28mm hobbits for HoTT

I've come to quite enjoy lurkers in HoTT. They keep the other guy honest about using terrain, they don't cost much, and it is fun to jump out of some woods and bag an element.

The collection of Lord of the Rings figures I picked up at the MayDay auction included a lot of hobbits so I did up two bases of lurkers. These could also be warband. Please pardon the overly vibrant red--my camera seems to have trouble coping with red these days.

I also did a base of artillery crewed by hobbits. The artillery piece I got in a trade from someone and the crew are just repurposes GW figures. There is a stack of boulders obscured by the catapult.

Up next: Tonight I'll be playing some HoTT at the club and then I have a couple of more LotR units (a camp and some mounted) that I'm just finishing up. Then a break for a week and then onto some 15mm Polish cavalry.

28mm LotR HoTT shooters

A weekend of cooler weather gave me time to finish off some 28mm Lord of the Rings figures for a HoTT army I've been putting together. These are figures I picked up at the MayDay auction.

There were enough elves to do four bases of shooters. I can't say I find the plastic GW elves to be any great shakes, but with some effort, they turn out to be quite workable in big groups.

They'll nicely complement the blades that I put together a few weeks back.

I also did a hero base, with Legolas and a hobbit.

Up next: I have a couple of bases of hobbits drying as well as a camp and a dragon. Underway are a couple of mounted bases, which will round out the army. I also have some 15mm Polish cavalry built and primed.

Last of the 10mm AWI

I finished the last 136 figures in a 10mm AWI commission I took on. These are Pendraken figures and were described by the owner as farmers.

For this reason, I tried to paint the majority of these guys in plain clothes, including some home spun and maybe a bit of buckskin. The owner will supply his own flags.

Overall, nice figures but a batch of 136 was a bear! I'd do smaller groups next time.

Up next: Some 28mm LotR bowmen, hobbits and hobbit artillery are working their way to a finish. I also have started assembling some 15mm 17th century Polish horsemen for a commission. I'm hopeful to get a bit of HoTT action in at the club on Tuesday.

Finishing up the CCA scenarios

Bruce dropped by last night for a game and I pulled out CCA (too hot to be creative) and found the last two scenarios in the base game that (for some reason), I've never played before. First up was Ticinius River (218BC().

The game pits an all-cavalry (light and heavy) Carthaginian army against a mixed Roman army (medium horse and light infantry). Historically, the Romans got thrashed. Bruce managed a repeat but it was closer than I thought it was going to be.

We then played Castulo (211 BC) where again the Carthaginians thrashed the Romans historically. In game one, Bruce really put a beating on me. It was close until the end when my heavy legion marched up and got destroyed in a single turn. A very frustrating way to lose!

Game two was a (rare) Roman win (!), again with the heavy legion being the decisive factor. This time, my dice were incredibly hot, taking two units one single rolls. Tough to come back from that.

Although CCA is not the best game ever created, it is easy to set-up and play, moves quickly and can be fun. Must now look at the second expansion and see what needs to be played there. Perhaps Bruce will bring out CCN one day when I'm at his house.

Up next: I am almost done the last 10mm AWI. An army injury nixed painting this weekend but I just have the gun metal, washing and basing to do. We'll see how my arm is tonight. THen onto some 28mm LotRs.

10mm AWI foot

Along with yesterday's cannons, I completed two units of 10mm AWI American foot. These are Pendraken and the owner will be supplying his own flags.

I'm currently working on a collection of militia units to round out this force. I've got the flesh and four different fabric colours done. Now onto some brighter colours plus wood and gun metal. I hope to have these final four units done by the end of the weekend.

Up next: After the 10mm militia, I have some 28mm LotR I will finish and then a new commission (15mm 17th century Polish cavalry) has arrived. These are troops from a Polish company. Then perhaps some scenery.

200,000 views!

Just a quick note to thank all of my readers. I crossed the 200,000 page-view threshold sometime earlier this week (maybe Monday night) which is very gratifying!

 -- Bob

10mm AWI cannon

I am quickly moving forward to completing a 10mm AWI commission (yay vacation!) and today finished some American cannon.

There were three groups of cannon (at least I think these were the groups). First up were some small grasshopper style guns (maybe a bit bigger than that).

Then there were some larger guns.

And finally a mixed battery of small, medium and large. Overall, lovely figures to work with from Pendraken. I quite fancy the fellow holding the torch.

Up next: I have two units of 10mm regulars with the bases drying. And last night I primed and did the flesh on about 150 militia. That is a lot of buck-skin and linen. I hope to finish them off by this weekend. Then onto some 28mm LotR figures I have been chipping away at.