantry, 3 jets, 1 helicopter (heller, italeri, dragon, hasegawa, airfix, cpl overby)

67 war Egyptian 9 tanks, 5 APCs, 2 jets

Cold War Russian 

Naval infantry 12 APCs, 3 t55 6 other vehicles, 60 figures, landing craft x 3, 1 helicopter (Britannia, Ammo, elhiem, italeri, S&S models)

Motorised Russian infantry x 60, 12 APCs, two Sam launchers  (elhiem, sSmodels, Armo)

British Cold War 

6 tanks, 8 APCs 60 infantry, helicopter, 2 jets. (Dragon, 3d prints, elhiem, Airfix, platoon 20)

That should keep me busy

Cheers

Matt

Happy New Year

 Happy New Year 2025

Happy new year chaps, I gave quite a list this year. Planning on focusing on Napoleonic and ww2, with gusts of coldwar, medieval and ancients, an odd ww1 piece and a bit of Star Wars. 

All the best to everyone 

Cheers

Matt

Merry Christmas to all for 2024

 A big Merry Christmas to everyone, we are home in France this year for a cool winter, I do hope Santa is good to you! I will be painting g for the analogue painting challenge as usual! 

Cheers

Matt

Analogue painting challenge XV - my projects

 Analogue painting challenge XV

The commencement of the 15th Analogue painting challenge is 8 days away and I am settling on my projects. We commence on the 21st of December and finish on 20th March. My goal is 500 points this year, but I do plan on surpassing it. 

Scoring will be 

28mm foot - 5 points 

28mm mounted or crew served 10 points

20mm foot - 4 points

20mm mounted or crew served weapon - 8 points 

20mm vehicle - 15 points 

Napoleonics 

I plan to paint my French Guard cavalry, some Bavarians and some line cavalry also.  

- Mameluke Band

- Empress Dragoons de la garde

- Grenadiers a Cheval de la garde

- Artillery a Cheval de la garde

- Chassuers a Cheval de la garde

- French lancers three regiments 

- Bavarian line 

Ww2

- American Infantry

- American Armour

- American Soft skins 

- American Artillery

- Landing Craft 

- Aircraft 

That lot should keep me busy 

Cheers

Matt

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