The Year in Review: British and French Napoleonics

I was glancing at my blog calendar just the other day and realized that December 19th will mark a year since I started 'Analogue Hobbies'. Wow. It feels both so long ago and yet it  seems like only yesterday. I must say that at the time, when I started this whole blogging thing, I was a bit leery about it, thinking my interest would quickly peter-out or I'd simply have nothing to say. Well, while I doubt that what I have to say is of any real value I have found that the blog has become very valuable to me for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is that I've met some really fabulous people through blogging - people who have a similar passion for the hobby and whose words of encouragement have been both gracious and helpful. 

A bird's eye view of the two forces.

In addition making new friends, this whole exercise has really helped me focus my efforts at the hobby table. I dunno, but it seems the mixture of getting jazzed in seeing others' great projects and knowing that there are others out there anticipating my own work has really fanned the fires of productivity.

The white-uniformed 16th advancing towards the British position.

To underline this new 'renaissance' I've had for the hobby I thought it would be fun if I spent the next few days pulling out all the stuff I've done over the past year or so, set it up on the table and take some shots - sort of a 'Year in Review'. So, first up is the largest representative of my efforts this year, figures for 'The Beautiful Game': Napoleonics.

Rifles sending out a skirmish screen to meet the French.

The pictures here show the majority of my French and British collection. To be clear, about five of these units had their beginnings many years ago, and a few were started about 14 months ago, but for the most part what you see is around a year's worth of work. I think there is around 550 models in total of which I probably painted approximately 400 in the past year. I'm usually a fairly plodding painter so this is a notable achievement for me especially when this does not include the oddball forays like my Dystopian Wars diversion and things like the recent Russian 'campaign'.

Marshal Ney leading regiments of Carabiniers and Dragoons.

Portion of a British Rocket battery getting ready to engage.

Imperial Guard 12 pounders doing hot work.

A view down the French line.

Anyway, like the picture of Ney above, I thank all the visitors of Analogue Hobbies in spurring me on - you've been a great encouragement to me in both getting stuff done and enjoying the stuff that I do. Its been a great year and I'm really looking forward to seeing what the new one will bring. 

Season's Greetings and a Happy New Year!

Curt

Napoleonic Russians from the 'Riazan' Regiment - 28mm Foundry

This is an 1812 period Russian infantry battalion whose colours identify it has having been recruited from the Riazan area of Russia.

To be perfectly frank, I need to paint Russian Napoleonics like I need a hole in the head. I actually finished this unit as a 'poke in the eye' to Sylvain who is currently lazily sitting on a pile of unpainted Victrix early-period Russians that he acquired last winter. When I told him that I was going to work on all my other projects PLUS match his Russian 'commitment' battalion-for-battalion he responded with typical Gallic style by saying (in his charming French accent), "Ah, is zis another one of your charming, how you say, challenge 'Gauntlets', Cuurt?  Pff, add it to the pile..."

Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up, Pepe le Pew. ;)

Anyway, perhaps the Painting Challenge will put a fire under his butt, we'll see.

I quite like these Perry-sculpted Foundry castings (I think they were created late in their association with WF). They have great proportions, deep folds for shading and a lot of variation to give units greater character. I started these last February to experiment with Army Painter Quickshade and thought I'd get the unit done and off the table.

I went a little overboard on the groundwork but I'm still happy with how they turned out on the whole. The flags are by the indispensable 'Flag Dude'.

I have enough castings in The Lead Reserves to do a good portion of the 17th Division of  Baggovut's 2nd Corps which saw heavy action at Borodino. Cripes, yet another project on the roster...

Painting Challenge has met the Cut

Wow! What a wonderful response! I'm very pleased with the level of interest that this year's Painting Challenge has generated. We have many of the regular 'Old Salts' pitching in plus some new people whom I'm delighted to have join us. Nonetheless, we have now hit my target of twenty 'Challengers' (actually a bit more) and I'm thinking this will be more than enough for me to manage! To those who missed getting aboard this year I apologize but I'm sure we'll be doing it again in the future.

All of those who have agreed to be part of this silliness will have now received a note from me which has an update on the scoring, reiterates the rules (such as they are) and generally gets us all acquainted. For those of you who will be following the progress of the Challenge I will be posting all entries onto this main page as they are submitted, but it is my plan to make-up another linked page that will serve as a gallery for all the entries. In addition, the right-hand sidebar will have an updated tally-sheet of the standings (you can see the list of 'Challengers' there currently). So remember to visit often, encourage the lads and enjoy the show!

