3D Printed Napoleonic Austrian Artillery

The sculpts aren't as well-defined as traditional figures, and some of the features are a bit exaggerated like their slightly, overly large hands and faces. However, for gaming purposes, they fit the bill nicely.

They come with buttoned gaiters and pig tails for the rank and file for the earlier Napoleonic period. These were snipped off to represent the 1813 Campaign.

The sculpting being a bit "shallow", I ended up black-lining areas like the crossbelts since they weren't defined by the Minwax stain.

The photo below has them flanking Perry figures, which they size up nicely with.

In other news, I just received an email today from Warlord Games letting me know that my order of the Pike & Shotte "Death and the Landsknecht" supplement is soon to be dispatched. Next up on the painting table will be either the 1/16th Mycenaean warrior or the Empire Knights Panther unit.

Hobby Desk Update

Worked on some Warhammer Empire Knights after getting a box of Old World Knights. The set as 12 figures, so I decided to add two of them to the existing unit of 10 Reiksguard Knights. 2 proxy figures filled this unit, and also several had Knights Panther heads and shields (I didn't know the fluff when I painted them). Plan to build another 10 figure unit as Knights Panther. Also got two deliveries today too - one an Ebay purchase of 3D printed Napoleonic Austrian 12 pounders and crew; the other an Etsy purchase of a 1/16th scale resin Mycenaean warrior in Dendra armor with tower shield.

Below shows the 3 new figures painted to build up the Reiksguard units; the three in the back have new heads after removing the Knights Panther heads. Also painted several new shields to replace the Knights Panther ones. When I painted them years ago, I just chose the shields and heads for variety. The heads for the leader and musician are from the Pistolier kit; glad I save spare parts. I gave the leader a flamberg zweihänder held by one hand!

Here's the Mycenaean warrior kit - it has separate parts for the pauldrons, throat guard, and boars tusk helmet. Two spears were included - one is a little bent, but should be able to be straightened with some hot water. The tower shield is nicely detailed - I wish it had a Figure-8 shield instead, though.

This is a drawing I did as a kid back in the 1970s. I drew it in the style of the illustrations in the Crichton paperback "Eaters of the Dead" based on Beowulf. I envisioned the drawaing to represent Meleagros heading out to battle the Kouretes, as related in the Iliad. I was really into Greek Mythology and the Iliad in particular when I was a kid - wish seems especially weird as a third generation Japanese growing up in Hawaii.

Here's the start of the Empire Knights rebuild. Used superglue remover to remove the heads with Knights Panther helmets. Again, at the time when I built them, I had no idea of the different units or Warhammer fluff. I kind of like the look of 10-man cavalry units, they look nice in two ranks of 5 - sort of like a block. 12 figures in two ranks of 6 looks kind of too wide; also more room needed for manuevering on the table.

Well, just another short blog update to keep things going. Wishing you all a great summer!

EDIT: I almost forgot to add that I pre-ordered the Pike & Shotte "Death and the Landsknecht" supplement.

Warlord Games Landsknecht Pikemen Painted As Swiss

Not sure how different the Swiss were from their German counterparts, but these will be proxy Swiss for Italian Wars. The musician is a Foundry figure that my buddy included with the box of pikemen. He might be dressed a little earlier, but he fits in with the Swiss "look."

Keeping the clothing in just two colors helped speed up the process. Didn't have to think about color combinations. I did go over the white areas after the Minwax staining to help the colors pop.

I used the Savoy flag from the Perry Mounted Men at Arms set.

Here they are next to the GW Empire swordsmen. They'd be okay on the table together in separate units. The GW guys are a bit chunkier.

Although I wasn't planning on more pikemen, it's always nice to have more.

Warlord Games "Swiss" Pikemen - WIP

These are from a box of Warlord Games Landsknecht Pikemen that a buddy gave me. He decided to go with all Foundry for his Landsknechts. Painted them up to match the Talabheim Empire guys I have. They'll be used as Swiss for Italian War too. As usual, here are pictures of them stained with Minwax, and also before the stain block painted.

On the gaming front we just found out that the Boeing Museum of Flight has decided not to let our gaming group attend their Hobby Day in November. This is something we've been doing for at least a decade or so. Guess the new management didn't want kids seeing grown adults playing with toy soldiers.

Epirote - Greek Army Arrayed

Well, since I added the new Hoplites, figured I'd take some updated photos of the Greco-Macedonian army to date. The army is based upon the one led by Pyrrhus of Epirus. The recently added Greek & Persian Wars Hoplites may look a bit dated for the period, but they're included nonetheless. Most of the figures are Victrix with a few other makes. All of the shields have LBMS transfers. The elephants are Aventine that were painted a long time ago, but still hold their own.

Here are the infantry; again mostly Victrix. The unit front and center of Hypaspist are a mixture of Foundry and 1st Corps. I foolishly sold off my Foundry Phalangites some years ago.

Next, along with the Aventine elies, a 1st Corps Oxybeles and crew. All of these saw a lot of action when I played WAB. I only used them a few times with Hail Caesar. I did use one of the elephants in a SAGA game a couple of years ago.

The Companion cavalry in wedge formation, flanked by Tarantine light cavalry - all Victrix figures.

