GW Contrast Paints & my ECW Collection/More Deliveries

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Squadpainter, in his kind comment yesterday, asked which GW Contrast paints I used when painting my 15mm ECW collection. That sounds like a good excuse for a post, so here’s a list of what I used…

Undercoat: I favour the Grey Seer over the Wraithbone only because I don’t think you get as much show-through on the weaker colours, but I use either dependent on supplies! It’s expensive compared to the car primers from Halfords that I used to use, but does take the Contrast Paints superbly. Pay the extra: it’s worth it.

Note that Contrast Paints are not actually paints, but more glazes. This means that they are comparatively fragile and painted figures really do need a coat of varnish before hitting the table.

Skintones: There are three fleshtones in the range, I use Darkoath Flesh for caucasian skin.

Uniforms & Hats

I used colours from across the entire range. Some of my units are in bright, fancy uniforms; some use more muted colours.

The buttons at the back are not separately painted: it’s how the Contrast Paint works.

I found the best red to use was Fleshtearers Red; I found the worst green was Militarum Green. Creed Camo is a nice green; and all the greys and blues are lovely. Nazdreg Yellow is a surprising choice, but works very well.

I never really got on with Apothecary White: I generally ended up having to drybrush a standard acrylic white over an Apothecary White to get the effect I wanted. I do know that Apothecary White works really well for larger figures, so maybe it’s just the way I paint 15s that is the problem.

Hodder Grey: the uniform coats of my Scots Covenantors are nearly all Space Wolves Grey, with Ultramarine Blue bonnets. Trousers etc differ.

Note the jerkins

Note the jerkins

Jerkins: Aggaros Dunes makes a great colour for the ubiquitous, sleeveless leather jerkin.

Smocks & Leggings: Skeleton Horde makes a good off-white colour for faded linens.

Boots & Shoes: all are Wyldwood.

Equipment

All wood: I use Goregrunta Fur for anything wooden. Pike handles, muskets, limbers etc.

All leather: Snakebite Leather.

Horses

I have two types of standard brown horse. Both use Cygor Brown diluted 50/50 with Technical Contrast Medium. One type of standard brown horse then gets the legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black; the other just has the mane and tail painted black, with an odd number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead.

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Black horses use Black Templar, with a standard acrylic black mane and tail, and then an uneven number of standard acrylic white socks and a standard acrylic white star or blaze on the forehead. Be warned, Black Templar is fairly fragile, and will easily be scraped off, so a little care when handling painted-but-not-yet-varnished horses is required.

Dun horses can be achieved with Aggaras Dunes, with legs up to the knee, mane and tail painted black.

Just make sure they aren’t wearing jerkins!

Just make sure they aren’t wearing jerkins!

Hopefully that will give you a head start on which colours to use.

More Deliveries

The story so far: a load of lockdown loot ordered from eight different manufacturers/suppliers last Sunday. On Wednesday, Boontown won the race to be the first to deliver, and on Thursday the ever-reliable Warbases came in second.

Today we can add three more to the list. Yesterday Magister Militum delivered me some more ECW figures from their Hallmark range; and today we have a tie for 4th place with a re-stock in paints from Games Workshop, and the raw lead for my new Classical Indian army from Museum Miniatures.

Not mine: picture from the Museum Miniatures website. Now that I have seen them in the lead, I can confirm that they are truly lovely figures.

So far, therefore, we have:

1. Boontown (3 days)

2. Warbases (4 days)

3. Magister Militum (5 days)

4= Games Workshop (6 days)

4= Museum Miniatures (6 days)

Still pretty impressive stuff!

More Scottish Pike/Warbases Deliver!

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Here’s another unit for my 15mm ECW Scots Covenanter army: a second pike-only battalia.

The fine-looking pikemen are from the Hallmark range via Magister Militum; and the command figures are Peter Pig. These are painted mainly with GW Contrast Paints, with just the metalwork being normal acrylics.

