Not the End of the World

My painting of the Danes for the 2nd Schleswig war is continuing. I am starting to get used to the 10mm scale and the impressionist style.
1st up another infantry brigade, 2 regiments in great coats. Made a schoolboy error of painting the greatcoats prussian blue, painted the webbing and then realised that the greatcoats were grey so had to start again. I've also run out of tufts so simple flocking at moment.

Next a regiment of dragoons - well 2 half regiments. The sky blue uniforms are a little 1980's lounge suit - my mate's dad had one. Webbing not great - 1/2 me and 1/2 front and back castings don't match up

Finally the artillery - 3 batteries of light guns with limbers from Colonel Bill's - ACW but they look fine - actually the modelling is better than the Danes.

Overall quite pleased with progress and they look good on my table. 1 more brigade and an extra regiment to paint and the Danes are done.

Finally this was the musical find of the week - 6 Music is my go to radio station unless the football on, and they played this on Friday - Shilpa Ray - which made my musical day - I have a penchant for unusual records that rock and this does.

P.S. I would like to congratulate the England Ladies Football team on reaching the world cup semi final. Not the best team but the most determined - a typical British trait. Go Lionesses

A Snowball in Hell

Last week I went to the Durham show and collected some Pendraken figures for a division each of Danes and Prussians to fight the 2nd Schleswig war. I had been thinking about this for a couple of years as I like the tactical manoeuvre phase in a battle before contact and this is difficult with 28mm on my big 4 foot by 8 foot board.
The figures are great but much smaller than anything I had painted for decades and that made me nervous. My painting skills are good enough of 28mm but could I really do 10mm.
I started with a couple of Danish regiments, figures at 50:1 scale with 4 figures on a 20mm square base. This gives 4 bases to a battalion and 8 for a regiment. 2 regiments makes a brigade and 3 brigades a division plus artillery and cavalry support.
Painting was right at the edge of my abilities, even a new brush. The Danes are dressed very similarly to ACW Union figures with dark blue jackets, sky blue trousers, black webbing and red collar flashes.

As usual the photos are rubbish

I have learnt that more than anything paint consistency is vital. Generally the painting is a little to hard for me and my failing eye sight and it's more of a chore at the moment but the finished figures look pretty good.

Once finished I plan to use the Too Fat Lardies "They Couldn't Hit an Elephant" rules with the Prussians using Superior small arms. They appear to give the effect I'm looking for but no doubt I'll tinker with them.

Back to some 28mm for a rest.

These are small but Those are far away

Went to the Durham wargames show today. Had a nice time, met Roy Williamson and spent too much money. I always suffer a degree of regret on leaving these shows, there are things I wish I'd bought and things I wish I hadn't, hindsight is bleedin' awful . Did enjoy the show though. Didn't take any photos as my hands were full. The venue is small but about the right size. The demonstration games looked cool and I wish I played the Grimsby Wargamers Zulu game, it looked great.
I bought some more VBCW figures, this time from Reiver Castings, a local company with an eclectic catalogue. I bought some Highland infantry in kilts and Tam O' Shanters. I was looking for some mortars but despite making them in 20mm and making civilian artillery crews they didn't make 28mm scale mortars. They were surprised at this omission from their ranges and offered to send me a couple of 20mm scale 81mm mortars to use as 60mm mortars for free to go with the civilian crews I bought. I think I've just expanded their range and as a reward for their generosity I bought a Lloyd-Carden carrier. Good business for both parties.

The main reason for going was that I had pre-ordered some figures from Pendraken - my first foray into anything other than 28mm since I was 14. Hence the title and not just an excuse to link to the funniest scene from Father Ted, if not in the history of the world. If you've never seen Father Ted then you must watch it, and Black Books.

I had ordered an 1864 Danish division and an equivalent Prussian division to fight the 2nd Schleswig war.

These look really great and I also found 6 x 4 horse ACW limbers from Colonel Bill's which will work nicely with both sets of forces with a little tweaking. Got the maths wrong and only bought enough Prussians to build 800 strong battalions not the 1000 required. however going back to reading "Bismarks First War" by Michael Embree the Prussians didn't call up their reserves and so were only 800 strong. If this period turns out to be as interesting as I think then there is lots of potential for bringing in the other European nations.

At the Bring and Buy sale there were bargains galore, including a 1:200 WW2 German Armoured Division fully painted for £15 which I wish I'd bought. What I did buy was "A History of the Art of War in the Middle Ages". Volume 1 by Sir Charles Osman, I already have Vol 2. I also bought a selection of 10mm buildings for £8

Finally I have been building some terrain for 10mm and stumbled across this website for a paper model of a German village in 10mm. The building are great and in full colour, although I only printed them in black and white.

Unfinished village

And finally my current favourite song - Thunder Road - not the one you were expecting and I do love the original

Every Army List from 1620

Whilst doing some research today I found this list of army lists on the Ike Skelton Combined Arms Research Library . It appears to be every army list and OOB for every nation between 1620 and 1945. This may not be new to you but it is to me so i thought I'd share.
The link to the information is  http://www.cgsc.edu/CARL/nafziger/ and the coding is not clear but the 1st 3 digits are the year - 620 is 1620 - rest is baffling but find your year and take a lucky dip.
That's all folks

The Wonder of You

As seen in my last post I have been adding to my VBCW figures since I fought a big battle a couple of weeks ago. My last post included extra heavy weapons for the Socialists. I have added to my Fascist side with a few converted Perry Afrika corps. These have been converted in BUF and my Northumberland Rangers (basically Finns repainted). I now have 3 full sections of rangers and BUF. More importantly my storage box for them is full.
However I am short of Socialists, approx 2/3 the Fascist numbers so I needed to up their numbers, my bits box only contained Perry 8th Army figures and a few randoms.
I know Geordies are hardy souls

and Geordie of the Antarctic - Vic and Bob but infantry in shorts doesn't really cut it. 

In May 1938 Port Vale F.C. were celebrating the end of the football season, and a glorious 15th in the division 3 North, with a short break in Whitley Bay when war broke out. They were trapped in the North of England and far from the dark satanic mills of home, like me now.

Earnshaw Pottery, Stoke on Trent. Potteries.org

Unable to return home they joined the local socialist revolution and took up arms under their manager Tom Morgan.

These are all, except the manager, 8th Army with webbing removed, contain a grenadier, Bren gunner and medic and are classed as sporty (+1 run move).

In the UK many football teams have their own song, Port Vale's local rivals Stoke City have Delia Delilah (thanks Roy) by Tom Jones, oddly a song about a man who knifes his girlfriend. Port Vale have this The Wonder of You.