Skip to main content

Christmas Is Two Weeks Away. . . Yikes!!!

 

The usual delightful Minden castings, already looking pretty good although considerable brushwork remains.



Taking a couple of days this weekend for myself after two weeks of galloping through life following the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday weekend.  Best of all, I have returned to the painting bench to continue work on the two-gun battery and crew of Russian SYW figures for The Young Master this Christmas. 

The figures are reasonably far along and at the detailing/touch-up stage.  But it was time to get a jump on the cannon themselves.  Here is where we stand after half an hour or so of dark undercoats to de-emphasize all of those troublesome nooks and crannies that go hand in glove with artillery pieces.  

The models already had been based coated with a mixture of white acrylic gesso and gray acrylic paint. Doing so kills two birds with one stone and provides a nice, solid base for later paints, regardless of type (acrylics, solvents, oils, etc.).  

So, very dark brown on and around the barrels with dark red for the gun carriages.  Looks pretty good so far, but I might apply a second thin coat of each just to be sure no missed specks of bare metal peek through later.  Agh!  Know what I mean?

In other news, planning to set up the tables late next week, so that Young Master Paul and I might enjoy a game Christmas Week, and he can try out his artillery.  Given his incredible dice throws in previous games, I fully expect the new Russian battery to mow down any of my cavalry or infantry foolish enough to attempt capture of them.

And on that note, I continue to refine the morale rules shared here a number of weeks back.  Finally came across a passage on page 34 of Featherstone's Complete Wargaming (1988) that has helped me nail down a few nagging points on shaken and disordered units.  Some clear language there that I may very well borrow wholesale into my rules before Paul an I play our game.

Of course, if we have enough snow on the ground, everything will be delayed since the family will strap on the ol' cross-country skis and hit the trails.  We'll have to see, but a degree of flexibility is called for during the winter months since skiing takes priority if and when the weather cooperates.

-- Stokes

Comments

Marvin said…
Should make Christmas go with a bang!

I apologise.
Ha! Your rapier wit made me chuckle, Marvin. I needed that today. Thank you!

Kind Regards,

Stokes
Der Alte Fritz said…
Can you copy the words of that passage on this blog post?
David Morfitt said…
Looking good - though I confess the thought of what in reality that sort of artillery could do to man and horse does make me shudder somewhat! Just as well we are only playing a game...

Cheers,

David.
David Morfitt said…
Looking good - though I confess the thought of what in reality that sort of artillery could do to man and horse does make me shudder somewhat! Just as well we are only playing a game...

Cheers,

David.
Thank you men! Jim, I'll type the passage in question into another blog post Monday afternoon when I get home.

Kind Regards,

Stokes
Bloggerator said…
Grand work on the pop-guns Stokes.

Allow me to whisper in your ear (sotto voce) of GW (and Army Painter) Contrast Paints applied as a wash. They'll get into any nook or cranny you may have and at the same time deal with any pesky glints of bare casting...

Greg
Thank you for the tip, Greg! I will have to try some of those after the Christmas holidays. Have heard a lot about them on various blogs and hobby fora.

Kind Regards,

Stokes

Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Taking Stock Part II: The (As Yet) Unpainted but Planned OOB. . .

  Two companies of Reichsarmee grenadiers painted back in 2017 or 2018.  Minden Austrians of course. A lovely early autumn day here in the grand duchy.  Bright sunshine and a light breeze with cool temperatures will make for some very pleasant late afternoon lawn mowing in a little while.  But first a bit more discussion of painting plans for the future. Last time, I looked back at the various and sundry units, support troops, and civilians that I've managed to paint in the last 17 years as the Grand Duchy of Stollen project has developed.  So today, let's look into the seemingly bottomless Drawer 'o' Lead to my left for a clue to the new direction.  Be forewarned, it's not going to be a quick job getting everything painted and based, but there we are. The following plans are based on the pile of unpainted figures already here.  Any future purchases will be limited to small things that might be needed to fill out the envisioned units (the odd few officers mounted o

Having a "No Day". . .

  F or the almost 20 years that she lived in Mexico, one of my late mother's Irish friends frequently mentioned having a "No Day."  A day with no social obligations, chores, tasks, or other work that interfered with whatever personal interests took one's fancy on the day in question. Since today -- a gray and chilly Saturday -- is Mom's birthday, the Grand Duchess is out with friends, and the Young Master is ensconced on the sofa in the TV room with a cold, yours truly is taking his own such No Day.  I think Mom would approve of my decision to make the world go away, as the old Eddie Arnold song intoned, even if only for a little while. So, I will spend Saturday afternoon focused on that first squadron and small regimental staff of Eureka Saxon cuirassiers.  These have stood waiting  untouched over on the painting table for almost three weeks while we skied and otherwise gadded about with snowy, winter outdoor activities. I hope to share a painting update Sunday a