No King But Christ The King!

 OK, so it's more of a Covenanter cry than a New Model Army one, but the New Model's men were also Protestant hardliners, by and large, so it's not hard to imagine them yelling this in response to some Royalist taunts. This of course means that I have (at last) finished the commission to paint three regiments of 28mm Parliamentarian horse:

36 Warlord Games' ECW cavalry, painted as generic Parliamentarian horse. They wear orange sashes as field identifiers, marking them as Protestants, and the ubiquitous buff coats and gloves with some proofed plate and the classic Roundhead lobster pot helmet (which was, of course, worn by both sides)

The Red Regiment - they've all got red saddlecloths, and the standard bearer's lance is red

Green Regiment - green saddlecloths and a green lance - with flashing blades and large horse pistols

Blue Regiment, with, you guessed it, blue saddlecloths and a blue lance. They were painted slightly differently to the others, with a lot less use of Contrast...

 The commissioner wanted the bases left to be done by them, so that's what I've done. These fellows are packed up already and will be winging their way to their owner by Thursday, assuming the Royal Mail isn't doing last post collections at like 6pm at my local post office.

 Oh, and while I was doing that, I happened to have a STK-3F Stalker kicking around, so I based it in Skavenblight Dinge and then hit it with a wash of Contrast Asurmen Blue and a drybrush of Ceramite White, to produce this:
 

This Stalker, posed mid-stride, is in the colours of the Lyran Guards, and will eventually be badged up as a machine in the service of the 6th Guards, also known as the "Saucy Sixth", because their Regimental Crest is a woman in a bikini. Don't ask

 

There may be a few more sporadic updates before P and I move, but that depends on how much I get packed how quickly. I hope to get back to updating as close to daily as possible by the end of the year, but we'll see!

Painting Points:
Today: 72
This Week: 72
2025: 478 

Catgirls In Space!

OK, so I've been quiet for well over a month. Lots of reasons for that, not least of which a bunch of my paints dried up in the heat, and my partner P and I (and our cats) are in the middle of moving from the Midlands to the Isle of Anglesey, which we will complete in late October. Slightly less than a month and so much to do. Oh yes, and I started a new job a couple of weeks ago which, although meaning I am no longer unemployed, does also mean I've been quite frazzed of late. 

However, while also continuing to work - here and there - on commissions, a few weeks ago I picked up a small set of 3D printed Battletech miniatures from my friend R, and over yesterday and today I painted them up as units from the 1st Canopian Cuirassiers, all nice and shiny for Operation BULLDOG: in this case an Alpha Strike event in December that I'm going to attend with my friend C. In the game's history, the 1CANCUIR fought Clan Smoke Jaguar's 267th Battle Cluster on Meinacos and gave good account of themselves. Hopefully this lot will do the same.

The Command Lance of 2nd Company, 2nd Mech Battalion - missing is an ARC-2R Archer

You can see how the Contrast pools oddly if not carefully applied, but at 1/285th it doesn't really matter

Stock standard production late Succession War technology and they're going up against Clanners in 3059

The ID numbers - 49, 50, 51 - mark these out as the first lance of the 2nd Company

Heavy Battle Lance - the Crusaders in the middle have a lot of indirect fire capability too

Again you can clearly see the 'mech ID numbers, 53-56

The BNC-3MC is the only modified 'mech in the company; a Magistracy upgrade of the Banshee that swaps its class-5 autocannon for a class-10

A formidable sight but that dirt build-up will give the base crews a nightmare pressure-washing it all off

Third, Light Strike, Lance - missing is a STG-3R Stinger

The Locust may lack jump jets but its speed is plenty to keep up with the larger Phoenix Hawks

Manufactured in the Magistracy, all of the 'mechs here are extremely common in the MAF

The yellow-and-silver of the Cuirassiers is flashy, but that's the point

From the Regimental Air Wing, an air lance of four Ferret scout VTOLs

These hilariously lightly armoured craft rely entirely on speed to survive

However they do give excellent situational awareness and can spot for indirect fire

Their tail numbers mark them as 3rd Flight, 1st Squadron, 1st Air Wing

They were an experiment of sorts, painted with a very small palette and a lot of Contrast - Contrast Iyanden Yellow and Black Templar mostly - as well as some Nuln Oil and Ironbreaker. I may get some decals from Fighting Piranha once I've finished the move. I do also need to print off the Archer and Stinger, as well as 12 Manticores in order to be completely ready for the event in December. But that's a while away at this point.

