Wargames, Soldiers and Strategy Features.

Hello there! After receiving notification that my latest features had been published in WSS magazine Issue 105 I thought that I now had a lot of work now wandering around on PDF and magazines.

Here is a list of what I have had published so if you would like any help in making your scenery. I was going to do a scan of each magazine cover but it appears that my scanner does not want to connect to my computer so sorry.

Issue 74         'Building Better Terrain'                    Bring Your Scenery to Life

Have you ever looked at the efforts of the railway modelling enthusiast, possibly with a little envy, imagining how your troops would look on their scenery? Here I provide some suggestions to how you can improve your scenery for the wargaming table.

Issue 78         'Another Brick in the Wall'                Walls and Fences for the Wargaming                                                                                                       Terrain

After feeling that there was a gap in the hobby for decent walling and fencing I decided to make my own in a modular format. Using some of the Javis Scenics range that our railway modelling friends use. This led to me making the masters for a set of resin walling as well, kindly cast up by Ian Clunie from Shellhole Scenics. I also included some snake rail fencing and buck rail fencing.

Issue 80         'Covering Ground'                                Building a Canal Feature

I received some vac formed canal features from Ian at Shellhole Scenics. This included some straight sections, curves and a bridge section. I describe how to get to the point of applying the water.

Issue 82         'Water, Water Everywhere'                Modelling Realistic Water on the                                                                                                              Tabletop

A continuation of the previous feature showing how to add the water effects to the canal feature.

Issue 85         'Seeing the Wood for the Trees'        A Bit of Vegetation for your                                                                                                                       Wargames Table

Ideas on how to use Woodland scenic clump foliage and keep it on the armature and make your trees more 'wargames proof' Also palms trees and weeping willows.

Issue 88          'Don't Fence me in'                            Dividing up your American Wargames                                                                                                    Table

Description of how to make basic cross rail fencing, snake rail fencing and Hagerstone turnpike fences.

Issue 89          'Rolling Countryside'                        How to make Realistic Hills

This is the modular scenery, (600 x 600mm), hills I constructed to fit with standard club scenery.

Issue 91         'Building a Russian Izba'                   Modelling the Retreat from Moscow Pt 1

Building a Russian dwelling suitable for a number of periods. This includes using plasticard to represent timber and teddy bear fur for a roof.

Issue 92          'Snow Scenery'                                    Part 2 of the previous article

Using snow and ice products readily from the market.

 Issue 93          'Making a Desert Oasis'                    An Island in a Desert of Sand

A scratch build of an oasis in 20mm. easily suitable for 28's.

Issue  97           'A Magnificent MDF Mansion'        Upgrading Laser Cut Buildings

I merged three MDF buildings together and modelled one side as Tudor and the other as Regency period.  

Issue 101          'Flying the Flag'                                 Making Your Flags Stand Out

I describe a few techniques to make your flags look more realistic.

Issue 102         'Fun with Foam'                                  Using upholstery Foam for Wargaming

Cheap foam woods and explosion markers for your wargames.

Issue 104         'Lets Talk About Tents'                        Scratch Building Tents'

American Civil War tents which can be used as objectives for the Confederates to raid.

Issue 105         'Changing an Icon'                            Remodelling Airfix Desert Fort

A face lift for this great model and a description of a number of techniques which can be used elsewhere.

Issue 105         'Rey Patria O La Muerte'                A Discussion of the Spanish in the                                                                                                           Napoleonic Wars

As described above. A few reasons why the Spanish Army did not achieve their goals as well as they may have liked.

Issue 107          Union Blockhouse                            The Unions way to fight the                                                                                                                        Confederacys Cavalry  

Issue 107          Cherry Blossom Trees                    A colourful Piece of scenery for the                                                                                                          Samurai Period

Issue 108          There's a Feature in That!            Writing features for WSS.

