Rationalising

 

Not managed to paint or assemble anything in this last week.  Made a start on painting some Space 1889 Martians for a friend but only got the flesh done.

I spent some time trying to work out how to fit all the WW2 stuff I am currently basing and the associated vehicles in the storage space I have for painted figures and realised that I needed more space and even then where will the Marlburians, AWI and Epic TYW go when I have them done?  Painted stuff takes up so much more space than neatly packed away bags of figures that fit into drawers and small boxes.

So, I finally made a tough decision and decided to sell my GW LOTR collection.  I started collecting the figures in 2002 when they came out and have amassed quite a few for playing Kings of War now - mostly picked up second hand at Bring and Buys when the figures dropped out of fashion before The Hobbit films with a few purchases on Ebay and a number painted up from new when I first started (and GW prices were merely eye watering rather than eye-gouging).

Sadly, my main opponent for KoW and LOTR at the club, Pat, died last March and I haven't played a game since.  There doesn't seem to be a lot of interest amongst the rest of Guildford to play anything bigger than Lion Rampant or particularly play fantasy.

I have come to the conclusion that it is more sensible to concentrate on Frostgrave for my Fantasy itch as it requires far fewer figures, gives me an excuse to get the Reaper bones figures I have painted up and I have already made a lot of scenery for it.

The LOTR take up 12 boxes, so quite a lot of space on the shelves - maybe 500-600 figures I thought.

Having photographed them all and listed them on Facebook there are 908!  which includes counting mounted, trolls, etc as 1 figure (I have 32 Warg Riders! and lots of Rohan, etc).  

It may have got out of hand  (is 170 goblins too many?).

Anyway, sales are starting to come through - I've sold 73 figures so far and cleared a fair amount of money already with some other pending sales and I managed to clear out two bisley cabinet drawers of 20mm ACW and move them into 2 of  the empty boxes which frees up the drawers for French WW2 vehicles.

What doesn't sell on Facebook after a few weeks will go on ebay priced for a fairly quick sale and hopefully most of it will be gone by the end of Feb.

WW2 Resin and 3d Prints - clearing a backlog

 

Been working on some vehicles for the 20mm WW2 French and downloaded an stl file for a Laffly 20 TL from Wargaming3D as no one seems to make one in resin or metal.  The file is beautifully detailed and so even at 28mm it won't print the open topped model as the windscreen and steering wheel are far too fine for an FDM printer even without scaling the model down to 1/72.

Fortunately they do a closed model and this prints okay.  First test 3d print below.

Windscreen is a bit odd - I need to try adjusting the angle of print to see if that improves it.  I can sort it out on this model with some paper or card covering it or fill it.

I have also been trying to get all my Frontline resin models assembled but haven't been able to undercoat them due to the rain.

SDFZ10 german transport awaiting their primer

Mix of Somuas and H35s awaiting their primer

Three 3d printed isobloc W240 buses used by the French and Germans.  These are from a file on Thingiverse.

I am currently assembling some armoured cars and a couple of civilian trucks which just leaves some German tanks to do.

Also, heads up that Tim at Frontline is retiring and the last day for new orders is 26th February. 

I have just ordered more french tanks, some sdfz70s  (and some Char B1s from Early War Miniatures as he doesn't make them).

Eric Knowles' French WW2

 

Slowly painting some more Marlburians and waiting for the rain to stop so I can do some undercoating. In between that I decided it really was time I took a look at the French, German and Belgian WW2 collections in 20mm that I bought 2.5 years ago and that  have sat in a drawer ever since.  They are all figures from Eric Knowles' collection that I bought through David Crook.

I have started rebasing the French initially, so here is a French Battalion rebased and waiting for the bases painting and flocking.  There is a fair amount of 75mm, 175mm and 155mm support artillery to also sort out and some trucks to sort as well.

I have about the same amount of French Colonial troops to rebase as well and sort with all the support elements.

These should let me play the various French scenarios in the Rapid Fire Blitzkrieg books once I have assembled and painted about another 15 tanks! (I have 3 French tanks at the moment...).

I'd really like a couple of buses for transport as well.

25mm Minifigs SYW Army

 

Finished rebasing my 25mm Minifigs SYW French.  This is the last of the large collection I bought last year that is now all rebased and supplemented with some figures from Ian Hinds.

total of 12 Infantry, 2 cavalry 2 guns and 10 commanders.  I need to add more cavalry and arillery but will supplement with Austrians for now. 

Housing Estate

 

Hope you all had a good Christmas.  

I managed to get the other 15 houses cut and assembled over Christmas.  Just the 10 special buildings to design now.

Also worked on cutting extra road sections and working out how the siege lines are going to work.

Next up is undercoating all the houses and painting them.

I also want to get all the part-painted French defenders finished and make a start on their artillery and crews.

Back to Dendermonde

 

Putting together the full Dendermonde table so I can work on the houses over Xmas and also work out exactly how the siege lines are going to fit and how long I need to make the parallels, etc.  Also where the roads are going to go and where they cross the Glacis.

The white paper represents the special buildings like the Brewery, churches, hotels, etc that still need designing.

I also have another 15 houses to assemble and add to the table.

Dendermonde Glacis finished

 

Finished flocking the Dendermonde Glacis this morning and it is now drying.  Just need to dry-brush the walkway and it is done.

That means there is just a wooden walkway to build from the demi-line to the glacis, the Sluice Gates to build and the Gatehouse to finish painting.  Then the fortifications themselves will finally be finished.