Evilstu’s Historical Tinkering

After a bit of a hiatus from the ACW decided to do up a box of Confederates. Then sort of kept adding bits… Now have the core of 2 Sharp practice forces ready to go at least… Slightly tempted to start doing some of the more specialised units, but will see how that goes given there are a few other projects in train presently… All miniatures from Perry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeJKn3KAwJw

OK, proof of completion shots below, got across the line with a few hours to spare to complete my Thirty Years War project before the 400th anniversary of the Battle of White Mountain. have another 14 character minis painted up which just need basing and still need to add a few banners but still going to claim a moral victory. Will line everything up and take some prettier photos later this week and post…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_White_Mountain

OK, 2 weeks to go until the 400^th anniversary of the Battle of White Mountain – my self-imposed deadline for getting the core of a couple of Thirty Years war forces prepped. Catholic League side is fieldable as is – just need a couple more ‘big men’ to lead. Opposing them, yah… that’s still a bit of a stretch… I did manage to get my Swedish Infantry unit finished and varnished this week. Coats were Dark Prussian Blue highlighted up again and again with Prussian Blue which didn’t seem to have any effect until I eventually saw them under natural daylight at which point all looked ok… Yellow was done with Yellow Ochre, which is my default yellow (and which I highly recommend trying out if you think you hate painting with yellow…). So with the Scots and the 3 field pieces which I’m also working on (photos & guide next update as I want to document the recipe for the gun carriages for later reference…) that should provide enough of a core foot force. I have 3 blocks of cavalry which have gotten as far as assembly and undercoat which still need to be actioned, plus one more gun crew figure and big men.

So, with 14 days left on the shot clock I need to:

• Paint and base 24 cavalry
• Add flock to bases on 100 foot
• Complete three in progress field pieces
• Paint and base 8 mounted and six foot command models

Think I should be Ok to get this done as long as I don’t add anything additional to the project list to be achieved by 8 Nov (and as long as nothing goes properly sideways in real life…). Once the core forces are done can add whistles and bells and bulk things out further at a leisurely pace as the mood takes me. Which will mean I can then dip into some other projects for a bit to mix things up. At least that’s the current thinking…

Ok well actually kicking off with a box of Scots Covenanters who will be pulling double duty and standing in as Scottish mercenaries fighting for the Swedes. Recipe I’m using for ‘hodden grey’ is a base coat of Vallejo chocolate brown, first highlight 2 parts Chocolate Brown to 1 part Vallejo Sky Grey, final highlight 1 part Chocolate Brown to 2 parts Vallejo Sky Grey. If that sounds like too much hassle just coat in Army Painter castle Grey and give it a wash with AP Strong Tone Ink and I think you’d land in about the same place… Bonnets were Vallejo Game Air Magic Blue toned down with a mix of the hodden grey final coat until some of the magic was gone…

Bases done and varnish on. Core Catholic League force now completed. Will still needs some more leaser figures for Sharp Practice and maybe some more whistles and bells like artillery if I want to use this in ‘big battle’ games.

Finished the bases on the Catholic League forces tonight – whole army has had bases edged in AP Oak Brown where required, then a coat of Vallejo Brown Mud texture paste applied, then PVA and a 3 step flocking consisting of fine grass, mixed fine flock and a very fine clump foliage (There’s probably a name for this…). Also got the cavalry pennant on (which may have been called ‘cornets’ if I remember correctly, handy to have them riding right next to a musician holding an actual cornet… No possibility of confusion there…) so now just need to edge those in with paint then the whole force is ready for another coat of varnish and we’re good.