My donation to the club's autumn auction

To defray the Edmonton Wargames Group's operating costs this coming year, we're hosting a club auction. In short, folks donate stuff, Dave posts it on ebay and the proceeds pay the rent (supplemented by our modest dues).

My contribution to the auction is this 16-figure, painted 28mm war band. The figures are a mix (that I think I picked up at the MayDay silent auction a few years back) but I suspect the bulk at Old Glory.

There are 13 foot. Ten guys are spearmen and could be used from later Imperial Rome through to the middle ages. There are also three command figures. I was aiming for a dark ages look, thus one of them is a shaman/druid, complete with staff and Raven.

There are are three mounted guys, including a very hairy man. These would work well in Songs of Blades and Glory or any other skirmish rules.

All on GW bases with static grass and flock. I believe the auction gets underway in September so Iw ill pack these guys up in bubble and hand the box off to Dave at the club on August 5.

28mm Inn

Last spring I picked up some GW terrain to use with Songs of Arthur and Merlin. I finally finished a second house. I did this one in muted colours and let the wash bring up the details. A 28mm figure is placed for scale.

The chimney is not crooked (as it looks in the picture)--that is a function of the angle the photo is shot at. I'm reasonably happy with this paint job. Not A-1 but close enough for gaming purposes. Too many damned skulls, though.

Up next: Some 28mm warbands are underway and I may get them finished this weekend. Then work will distract me again for most of next week. Then back to some serious painting and some more 15mm cavalry.

28mm Inn

With the weekend approaching, I wanted to finish off one last thing before taking a short break. What I settled on last night was this 28mm inn. This is a GW plastic model I picked up at a swap meet.

There was a bit more detail than I might like--typical GW with lots of skulls and stars and whatnot. Some I painted and some I painted over. All told a bit bright for my taste but good enough for what I need. The flash makes it a bit brighter in this photo than in real life.

Up next: I have some 15mm cavalry built and primed. I also have some 28mm ring wraiths about half painted--need to so some detailing and then dip them. Looking through my boxes of crap, I see I have enough odds and ends to do a nice Hallowe'en themed HoTT army so that will be my next project.

Three trees!

The bases of three more trees for my 28mm Saxons to hide in dried overnight. These are woodland scenics that I picked up at Hobby Alley in the west end.

Up next: Some buildings, some HoTT and some 28mm GW ring wraiths (no reason for them--just caught my fancy while I moved some boxes. I also picked up some glue to start assembling a bunch of 15mm cavalry.

Saxons for Songs of Arthur and Merlin

I finished off a the Saxon warband for Songs of Arthur and Merlin this week. These are a mix of 28mm figures I picked up at the MayDay auction.

There are three mounted figures on bases donated by Terry. Yes, yes, Saxons didn't ride a lot of horses, everyone says. Anyhow, they roughly match the horses I did for the Romano-Brits.

There are four character figures (musician, standard bearer, leader and druid). The druid is a GW figure and I see that I need to touch up his base.

Then there are nine dudes with spears. Can you spot the one whose spear I forgot to paint? I used brighter colours that I normally paint with in these figures to try and distinguish them from the Romano-Brits.

Up next: Some trees, some HoTT, and a building or two. THen onto some 15mm cavalry plus whatever I can find to paint in my own piles--maybe some 28mm ancient skirmishers. I never seem to have enough of those.

Terrain update

My weekend gaming and modeling plans have taken a second seat to houseguests but, while they are out for the moment, I thought an update was in order.

I finished two trees (yes, two whole trees!) which is a modest start on some 28mm terrain for Songs of Arthur and Merlin. I also finished the painting on my Saxon warband and I will base them when the dip has dried fully.

In the meantime, I've built several buildings from a GW kit I picked up a couple of weeks back. There was an option to make a fortified manor but I decided on multiple buildings instead. There are also some walls, an outbuilding and some signs and whatnot. These will be my September project, right after I finish a camp for my Star Wars HoTT army (which needs to be finished in 10 days!)

Up next: We have club night on Tuesday and I have some Saxons to finish as well as three mode trees to base. Then onto a camp and some buildings. Then I'll start to sort through my pile of bits and pieces.

28mm gatehouse

Keeping up the terrain frenzy, I painted a 28mm GW gatehouse this weekend. This was another find at the swap-meet. It is quite a nice piece and accepted the drybrushing and washing I did without really any problems.

I imagine this as more of a "fight outside the gates" or "sally forth from" piece rather than something one would have to scale or breach. That said, the top has a number of nice levels to it. Overall, a good addition to my Songs of Arthur and Merlin collection.

Up next: Some trees. I went out to Hobby Alley on 170th Street and they have added to their stock. There was a fair bit of GW stuff but I went for some more trees. I'm also working on detailing the Saxon warband. I'm using brighter colours than I usually do and that is slowing me down some.

