Warlord - EPIC Waterloo

 I have acquired one of Warlords sprues of Napoleonic French Heavy Cavalry. They are not due into production until next year but some will be available via the December issue of Wargames Illustrated.

I very quickly splashed some paint over a few to see how they look off the sprue. Apologies for their slapdash appearance.

Here they are based on a Warlord supplied 60 x 20 mm base. This is the same size as their infantry and also their ACW mounted and infantry.

I haven't seen any of the Warlord written material to go with this release but I expect that a unit will comprise of several such bases.

I can foresee a problem when ranking these bases together. Some horses heads project over the front of the base edge.

Likewise some tails and rumps project over the rear of the base edge.

My solution would be to adjust the base dimensions. This is a 60 x 30 mm base - problem solved.

Or is it? It could mean that you don't use the Warlord bases which you've already bought or you do use them and add a bigger base underneath.

Some collectors may well use a different basing setup and even a different set of rules.

Apart from that the figures are nicely defined and given that there will be 11 or 12 different sprues in the range there will be no shortage of variety. I expect there will be further additions to the range in the future.

I can't see me collecting these figures for the Waterloo period but I'm sure others will find them irresistible.

Prestonpans 1745

 Picture/map for a friend. You should be able to get the Google co-ordinates from this.

SLUDGE - First Encounter

 I came across this ruleset on the interweb today (actually yesterday or maybe it was the day before).

Sludge Wargame — Metal King Studio (relicblade.com)

I found it intriguing so had to read it up. It seems to be a medieval/ black powder intermix with an interesting basing scheme as well as eye-catching scenery.

It gives me something to put all those unused sprues towards, and boy do I have a few of them. I could probably put together two or three (maybe even four) themed armies together from my plastic/metal mountain which obviously helps the budget.

I grabbed a figure from the bits box to experiment with the painting style.

I found this regal looking chap and his horse.

Glued them together with contact adhesive and a spot of superglue gel.

An even coat of matt black, acrylic of course.

I used a limited palette of brown and blue and washed the whole lot in AP Soft Tone.

A brushed on coat of matt varnish didn't come out too well so I'll probably spray him in the next sunshine period. I need to find a killer decal for the shield.

Now I have to put all of this on the back burner as I have two existing projects to get on with. Watch out for SLUDGE in 2022.

Wargames Factory - Recent Units

 I painted up a couple of units using the Wargames Factory Infantry offering. I bought a few of these in days gone bye and inherited a few more when my best mate passed away so they lay gathering dust for a while.

This is the original box which contained 12 identical sprues, 6 of which will make up an 18 figure unit for rules like BLB (Beneath the Lily Banners).

Each sprue can make two rank and file figures with a variety of head gear and/or a sword. There is also a third figure which can be given a variety of torsos, heads etc and can be fitted as an officer, a standard bearer, a sergeant or a drummer. There are even arms with muskets to produce a firing figure.

This is my interpretation of the Spanish Grenadiers of the Guard from the Wars of the Spanish Succession. Colours by Flags of War.

These are Portuguese Infantry from the same period with hand painted colours (speculative).

The figures are fairly basic but take paint well and can be configured to represent many different troops from the WSS. Warlord Games still sell boxes of these sprues.

I plan to sell these figures at Carronade in September (pandemic permitting) but a good offer will snap them up. I have a few more.

Now back to the masses of EPIC ACW figures I have to base, painted by a chum.

EPIC ACW - Kallistra and Spencer Smith

 Here's an EPIC ACW Cavalry unit, mounted, using Kallistra 12mm figures, four bases of 5 figures making 20 figures for a full sized Cavalry Regiment. Each base is nominally 60mm by 20mm but mine are cut down to 55mm by 20mm which minimises gaps between bases particularly on Infantry Regiments.

This is a dismounted Cavalry unit also using Kallistra 12mm figures. Three bases of 6 dismounted figures making an 18 figures firing line with one base of a horse holder and 3 horses. This is, apparantly, how Warlord Games want your dismounted cavalry units to look. I think it is a bit 'skimpy' on the horse holder base.

Here is the same unit with three bases of horse holders and 'empty' horses. A bit more to my liking although pricy if you use Warlord Games figures but OK as you will already have spares from your unused Kallistra packs.

This is the whole lot together.

This is a mounted Cavalry unit from my 30mm Spencer Smith ACW collection. Four bases of 4 mounted figures making 16 figures for a full sized Cavalry Regiment. All the figures are on individual magnetic bases carried on magnetic sabots of my own design/manufacture.

This is the same Cavalry unit in dismounted formation. Two bases of 6 dismounted figures making a 12 strong firing line with four bases of 4 'empty' horses and 4 horse holders, 16 figures and 16 horses in total.

