From Kerry T: King Charles doesn't make the cut & Rupert's not a bear (550points)

 Morning, afternoon and evening all

I didn't manage an entry last week as I bit off more than I could chew (well more than I could base actually). 

Being a slow learner I nearly did the same this week and am posting now instead of doing the paperwork I planned to do this afternoon. Pictures  and post first, paperwork later, you see I do have my priorities correct.

In the past 2 weeks I've continued to paint ECW cavalry and things were going well until I decided to add more yesterday. That's why old King Charles didn't make the cut..

Here he is with Astley (Jacob, not Rick) still on the workbench

I'd managed to finish the Queen's Lifeguard and the Queen's Regiment of Horse last week(or at least they're the flags I've given them) but didn't have enough time to base them

Bicorne miniatures armed with swords

That's fine I thought, I'll add another regiment in the week and base them both up for this week, saving a little time and mess on the basing part 

Bicorne Miniatures with pistols

Then however, not satisfied with my haul of 48 horse I had a bright idea late on Saturday lunchtime to add some command, so I did! After all its a long holiday weekend here in NZ so with Monday off I'd easily get all my remaining Empress Miniatures Command figures done. What could go wrong...

Empress Miniatures commanding Bicorne Horse

I've neglected the garden again in the past few weeks but I felt guilty and did a touch of weeding yesterday and some fruit picking today

Hey Ken look what I've got

These took an age to pick- I should have been painting

Unfortunately the task I set myself of another 9 mounted figures was too onerous and going out to a party yesterday afternoon thinking I could finish painting them after so many glasses of grape juice on my return was a non starter. Coming home late last night I hurriedly stuck several unfinished command figures onto a multibase and applied the grit. That's when Charlie and Astley got the chop and consequently today I've spent most of the day trying to highlight figures and made a start on Prince Rupert and his horse while he was attached to a large command base. It finally dawned on me that  there was no way I'd get to the other two figures.

Prince Rupert and hangers on

Do you think I could find my remaining ECW flags this afternoon? 

These were originally intended to accompany the King and Astley 

Empress Miniatures assorted command

So the King will have to wait a while I think but that's not a bad thing in retrospect because I'll now have a chance to add a different mix of figures for his command base and get some new flags.

Thankfully, late this afternoon, despite the added hassle of painting some flags the whole parade has managed to get to town

Showjumping ECW style

and again

What's that creeping around the corner of that house?

The whole shibang, all the ECW cavalry I've painted in the challenge to date

That's enough ECW cavalry I think for this AHPC, I need a change

I have  another 48 more ECW cavalry figures to paint, including those by Bloody Miniatures but this will do for now I think as I can't face painting any more buff and need a change from painting horseflesh.

So in summary

2 x 24 units of 28mm ECW cavalry  @ 10 points = 480 points

7 assorted mounted 28mm ECW command figures @ 70 points = 550 in total

No Squirrels

Side challenge

21 of the cavalry have a cuirass so another 105 can opener points

Many thanks and best wishes

Valleyboy

From Millsy:

Another cracking cavalry entry Kerry! Beautifully painted as always and looking the absolute business on your amazing table.

I'm particularly impressed by your command stands which have a load of dynamism to them. The composition is great and the large bases give them a real diorama feel. Lovely work all round!

PS. When can I pop over and pick some fruit? That lot looks delicious!

Cheers,

Millsy

From RayR: Retreat from Moscow - 4th Wurttemberg (42 points)

The Retreat from Moscow project is coming along nicely. Here we have an 8 figure detachment from the 4th Wurttemberg regiment, that was part of Ney's Third Army, 25th Division, under Brigadier von Hugel.

There are a few companies that make some superb Wurttemberg figures, but alas none of them are in the much needed greatcoats!!

Some some drastic action was required!!!

I bough a few packs of Wargames Foundry French in greatcoats and in true French fashion began chopping off heads!! Replacing them with heads from the old Connoisseur range, now sold by Bicorne Miniatures.

I didn't want to use all the Foundry figures otherwise they would all look the same, so I included 3 plastic Perry figures and one Perry metal figure. I also added a scarf in the 4th facing colours to the only marching figure.

So onto the points...

Pretty simple this one, 8 x 25mm figures at 5 points each

40 points

And if I'm lucky Teemu might give me a few extra points for the conversion work???

TeemuL: Retreat from Moscow is coming along nicely, indeed. It is really great to follow your progress in this duel, the bases and  movement trays look good and the backdrop fits the scene. I seem to be giving bonus points here and there today, so you'll get two, too, just to get a nice number of 42

From Kerry T: Men in Buff - ECW Cavalry (240 points)

Morning, afternoon & evening all

I hope you all had a good new year and have a great  hobby year to look forward to.

For the this my third entry and for the first few weeks of this challenge I had planed to try and knock off some English Civil War cavalry. I'm painting both Royalist and Parliamentary forces for the ECW because I'm largely a solo gamer. My main inspiration came from Simon Miller and his blog and a few years ago when I got an unexpected windfall (my annual bet on a golf tournament at my home club) I bought some Empress Miniatures ECW figures with the winnings.

