Two shows in two weeks

So I haven't had a lot of time to paint or blog, but I have managed to get to two shows. First up was the excellent Hammerhead at Newark, many have waxed lyrical about the venue and why not its light, airy and with a ring of traders surrounding a wide range of participation games.

The loot pile is quite restrained for me but one good thing to note is no additions to the lead pile, just a few accessories, a rule book, some additional reading material and some steel paper and mini magnets from Coritani as I have an idea for a fold away board game table. Something like the Agincourt game that did the rounds last year in construction but plain with the steel paper in the corners and the magnets to hold down the non mounted maps a lot of my games have.

Secondly was today's trip to WMMS another good venue although we could all do without the annual fire alarm. The venue has improved its catering options this year with a coffee franchise and additional seating. Yet another figureless haul but before you congratulate me on my restraint you should know I have a Baccus order winging its way to me. Contains some more WOTR billmen and archers, some great war French and some of the newly sculpted war of Spanish succession generals.

So impulse buys included the new Peter Pig ECW rules(mainly for the scenarios), some scenic items for Muskets and Tomahawks including a great canoe, some counters, more reading material and some ACW buildings from Leven Miniatures. The items from the actual shopping list were a few Roman and Medieval tents and couple of siege towers also from Leven.

Finally it should be noted that I have achieved a milestone of sorts in that, all be it behind schedule, I have finished the first command of Yorkist troops for Tewkesbury. I give you tricky Dickie and his crew.

The next command is started indeed you can just make out some of it on painting sticks there in the background, but already done are King Edward IV and a unit of dismounted men-arms.

On the painting table for this week are two units of archers and one of billmen and a unit of great war French all in 6mm, some 28mm Indians, the long awaited 28mm Saracens spearmen, a mounted Saracen warlord and a dismounted Saracen warlord that I have lined up as a gift for a friend.

And just out of shot the Discworld librarian, oook!

Skipped a week

It was my father's birthday last weekend so we went up north to celebrate, both parents doing well though missing being able to play golf due to the wet weather. Of course this meant I missed doing a post and didn't get a lot of painting done.

I have found a standard for tricky Dickie so that stand is now complete the first stand of infantry for his command is part way through the basing process. Requires some dry brushing and static grass and a flag, but at least I know where that is this time.

Also at this stage are a battalion of French early WWI infantry, which had been loitering at the back of the painting table.

In the background you can see the feet of a unit of Mohawks for the British in the FIW, which will be this week's project along with the remaining two battalions of the French WWI regiment.

Did you miss me?

Ok so we missed a week, it was uneventful painting wise as I had a bad back, but I did manage to finish both the French and Tricky Dickie although he still needs a flag, which I have somewhere but can't find.

I have started the first base of billmen, but got sidetracked by the many feet and teeth of the luggage and the salute 2015 figure

Neither of whom are quite finished. The billmen are being painted up in the livery of Lord John Howard, they were going to be Walter Devereux's men but I ran out of white.

What other projects are lined up for this year?

Well as you asked and in no order other than this is how they came to mind we have:-

• WWI in 6mm using Great War Spearhead II;
• Romans vs Sassanians again in 6mm;
• Rebasing my 6mm Napoleonic armies for March Attack rule set and filling in any gaps, I'm hoping to be able to use the same bases for Blucher;
• Thirty Years War armies for the Warre Game rule set, these will be 6mm and on reduced base sizes to cater for my small game space;
• ACW probably using the Altar of Freedom rules.

On the plus side no tearing hurry to build the mean streets of Clampetts City, New Mexico, so I can get on with the Yorkists. The only thing to fear now are the displacement activities which this week have included :-

• Xmas jigsaw, luckily this is technically the better half's project so only an advisor on this one.
• The new Star Wars movie which is much much better than the prequels.
• Work, ok so more of an essential activity than a displacement one but I often find it comes home with me and I end up doing more research in the evenings.

Also managed to get in two games of CnC Ancients on Friday evening, as well as games of Ticket to Ride UK expansion, Wombat Rescue and Colt Express on Saturday, all of which were great fun.

All of which means that I have yet to complete the first unit of 2016, but fear not the redoubtable Duke of Gloucester and the FIW French militia are only a few strokes of dry brushing and a grass application away so should be finished tomorrow night. Which is close enough to on schedule for government work.