With a Little Help from my Friends: Italian Wars Stradiot Light Cavalry from DaveD

A couple of years ago, while we were lucky enough to take in the Partizan show in Newark, DaveD very kindly agreed to paint up a unit of Stradiot light cavalry for me. Being a gentleman and a scholar, he sent back the beautifully completed models just before last year's Painting Challenge. Now that the hurly burly of the Challenge is well behind us I  thought it high time to get them based and ready for action. So, here they are in all their wicker-hatted glory. 

The Stradiots were mercenary light cavalry which fought in south and central Europe from the 15th to the middle of the 18th century. Very well regarded by those who served with them, they were typically recruited from Albania, Greece, Serbia, Dalmatia and Cyprus. 

These are 28mm metal castings from Perry Miniatures' 'European Armies' range. 

I really admire how Dave's painting has made each figure unique, differing their shield devices, the colour of their garb and their lance pennants - it all serves to highlight their status as irregular troops.

It took a little bit of trial and error to get the basing colours similar to my other units, but it came out alright in the end. 

Thanks so much Dave! They are an absolutely wonderful, and a prized addition to the growing host. Magnifico Bellissimo!

Next up are some infantry reinforcements and this time the talented brushwork originates not only from another continent, but another hemisphere!

Tribute to Dave - Corporal Docherty, Sergeant Millsy & The Shovel of Doom

The last Tribute for my Painting Challenge assistants is for Dave Docherty, our prized 'Wednesday Minion' (who also doubled as our peerless Sultan of the Sudan). Dave has been a long-time supporter of the Challenge, having been in the scrum since its second incarnation (the 'Year of the Vikings', I believe), so I was delighted to have him assisting me with the circus this time out. He's a great trooper, that Mr. D.

Originally I was going to do-up a single figure, the fellow seen here leading with the pipe - but while I was preparing the figure an idea came along which made me modify my plan and allowed me to have a bit more fun with the composition.

As many of you know, this year Dave created a funny story-line featuring himself, Millsy and, the close friend of every infantryman, a shovel. In Dave's story the imperious 'Major Docherty' harangues a hapless 'Corporal Millsy', who's only expertise it seems to be in the digging of latrines.  As I was working on Dave's 'tribute', it dawned on me that it might be fun to expand upon his story of the doughty Docherty, the maniacal Millsy and the Shovel of Doom. So I converted another figure to accompany the first and wrote a brief flight of fancy, an un conte, which mixes a Moorcock-esque premise with a dash of Black Adder magic-realism.

____________________________________________________

'C'mon Corporal Docherty, keep up. We're late.'

'Remind me again, Sergeant Millsy, why do I have to lug around this bloody shovel?'

'Well, first, I outrank you this time out, and if you'll remember dear heart, it was I who had to use that thing instead of a proper lance in our last outing, when we were in The Valley. Do you remember? I had a hell of a time whacking away at those Frenchies with that blasted shovel. Granted, it does have a wicked edge on it and - '

'Russians.'

'What?'

'They were Russians, Millsy, you addled git. We were allied with the French, fighting the nasty Russians. Mind you, even Raglan, that inbred one-armed antique, couldn't keep it straight...'

'Oh, yes I remember now. You know, after that scrap in that frightful Belgian farmyard I can never get my head wrapped around the idea of the Frogs being on our side... Anyway, no matter, it's your bloody turn Corporal Docherty. You know the rules - one stripe, one shovel, one battle.'

'Right. You're quite right... So, where are we off to this time Sergeant Millsy? It's blasted hot and what in God's name is that infernal racket? It's giving me a headache. It sounds like a bloody train is about to take station over that ridge.

'I don't know what the sound is, but I can tell you that we're marching to fall in with the lads of the 24th. The poor sods have that idiot Chelmsford bossing them about so they need all the help they can get. They're all near that hill over yonder. Damn, what's it called again? It's a odd, foreign-sounding name... Ah yes, I remember, Isandwana. 

Now, hurry up...'

____________________________________________________

 
Thank you very much for all your help Dave. I hope you like this little vignette and thanks for indulging me on my little departure on your original story. :) 

Curt

From DaveD: 28mm 'The Mountie' (15 points)

From Dave:

OK so here we have a new "lawman" for the town of Serenity, He has come come down from "The Great White North" on the trail of that infamous Badger smuggler and alround ner'do well  "Budgie Ray" and has decided to search for his target in the seedier parts of town. 

Now a certain German bombshell "Miss Lilly" plans to work her charms .... will he be "like wet saurkraut?" or will he resist her charms?

Now "Stumpy" and his street howitzer  don't take kindly to outsiders... will the Mountie get his man..?

