First light battalion and cannon based up and then on a whim I started painting a Spanish officer. I'm trying out a "simple" method. So far I'm glad most of the force will be militia.

Osprey setting the high bar in wargames advertising yet again! Also a really good game.

Much better with the grass on. So that's ONE skirmish group for Sharp practice done (plus Major Angus McCoatup back there). Only about 55 left in the box. Shouldn't take THAT long. Right?

Not gonna try the tartan. Not gonna try the tartan. Not gonna try the tartan. Dammit, I have to try the tartan. Naps are the worst for "oops, missed a bit" and the Scots are the worst of the worst for it. Looks pretty good though... If anything is wrong then I painted it for The silver Bayonet.

I think I'm going to speed up some of Sharp practice prep and try some games where one side is much smaller but all light infantry types. I've had skirmishers in my games before but never as the leads. Should be some tough fights for the French/British/Union sides!

What's everyone on about? Rapture day was in '07. Now would you kindly return to posting about miniatures and games.

Get the red and white on there and it starts to feel like its getting done. Still lots to do but it doesn't seem so much now.

So I was thinking these might be fun to do Midgard with. And now I'm thinking these might be fun to do Midgard AND Strength and honour with. My Other Partizan shopping list grows. Again!

If nothing else the Spanish of the Napoleonic period had magnificent hats.

3 books into the Sharpe series and my wife gets me this. Good job I'm not easily distracted, eh?

Is it just me or is wargames Bluesky getting a bit quiet recently?

No new pictures, where are you mentally

This, breakfast and a bath all in 90 minutes. Pretty chuffed with that.

Bugger. Price increase at the Perry's in October. Clearly the only sensible thing to do is buy everything you might need NOW! Shame I'm broke really.

It's not often I can claim to have painted a light battalion before bed but doing it this way... Can't find THE colour to get the extreme highlight that I want though. Some buggery of lighting tricks happens when so much of it is blue that didn't happen with the line troops.

There's several little touches and methods in this video that are worth watching for. At least they were for me. I've got to try some of that distressed highlighting...

First Spaniards getting built. Really nice once they go together but much harder to clip off the sprues than most Perry sets I've had. Not a big issue. These will be the first defenders of the "Casa Del Boy". You know when you're almost there when you spot the wagon with only 3 wheels.

Ooh, all 3 eras. The new hope era, empire era and jedi era! Plus some other EU stuff apparently.

As the boxes have only been out for about 15 years now I'm sure everyone is yet to experiment with how well the Victrix and Perry's parts mix. Well let me tell you - not bad. The Perry's are a bit slimmer but even 2 part aiming arms line up quite well if you work them a bit. (15 years already?!)

I wasn't very happy with my officer's faces so I decided to make them more interesting and gave them painted on beards. The "proper" officer really looks like he's got a painted on beard too but "Dick Blunt" over there looks much better.

I'll get the spade and cover...

Perry mini with a cut and stick pistol arm and free arm from Victrix and we have an officer whose character I can practically feel. Very grim, dour, probably fatalistic but also efficient. A pro. He's only a line officer so probably a L2 big man in Sharp practice... for now. Just needs a name.

First brigade done! This style also allows for irregular spacing for militias or for firing poses to fit more comfortably. Most importantly you can tell what each formation is. If I do at all well in next year's Pendraken painting competition I'll feel like I've earned it with these. Chuffed.

In some ways this is on track to be my best painted army. I did just happen to glance at a Perry's guide and notice I've done the 4 fusilier company colours here so I MAY have just obliged myself to add a Grenadier and Volitigeur stand to each battalion. It's still only 12 models per battalion so...

I just realised while painting my 10mm French that I hadn't done the trousers on my Grenadiers. I can't believe no one told me, you know I can't be trusted! Somewhat related, I'm really enjoying painting at the mo. Feels good seeing those lines appear and the colours fill in.

Oh! It's the 12th! Release day! Brace yourselves, neighbours! You're gonna feel this one through my earphones!

Count down to "I'm so sorry, I was hacked!"... Also before you put them on your personal black list there appears to be two companies with very similar names so just double check you're ignoring the right one, you coward/lout/liar!

Surely it would have been easier to just look in the A-Z? That is pretty damn awesome though.

And another! I think this is all the riflemen characters I've met in the books so far (with a touch of TV guidance for the appearance). As a random aside, this head would be good if you were making Billy from Predator.

On the list! (Odds are you also need more Weasel in your life)

I'm not interested in the new K47. Too expensive, the vehicles and a lot of the weird troops don't do it for me and... Aaaah, $&#&! m.youtube.com/watch?v=gAYB...

I'm particularly pleased with my Sharpe inspired characters because I'm getting them painted FAST. At the start of this afternoon Hagman here was only undercoated with some sand on the base! I'm trying lots of greens to get a campaign look. This one used a BRIGHT green tamed with a dusty drybrush.

Ok, add the gold to the sword, sort the officer's coat and chin strap, sharpen the drum trim, paint the greatcoats on the packs, get that spot of blue off the eagle (after seeing this pic), add spots of deep sky blue to the jackets (it's SO bright!) then stop to think I may be overdoing it...

I added orange and white flowers to the grass because god bless Ireland.

Painting is going ok on my Harper, photography however peaked here. Haversack is possibly a bit of an odd colour but I wanted a splash of colour on the model.

I like the idea of Brian here being the head of intelligence in one of my crews. Now I look at him like this I may have to exaggerate the eye stalks for effect.

I was waiting to get some more sprues to mix up but then I thought "why?", which was a good point. And so with one box of Stargrave troopers and some bits I have made every military support option for Bug hunt (1st ed). I'm not counting planetary militia as I want them to be unique to each loacale.

Anybody's favourite NOT One?

See, I told you reading all that Sharpe wouldn't affect my Colours shopping list. Much.

Every attempt to take a picture of the front goes blurry. Either I'm nervous or it's possessed.

Gonna have a decent shot in the Pendraken painting competition next year I think. I hope.

Pendraken sculpts are so good there's a raised line for the cuffs visible to aid painting! So now I've basically committed myself to a silly amount of detail for my "quick" naps army. At least I've cut the representative numbers per battalion down...

Excellent. I'm now only missing 6 books in the series and have the first 14 in sequence. By the time all the bundles my wife got me on Vinted arrive I may well have the set! It's the most I've been into a series since I fell into Lord of the rings. Looks to total about the same number of pages too.

I would just like to add I highly recommend. I even wrote a bit about why if you're interested. www.blogger.com/blog/post/ed...

Had to happen really. I knew it was likely so I kept some plastics ready for it. Built up the base so my Harper is "subtly" tall (and wielding the volley gun) and Hagman is aiming, probably at an officer. I'll give these more varied paint jobs than the "normal" 95th and no packs - travelling light!

Thanks nanny! (2 models isn't enough to warrant starting a new game is it? Is it?!)

Got a second hand book delivery today... I may be late to the party but I'm going to have a good time now I'm here! And I'm sure it won't influence what I pick up at Colours this week...

It doesn't look much yet but this will be the rest of 3 British battalions for If the Lord spares us. The only issue so far is the realisation that I only have enough for the British. So Saturday at Colours top of the list should be to get the Turks.

Quote with your red art (I don't know if it's art but I like it!)

Just glued the sides on this beast so I'm ready for the festive tank challenge. It was printed for me by @moonhead1972.bsky.social who I just talked into joining Bluesky so give him a warm welcome and a follow (if you're so inclined)! He needs the motivation I think...