USA WWII Minis for Scott2

Just finished some WWII US figures for a friend

 M2 Halftracks

Jeeps

M4 Shermans

More sculpts from Bad Squiddo miniatures

A knight, a duelist, an a lady with a sword.

Lady Sculpts from Bad Squiddo Miniatures

Figure on the left is a herbalist gathering her plants, center is an archer, and right is blind old crone waving an eye-ball.  28mm sculpts from Bad Squiddo Games.  Nice sculpts.

British 12th Light Dragoons

Portuguese 1st Cavalry Regiment

Ready for Albuera

I see a few places where I need some detail, but they're good to go.  Eureka just came out with Portuguese Cavalry figures last week and due to their speedy shipping I have some ready for battle.

British 13th Light Dragoons

Just in time for the Albuera battle this weekend . . .

Looks like I need to add brown wash to faces.

More Dark Ages Guys

So here are some Viking archers . . .

And here are some Saxon Thegns 

Not sure why I needed more Dark Ages figs but what the hell.  These are Foundry castings and quite enjoyable to paint. Time for some more Blood Eagle!

Here's an Exciting Read. . .

Lithuania Ascending

A Pagan Empire Within East-Central Europe, 1295-1345

by S. C. Rowell, Cambridge Studies in Medieval Life & Thought

I needed a little more background on my Teutonic and Lithuanian armies so I dove into this book.  The period focused on is the rise of the Lithuanian Duchy and its growth under the grand dukes that lay the groundwork for the combination of Lithuania and Poland in the 15th Century.  During this time, the Lithuanian Grand Dukes held their own and managed to expand against the Poles, Rus, Teutons, Swedes, Danes, Rigans, Hungarians, Bohemians, and Tatars.  The Lithuanian Grand Dukes, particularly Gediminus played off Imperial vs. Rus interests, Catholic vs. Othodoxy, and grand duke against grand duke to further his own interests and maintain their pagan center of power in Lithuania.

Well written as various topics are explored but of course the source material is limited and focusing on a 50-year period, the information gets a bit repetitive at times but the author does highlight between what is written (be it corroborated or not) and what later historians assumed or interpreted.

https://www.amazon.com/Lithuania-Ascending-East-Central-1295-1345-Cambridge-dp-1107658764/dp/1107658764/ref=mt_paperback?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=

The Candlemass Road

by George MacDonald Fraser

An interesting piece of historical fiction.  Fraser is the author of the fictional Flashman series and an

excellent memoir of his time in Burma during WWII title "Quartered Safe Out Here."  In all his books as well as The Candlemass Road, he knows his English, Cumberland and Scottish manners of speech and after a few paragraphs you "hear" the accents clearly though he does leave you thumbing to the glossary to find out what a bit of slang or some period usage of a word.  I discovered "kye" refers to a bovine in 16th century border speak and presumably this morphed into the word "cow" over time.

Anyway, The Candlemass Road shows a fictional account in the day of the life of a border reiver, or in this case, a "broken man" (someone who has forsaken any loyalty to riding surnames or noble houses).  On Candlemass day, a savior must be found to save a small dirty village from the Nixons who want blackmail from the village.  The story unfolds from there as the Lady Dacre, reivers, a heretic priest, callow-men, and varlets move the story along.

For a little "light" historical background, Fraser appends some explanation at the end of the book but if you want the real history, try Fraser's "Steel Bonnets" in all its 400+ page glory.  A "riding" tale of battle, murder, mayhem, redhands and hot trods along the border marches of England and Scotland.  Watch out for the Armstrongs, as hard-bitten as any riders out of the debatable lands.

https://www.amazon.com/Candlemass-Road-George-MacDonald-Fraser/dp/161608099X

Battle of Wilson's Creek

Bloody Hill

The Civil War Battle of Wilson's Creek

William Riley Brooksher

An excellent book that covers the 1850-1861 history of the Pro-Slavery and Abolitionist struggles in Missouri as the civil war approaches.  After the start of the civil war, Brooksher moves into a military history structure concerned with the structure and characteristics of the rival forces in Missouri as they maneuver and bring about the battle of Wilson's Creek.

https://www.amazon.com/Bloody-Hill-Civil-Battle-Wilsons/dp/1574882058

28mm American Civil War Minis

Started a new collection of 28mm ACW figures.  First purchase was Yankee and Rebel skirmishers from Sash and Saber

Figures are mounted 3 to a 40mm wide by 30mm deep base.  This basing will be suitable for Fire n Fury or any number of other rules.