This lad is yours to keep after our meet up in May my friend..

Haha! I've been up for waaay too long and I needed a good chuckle, thanks for that Dave.

'The Mountie' will give Dave 15 points to his tally and my grateful thanks. I look forward to seeing 'The Mountie' in York in a few weeks...

From DaveD: 28mm US Cavalrymen (30 points)

From Dave:

A switch back to the Old West with some final elements for the collection here. I took part in Ian W's (Blog With No Name http://walladvantage2.blogspot.co.uk/) Secret Santa last Xmas, and I was lucky enough to receive some mounted US Cavalry by Wargames Foundry from my Secret Santa. It was an inspired choice  as this was one of  the last remaining elements I had to add to the collection. So here they are.

This does pretty much finish off the the collection.....well apart from the miners I have just sourced!! damn here we go again..!

I will be out on the road again with "Serenity" as I am taking it to my local show for  a participation game this weekend, looking forward to some game time.

Ah, but can a collection ever be truly finished Dave? In your case I hope not as I always love seeing new additions like these to 'Serenity'.  

These three fine US cavalrymen will give Dave 30 points.  Great work.

From DaveD: 28mm 'Camelapocalypse' - Sudan Supply Column & Naval Gun Crew (165 points)

From Dave:

Its been a switch over to the Colonials for the Sudan.I had decided to make an effort on dealing with the support elements first. 

For the desert column I really wanted a decent amount of animals. So here we have a further addition. It's a screw gun carrying camel set, a 5 camels one rider, and 3 stores and water carrying mules and Sikh guards (I picked them up second hand unpainted pretty sure they are Connoisseur.) 

There is also a full shot of the supply column - total: 15 camels , 3 mules. Well it sure gives the square something to protect.

I also picked up some second hand painted Connoisseur naval brigade and guns.

So here is the first reworked one - 5 figures which I decided to repaint from scratch, the gun was pretty much done already so no points there.

Wonderful! As you say Dave, these baggage camels and mules will look perfect in the middle of a collapsing British square. I love all the assorted baggage and equipment festooned on these poor beasts. Very characterful stuff. I also really like the shots of the Gardner Gun fending off the tribesmen - brilliant!

These assorted camels, mules and Naval ratings will give Dave 165 points. Well done!

From DaveD: 28mm Cowboys - The Willey Mob (15 points)

From Dave:

A little distraction away from the Sudan. I met with fellow challenger Ian a few weekends ago in Nottingham for a bit of future Blog-Con event planning and as I seem to have started him and his kids down the road of Old West Gaming using my "Blazing Dice" rules I thought (Recently offloaded the "spare" Old West lead pile to him) I would take along a present to ease his painting burden! 

Here we have The Willey Mob ready to defend the ranch . These are 28mm Great Escape Games, Dead Mans Hand figures. Ian has said the kids are already bagging any of the unpainted  lead pile with shotguns and pushing them up his painting queue - well I found two with shotguns to help him out.

A wonderful bunch of miscreants and a great gesture Dave. I particularly like the elder Willey with is grey whiskers and natty tan jacket.

These wild Willeys will give Dave 15 points. Nice!

From DaveD: 28mm Mahdist Horsemen and Camelry (190 points)

From Dave:

So here we have the Mahdist mounted forces (19 in all) , 6 Beja camel, 12 Baggara cavalry and another leader for the cause. All 28mm Perry figures. For the Baggara I had to replace the "chocolate fireguard" Perry spears with something that will stand the test of time , so used some piano wire with flattened and shaped ends, soldered into the hands. It gives a somewhat better look and way more robust. 

This completes the Mahdist Order of Battle for 2nd El Teb at 1-20 - altogether around 600 figures , thats it for this painting season on these lads - but there is a "long" term plan to at least double the forces - well maybe treble....

Time to give them some "opponents" - this lot were well under way prior to the challenge ,so its just a taster - no points - of the advance elements of the Desert Column . 

Here we have the Camel Corps - not strictly needed for El Teb , but what self respecting gamer is not going to do the the Camel Corp?- securing the village . Followed by the RMLI and the Bravest Man in England - Colonel Fred Burnaby ( just google if you have not read of his exploits) complete with short barrel shotgun!

Beautiful work Dave. It's always wonderful to have another dose of camelry for the Challenge and these fellows certainly look the business.The appaloosa horse you did for the leader if very fine - lovely colouring. Also, I'm going to have a chat with you about this whole soldering business as I'd like to learn how to do that - superglue just doesn't cut it and I'm getting weary of spears/banners snapping loose from hands during gameplay.

