Major Ballsup's Hobby Shed

January 2026 has been a curious month.  On the downside I've had what seems like a perpetual cough and cold for almost the entirety of the month.  The weather has also been dismal.  However, where this has stopped me getting out and exercising, I have done a lot of hobby stuff, swings and roundabouts and all that.  Consequently this is quite a long update.  Here's what I completed this month: 48 Baccus Franco-Prussian War Infantry finished as French Foreign Legion for my 19th Century French Armée d'Afrique collection.  I started these early in December and they had sat on the table since.  However, once I got back to them I knocked these out quite quickly.  Lovely sturdy Baccus figures, this gives me another unit and a bit to make a total of three FFL units for The Men Who Would Be Kings.   Verrotwood Cultist.  After the bloodletting of the last game ( here ) the Wisentii cult needed a new cultist, so I bashed one together using Northsta...

And that was 2025.  A really mixed bag of a year.  Too much serious stuff for my liking, but unfortunately it's one of the "joys" of getting older.  From a hobby perspective it was successful and I managed to finish quite a lot off and played a few games.  The end of year Ovelist updates ( doing and gaming ) give the detail if you're interested.   Thanks to all those that read my blog this year and especially those that have taken the time to comment either here, on Facebook or on TMP.  I very much appreciate it.  I wish everyone all the very best for the New Year. Completed  Here's what I completed this month: 18 Heroics & Ros 6mm Soviet Paratroops finished as Soviet Airborne for the Soviet-Afghanistan War.  This is a platoon of Airborne based for Force on Force/Ambush Alley.  This is a side project that spawned out of The Iran-Iraq War project, which was my main focus of the year.  I just need to work out what I need and ...

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 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.