Since then I've added figures, mainly infantry but then you do need  a fair few cavalry I'm told for ECW. In the main infantry regiments are close to 40 figures strong and cavalry around 24figures. My aim is to use For King and Parliament but I'm also intrigued by the prospect of Never Mind The Matchlocks.

This year I sold a  "never would be used" painted Prussian SYW army and have since used the proceeds to buy some ECW cavalry from Empress Miniatures, First Corps, Bicorne Miniatures and lately Bloody Miniatures.

I painted more than 100 horses over the holiday period as I prefer painting these in large batches. Hopefully than means I can produce a new unit in each of the coming few weeks.

Given my last post was Men in Black, I now give you men in Buff - does this mean they are Buffoons?

Bicorne Miniatures Dragoons

Though these Dragoons carry the colours of Sir Henry Washington (Royalist) my intention is really to use my cavalry generically for both sides - call me a Philistine if you like. There used to be a great web based ECW resource that I used for coat colours but sadly it seems to have been lost forever now. If anyone has any web ECW sources they recommend for painting I'd be grateful. Consequently I have no idea if the coats match the flags!

Another Flags of War ensign

Only 12 figures strong at this stage

The second unit are definitely a Royalist unit though -The Kings Lifeguard of Horse. 

The Dragoons show the Lifeguard the way

Again only 12 figures strong and with a mix of sword and pistol

They're no longer down wind of those smelly dragoons

This way to ye old tavern

On the way home from the tavern, lets charge that house

Finally, never ever ride next to an officer, especially if he's been to the tavern

Its not easy to fit 3 Bicorne horse on a 60 x60mm base

so look where the officer's pistol is pointing!

The Lifeguard are also Bicorne Miniatures and will allow me to open myside-duel challenge for         the title Masterchef or Chief can opener. 

Unlike the Dragoons they each wear a cuirass/breastplate over their buff coats and thus I claim 60cans/points and 1 squirrel

No breastplate only a mold line!

Thus in summary

24 Mounted 28mm figures @ 10 points each= 240 points

Best wishes

From Millsy:

Oh my, these are just gorgeous Kerry! I've been hearing about these on our regular chats and it has certainly whetted my appetite to see them completed. The wait has more than been worth it too.

What a wonderful collection of mounted troops and representing the rightful King as well. It's great to see a Royalist lifeguard unit, and also one of the lesser known in Washington's Dragoons. I can almost hear the thunder of hooves as they charge and rout the rebels before following them off the field.

Let me also compliment you again on both your table setup and your photography. Both are superb and prove the perfect backdrop.

240 well earned points mate!

Cheers,
Millsy

From KerryT - "There be dragons...." or P is for Parliament (250 points and Squirrel 6)

 There be Dragons down by the river...

Nobody was quite sure how it all happened that day in the village of Overbythere.  The village alderman was certainly red faced when the true story emerged. The villagers had just grabbed what they could and ran for their lives - they were after all and uneducated and superstitious, who could blame them.

It all started when little Johnny Bumpkin came tearing over the bridge, running full pelt and so out of breath screaming for all he was worth "Quick there be Dragons, there be dragons coming down the road by the river"

There are of course a number of possible explanations, he was uneducated after all, his speech impediment didn't help and neither did the fact that the first person to hear his cry of alarm, his deaf old Nan who kept shouting out loud the bad news for all to hear. So the whole village just ran, and ran and ran....

Dragons? Can you blame them? Why Dragons, they be dangerous and are mystical and all....

Hold on to those damn horses called Colonel James Wardlowe to the men of his regiment of Dragoons.

He was expecting to be collect provisions here having agreed this beforehand, but why was the village  deserted?....... hopefully the villagers had not been chased off by those damned Royalist infantry and his stores plundered? Surely not

Dig those heel in, whoa..

These are of course Dragoons and not Dragons but hell its a different way to start a post other than with my usual  "Good Morning, Afternoon & Evening all"

These are my P is for Parliament entry and this is the first unit in my Parliamentarian Army - Colonel James Wardlowe's Dragoons, ECW figures by Bicorne Miniatures

Unfortunately I left it a bit late to order the guidons and am also 3 mounted dragoons short, but then again that will give me an excuse to buy more!

Bicorne Miniatures really are nice to paint with good raised detail and I like the variation of poses provided in the dismounted dragoon offerings

There is one dead figure from First Corps in this unit

A bit closer, they'd look better with a guidon 

 

Here's the customary horse's arse

This now gives me my 6th Squirrel and means I'm now half way through my 12 Ps.

By my calculations that's 20 foot figures at 5 points, 14 Mounted @ 10 points and 1 spare horse totalling 245 points though I expect to be severely admonished and fined 240 of those points for an awful pun or play on words! 

_____________________________________

Perhaps an awful play on words, Kerry, but the eye-candy more than makes up for it. They really do look superb, especially when featured amongst your lovely terrain. I particularly like the horse-holder stands with the skittish horses - wonderful little vignettes, those (for which I've added a few more points). More please. :)

- Curt