New painting station

I have recently moved from a four bedroom home on the outskirts of Sydney into the inner west into a two bedroom flat with my lovely lady. I am closer to the new job, saving almost 2.5 hours of travel each day. The only downside is that I do not have a dedicated painting room, so I purchased a roll top desk (credenza) to be my painting station in the lounge room. So far very happy how it is working.

Knocking stuff around and fixing things!

Back in Janurary I made a list with things to do this year very happy to say two of the tasks are now complete.

Three weeks ago I finally picked up my cabinet that I built from Gregs in Canberra and put it in the shed for repair, having white ant damage to some time ago of the backing boards, it was only a small job but did take a little organising to get done. On the first,  I needed to remove the boards from the rear of the cabinet and checked the shelves for damage, it seems that the white ants  were caught early enough, so only a small amount of damage was done. I then went down to my local hardware and purchased enough boards to do the job, and had them cut to correct length along with the stain I thought match my sample. I then returned home and stained the timber with three coats ( waiting a day between coats) the assembled the cabinet. I let it dry out for a week before moving it into the house and placing figures into it, beside my other cabinet, so now all of my 28mm painted armies are on display.

 Job two was last Saturday, my sons and I cleaned the garden shed and the two car garage, moved the work benches around and set up the timber working, tool shelves and leather work table, added brackets to walls and the ceiling for the fishing rods, and finally curtains on the Windows along with security mesh. I was very happy with the end result nothing like a clean organised workshop to work in!

This weekend I have continued to compete my Pontics and Romans, lots pics to follow tomorrow.

Cheers

A day for crows, Pontics whip Romans

Tonight Damiano and myself had a 400 point impetus game, I ran out my still in progress Pontics and Damiano put out his Romans. The extra 50 points makes a big difference as it allowed me to have three extra units in my Moab list, I opted for 1 Thracian, 1 Galation and a unit of slingers. Damiano picked two FL and a unit of archers.

We diced and I won and elected to defend, I placed my largest command on my right, made up entirely of infantry, FL javelin, FL Thracians and FP imitation Legionarys, on my left I set up the second command of two CP both impetuous, 2 large units of Galatians FP, two CL javelin and 1 unit of slingers. Damiano had on his left two FP A grade Legionarys, two S archers, one unit of CM, and 1  unit of Gladiators, and two FL javelin, on his right he had two FP legionarys, two FL javelin and Three S Archers.

The game started with me winning the command roll for both of my command in turn, on my right I advanced  and on my left I moved my CL forward, the rest of the command was already on opportunity. In Damiano turn he advanced both of his commands, but failed his second moves so everything become disordered except his archers in the middle and his FL light infantry on the fight flank who charged my CL, causing a casualty on one of the units who promptly retreated

 In the second turn Damiano won the command roll on the left and advanced with his two archers who fired within 6 but failed to any casualties, the Pontic javelin returned fire and promptly destroyed both archer units, he then filled up with a combined assault of FP legionaries and FL lights, amazingly the Romans were all repulsed with casualties, by the Pontic FL. I then won the next roll on the right and released my CP heavy cavalry into his lights destroying both units, I then moved my CL to attack his archers but they failed to do any damage, I left my Galations on opportunity, and forgot all about my slingers who were in ambush in the rough ground on the far left. I then won the next roll on the right and managed to roll off all of the disorders except one FL Javelin, they then all fired again into the Romans who were still disordered and each of them received casualties, the dice gods were with me! Damiano then activated his left command advancing his FP heavy legionarys and archers the legionarys again failed there second move (incredible for A Grade) and the archers failed to hit the Galations.

In the third turn I won the command roll on my left and fired both my CL light cavalry into the archers destroying one unit, I then launched my CP heavy cavalry from the flank destroying the remaining archer units ( destroyed as they were caught in the flank) and followed up into the flank of the legionarys, who after three turns of combat finally were destroyed, the general was killed on a 6 also, this destroyed this command, so effectively the game was over. On the right I won the command roll again and my javelin fired at the FP legionarys and the FL lights and managed to destroy both legionary units and one FL, and capturing the general also on the general chart. This ended the game effectively and Damiano conceded the game.

