Hendon RAF museum

I had a long family Christmas this year and to wrap it up we went to the RAF Museum at Hendon today. One of the advantages of living in London is the wealth of good museums, sites and cultural activities on offer!
The Museum was on a large site and had an impressive collection of aircraft on view, understandably focusing on WWII. It seemed sensibly laid out and there was plenty of detail available for even the most ardent plane buff (I wouldn't claim to be one!)
Highlight was being able to walk through a Short Sunderland, which I learned was a long-range anti-submarine plane. Also, the wrecked Halifax bomber which was recovered from a Norwegian lake after it crashes on its first mission - to sink the Tirpitz. Fascinating stuff and plenty of inspiring stories for any gamer!
To round it off, entry to the museum was free.
Almost make me want to revisit WWII gaming, a project very much on hold at the moment.

Further ideas

So, still mulling over some purchases. A front runner are the below Lancers de la Mancha from Eagle Figures It's the uniforms that are carrying these, they look awesome but that might be the paintjobs. I gather these were a Junta unit fighting with the French, so could lend them to my brother, or fight alongside my Spanish if I'm happy to tweak history a little. Drawbacks - cavalry take an age and I've already more than 25 on the workbench!

An alternative is the Victrix Marine heads pack. This gives a slight variation on the redcoats, but opens up possibilities of games around the Peninsular coast. Better still, I reckon those top hat heads would be ideal for a whole raft of Spanish units, so will undoubtedly come in useful. I fel this would be a luxury purchase though, £15 for some heads and 3 command seems a lot!

I need some brushes too, I'm tempted to stick with the Army Painter ones I tried out this year, but I could be swayed by other brands. Any recommendations?

Yours,
PhilH

Post-Christmas plotting and planning...

Happily stuffed with Christmas grub, I find the mediocre TV on offer is encouraging me to ponder hobby projects. Now, a few years back I started a new tradition - after Christmas I would spend a little money on myself, guilt free. This is by no means because I don't get good Christmas gifts, I fact, my family are all very kind and choose great presents. However, they will lean towards be household items, clothing and luxury goods - rarely hobby supplies!

So, I'm in the Market for a few bits and bobs. If the Challenge goes well, I should deplete my stocks of miniatures to paint. But what to get? Possibilities include:

>random Perry bits (British RHA, Light infantry, Wellington, other bits)

>Old Glory rocket troop (because rockets are fun!)

>A second unit of Spanish line infantry (torn between new Brigade Games or Capitan miniatures - anyone recommend either?)

>Spanish cavalry, probably made out of Perry plastic French Hussars

>more Peninsular terrain (won't score me Challenge points though)

>sidestep for variety into Brunswickers or Portuguese (metal-only, so pricey)

>something for Pulp gaming (needs my brother to choose a setting/theme, he's in charge)

>A new project for 2012?!

The alternative is to think about Napoleonic French. My brother and regular gaming partner is about to have his first child, so I expect his (already limited) hobby time will be minimal for a few years. Perhaps I could help, to ensure fully painted forces for years to come. Torn between making the offer and picking up some bare plastic when I visit in February, or perhaps picking some new stuff up on his behalf, painting it in secret and giving it for his birthday in April. But what to buy? I'm pretty spoilt for choice for French!

Or perhaps I don't want anything enough? Nah, who am I kidding, we all want more lead...

PhilH

Merry Christmas to you all

Just a quick post to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas and all all the best as we approach 2012. May your stockings be filled with gaming goodies (or cash with which to buy them!) and other exciting things.

Having a bit of a mixed-up Christmas myself, already unwrapped one batch of presents this Christmas eve. This included the lovely Peninsular War Atlas by Nick Lipscombe. Cheers to my brother for that very kind gift. Itching to dive into it but sadly had to leave it at home as we headed off for Christmas number two!

On the Painting Challenge, 'nul pois' for me so far, but I've made a fair start on a batch on Spanish infantry. I'll have no hobby time at all for a few days, but after that I hope to make up some lost ground!

All the best,
PhilH

The preparations are complete (ish)

So, for the Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge I've been clipping, trimming, filing, filling, gluing, basing and finally spraying any miniature to hand. And here are the results.