I've based 28mm figs individually before but this is the first time mounting multiple figures on a base, so I decided to spend some time with the bases.  The bases are covered with "scenery mortar," a powder that is mixed with water and spread on the base and pushed up around the figure bases.  The scenery mortar seems to be a powder mix of fine sawdust and glue that binds all together with the added water.  Model railroader use this stuff a lot and for me it is easier to work with than spackle compound from the hardware store.  Added some ballast and rocks to the wet mortar.

Anyway, after the mortar dries, about 8 hours, I brushed it with Earth Undercoat (Woodland Scenics product) mixed with water and white glue to add color to the mortar and some more binding to the ballast and rocks.  When that dried I then added the tall grass and static grass followed by dry brushing of the base.  Viola.

Next I'm doing the Yankees.

Fantasy figs

Pics of figs I finished for Jim M.

Austrian Grenadiers

Halfway through painting and basing Austrian Grenadiers.  Six "companies" of four stands completed, six more to go.  Scott B. should be able to make a lot of converged grenadier battalions from this effort.  Minis are Old Glory 15's.

A Few Items Completed . . .

First up is a sample of Artizan 28's of US WWII Infantry in greatcoats.  Two squads worth of infantry plus MG and Bazooka support are ready to go.

Next are a couple of units I finished for my growing 15mm Medieval Lithuanians.  Medium cavalry and the Commander-in-Chief stand.  Minis are Essex.

Finished Kevin's Japanese Infantry Regiment

These are 15mm Battle Honors/Quality Castings figures based for Command Decision rules.  Photos are a bit dark as boards were too big to fit completely under my bright lights.

Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion

2nd and 3rd Battalions

Tank Group, Trucks, and Limbers

WWII Japanese Infantry Regiment

Still plugging away on Kevin's Japanese . . .

Several artillery limbers and pack mules

and some heavy infantry weapons, infantry and artillery crews.

Spanish Cavalry for the Talavera Battlefield

First, a leader for our Spanish Army, General Cuesta

Spanish Dragoons of the Almanza Regiment

and Spanish Royal Guard Carabineros

Talavera 28 July 1809

What to do while the snow is coming down outside?  I know, I'll set up the Battle of Talavera!  Still have a few Spanish brigades to fill and I need to add the Tagus River to the map, but here it is so far.  Troops are poised before the big French attack at 1pm.

The photo below shows the Spanish (Allied right) troops anchored on Talavera and the breastworks in front of the Portina stream.  The blue ink show where I need to add the Tagus River and the yellow line shows where I need to add two Spanish brigades.

Photo below shows the Allied center composed of British troops.

And the Allied right held by British and Spanish (yellow lines) troops.

For the French right, Ruffin's troops backed by cavalry in the hill country

And the French center where three divisions are massed.

And the French left where Dragoons and the Leval's German Division are positioned.  All the troops lined up where the Tagus river should be the French reinforcements that arrive behind the German division.

Kevin's WWII Japanese

Next project on the table are the first of what will be a reinforced Japanese WWII regimental battlegroup for Kevin L. based for Command Decision rules.  Figures are 19th Century Miniatures/Old Glory 15/Battle Honors/Quality Castings or whatever you want to call them.  In this photo, the black primed figures are getting their uniform base coat, a gold brown and plague brown to provide some variation.

Not very exciting at the moment, but with some highlights and detail they'll soon start to look 'more better.'

Now with the uniform and kit detailed, here is what we have (changed to macro lens for better close-up) . . .

Brown-wash and highlights next, followed by varnish.  Stay tuned.

And the final product. . .

Now just 200+ figures to go and a dozen or so vehicles . . .

Spanish Artillery

And some Spanish foot artillery with crew in bicorne.  Figures are Old Glory 15's from 19th Century Miniatures/Battle Honors