AHPC XII: From Mike W - 28mm Scots Covenantors

 For my second post of the day I have just finished a unit of 24 x Scots Covenantors, which in use for both ECW games and as an opposition to English later 17th Century Armies in the period known as the 'Killing Times'. See a couple of my post on our club website covering Rullion Green & Bothwell Brig <here>. I also have to declare an interest here as my family were themselves covenantors - back in the day!

Completed unit, minus command element! Dour Scots Covenantors!

Before I go any further a big thank-you to Curt for sorting out my tech issues preventing me posting earlier - and thanks to Peter for dealing with two posts in a day, as I catch-up!

One of the Musketeer wings form the unit, I tend to use figures in stands of four 

but allow individual figures as well to allow for various scenarios

So these little guys are Warlord Games plastics and the more astute amongst you will have immediately noticed that there are no command figures in this group. I have a second batch of Covenantors on the workbench that do have command figures for both that unit and this one! I built these units from an old battalion box of figures I had and found that there were no command figures in the box - so I had to acquire some new ones via eBay and they arrived too late for the challenge's kick-off....

So breaking with tradition - I undercoated these guys in grey but then as soon was appropriate - I then painted hands and faces in white.

The other Musketeer Wing, my OCD will be soothed when the next unit is completed and the back ranks of both musketeer wings will have matching poses, as I will mix & match the figures accordingly

Various coloured trousers were added and then the gutsy work of painting in bandoliers, straps and pouches was undertaken, mostly in a natural leather colour but with some variation in bags etc. Socks, shoes and bonnets were then base coated and then flesh and hair was added in.

The Pike block, for post ECW conflicts the pikes would have been substituted for a variety of pole arms, from agricultural tools to Lochinvar axes etc

Details were added to give the swords, muskets and pikes plus splashes of colour on the bonnets (green sprigs), garters (red to give a sense of unit cohesion) and power apostles (sky blue, as this is a popping colour in an otherwise dour unit).

AHPC XII: From Mike W - 28mm Cheyenne Braves

Well this is my first entry for AHPC XII and its good to be off the starting blocks early for a change, in previous years I've waited until the new year and then found myself struggling to do all the points at the end of the challenge.

So these 16 x 28mm figures are from two Wargames Foundry Blister packs dating back at least some 16 or 17 years.

The first eight are the 'Plains Indian Dog Soldiers' set...

... whilst the second eight figures are from their 'Plains Indians Young Bloods' set.

The Dog Soldiers were one of several militaristic societies created by Cheyenne braves and they played a key part in the resistance to American expansion westwards. One of their traits was to literally pin themselves to the ground they were defending by tying themselves to a stake in the ground using a blanket or breachcloth!!

First Two Dog Soldiers, note the long 'scarf' on the right hand figure for staking him to the ground!

As ever  I undercoated these figures in white, then added on leather tones followed by flesh. Feathers and headdresses were repainted white and black tips to all feathers added.

Two more Dog Soldiers, note the Coup Stick held by left hand figure, to count coup a brave 
had to touch an enemy with the stick, without killing him

Wooden shafts to weapons, rifles,  bows  clubs and pistols were painted and appropriate before painting each figures hair dark grey.

Two better armed Dog Soldiers, one with a repeater the other with an ex Army Sharps Carbine

I then gave the grey hair a black wash to give it some toning and shading and then added maroon hair bindings to their braids.

Last two Dog Soldiers, one with traditional bow and arrows,
the other with a captured Colt Revolver

All flesh areas were given an undiluted  flesh tone wash   hen the leather areas were given a mid brown wash (both Army Painter) once dry weapons were given a light black wash.

Two Young Braves, one bow armed, the other with an old flintlock musket

All figures were completed with a matt varnish, painted on for a thick protective coat and then bases were finished with a fine sand and grass clumps.

Two more Young Braves, this time armed with a club and a flintlock musket

More Young Braves, this time with bow and club

Finally the last of the Young Braves, with spear and club

AHPC XII - Painting Challenge

So the annual bout of madness and mayhem that is the Analogue Hobbies Painting Competition is about to begin again (20th December and running for 3 months).

As per previous years our very own Mike W and Grahame are about to go head to head again in this prestigious event, each throwing down a points target of 3000 points!

To put that in perspective Mike will have to paint the equivalent of 600 28mm foot figures at 5 points each whilst Grahame will need to complete the equivalent of a staggering 1500 foot of his favoured 15mm figures...

Grahame pipped Mike 3,142 : 2,787 last year so if any side bets are to be run take these are starting odds!

The guys are going to be busy!

Favourite Toys - Mike W's Airfix Kits

 

So here is my list of favourite Airfix kits covering the WW2 period. I've actually opted out of the British section and included Russians as a replacement - for some reason I didn't have may British kits especially the tanks as they all had such fiddly small road wheels on the tanks. 

GERMAN

Largely in agreement with Nigel on the German kit, my Messerschmitt 109s had a yellow nose cone with a red propeller hub, note sure if it was a proper paint scheme but rather something I'd seen in eth film 'Battle of Britain'. My German interests were largely with the Afrika Korps, so naturally I also had the reconnaissance set and I've also nominated the Second edition Figure set.

Aeroplane 

Messerschmitt Bf109

Vehicle  

SdKfz 222 and a fabulous bonus Kubelwagon

AVF

Panther Tank in suitably North African Setting

AMERICAN

Aeroplane  

P-51 Mustang

Not big into aircraft but I did have the Mustang...

