Gladiators

 Hey, hope you are all well. I've been busy. I'd run out of space to store toy soldiers so I've been having a clear out and selling some stuff on ebay. I've sold my team yankee 6mm british army for about what I paid for it, painted it for fun. I am now selling off my pirate collection. Many years ago, when I had just got back into the hobby and had no clue what i was doing (like now), I bought a pirate army from Wargames foundry. They are lovely figures and I enjoyed painting them but there were about 250 figures - enough to raid Panama City - and what the hell do you do with that many pirates. So they have sat painted and unloved for over 10 years. Some I'm selling them on ebay in groups of 20 - who the hell else would want 250 pirates. Have a few other things to sell which will free up space and give me spending money to fill that space up. The ebay auction thing is quite exciting as a seller, I find it very annoying as a buyer.

Annoyingly as it's my 1st ebay sale they are holding onto the money for 3 weeks hust to check I'm not a dodgy geezer.

Speaking of freeing up space I've bought loads of things. My ACW order from Northstar is stuck at the casters, my Pendraken 10mm Italian Wars order will by my christmas present, my Wargames foundry Greek Mythology order will be my mother's christmas present - she has a thing for Greek mythology and me making presents for her lets her think I'm still 8 and 1/4. Hopefully my Col Bills Andalusians will come soon, that is Matt's fault as I really enjoyed our El Cid game on Saturday, Matt's write up is here 

Enough waffling. Dave gave me some Foundry gladiators and I've painted them up

I loved painting these using the Vallejo washed

They have come out really well

and may be some of my favourite figures

shame I've no clue what to do with them

Stay safe, I've got to spend the next week telling 18 year old not to mingle with eachother, get drunk and have sex with assorted other 18 year olds. Wish me luck

Painting Catch Up

 Checking back through my blog posts I've not published any painting for ages. During lockdown I've done quite a lot, mainly 10mm 7YW and I've nearly finished the Prussians to give me 2 full armies. I'll dedicate a whole blog to them when they are done. Being a butterfly (a lockdown fat butterfly) as I got to the finishing line of the Prussians I immediately felt the urge to paint other stuff.

Matt, one of my enablers, has a large El Cid collection and I have lots of Normans but I had no Moors. Not quite true, I had some poorly painted ones and some Afghans. Dave, another enabler, swapped a Gripping Beast Black Guard Saga warband for my 10mm ACW Union. So I've build a meaningful Moor force. I've been using Vallejho washes and I like them

Gripping Beast 

Westfalia Napoleonic Afghans - lancers with shields. Any period really from 6th century to 19th

Warriors, mix of gripping beast metals and plastics with handful of Old Glory Pathans (see pervious image) 

Spearmen

And again

Guess

Archers - Gripping Beast metals and plastics

and again

1 army not enough. Well I've painted another. A few months ago Gripping Beast had sale where you could buy 25 Hun cavalry for £50. Always one for a bargain I bought a set

THe force, nice dark photo

The lancers

1 unit of archers

And another

Really enjoyed painting these, nice figures with dynamic poses.

Bored yet. Don't care, cos i also painted some gangsters. I had such a great time playing the gangster game with Dave that I bought some. I already have loads of 1930's armed civilians from VBCW, think I will be playing Peaky Blinders.

But I needed some more so I went shopping to Dixon's and Tsuba (via Empress)

Tongs - Tsuba. Like the Chinatown idea. Lovely figs

The Bailey Street Garage Boys. For all your chop shop needs

Barrow Gang

Long arm of the law.

My lead pile is now severely dented. 5 regiments of 10mm Prussians to paint and some odds and sods. Then it is all 10mm Italian Wars. Painting 10mm Landsknechts, yes I am an idiot. Could be worse I could be trying to reopen a University during a pandemic with rising cases. No wait, I'm doing that as well.