The Battle of Groix

 We tried the second battle of the Bay if Biscayne campaign.

The French decided turn on the pursuing British.

Arofan had some of the wort luck with dice I have ever seen and while the English took hits the French took more damage with each exchange.

I felt turning away was a bad idea but the French persisted.

The side hit the pursuing English hard but too little too late.

Rohirrim and the Turn of the Tide 12th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (13)

 Some more Tolkien Goodies 12 Rohirrim fighting on foot.  For me the moment in the Lord of the Rings that Turns the tide is when Gandalf shows up with Erkenbrand and the men of Westford to relieve the army at Helms Deep 

First up are 4 Archers I'll have to mix them in with other archers to make them work as a unit for most Wargames but they should help out nicely. 

The 8 men armed with hand weapons are great mix prefect for a point of warriors in Saga.  I used some Roman shields for a few to keep them form looking too generally Games Workshop.  They should mix well with some other Dark age troops I have without standing out too much but also they should stand own their own too.  All and all these fellow should net me 60 points plus 20 points for the Luna's theme.  They should get me a squirrel point.

Finally a bunch of terrain that is also part of a Games workshop set.  I don't have too much to say here its gray stone dry brushed a lighter gray.  It should be great for Frostgrave its 9 inches by 9 inches and about 2.25 inches high that is about 85% of a 6x6x6 cube so about 17 points.   I should now have enough terrain points to claim another Squirrel point 

Terra the Ship as Home:12th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (12)

A ship is usually how one travels away from home but for some it becomes a home and here are two examples from the Audrey-Matuirn series.

So I present HMs Surprise and HMS Leopard. Both ships are 3d prints (both Simmon Mann I believe).

HMS Surprise is what I consider the 5th key character of the series (Jack, Steven, Sophie and Diana being the others). As Jack say Surprise is a "Fine Sea Bird.. Stiff, weatherly and very fast if well handled." Steve calls her the "Dear Surprise" and goes so far as to buy her as private yacht (privateer) when she is sold out of the Navy. She is always spoken of with reverence and love. Jack especially seems more at home on board then he ever does ashore. One of Surprise's characteristics is a tall mainmast and you can see her here with Leopard who's height she almost matches.

Unlike many other 3d prints this one has a fine stern gallery. She's a fine 6th Rate to add to my English Fleet.

HMS Leopard is possible the most famous 50 gun ship in history thanks to it's attack on USS Chesapeake. Jack gets command of her some time after this but before the war of 1812. He and Steven both refer to her as the "Horrible old Leopard" but do so with what can only be called increasing affection. The suffer one of their most grueling cruises in the Leopard but despite almost sinking several times she gets them to safety a good ship despite her age and checked past.

I used some old plastic stern windows to finish her look. This is a great addition to my collection 4th rates of this type where a mainstay of the Royal Navy in the American Revolution.

Another 3D print a sh shore fortification based on the Château du Tourneau. You can get the file here https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3936544

It's a simple design and paint job not a lot to talk about but it's the last piece I need for a game I am running on Friday.

Based on the dimensions I think it's fair to ask for 2 points. And one more ship...

So Evelyn has been asking me to let her paint a ship... After some discussion she agreed it would be Ok for her to suggest the colors to use. Purple and teal (changed to sky blue) So I present the First ship of the D'Argent Navy the Princess Evelyn.

The ship is a 3D print based on Santisima Trinidad. I did some modifications and added a figure head (where I used the sky blue)

The stern was another leftover from my plastic 3rd rates. Evelyn is quite happy with how Her ship looks.

The D'Argent Navy flags are still in development but I may rechristen her the Infanta Evelyn and have her join my Spanish fleet.

Points:

HMS Surprise 15 Points

HMS Leopard 15 Points

Terra 20 points

Château du taureau 2 points (?)

Princess Evelyn 25 points (and 1 Squirrel if you let me count her D'Argent Imagination Navy 'persona')

That comes to 77 points

Painting with Evelyn 12th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (11)

So the start of the challenge had me digging through the pile and discovering I had very few Female miniatures. I did find a few that would suit...

My daughter coopted one of them. When your daughter begs you to paint soldier with you you don't argue.

