Back to 42mm

Aware that there has not been much about my 42mm Irregular armies recently . True most of my posts have been about the 54mm I have been casting up, but behind the scenes I have been busy painting up another Balkans Imagi-nation .

The first infantry unit of Fetaland - a country based on  Greece and its army circa 1880-1900 . Must admit the name took some thinking up , I'd run out of sweet names that sound like nations ( well at least to me !) and Greece isn't renowned for confectionery (as far as I know) .

The Fetaland army alarmed by the conflict in neighbouring Treboria/Ferraro Rocca has take delivery of some ex French Mitrailleuse to boost their firepower , here seen on maneuvers .

Here we see the Fetaland CinC General Stavros Flatly and staff

Who will Fetaland ally itself to ? afraid I have not worked that out yet , will have to get more figures painted before they can take part in the conflict .

Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry

Got the first of my mounted figures cast and painted . I got the Hussar molds from Prince August for my birthday , the horses are a bit of a swine to cast - they come in 2 half's and I've had to vent the molds at the horses legs ( to allow the metal to run to the very ends of the hooves ) .

 They have been painted as the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry a local unit that was  raised in Victorian times . The molds take quite a bit of metal so its not going to be a cavalry heavy army !.

Old Timer

Found this figure at a Car Boot sale last weekend in a box of toys, got it for 50p . The chap said it was plastic -BUT- in fact its a old hollow cast Britains , you can see the hole in the top of the Bearskin , think its's been repainted and was a bit knocked about . Have touched up the paint , based it and given it a coat of varnish . Will be a Officer in Army 'Red' , nice to have a figure in the army that dates from the era of H .G. Wells .

54mm in their natural enviroment

Being a sunny day decided to do a photo shoot with my 54mm figures in the garden .

Borsetshires on the march

One of the dangers of garden gaming !

'Now let me look at that map '

Deeper into the garden (try to ignore the weeds)

A patrol goes out .

" Army 'Black' has been spotted!"

Army 'Black' Command group

Here is my 'Black' Army High Command - from left to right , Sergeant Major a standard standing body and arms -head added plus 'Iron Cross' medal . General- standing body and arms added medals ,epaulets ,sash, moustache,monocle and medals added with 'green stuff' .Aide - standing body with rifle arm with rifle removed and dispatch paper added , sword and sabatache added .

Casting is getting easier and faster as I become more competent , the temperature of the metal is critical to get it to fill the mold completely (like the 3 bears porridge - not to hot not to cold - JUST right !) . Some molds are easier than others to cast , playing with  mounted Hussar moulds at the moment and getting the horse to cast is a swine - but practise makes perfect ! .

First Army 'Black' unit

Finally got the first infantry unit for Army 'Black' cast up and painted . Adding the Irregular Piklehaube head took a bit longer , but once I  got into the swing of things it was quite easy.

The Infantry Regt. No.32

Painting Alfresco

On holiday today - accumulated time to get in before the weekend , rather lazy day- then I thought 'why don't I paint outside' . In  40+ years of painting I've never done this before , but seeing we have a newly constructed patio and patio set to go with it thought I'd give it a go . Rather strange painting out side - lots of light and the paint drys VERY  fast (keep your brush wet) but felt a bit odd .

 Felt a bit like a French 19th cent painter - note the hat , but no Sun flowers and managed not to cut my ear off , although did spill a glass of orange juice. Decided to paint a Bavarian gun crew and gun , since I have been neglecting my Napoleonics off late and they have been glaring at me from the painting tray for ages . Here is the result posed appropriately on Osprey's Napoleon's Allies- Bavaria  

They still need basing and a coat of varnish - all in all a plesant way to spend the afternoon .