Partizan Preps

It’s been a while, and I apologise for not posting over the past few weeks.

Some will have noticed from the Partizan website that I am putting a game on at the show on Sunday 9^th October so much of my hobby time has been invested in getting ready for that. I’ve got a few vignettes and special stands I have been working on and another unit of Pils-Holstein infantry that are almost complete.

It will be the first time the full Wars of the Vaubarian Succession (WVS, 1704) collection has been seen in public. It’s not a huge collection (amounting only to something like 350 infantry, 80 cavalry, a few guns and mortars and vignettes) but for me the big prize is to be able to see the fruits of my labours laid out on the tabletop ready to do battle.

I am indebted to Steve Gill who has been a ‘sounding board’ throughout the project, offering advice and ideas, and who will be joining me to present the game on the day.

Other than that, this is very much a “One-Man Band” effort and all figures, flags, buildings, and terrain were painted by yours truly.

I hope to show that, beautifully impressive as they are, not all ‘display/demo games’ need to consist of huge museum-quality sculpted terrain boards made by professional modellers adorned by hordes of figures painted by an army of pro-painters!
It just takes a little focus and discipline and you can create a satisfying game by your own hand too.

For those who are coming to the show, please do pop by the table and say hi. For those who can’t make it to the show, I will post a few photos of the game afterwards.

Meanwhile... a few pictures of the collection to whet the appetite.

 

See you at the show...

Second Brigade

The Astrovian 2nd Bde on the march.

For no other reason than I had them set out on the table and thought they made a good photo...

Cheers

Phil

Another battalion

The final Astrovian battalion for my 1704 WVS project.

This is IR6 - Schindler.

Being the final battalion, you might say that they complete the list, but that would be such an awful and contrived pun that it would be wrong to try it.

I quite like the dark grey with yellow cuffs combination, although most of the Astrovian units are in light grey or white. I suppose it's nice to have some variety.

Not sure what I will tackle next... I do have a few things in the pipeline. I rather like switching between mainstream units and then a vignette or two. Having got to 'critical mass' in terms of line troops for now, the vignettes are a luxurious relaxation that I am relishing.

Hope everyone has a good weekend lined up. Hopefully will have another update before not too long.

Best wishes to all...

A few vignettes

Here are a few recently completed little vignettes for the 1704 WVS project.

First up, Astrovian infantry Brigadier von Freud:

Plus ... a couple of Cossacky/ Croaty pieces with some left-over figures.

That's all for now... I'm almost finished another infantry battalion, so that will be coming sometime soon.

Meanwhile, thanks to my regular band of followers and commenters. Much appreciated.

And amidst the soaring temperatures, stay as cool as you can. As wargamers, of course, we're already pretty cool dudes, right?!

On the march

Having recently finished all 6 of the Vaubarian infantry battalions for the 1704 WVS project, it seemed timely to lay them out on the table, with brigade commanders, wagons, the marching band, and Markgraf Karl von Orff, Vaubarian Field Commander himself.

Numbering from the right, battalions are:

IR1 Leibgarde (white cuffs)

IR2 Dremel (yellow cuffs/ facings)

IR3 Breitner (red cuffs/ facings)

IR 4 Electoral Grenadiers (claret coats, Vaubarian blue cuffs/ facings)

IR5 Ratzinga (pink cuffs/facings)

IR6 Augenthaler (green cuffs/ facings)

By many standards, it's certainly not a large array, but it is neat and meets the design criteria I had in mind for this army at the outset.

I am, in fact, rather pleased with it.

All figures are Front Rank,. painted by myself. All flags, hand-painted on aluminium foil by my own unsteady hand!

Next, I hope to have a similar array of the enemy (Astrovians) to show in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks for looking in...

An all Hellenistic affair

The weekend past saw The Old Berks (Steve Gill, Andy Moran, John Kersey, and myself) gather for a game of WAB. We pitted my Rise of Macedon army against Andy's Greeks and fought out a hugely enjoyable and tense encounter, interspersed with banter, refreshments, and a bit of show n tell of our individual projects and lots of chatter about the hobby in general as well as some plans for future games and campaigns.

I have to report that myself (Philip of Macedon) and Steve (a young Alexander the Great) changed the course of history by losing badly to the Greeks under Andy and John's expert command. The Sacred Band, in particular, fought with considerable pride.

Most important... it was fun.

Here are just a few snaps of an enjoyable afternoon...

Thanks to those visitors who have commented on recent posts regarding the WVS project. There will be more photos of that in the next few days...

More infantry?

The final (?) Vaubarian infantry battalion: IR6 Augenthaler.

(The use of Bayern Munich footballers' names from 1982 continues!).

Really quite pleased with these chaps.

To break up the monotony, I discoloured a couple of the coats, and instead of having all the gaiters white, a few have grey/ brown just to break things up.

The drummer is in reverse colours.

All figures are Front Rank. 

Flags are hand painted on aluminium foil.

Regimental blue flag has a Golden Hart emblem, which also appears near the flagstaff, upper, on the white colour which is dominated by the Vaubarian coat of arms in a wreath as is the standard format for these infantry regiments.

It feels like a bit of a milestone to have finished the six Vaubarian infantry battalions... not a huge undertaking by any means, but a significant point at which to take stock (and wonder whether I should expand the army with another brigade - 3 further battalions - at some point).

Thanks for looking in.

Cheers.