Painting Points:
Today: 14
This Week: 14
2025: 406

 

And Now For Something Totally Different

 While I didn't do any painting today, what I did do was get sent four 9 litre capacity Really Useful Boxes, 400 5x2mm magnets, and five sheets of Warmag A4 sticky-backed ferrous material. Then I spent a good few hours supergluing 398 magnets to my Night Goblin and Skaven armies, and putting them in their new homes:

Top - 2,000 point Skaven army; middle and bottom - 2,000 point Night Goblin army

The Skaven army fits in nicely, but there's not any room for expansion really

 This method is great - secure, easily stored, protected from dust, simple to carry around. The main downsides are that it takes a lot of time to add magnets to a given army, and that it takes at least two magnets for a metal miniature to hold them securely enough that, when turned upside down, they don't fall off. I ended up putting ten on the all-metal Snotling Pump Wagon, and four on the resin Giant. Some of the metals got three magnets if I felt they were heavier than usual.

So now I guess I need to buy some more of everything, especially magnets, as I have an empty 9l box sitting there waiting for toy soldiers...

Easy Does It

After some time today I managed to finish off Ser Geraint Blondel's retainers, who are remarkably restrained in terms of the clothes they're wearing compared to all the other retainers in both Renly-aligned and Joffrey-aligned warbands:

A slightly fuzzy photo irritatingly, but it shows them all quite nicely. Ser Blondel's actually not got a full suit of plate; his lower legs and back legs are quite exposed. Perhaps House Blondel is on hard times...

I really like the little wooly grey cap the longbowman's wearing

I had to call someone Simple Simon, even if he isn't a pie-man, and the way his face turned out meant the longbowman was the perfect candidate. Jon of Loxby and Careful Tom are the billmen

The padded leather jerkins worn by the billmen, combined with their matching leather satchels and bills, suggests that the House has something resembling a uniform for their men-at-arms

I decided against painting livery badges for the billmen in the end, with just Simple Simon wearing the House's livery on his surcoat. The three golden discs are perhaps coins, or maybe apples. I'm not sure yet. With these chaps done, all that's left now are Dexter Hill's retainers. Dexter Hill is a bastard child (hence the lack of noble title) hoping to use the war to either make his own name or convince his father to grant him title and name. I think his retainers will be dressed in his father's livery, so I need to have a think about what House they're actually from.

Painting Points:
Today: 3
This Week: 3
2025: 392

Time Flies When You're Busy

So I've been AWOL for uhhhh two weeks? or thereabouts. Apologies, mea culpa, etc etc. Life happened, as it often does, and I had a combination of small holidays (a long weekend in Ynys Mon, and another around Abertawe) as well as various Stuff that meant I didn't get any painting done really. On the plus side, I popped into the Games Workshop in Abertawe, and got some paints to help me with the ECW Parliamentarian cavalry commission, which I started to do again. Today I looked at the rather folorn Song of Ice and Fire Here's The Ruckus warband that I'd been doing what seems like years ago, and started working on Ser Geraint Blondel's retainers. These fellows are interesting in that the billmen aren't wearing livery coats, so the only model with the House livery on is the longbowman. I might put some little badges on the billmen though.

The billmen look rather uniform, don't they? I quite like it

I also took some time to use a nice new Contrast paint (Aggaros Dunes) on the second regiment of ECW horse:

24 of the 36 cavalry troopers have had their buff coats and gloves done now

The ECW commission has a deadline (October) so I'm really going to try to focus on them as much as I can over the next few weeks. I'd like to get them done and sent back to the commissioner as soon as I can now that it's cooled down enough to paint again.