From top to bottom we have:
-A flock of Napoleonic redcoats (I'm thinking 'the Buffs')
-A gaggle of Spanish Guerillas (yes, those are scratch-built mounted guerillas, honest guv'nor)
-Quick era switch to a shoal of Viking levy for Saga
-Back to Napoleonics, this time a herd of Spanish infantry
-Later, a (small) horde of Perry plastic Ansar
-And finally a pack of British Napoleonic Hussars (yes, these are just horses. Riders are tonight's job, if I get a moment).

After what seems like so much work, I don't feel the above is that impressive, actually! Still, it should score me a tidy sum of points, especially with a bunch of cavalry.

Other than the above, in various stages of preparation I've some Perry metal household cavalry, umpteen more Redcoats, more plastic Ansar, some pulp bits and bobs and that blister-pack shaped Christmas present which rattles when I shake it. And if that runs out, I've no doubt I will make a few purchases between now and March...

And with that thought, I will close by wishing all of the other entrants the best of luck!

For Curt

Curt at Analogue Hobbies admired my Napoleonic Spanish Guerillas, which I realised was a crummy phone picture. Luckily, I took an alternate and much better snap a few months ago, so here they are, escorting a wagon of supplies from the British (or did they perhaps purloin it from the French...?)

Saga in action

As I mentioned before, the other weekend I got a gaming weekend with my brother, when we busted out SAGA. We got two games in, both of which were very fun, even though we were both still learning the nuances of the ruleset. I was smug that my warband was pretty much finished, but sadly my brother (who has more hobbies than days in the week), hadn't really got around to applying paint to his Anglo-Danes. This is a new phenomenon - usually it would be the other way around!

I won't do a full battle report - pictures say a thousand words and all that


The Vikings deploy:

Battlelines are prepared:

The Aftermath:

Yes, that's one solitary Viking Hirdman, carrying three Fatigue, facing the opposing Warlord, the remnants of his bodyguard and some Levy in the distance. Not a fine day for my Vikings!

SAGA - Viking Warband in all its Glory

So, the other week I finished these bad-boys off and I thoguht I'd share. Look pretty mean, don't they? A completed four-point starter warband, including a choice of two warlords (a father-son combo, perhaps?), 8 armoured Hirdmen across the front and at the back 4 Berzerkers (left)) and 8 Bondi (right)

Presents in the post

So, in preparation for Curt at Analogue Hobbies' winter painting competition, I treated myself to something new to paint. Slightly guilty given it is just before Christmas, but I rarely get much in the way of hobby material as presents. I've also made a big dent in my lead/plastic pile this year, so I felt a need for a stock up.
The Ansar aren't for a new period - I've picked them up for generic natives for Pulp gaming. Pulp is historical, right? Anyway, the Perrys were the cheapest solution other than plastic Zulus and will be nice models to boot.
The Hussars look lovely, chuffed the Perrys have finally started on British cavalry! I'll do a full unit of 8 British Hussars, not yet decided which regiment. That will leave six spares, which I also haven't decided what to do with.
So, a shout-out, has anyone any suggestions for conversions into one of the more quirky light cavalry regiments present in the Peninsular? I've already a fledgling force of Spanish allies...

A Challenge...

All,
Curt at his excellent Analogue Hobbies Blog is running another painting challenge, in which he helpfully awards points to inspire us to work through our lead piles.
Having been inspired to paint more last year even without participating, I leapt at the chance this time and am already thinking of what minis I can prep to start on.
If a light-hearted challenge appeals, get in touch with Curt through http://analogue-hobbies.blogspot.com/
Finally, an appeal - does anyone have any spare plastic round shields suitable for Vikings? Flat ones from the Wargames Factory set would be preferred, but any will be gratefully accepted. I need just four!

A milestone of sorts

Well, not sure when this happened, but this blog has crept up to 100 pageviews. Ok, so not greatly impressive, but I never expected many people to find this corner for my ramblings.

Anyway, I'm off for a weekend with my brother so a little gaming will be on the agenda. I won't see him until Feb am he has a baby due so this may end up being our last chance to get the minis out for a while!

Saga is on the cards, I'm looking forward giving it a whirl. I've done ok my painting schedule, with 20 brave Vikings nearly finished and some Levy prepped to start next week.