August 2023 Hobby update

August has been a good hobby month.  After my return from holiday last month and finally grasping the nettle that was the 15mm Landsknechts I've made some steady progress. 

Completed

  • I've completed the six Victrix warriors from the Dark Age Archers and Slingers set that I'd started at the end of July.  I really enjoyed working on these, I can't praise Victrix figures enough.  You can see more of them here.
  • 15mm Grumpy's Landsknecht officers.  These were lovely little characterful chaps.  I painted these while doing the first batch of pikemen/halberdiers, but as they are based individually I could finish them off.
  • 28mm Wargames Atlantic Second World War German Sentries.  I knocked out a couple of sprues of these.  There's more pics and my thoughts on the kit here.  
  • On the back of reading about the Seven Years War I had a look at my collection, specifically the terrain.  I've never been that happy with the tree stands that I threw together a couple of years ago (here), so I spent a couple of hours on these.  I think they look much better now.

In progress

Here's what's currently on the table:

  • I've now assembled and base coated the 10mm cottage from Warbases that I started last month.  I've not contacted them yet about the missing roof.    
  • I've started on the first sprue from the Victrix Unarmoured Romans set that I got last November.  This was meant to be my main project for 2023 (hahaha), but due to a year of flitting from one thing to another I'm somewhat behind.  Now I've finally started working on them I really like them.  They come with a guide and suggestions for assembly which is a handy improvement on earlier sets.
  • I've still got the treasure chest terrain piece to do.  I did actually paint a bit of it last month but then noticed I'd flicked white paint on it so it now needs redoing!
  • I've started the Northstar Oathmark Elves sprue that I bought on a whim after re-reading the Corum book.  Overall I quite like them but I hate the pixie boots they're all wearing so much I'm thinking about some surgery.  I'll use them for Ragnarok.
  • When rooting around my plastics box I found I had quite a lot of Warlord Games 28mm farm animals unbuilt so I assembled a couple of cows (as you do). 
  • I've finished painting all the 15mm Grumpy's Landsknecht pikemen/halberdiers but need to sort out the pikes and halberds and attach them.  I'm also in two minds on how to base them so I don't want to rush into it and then end up rebasing them down the line.  The main thing is all the painting is complete.  

Gaming

I had my first game of Sword Weirdos.  Like it's twin Space Weirdos it gives a very enjoyable game.  You can read the AAR here. 

Ramblings, Reading & Research

After last month's ramblings on plans I looked back at the original 2023 plan for the end of the second third.  I'm pleased to say that now it looks like I've managed to tick a few things off.  The review is here. 

For reading I've spent a good few weeks working my way through "The Seven Years War in Europe: 1756-1763" by Franz A. J. Szabo.  This is a big old book, which I originally had out the library a few years ago and was intimidated by it!  I reordered it and I'm glad to say that I got on and read it this time and very good it is too.  The Seven Years War is the 18th Century war that I game/collect and it's a really interesting conflict, not just militarily but politically.  There's also some fascinating characters involved, the principal one being Frederick the Great of Prussia of course.  But was he that great?    Recent studies seem to show not.  

Incoming!

I've been very good this month.  When I came back from holiday I wrote on my calendar "don't buy anything that needs doing" across the rest of July and August.  I've more or less kept to that with only a solitary slip.  
  • I got some 25mmx3mm circular MDF bases so I could finish off the 28mm WW2 German Sentries I'd started.  I didn't use Warbases this time and found an eBay seller.  It was a slightly  bigger pack and the postage was included in the price, so overall it worked out cheaper.  Quality wise they're no different and they came very quickly so that was nice.  
  • In advance of the release of "A War Transformed", I bought an additional sprue of Wargames Atlantic WW1 Germans.  These were from another eBay seller and once again came within a couple of days of ordering.

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