Vehicle 

Dodge M6 Anti-Tank Gun Carriage

A bit of a departure in scales here - 1/35, instead of 1/72. Loved this it as I used it as mobile support in games with 1/32 Airfix figures.

AVF - 

Lee / Grant Tank

I find myself in agreement with Dave here, the Lee/Grant, how could you go wrong? A big old gun in the front and one in a turret on top as well...

RUSSIAN

Aeroplane  

Pe2 - The Russian Lightning

As said not big into aircraft but I did have the Pe2

Vehicle 

Nothing nominated as I don't think Airfix did Russian vehicles!

AVF - 

T34/85 Tank

Favourite Toys - Dave's Airfix Kits

Cracking idea form Dave for everyone to list out their favourite Airfix kits from when they were growing-up. Dave set the parameters for Americans, Germans and British and Aircraft, Vehicle and AVF for each nationality.

Allowing for range of  interests within the group I'll allow for you to pick three nationalities but to expand it to include Russians, French and Japanese. I'll also allow you to pick your favourite Airfix Figure set as Dave touched on these being the American Civil War Confederates.

BRITISH

Aeroplane

De Havilland Mosquito

Vehicle

Matador Truck with 5.5" Gun

AVF

Churchill Tank

GERMAN

Aeroplane 

Focke Wolfe FW190

Vehicle  

Big Half Track (Sdkfz8?) 

AVF

Panther Tank

AMERICAN

Aeroplane - Lightning or Corsair

Lockheed P-38F Lightning

Corsair

I've allowed Dave to pick two American Aircraft as he did not pick an American Vehicle.

Vehicle - Non selected

AVF - Lee/Grant Tank

Lee / Grant Tank

15mm Wurttemberg Army

From Grahame Horwood

Finished this a while ago but only just got around to writing it up. Bellow is my 15 AB Wurttemberg Army. Like the others this started of as a small brigade of 24 figure infantry battalion, 12 figures cavalry regiments and two piece artillery batteries.

As can be seen, I slightly lost control when bring it up to the strength, so the units fitted in with the “General de Brigade” rules.

So the army now consists of 17 infantry battalions, each consisting of 32 figures. 3 cavalry regiments of 24 figures and 3 batteries of artillery each with 4 guns. 

The Army

The Army

The Wuttemberg Guard

Although the Wurttemberg Guard never saw action, I had some Old Guard figures left over so this unit was painted.

The 1st and 2nd Jäger Battalions with skirmish screen

The 1st and 2nd Light Infantry Battalions

My first attempt at modelling a firing line (inspired by a
 similar formation from the Napoleonic In Miniature website)

The infantry (in no particular order). Each regiment has two battalions.

7th Infantry Regiment



5th (Prince Friedrich) Regiment

4th Regiment

1st (Prinz Paul’s) Regiment

The Artillery (3 gun batteries, not 4)

3rd Jäger (Herzog Louis) Regiment

1st (Prince Adam) Light Cavalry Regiment

Finally the 2nd (Leib) Light Cavalry Regiment

Not sure what I am going to paint next the painting challenge that Mike W. and I participate in starts at the end of next month so it will probably be something small....

When the Claymores did Weald - Winner's Prize

Right view

With the dust settling over the recent Jacobite '45 Campaign - it is time to present the winner's prize to the victorious team.

Congratulations to the Duke of Cumberland (aka Mark), Field Marshal Wade (Mike N), General Cope (Phil) and John Cambpell, Duke of Argyll (Mat). Between them they managed to thwart an imaginative Jacobite foe who pushed their forces as far south as the gates of Westminster its-self! Albeit at the cost of leaving Scotland in the hands of the Hanoverians.

Left view

In recognition of their victory a Vignette has been created depicting the four triumphant leaders in a roadside meeting, just south of Doncaster, some weeks after the Battles of Westminster and Barnett. They are in conference about how best to chase down and neutralise the remaining Jacobite elements that are attempting to retire back to Scotland.

The figures are all 28mm Crann Tara miniatures, representing each of the key Government Commanders. Crann Tara specialise in the '45 period and their figures look pretty cool.

A rear view

The Duke of Cumberland

Seen here in his splendour, baton in hand. Some would joke that in reality his baton was usually one made of French bread with a butter and apricot conserve filling, however, here it is modelled as a baton of office.

Field Marshall Wade

Many say that Wade was the real organisational brains behind this quartet, despite not personally engaging with the enemy during the campaign, it was one of his Infantry Brigades under General Fleming that allowed the Hanoverians to claim they held the field at Barnett, when Cumberland's HQ was forced to retire. Here Wade is holding the telescope that he used so much on campaign as he was trying to get a sight of the elusive enemy on the long road south from Edinburgh.

General Cope

Initial commander in Scotland and depicted in discussion with Campbell, who is pointing the way south. Cope was in command at Glasgow Green where his forces fled the field but he then raised  a new militia force in Manchester and Carlisle which he led back into Scotland in early 1746 where he wet on to recapture Glasgow and Edinburg for the Government.

John Campbell, Duke of Argyll

The last of the quartet, hugely influential and wealthy in his own right, Campbell raised his own Independent companies and fought a campaign in northern Scotland to take control of Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth.