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Now a model I spent most of a week building and painting. This is a British Mk V tank produced by Trenchworx, scaled to match true 28mm infantry. The tank saw service very late in World War One and in the Russian Civil War. I built it for use slightly out of period in the grand finale of an escalated Emu War campaign. I built the model as the female version with machine gun sponsons. The kit included cannon sponsons for the male version, which I also built and painted for potential kit bashing of a makeshift post WW1 combat train. When I started assembly I discovered why the kit was so cheap when I bought it second hand on eBay. One of the side pieces needed a lot of carving and sanding to fit the central piece. There was a shaped brass rod included as the exhaust system, but it turns out one of the major bends in the rod was the wrong way! You can see the exhaust at the top of the model leading from the horizontal pipe between the top observation boxes, around the rear top box and down to the rear hull. The next picture gives a better view of the pipe bends. Having failed to twist the brass rod back to the correct shape, I replaced it with a series of lead alloy spear shafts glued end to end: you can see my glue slopwork in a couple of spots. The assembly instructions also said to use a 1.9mm drill to make a hole in a couple of delicate 3mm wide pieces for the rod to fit into. Realising that was breakage just waiting to happen, I opted for more glue slopping instead. A view from the front. For an idea of model size, the tank is sitting on a base 120mm long and 80mm wide. The base is necessary as the machine guns poke out from the sponsons and the material is easy to snap. Now a view from behind. You will notice there are a lot of hatches: the Mk V packed eight crew inside. I'm glad I built the model and it died a magnificent death fighting off wave attacks of berserk emus in last night's game. However, I would be reluctant to build another one.

Something a bit different - painted the minis for the The Last of Us: Escape the Dark boardgame. Would've been nice if there were a few (or even one) alt sculpts for the clickers, but they are glorified tokens, not actual game pieces in the sense of a wargame or even hybrid/gateway game. Surprisingly good minis considering that fact though.

It's a crummy photo, but I finished Warlock from MCP

The Clara May took a while, but is now done. I decided to run without sails so that the ship behind it is still visible.

I've been working on some mdf terrain kits. First two photos show a dark age Saxon house made by 4Ground. Sized for use with 28mm figures, it came prepainted both inside and outside. The doors swing open and the roof lifts off for skirmish gaming. The thatch roof covering is teddy bear fur given a dark wash mixed with watered down PVA glue. Detailed assembly instructions were provided and the whole model fitted together very well. The only painting needed was slopping on the wash for the thatch roof. A look at the inside. Sadly 4Ground is defunct and the company that bought it is also defunct. These were best of the best for mdf kits and if you see 4Ground stuff on the second hand market, scoop it up. The next photo is a farm set by Empires at War, suitable for gaming in Spain/Italy settings spanning many centuries as well as the Caribbean pirate era. Sized for 28mm figures, the buildings are excellent as worker huts plus there are some matching wall pieces. I bought the version prepainted on the outside and the only painting I had to do was some minor tidy work. Assembly was straightforward. The roofs lift off for skirmish gaming. This set is also available as an unpainted kit, but I found paying the extra few pounds for prepainted was absolutely worth it. The final photo shows a classic stone bridge. Bought prepainted from Empires at War and sized for 28mm figures. Assembly was again straightforward and just needed some minor painting on the corner pieces. I opted for the roadway being fitted planks, but the kit also also includes a card piece for gamers who want to paint on a bitumen sealed road. The kit also comes in an unpainted version, but again I thought the extra few pounds for prepainted was worth it. The roadway inside the bridge is 74mm wide: more than enough for most figure bases in historical rule sets. The kit also supplies structural reinforcement pieces for underneath the bridge, for old school gamers using lead miniatures. If you have anyone wanting suggestions for Christmas presents, you could point them at the Empires at War website for ideas. https://empiresatwar.co.uk/ The postage was reasonable, but does take a couple of weeks to arrive from the UK.

Some wattle fencing for my dark ages to medieval village. These come as part of the Medieval Cottage kit from Perry Miniatures. The large pieces are just over 12 centimetres long.