Here's the whole lot together.

What do you guys think about representing dismounted cavalry units? Do you bother with 'empty' horses and if so how many?

Note:

Yes, I know that current thinking suggests that horse holders remained mounted and I may well adjust my figures once I have suitable figures.

Warlord Games - EPIC ACW - Little Fix

In my last post I mentioned the left flank figure on the command strip whose rifled musket projects over the end of the stand when they have been clipped to 55mm and can interfere with the placement of a neighbouring stand.

You can see it here:

Or more clearly here:

I separated the endmost two figures, swapped them around and glued them in place. like this:

I let you know what they look like when painted.

Warlord Games - EPIC ACW - Work in Progress

It is not as if I haven't been busy but I feel as if I haven't got much done. Life has been full of home decorating issues, new gas boiler, X-Ray visits, ECGs, Vaccination visits and a Birthday to boot.

I have got somethings done and here they are.

Kallistra 12mm Confederate Cavalry, mounted.  I bought 2 packs and borrowed a few figures from a command pack giving me two cavalry units, 20 strong each and foot command figures left over for £15. Go compare that with the Warlord price. Maybe slightly heavy on the yellow facings and lace but they are what they are. I have clipped the Warlord 60mm wide bases down to 55mm.

Flags, gravel, flock, static grass and tufts will follow in due course.

Kallistra 12mm Confederate Cavalry, dismounted and with horse holders. £10 buys a pack of dismounted cavalry and a pack of 'empty' horses with lots of unused figures. I might add more horse holder bases once we start playing.

Five bases of Warlord infantry painted as Union mounted on cutdown 55mm wide Warlord bases.

Note the rightmost front rank figure pose projects into the neighbouring base. I may have to do something about that.

The mounted Warlord General, you get one with each infantry sprue.

Two Warlord resin command figures. I replaced the standard pole with a piece of wire.

Three Kallistra Mounted Generals (half a £5 pack). My mate has the other three (Confederate).

A size comparison, three Kallistra to the left, three Warlord to the right.

Kallistra (12mm) dismounted cavalry to the left, Warlord (13.5mm) infantry to the right.

Just another 30 sprues to get painted.

What do you think guys?

Warlord Games - EPIC ACW - Unit Sizes

 I have some information on suggested unit sizes for those of us who are (or will be) painting furiously.

Infantry Regular     5 stands    default setting

Infantry Large        7 stands

Infantry Small        3 stands

Infantry Tiny          1 stand

Cavalry Regular     4 stands    default setting

Cavalry Small        2 stands

Artillery 4 gun        2 stands

Artillery 6 gun        3 stands

This will reduce my perceived requirement to purchase additional command strips or construct them with alternative figures.

Long White House - Browland

 Just parking an image so I can post forward.

Ancient/Medieval Arab Army - 25mm - Rebasing

 I have in my possession a large army belonging to an old friend of mine who now lives out of town (very far). I have offered to rebase this army to a satisfactory standard as it is 40+ years old and most of the basing is sad and tired and in some cases biodegrading. A few of the figures were also succumbing to lead rot so they were whittled out, a few were repaired to keep unit numbers up.

I'll let the pictures show the scope of the collection.

This is a work-in-progress with several more boxes worth of figures to process as well as things like missing/loose spears to sort, tufts and static grass to apply and storage boxes to fit.

I hope to play a few solo games to test out bits of this collection against some of my own and also a set of rules which I largely keep in my head.

Och, it was easy. Just place a based figure in a tray of cold water for a day or two, take it out and use needle nosed pliers to rip off the old base, easy if its cardboard, harder if it is wood, file base of figure if it is not flat, scrape away any remains of old glue or scenic material/flock/static grass. Repair/reglue any loose spears/javelins/shields. Glue figure to new base and leave to dry/harden. Lightly sculp ready mixed plaster over base to level of figure base, taper slightly to base edge, score gentle depressions from front to back simulating sand ripples leaving flat area near rear of base for marker tab and leave to dry. Glue marker tab to base. Paint entire base a golden sand colour, two coats if necessary. When dry highlight raised areas with a light sand colour and then edges of base with a dark brown colour. Use a lining pen to add unit number to tab. Repeat 700 or 800 times.

MDF bases by Warbases.

https://warbases.co.uk

Snowman

Finally, some snow has landed at my doorstep.

In 28mm terms this snowman is a giant.

The real question is will he stay until tomorrow?

Pendraken Ancient Indian Elephants

 Just a quick pic for a web-friend.

Still unbased from an abandoned (temporarily) project.