AHPC XI - Mike W, Egyptian Undead Skeletons

My final post of the day is a batch of Warhammer Tomb Kings undead skeletons, painted to contribute to my new mini project. I'll now get back to some more historical figures - or maybe some Orcs for the Orc Room!

The finished unit.

These old figures were found over the weekend, they were actually undercoated already so the painting job was already to go! On the white undercoat I applied a dark tone wash and allowed it to dry. Then I dry brushed with a a light earth colour and then applied another wash before dry brushing with a bone colour created from light sand and light earth colours.

Row of 5 figures

Weapons were painted black - taking a leaf from the recently completed Lizardmen, and shields were painted light blue.

Another Row of figures

Gold trim was then added to all the appropriate laces and then bark blue and light blue details were added to complete the look. All pieces of cloth were dry brushed a light sand colour.

Command Row of the unit

Figures were then dipped in Army Painter Strong tone and when dry they were given a matt varnish. Fine sand was added to the stands and a dry grass tuft added to each base.

Unit Standard Bearer

Unit Musician

Unit Champion

AHPC XI - Mike W, [Oubliette] Warhammer Lizardmen Regiment

Whilst skulking around my piles of figures, looking for old Warhammer Skeletons to press gang into my new Egyptian Undead mini project, I came across some sprues of Warhammer Lizardmen that had remained forlornly in a box of bits for many, many years.

Completed Unit of 14 x Lizardmen

Mixed amongst them were a also a few Beastmen, these need some more work to pull together into a presentable unit for the challenge - need to find a lot more bits in the bowels of the plastic pile - but hopefully there'll be something to see in a few weeks time...

Another view

So what we have here is 14 x Lizardmen, including a Standard Bearer and a Musician, I must assume the Leader for the unit is around somewhere but to date (well over the weekend) I could not find him.

Unit's Standard Bearer and Musician

My guess is that these figures have been languishing near the bottom of the pile for about 16 or 17 years, time enough to give them a nice lick of paint...

I opted for a Green and Ochre colour scheme for these creatures, highlighted with red accessories and a lavish amount of 'old' gold for decorations, along side various more natural spikey bits on their shields. The weapons I'd keep muted, with black spear shafts and a slate grey blade, with a shiny silver cutting edge!

Three of the Lizardmen - more close-up view...

As usual I undercoated in white before painting the creature's under bellies an ochre colour, then I used  a bright green to do their upper halves and some smaller scales that extent along their limbs into the more general ochre areas.

Three more lizardmen

Their mouths got a red wash and teeth highlighted white, spikes along their back were done in natural  pale ochre colour, some were capped with golden ornamentations. A Dark Tone wash was applied all over.

Shields were painted on the sprue

I left the shields on the sprue and painted these red with gold trim and 'natural' horn spikes where needed, these were washed with black ink. Where I have to dos a lot of similar shields I often leave them on the sprue to get a consistent feel and  then superglue them in place when ready.

This approach also means I can be painting the shields whilst the figures are drying and vice versa.

Final view of the scaly creatures

I have deliberately left the figures with a gloss finish as I wanted to convey that they are wet, I need to figure out some way of reflecting this on the bases - i.e. puddles of water etc.

AHPC XI, Mike W - 28mm Border Ruffians

A quick batch of 11 x 28mm Elizabethan Border Ruffians, I found these lurking in the 'to do' pile and after doing the Irish last week it seemed a natural progression to get these guys completed as well.

Finished group of figures

I believe that these figures are from the Reiver 'Flodden' range, so arguably a little early for the core Border Reiver period, however I'll use them as low status garrison troops or town guards etc.

Halberds at the ready

All of them are in leather jacks, with various degrees of chain mail and helmets present to give additional protection. All are in some kind of 'hose' rather than trousers - which seems to be the give away regarding exact period that they are from, however a number are also in riding boots and a couple are in bonnets that give them the Border Ruffian look and feel.

Some grim agricultural tools in use

As ever, I undercoated these in white and then allied various layers of paint to build up the base colours before using ink washes to highlight and shade as needed.

Guys with Bills

The weapons that they carry look pretty grim, a number of Halberds / Bills plus some pretty fierce looking agricultural tools converted to military use!

Two more of the little guys

All sealed with matt varnish and a fine sand and electrostatic grass finish to the bases

More agricultural weapons and a spear

AHPC XI - From Grahame H, 15mm 1866 Austrian Army

My plan for this years challenge was to paint a 15mm 1866 Austrian Army. Given the limited size of my table, 6’x4’, I decided, unlike my other armies, to be sensible and paint an army that might actually fit on the table. So I decided to painted 12 infantry battalion, 3 cavalry regiments and 2 gun batteries. 

What I didn’t think I would do was paint it within the first month. 

