Merry Christmas from the General

Hello world it’s another year over and not a very interesting one for this blog once again. But the good news is that I did finally get my French Carabineers finished but I would have liked to have done more units to fill my 1815 Armies. It seems that my hobby has gone to the back burner once again for now, but hope that 2020 will see an increase in finished painted units.

I have been to a couple of shows again this year which I had hoped would jump me into action and they did just a bit. It would be nice if some of the plastic companies out there would bring out some new Napoleonic figures for 2020 HaT in particularly to get that buzz back.

Once the Christmas and New Year period is over I hope to sit down and finish the 32^nd Foot British Infantry. So please do have a look now and then for progress.

I would like to thank my nine followers once again for staying with me and for all of you who have taken a look over the year from around the world. A total of 57,600 hits to date.

I hope that you all have a really great time over the Christmas period. So I would like to wish you and your family a 

Very Happy Christmas.

SELWG 19 Report

Yesterday I went to my third wargaming show of the year, SELWG 2019 at the Crystal Palace Sports Centre.

It’s was nice to wake up with the sun shine but it did have a chill in the air but then again it is autumn. I arrived just after 11 o’clock at the centre, walked in a payed my entry fee. Once through I took a look at the trade stands on the concourse and then into the small hall. Here the bring and buy was very busy, so I decided to come back a bit later. It seemed quite busy here with more trade stands and a few demonstration games going on.

The main Hall

Down to the main hall it seemed a little less busy but there was plenty on offer here. To my surprise there was a stall selling HaT figures. That was great to see but that is one thing that I do not want at the moment and that is more figures. I am still waiting for HaT to produce the Prussian Limber teams and ammo caissons including the Dutch and Belgium Carabiniers which have been promised to the wargaming world. With the trade stands there seemed to be more of a choice in books, figures and even terrain this year.

Had an early lunch just before one, and here I met Ray Rousell from Posties Rejects or Don’t throw a 1 blog. I have tried to meet up with this young man for a couple of years now and at last I can now take his name off my list but hope that I will see him again soon. After lunch I then went back to the bring and buy stall and looked to see what was on offer and there was plenty to see although not for me this time round.

There were quite a few demo games on this year which I think is very good for our hobby as they all seemed to be having fun. But here are a couple of empty tables around where clubs had not turned up which is always a great shame, but here are some pictures of the show.

Shepway Wargaming Club WWI - Refugees flee the battle

Deal - WWII Beach Landing

Gravesend Wargames WWII great looking table

Now that I have had my fix at looking at all the fantastic layouts this year. I makes me think about mine to come. Still trying to get the first batch 32nd foot done although we are about half way through painting them.

Finished

The last batch of my French Carabinier’s are now finally finished.  I must say that I am very happy with the finished painted figures after being a long time away from painting. The officer is just slightly different to the troopers in that I have kept his jacket white so he can be seen on the battlefield. That means that I have now painted a total of 17 figures this year, okay I am not going to win any medals but it does lift my mural up.

But what to paint next and can I keep on painting? Well I have decided to paint the 32^nd Cornwall of Foot to boost my British numbers. Once again these will be from my old Airfix collection of which I have quite a few boxes to paint still. For a change I will not use the officer on horse but will use the HaT British officer on foot and flag bearer figures from their command set.

Skirmish 2019 - Anglo Boer War Special

I decided to go back to the Skirmish Show on Sunday for my second wargame show of the year.

Leaving home in some very nice autumn sun I jump on the bus to Sidcup. I arrived at the Chislehurst & Sidcup School just before ten, which is a bit early than I normal do here. I took a bit of spending money from the war chest in hope that something might catch my eye this time round.  The entry fee remained at just £4 which is really good for a small show like this.

Once I had payed and given my free raffle ticket, I made my way straight to the big selection of plastic figures in the reception area. Here I brought two HaT boxes of figures. They were the “French in Greatcoats” and a box of the “Married Zulus”.

In the main hall the lack of people visiting was very apparent but is might be down to the hot weather and everyone having their last BBQ. There seemed to be more trade stands here than in previous shows. Although it was mainly figures, there was a good selection of second hand books as well.

On the main stage once again a collection of military equipment from the Boer War and it was very impressive collection. On into the gaming hall there were just five tables of gaming which was a bit of a disappointment. The Bring and Buy tables was quite packed with goodies.

Out of the five games, I have picked three of them to show you.

Skirmish Wargames "Mexican Revolt"

Old Guard "Spanish Civil War"

Milton Hundred Wargames Club "Conflict In Kent 1941"

More French Carabiniers

Here is the second batch of the 17 French Carabinier’s which are made by Italeri that I am continuing to painting up. The trumpeter is the easiest figure to paint out of this set with clear clean lines. I have kept all of the troopers that are holding their carbines as there are four in a set and I do not want to buy another set just to make the numbers up. It’s a great shame that the set does not include a figure holding the regimental flag. Last five figures to finish off painting and they are nearly all done.

French Carabiniers 1815

Front

At last, the first batch of the 17 Italeri’s French Carabiniers for which it has taken me a total of seven years to complete. I started painting the 17 horses in 2012 and finished them pretty quickly but the troopers have been a bit of a night mare. The reason being is that there is not much information about what they were wearing at Waterloo. There are so many accounts of what they did and not wear it drove me crazy to decide what they should wear. Although the figures have some issues with the uniform, I love them.

It seems that most wargamers have painted them up in their parade uniforms but we know that is is not so but they do look really good in their white posh uniforms. So in the end I took a bit of this and a bit of that and I am well pleased of the finished results. I have painted them in much of their campaign gear and I have decided to keep their carbines, although some of the researchers said that they did not have them at Waterloo. The same goes for the badge plates on their helmets, as you can see I have kept mine on as it gives them a bit of quality for the French cavalry. I know my painting won’t win any prizes, but they will do for me. My second batch will be here soon.

Back

Skirmish 2019 Sudan

I cannot believe that we are in March and this is my first post of the year? Still yesterday I went to my first show of the year at Skirmish 2019 “Sudan”.

After some rotten wet and windy weather, the sun was actually shinning when I left for the Sidcup show. I arrive by 10. 30 and it was just a little bit too quite as with previous shows. Although I did not make it to the September show last year, I made the effort with some money from the war chest.

The first thing to do on my list was to get some of the new HaT figures. These are the “French Command” box and a box of the “Colonial General Service Wagons” which were on sale.

On into the main hall and things where very quiet, but it was good to go round and see what’s on offer. You had a small choice of books, terrain, figures and kits. On the main stage there was the usual show of arms and equipment of the Sudan period. This is always very good to see what the armies had at that time.

Into the gaming hall and most of the games were for the Sudan period but a naval game and even Lords of the Rings were thrown in. The Bring and Buy tables were well stocked with goodies.

The best display and game was from the Replica Metal Soldiers with a the battle of Tel el Kebir a Egyptian game with 54 mm figures made in the traditional metal toy soldiers.

The other game I picked was from the Skirmish Wargames called “What a Carry on up the Nile” I just loved the paddle steamer.

The best part of the show is that I won one of the reprints of a British soldier from the camel corps in the free raffle. What a great way to end the day.