28mm stone fences

The glue has finally dried on the stone fences I picked up at last weekend's swap meet. These are again a GW product (part of a fantasy village boxed set). There are three of each item in the set.

The small fence and tree on the left is probably my favourite. The tree was a stump that I added foliage to. Not sure why it looks so flat-topped on this picture--I will go back and add some more leaves!

I quite like the gate. I think this would do for dark ages and perhaps also more modern (a run-down cemetery or park maybe). The short section below has a tomb stone with (of course) a skull on it thrust up against the well. I decided to cover it with a large shrub.

Up next: I have a couple of trees based and I'm working on some Saxons (almost have all of the basic colours blocked in). After that perhaps I'll build and detail some larger wall pieces and couple of the houses. I was a bit reluctant to part with $100 but having all of my fence, wall and building needs taken care of at once is exciting and worth the expenditure.

Wooden 28mm fences

I've been looking for some terrain for my Songs of Arthur and Merlin games and happened upon a GW box set at a swap meet last week. There are a bunch of buildings and other bits. But there was also about 13 feet of plastic fence.

There are two main types of fence: wooden and stone. I finished the wooden last night and the stone is still drying today. There are three of each piece which allows quite a bit of flexibility in positioning and look.

The trees were sculpted as dead trunks but I decided to flock them to add some life. Sure it was the dark ages, but Britain is verdant! I quite like the wooden picket fences. There are also segments of this woven style (the name of which eludes despite one of my neighbours having one).

There are also a couple of short pieces of the woven fence. The fence with the wagon wheel had a typical GW banner on a pike that I nipped off. The stump on the right was too short to add foliage to. I ran short on static grass and ended up using some flocking. It looks okay.

Up next: Tomorrow I'll have the stone fences done. Then a couple of trees. I need to drop some coin on a few more trees. Perhaps there is a cheap local option (gentle readers?). I also have a large gatehouse that I've painted and I'm working on some Saxons. Then onto some buildings and, perhaps, even a game.

Last of the 28mm Romano-Brits

Gardening burnout drove me back to the painting table for a few hours this week and I finished off my Roman-Brit warband for Songs of Arthur and Merlin. These were part of a job to I picked up at the MayDay auction.

Merlin is a metal GW figure (Gandalf the White?). Great pose. The separate hand and staff has been a real bitch to keep attached during painting. I've super-glued it (three times!) and then triple sealed it with Future--hopefully that and a bit of care will keep the figure intact.

I did four spearmen. Shields are hand painted based on quasi-historical designs. Spears are a mix of copper and pins (so mind your fingers). I decided to go with muted, mono-colour clothes with just a bit of fringe decoration. I'll save the wild colours and patterns for the Saxons.

Here you can see them from the side. They look a bit like they are sneaking up on someone in a line, a la Scooby-Doo.

I did three bow. Not sure if bows were common weapons in the 5th century but, since my warband has Merlin in it, I suppose I ought not get too excited about historicity.

And then there are three guys with swords. The swords are plastics from various Wargames Factory sets I've built. The guy on the left looks really surprised to be in a fight.

Up next: I have painted 18 15mm cossack horses and will be starting on their riders this weekend. I expect these will go faster than the last batch. And there is a swap-meet Sunday where I hope to pick up some 28mm dark ages and modern terrain items.

Last of the 28mm Romano-Brit mounted

This fellow is the last of the mounted Romano-British I'm doing for Songs of Arthur and Merlin.

The rest of the warband will be foot troops (underway). This fellow is the musician in the group.

Not sure on the manufacturer. Old Glory maybe?

Up next: A bit of a break, then some 28mm foot and 15mm cavalry.

More 28mm Romano-Brits

A few more 28mm Romano-Brits are now dry. This fellow will be my "Arthur" for Songs of Arthur and Merlin.

I think he turned out alright. The mounted version is not quite a perfect match, but is close enough.

Must run down three more of those circular GW horse bases so the mounted portion of the Saxon warband he'll be fighting will be based similarly.

Up next: I have one more Romano-Brit finished and about 10 more underway. I also have some 15mm cavalry that is getting some paint.

28mm Romano Brits

I picked up some late Roman troops in the MayDay auction that seemed to fit the bill for Romano-British. So I'm slowly painting up two warbands for Songs of Arthur and Merlin. First up are mounted and foot versions of a standard bearer.

I'm not sure of the manufacturer. I'd guess West Wind? Much of the rest of the warband is Old Glory, but the core characters seem to be a different manufacturer.

Not sure I did the armour any justice on this foot fellow. I was going for a washed out look but the result kind of blows. I will likely touch this up with a warmer, leather colour.

Up next: There is club tonight, then some more Romano-Brits are drying and I have built a primed a second set of 17th century Polish cavalry (cossacks).