As regards everything else, the flag is a custom order from Maverick, the pikes are from Northstar, the heather is from Boontown (see yesterday’s post for more) , the base is from Warbases (see below for more), and the flock is from Hobby Round.

Warbases Deliver!

The story so far: a load of lockdown loot ordered from eight different manufacturers/suppliers last Sunday. On Wednesday, Boontown won the race to be the first to deliver, and yesterday the ever-reliable Warbases came in second with my order of vehicle bases (which I use for 15mm elements such as the pike, above) and a packet of command bases.

So far, therefore, we have:

  1. Boontown (3 days)

  2. Warbases (4 days)

Pretty impressive stuff!

Boontown Delivers!

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I mentioned in my last post that as we are all facing another lockdown month without wargaming, I had consoled myself by buying a new 15mm army to paint along with a general re-stocking of materials. I made purchases from about eight different manufacturers/suppliers in all, and thought it would be interesting to see who’s package arrived first.

Well the clear winner is Boon Town Metals: basing materials ordered Sunday afternoon, box arrived today, Wednesday morning.

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Boon Town Metals offer a range of 15mm sci-fi figures (I have their sci-fi Dwarf Clansmen) and a range of basing materials, including the “tufts” you can see above, which I what I had ordered.

The tufts are excellent quality, and there is currently free delivery available as well. I have, by the way, found the best way to use them is combined with flock i.e. to cover the area to be flocked with glue, then put your tufts down on top of the glue, then put your flock on. That stops accidentally gluing flock onto the tufts.

Anyhow, visit the site: a wide selection of good quality basing materials is on offer.

Painting Challenge/New Lockdown

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I’m not very happy with the news that the UK is about to go into another lockdown. No martial arts clubs open, no wargamers allowed to travel/visit to game and, what’s worse, daughter#1’s boyfriend is stuck up in Edinburgh and also unavailable to either hold the pads or play a wargame!

It may also put the final nail in the coffin of a load of businesses, maybe even the one I work for. When I said I wanted more time to train and game, I hadn’t meant it quite like that!

The only good news is that I used the announcement as an excuse to order another 15mm army to console myself. I’ve gone with Museum Miniatures CAD designed Classical Indians. I loved their CAD designed (what they call their “Z” ranges) Sumerians, so if the Indians have the same quality of sculpt and cast, I shall be very happy indeed. That meant, of course, that I had to re-stock on all my paint and basing supplies, as you can’t guarantee what can be available in lockdown. Forget hoarding toilet paper, I’m stocking up on Stirland Mud and summer flock!

We could all do with a bit of pre-lockdown inspiration, so here’s a selection of this week’s entries into the Painting Challenge. Full collection in the individual galleries (see the NAVBAR), but these give you an idea of the quality and quantity of what’s been submitted.

So, my fellow wargamers, grit your teeth and gird your loins: it’s only a month. Let’s see how much we can all paint in that time…

Scottish Lancers

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I’ve finally had a chance to finish a unit that’s been sitting on the painting table for almost a week: a unit of Scottish Lancers for my ECW Covenantor army.

The main body figures are from Khurasan’s ECW Scots & Irish range, painted mainly with GW Contrast Paints. The two command figures are Peter Pig. The flag is a custom design from Maverick. As I didn’t have a command figure holding a flag, and wrapping it around one of the lancers looked weird, I decided to have the chap on the left waving a cut-down version!

The unit is based for For King & Parliament on a Warbases vehicle base. The purple heather is from Boontown.

I also managed to paint up a Colonel’s command base for the troops: a couple of figures from Peter Pig:

These were painted in the same way as the Lancers, above.

IABSM AAR: Operation Compass #13: Bardia III

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Here’s another I Ain’t Been Shot Mum battle report from the A Wargamer in Cyprus blog. It’s another adaptation of one of the scenarios from the Operation Compass scenario pack: a third scenario from the Australian assault on the Italian fortress of Bardia.

