About Me

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London, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
A mythical beast - a female wargamer! I got back into wargaming in the summer of 2011 after a very, very long break and haven't looked back since. I must admit that I seem to be more of a painter/collector than a gamer, but do hope to correct that at some point in the near future. My gaming interests span the ages, from the "Biblical" era all the way through to the far future. I enjoy games of all sizes, from a handful of figures up to major battles (see my megalomaniacally sized Choson Korean and Russian Seven Years War armies).

Sunday 23 November 2014

Rain, Rain, Go Away

...and come again - NEVER!

Well, OK, maybe a little bit of a shower at night to top up reservoirs etc, and to ensure crops and gardens are watered. Just don't come during the day at weekends when I need to hit models with spray paints and varnishes. Do we have a deal?

As you can probably guess, I'm a little frustrated by the weather today which has kicked my plans into touch. I had hoped to post some finished work this evening, but I can't do any spraying so that's out of the question. I'll now either have to put up with an open window (and associated cold in my flat) one evening this week or keep my fingers crossed for dry weather next weekend. I'll probably put up with the open window one evening, just to clear them off my paint table!

I haven't quite decided what to do instead yet, so I took some pictures of what was going to be sprayed.

Mongol Light Foot


These just need to be sprayed with matt varnish and for the bases to be flocked.

While doing the last stages on the Mongols, I decided to finish off the...



Civilian Spaceships

that I'd started painting many, many months ago.



These just need to be sprayed with matt or satin varnish and to have flight peg toppers glued underneath.

I also decided to paint up another big beast spaceship. This is the Dallas Class Refinery Ship which is just over 5 inches long.





It also needs a coat of varnish. I'll probably go matt, then use brush on satin and gloss for the spheres and pipework.

Seven Years War Russians


I thought it would be a good idea to paint a couple of test figures for the Russian infantry. These were going to be sprayed with red primer. The figures are spares.


Since my last post, I have had some goodies arrive. I'd placed an order with Adler for various strips of 6mm ACW figures to see how they would fit alongside the Baccus ones. The cavalry definitely won't work together; the infantry might just about. I could get away with Adler mounted officers on infantry bases as brigade commanders. I'll definitely raise a few regiments of Adler cavalry as they have a good variety of poses/weapons - Baccus just have sabres drawn; Adler have them with pistols, carbines and shotguns as well.

I also placed an order with Timecast for some Old Glory 15s Koreans. It's probably a bit more expensive per pack than ordering them direct, but there weren't enough packs for me to qualify for discounts and it saved me on postage and the inevitable extortionate admin fee from Royal Mail for import VAT. I'm still waiting for 2 packs as they were out of stock and I'd just missed their pre-Warfare restocking order.


These will provide the remaining figures I need to field "legal" armies for the later period (for FoGR I need Righteous Army and warrior monks), and to max out the Korean light cavalry.


Second Game of Art De La Guerre

I got in another game of ADLG last week, this time with my Alans. I decided to try something a bit risky to see if it is workable - the light horse swarm. I'd say that it doesn't work that well as light horse are very fragile and can quite easily be destroyed as they only have 2 cohesion points. It might work better on a table without a lot of terrain, where they have a chance to get around the enemy flanks. Unfortunately, for this game one flank was closed down by forests and forested steep hills.

The beige bits with trees are forest; the hills are steep and forested; the green bits are brush

My opponent had played a few more games before than me, one of them coached by the rules' author. I think that was how he had picked up a rather cheesy tactic that I'll have to try to remember. As charges occur in the movement phase and can be carried out at any time, if you can move a unit around a flank and behind (within 1 base width) of enemy units which can normally evade, it prevents them from doing so when they are charged. He used that to devastating effect against my light horse.

I also learnt another rule I'll need to remember. Allied corps have to check at the start of the game to determine if they are "hesitant". It is therefore useful to place an allied unit in ambush near to where you expect your opponent to advance. This is because if they come within 1 base width of the ambush marker, the ambush is revealed and the hesitant allied corps will stop being hesitant and come into play. Yes, you guessed it - my light horse managed to advance within 1 base width of his ambush, revealed it and activated the previously hesitant allied corps.

A third thing I found out (note to self - read the rules properly) is that disorder doesn't remove the ability of spearmen and pikemen to nullify the impact of mounted troops. In the club tournament, all three of my opponents are fielding heavy foot spear or pike armies against my mounted army. My only chance is to get onto their flanks and rear as it will be very difficult to shoot down 4 cohesion levels.


Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge V

With just under two weeks to go, I'm starting to get myself organised.

15mm Seven Years War Russians - primed and ready to go; schedule worked out
6mm ACW - primed and ready to go
ESU fleet - prepped; ca[ital ships need assembly; all need priming; need to decide on colour scheme
28mm Wars of the Roses - still on the sprues in their boxes. I have worked out what units I'll be making up from them, but haven't decided on livery schemes yet.
Anti-Hero entry fee figure - I think I know what I'll be doing for this; I just need to source the figure(s)
Other bits - I'm thinking of painting some 15mm SciFI as well. These might be a good mini-project to take down to Sussex to paint over the Christmas break.


Curt has decided to try to control the chaos this year by setting up a blog just for the Challenge. All the challengers will be able to draft their own posts (and upload photos) if they wish. He will then review, edit and post them.

We've each been assigned a day when our entries will be posted. Mine will be posted on Saturdays if you want to keep an eye out for them.


20 comments:

  1. Dear tamsin,
    It seems that you have fully gotten back into your painting and playing. Good on you and may your energy and accomplishments continue for a very long time!

