Persians coming out of our ears

Pleased to say that another unit of Persian light cavalry is nearly finished. I use the term nearly because I painted necessary figures, based them up and everything, then noticed that I hadn't sorted out a standard bearer for them; so now I have to paint the final light cavalry unit including two standard bearers and can't do the bases until they are done as well. Both units are from Lancky Games and true to form I have had to make some spear changes because of excessive bendiness and breakages. None the less they aren't looking too bad at the mo.

As Youngest Offspring is at Uni, I have convinced the missus that a weekend visit to Sheffield is a good idea...somewhere around the middle of April perhaps...maybe even the same weekend of Triples -what an amazing coincidence. So now I can get the rest of the Sassys and the Byz units that I am missing. (Probably end up getting other stuff as well.) I have already been in contact with that nice Mr Kay at Irregular to prepare him.

Thinking ahead to Derby this year and the start of next year's project, I am not sure whether to get 13th Century Russians/Poles/generic Europeans or Sung Chinese. I can use the Sassys as Khwarizmians so that's one army I don't need to get. I might even get some more Mongols to complete the second tumen. Currently, I have 4 x 15 figure units heavies and 8 x 9 figure light cavalry units. This translates into a full strength tumen of 3 HC and 7 LC units and one of each left over for the second. The jury is still out on that one.

Keep em wet

Mick

Finally, the weather has broken

Sun came out today so I dashed into the grounds for some picture taking. Here are the results.

The command element for the levy infantry; the second unit of light cavalry and the first unit of Byz cavalry. (See what I mean about the colour combo?)

Hope you like 'em.

Mick   

PS If you are into the number crunching aspect of wargaming, since early October last year when I bought this lot, the running total of painted figures now stands at 31 infantry and 46 cavalry  -1 infantry and four cavalry units. Yeah, yeah, I know it's not exactly speed painting but so what, I'm doing it for my own enjoyment and there isn't really any rush on; not yet anyway. I set myself a target of next October to 'finish' both armies and it still looks good...even including the Hunnic Mongols.

PPS The 'rocks' I use on my bases were appropriated from a garden up the road. It's the ornamental bits of slate that people use because they are too posh to use wood chippings like me. All I do is give them a couple of increasing lighter grey dry-brushes and then a thin wash of Vallejo Smoke just to take the starkness off of the grey.

PPPS The first 7 Hunnic Mongols are nearly done. Obviously no pics of them yet because I have to paint another 56 of them first!

Pictures Galore!

Well, we have had a reasonably sunny day so I have been in the grounds snapping away like a Bailey possessed.  All of the first unit of Irregular cattyfracts are finished as is the first unit of Lancyshire light cavalry. The chap on the grey had the  horses front legs cut away from the base and superglued to a twig I found outside somewhere. Simples! The three pics of the levy by Irregular are just a mouth-waterer -just got the shading to do on the last lot. 

Any comments on the use of floral displays as a unit recognition system?

I have the first unit of Byzantine cattyfracts prepped, undercoated and awaiting the addition of some colouration. Watch this space! 

Keep your brushes pointed.

Mick 

Keeping 'em going

Two complete units done now -a unit of Light Cavalry to go with the cattyphracts. A third unit, that of Irregular Mini's levy infantry has one base of 10 figures completed and another ten have all the base colours blocked on. The last ten are undercoated with the shield fronts blocked on. Rather than make them disheveled and levy-looking, I have gone for a nice and clean, straight from the tumble-dryer look -although the colours are definitely light and washed out looking.  Following this I don't know as yet...might even make a start on the Byzantines just for some variety. Looking well good, even if I say so myself. Raining again on and off today and we have had new central heating fitted so painting time has been severely limited. (Hot water on tap again at last is something you people that have it do not understand the luxury of. [After that last sentence, my old English Language teacher is probably turning in his grave as I write.]  Bring forth la belle winter weather, cold, rain, snow sleet et al, I don't care a jot, my life is now complete.

Mick

Hoping for some shiny thing in the sky to show itself soon so that I can take some photo's...you never know, it might happen.