In other news I also spent a little money and got some Really Useful Boxes, Warmag sticky-backed ferrous sheet, and several hundred 5x2mm magnets which will be arriving on Saturday - I sense a few pleasant hours gluing magnets to bases in order to safely store an army or two. If this works the way I hope it will, I'll be doing that to everything, painted or not, so that I can have a properly, safely, sensibly, stored collection.

Loyalty Above All

House Brock is a minor House in the Westerlands, owing fealty to House Lannister. As a result, Ser Aldway Brock brings his retainers to King Joffrey's army, in the process following his House's words. There are some who say he does so more from fear of Lannister reprisal rather than any semblance of actual honour or loyalty - but they, of course, are scurrilous rumourmongers.

The levies of House Brock traditionally all paint their helmets, partly to protect from rust and partly for better recognition on the field

I deliberately highlighted the blues differently to illustrate that the helmets are painted metal, while the cloth is, well, cloth

I really enjoy coming up with names... and really hate painting brigandines

Just like the blues, the whites are different - this time because I used a grey base on the helmets and a cream base on the cloth

Ser Aldway Brock (centre) with his retainers. Ser Brock and Harlow the Red wear their plate "in the white", which is to say without any livery coats over the armour

I've also been reading through the free rules for Never Mind The Billhooks and am thinking of re-basing my old Earl of Warwick's force that I painted up many years ago for A Crown Of Paper, A Coat Of Steel from the Perfect Captain - that's a system I've never played, sadly, but I definitely have opponents for Never Mind The Billhooks. A little maths means I have a company of 12 longbowmen (12 points), a band of six skirmishing archers (6 points), and a company of 12 men-at-arms (24 points) as well as the Earl of Warwick, Richard Neville (5 points), commanding - with a little painting - another company of 12 men-at-arms (24 points). That's 71 points minimum, and, if I upgrade the companies to veterans, that takes it up to 80. Which would mean I'd only need to spend another 20 points to get a full 100 point army - not sure on what, though. Anyway that's for another day.

Painting Points:
Today: 3
This Week: 8
2025: 389 

For The King! No, Not That One - Or That One - No, Not Him Either...

When there's five kings in circulation, sometimes your battle cries can get a bit confusing. Today I worked on the Joffrey-aligned Retinue, cracking out the standard bearer and one of the three characters before doing some basic work on some of the retainers. The standard bearer has a bigger, but similar, banner to House Chulain - but with the addition of the coat of arms of Joffrey I Baratheon. These guys are loyalists, you see, owing fealty to House Lannister.

The banner of House Brock, with their words: "Fidelitas Ante Omnis", or "Loyalty Above All"

The sigil of House Brock is, as you would expect, a badger. Note that both men are carrying war axes - a brutal weapon with the ability to spin it round and use the hammer edge to cave in armour plate

Dexter Hill, a noble bastard, who is a mercenary commander bringing his Free Spear to the service of the king for gold and the promise of knighthood, and House Brock's master-at-arms Harlow the Red, named after his hair colour

The Lannister lion and the Baratheon stag joined by marriage, stamping their domination on Westeros

Retainers from House Brock - the one on the left actually has half-plate on his legs which I didn't notice, so I'm going to have to go over that! I decided to give them all painted helmets just for style points

I have definitely got "the bug" as they say, and have been eyeing up the Perry Miniatures' range of late 15th Century Irish to make an Iron Islander raiding force, and the early 15th Century stuff to make a bunch of Northmen - they're referred to in the books as generally poorer and slightly less well equipped, so it makes sense for them to be wearing earlier styles of armour. That would cover four of the five kings - King Renly, King Joffrey, King in the North Robb and King Balon of the Isles and the North - leaving only King Stannis needing representation. Stannis is an interesting one because his core supporter's forces would probably look quite similar to those of his brother Renly and nephew Joffrey, but his army is largely drawn from the Stormlands, which are - particularly in the south - influenced by the Dornish, and bolstered by Lyseni pirates and mercenaries so I might use a mix of Italian and Swiss figures for the Stannis Retinue.