    I would like to offer a suggestion.Like you I am constrained by the weather in terms of using spray primer. The temperatures outside have been below 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the past several weeks. Try using Vallejo brush on primer. It is a bit slower than a spray definitely. But if you use a wide brush you can do a lot quickly. If you prime black you can use black gesso. Both are odorless and cover well. That way you can continue your projects without freezing out your living quarters!
    Your work is prolific and excellent. Well done.
    Jerry
    "Grumpy is good."

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  2. Nice job on the Mongol infantry, they look great!

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  3. I like those spaceships, particularly that big one. I hope you're to do more of them for the Challenge.

    There is a new product available that allows you to prime indoors. It's a specially made plastic with a back and two sides. Now I'm not sure about how it would deal with the fumes issue, but it might be something you'd want to try out.

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  4. I know what you mean about priming and have resulted to painting them with primer which takes a day and a age.

    I look those Satrships

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  5. Ahhh, nice to see you're getting ready for the challenge.

    I haven't prepped anything, yet... Dang.

    Tomorrow, I'll be playing Dave trying to teach him a couple of things ;)

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  6. Love those spaceships! I wanted to paint today but it just too dark. Two months without painting now!

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  7. I know exactly what you mean, I wanted to get some undercoat on a few bits and pieces - so frustrating!

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  8. yep the rain is a pain though i tend to spray in the garage by the slightly open door. It works though i have to leave if I get too high !
    I like the mongols and look forward to seeing based up and ready to go. Not really into space craft but you've done a good job on these - good detail.

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  9. Lovely work on them all. You certainly have got back into the swing of things with gusto!

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  10. Excellent work on those spaceships and good luck for the challenge

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  11. Hi nice to see you back up and running on all cylinders its be freezing here so outside priming is out. I really like the spaceships hey look great.

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  12. Hi Tamsin:
    We've had rain here in my part of Canada today but at least it's gotten rid of a lot of irritating snow. I snow, Canucks are supposed to like the stuff, me, not so much.
    Glad to see you are getting organized for the Challenge. I'm starting to gear up as well. Looking forward to seeing your output, especially your Russians.
    Cheers,
    Michael

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  13. Nice variety in the post. Hopefully the weather comes good and lets you get a good spray session done.
    cheers

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  14. Spaceships look really cool Tamsin! Good luck for the challenge!

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  15. Good to see mother natures a bane, can you take any to work and spray?

    Good luck in the challenge, looking forward to it as well. Not that I am spending time preparing, instead I am trying to clear off the part painted stuff

    Ian

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  16. I feel your pain Tamsin, with the thermometer below freezing, snow on the ground, the days of priming & matte overspray are numbered. I am now using paint on gesso for primer & sneak into the crawl space for quick matte spraying, until my wife smells it of course. One day I will get past the procrastination & prime all the planned figures before the snow flies!

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  17. Hi Tamsin, I understand your frustration at not being able to move a project forward.

    We're having precisely the opposite problem here in Oz - too hot to use aerosols, be they varnish or undercoat - paint that dries out before it hits your figures is a bugger!

    Here's hoping you get a break in the weather to help you prep for the big push ahead!

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  18. I doubt anyone outside the wargaming community understands the grief we go through when frustrated by things outside our control and spraying indoors has always been a non-starter for me.
    Good luck with the new challenge you face to get started on the proper one !

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  19. @ Jerry - thanks. I do use brush-on primers (Vallejo surface primer or Liquitex gesso) most of the time, but for some things I still use spray primers. I'm thinking about moving to brush-on matt varnish as well to reduce even further the amount of spraying I have to do.

    @ Phil - thanks :)

    @ Clint - lots indeed :)

    @ Anne - I know you like my spaceships - there will be more in the Challenge. The ting you're talking about for indoor spraying - is that a portable spray booth? I'm already planning to buy one.

    @ PK - spray priming is quick, but messy and smelly (and involving opening windows to the cold in winter - not nice) so I do use brush-on where I can, even though it does take longer.

    @ Seb - well, get cracking on your prep then! ;)
    I'm not looking forward to the club comp - that's not a good mix of opponents for the pony club to face in my group (I might be OK with the Romans having realised they are late Empire with not so many Legionaries).

    @ Legatus - glad you like them. 2 months without painting? I think you need to get a decent daylight lamp for your paint table.

    @ Michael A - it is annoying, isn't it?

    @ Dannoc - unluckily I'm in a top floor flat, so no garage to do spraying in. The Mongols' bases are finished now :)

    @ Simon - the imminence of the Challenge has provided a much needed spur to activity. I just hope I can keep the pace up all the way to 20 March!

    @ Neil - thanks!

    @ Robert - not quite all cylinders yet as I don't want to burn the motor out before the Challenge begins! :)

    @ Michael P - snow? I have a love/hate relationship with the stuff. Living in London, I very rarely get to see it though, and when I do it is usually a pretty poor effort.

    @ Brendon - lots of variety because I hadn't posted for over 2 weeks *eek*

    @ Rodger - glad you like the space ships. You'll enjoy tomorrow's post I expect :)

    @ Ian - it would be good if I could take them to work for spraying, but at the moment my office (where the cans would be stored until they are used) hasn't got any heating. I'm mostly clearing stuff off my paint desk as well.

    @ Terry - that doesn't sound an ideal situation at all. Freezing temps, snow on ground already? *shiver*

    @ Evan - that actually sounds worse than my problem. At least I have the potential to use brush-on primer and varnish.

    @ Zabadak - to be fair, I don't think anyone outside the wargames community understands anything about our hobby :)

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