New Year, new projects

Well I've been busy these last couple of days. On the painting front I managed to finish the 3 battalions for the Franconian Helmstaett regiment, as well as the Schwarzenburg-Reuss battalion and the Onoldsbach Grenadiers from Ansbach. I have also added a battery of 3 medium guns.

In a break from the Marlburian period I painted up 7 ships to use in Firestorm Armada when the rules eventually arrive in the new year.

For future projects I have a couple of aims, I want to paint up a small ECW force, I got a box of the infantry with a mag subscription. I have also started to purchase some half timbered buildings for use in this period as well as latter as I also quite like the idea of the 'A very British Civil War'. I have already started to put together a force for this. Using some 1st WW Brits from Renegade I have approx 32 figures and 3 HMG's. I have also downloaded some rules off the Empress miniatures site and this force is sufficient for a battalion (The Duke of Portland's Rifles).

I have started to paint some of these Brits using a base coat and dip method, they came out okay apart from flesh areas so added a flesh wash and some minor highlights, I'll post pics once I have them based. I have also converted 4 Boer figures as the start of my Revolutionary elements, some slight conversion work and i have 2 figures with new berets and 2 with head swaps using GW Catachan heads (red bandanna). They don't look to bad and should be fine following painting.

Decision made

Well, I've finally decided I'm going to take the Imperial Army for Micks. I currently have 3 Cuirassiers regiments and 3 dragoon regiments already painted. I can then add 3 of my Saxon Cuirassier regiments (they fought as part of the Imperial army at 1st Hochstadt). For the infantry I currently have 4 Franconian, 1 Swabian, 1 Westphalian, 2 Austrian, 2 Ansbach and 3 Palatine battalions painted, grand total of 13. I have already started on another 3 Franconian battalions which will leave me about 2-3 battalions short. Looks likely to be 2 further Swabian battalions and possibly their combined grenadiers. If it comes to the worst I can again press gang in a few of the Saxon battalions). So far I have no artillery, though I do have 12 models to paint up, though should only need about 6 of these.

On to other projects - well Firestorm Armada from Spartan Games has caught my eye, so with Christmas pressie money 1 rule book purchased and awaiting delivery. I also managed to dig out 10 old space craft that I think came form Ground Zero games many years ago, probably have to check their website to see what types they are. They'll do for trying out the rules.