Issue 110          The Battle of Bir Hacheim            Complete with photographs from The Perrys                                                                                       collection

Issue 111           Red and Yellow                               Tips for Painting more Difficult Colours, Red &                                                                                     Yellow                        

Issue  112           Rise Against the Eagle                  The Battle of Medina de Rioseco

Issue  112           Fifty Shades of White                    Tips for painting Whites

Blimey that was a long list! I did not realise I had done that many. I hope this list is a helpful index should you require any scenery making or painting information.

Spanish Napoleonic Zaragoza Regiment

Hello There! Here is a regiment that I completed a while ago and can now put on the blog. This is the second Napoleonic unit I have completed for a very long time!

Uniformed in the blue M1802 uniform. I have read in many places that the exact shade of blue is not known and argued about a lot, (not by me though). I made it lighter than the blue used by the French but not as light as the Irish Regiments in the Spanish army. The figures are a mix of Eagle Miniatures,  Offensive Miniatures and a couple of Perrys. The flag is from GMB with a piece of foil inside to maintain its shape. I have made the base a little more 'deserty' to fit in with the terrain.

Further Confederate Recruits

Hello There! After some illness in the family, both myself and a close family member things are up and running again. I suppose the handy thing with a blog is that it can be picked up and put down when circumstances permit.

I have a number of projects on, typical of any wargamer, and have completed some more figures for my ACW project.

These guys are  from a combination of Wargames Foundry and Perrys. I recently purchased some of the new Confederate cavalry releases from Perrys and these are been slowly completed. I have started using some railway modellers corn stalks for my basing. I was given these by a wargaming friend, Chris, recently and they are being slowly used.

I read recently that JEB Stuart considered swords a liability and ordered his men to get rid of them. I do not know the validity of this story but it is worth further study.

Here are the dismounted Confederate troops. These are Redoubt with some Perrys. In comparison the Perrys have better defined faces and bodily dimensions  but the Redoubt figures have their own advantages, being multi poses, to a point, coming as separate head, torso and legs. They can be mixed but uyou have to realise that they have to be assembled which takes longer to get on the table. For this assembly Milliputt and superglue is your friend but you have to be prepared to do a but of filing to improve the fit then leave them as they set. This gives me a chance to get on with something else in the meantime. 

I have assembled this figure previously but I am taken by the 'Mississippi Gambler' style. The join between the legs and the torso is not noticeable. I have painted the trousers in an attempt at the 'English Blue' colour of clothing and used this theme throughout the figures.

Here is a close up of the corn stalks I have started to use. Although intended for HO/OO railway modellers they are fine for 28mm figures. They are from JTT  Scenery Products, serial number 95552, 1" high corn stalks. As always with photographing your figure close up I have realised that I have not painted the buckle on the shoulder strap, so out he comes from the box to be done!

Redoubt again and more corn stalks. I painted the undershirt white, despite Confederate troops regarded this colour derisory to themselves as this was worm by slaves so they felt insulted wearing this colour. All part of the reason for this was in the first place. Someone asked me about the causes of the American Civil War as they were saying it was about States Rights and I agreed it was about States Rights, (To Own Slaves). Looking at the news even now this still seems to be a contentious point with some in the United States. 

These are Perry Figures and although a little shorter than the Redoubt they still fit well together, as any group of people are always a different height. The tall grass on the right is from Woodland Scenics. The faces are better defined on the Perrys over the Redoubt as some of the Redoubt are a little 'wonky' but at a 'Wargaming Distance' this is not noticeable. 

More Redoubt and example of the wonky face! I was considering getting the figure on the right to hold a flag but used another figure instead and used him to beckon others on into the attack.

Lastly the standard bearer. The flag is from GMB and the flag has a piece of foil inside to allow it to keeps its shape as per one of the features I wrote for WSS magazine.

SELWG Haul

Hello There! Here is the 'haul' from the SELWG visit.

I found the book on the bring and buy, which was a useful addition to the library and  can easily be useful for research material  for a feature for WSS in the future.