Woo-hoo! There's now a local group for this game system. Some of them I've known for years, some a lot longer. Used to play 40k (and other games) with them. I got some games in a couple of weekends ago. I got to use these scorpions ... and they were ... not good. 1000 pts of my High Elf Fleets v Alien Hives - and learned that quite a few units have changed a bit in the rules edition change. Scorpions are not as good as they once were (not in the bigger game anyway. They still work well in firefight). I got pasted but secured a draw with what remained. Objectives stay 'taken' until the enemy captures them - so you can grab an objective and move off it to grab another if there are no enemy units close enough to take it. The second game, the Alien hive player and I teamed up against marines and knights. We eked out a win, there - I had a unit of Avengers run up and grab an objective on my last activation. Jetbikes ROCK! Characters on jetbikes are even harder. (Tough bonuses stack. So a T(3) on a jetbike (T3) goes to Tough(6) - essentially that many extra wounds). Wraith units are HAF. Whether the 'guard or 'lord doesn't matter. They all have tough(x) and the Wraithlord is as tough as a tank to kill. In the meantime, I've painted up an Inquisition fire-fight team. These are my old 40k3rd ed Inquisition models. The inquisitor with book is a newer conversion (got the book in a bag of bits - the inquisitor was one of the stock ones from 3rd ed (he had a bolter and a sword and mostly bare arms). He bears the sacred tome with the mark of the blessed vessel (coffee mug stain). The holy tome of "It doesn't say I *CAN'T* do it.". The enhanced doggo comes from the OOP Mongoose Starship Troopers line (K-9 units). The riot-troopers were converted old 2nd ed marine scouts. The gun-borg is just a stock gun-servitor (one of the 8 or 9 that I have - I have all of the different gun ones from HB to Melta and Plasma, and the cc variants as well).

Monday night we continued our Texas Revolution 1836 Campaign! We played an assault on a farm house scenario. As per the last game George led the Texians and Rolf and I commanded the Mexicans. Here's how it panned ot... After successfully carrying out a foraging mission and dispatching the bounty to the main column with two trusted Soldados Mexican Captain Del Toro gathered the rest of his patrol and they retired to a nearby hacienda. It was here while his weary Soldados and Cazadores rested that the Texians led by Nathaniel R. Brister with whom they ‘had crossed swords’ earlier caught up with them. The alarm was raised by Cazadore José and the Mexicans quickly deployed to face the oncoming Texians. Del Toro occupied the hacienda whilst Banderas’ men covered the nearby bridge. Brister split his force too, the New Orleans Greys rushed the bridge while his own boys from Alabama covered them, both groups were supported by local Tajenos! The Mexicans reached the bridge first and a vicious firefight ensued! Both sides funnelled their troops into this duel which escalated across the unfordable stream. The waterway’s steep banks and fast flow drew the action toward the bridge. The Texian’s accurate and fast shooting halted the Mexicans who were eager to get into hand to hand combat with their foes, the resulting casualties from the firefight were enough to break the back of the Mexican force, Del Toro’s men were routed and fled unceremoniously! Brister led his men in a round of cheers as they advanced after the skedaddling Mexicans, of the Texians only Private Ellis had been lightly wounded and they had inflicted injuries on seven of the Mexicans! The Texians and Tejanos quickly crossed the bridge and occupied the hacienda. A Texian Victory! PS In the distant scrub beaten but undefeated the Mexicans rallied and Del Toro plotted his revenge on the Texians and their Tejano supporters! Some Pictures… Our battlefield, not much cover! With the alert raised that Texians were approaching... ...Sergeant Banderas led his Cazadores towards the nearby bridge. The Texians quickly reached the bridge and started firing on the Mexicans they faced. Banderas' men returned the compliment! Captain Del Toro sent sharpshooter Jose out to face the Texians in 'red' he had an aimed shot at them and winged one!... ...then he then faced a hail of return fire from the Alabamians! With casualties rising and their morale shaken the Mexicans began to flee! Another cool SDS game! The full AAR with OOBs more history and a lot more pictures are on the TSOG Blog here... TSOG Link

