Italian Horse Artillery WIP cont.

I managed to get some paint on the last two converted horse gunners, and they didn't turn out too bad, even thought I say so myself! Now to paint up some guns, and they'll be ready for varnishing and basing.

I had a game last Friday where I tested out the rocket rules in a great little scrap of a game. I forgot the camera, but Steve W. took some photos of the table top, so when I get hold of his photos I'll write up a more detailed AAR.

More Italian Horse Artillery Conversions

Here's another couple of horse gunners using the Zvezda-head-on-Italeri-body method that I find works quite well. These two will be painted up shortly to join the pair from previous posts, once I get a little more motivated or the weather cools down. Seeing as the latter has a large bearing on the former, I'm sure my motivation will increase in response to a break in the heat and humidity!

Italian Horse Guns WIP #2....and Something Else!

Painting progress at Chez Rosbif has been slow what with the warm weather and being back at work, but there has been some progress!

Here's the latest Italian horse gunner using the Zvezda head conversion method.

I also found some of my 25 year old fantasy figures that have been lurking in the shed, unused and unloved. La Petite Rosbif #2 spotted the dragon and requested that I repaint it from its basic, but chipped, gold paintjob to a green, reptilian hue. I also mounted him on a mini-diorama; on a hill with a flame-blasted area in front of him, as if he's been blasting anyone who approaches.

I'm not sure of his provenance, but he comes with saddle and bridle as if there was a rider figure. We never had one. Maybe some of you fantasy game playing types might recognise him and his rider, or at least have some suggestions for a suitable rider?

Screwy Stats, or Ruddy Robots!

According to Blogger's internal stats I've recently passed the 100,000 mark. 'Huzzah!' I hear you say! But wait, gentle reader, as I fear that there's something rotten in the state of Denmark, to quote the Bard.

Above is a screen grab of yesterday's stats, and while I haven't been very busy on the blogging front, as there hasn't been much activity in either gaming or painting recently, my stats have been bumping along nicely with an average of around 150 visits a day over the past week. "All very well and good, there Beefy", I hear you say, "What's the problem?"

The problem, dear reader, is the sources of those stats. Above you'll see that I have received the attentions of an online marketing robot which was banging its head on my blog hoping I'd click the link to find out what it was. Not bloody likely, Jack!

Anyway, I'm a bit leery of Blogger's stats so I won't be celebrating any milestones until my flag counter tells me I've reached the 100 grand mark.

I know others out there have suffered spam robots leaving 'comments' trying to lure suckers to their sites, but so far I seem to have escaped unscathed. Hopefully this isn't the thin end of the wedge!

Cold Steel Update

I've updated the rules tabs at the top of the page as our resident printing whizz Robin forwarded me the newest edition which included some anomalies which were picked up in our Dennewitz game.

The new iteration didn't include the charts, so I've added a separate link to them as well.

The rocket rules will have to wait until v.9 unfortunately!

Italian Horse Guns- WIP

Here's the first of my Italian horse artillerymen conversions using Italeri bodies and Zvezda heads.

He's not terribly historically accurate, but I love his dashing hussar-type stylings! I just think he'd have to watch out with bending over, because they are skin-tight pants he's wearing. With those pants and his Freddy Mercury mustache, I reckon he wouldn't be out of place on a Sydney Mardi Gras float!

I'm Interested in Apathy!

It's been a quiet time on the wargaming front at Château Rosbif, not only because I've been back at work for a week, but because our car, affectionately known as Bertie, has been at the panel beater's for a fortnight after a numpty in a 4WD reversed into the driver's side door while my wife was going about her business. His excuse? "I didn't see you"!

Anyway, he admitted liability so we weren't out of pocket, but it meant that we were reduced to public transport for a fortnight. No wargaming for M. Rosbif!

Also, the weather's been hot and humid; not very conducive to painting, I think you'd agree, but I couldn't even muster the energy to do a little conversion work for the Italian artillery I've got on the assembly line next! Wargaming and the painting challenge have well and truly taken a back seat this last week. Ennui has settled in!

Anyway, with the prospect of a cool change in the wings I might be able to work up the energy to tackle the next project: the Italian horse artillery for IV Corps, followed by the foot artillery. The horse artillery will use the bodies of the Italeri Guard horse artillery with Zvezda Voltiguer heads like I did with a previous conversion.

There are some discrepancies from the source material I'm using though: no epaulets, or tails on these figures, but I don't think that will matter too much in the long run.

Image from www.histunif.com

Rocket Rules WIP

Further to my last post, I've discovered that our rocketry rules are very anemic, so I've taken it onto myself to rectify that problem!

For anyone interested here are my draft rocketry rules, which while written for our own club rules, may have some adaptability to other rules. Also, if you have any suggestions based on your own experience of rocketry rules, please feel free to leave a comment. I've yet to test them, but will give you a detailed AAR with an appraisal of the rules when I do!

Challenge Entry #7 - Rockets!

Aaaaaaaaah, nostalgia! It makes me feel really old to think this is 20 years old (well, that and seeing my kids growing before my eyes!)

Why the Smashing Pumpkins, you ask? Rockets of course! The RHA Rocket Troop to be precise!

I bought this set on a whim ages ago and haven't actually painted any of the figures a) because they're butt-ugly, and b) our rules don't cover rockets! I'll check with the rules gurus to see if any of the big January games I haven't been involved in have special rules for rocketry, or else I'll have to make some up. I like the idea that any green troops or cavalry would have to undergo an automatic morale test to see if they are spooked by the hissing and screaming of the rockets on the first fire. Also some sort of randomised targeting that can even result in friendly fire would be the go, too!

I like to add a little cotton wool to the end of artillerymen's portfires to give a little more detail, though I've learned not to add it til after the varnishing process. I've added it before spraying on the varnish but it collects in the fibres making a bit of a soggy mess!

I'm Meelllllting!!

I've learned the hard way not to leave my plastic figures in the direct sunlight of a hot Australian summer! I store some of my figures in a room in the shed which also has a skylight. It has no ventilation and as a result can get pretty hot in the afternoon.

These three British morale markers were left on the bench-top in the direct sunlight over the last few weeks. It seems that the plastic under the paint has liquified and run through cracks to gather and solidify in blobs!

Now all my plastic in the shed is safely stored out of the direct light and in cooler parts of the shed!

Painting Challenge Entry #6 (& Back to Work! Sobs!)

From www.theage.com

All good things must come to an end! After having the month of January off, today was the first day back at work. 'On a Friday?!' I hear you cry incredulously? There's method to my madness I tells ya! I thought I'd go back today to ease myself into work mode, sift through the email mountain and generally get my brain back into work mode. It took me most of the day to remember my various passwords (note to self; WRITE them down before taking leave next year!). 

Now that I'm back at work, my painting output may slow down. That being said, here's the latest in my production line for the Borodino project; another 8 figure battalion of Italian Conscripts of the Guard.

This time, instead of using another mounted officer to fill the space left in the formation, I have made a couple of half-base sized panels to fill the gap either side of the command figures in the centre. The officer is the one I experimented on previously to improve the manliness of his sword blade, so I couldn't claim him towards the Challenge score. Again, the figures are HaT's French Light Infantry