These two groups of mounted Mahdist warriors will give Dave 190 points, enough for him to reach his second target and to slip into second place. 

...but I notice I have an entry waiting here from KevH so we'll have to see what happens to the rankings on the Challenge roster over the next few hours.

From DaveD: 28mm Mahdist Tribesmen (460 points)

From Dave:

Having got so far through the OOB for El Teb with the last 3 submission I decided to take advantage of a few days off and press on with the remaining foot units required. All Perry 28''s a mix of plastic and metal. A little more twiddly bits on some patterns on the clothing and headwear this time though. 84 foot figures,3 mounted and 1 gun. Skirmishers hiding in the long grasses, one rifle warband , one spear armed warband, a captured Krupps gun and and crew, and 3 new mounted leaders including Osman Digna,

And a couple of pictures of the whole army as it now stands. 

A few small mounted elements left to complete for the Mahdists, they are on the preparation table now. The Desert Column is in serious need of reinforcements - I have the lead cleaned and ready to go, and I have my eye on a Nile Steamer. Its been such a busy few weeks I have now run out of bases and tufts! A large restock required.

Phew.. right, off to give the paint table a good tidy up!

Fabulous work Dave! I really like your sabot bases with the terrain inserts - very posh indeed.

The final shots of the entire force are gobsmacking. As you say, now on to their poor opponents!

These lads will give Dave 460 points to add to his tally. 

From DaveD: 28mm Sudanese Mahdists Tribesmen, Part III (343 points)

Dave finishes his dizzying dash to the top tier of the points roster with this, his third monster unit of Mahdists.

From Dave:

So here is the final instalment of the Beja mob. This time made up of 65 figures and 6 prone casualties again all 28mm Perry as before... Across all 3 mobs there is range of basing from 6 figures to 2 and a casualty on the bases. This is to give a a real random look to the units as I assemble them. 

OK, and here is picture of them all together.

With my existing Beja force which is half that size, I have almost enough to do the Mahdist forces for El-Teb late this year.

Wow. Just wow. Between these three successive entries Dave has completed 236 figures in, what, a month's worth of work? Amazing. Dave, you thought you were in a painting funk at the start of the Challenge. Well, we certainly sorted that out for you! Brilliant work my friend.

This last horde will give Dave 343 points, bringing him in range of the top three in the points roster... 

From DaveD: Sudanese Beja Mob Part Deux (371 points)

Here is the second points sortie in Dave's Sudanese carpet bombing campaign.

From Dave:

Ok you Challengers here we have part 2 off the production line.Its 72 figures plus 4 prone casualty . all 28mm Perry . Hmm I think it might need to do some more gatling guns...

Great work once again Dave. One more of these to come in folks. Wait until you see the whole horde of them - the sense of mass is amazing. 

This second band of tribesmen will give Dave 371 points. Woo!

From DaveD: 28mm Sudanese Ansar Tribesmen (437 points)

Dave brings out the big guns with this huge points entry.

From Dave:

Having completed my initial point target (600) or the Challenge , it seems to have got the paint well and truly flowing. Having completed a Sudan "caravan" as part of the challenge, this has go me interested in the Sudan project again. So the return to the Sudan is well and truly up and running. Fortunately I had already "de-sprued" a box or several - ok lets say 10 - of the 28mm Perry Ansar, it was time to crack on and assemble a bunch of them, mix in a few of the metal casualty and command figures and lets see what happens. For this next phase I decided to do several larger units of early Beja - you get about 26 out of a box. So here we have the first of them. Given the sheer number to do, these are very much a "paint the unit" rather than the "individual". You know the saying - quantity has a quality all of it own..

This one is made of 85 figures and 4 prone casualties. The flags are from The Virtual Armchair General.

Those of you taking part in the Facebook group will have seen the progress of these over the last month. They are airbushed in a mix of two shades of brown, the hair and weapon black base completed. Then the whole figure is given a dark black.brown wash, cloth is painted in range of 5 different shades in a random combination. This is then given a lighter wash. The flesh tops are then highlighted in a thin dark earth colour. Spears and shield highlight wood complete and then a good coat of a gloss varnish - which is just a personal thing as I think it helps a bit to keep these figures together over the year and it fills out joint problems etc. A matt varnish over, do the metals and base up.

... more along shortly. 

Oh , and new points target 2250...

Whoa! And with this entry Dave has picked up Millsy's gauntlet and drops his own points bomb... Absolutely amazing stuff. The photos are brilliant and really show these tribesmen off well.  I like that off in the distance we can see what is coming over the next few days...

These Ansar will give Dave an impressive 437 points and notice he has picked the same revised points target as KevH. The game is truly afoot! Well done Mr. D!