Recently we started a series of Texas Revolution 1836 skirmish games the initial game is a foraging one I found on the net and VPs were earned by both sides by recovering supplies from a broken down wagon train along a road and causing casualties. The AAR... February 1836 under orders from President Santa Anna Mexican General Urrea's column crossed the Rio Grand at Metamoros entering the Provence of Texas. His orders were to secure the whole of its coastline which would isolate the Texian Revolutionaries ensuring their defeat! After a rapid advance and a series of victories beginning at San Patricio and with the latest being the Battle of Refugio Urrea sent out foraging parties before pressing onto Goliad, supplies were crucial to continue the advance! Captain Del Toro and his Soldados from the San Luis Battalion were told by locals of a broken down wagon train filled with supplies nearby and he quickly followed up their information. Short on 'everything' as he amassed his forces at Goliad, Texian Colonel James Fannin who had been tasked by Sam Houston with halting or at least delaying the Mexican advance there decided to send out parties to scourge the surrounds and gather all the supplies that could be located. He asked for volunteers to carry out this detail and was swamped by enthusiastic and eager men! One foraging party led by Nathaniel R. Brister of the New Orleans Greys was led to believe there was an abundance of supplies along a remote road to the north west of Refugio, he ordered his men to find it unaware that Soldados from General Urrea’s San Luis Battalion were in the area… It was early in the day and the sun was rising into clear skies when Del Toros and Bristers forces stumbled across each other in their search for supplies. The Mexicans got the hop on their foes and Banderas Cazadores quickly got to the broken down wagon train and started to gather its vital contents. They then opened up an accurate fire on the approaching Texians! The Texians were poorly co-ordinated and reached the road in dribs and drabs putting them at a disadvantage and their fire was poorly directed. As they approached the Cazadores the men of the New Orleans Greys were surprised when the Mexicans ceased fire and leapt into close combat with them. In the short sharp melee the Mexicans gained the advantage and pushed the Greys back with Privates Burke and Holmes being wounded, these casualties along with several taken by the Alabama boys led by Corporal Moore led to a general withdrawal by the Texians (read here that they failed many of their Force Morale checks)! A Mexican Victory ensued as the Texian Leader Brister decided not to try and reengage with Del Toros Soldados and continued to retire northward taking their wounded with them! Some Pictures... The Alabama Boys reach the road... Sergeant Banderas (at left) orders his men to gather supplies... Cazadore Private José from the San Luis Battalion leaps across the broken down wagon to get to grips with the Texians! The Mexicans prove their metal with the bayonet! The Mexicans prevail gathering ample supplies for General Urrea's column! The full AAR with OOBs more history and pictures is on the TSOG Blog here... TSOG Link

That’s fantastic. I love those old WW1 tanks. Regarding the machine guns, Would it be possible to replace them with brass rod for increased durability?

For painting Napoleonics I suggest using a very light grey undercoat. Many of the infantry wore white trousers and had white straps. As the straps sit above the uniform or backpack, this gives clear edges for painting in the solid colours. Then later do white over the straps as tidying up. Showing my age: the old school shortening of Napoleonics was 'Naps'.

Forced myself to sit down and paint this chap, just a random warlord mini from wargames illustrated, actually layering some colours instead of just contrast paints. Not terrible considering I used a single medium fine brush for all of it. I like the black, which is a mid grey base with a black contrast paint over it. Should have done the wash as a mid stage instead of at the end but oh well, need to get back into the mood and headspace of mini painting! I'd hate to have to paint 200 of the buggers.

Crikey I need to do some more mandolls sometime... GW sent me a $25 voucher for some reason, with no conditions so for $7 postage I have an old world orc shaman coming in the post from the UK. Funny!

I've started working on another MCP model. Slowly working through my pile of potential haha

Both boards almost finished, though I thinned both the PVA and cheap craft paint a bit thin. Still, great to have two light and easy to store boards.... but tomorrow I take then ten minutes up the road for long term loan to the small FLGS! Had a great game teaching my neighbour (oldschool DnD fan) and his kid some One Page Rules, then got half a game of Stargrave in with my other mate. On coming to better grips with the Stargrave rules it's actually a very tidy and easy to play system!