Turkish High Command.

Having got my second battalion of Turkish Infantry painted I decided it was time to do a command group for them . Stretlets can be a bit 'hitty missy' on the rank and file figures but with command they are capable of turning out some very atmospheric figures indeed . Here we see Ali Pasha and his entourage  obviously inspired by the Fenton photo photograph of 1855 , his sycophantic Aide D' Camp serves him a cup of coffee, whilst his pipe bearer stands behind him , his rather rotund second in command is to the right. Click on photo to enlarge .

A Humorous Postcard .

The Authors and 'A's plan to use live ammunition in wargaming came to an abrupt halt with the bursting of Mrs 'K's eardrum !.

The 1st Battalion Azovsky Regiment.

Well returning refreshed from my holidays I've got the first Russian unit done for my Crimean project .

I have had to take the photos of them outside due to the fitting of a new shower in the bathroom (were I usually take my photos) , not sure this has been a total success .

The figures are Stretlets 1/72nd figures and being in grey greatcoats paint up quickly. I had two attempts at painting the plastic flag - which at arms length will pass as okay.

The Battalion has 32 figures in it and will count as a 'large' unit under the 'Black Powder' rules .

Here the unit deploys in Company columns - three up and one in reserve , Stretlets selling point is that they have forty eight different poses in each box this has it's advantages and disadvantages , with several of the figures being a bit 'naff' !.

Stretlets come into quite a lot of criticism on 'The Plastic Soldier' review site but I find they have a certain character to them . Starting another Turkish unit next .

Wargaming Humour Again .

One for the Role Playing Gamers out there .

Wargaming Nirvana.

Been on holiday in North Wales , staying in a very nice static caravan in the middle of nowhere , lots of walking with the dog and wife , but the highlight of the week (rivalled only by a cream tea !) was a visit to the Porthmadog  model shop .

I last visited it seven years ago and was thrilled with it then and whilst we were in the area I had to get a look at it again . I walked round the corner and to my horror it wasn't there !!!!! - bottom lip out time ! , then I turned around and it was there - they had moved to bigger premises across the road ! .

It's packed from floor to ceiling with toy goodness ! , plastic figures , kits , scenery and modelling equipment .

And in the centre of the shop a HUGE Napoleonic scenario !.

It is very impressive !

I asked the lady at the counter how many figures there were - she said she had never counted them but there were over three hundred in each of these columns .

They are 25mm metal figures and sadly I can't remember which manufacturer .

Evidently her husband had bought them in from a collector and it had taken two days to set them all up in the Perspex display case .

All in all an excellent day out ! - if your ever in the area its well worth a visit , such well stocked shops are few and far between nowadays .

My own modest purchase - Stretlets big box Crimean War British Light Cavalry.

Wargaming Humour (?).

Pinched off the Internet . (from 300)

Turkish Infantry of the Crimean War.

I've got the first figures for my Crimean War project done , these are Turkish infantry using Stretlets 1/72nd scale plastic figures . I have based them for 'Black Powder' and each base is a sort of 'mini-diorama' as Stretlets boxes have 48 different figures in each one so I have tried to theme each one - shooting, marching ,charging etc . I hope to get some Russians done next. 

A Flash(man)ing Blade.

Flashman has been one of my literary hero's since I first read about his adventures as a teenager . When Wargames Illustrated made a figure in 28mm of the great man himself I had to get one ! and there he sat on my painting tray for several months - till today when I found myself without anything prepared for painting - so I decided to paint him up . I  painted him in the uniform of the 17th Lancers , who he served with . He could be appearing in some of my Colonial games in the near future.

Hobby Stuff.

Somebody enquired how I get the Cavalrymen to fit their horses - with difficulty ! . First I drill a hole in the back of the horse's saddle .

A pin is pushed into it with a drop of super glue to help and cut to about 10-15mm in length.

A hole is now drilled into a delicate part of the rider ( I wince when doing this !) - shades of Vlad the Impaler !

The rider is then pushed firmly onto the pin with a generous amount of 'super glue'.

The first six cavalrymen done ready for spraying .

Some of them painted awaiting varnishing then basing .

I was wanting some trees for my 'Wellington in India' project and found these suitably Eastern ones on EBay .- 20 of them for £ 3.50 post free from China - how do they do that ?! - arrived within a week as well !.

I drilled holes into some MDF bases and glued them down , cutting off the protruding stumps underneath , here we see them awaiting basing with a 28mm and 15mm figure for scale