Border Reiver 2015

Today was the Border Reiver Show at Gateshead International Stadium (images of fat bald middle aged men doing the high jump are not appropriate here so stop thinking about them - although the pole vault would test Newtonian physics to breaking point).
It is a pretty small show but there is plenty of space and some really cool games (obviously I didn't take any photos). Think it's about time I joined a local club.
I was supposed to meet with Darrell for the 1st time but failed to do so - hard to find another short fat bald guy in a room of short fat bald guys and I also didn't see Roy of Roy's Hobby Blog either and I appear to have been blocked from his site, must have been something I said.
I had some things I wanted to buy, some Frostgrave wizards and some Pictish biuldings from Scheltrum Miniatures. Otherwise the plan was to buy what takes my fancy - I go with a cash only budget and leave when it's spent.
There was plenty on show and I bought some cool things plus some bases, casualty counters and dice but you don't want to see pictures of them do you.

2 Pict huts from Scheltrum Miniatures and a couple of temple dogs from Ainsty

2 apocalypse survivors from Studio Miniatures. I buy these a lot via Hasslefree and it was good to meet the man himself. These 2 are a modern day robin hood and a hippy tank commander called Donald. No idea where he gets his ideas from.

31 Old Glory Pathans for £20, 2nd hand I think from one of the gaming shop's stalls - bargain

Wizards and thieves from Midlam

Mummy and a witch in a basque from Col. Bills (Rapier and Wargames Foundry)

Deep sea divers from Col Bill's (Wargames Foundry). don't know why I wanted these but I have done for ages.

Volksmarine from Scheltrum - good for VBCW

These victorian monsters - werewolf, phantom of the opera, mummy and crazy old lady - are from SHQ miniatures and will work well with a Victorian Frostgrave.

And finally another SHQ set, these were supposed to be Holmes and Watson and a couple of Rozzers but they gave me the wrong pack and I got a Flashman set. These figures are large 32mm and don't fit with my other sets so  will email them and see if I can swap them

I nearly bought this monster - a Scheltrum 28mm Imperial Land Leviathan but it was £70 and I didn't have the dosh. No idea what to use it for but it's now on the list.

Generally it was a good day and I'm off to prep new toys

To the north of Kathmandu

There's a one eyed yellow idol to the north of Kathmandu. Well if there is then the last unpainted British figures in my colonial collection will find it. My colonial collection is very much Rudyard Kipling, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Rider Haggard in flavour so the uniforms are fairly generic. These are from a Northstar lucky bag and will pass for action in Africa or the NW frontier.

Of course they will need supplies and barricades to defend so i have painted my Ainsty Castings supplies and barricades - these were a joy to paint and I think  the resin comes pre-washed,either that or I better at the dishes than history would indicate.

I've also improved my photography space, still a little dark but much much better than recent efforts.

This song is not very appropriate but I do love it.

The Seven Samurai

Been a busy week. It's results week for school leavers here in the UK and I've just launched a new degree at my University- Earth Science. So I've been making and ruining kids lives all week - a weird experience. Still we've got a full compliment of students which is pretty good for a brand new degree so today I'm very hungover
I've finished painting the last of my Japanese figures. These are from a Northstar lucky bag and are really good figures. The naginata spears are made from plastic brush bristles with the ends flattened and shaped, much better than wire and less of a H&S risk to one's palms.

I also received some goodies this morning from Ainsty Castings, my 1st purchase from them and the quality is excellent. Some barricades and some crates, barrels and sacks. There are also some propane bottles from Hasslefree.

I'm generally trying to finish off some of my random unpainted figures to complete collections. It's the Border Reiver show in a few weeks and .... well you know.
This is the most appropriate song