Tiny Zulu

When Jim told us that he had painted a complete Zulu army of 1,200 figures in a weekend I should have expected him to bring them in a shoebox.

However a good time was had by all as a beleaguered British camp await a relief force that probably wouldn't make it across the veldt.



The splendid 6mm camp proved more than capable of holding off repeated attacks.




Natal horse valiantly charge the iNdlondlo in a vain attempt to protect the main column.

A game that swung to and fro with dastardly hidden units of zulu eventually over powering the relief column despite it's awesome fire power.

Another airing for Black Powder which gave an unpredictable and fun game. Despite my lancers failing to charge for three successive moves.

Sadly this was Birmingham Wargames Society penultimate meeting at the Community Centre that has been it's home for forty years. Council cuts mean that we can no longer be accommodated at an affordable cost. No doubt we'll find somewhere else to pursue our odd past time.

Not all things are bad in Brum. I spent an extremely pleasant hour at Birmingham University's Centre for Early Music Performance last week. Bach, Scarlatti, Telemann and Purcell - the Duke's favourites - performed by very talented students from all over the world. Nice to hear this stuff played on contemporary instruments.

That was February that was

Only just realised that there were nil posts in February. The armies of Fromagere and Weinpfalz once again took a back seat to another diversion. Having had a look at the Songs of Drums and Shakoes rules Richard reminded me that he had a couple of dozen Front Rank Peninsula Brits all ready and raring to fight.

So a quick note to Front Rank and within a couple of days a couple of dozen froggie voltigeurs were on the painting table. Not much flash to remove and I gave them a black gesso undercoat, then a drybrush white. The idea is that when the colour goes on the shadows fall in naturally.

And it does work to some degree. Another dry brush over the top should do nicely.

A few piccies attached of the boys two thirds completed.



I have to admit that whilst putting together the armies of wine and cheese I had some qualms about opting to go with 1/72 plastic when there are such splendid metal figures out there.

Having spent so much time painting up a score of Front Rank I think I was right. I've enjoyed painting the bigger boys but I can't ignore the detail. And there's a lot more lace on a SYW grenadier. I would think it would take me half a year to paint up a regiment of 72 28mm figures.

Of course such a regiment would cost me £75 not a fiver.

WMMS Alumwell 2011

A quick trip to Wolverhampton today for the Alumwell show where I managed to restrain my spending to a few paints and a box of Zvezda Black Hussars. And some grassy tufts, And a box of Perry ACW infantry. And some matt varnish. Mmmmm not as restrained as I ought to have been.
Shows ain't what they used to be but still nice to go and see a few games and perhaps get some new ideas and spend some dough without p&p. A few piccies below of the very nice AWI game that fellow Birmingham wargamers Jim and Tony put on.