Getting back in the swing.

A bit more progress on the 4 Highlanders today, spent an hour working on the kilts but still far from happy. I wanted to give an impression of the 92nds tartan that will also tie in with the 12 figures already painted by Andy. Where the yellow lines cross there appears to be a central dot with lighter square around it but it's really hard to achieve and I may need to start again! I think the pattern is too large anyway and needs more lines, closed up a bit so back to the drawing board it is. I must have painted loads of kilts in the past in scales from 28mm down to 6mm, these are far more demanding, but I'm enjoying having a brush in my hand again. Going to pull up a few past images of Highlanders I have painted for reference.

Just can't get those kilts right!

The trusty old paint box.

Nice view from the table and plenty of light.

The wooden palette was from a craft shop here, I will lay dampened greaseproof paper over it to create a wet palette effect.

Coming along despite the tartan. Muskets, socks and gaiters to be tackled next and more work on the head bands.

It's 25 degrees here today, so I'm sitting inside in the cool, I notice how quickly the paint dries up once out the tube so I'm returning to the trusty old wet pallete. Next week I hope to visit a Vallejo stockist in Valencia when we are there to open our Bank Account, there are two listed in Valencia.

*EDIT - since posting the above I have taken the tartans back to a base shade of dark green and dug up these couple of images - my own Victrix plastic Highlanders from 2010 - and I'm going to use these as a guide, I think the blue pattern over dark green and bold yellow works well as an Impression of the 92nd tartan, at least it will do for me! I sold all these off years ago, really did not like the flimsy plastic and kept breaking the bayonets.

Safe arrival in Spain of the 92nd Highlanders!

Well, they made it through UK customs in my eldest Daughters hand luggage or 'carry on' and I can happily report that 4 of the Sash and Sabre 40mm Highlander centre company figures are about 50% painted already. The security officer checking the bags said " You have a lot of Jewellery in this bag?", my Daughter replied that they were actually Toy Soldiers for her Dad who paints and collects them. He laughed and apparently went through each bag of figures individually, Hannah said he appeared quite interested in them and they passed through with no problem.

These figures are bloody BIG, the horses are beautiful castings I can barely wait to paint some but I'll stick to my plan of starting by painting more 92nd Highlanders to expand the existing 12 painted figures. They are going to take time to paint so I won't be rushing them but simply enjoying working on them, maybe 4 figures per week max. I managed a few hours today, current headcount here is 3 daughters, 3 granddaughters, plus 1 wife, both son in laws back in the UK working. They have all been out viewing properties in the Gandia region (it's a long story, bit of a hitch involving water supply and dodgy septic tanks, I'll probably fill you in later), but suffice to say I have enjoyed a quiet days painting probably for the first time in weeks.

Can't share photos as my camera battery is flat and I can't find the charger, but the Highlanders are coming along. Having a quiet G&T on the terrace before they all get back.

Highlander customs!

I mentioned in my last post that I was itching to get started on painting some 40mm Napoleonics, but have to wait until June 15th when my Son In Law drives our furniture from the UK to our new house in Spain and the Sash & Saber collection will be coming with him for safety.

This weekend our eldest daughter is coming out for a couple of weeks and it struck me that maybe she could bring a few of packs of unpainted 40mm's out with her. What's coming will be French Chasseur A Cheval, British gun and Foot artillery crew and Highlanders. I have checked the restrictions on what can be carried in hand luggage as Hannah will be travelling with hand luggage only, having left a suitcase full of stuff here previously, and I know the rules on sharp objects but feel sure that a few bags of toy soldiers can pose no threat surely? Sure, the Highlanders have sharp bayonets but are within packaging and she can just explain that they are for her Dad to paint. I don't think toy soldiers have ever been involved in serious crime so should be OK!

Any thoughts on this chaps? One has to be careful these days and customs are so understandably tight. I want to bring the 92nd Highlanders up to full strength to begin with.

Waiting, waiting!

I'm having to be extremely patient in waiting for the mid June arrival of the 40mm Napoleonics, but meanwhile I'm doing a lot of thinking and planning about how I will use them. Essentially as said previously I'm a painter/collector these days, but with the prospect of a large hobby room on the horizon I do intend to give them the odd run out on the tabletop. Sharpe Practice 2 is an obvious choice for such games, as it allows for company sized units of just 8 figures to be fielded along with lots of individual characters and single cannon for what is generally known as 'large skirmish' games, so I'm currently reading up on them again.

Anyway, here is Andy's list of what I have coming, I also have 2 packs of unpainted Light Dragoons and a pack of LD command coming to add some cavalry to the British force

British
1 mounted General 1 foot officer in frock coat

3rd Foot
1 mounted Colonel 2 ensigns with cloth flags 2 offices 2NCOs 1 Drum 1 pioneer  25 privates

28th Foot
1 mounted Colonel 2ensigns- paper flags-3 officers I sgt 1 drum 20 privates

92nd Highlander 12 man unit including command and ensigns with cloth flags

5th bn 60th foot- Rifles- 12 figs inc Command.

Royal Foot Artillery
1 gun and 5 crew



French

 2nd Hussars 16 figs in 2 “companies” 1 company being the Elite company making 1 squadron

 Foot Artillery
1 gun 1 howitzer and 10 crew

Infantry
2 mounted officers 1 eagle1 deuxieme Port –Aigle  3 foot officer1 drum 1NCO

 60 Centre company Fusiliers

Grenadiers.......1 officer 13 men

Voltigeurs........ 2 officer 11 men- including 4 perry.

 Blocked in figures

 British     17 more infantry

French     47 more fusiliers .......7 Voltigeurs

And 1 officer and 9 more Grenadiers

Spanish

Most ofthese are conversions of one sort or another

1 mounted officer- Sand S on a Perry Horse

3 standard bearers with cloth flags 1 Large gun with 5 mixed crew and  4 ox drawn limber- Blame Frank Sinatra and Sophia Loren’s chest for this !!!

15 regular infantry- made from Sash and Saber Alamo Mexicans the  colour bearers are for these chaps.

So a grand Total of

 22 mounted

215 foot including gunners

4 guns

4 ox limber

Plus 83 blocked in figs

I found a few more images of the figures on Andy's Old Glory UK site and share them here with his permission.  the more I look at the pics the more excited I get!

A single Light Dragoon, but I have more on order.

Here in Spain the house purchase is ticking along nicely, we hope to be in by Mid June latest, but have extended the rental villa until end of June just in case, it feels like an extended holiday at the moment, but we will be busy once we are moved into 'El Refujio' as we have plans to create 2 holiday 'Casa Rural' on the land. They will be self contained with use of the large pool and the tennis court and a small children's play area. Surrounded by vines but just 30 minutes drive from the bustling centre of Valencia and it's airport and a few minutes from the traditional Spanish village of Godelleta with it's fine church, cafes, bars and Winery. My wife is also an excellent cook, it's been her passion for as long as we have been together, we met on a camel trek in Morocco 35 years ago.

Son in Law Blake at the gates of El Refujio. This was a measuring up shot to see if we will be able to get the 7.5 ton van up to the house!