Major Ballsup's Hobby Shed

Incredibly we're already into the last third of the year so it's time to review how I've done from May through to the end of August.  The updates are in italics but the rest was copied verbatim from 01/05's post.  Existing projects Continue with Sikh Wars project (20mm) Complete the EIC Sepoy regiment currently in progress - Completed. 👍 Chip away at the lead pile adding more units - This has been my main focus and I'm pleased to say that I've eradicated the lead pile for this project completing all the figures I had.  That's 98 figures in 20mm.  👍👍👍 16th Century Western European Wars (15mm) Make scenery to go with English church model - No progress.  👎 Purchase/make specific terrain -  No progress.  👎 Purchase more figures to extend my collection back to the 1540s and also for the Irish Wars - No new figures purchased. ☝ Algerian War (20mm) Finish making terrain  - I painted up all the hills and rocky outcrop scatter. 👍 Paint up last few ...

I've had a varied week hobby wise with a bit of everything and it's been very enjoyable.  Gaming I finally got round to playing an Algerian War game, using Ambush Alley rules.  Read the AAR here .   Painting/modelling   I've completed the Great Escape Games plastic gunfighters.  These seemed to take no time at all and were really enjoyable to paint.  Have a look here . I've been working on my 10mm Punic Wars collection bases again.  I spent some time on these  last year , but have reworked them to go with my current thinking which is actually going back to my original thinking!  I'm not indecisive at all.  I've now recut the card sabot bases so all foot are based four figures in two ranks of two on 20mm square bases and cavalry are two to a 20mm square base.  This gives a lot of flexibility for a number of rulesets and makes them far more usable and easier to handle for a game being the same size as one 25mm figure base....

After finishing off the last of the Sikh-Wars figures I realised I had very little left to paint apart from 12 Perry Miniatures plastic ACW and a sprue of five Great Escape Games Gunfighters. I'd got these to combine with a pack of NorthStar Cultists to make these sinister critters (more here ).  There's 5 bodies and 5 pairs of legs on the sprue and a plethora of arms and heads.  I think they'd be enough to make 10 different enough figures, which is what I believe you get in a full pack.  I only use 28mm for skirmish games now, so I'm interested in making them as different as possible hence why I  tend to only buy the odd sprue.  When I made the cultists I complained that the hands on these Great Escape figures were massive.  There's still a few like that but it seems they were more the ones with the older, larger Colt pistols.  The ones with the Peacemakers look much better.   They painted up really nicely.  There's lots of details...

Mission Brief A selected team from the 1er Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes (1er REP) have been inserted into the djebel to try to capture or kill the ALN leader, Akili Benchabla, The Viper.  Having pursued their quarry for days they at last have him in sight.  But will he escape their clutches yet again?   Table Set up The game is played on a 3ft x 3ft game mat.  The area is hilly and undulating with rocky outcrops and a few trees which provide cover and potential ambush points.  Six numbered hotspots have been placed on the table from which any insurgents will generate from.  Before play 2D6 are rolled to determine how far ahead in inches the ALN are from the pursuing paras.   Game length The length of the game is 10 turns. The full scenario details with breakdown of the forces can be downloaded from here .  Turn One  The paras activate with the assault team electing to move.  They are in line of sight (LOS) of an ALN unit ...

Quite a busy week on the hobby front.  I've some time off coming up so I'm trying to clear the decks before that and be in a good place to crack on for the last third of the year.   Painting/modelling  I finished the three British Generals for the Sikh Wars thereby finishing all my outstanding Sikh Wars and 20mm figures.  You can see them here . I've made some good progress with the sprue of Great Escape Games Gunfighters.  I previously used some of the arms when I made the Cultists ( here ), and now I've assembled and been painting the 5 models you can make from the sprue. Research & Reading I've finished reading "Vindolanda" by Adrian Goldsworthy.  I really enjoyed this and have already ordered the second one from the library.  Of course the danger is that I've been looking at the Imperial Roman period as a possible new project.  I've got a small 10mm Punic Wars collection already but I do like the idea of some Imperial Romans. ...

Well here we are then the last of the figures for the First Anglo-Sikh War project. These are the British Generals from Newline Designs in 20mm.  A characterful trio they are too. These were very enjoyable to paint.  I based the generals' colours on "Night bivouac of the British Army at Ferozeshah, 21 December 1845", an image I found online from the National Army Museum's fine website.    Apart from sorting out unit flags and improving on the movement trays that is it for this project for the moment.  I've got a brigade of infantry, regiment of cavalry, supporting artillery and commanding officers for both sides and that's enough to have a game with.  

After a very hectic time at work last week things have calmed down.  Being far less tired I've managed to get some productive hobby time in.  Painting/modelling  I'm very pleased to say that I finished the unit of  Bengal Light Dragoons for the First Anglo-Sikh War.  You can see more of them here . I made some more progress with the three British Generals for the Sikh Wars.  These are very nice figures full of character.   Research & Reading I've been reading "Vindolanda" by Adrian Goldsworthy.  I do like historical fiction, but there's so much out there of such variable quality that I put some time in to research what I'm going to read and focus on the better stuff.  The author is a noted Roman historian and so far it's a very good read. I've been working on a new Ambush Alley scenario set in The Algerian War.  This conflict has been my other main project this year and I've been keen to play a game, which hopefully I'll do in t...

After what seems an age working on them I finally finished the regiment of Bengal Light Cavalry. This is a unit of 12, consisting of six sabre wielding troopers, 3 with lances and a command of an officer, trumpeter and standard bearer (for which I need to sort out the standard).  All 20mm Newline Designs and the last unit I had to complete from the order that came in March.   Once I got into these I really enjoyed doing them.  As with all of this project I relied heavily on the Internet as a resource.  It dawned on me that this is the only conflict which I collect/game where I don't own any books.  That's very unusual for me as I love a book.  Perhaps it reflects there's not too many reference works out there, or more likely a reflection of my ignorance of them. I have three, yes three figures to paint for this project and then it's done.  Well at least it is for the moment.

It's been a hectic week at work which has impacted greatly on hobby time so a very quick update.  Painting/modelling  I made a little bit more progress with the Bengal Light Dragoons unit for the First Anglo-Sikh War.  The horses are now complete and started blocking in the colours on the troopers. I based and primed the three British Generals for the Sikh Wars figures.  Research & Reading The plan was to continue reading "The Gempei War 1180–85", which  really wanted to study and absorb.  Therefore, being tired all week I opted for an "easier" read on the commute, turning to "American War" by Omar El Akkad.  This is a bleak apocalyptic fiction set in divided America decimated by viruses and civil war.  I'll not make any further comment.  It's a very good book though. Incoming! No shiny new things to report this week.