War of the Roses look out for the billhooks 3

 War of the Roses Mounted MAA

Completed some more mounted Perry miniatures, these are such a joy to paint! 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday Aircraft Flight Stands

 Terrain Tuesday Flight Stands

This week I decided while building the Dassault Mirage III model that I would make another two flight stands for jets, one for Arid and desert games and one more for more green looking european games.

They are mounted on some MDF octagon shaped 10mm deep pieces that I picked up once in a paint shop clearance about 8 years ago. I left with about ten pieces and then had a Hotz mat made to match them for my WW1 Canvas Eagles 1/72 scale aircraft games and I also use them for ww2 larger aircraft like bombers, and DC3-JU52 para landings. Happy with them, although I may add some more bushes to the arid one I thik.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

matt

Argentinian Dassault Mirage IIIEA 1/72 finished

  Argentinian Dassault Mirage IIIeA 

Completed, really happy with the build, went together ok, did need some putty, but sadly my squadron putty had dried out and I tried to resurrect it, sort of successfully. I added a wire through the centreline to attach to my flight stands for jet aircraft. If I was building a display piece I may of spent more time on it, but this model is a poor example of the dassault Mirage III, requiring major changes (wheel hub location, rear tail alignment, panel scribe detail and tail deflectors etc. The paint went on well and happy with my camo work, added the extra fins to the missiles to make them look more like the magic 550 missile. I did fek up with the clear varnish and forgot to mask the canopy for the matt finish.....oh well still serviceable. Decals were the biggest problem but saved by and a big thanks to my mate Robin for saving me, as Hannants are not delivering to France at the moment. 

Built as a Mirage from Grupo 8 de caza I-1003 with the yellow tail marking for the falklands war

I will get around to a Harrier soon, but onto some ww2 stuff for the next three weeks!

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Aulerci Cénomani V Gaulois tribesmen

 Aulerci Cénomani V Gaulois tribesmen

More tribesmen, again I have tried to make them look a little different from their neighbouring tribe of the Diablintes. With this unit I am just short by two miniatures of the 300 figure mark for Aulerci federation army. Still need to add the remaining 80 odd figures to finish it off. Again all Victrix figures, I also started painting up a Warlord general who will be off the desk this week also. Thinking about getting some chariots for the northern part of the Federation for the Aulerci Éburovices (modern Normandy). I think the Nobles rode chariots into battle as a taxi rather than some wild charging beast that we all think of as wargamers. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Aulerci Cénomani IIII

 Aulerci Cénomani IIII

More completed Gaulois, another Skirmisher base of four Victrix miniatures. Getting closer to the armies completion, almost clocked the three hundred mark with these figures, hoping to have the army completely painted by April. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt 

Argentine Dassault Mirage IIIe/a Build part 3

 

 Argentine Dassault Mirage IIIe/a Part three 

Out of the paint shop, I painted it with Vallejo colours using a camouflage guide from the net that a Argentine modeller had put on his 1/48th kit, plus some guess work looking as some paint guides on the net crossmatching Hakata to Vallejo, quite happy with my result.

Paints used

• Base surface primer Vallejo Israeli sand grey 70.614
• under belly Vallejo Air Pale Blue Grey 70.046
• base khaki Vallejo Air Khaki Brown 71.024
• dark green Vallejo Air Russian Green 71.017
• light green Vallejo Air Olive grey 71.015
• Black nose Vallejo Glossy Black 70.861

Gloss varnish done and black lining complete. When you paint things you do see bits you have missed and if it was going to be a display model I may of went back and fixed them particularly joints ... as the I have run out of Tamiya putty so had to resurrect some squadron putty that was not quite good enough....need a replacement putty. 

Next was my problem with Decals........Hannants are no longer shipping to Europe and with no European supplier with any decals in 1/72 I though I may of missed the build deadline for the Brexit Modellers build. My mate Robin saved me with a set of micro scale decals that he had is his stash, we swapped for a set of Mirage 2000 drop tanks.......

 I now need add the guide wire for a flying model, though the chassis, then touch up paint bits, add the squadron markings, add the pilot, missiles, drop tanks, antennas and canopy, then complete!

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt

War of the Roses.....look out for the bill hooks 2

 

 War of the Roses Men at Arms

Been a bit quite as I am slogging my way through 204 1/72 Cuirassiers for a customer order, in between I have been painting War of the Roses Men at Arms for another customer and some Gauls for myself.

