Shelldrake vs the slump

I have been in a bit of a slump since the beginning of the year - a lot of non hobby influences have caused this, and I couldn't get motivated to do anything much at all.

 But I think I have turned a corner in the whole slump thing and hopefully I can get back to posting a bit more regularly.

So, some updates.

 I didn't play the Vietnam game I was intending back on Boxing Day 2012.  The game had been sitting there for me to play until I packed it up today (21st April).

 I have a photos of figure I painted last year sometime that I can't remember posting yet:

 The figure is a Reaper Bones that I purchased mid 2012 (?) and I intend to use it for my Strange Aeons game, or any game that needs a werewolf.


A few years ago, Si from Bend Sinister miniatures was kind enough to send me some 10mm Napoleonic samples.  I was kind of scared by the size of them, and my eyes couldn't really see them well enough to paint them.

 The other week my mate lent me a spare pair of his eye glasses that have magnifying lenses. I thought I would try them out on the 10mm samples I had, and here are the results:

British Dragoon, French Infantry and British infantry

rear of British infantry, French Old Guard, and rear of Dragoon.

Given that they are 10mm figures I am extremely happy with how they came out. So happy that I have placed an order for some figures, with the intention of slowly building up a couple of opposing Corps for a Napoleonic campaign.

 Being able to see them made the world of difference, and they are actually very easy and fast to paint up.

 I also purchased the Crusader Publishing Napoleonic rules "March Attack" and it is these rules I intend to use for my Napoleonic games.

The reason I was lent the magnifying glasses was to assist in my painting of 6mm WW2 figures:

WW2 micro armour work in progress

We are experimenting with Division level games using Bolt Action. We have play tested a few games so far and are still tinkering with a few things, but it has been worth while so far.

 Using micro armour we can push a couple of divisions around a table and play out strategic map games at the same time.

 In case you are wondering, one base equals a battalion or regiment for infantry or armour, and one base of artillery equals a battery.

 I won't go into any detail on the rules yet, but the system I have come up with works very nicely.

 I am currently painting up the gunners for the artillery units and the infantry.

 Believe it or not, but the British tanks were a much lighter green until I put the varnish on them :-(

I am also working on my WW2 Japanese zombies, as mentioned on my zombie blog.


And, if you are interested in buying some miniature please keep a eye on my blog, as I will be cleaning out a lot of my old projects and hoping to sell the minis off.

Battlefield Academy

If anyone has, or is interested in, Battlefield Academy and would like to play a PBEM game, please let me know.

For those that don't know, Battlefield Academy is a WW2 PC game that allows for normal game play, or to go head to head against a human player via emails.

 I have just updated my game after not playing it for maybe a year, and it has notified me that I can invite players to a PBEM game as long as they have the free demo.

 So, if you want to play a game, and are prepared to instal the demo of the game, please let me know.

Demo and info on the game can be found here: Battlefield Academy

I am not sure how the PBEM thing works, but it shouldn't be too hard to work out...

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Back to actual wargaming with real figures (as opposed to virtual ones) - I seem to be having a busy year so far - it is March and I have still yet to play a game.  I have been around to my Mate's place twice in Feb, but no games were played as we kept getting side tracked with ideas for future games, one of which will be WW2 micro armour.

 I haven't forgotten the PBB WW2 zombie game (as mentioned on my zombie blog) - I just need to time to sit down and get it up and running.  With the 'warm' weather we have been having in my part of the world I just haven't had the energy to do too much after work.

Deep Ones?

I have been searching for ages to find some "Deep Ones" that matched those from various Call of Cthulhu books to use in my Strange Aeons games.

 Most of the deep ones out there just didn't seem to cut it when it came to these nasty little creatures.

 Well, I think I may have found some:

These figures are from the "Carnevale" and have some weird name, but I think they would make excellent Deep Ones.

 They are not cheap; $17.72 for just two lead minis, but postage is reasonable, giving a total of $20.75 if I order them.

 I am not sure if I can justify the cost of only two minis for $20, but the figures are very nice.

 I might have to put these in the category that the nightgaunts are and just buy them.  I will look around for someone that sells them cheaper first.