28mm WW2 Italian Cannone 90/53

28mm Italian Cannone 90/53 su Autocarro Lancia

This thing has taken me ages to put together and paint, bought from the ever helpful Bob at Wargames Command Post it comes in a thousand pieces.

"Is that a 90mm shell or are you just pleased to see me !"

Only problem is I now need to build an extention to the games room to use the beast at long range. Hope to get a Desert game in after the Naval game concludes.

Empire of the Dead - The Police

Empire of the Dead - The Police

Woop Woop here come da Police !

I picked these figures up in true Yarkshire fashion, on't cheap on t'fleabay. Not from West Wind who do the "official" figures, these are old Foundry figures very nice too. However unlike GW I don't think West Wind will try and sue me for using none "official" figures. They aren't as detailed as the WW sculpts and are quite broad shouldered giving them a cartoon feel, however for Steampunk that ain't a bad thing.

I've used milliput to make the cobble street effect on the bases, thanks to Simon Quinton on the Carry on Painting group on facebook for the idea. There is quite a big mould line on the Sgt figure holding the lamp, I didn't notice it while painting, in the flesh its hardly noticeable.

Quite straight forward and quick to paint, after all its just one main colour. Main difficulty is getting the right shade, I used a 50 50 mix of Dark Prussian Blue and Black (vallejo) as a base and built it up by gradually adding Dark Blue Grey to the mix.

Spookily whilst putting this blog post together my main EotD order arrived at the front door, get ready for more weirdness over the coming months.

28mm AWI New Unit 22nd Cheshire Regt

28mm AWI - New Unit - 22nd Foot (Cheshire)

After a couple of posts of weirdness it was back to some more normal fare, on my days off this week I managed to rattle off the last 12 of these and get the unit based and varnished ready for the table.

Being born in Cheshire I always have a "home" regiment in my British Armies, of course they will always be at least Elite as well ! These are the plastic Perry figs with GMB flags, first AWI unit I have done with Buff facings, so they also have Buff kit as well, happy with the results again, I really like the photo directly above looking across the rear of the unit.

2 battalions down from this Brigade, with other stuff on the go I hope to have the lot done by year end, new projects permitting of course.

Empire of the Dead - Gallows Hag

Empire of the Dead - Gallows Hag

Reet into these figs, this one was picked up on cheap on fleabay, great figure to paint it actually looks scary.

My armed Cricket team have showed up for my Yarkshire Gentleman's Cricket Club faction, they will of course be led by Sir Geoffrey of Boycott with able support from Sir Dickie of Bird, Sir David of Bairstow, Sir Martyn of Moxon, Sir Herbert of Sutcliffe, Sir Frederick of Trueman to name a few.

Wayland Games have emailed me to say they haven't got the stuff I want and delivery will be delayed, what a surprise !

Didn't realise how popular EotD was, the Professor Erazmus post last week had more hits than any of the stuff I've done in the past.

Empire of the Dead - Professor Erazmus

Empire of the Dead - Professor Erazmus

This is very much not my usual fare. Things have been quiet on the gaming front at the mo here in Castle R, working shifts myself limits the time I am about when "normal" people are around. Various people dropping out has meant no gaming for a while, added to that the painting is a bit slow, I am in the middle of a 24 man AWI unit which always takes me ages and I have 14 28mm Desert vehicles on the go at the same time. I'm getting all of them to a gaming standard ie plain desert yellow, before putting camo and decals on. Not much to blog about as a result.

So as a treat I painted this gadger up in one go just to get something finished. My lad, 14 has expressed an interest in EotD and the figures and concept is great. This is a free figure I got with the rules book, it was quite fun to paint as a one off, usually I'm painting a unit of figs in batches of 6 to 10 so just concentrating on one fig at a time was something new.

I've ordered some more (from Wayland Games, cheap but very slow), I'll keep you updated on the new project after promising not to start any new projects this year, oh shiny why hast thou taken my money again !

28mm WW2 Desert Rats

WW2 Desert Rats - New Unit

On the back of last weeks Italians, I finished off another box of Perrys Desert Rats and have got them based up and ready for the table. These have a 2nd South African Div Patch on their arm and are to represent the Royal Natal Carbineers. Not strictly accurate but adds a bit a character to them and makes them easier to spot.

Full box contents all done.

These figs have been around for a few years now so most of you will be familiar with the wonderful work of the Perrys and this the first of the WW2 Desert range, a box responsible for the "skirmish" project I started last year which is now creeping up to 400 finished figs with at least another 100 on the production schedule. Add to this the 30 ish vehicles and that box of Perrys I got a while back is to blame for a lot.

Each box contains 38 figs (or 40 If like me you got an extra hq sprue in one box) we are using a box to represent a company, a hq of 3 figs plus 3 groups of 10 and an attached Boyes AT and a baby mortar. 4 boxes plus support for a battalion.

Boyes and Mortar

This is the fourth box of Perrys I have done, third for myself and l have one in the ready bay so I have got in a bit of a groove with them. Only one complaint not enough prone figs to do a deployed and moving bren team. There is no easy way of sorting out the problem, no one makes a deployed gun team on its own which doesn't cost an arm and leg so I will be getting at least one if not two extra boxes to make up the missing bases and then painting and flogging the rest on fleabay to fund the next project.

You can easily pick a box of these up for £16 (or less if you know the right people) great value and a great way to build up you re basic troop types, love em.

Front and back view, realised from the photo I need to re touch the rifle bolt.