 Figures are from Perry miniatures metal and plastic range, just lovely figures. Happy with the spirals on my lances, I use a hobby holder that I got on a kick starter that uses soft drink lids that screw on than can rotate on the holder, it makes life simple for these lances that is for sure. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Terrain Tuesday - more tabletop scatter

 Tabletop scatter

Some more 20mm additions completed for ww2 and modern town and ville scatter. Enjoying these pieces in between painting projects. Again mostly HO train bits, the cross is from a rosary sized set on a base and  large saint Anthony was from a brocante, he was missing his head so now has a essex late roman head. 

Argentine Dassault Mirage IIIe Part two WIP

 

Argentinian Dassault Mirage IIIe WIP 

A work in progress shot, completed the pilot and painted the air intakes and exhaust, a few sinkholes and gaps to be filled then off to the paint workshop, hope to get a coat on it by the weekend.

Argentinian Dassault Mirage IIIe Falklands war build part 1

Argentinian Dassault Mirage  IIIe

A wet day today in Sunny Mayenne so not feeling like doing more trees or painting horses (big napoleonic cuirassier commission). I have been recently watching a documentaries on the Falklands war and reading Dougies wargaming blog on his Falkland war builds. With that in mind I ventured upstairs to the stash and found a old Frog Dassault Mirage IIIe kit.  

A very simple kit, but as a wargaming model that is a good thing, I should have it built and ready for the spray painting yard by tomorrow....I will wait until it warms up later in the week before giving it a once over. I will need to source some transfers from the UK I think, so a searching I go!

Not decided on which groupo I will build as yet, more research to be done.....

Tree Renovation Part 9.....Palms

 

 Palm Trees

As they say, a change of scenery is as good as a holiday! 

I have decided to complete some palm trees from the collection, similar basing to my other trees, lots of work, undercoat base coat, ink wash, highlight, I made the root systems for these from green stuff, before I decided to make a resin mould in the two different tree trunk sizes to speed things up for the next 40 odd trees. really happy with the results.

I will use these in the middle east for my modern games and pacific island WW2 games, I am also setting some aside for my 20mm Middle eastern city fight games for gardens and such and making traffic islands with trees etc. 

I say Pierre, I think we have taken a wrong turn......

Tabletop Scatter part 1

 

 Village scatter terrain Part 1

As I move through my renovation projects I have decided to start adding and renovating my village and town accessories, a majority is HO scale model railway pieces which I find particularly good  for 20mm terrain. 

Tree Renovation part 8, ......oh the pine

 

 Ohh the Pine

more pines completed, after this lot I have about 20 to complete and the pines are done, then complete some palms,  then the huge 100 odd european tree collection. 

Tree renovation part 7 ......a sweet palm

 

Palms 

When I ventured upstairs earlier in the week I also found my Palm trees, suitable either for the desert or Pacific beach landing scenarios.  I purchased in bulk around 80 odd palm trees in three different sizes again from China. So possibly by the end of next weekend they will also be another 80 odd completed trees. Repainting the trunks and foliage, washing then highlighting, plus I will make a master and cast a root base for the three different sizes, so I do not need to green stuff each one individually. I now want some date Palms and will possibly order some in a week or two after I complete my european tree project.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Tree Renovation part 6 ....your dead!

 

Dead Trees

Another mix of part renovation and new paint jobs, the large dead trees are metal from the eighties at least and used to be on a square base for a cemetery pulp game, so I pulled them off and added them to the round large 50mm base as per the larger tree renovation. I also added additional root systems from green stuff, then a new coat of paint, inks, drybrush and rebased to match the other renovated trees. 

The smaller stumps I purchased a long time ago and while digging for spears last week in the spares box I found them and added them to the pile of to be painted terrain box of trees. Notice they have faces so I suspect they are pre 80s metal from one of the fantasy ranges, anyway they will still grace the table without much comment unless someone is looking closely!

these look dead....

Tree Renovation part Five a pine in the .....

Pines part two

I have come to the realisation I have a lot of pine trees......

More Pines.....

Completed some more Pine trees but come to the realisation after I was about half way through my pine restoration I was missing some of my larger 28mm trees, so up to the third floor storage room for a visit. Low and behold another thirty odd Pine Trees, with a number requiring a bit of a dusting of new flock. plus new bases and more stumps to be made.....so quite a lot to be done. No rest for the wicked as they say.

Tree Renovation part four shruberies

 

Shrubberies

More garden trees this time,  again purchases from China, really like the little topiary bushes, I must have thirty odd of them to either base or put in gardens, more coming as I have completed cutting another 60 odd bases and prepared them for basing today.

