AHPC X Day 80 - Twenty-First Submission - Men in Floppy Hats

I suspected they wouldn't get posted until today and I was right - my twenty-first entry got published today: [link]

Ten each of King's Musketeers and Cardinal's Guard using 15mm figures from Blue Moon. All the figures were from the "Cardinal's Guard" packs (5 from the Mounted and Dismounted; 15 from the Dismounted. They only do one pack, Mounted and Dismounted, for the Musketeers which would leave the King's men somewhat outnumbered). I do have more figures to paint at some point for this project.

I completely finished the Mutant Army Generals today, including submitting the post which I expect will appear tomorrow. This evening I began work on this set of figures from Copplestone Castings:

These will probably take me a couple of days to finish as there are lots of details to paint and highlight.

Howl's Your Day Been?

Sorry - I couldn't resist the pun :)

I had thought that I would have finished the basing and flocking on Tuesday, but various things got in the way. However, over the past three days I've been doing a little bit here, a little bit there and they are finally finished.

I hadn't noticed while I was prepping them, but there were only three poses (four of each), so I had to do a bit more work in the painting and washes to introduce some variety. They've come out quite nicely.

Some close-ups of a single base:

These figures are 28mm from Blue Moon. They will be joining the Dragon Rampant wolf pack I painted up during this year's Challenge.

Sickness Benefits

I've been struck down by a virus. Yesterday was hellish - all over aches, weakness and extreme tiredness during the day and general grottiness, but I did pick up a bit in the evening and managed to do a bit of prep work. This morning I was feeling a bit better, but still too weak, achey and drained for work so a second day at home. With nothing else to do, I got a few bits done - the benefits of being sick!

For a start, I managed to prime all of this lot with the airbrush:

These may or may not get painted up for two of the Bonus Theme rounds in this year's Challenge. I expect that the grave tanks and APCs will get done; I'm less certain of the Three Musketeers mob being fitted in. Well, maybe some of that lot might get done...

And then I finished off the scatter terrain pieces:

Gunmental dry-brush, sponging with hull red and light rust then dabbing with natural steel. Topped off with a patchy application of static grass. I think they've come out quite well.

Army Review: 28mm Mob Wars - Salutesville's Citizens

Sorry for the brief break in posting. The last few evenings I was a bit cream-crackered for some reason. I'm still a bit fatigued, but I've got the next week off work, so hopefully that will give me time to recover.

Anyhoos, time for the meat of the post.


This will be the last army review for a while - I've still got a few armies to take pics of, then it's onto fleet reviews...

So, you've seen the mobs and the forces of Laura Norda for my mob wars project. Of course, all good gangster games need civilians either for set dressing or to provide human shields, objectives and - because these things inevitably happen - collateral damage. That's right - the good citizens of Salutesville.

All the figures not in the jazz band are from Blue Moon; the jazz band are from Eureka. Looking at the pics, I've realised that one figure is missing - the reporter. I guess he must have received a tip off about the latest atrocity committed by Il Postino Diablo's hoods and has rushed off to get the scoop.

I do have some more civvies to paint up at some point.

Army Review: 28mm Mob Wars - Salutesville's Worst

Switching back to the 1920s again, this time we have the reason for Salutesville Police Department being so well equipped - the lowlife criminals they have to contend with. Led by the shady "il Postino Diablo" and his crew, Postie's Rejects, the various gangs control all of the city's vice business.

Ray "The Badger" Rousell and his budgie smugglers

"Rich" Lee Hadley and his crew

Francis "Feck" Lee's crew

But where is "Il Postino Diablo" himself? I could say that this mysterious kingpin of crime hides in the shadows and pulls the strings from behind the scenes, but the simple truth is that I painted up a figure and gave it to him ("dues for the Don" I think he said...).

All the mobsters so far are Blue Moon. I do have some more hoodlums to paint up at some time - a mix of Dixon and Pulp Figures, plus a few street toughs from Eureka.

I really enjoyed painting these chaps (and chapesses) up - it was good to let loose with some bright colours, even on those figures wearing more muted or sober suits.

Army Review : 28mm Mob Wars - Salutesville's Finest

I've decided to jump around a bit between periods to break things up a little, so today is the first of my Salutesville posts. Simply because I took pics of them first, I'll kick off with Salutesville's "Finest", the Police. It's also a good opportunity to show off some of the buildings and diecast vehicles in my Mob Wars collection.

"No, honestly - it's just molasses these days..."

Captain Campbell and his favourite toy (the gun, not the gunner!)

Murch Park Precinct

Dixon Dock Station

Blue Moon Street Station

Not diecasts - these are resin & metal from Blue Moon

As they fit in best with the cops, I've chosen to include the other representatives of the forces of Lora Norder in this post:

The G-Men

the Bulls - Salutesville City Penitentiary's correction officers

The figures are a mix of Pulp Figures (cops), Dixon (cops), Blue Moon (cops and G-Men) and Copplestone (the Bulls). The cops will be getting some reinforcements - I've got an armoured car and tank that need a little bit of finishing off, plus there's a harbour patrol launch for them to paint up at some point. There are two more police packs in the Pulp Figures range which I might buy at some point - I'm thinking of doing them as Court officers in grey to distinguish them.

The buildings are from Sarissa Precision apart from the courthouse which is from TT Combat.

Army Review: 15mm Buccaneers. Aaarrrrr!!!!

I needed a break from posting last night, and thought that you good folks probably could as well. But I'm back with the next of my series of army reviews.

Tonight I must confess to a state of embarrassment. I painted the bulk of the army about two and a half years ago but still haven't finished painting the commanders, artillery, dragoons and light foot. Or the camp. Or the ship. OK, the ship is actually finished for painting, maybe some detailing needs to be done. And the crew would need painting. What the ship really needs though is the masts, sails and rigging. I'm thinking this project needs me to dedicate some time to it later this year. I've got all the bits I need. Well, I might need to buy another pack of pirates with firearms from Rebel Minis, but that's it.

Well, it must be time for the piccies:

"Disciplined" buccaneers*

Pyrats and skeleton crew - "Veteran" buccaneers?*

Skeleton Crew

"Other" buccaneers*

Close Up 1

Close Up 2

* in FoGR there are three classes of pirates buccaneers:
Veteran buccaneers - Superior, Medium Foot, Musket/-/Sword
Disciplined buccaneers - Average, Medium Foot, Musket/-/Sword
Other buccaneers - Average, Warrior, Musket*/Impact Foot/Sword

I went for using the Pyrats and Skeleton Crew for the veterans, but could use some of the "Disciplined" bases if I want an all (living) human army - that's what the two 4-figure bases in front are for, to help distinguish them.

The figures are a mix of Blue Moon and Rebel Minis. Painting them was fun, but a bit of a slog as I did them all in one big batch to help get the variety of flesh tones, hair and clothing colours. I think these were the fist figures where I tried the "Ian Willey" basing method - glob thick paint (in this case craft acrylic rather than household emulsion) on the bases and then drizzle the sand mix on top. The thick paint binds the sand much better than PVA does, making drybrushing much easier.


These are the last of the 15mm for now (I do have some odds and ends to post later). The next reviews will be my 28mm armies.