Well here it is, what you have all been asking for, new pics, more to follow within the next week
Above, pics of the last armoured unit for my Byzantines/Seljuks/Timurids, or any other later cavalry army I fancy to use for Warhammer Ancient Battles.
Pics of the first figure of the first unit of, lesser armoured cavalry, hopefully, as this unit is nearly done, the pics will be up on the site within the next few days. Only three more units to paint, then onto the skirmish cavalry, using Gripping Beast's, Seljuks, and Turcomens, as allies. Well any light cavalry that you come to think of it, the Byzantines used them all, even Mongols. Thanks to John Treadaway, for the use of his trees, the building, I bought on E-Bay.
The shield design, was done by Steve Hales, from Littlebigmenstudios, can't say enough good things about those transfers, a bit fiddly though, but I have found the secret of doing them right, [no I am not going to tell you, suffer like I had to.]
OK, what you do, is, make up a small trestle, I made mine using, plasticard, 1-1/2mm thick. [The information on the thickness of the plasticard is just for the Anoraks out there.] Stick in three, not four, ball end pins for a support for the shield.
Using a small amount of superglue, I stick the shield onto the support. I then paint the top and the side of the shield with Revelle matt white, I only use Revelle enamels, for undercoat, the rest of the figure I use Revelle matt black, it's made in Germany you know, [don't mention the war, I did, but I think I got away with it.]
Cut the shield design, but leave a small tab of non shield paper at the top, or, [anywhere you want, using a very sharpe, and I do mean sharpe, scalpel blade, on no account let your child do this, that's unless you come from Glasgow, where small children would be proficient in the handling of bladed weapons, no E-mailing me back on that joke, I lived in Glasgow, and have the scars to prove it.] Peel off the backing paper, and stick down onto the shield.
Using the scalpel, peel off the front paper, and cut off the tab you left, then paint the side of the shield, with a base coat, of preferably the same colour as the shield design, then highlight.
When dry, use Humbrol Gloss varnish, on the front and side of the shield, leave the back, clear of varnish, when that's all dry, stick to the black undercoated figure using superglue, then undercoat the back of the shield, [I always use a Revelle black undercoat for the figures, did I mention, it's made in Germany, you know.] I then paint the rest of the figure, and varnish as normal.
What I will do, I will put up some pic's of me fixing on the shield stickers, to give you an idea, hopefully that will be more helpfull.
For the purists amongst you, you may have noticed I have changed the colour of the bases, from Dark Earth, to Sand. Using, of course, Revelle Matt sand, [you know it's made in Germany, fancy that, I would never have thought it,] then highlighted with Wargames Foundry Sand, flocked as usual, I now highlight that with yellow, and finally, I add a small amount of chopped tree foliage, to represent a small bush.
Byzantine, Tagmatic/Thematic cavalry, from Gripping Beast, on Essex horses. The trees are mine by the way, whilst partaking of one of Mrs Miggins herbal brew cigarettes, in the early hours of saturday morning, I suddenly realised, that the trees, that I was going to borrow from SELWG, were still in the storage box, secure in the clubs garage. Well needless to say, I spent much of the remaing wee hours of Saturday basing them up, so, here they are in all their glory.
The latest on the work bench Timurid Mongols
First 2 units done, ok,ok, the horses are not painted, give me time please. Going to paint 2 more units, the riders that is, will undercoat the horses, then oil wipe when I am painting the riders, in that way I can leave the horses for a few months to let the oil dry. Well that's the plan, and you know how my plans tend to fare.
Mongol General:
"What is best in life,
Conan:
"To crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women."
My litle homage to the Mongols/Conan the Barbarian, and not Tory party ethos, mind you, not much of a difference as I can see it.
Musketeer Miniatures General and Standard bearer
First of a very nice range of figures from Musketeer Miniatures, see link on the links page, for the range so far.The flag comes from that very nice man, Steve Hales, at Little Big Men Studios.
Now, I can hear you saying, 'where in gods name did these cavalry come from,' well I did tell you I was mad about cavalry. Picked up these Redoubt Turkish Kapikulu armoured figures from Redoubt themselves in sunny Eastbourne, a bit on the; too much flash on the figures, for my liking, but I am sure the guys wil sort it out.
Just a quick picture off, the first of a few, Foundry/Perry, American Revolutionary War ranges. The chap below is painted up as the 6th Continental Regiment. British Regulars, and German Jagers to follow.
Byzantine Guards, followed by Timurids, with the great man himself leading from the front. Turcomens next, these units were all done in the space of one week for a game I played at SELWG, the Turcomen's were, from cleaning the figures, to gloss varnishing, took 24 hours. Although I have to say the Timurid riders had been painted and varnished earlier. I do have to say, I wont be painting that many again, as getting to bed at 2 in the morning, after working for 18 hours, is bloody nackering. Byzantines, a mixture, GB riders, lovely figures, and Essex Horses. Timurids, all Essex, and the Turcomen's GB figures.
First three pics are off my new Kypcheks/Huns, the rest are a mixture of Kypcheks/Huns/Turcomens, all, Gripping Beast figures. What do you mean all the front rank of figures look like me.
New Byzantine Tagmatic Gripping Beast riders, on Essex horses, now in the collection of Ian Wall.
Again, I used the shield tranfers from Little Big Men Studios, the new paper backed ones, where all you have to do is peel off the front, and add some water to the backing paper, and it slides off, excellent, and far easier/quicker. You dont have to take my word, for how good they are, here is a comment from an old army buddy, Major, Wythinton-Smythe Farquarson.
'Since using these new fangled transfers, I have become more attractive to woman, I now have a full head of hair, and I have a 12'' pianist, oooo-arrr missus.'
What more can one say.
More Byzantines, the first unit is Georgian light cavalry, as allies, next Byzantine light cavalry, with the heavies bringing up the rear. All the riders are Gripping Beast figures, on Essex horses. Some to be soon in the collection of Ian Wall.
Moghul artillery, well nearly finished my Timurid army, so I thought I would do a few add on's, and do Timurs, great, great, grandson, Akbar's army, matchlockmen, elephants, and Foundry cavalry to come.
Finished at last, Finished at last, Timurid Elite Armoured Cavalry, all that's left to do, is, Timur and his standard bearer on armoured horses. Used them in a practice game at SELWG, against an Alexander Imperial army, in rediness for the official start of the WAB league, when SELWG moves to its new, and much larger venue in Catford. How did I fare, well if I was to say, I could start a new shop called, 'Mounds of Skulls, R-us,' would be an understatemet, I even managed to draw out Alexander and his 9 man bodyguard unit, by strategicaly placing a unit of skirmishers in front of them, when he was hiding behind a pike block, out they popped, and back they went, after I had shot 7 figures off the 10 man unit. I love the smell of composite bow in the mornings.