Bertholds Jagdstaffel 18

First miniatures off the desk this year are these three completed 1/72nd aircraft, most were base coated but not completed. They consist of two Roden Pfalz DIIIa and a Revell albatross DIII all with wartime miniatures pilots. Theses aircraft represent the Jagdstaffel under the command of Rudolf Berthold who commanded from August to October 1917. There are two more aircraft to be completed before I move onto Rabens Ravens.

Cheers
Matt

Shooting for the Stars!

Well a happy New year to all of my fellow gamers and bloggers' out there, I have been thinking about what I would like to achieve this year with my gaming and modelling today, so I have decided to commit something to paper.

My primarily goal this year is that I would like to improve my airbrushing skills and use it a lot more, buy some video tutorials and even going for a lesson or two are high on my list. I currently have a Aztek 430 with a number of nozzles, I am sort of happy with it, but may fork out some more cash and move to a Iwata after using one on a friends model car, I found the control and clean up much easier.

Post more posts on my blogs, it helps with motivation I think!

I will not be competing in any major two day tournaments or competitions throughout the year and I am only committing to weekend friendly matches and club games with mates, the odd game at my place or theirs, rather than the hustle and bustle of a tournament at a convention. I do plan on travelling to the USA to visit Historicon this year for a look though.

I am planning on not buying to much of the latest ooohhh shiny offering and offloading a few armies this year, most are complete, some I am just bored with or are just part complete and I have lost interest. This will free up space and reduce my collection size plus adding some cash to the pocket. On the hit list, 28mm BC Persians, Celts, Middle republicans,  Imperial Romans, ECW and 30YW,  French WSS, ACW, Clan War and some 40k, along with some 20mm ww2 and moderns excess to my needs, 20mm Vietnam, and finally 28mm moderns.

On my list of things to do this year in some sort of order :-

1. Pick up my display cabinet from Gregs and repair it. 
2. 28mm Mediaevals finish the 60 odd cavalry and 40 odd infantry for Lewes. (plus take photos of completed units and post it!)
3. French 1809 Napoleonics adding a few more batns and sqns, high on the list this year.
4. 28mm Renaissance  Polish complete the 20 odd cav and 20 odd infantry, then possibly sell....
5. 28mm Early Republican Romans and Celts complete the re-basing.
6. 54mm to 100mm Large scale figures and busts plan to do a number, around 6 at least.
7. Napoleonic naval 1/ 1200th ships, lots to do
8. WW1 1/72nd aircraft ( some currently on the desk) finish off some Jasta's and some Brits to fight them!
9. 28mm Mithradatic Pontics/successors complete the heavy infantry and Thracian light infantry.
10. 28mm AWI finish purchasing a few bits and I really need to start this project, perhaps this could be the year!
11. 28mm 7YW intend to do more Russians, French and British.
12. 28mm Samurai complete the ashigaru and samurai cavalry. (not that high on the list)

My 20mm WW2 and modern collection resides on my other blog  but I have made a list for them too

1. 20mm Complete German battle groups for Arnhem 9th and 10th SS finish these guys will be my main focus.
2. Fallschirmjager and Luftwaffe field division next main focus.
3. 20mm British Para refit and build my gliders for Arnhem. 
4. 20mm WW2 French vehicles and infantry  some part painted already.
5. 20mm Belgian WW2 guns, trucks and an Hurricane (currently on the painting table)
6. 20mm Modern Russians vehicles, build and paint, a lot were part painted while on my holidays.
7. 20mm Modern Americans Cold war, lots of vehicles and some aircraft to do.
8. 20mm Polish WW2 infantry and vehicles, refit mostly.
9. 20mm Dutch WW2 infantry and vehicles, a new army!
10. Fix up the workshop so I can make another display cabinet and do some terrain work in the shed.
11. 20mm Buildings.....lots of buildings....did I mention lots and lots of buildings....
12. 20mm terrain revamp of hedges, roads, buildings and possibly a rebuild of a certain large table..........with sculpted terrain and teddy bear fur!

All the best with your endeavours this year

cheers

Matt

Wartime WW1 1/72nd Pilots

Wartime Miniatures have released their long awaited 1/72nd scale pilots for WW1, these will fit into most if not all model aircraft on the market. Four different pilot options with mixed clothing combinations will give enough variation for any Jasta leader out there. I have purchased 20 till fit my current needs. I also noted that two of them would also be suitable for ww2 pilot figures too.