This is work in progress. I'll update it if we get it done.

This is a reaper priestess who will be good for Frostgrave or other fantasy games.

Bones figures are a bit soft on details but she'll do as priestess or wizard for Frostgrave, Dragon Rampant or Saga age of magic.

Now 10 Arab bowmen from Essex. I plan to use these for Saga and possibly Lion/Dragon Rampant.

I tried to use a variety yellows, browns and grey's for their main clothing.

Then I went with a variety of brighter colors for their turbans and scarfs.

Points all the figures at 25mm 5 for the priestess and 10 for the the yacht. 50 points for the bowmen plus another 20 for the planner. That comes to 85 points in total. The bow men should net me another Squirrel Point.

Now on to the inner ring. Set course for Terra.

Cave Troll and Middle Earth Statures 12th Annual Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (10)

Some additional pick ups from the Gamer's flea market last fall and its one of my favorites I went with the armored version rather than the unarmored Moria version.

The trophy's hanging from his armor harness was a nice touch a call out to the terrible missiles fired into Gondor in the book (though not in the movie, I guess a rain of severed heads was too visceral for Peter Jackson)

This fellow has an interesting scaly skin it seemed a bit lizard like.

The patched up shield is one of my favorite bits I did the patches in bronze instead of steel.

Six Sutures that are also from the same set three standing and three fallen statues.

I kept the palate simple, dark grey, black wash, light gray dry brush. I added a little light blue in the deep part of the base where decoration or writing might once have been.

Rear view of the statues not much to add here.

The fallen statues can either be used in conjunction with the standing statues or I could replace them as battles occur resulting in the fall of a statue.

Spanish Ship of the Line San Justo: 12th Annual Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge (9)

Another naval offering the San Justo from the Spanish Ships of Renowned set. (For a better history see JJ's excellent blog) She was built in 1779 and took part in the Spanish actions of the AWI including the the siege of Gibraltar.

Her figure head is my best effort at something like the Spanish arms. After the American Revolution the San Justo was put in ordinary but was refitted in 1790 as a result of the Nootka crisis

 

She was put back into action for the Napoleonic Wars though as with other ship in this collection her actions where hardly glorious. Indeed it seems that the San Justo was unengaged at Cape Finisterre and barely fought at Trafalgar. She was one of the 11 Ships of the allied fleet to make it back to to Cadiz.


A 3rd rate is 15 points and despite he lackluster combat record San Justo is certainly a Nautical entry so I should another 20 points for Perelandra.


A fine looking vessel even if her battle record hardly makes a ship of renown! Excellent work on the rigging and stern gallery.

AdamC: Royal Navy Visit Coruscant 12th Annual Analog Hobbies Painting Challenge (8)

Well its been a long time since I had a post possibly my longest time between posts in any challenge. First my wife and then my daughter and I came down with covid killing my painting time (and painting ambition even when I had time).

I return with 4 Royal Navy three decker's 2nd rates in the Royal Navy terms.

The first three are Simon Mann's generic 92 gun ship of the line. It's a fine model I only needed to add some figure heads.

HMS Queen with the blue ensign

HMS Prince George flying a Red Ensign

HMS Prince of Whales with the White Ensign.

The last ship is Henry Turner's 98 gun London the model isn't quite as sharp but with some leftover pieces from the Warlord 3rd rates it looks pretty good.

Ok so how do Royal Navy ships count as "Imperial" well I have two strings to that bow. First the Royal Navy was obviously the keystone of the British Empire. People respected the British Empire because even if you managed a short term victory on land the Navy would come sailing over the horizon at some point and bring in more troops and firepower than you could handle. Second the Imperial Navy of Star Wars was clearly modeled after the Royal Navy. This is clear from the upper crust vaguely English accents and mannerisms of it's officer's.

Okay points four 2nd Rates ships of the line should be 25 points each for 100 points plus another 20 for Coruscant (if Peter agrees). This should add another squirrel point. It's good to be back in the game.

One more thing for those who are not friends of mine on face book. 

We are expecting our second child this summer (July) Evelyn is excited as you can see though she was a little miffed at getting a baby brother instead of a baby sister. She has gotten over her most of her disappointment I am happy to say.