The Gauntlet Dropped - The 2nd Annual Winter Painting Challenge

Sigh. He's back again. That spiteful, hateful, nasty git: Old Man Winter. 

Bugger. Him. 

Here in Saskatchewan the temperature is now well below freezing, the trees are bare, the ice is on the roads and I can categorically say I don't want to hear A SINGLE WORD from my sun-kissed compatriots near or below the equator about their warm weather. I hate you all (but of course in a benign, friendly way).

Oh well, the upswing is that it forces me to slow down and spend more time indoors, which in turn gives me more time for my hobbies. So, in order to further encourage industry, camaraderie and a bit of friendly competition I thought I'd issue another Painting Challenge similar to the one last winter.

The Painting Challenge Rules:

'The Analogue Hobbies Winter Painting Challenge' will extend from December 20th to the first day of Spring, midnight March 20th.


Those wishing to participate are to contact me via this blog.


As opposed to the previous Challenge, which was exclusively Napoleonic, I thought it would be interesting to broaden the Challenge to include ANY HISTORICAL wargames figures.


The Scoring:

• 5 points per 25/28mm foot figure 
• 10 points per per 25/28mm mounted figure 
• 10 points per 25/28mm artillery piece or limber model 
• 4 points per 20mm foot or unmounted horse figure 
• 8 points per 20mm mounted figure 
• 8 points per 20mm artillery piece or limber model 
• 3 points per 15mm foot or unmounted horse figure 
• 6 points per 15mm mounted figure 
• 6 points per 15mm artillery piece or limber model 
• Vehicles will be scored on a model-to-model basis 
• We'll keep it to figures/models only - so no terrain, sorry! 

(Other scales/models points value will be determined by The Judge)

Figures can be primed prior to the start date (Dec 20th) but no colour can have been applied until the start date. In order to be scored the figures have to be based and any groundwork completed. The figures have to be painted by you. The honour system will be followed in relation to the completion and entry of figures to the Challenge. Woe goes upon the head of anyone who besmirches themselves in the painting of toy soldiers!

On top of general bragging rights, smack talk, etc. prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. (Prizes will be gift vouchers (or their equivalent) from a wonderful online hobby store.)


In order to be scored, photos of the completed figures/units are required to be submitted to me (The Judge) for posting here on the Analogue Hobbies blog. Updated scoring for 'The Challenge' will also be tracked on this blog.


The Judge (me) will participate in the competition but will not 'place' as a scoring competitor (i.e. no prizes for me).

But, you see, I have a cunning plan...

There is ONE condition to your participation to The Challenge. To be counted as one of the vaunted members of this august enterprise you will be required to paint one Viking figure for my collection. I will send out a figure to you with a self-addressed return enclosure. It will count as 10 points towards your score but it has to be submitted back to me before the end of the Challenge.


This way I get both a momento of the Challenge, and, in a sense, all the participants will form part of my Viking warband. Now, how neat is that!


So, there you have it. If you're interested please drop me a note. I hope you take up my challenge and join me in getting a bunch of stuff done over the coming winter months!


Warm Wishes,


Curt

Product Snapshot: 'Architects of War' Resin Tree Bases

Earlier this year I picked up eight of these resin tree bases from Architects of War (amongst other assorted stuff) and managed to take some time this past week to get them done up. 

I got these as part of a larger online deal of which I've finished the Garden and the Plowed Field. I still have a whack of other models from them to do, but one thing at a time, eh?

Like the rest of the Architects of War products I've worked with, these resin tree bases are very well made - they're very sturdy, have no warping and possess excellent detail. It was just a matter of blocking in the colours, drybrushing, adding a little groundwork, glueing in the 'Woodland Scenic' trees to the matching sockets and they were done. Highly recommended.

I also made up a bunch of single trees mounted onto large fender washers to act as 'filler' foliation between these bases. In addition, I think I'm going to make up some large chamfered/flocked MDF bases to set these on. That way when figures move into the woods then the trees can be freely moved around to accomodate and the larger MDF base will indicate the limits of the treeline.