An Ancient Blitz - a more upbeat post!

I have been taking time to think about my recent period of painting malaise (better than the term 'burn out' I think). I have had some useful feedback, especially on my YouTube channel where other painters have expressed going through similar experiences and it's impact. I think I understand the root causes now and so will be able to address them going forward.

That said I have been taking things easy over past weeks but I did manage to put in a solid nine days work on the batch of Warlord Epics you see below. It was a push but I think it did me good mentally to know that I can still do it! Alongside these I also pushed myself to finish off the last of the large sci fi figures for David which I was doing for the Battle Cry game exchange. As I said to David I had clearly hit the wall on these too but was determined to get them completed for the Summer. In the  same 8 day period I have thus painted the final figures, 4 more Space Marines, 15 Space cadets  and the last 4 Tyrranids. This completes the 60 odd figures and it feels really good to have cleared the decks a little more. David will have them by end of this week but I'll do a photo post of them all together before they go this week.

For the rest of August I'm taking things easy!

Warlord Epic figures painted for Leo - 12 bases (24 strips) of Libyan heavy infantry, decals applied to most shields as supplied by Warlord. A good 4 hours work in this alone as the decals need to be carefully lifted from the backing sheet in water and applied with a brush removing as much excess water as possible from the shield. When dry sealed with matt varnish. 4 elephants assembled and painted. 7 days painting, 1 day on the decals and 1 full day basing all in. It feels good, a sense of achievement that has given me a mental boost 

More Warlord Games Epics and painting burnout!

I have taken things a little easier through July as was starting to feel the effects of oncoming burn out, it happens every so often when painting for so many hours per week. I think this is where the Yaldbury layout build has been a great therapy, a fresh challenge which has required learning new skills. I have also reduced my social media and general online time so may need to catch up a few messages etc.

However, I will still continue to paint model soldiers for as long as I'm able although the pace may well slow down going forward.

Just arrived from Leo in the US, the rest of the Warlord Games Carthaginian Army box for me to paint! The initial batch of Spanish and Italian & infantry made it back to Arizona in just 5 working days (* see shipping/customs rant below!)

Painting these will be spread over three monthly batches alongside other stuff.
Also. more Warlord Games ACW's for regular customer Noel in Ireland, this time 3 Zouave regiments (fancy pants ), New York, Pennsylvania and Louisiana. I do enjoy painting the Epic's.

* Shipping rant:: DPD to the US from UK £35.00 (GBP) no US import charges and delivered in 5 working days. The Hannibal box set from US to Uk carried a Royal Mail handling charge and a UK Customs import charge of £44.00 before it could be delivered here.

Damn those French!

 

Two latest battalions painted for Mark, Peninsular War Young Guard 18mm AB figures. The low relief brewery building intended for a future possible Yaldbury extension!

I've been tempted back again!

OK, so I knew it wouldn't last!

With Yaldbury nearing completion - just additional detailing to do - my attention has been drawn to the 'One Hour Skirmish' wargame rules and the possibility of a small  card table gaming set up that would enable me to paint a few figures for myself AND continue to enjoy my recent enthusiasm for terrain building in a modular form. The rules are completely card driven, no dice are used, and employ small 'squad' sized forces of around 12 to 16 figures per side and can be played in numerous periods. My feeling is that they work best for WW2, where the representation of suppressive fire tactics with units comprising riflemen, a light machine gun team and an NCO carrying a SMG give a surprisingly realistic but fun game.

After much thought I am going to begin with early war German v French using 15mm Peter Pig figures (because I love them!) and will use my 2'6" x 2'6" folding card table which is already covered in a fleece battle mat. More as things progress but in the meantime this is a nice little introduction to the rules.

French command, I love those early helmets and greatcoats.

Early War Germans in 'jackboots'!

MG34 teams, must have been a right earache!

So well animated the Peter Pig sculpts.

             Introduction to the rules, completely card driven, no dice at all and a great fun game.

Passenger service departure at Yaldbury!

This little project is bringing me a real sense of achievement which is why I'm sharing it here, and it has me thinking about how I used to feel the same about wargaming but no longer do and why. I don't intend to overthink things though, just enjoy the moment. I'm considering extending the layout beyond the tunnel  which would allow a longer run in and a brewery with siding (good Kentish Ale!)

On the painting front it's Peninsular Month, starting with 2 battalions of the Young Guard, 18mm AB figures for Mark. I have also now secured the remainder of Hannibal's Epic Army which comprises 28 bases of 5 skirmishers, 24 bases of 5 cavalry, 12 bases of  20 Libyan heavy infantry (strips), various mounted command figures, the 'Specials' Generals packs and of course the Elephants so I'm pretty solidly booked now for a few months ahead. 

The 4F tender loco has pulled the branch passenger service into the station and uncoupled to run around the loop. 

Still on the workbench, more to do!

3F tank loco awaits departure in the siding with a short goods delivery.

A view along the non scenic end, 4F has now reversed to re couple and is ready to take out the limited passenger service.

Waterloo Day 1975!

I came across this the other day on Facebook and thought it might interest some here. What struck me was seeing 'HQ, 1A Craven Passage, Charing Cross' listed as one of the exhibitors because it was where I first started buying Hinchliffe ECW figures around that time. In 1976 I was 18 years old and had started work at the Municipal Mutual Insurance Company, Old Queen Street, Westminster,. My short walk to work from Charing Cross station took me across Trafalgar Square, under Admiralty Arch and along past Horse Guards and the lower end of Downing Street. I can't recall how I discovered 'HQ' possibly from a hobby magazine advert but once I had I became frequent visitor and all of my first Hinhcliffe ECW figures were purchased from what was a tiny shop, barely able to fit 3 customers and that at a squeeze! I don't though remember anything about this event, I wonder if anyone else does?

Craven Passage, you can see the platform level of Charing Cross and 'HQ' was just along from the Ship and Shovel, a Victorian  pub connected underground by cellars which occupied both sides of the alley.

A Quiet Morning at Yaldbury & Celt-Iberian Epics!

The crossover between the two hobbies becomes very apparent when you get to building up the terrain and starting to add detail.  Yalding and Wateringbury in Kent were two places I spent a lot of time as a child and was where my Grandmother and family would go 'Hopping' or Hop Picking in the 1950's. Special train services called 'Hopping Specials' were put on from London Bridge to take families down to the Kentish hop fields for two week working holidays in the countryside, so 'Yaldbury' seemed a perfect name for this fictitious rural branch line terminus layout. I'm still working on this Summer project adding fine detail and can tell you that threading fine fishing line into 30 tiny wooden MDF upright posts with laser cut holes took a LOT of patience but proved very rewarding and had to be done to prevent the sheep getting onto the rails! The three trees are by Woodland Scenics and supplied as 3 cast metal armatures and a bag of foliage which needs to be fixed and glued on. They would make realistic Wargaming trees but are a expensive at £10.00 for three. 

'Yaldbury' - N Gauge branch line 'micro' layout, just 72cm long x 22cm wide (plus an 'offstage' fiddle stick of 20cm behind the tunnel). Points are Peco Electrofrog  medium radius controlled by underboard 'wire in tube' switching method, simple electrical wiring of just two feeds which connect to a Gaugemaster combo hand held controller. 

   

I'm still enjoying painting the figures though, just finishing off the 72 strips of Epic Ancients for Leo in the U.S. below are some of the Celt Iberian bases underway, pre final checks and highlights and varnishing/basing. July will be mostly dedicated to Napoleonics for Mark.