I am always on the look out for 'new' additions to 20mm forces, either desert or NW Europe, and this caught my eye. This was particularly because it was not a tank or massive mobile blockhouse. I feel many a WW II game is spoilt by having  phalanxes of tanks advancing across the table in a totally unrealistic manner.

Next was some recruits for my American Civil War skirmish. A box of Confederates and Union infantry. They are the skirmish line figures which are most suitable for this level of gaming and provide a nice mixture with the equivalent Perry packs of the same figures.

Last some resin accessories from Bad Squiddo. These are intended for the skirmish project as well and will be suitable the wide range of periods that I hope these rules shall cover.

SELWG 2019

Hello Thee! I have just arrived back from the show and after a much shorter visit that usual, (as I did not have a trade stand this time), I arrived home much sooner that usual too!

The Cheshunt  Wargames club put on what appeared to be a Cruel Seas game but they were using a set of their own rules for a WW II naval game.

A long table culminating in an industrial area at one end was being attacked by a squadron of Mosquito aircraft. I liked the idea of twisting white pipe cleaners around the aircraft wings to show damage, something I have not seen before. The aircraft were also on car aerials to show height.

There were also a number of islands along the board with extra targets for the bombers and AA gun emplacements.

The models being used were particularly eye catching. This one did not fare well during one game.

Here is one of those defensive islands to make life difficult for the attackers.

For a naval game there were many models to catch the eye. This was a participation game and I hope they had a lot of interest.

Next up the Essex Warriors put on a 'What a Tanker' game which also seemed quite busy.

The vehicles seems well presented with some different subjects in the desert, for a nice change.

Here you can also see a small section of the buildings used.

Here is one of the Italian protagonists in this game.

The GLC Games Club put on a 28mm ECW game which looked very good with some presentable terrain which was very neat.

Although on another flat mat, I believe this was also a participation game, (?), this game also appeared busy.

 These well painted figures  were particularly nice, I usually hope to see the backs of my figures because if I see their fronts they are routing! These looked lovely.

I can never resist a good church! The variation of the blockwork and red roof looked good.

This a close up of the figures hiding in the church grounds.

Real Time Wargames put on a game using 1/300th figures. What a surprise! These looked really good both from afar and close up. Nice to see and a refreshing change!

These 28mm figures were on a refight of Hydaspades and was connected to The Society of Ancients table. A big table with plenty of figures on it. Well done!

The Deal Wargames Association presented a game showing the Free French invasion of Elba. A spectacular game with many eye catching points. They supplied a very good hand out, (probably the  best I have come across). I cannot put a text to every picture but I have tried to  show as many points as possible.

It was nice to see some of the buildings from originally Shellhole Scenics, now Lancer Miniatures.

The air support was supplied by the British and Americans.

French Gourmir, a right nasty bunch!

Here was a participation game by the Gravesend Wargames Club. In 28mm based on an attack on St Mere Eglise it was a well presented village table with plenty of model buildings and figures. Again I can only leave you with a number of pictures to look at.

The aisles appeared much easier to get around and there appeared to be more space around the game tables and traders stands.

The show overall seemed very quiet, (the Brexit effect?), the footfall appeared very low, something mentioned to me by a few traders. I hope the traders attending have not suffered.

The show guide would have benefited from adding the title of the game next to the club tables to make it easier to pick out what you were interested in.

Wargames shows always hand out a bag of goodies or a map, which is good and extremely helpful. However I do question handing out plastic bags after the being made aware of the damage they do to the environment.

A particularly poor point was the state of the gents toilets. They were absolutely appalling and need thoroughly cleaning! I realise that this is not the fault of the SELWG staff but they need to be raised as an area of desperate improvement.

I do not want to appear to denigrate the Sterling efforts of the SELWG team. Putting on a war games show must be an unimaginable nightmare but the above points can only help to improve it still more.