Off the Workbench - Mike W, 15/06/18

What's Off the Workbench today, Friday  15/06/2018?

Well as a distinct improvement on recent posts I am pleased to report a flurry of activity on the painting and modelling front over the past two weeks! 😊

To start off this summary its best to note the completion of the US cavalry figures that were started and nearly finished in the last post

28mm 1st Corp US Cavalry

28mm 1st Corp US Cavalry

 In total 12 x 28mm 1st Corps Mexican American War cavalry men, I have painted these up to be wearing the earlier 1830s uniform variant sky blue fatigue dress shell jackets and trousers, enabling me the option to use these in my Texas Revolution games as American interventionists.

A number of these figures have dark blue coats on , so this makes the unit nicely un-uniform in my view. Not bad for a job lot off eBay - need to paint the accompanying infantry men at some point....

Next up is the completed refurbishment of a 28mm Front Rank general from the late 1680s. As previously noted I can't take credit for the bulk of the work on this figure but I have tarted it up and pressed it into service.

Refurbished General

Next off the Workbench were 24 x 25/28mm Norman Archers, another job lot form eBay bit the have painted up really well and join the growing band of Norman figures for my planned 1066 Hastings mini campaign. Actually a set of linked games taking us through the significant engagements of that year, the Normans being the only remaining force to get completed.

Unknown manufacture but nonetheless nice Norman Archers

And there's more...

A blow of trumpets, a fanfare if you will to announce my latest wacky project. Really a spin off from all the Franco-Dutch ad similar period figures fr western Europe, a foray into the campaigns around the Siege of Vienna in 1683.

My first Polish Winged Hussar

I got hold of a set of Warlord 28mm Polish winged Hussars plus a couple of sprues of Arab light & heavy horse from the Gripping Beast plastics range to try out building some Polish Cossacks to accompany the Hussars.

So only one Hussar, right, has been completed so far, to be honest I'll a little concerned about my inability to paint the leopard fur on hs cloak, hence I did not continue with other figures unit I practiced more.

Gripping Beast conversions - Polish Cossacks

Meanwhile the test figures of the Polish Cossaks in their distinctive blue coats with yellow braid came out rather well. I added 3 additional figures to the two original text figures and now only need to do an officer to complete that first unit.

Additionally I raided an old box of Gripping Beast 28mm Arab infantry to see if I could use the figures to make some stands of Azab Infantry, I think overall the results were successful.

Gripping Beast conversions - Azab musketeers

The Azab Musketeers were simple conversions from the standard Gripping beast miniatures, I'll photograph and write up the process in another post sometime, Muskets arms are taken form the Warlord plastic Marlbourian range.


What's On the Workbench today,

No photos as I don't have time for these at present. 

Basically the remaining 7 x Polish Winged Hussars form the Warlord set need to be completed in coming days. Additionally I'm doing a couple bases of bow armed Azab infantry for the Ottoman Forces at Vienna as well. 

Other items include the Polish Cossack officer to be built and painted and, oh yes,I found some unfinished 28mm generals in my collection boxes - packed away prematurely that I'll get done and two French Musketeers to complete the dismounted company that has been waiting patiently for over a year!