16th Australian Infantry Brigade are within the Italian perimeter and have made some progress against a fairly irresolute defence.  The Aussies have followed a wadi and discovered a second line of Italian defences ready for them.  Click on the picture below to see what happens next:

FK&P AAR: Cock Marsh

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After the battle for Cookham Moor, the Parliamentarians have retreated in some disarray: falling back to a position where their rear and one flank is protected by the river Thames.

This protection, however, forms two sides of a potential cage, so the Royalists have hurried forward to do battle again, knowing that if the Roundheads break, there is nowhere, at least on two sides, for them to run.

Could this finally be the decisive battle that both sides have been seeking?

The Field of Battle

The action takes place on Cock Marsh: a bleak, wind-swept area of open ground between Winter Hill and the Thames. The lower slope of Winter Hill borders the south side of the battlefield. The north and part of the east side of the battlefield are bordered by the Thames i.e. impassable terrain. Any unit that is forced off-table into the Thames is lost.

The main part of the tabletop consists of moorland separated by hedgerows and the odd patch of trees. All hedgerows count as linear rough terrain. All wooded squares count as rough terrain. There are two Iron Age burial mounds on the Parliamentarian side of the field.

The Game

Postscript

I’d like to say that my (extremely heavy) defeat was all my fault, but that would be to underplay John’s skill at exploiting my errors.

I am now writing out one hundred times "Do not throw away your cavalry on a frontal charge against even or worse odds” whilst Sit Christopher and his surviving men drag themselves out of the water on the far side of the river!

A great game of For King & Parliament despite my defeat: 150 points a side played out in just over 90 minutes.

Robert Avery

Painting Challenge: Latest Update

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Lots of entries from the “hard core” of Painting Challenge participants…so let’s see if those of you who don’t submit very often can get organised and send in your entries. After all, it will soon be Christmas and the end of the Challenge for another year!

Make sure you visit the individual galleries (links above in the NavBar) but here’s a selection from today’s entries:

Pike Only Battalia

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To round out my ECW forces, I thought I’d better have some pike-only battalia and, as my Scots need a bit of a boost, I thought I’d make them Scottish.

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The main body of the unit is pikemen from Hallmark Figures via Magister Militum. The three command chaps are from Peter Pig. They are painted mostly with GW Contrast paints, and mounted as a For King & Parliament element on a “vehicle base” from Warbases. The pikes are from North Star, the flag is a custom order from Maverick, and the heather is from Boontown.

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IABSM AAR: Anzio 'Wildcat to Whale' #02: Carroceto

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Here’s a great I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum AAR from Tim Whitworth and his friends at The War Room featuring the second scenario from the Anzio ‘Wildcat to Whale’ scenario pack.

At dawn on 25th January 1944, the Guards Brigade, headed by Number 1 Company of the Grenadiers and with Shermans from one squadron of 46th Royal Tank Regiment (crewed mainly by Welshmen from Liverpool) in support headed back towards Aprilia. Using the embankment of the disused railway line (the “Bowling Alley”) as their start point, they first had to take Carroceto.

Click on the picture below to see how they did…

More Dutch Horse

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This weekend I finally had the chance to get back to the painting table and polish off another unit of “Dutch” horse for my 15mm ECW collection.

The figures are Hallmark from Magister Militum, painted with GW Contrast Paints.

As with all my ECW figures, I mounted them as a For King & Parliament element on a Warbases Vehicle Base. They are lovely and chunky to move around the tabletop, but I am somewhat terrified of dropping one!

Whilst I was waiting for the paint to dry between colours on the above, I also managed to paint a command base for my Scots Covenantor force. Here I used the Peter Pig special Scots pack of ensign, preacher and dog and a Hallmark gentleman command figure.

I must remember to brush off the spider’s web before photographing!

These came out quite well, and I do love the preacher. One thing I must remember to do, however, is to brush off the bits of errant spider’s web that the varnish picks up when I’m spraying in the garage before photographing the figures. It comes off easily, but you can barely see it in normal light…or at least that’s my excuse.