All the figures are 15mm Essex, so rather than show you every unit, and avoid duplication, I have just taken some pictures that show the various units.

First the infantry battalions. There are 12 of theses, each with 32 figures. Every 3 battalions makes a regiments. The only real difference is a small coloured patch on the collars so I have only shown one regiment with its 9 figure jäger attachment and its 2 commanders. 

Next are the cavalry. 3 regiments each of 18 figures. 

1st Uhlan

1st Hussars

2nd Hussars

The artillery. Two batteries each with 3 guns and a limber. I only have one limber per battery as they are so expensive for what the actually do during a game and Essex don’t make an Austrian limber so I had to do some head swaps on some Prussian one.

Finally the CinC. I have painted a brigade general for each of the regiments in case I want to use a regiment as a brigade and fight some larger battles. 

So that is it. An army in a month and it only cost me a case of tennis elbow and a sore neck. It also seems I need to clean my cutting mat. 

I don’t think I’ll add any more to it (yeah right), well not during the challenge. I am now just finishing off my Prussian FPW army, which is a lot larger than this one. I may post some photos of these later as I only have the basing to do.

When the Claymores did Weald - A '45 Rebellion Campaign

 

Current Roll Call

The Hanoverians

Ear-marked to play HRH Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland is Mark, he is currently overseas fighting the French in Flanders 

Mikey as to be Field Marshal George Wade, based in Newcastle at the outset of these troubles 

Phil will re-enact General Sir John Cope, known as 'Johnny on the Spot', he is based in Edinburgh with a small force of regulars.

It will be a team effort though, all of the Hanoverian Team should discuss and agree their plans.

The Jacobites

John is likely to be Lord George Murray and is rumoured to be bringing at least one battalion of the Appin Brigade to meet the Boy who would be king...

Paul will play Colonel John William O'Sullivan, Prince Charles personal military advisor and officer in the French Army. 

Dave will play the hairy Alexander McDonald of Keppoch chieftain of the mighty Clan McDonald who has said he'll personally lead his Clan Regiment in support of the Prince. 

Nigel is still considering his exact portfolio 

We're awaiting Steve & Rupert's decisions on participating as additional Rebellious Jacobites, maybe playing the Drummond brothers. If Steve is baulking at being a Scot he could be a rebellious English Jacobite, if they manage to get as far as Manchester and Rupert could end up commanding the French contingent, if they get onto play.

Again, this should be a team effort! Discuss, Decide & Support...

Look out for updates over the next few days and outlines for the opening scenario / situation: 

RAISING THE STANDARD

AHPC XI - Mike W, 28mm Elizabethan Irish Kerns and Gallowglas

Today's post sees me flitting back to my Wargames Club's current project - Border Ruffians & Elizabethan Wars in Ireland to paint 15 x 28mm foot figures. I'm so shallow that any reason to change my focus from one project to another will likely distract me!

The Lot as it arrived from eBay

Seven of these little guys represent Gallowglas warriors whist another four represent Kern skirmishers and a final four represent a group of musketeers.

The finished figures

The figures were sourced from an eBay lot that I acquired over the summer but did not have time to paint at the time, three of the Gallowglas figures came without heads so I sent away for some resin Elizabethan heads and added these heads to these figures.

Four of the Gallowglas, all in mail shirts and wielding large axes

Interestingly, I did not realise that at this time the Gallowglas were typically Scots mercenaries that were used to stiffen the forces of the various Irish warlords. In fact in Irish Gaelic, 'Gallowglas' means Foreign Warrior! It was only that I picked up and flicked through a book on the subject that I found out and that was enough to divert me to do these little guys...

Rear view of three of the Gallowglas that have 
additional two handed swords to play with...

The three Gallowglas figures who had head transplants!

The four kerns have a variety of weapons, typically javelins, although a couple have swords. The guy the red tunic would be of higher status.

The four Kerns armed with Javelins, Shields and Swords

Finally I have done four guys with muskets, these guys would have been better paid than regular Kerns and they would have spent their money on better clothes - as per the guy in the red cloak and breaches, or protective helmets etc.

The four musket armed figures with sexy hats, pants and cloak!

Most of these figures arrived undercoated black, I added my own white undercoat and then painted on the generic light brown / ochre coloured cloth. Oily Steel was applied for helmets and chainmail before flesh colour was added for bare skin areas.

Other detail was added as needed before applying coloured washes from Army Painted to add shading. This is a different approach to how I have painted other figures in the collection, where I used a simple Dark Tone wash or Dip to add the shading, I like the results - a brighter, seemingly cleaner resulting figure.

I have a box full of these Irish to do but they would be ineligible for the challenge as many are already pre painted - my task (one day) is to take them off their group bases, repaint to integrate with my existing collection and then put on to single bases.

One day...