Major Ballsup's Hobby Shed

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.

Hot on the hooves of the Sikh Dragoons and Anglo-Indian artillery I completed three bases of Sikh artillery. The painting of the crews was straightforward and these were actually  done a few weeks ago, but I was trying to work out what size bases to use and then had to order them which took time. Once the bases came I finished basing and texturing them at the same time as the Anglo-Indian bases.  A combination of a busy week and prevaricating about what colours to paint the cannons meant I only got round to finishing them the weekend just gone.

Last August I completed a unit of nine Sikh Dragoons to which I’ve just added another three figures. This brings them up to full strength for Black Powder. As usual all 20mm Newline Designs.  These were part of the largish order that came in March.  Simple job to turn these around as I had made notes on all the colours and steps I'd used when I painted the initial batch.   Here they are with the rest of the regiment.

With the arrival of the bases I've been able to finish the artillery for the Anglo-Indian force.  As per the rest of the collection figures are 20mm Newline Designs. The bases are 60mm x 60mm from Hocka Hey/Timeline Miniatures, tufts mainly from Tajima, with a few from some eBay source I can't remember added for a bit of variety. There's a crew each of Bengal Horse Artillery and Royal Artillery.  The BHA were great fun to paint with their gaudy uniforms.  It's the nearest I've come to painting Napoleonics 😁 By contrast the Royal Artillery were simple and quick to paint.  If I wanted multiple batteries of artillery they'd be what I'd choose. And to finish a close up of each base.

This week I finished off another regiment of East India Company Sepoys for the First Anglo-Sikh War. As usual all figures are 20mm Newline Designs.  This is the third regiment (two EIC Sepoy, one Sikh) that I've completed this year.  I've noticed a pattern: when I start slapping the paint on a unit I'm enthused; then about half way in I get a bit overawed by the effort involved and the repetitive painting; and then by the time I'm doing the last details I get a second wind and go back and do a fair few refinements.  This was the last large unit left out of the lead pile and I'm quite relieved by that.   As with all the Newline figures I've done they paint up very well.  When I placed the order I asked Sean for an extra standard bearer which he duly sent.  The first Sepoy regiment only has the one.  I'm not sure whether I'll bother buying a command pack just to get the one figure.  As it is I still need to sort out the standards, those shown ...

I'm very pleased and relieved that things have settled down in the real world.  Consequently I've had a bit more hobby time and here's what I've been doing:  Painting/modelling   I painted and finished off the Newline Designs 20mm Sikh infantry regiment for the First Anglo-Sikh War that I'd cleaned up and primed last week.  Click here to see some pics. Research & Reading I've been reading "The Commotion Time" by E.T.Fox.  This is one of Helion's From Retinue to Regiment titles covering warfare from 1453-1618.  It details what's often called "The Prayer book Rebellion" which took place in the West Country 1549.  I got it as a Christmas present and it's a fascinating read. I've been looking at Lion Rampant and The Pikeman's Lament and seeing which is going to be best for Tudor and Elizabethan 16th C warfare.  I'm determined to get the 16th Century project back on track for the next part of the year. Incoming! No spen...

I'm very pleased to have got some proper hobby time in and completed this Sikh regiment of Newline Designs 20mm figures.   These were mostly painted in the same way as the first regiment I did (see  here  and  here ).  However, I chose to paint this batch with dark trousers and with different facings and turbans.  These colours were based on what I found on Internet searches.  I have no idea how accurate these are and I didn't base them on any particular historical regiment.  I've had too many real things to think about to care too much, but I enjoyed painting them and I like them!   I have a whole load of Afghans that I'm going to use for a Sikh irregular regiment, so this and the first regiment will form a brigade.  The scope of the first stage of the project was brigade size so this is a  significant milestone achieved.  I've enthused about the Newline Designs Sikh Wars range enough in my previous posts.  I bo...

With the real world seriously impacting hobby time this week I can say it's been the most unproductive week for years.  Here's what little I managed to do:  Painting/modelling   I finished off the Newline Designs 20mm Sikh Wars British infantry that I'd started last week.  Click here to see some pics. Cleaned up, based and textured the bases for a regiment of Sikh infantry, also Newline Designs 20mm.  They've now been primed at least so I hope to get on with these next week. Ready for priming Research and reading I started the week still looking at Ancients and the impending release of Strength and Honour.  I listened to a few podcasts with the author and I'm not sure how well they'll work for solo play so will put this to one side for now. I've started thinking about my 16th Century project again and really must prioritise this.  Looking back at the blog it was supposed to be my Autumn/Winter project and then a priority for the first part of this...

Here's the first batch of painting of the year, a regiment of East India Company Sepoys for the First Anglo-Sikh War. As usual all figures are 20mm Newline Designs.  I hadn't painted any miniatures since October when I did a Sikh regiment.  When I started these I was full of enthusiasm but when I got to the beginning of the third week working on these they were pissing me right off.  I tend to do production line painting in blocks of no more than 12 and I decided to do all 24 of these in one go, so perhaps that was it.  Or possibly the weather has been dull and there's been little natural light.  Whatever it was by the time I was painting the 24th pair of backpack straps I was wondering how the hell do Napoleonic collectors keep at it unit after unit?  Better men than me. Moaning aside I'm pleased with how they turned out but I can't see myself doing anymore for a little while now.  I believe that there should be two standard bearers as in a British re...

During the first week back after my holiday I managed to do the front rank of the Sikh regular regiment.  This batch are the command and firing figures.  I'd completed the second rank of loading figures before I went away - ( see here ).   I followed the steps I'd documented with the first batch exactly, making a couple of small refinements. The first was to varnish the trousers, boots and skin areas once they were finished.  I did this so that when I painted the jackets I could easily wipe off any paint that strayed onto the varnished areas with an old moist brush.  I use this method quite a lot with 28mm figures and it can save a lot of time retouching areas.   The second refinement was to add the grass tufts to the bases while the second coat of varnish was drying.  By the time I'd done that they were ready for the third and final coat of varnish.  I'm continually looking at cutting down the overall time it takes to complete a unit so...