Major Ballsup's Hobby Shed

Introduction Somewhere in Iberia a Carthaginian force scouting to find the main Roman army, come into contact with a Roman force.  Hanno Barberella the Carthaginian general decides to attack.  The force rosters can be found here .  Starting positions, Carthaginians at the top. Turn One The Numidian Skirmishers are all moved one Spear Throw (ST) and all pass their Command tests to take a second move.   The first Veteran infantry unit moves once, but fails it's Command test so Nailem the Crucifier, a level 2 Hero) spends a mighty deed to move them again.  The second Veteran unit passes it's Command test and moves a second time straightaway.  Nailem moves up with them.   One unit of Libyan infantry moves twice, but the second unit is impeded by rough terrain and failing it's Command test gets caught up.  One unit of Scutarii makes it's second move ok but the second fails so Iniesta Pardinus the level 1 Hero, spends a Mighty Deed to get them...

I'm been trying to focus which as every butterfly will know is easier said than done and get things finished off by year end  I've spent most of my hobby time adding the finishing touches to the First Anglo-Sikh Wars infantry regiments that I've been working on over the last year or so.  This involved texturing the movement trays and making the standards for the units. I have now completed the command stand for the first Chaos Dwarf Blunderbuss regiment for Warmaster Revolution, so these little chaps are ready for action now.   When I get a chance and light permits I'll take some better photos and post on these. Research & Reading I've started reading The Encircling Sea, the second book of Adrian Goldsworthy's Vindolanda trilogy, set in Britain at the end of the 1st Century AD.  It's an exciting read and keeping me  entertained and educated which can't be bad. Incoming! Some sprues arrived from SGS Model Store.  I won't say too much about them as...

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.

The latest figures completed for the Anglo-Sikh Wars projects were a couple of packs of Sikh Akalis (zealots).  Apologies for the photos, the light this week has been one extreme or another, with some unbearably sunny days and some incredibly dull days. As usual the figures were from Newline Designs in 20mm scale.  I thought that these were particular nice sculpts and very easy to paint.   I really liked the figures below.  The sculptor has done a really good job, they're pleasingly realistically proportioned, unlike so many figures you see that look like they've been on vast doses of steroids.  That's all the Sikh figures finished for the moment.  I've got some EIC Native Cavalry and British Generals to do and that's it for this project, or until I buy a load more of course which you can never rule out of course.