My Day at Claymore 2016

Yes, it's that time of year again, Claymore 2016, my local club show.

At the sharp end of the show, the Bring & Buy which is, surprise, surprise not a flea market.

Busy isn't it.

The Sports Hall

The Atrium, no shortage of traders, games and people.

I missed several nooks and crannies, sorry about that.

Here's One Fat Lardie entertaining the troops.

My favourite game of the day.

These ships are so big I can't get them all in a close-up.

Poltava heading to the gunfire.

Shikishima under gunfire.

My purchases on the day were:

20 feet of fences from Northumbria Painting Services. Not bad at £35.

28mm figure for scale.

Some more fences from Andy at Last Valley, £10.

A touch up in size but fine on the tabletop.

Some Dixon lead which will make me a unit of Coureur de Bois and some others, £10 a pack.

A log cabin by 4Ground from Colonel Bills. I'll need to apply my tarting up skills as there are a few small details I don't like about some MDF kits. £16.

A 4Ground Wagon to give me a comparison against a Warbases wagon. £5.

Some resin lumps (perfectly formed) to add a load to the wagon and clutter elsewhere. £6.

A Warbases Blockhouse to which I will apply some extreme tarting up skills (well, that's the plan). £12. (Watch this space).

Some Warbases magnets. You all know what I do with magnets. (You may be in for a surprise).

And here's a sneak preview of my next 'secret' project.

A good day all round, got home with the traditional sore feet, a bag and a box full of goodies, more money in my pocket than I started out with but expecting a digital invoice at some point.

Had long and short blethers with Jim, James, Jimmy and another Jim, a couple of Johns, too many Daves to count and all the other guys from my old club. And then there was another Jim, a Charles, a Trevor, another Trevor, Big Stu, Martin, Erik, Kev and Paul, and Michelle and Rob.

Yes, I've missed a few out.

I'll have to go and lie down now.

Here's my old pal Mikes photographs.

http://s1335.photobucket.com/user/ithoriel/library/?sort=9&page=1

Advance to Base

I have been given some excellent advice for acquiring crew figures for my Gallows, Guillotine and Trebuchet.

I will probably try and get all the necessary figures from Irregular Miniatures in due course.

Having said that I would be happy to offer them as is to any prospective purchasers as they do not meet any requirements for my Orders of Battle.

I have based all three models as shown below.

I will bring them to Claymore so if you are interested then respond to this blog post with your offer bearing in mind that their RRP's are £9, £9 and £10 respectively.

The first decent offer(s) will secure their purchase(s), buyer collects.

Note the cow carcase as ammunition.

Figure not included.

Crew Call

Recently I have been previewing various items from the Warbases product line and I have become a little bit stuck so I put these aside for a while.

I am short of crew(s).

Let me explain.

This is their gallows. I added a hang mans noose made from a bit of twisted wire.

Yes, the trap door opens.

This little switch operates the trap door, assuming you don't glue it shut by accident.

Here's a 28mm figure for scale.

http://war-bases.co.uk/ACCESSORIES/WAR-MACHINES?product_id=1236

This is Madame Guillotine.

Note the lifting rope I added (from twisted wire).

And a 28mm figure for scale.

http://war-bases.co.uk/ACCESSORIES/WAR-MACHINES?product_id=1072

And a real war machine, the Trebuchet.

Ropes made from twisted copper wire and ballast in the counter-weight from gravel.

This is a big beast but then I've seen a real one and it was a big beast too!

http://war-bases.co.uk/ACCESSORIES/WAR-MACHINES?product_id=1250

You will have cottoned on by now that I do not have suitable crew figures for these great little kits.

Building them was easy but crewing them is proving a little more difficult. This is where I need your help.

For the Gallows I obviously need a hang man and a dangling corpse and maybe a priest with prayerbook.

Madame Guillotine would be enhanced with a headless French fop, his detached head, a Revolutionary executioner and maybe another fop in waiting.

The Trebuchet, perhaps, a few Medieval engineer types, nationality not critical.

I look forward to your many and varied suggestions.

How Many More?

France Weeps Again

Work In Progress - July 2016

Golly, over half a year gone already.

Here's where I am today with some of the projects.

Regiment De Berry - for my French force in the French & Indian War. Figures by Crann Tara, bases by Her Majesties Mint and sabots by Warbases.

This officer is separately based for Sharp Practice Two.

The rank and file are also based separately but form a group on a sabot.

Compagnie Franche De La Marine by Warlord Miniatures awaiting their sabots.

A mixture of white and blue uniforms, not sure why.

A Leader for my French allied Hurons.

A trio of High Elf spearmen based for Warmaster saboted for Warband.

High Elf archers providing some firepower.

A UK Penny, magnetic. They cost 1p in the UK.

Warbases MDF 1p bases, non-magnetic, £1.60 for 25.

MDF 1p base with embedded magnet adding 10p.

All three on a sabot.

Guess what will happen if I turn the sabot over?

The MDF 1p bases with magnet installed are a great solution for those of you without magnetic coinage.