Toy soldier in Art No.1

Mrs K displays her collection of Austro-Hungarian Grenadiers memorabilia .

(illustration found on Facebook)

 

The engagement in the Vale do Tedio (part2)

 

The action was hotting up as the Republican Militia moved to engage the enemy threatening the mine.

The workers beat of all attacks on the Convent and only take a few casualties due to it's stout walls.

Then the game comes to an end - I usually play till 6 jokers have been drawn and the last two appeared in quick succession and night falls !

'and as the suns sinks slowly in the west' - things were looking a bit bleak anyway for the Nuevo Riccan forces, the Police had suffered heavy casualties trying to take the convent and on the last move the Regulars tried to attack the workers in the Mine and failed their moral test and fled ! - so a victory for the Republican Workers ! . The Neuvo Riccan forces had bad luck and never really got going and the game ending rather abruptly was maybe a blessing for them preventing further embarrassment . An interesting game and it was good to get the figures on the tabletop again .

The engagement in the Vale do Tedio (part1)

 

The game started with a bit of luck for the Republic , the reinforcements diced well and sped down the road towards the Convent.

On the other flank a column of Neuvo Riccan Regulars appear, having had to abandon their transport due to the bridge being destroyed by the rebel workers .

The Police force was delayed due to a breakdown in transport (I roll 2 dice before moving them on a double the truck doesn't move) . The first unit debuses and moves towards the enemy.

And shortly afterwards - run away having taken heavy casualties (the postage stamp markes that they have activated and the Llama means they are disordered)

On the other flank the Regulars deploy and bring up their HMG to attack the mine workings . Part 2 to follow soon .......

The Return to 'Nacho Wars' , The Workers are revolting !.

It's been a while since I explored the history and battles in the bitter struggle between Neuvo Rico and the Republic de la Coccos .

A recent find of high grade Gold in the once backwater of Vale do Tedio has sparked sudden interest in both Nations 

The worker of the Mina de Ouro have sided with the Republic and seized control of the mine and the Convent on the main route into the valley.and await reinforcements. 

Help is on the way in the form of the local Militia 'la cigarros' 

However the Government of Neuvo Rico has it's eyes on the prize as well and have dispatched a 'Flying Column' of the Policia do Estado to take control of the mine and deal with the workers ! . More to follow ...........

 

Another holiday , another Hobby Shop! *

The authour poses with dog and booty outside the Portmadog model shop. Once I knew we where going to Wales on holiday a trip to the Mecca of modeling was inevitable . 

A well stocked shop ! although not as many plastic figures this time around , due to the war in the Ukraine the owner informed me , Zvezda figures are made in Russia and so not available now and Strelets and Red box are Ukrainian and are hard to get at the moment and sadly one of the figure designers has been killed in the fighting.

Lots of plastic kits as well - I bought several bits of scenery whilst I was there.

The center of the shop is dominated by a massive Rorke's Drift diorama in 28mm !

The proprietor did tell me how many figures there where in it and to my shame I've forgot what she said .

The shop is well worth a visit if your in the area , this being my third one I think over the years.     

*Rumors that I am orchestrating my holidays to locations of model shops are false and are entirely coincidental !

 

'Lloyd George knew my father'* (no not really he didn't)

 

Been on holiday in North Wales and one of our walks took us past the grave of Llyod George The Prime Minister 1916-22 (see -we can produce interesting politicians - rather than the bland cretins we have now) Here we see Mr and Mrs Walker viewing the grave .

Very nice memorial I was impressed , he was an interesting chap - with similar views on personal relationships as H G Wells. 

The walk followed the river upstream vey peaceful although a bit muddy in places.

The view through a hollow tree.

Mrs K and dog in the Bluebells - shortly after this he found something dead to roll on and my wife did not want to get as close to him again !.

Lloyd George peeps over the hedge , there was a museum dedicated to him , but I didn't visit it as - a) I had Mrs K with me (she has a low tolerance to museums) and b) it was shut.

*sung to the tune of 'Onward Christian Soldiers'

Figures from my distant past.

 

I did some dusting in my Wargaming room - itself a rare occasion and had to take down and dust some larger scale figures I once painted and having dusted them I thought I should celebrate the moment by posting them . First up 'The Good Soldier Svjek' (one of my literary heroes) I made this from 'Flymo' (?) putty - the sort you bake in the oven . Think I made it about 40 years ago - my only attempt at sculpting - being a cartoon character helped but I think I captured the character of the man. The writing on the base has faded I'm afraid.

Next up a MASH nurse , must have been from the time MASH hit the TV screen. I was given the sculpt I think ? - I once belonged to a modeling club - the now defunct Westmorland Military Modeling Society* , I think its 70mm tall and I painted it using oil paints - Women/girls are very hard to paint I find - getting the face and complexion right is difficult. 

Probably from the same era (30 years ago ?) 'Waiting for the Noon Stage' - I know this cos I wrote it under the base . I think I got it as a Christmas present and again I used oil paint - which was a popular medium back then . A larger figure about 4" tall . I haven't I think painted a large scale figure since then - obviously a stage I was going through.

*PS I tried Googling WMMS and found nothing - pre internet of course .

Sir Jackabus Wooley (Mark II)

A couple of years ago I converted a figure to represent Sir Jack Wooley the leading light in the Parliamentary cause in Borsetshire ..: Sir Jakabus Wooley 'A Fyne Martialle Man' (tonystoysoldiers.blogspot.com) The conversion was not a success, after the figure had lost his arm and head twice due to accidents I decided to have another go . Altogether a more compact but slightly boring figure- but without detachable limbs.

 

Dismounted Horse for Borsetshire.

Powering through painting the 54mm Replicants , these are some rather dramatically posed dismounted cavalry figures which will make a good 'Forlorn Hope' for actions in Borsetshire.

 

'Warts and all'

Have finally got around to painting my 54mm Replicant figures. First up is 'Old Noll' - Oliver Cromwell himself who may end up visiting Borsetshire in the future .

 

Slaine , the 'Baddies'.

The 'Baddies' in the box comprise of a Druid priest and a 'Wyrd' stone and arch-enemy Slough Throt , strange but intriguing figures.

There are also three Skull Sword warriors here seen confronting Slaine.

If Slaine gets annoyed he loses it and goes berserk ! and you replace the normal model with an enraged Slaine who more or less doubles his fighting skills ! . I've had a couple of games and the rules are fairly simple , you have profile cards with the details of the models and activation is done by drawing chits from a bag to activate them , Heroes can be activated more than once and minions die easily , so games are short but dramatic . I've enjoyed painting these figures - so different from my usual 'Toy Soldiers' so may buy a few more to flesh the game out a bit .