Finally the command figures; the Pyrrhus figure on the left and Antiochus figure on the right are from Relic.

So much for the roll call. I hope to someday run a game based on either the Battle of Argos (where Pyrrhus met his end), or maybe the Siege of Sparta prior to this. I had co-hosted a Battle of Heraclea with my earlier mostly-Foundry Epirote army when my buddy had his Republican Romans. We also hosted a Magnesia game with the army led by Antiochus - both games used WAB and were run at conventions. Anyway, thanks for the indulgence, and hope you all are doing well.

Victrix Greek & Persian Wars Hoplites - Completed

Finally finished these guys. Added some highlights to the armor and flesh after the Minwax staining. LBMS transfers used for the shields.

These should work alongside the earlier sets, although most of these are in more active poses. They could be used in the front ranks of the earlier sets.

I based this on 20mm metal washers for use in smaller skirmish games. The plastic is very durable, and the spears should take handling well. 

Apologies for not responding to comments of the previous posts, as I was focused on getting these done. Thanks again for your visits, and kind comments as always. Best wishes to you all.

Victrix Greek & Persian Wars Hoplites - WIP

Here's a quick update to the project. Added details to their linothorax, and also painted their plumes. Will go back over the armor to clean up the painting after doing the scabbard and baldric. They look a bit gaudy colored, but the Minwax staining should tone them down a bit - although I think the Ancient Greeks loved "loud" colors. 

Happy Father's Day & A Workbench Update

Hope you all had, or are having, a great Father's Day. Spent some time on the Victrix Greek & Persian Wars Hoplites and Warlord Games Landsknecht Pikemen. Painted the armor, weapons, and flesh.

Victrix Greek & Persian Wars Hoplites - WIP (and a TYW Pike & Shotte game)

Started on some Victrix Hoplites from the Greek & Persian Wars set. These are in more "active" poses than the earlier Hoplite sets. It also comes with a plethora of older style helmets, mostly Corinthian types. Since I plan to use them in "Heroic" skirmish games, I went overboard with the helmet crests. I used a lot of the transverse crest and the twin-horse headed crests - the latter likely very rare. I also used LBMS transfers for the shields.

I also played in a Thirty Years War Pike & Shotte game at my buddy's place a couple days ago. Most of the figures were the ECW ones I sold to him last year. He did add a few cuirassier figures - in fact, I ran these in two units led by Marshal Pappenheim. It was a seesaw battle which ended with a bit of a stalemate. My HRE cuirassiers initially pushed back the Swedish cav on the HRE left flank, but the Swedes later recovered and ended up pushing my guys back. The center had a lot of action going on with infantry pike and shot units. It was very nice playing the rules again, and has inspired me to push on with my Italian Wars project. Here are a few pictures from the game.

My HRE cuirassiers on our left flank. They did very well early in the game.

The center with several pike and shot units going at each other.

A view of the battlefield from the HRE's left flank.

My initial movements - the two units facing towards both sides of the small village.

The HRE center.

My two cuirassier units having accumulated some casualties from earlier rounds of combat.

WHFB Empire Army - Renunited!

Thanks to my buddy gifting back my core foot units, I went ahead and got the entire army out of the cabinet to photograph. Although I've only played WHFB a few times, I did collect the army books - mainly for the pictures of the figures. Besides the final, 8th Ed. book, the rest of them were picked up at Half Price Books many years ago - in the discount section. Most of the figures were painted about a decade or so ago.

Here are close ups of the individual figures and units.

I touched up the white on the swordsmen, halbedier, and crossbow units.  I also made new movement trays for them. All of the figures have magnets and the trays have steel paper inserts.

Next, Pistoliers and a metal Master Engineer on Mechanical Horse.

Karl Franz on Deathclaw, and Empire General and Battle Standard Bearer.

I was pleasantly surprised at how well the feathers took to dry-brushing.

Next, the Celestial Hurricanum in blue, and the War Altar in red. I also have the "laser beam" to make the Hurricanum a Luminark. The wagons and horses are basically the same. Most of the parts are pegged in slots, or magnetized, and can be broken down for storage or transport, if needed.

These kits really made me appreciate the sculpting of GW models - and how well they take to washes and dry-brushing. 

Demigryphs and special characters. The two ladies with guns are metal figures from Ragin Heroes - which may be OOP. The wizards came with the War Altar and Hurricanum sets. I don't think I ever used them in the few games I played.  Not really into sorcery 😄. Although, I do like the look of the Witch Hunter (third from the left).

And finally, a Steam Tank, Great Cannon, and Hellblaster Volley Gun; along with crew and a few special characters.

Thanks for stopping by and tolerating my indulgence. Very happy to have my old figures back together again with the rest of the army. Wishing you all the best!

3D Print "Empire" Faux Kurt Helborg

 Here's another figure from Etsy. He and his horse are sculpted a bit more heroically than the previous "Gendarme" figures. The helmeted head, and horse's chamfron are a lot bulkier than the earlier ones, which makes the figure match up pretty well with GW.

I think he's based on the Kurt Helborg character -  who has similar "wings" adorning his helmet.

Below, he's posed next to an actual GW Empire General model.