Painting Points:
Today: 2
This Week: 5
2025: 386 

Somewhere In Clan Jade Falcon Space...

Tonight P and I went to visit our friend C and his wife L, and C and I took advantage of being in the same place as each other for the first time in a while played a game of Battletech: Alpha Strike. A 500 point game saw a company of his Davion Guards go up against a binary of my Jade Falcon Falcon Guards. We actually played a scenario from the Alpha Strike Commander's Edition rulebook - Hold The Line. I ended up as defender, and had to stop his mechs from exiting my board edge. It turned out to be quite a challenging mission for me, and his two Hunchback -4SPs were absolute monsters. 

Deployment: C about to move his Assault Lance up towards the Jade Falcon defensive line.

End of Turn 1: The Davions have lost a Nightstar and a Phoenix Hawk, while the Falcons have lost a Turkina (with the Skill 2 Star Colonel in it!) thanks to the Assault Lance and the Kingfisher thanks to the Hunchbacks

End Turn 2: the survivors of the Command Star have spread out but the Dire Wolf fell victim to the Hunchbacks while the Kit Fox fell to the Falcon Ebon Jaguar. Damage was scattered around the Thunderbolt, a Thunderhawk, and one of the Phoenix Hawks

End Turn 3: The Command Star has been utterly destroyed, while the Fire Star has lost its Mist Lynx. The Adder has begun to demonstrate its charmed life, with all the shots going towards it missing. In return the Falcons have downed a Thunderhawk, the Thunderbolt, and a second Phoenix Hawk

End Turn 4: The writing is on the wall for the Falcon Guards - they have been reduced to just the Ebon Jaguar and the now armourless Adder! But perhaps one more turn is in order before they concede

End Turn 5, End Game: The losses have been brutal on both sides. The last gasp of the Falcons sees them destroy the Ceasar for the loss of the Ebon Jaguar. The Adder, in what can only be the result of sheer good fortune, remains standing! Only five of the Davion machines remain, but the ratio of 7 IS mechs to 9 Clan is not a good one - dezgra!

 Strictly speaking the result was a draw - C got 500 VP for the surviving machines, and I got 500 VP for reducing his force below half strength - but that's just a technicality. I got my behind well and truly handed to me, and I have a newfound healthy respect for the Hunchback. Especially when they have Speed Demon and are moving at 10" a turn! Overall I think that the scenario didn't favour me - I had an advantage at range, but couldn't make use of it: we were in short range by turn 1 and never fired a long range shot all game. However I have to hand it to C, he played well and exploited success. Next time, spheroids!

The Sun Shines On Us!

One of the things I'm enjoying about this little Ruckus project in the Song of Ice and Fire setting is coming up with all the House Words - "Aim True", "Green Grows The Wood" and now "The Sun Shines On Us". House Merryweather (properly Chulain-Merryweather) has an interesting and quite colourful coat of arms which was an interesting challenge to put on the longbowman, but I think the end result is quite solid. 

Emmaline Merryweather (second from right) with her retainers - the longbowman's coat is a less fancy version of hers, with only one each of the sigils

This angle shows you the green colour of Merryweather...

...and this angle shows you the red and black of House Chulain

I couldn't fit Emmaline's whole name on her base, so Merryweather it is!

With the completion of Merryweather and her retainers, the whole Renly-aligned retinue of Ser Chulain is complete:

Left to right - House Chulain-Merryweather, House Chulain, House Greenwood. Five longbowmen, four billmen, three minor nobles, a standard bearer and a herald

 Next up, of course, are the dastardly Lannister/Baratheon forces loyal to King Joffrey I Baratheon:

These were originally being painted by an old friend of mine many years ago, so I'll be painting over a bunch of this I think. I don't have a herald for the loyalists, but I do have a standard bearer so I might do a banner that combines Joffrey's arms with the arm of the captain's House Banefort. 

Painting Points:
Today: 3
This Week: 3
2025: 384