War of the Roses.....look out for the billhooks

War of the Roses Cavalry 

Completing a small commission for some Perry 28mm WOTR cavalry for the War of the Roses skirmish game Never Mind The Billhooks. 

First batch of four Perry Miniatures cavalry, which I think are fabulous sculpts.

cheers

Matt

Tree Renovation Part 3 ....Pines

 

 Pine trees part 1

Still working on trees, really happy with the results, the painting of the bark and stumps, adding a few stones and bits to the bases has been a little therapeutic.

 I am now pressing on through the production line of rebasing the commercial tree lots to unify everything.  Lots more Pines coming after I cut some more bases!

I say Pierre, fine pines 

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!

Swiss Pike Canton of Saint Gall

 Swiss Pikemen 

Completed a unit of Swiss Mercenary pikemen from the canton of Saint Gall for my French Army at the Battle of Saint Aubin du Cormier. Saint Galls colours were red so a majority of the unit are painted in the colour with the white cross. The miniatures are from the WOTR Perry miniatures plastics range. Based for Impetus rules, a second base of pike to follow as the depth unit.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

 

Cheers

Mart

Tree Renovation part two....shrubbery

 

 Garden shrubs

Next up are small garden shrubs I purchased from eBay China, about 3cm high they are perfect to fill back yards, town gardens and the side of a road, great for 28mm, 20mm and lower. I am so impressed with these I am going to buy two more packs at least. The bases were cut from MDF using my 2cm holesaw. I glued down the stump base then added my normal sand mix, and painted the stump a khaki brown, base earth brush, drybrushed the rocks added flock. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt

Tree Renovation part one ....a little fruity

 

Tree Renovation

 Well last week I commenced renovation of my current collection of 160 trees, plus the manufacture of 180 new trees 20mm and 28mm. Lets just say it is taking longer then expected as I cutting new bases, making forest bases and small rough ground sections, plus painting trunks on old plastics trees, reflocking some and new ground work on all of them, plus washing bark and highlighting bits, adding moss and twigs etc. 

I have decided to manufacture specific 20mm and 28mm as previously I had one size fits all method. I want larger more scale trees for 28mm naturally so they fit better with skirmish games. I also removed all of the trees I had glued on large wood type bases and then manufactured with MDF woodland bases that the trees slot into so they are removable which suits ww2 and large impetus bases better when moving through woods. Still more work to be done on these as I want to complete the trees before I go back to make the larger bases.

First trees completed and renovated were formally orange trees that I had based for arid conditions, these are commercial trees from woodland scenics range. The oranges were repainted as apple trees, new bases, painted the trunks, added rocks and then flocked with 3mm flock. Most of these will go in a walled orchard that I am making and some will be able to be dropped into backyards and gardens as required.

I am really happy with the results and plan to purchase another 20 odd as Normandy and Maine are full of apple trees....

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Swiss Mercenary Arquebusiers of Saint Gall

Swiss Mercenary Arquebusiers 

Completed a unit of Swiss Mercenary Arquebusiers from the canton of Saint Gall for my French Army at the Battle of Saint Aubin du Cormier. Saint Galls colours were red so a majority of the unit are painted in the colour with the white cross. The miniatures are from the WOTR Perry miniatures plastics range. 

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

cheers

Matt

Republican Roman Command

I like to paint commands first when I start a new army, so I have some 28mm First Corps Republican Roman command to go with the upcoming Wargames Factory Caesarian Romans. A little small to match but ok until I pick up some Foundry or Warlord figures. One consul with lictor and standard and one foot tribune with standard.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt 

Luftwaffe AA and Fallschirmjager crews

 

Luftwaffe & fallschirmjager crews

One of my project list goals for 2021 was to add crews to my flak guns, AT guns, and mortars both Luftwaffe and fallschirmjägers for my 20mm Normandy collection.

Quite happy with the results, I think the splittertarn variants may need a little work but overall happy. Good to get back painting 20mm again. a wide mix of figures SHQ, AB and Simons Soldiers. I need to pick up some more flak 88mm, I have a project in mind......

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt Williamson  

Sassanid Horse Archers

Sassanid Horse Archers

Hot off the desk this week are some A&A Sassanid light cavalry. One of the Romans most consistent enemies  of late period. Another batch from the project drawer that have been staring at me for the best part of 6 years......now done and dusted.

Based for impetus and the familiar circle I like to base my light cavalry on.

"walk the battlefield in the morning, wargame in the afternoon"™ 

From Caesar to World War Two

Cheers

Matt Williamson