Skirmish Kings

   Back in January we played a game of Osprey Wargames "The Men Who Would Be Kings", Skirmish kings variant, at Wayne's place.

   The players were Me, Cecil, Glenn, Doug and Jordan with Wayne providing the place to play, the figures and terrain as well as umpiring, not that these rules need much.

   It took place in the Imagi-Nation of Cathay and pitted a mixed U.S Marine, German Seebattalion (both Regular infantry) and loyalist Cathayans (irregular Infantry) force against a Mutineer Cathay regulars (irregular infantry unenthusiastic) and risen Cathayans (Tribal Infantry) who were essentially boxers.

Loyalist face off against the boxers

Marine and Seebattalions bring up the guns and clash with mutineers near the stream

B oxers throwing themselves onto Loyalist rifles

One brave boxer unit actually made contact, that is the lone survivor just outside the woods.

Boxer commander looks on dejectedly at the remnants of his force.

Mutineers having fallen back from the stream catch the loyal Cathayians from behind.

Marines cross the stream.

   It was a nice fun game which played fast, but was a bit of a walkover as the Marine had a couple of artillery pieces and there was no place for the mutineers to get out of their fire.

Painted in March

Here is what I managed to get painted in March entirely 1/72 Scale American Civil War.

Strelets U.S. Cavalry, the mounted figures

Strelets US cavalry Dismounted

I managed to paint a total of 90 figures this month

Bringing the yearly total to:
Vehicles: 4
Total Figures: 165
     (1/72 scale) 128
     (28+mm)      37

My goal next month is almost the same as February's i.e. I hope to finish my "Test of Honor" starter set figures, more animals from Wiz kids unpainted minis line (I have 2 Wild Boars and a pair of Pack mules) Victrix Napoleonic French infantry, more Confederates cavalry, I have another box of Strelets U,S, Cavalry I will paint as Confederate cavalry.

Snake rail fence

Snake Rail Fences

    I have been playing some "Rebels and Patriots" by Osprey wargames and am doing American Civil War in 1/72. When wargaimg actions in North America you need a lot of fencing to line your fields and roads, and plastic ones can be somewhat expensive and somewhat fragile. I decided to make some for myself.

Here is my first batch, about 57 inches.

Some Union Cavalry seek cover behind a section.

You will need:
PVA glue
Toothpicks (a lot of them)
MDF bases
Flush cutters
Plastic clothespins or twist ties
A drill with a bit same size as your toothpicks

Start by cutting a bunch of MDF bases and beveling the sides.



Drill a hole near one corner and then make a spot about 40mm near the other side. I made a jig so I could mark where the next hole would go.

Then drill where your marks are then drill another hole right beside it about 3mm away.

Place blobs of glue over your holes and insert a Toothpick into each hole.

Lay toothpicks flat between each pair of upright tooth picks with a generous dollop of glue, at each end of the fence place an extra toothpick that protrudes past the  base edge, this is to keep your fence height the same as in the middle.

Pile 5 layers of toothpick, then clamp the uprights together I use both clothespin and twist ties.

 

I use these clothespins because the small hole that clamps the tooth picks very tightly.

  Let them dry for several hours and remove the clamps.

 Get your flush cutters and cut off the ends of the toothpicks that extend past the upright (cut the end toothpicks as flush as possible with body of the fence) and above the top rail, make the cuts as ragged as possible for esthetic reasons. Then cut any toothpick that extends out the bottom of your base as flush as possible.

    Get your self a can of brown spray paint (or airbrush or paint by hand) and paint the fence and the base, let dry, then dry-brush fence a light grey. Then you can texture the base how ever you wish.

   I cover the base in brown caulking then a coating of water diluted mod podge and while still wet sprinkle a mixture of sand, ballast and tile grout over the mod podge, then a another layer of diluted mod podge then drip a few drops of green and brown acrylic washes. When that is dry I dry brush the base with a bright yellow and add clumps of foliage.

February Painting

Here is what I finished painted in February.

First up some 1/72 scale Union soldiers for Rebels And Patriots.

Italeri's release of the ESCI Union Infantry

Italeri's release of the ESCI Union Infantry

Italeri's release of the ESCI Union Infantry

Italeri Artillerists

 Some Norman Infantry from Conquest Games, they will be used for Outremer: Faith and Blood.

And since I had what I believe is a Perry Miniature that would fit the era I painted this guy.

I also have these figures, which I picked up a Bring and Buy, they got painted as well. They are a Cool Mini or Not game called Massive Darkness, they are an expansion set that has these 3 figures and a Cockatrice, which is what I bought the box to get.

A male elf flanked by a Dwarven and a Human female.

I managed to get 79 figures/vehicles painted this month, which brings my total to the year to:
Vehicles: 4
Total Figures: 75
     (172 scale) 38
     (28mm)      37

Next month I hope to finish my "Test of Honor" starter set figures, more animals from Wiz kids unpainted minis line (I have 2 Wild Boars and a pair of Pack mules) Victrix Napoleonic French infantry, more Union and Confederates infantry and cavalry and the guns.