AWI: current state of affairs

 As I've just recently stepped over the 50% mark on my AWI project for Sharp Practice, a couple of roll-call pics are appropriate.

AWI: painting mojo has returned

 Over the last few weeks, I've been riding a wave of painting enthusiasm (always best for me to go with it when it comes). The unfortunate part was this week I needed to complete the figure and sabot basing for 100+ AWI figures (a necessary evil).

Two companies (groups) of Patterson's Massachusetts Battalion.

Wargames Foundry.

Two groups of generic Loyalists (could be one of many different units).

Wargames Foundry.

Generic rebel militia.

Wargame Foundry.

Militia skirmishers.

Wargames Foundry.

Two groups of British light infantry.

Wargames Foundry.

Four groups of British foot.

Wargames Foundry.

A Year's Hiatus

Sigh, finally back to the long-neglected blog. House renovations, travelling, and a general painting ennui have brought about an almost 12 month vacation from updating with hobby progress. While almost six months passed last year with absolutely no painting or building (aforesaid renovations included a new basement hobby area), gaming continued at my normal pace. But with the randomly-decided turning of the New Year, my painting mojo seems to have returned. So, some recent additions to my collections and something new...

First up, the last of the planned Wars of the Roses figures. I believe the collection is now up to 383 figures. These are two light horse units from Front Rank. To be fair, only one is new but I decided to base/re-base on round bases to provide a more light-horse-y feel.

In a similar completion vein, I have finally completed the last of the French & Indian War units. From Galloping Major, these are two skirmish groups of Stockbridge Indians for the British side, along with one Big Man. 

And two final units for the FIW collection, Royal Navy landing party with Big Man, from Galloping Major. This well and truly finishes the FIW collection (well, at least until something else shiny comes along).

And for something new?

AWI continentals from Wargames Foundry...

...and some state line (2nd NY) also from Wargames Foundry.

Texas War of Independence: project finished

I have powered through the final tranche of figures for this project. It's always the last bits that see my enthusiasm flagging. This final lot brings the collection total to 296 figures and far too many buildings.

Mexican regular cavalry.

(Boothill Miniatures)

Mexican Presidial cavalry (Boothill Miniatures).

I decided with this collection to differentiate between Scouting Cavalry and Dragoons/Impact Cavalry. The Regular cavalry is mounted on standard 25mm x 50mm pill bases. In contrast, the Presidial cavalry are mounted on various round and pill bases.

John Wayne... err, David Crockett, 

for when we want to throw a Hollywood Hero into Fisticuffs.

(Boothill Miniatures)

Native Tejano skirmishers (native Texans, mainly of Spanish origin).

(Boothill Miniatures)

More Texian artillery and a Texian Deployment Point.

Tejano/Texian irregular cavalry.

(Boothill Miniatures)

Texas War of Independence: building a battlefield

This past weekend at Casa Bairos, we were able to try out the new TWI buildings and marketplace (unfortunately, no pictures of the actual game)...

 

Texas War of Independence: village/town additions

 And so the TWI building project continues...

Taking advantage of bulk purchases from Renedra, I decided to add some buildings to the collection that will not be part of the pseudo-Alamo mission complex.

The basic Renedra adobe house... a lovely little build.

The same building with a (portable) scratch-built sun shade for whiling away sunny siesta afternoons.

The basic adobe building without the side stairs and ladder in lieu.

A mash-up of two of the basic buildings with small fenced courtyard.

Another scratch-built portable sun-shade for the courtyard.

Another option for the sun-shade.

The full collection of sun-shades.

I also knocked up some small fence pieces to contain the longhorns.

Texas War of Independence: On a Mission

 My efforts in the last week of 2021 to complete my pseudo-Alamo mission unfortunately came to naught but I was finally able to bring it around on the New Years weekend. I struggled mightily with some of the details, particularly the wooden parts in the redoubts etc. Although I've painted many wooden terrain features to satisfaction over the years, this time around I became rather flummoxed by the attempt. So much so that at one point I re-primed the wood and started over. My first attempts were frustrated by stubbornness. As I continued to make mistakes, I tried to push forward and correct them... leading merely to a worse situation. Thus, the starting over. Even after the second attempt was much better, they still aren't to my full satisfaction but will do (in other words, I'm not gonna start again for the third time). 

I chose not to purchase the entire Sarissa Alamo (cuz that would be just silly, no?) and landed on what I call my pseudo-Alamo. It's big enough to play out some mission siege games and flexible enough to create a number of smaller, more discrete built up areas for different scenarios. Next up for this project are some scatter terrain bits and portable firing steps for the higher walls.

The full mission compound from Sarissa. It measures approx. 2.5' x 2.5'.

Adding in the Sarissa church to fill the courtyard.