Onto some pike-only units now.

FK&P AAR: Cookham Moor

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After the encounter at Whyteladyes Lane, the Royalists retreated to the small hamlet of Cookham. The Parliamentarians, however, rather than withdrawing to regroup, have followed them.

Cookham, a pleasant place mostly home to farm labourers, is split by the Moor: an open piece of land crossed one way by a small stream, Strand Water, and the other way by Dean Lane, now more of a road.

Unwilling to surrender the Moor, “Little John” Boulters leads his men forwards to the eastern edge of the open ground only to see Sir Christopher and his men just arriving on the other side. The stage is set for another epic For King & Parliament clash!

And that’s where I ran out of coins!

Snatching Defeat…

Well that was a game that was really going my way when a sudden paralysis amongst my troops caused by the loss of my Colonel of Cavalerie and Sir Kavan’s defection (I can see no other explanation as to why Aces suddenly appeared all over his brigade!) meant that the Roylaists were given a chance to rally, catch their breath, and then move forward and concenrate their numbers with devastating effect.

It didn’t help that my CinC, Sir Christopher, led a sorely-needed Scots mercenary battalia on a complete Jeb Stuart-like perambulation up the wrong side of the left hand wood, effectively taking them out of the battle at the moment of decision. That was deffo my fault though!

A great game that saw John keeping his nerve as I scored early successes, pulling back and then seeing an opportunity and taking full advantage. Just to emphasise the point: at one stage of the game (after the early clashes) I was something like eight coins in front!

Time for the Parliamentarians to retreat and regroup!

Robert Avery

Pictures from Virtual Lard 3

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What with COVID-19 putting paid to wargaming shows across the country, it’s good to see some remote events still taking place. One such that happened last weekend was Virtual Lard 3, and one game run there was an I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum scenario by Mike Whitaker.

The game was set in the Italian theatre. Here are some photos:

Scots Covenantor Artillery

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Another unit for my ECW Scots Covenantor army: this time it’s the artillery.

These are figures from Khurasan Miniatures’ 15mm Scots & Irish range, with one man per crew coming from Peter Pig.

They are painted with GW Contrast Paints, and mounted on a vehicle base from Warbases. The “heather” comes from Boontown.

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Roll Up, Roll Up! Another Large Painting Challenge Update

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Lots of business occurring since the last update!

Please do visit the individual galleries (accessed vis the Nav Bar, above), but here’s a selection of this fortnight’s entries:

FK&P AAR: Whyteladyes Lane

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Time for the next encounter in my North Wessex For King & Parliament English Civil War campaign.

After the battle just north of Bisham Abbey, Sir Christopher Grey has led his Parliamentarian army (reinforced with more Scots mercenaries) east in an attempt to loop around the Royalists whom, he believes, are regrouping before moving north on their existing axis of attack.

The Roundheads get as far as Cookham Dean before they realise that the Cavaliers have been tipped off and have managed to get a blocking force across the Parliamentarian line of advance.

Battle will once more be joined!

At this point the Parliamentarians finally ran out of coins and I was forced to admit defeat: a fairly crushing defeat!

Aftermath

It had been a great game, even if I had lost!

The truth was that I never really got the Parliamentary battle line properly sorted, which allowed the Royalists to defeat my brigades piecemeal. Annoying, as before the battle I’d specifically told John that I needed to avoid that happening!

Robert Avery

IABSM AAR: Hill 227.9 NW of Ponyri

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Here’s another great 6mm I Ain’t Been Shot, Mum battle report from Mark Luther, fought remotely due to the C19 lockdown.

The encounter is based on the lopsided engagement in the area between Step' and Hill 227.9 on the morning of July 6, 1943 involving the 107th Tank Brigade and the StuG IIIs of StuG Abt. 245 and off-table Tigers of s.Pz. Abt .505.

Click on the picture below to see all: