Sean's Painting Diary 2022

[Sean Clark]

Not really done one of these before, and although I've blogged previously I think this is as good a place to rack my hobby as any where it has relevance to Pendraken.

I've mentioned elsewhere my renewed interest in the XXX Commander series, especially Blitzkrieg Commander 4. When I saw there was a dedicated Spanish Civil War supplement, I hooked.

So my intial plan is to refight the Jarama scenario for which I purchased the figures last week. They arrived yesterday at which point I realised I'd forgotten to order the bases Nevermind, thinks I, 'tis a problem easily solved.

Nearly £50 lighter (well, I couldn't order JUST bases could I?), the Pendraken laser cutters will be kept bsuy for an hour or so providing me the correct bases. Always buy in bulk, my old grandad used to say, and the bulk deals are well worth the investment.

So, there I was yesterday afternoon, on zoom call after zoom call, wondering if anyone would notice if I slid to the floor from my office chair. In my glazed eyeline was the package that had landed on the door mat that morning. My Pendraken order.

News had spread quickly throughout the village and there had been much rejoicing. The bells had peeled at the local church. Evans, the old butcher, tipped me a wink as he handed me my pound of sausages whilst out on my morning constitutional and even Mrs McGonagall down the road congratulated me. But I had tempered my own joy, for I knew there was much work to be done.

Ted, my old golfing partner, had fallen into the familiar trap two years ago. It's one to which we all can relate. Buoyed with excitement and swayed by the promise of untold birdies, he had ordered a new set of golf clubs from Argos. £200 it had cost him. But on getting home, he had put them in a cupdboard and not looked at them since. I was determined not to fall foul of the same fate. No proliferation of the lead mountain for this soldier.

So using ninja like stealth skills aquired in my youth, I blu-tac'd a battlion of Moroccans to a tongue depressor and set to work; all the while maintaining the pretence of interest and engagement with the zoom call. Whilst my eyes were focussed on the screen, my hands worked quietly, unseen and unnoticed. A short time later, this was the result.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Good use of a zoom!

[Lord Kermit of Birkenhead]

Good stuff.

[mmcv]

Nicely done, and an interesting period in which to dabble

[DecemDave]

I was determined not to fall foul of the same fate. No proliferation of the lead mountain for this soldier.

What heresy is this?  Surely lead soldiers have to be kept in a hidden pile for years (decades even) to mature or the paint wont stick? 

Oh  and report to HR first thing in the morning   

[fred.]

That's a great start - looking good. Even more impressive you managed to do this while on a work call! As I read I thought you might have got to the stage of bare metal ready to paint, not fully painted. 

It is also traditional to take a picture of all the little bags of figures fresh from the package, so we can all squint and try to work out what you have bought and do we need any of them!

[paulr]

    

Well done that man

I might suggest having some Internet 'issues' that mean you need to turn your camera off to reduce the bandwidth needed

[mmcv]

   

Well done that man

I might suggest having some Internet 'issues' that mean you need to turn your camera off to reduce the bandwidth needed

Sounds like someone speaking from experience 

[paulr]

    

Just someone who spent a year supporting online meetings

[Sean Clark]

It is also traditional to take a picture of all the little bags of figures fresh from the package, so we can all squint and try to work out what you have bought and do we need any of them!

I shall do this with my next package, which will hopefully arrive somtime next week.

[Sean Clark]

I'm still awaiting the arrival of my mdf bases, so slowed a bit on the painting front. However, these are the 1939 Germans and Polish troops that I bought for IABSM and now am converting to Blitzkrieg Commander. I've changed my painting approach as mentioned elsewhere, and I think it improves the look from a few feet away, being less 'dirty' looking. I'm happy anyhow so that's all that matters.



This is the second Tabor for my Jarama project. I've actually finished it since I took this picture and I'm onto the third one now. But again I need the bases to finish them off properly. At the front was a test piece for my early war Germans. The Army Painter Army Green actually makes a great field grey in 10mm!



So my journey into 10mm is going at quite a pace. So far it looks like I have the following projects either underway or planned:

1. SCW - Jarama
2. !939 Germans v Polish, likely to merge into Barbarossa.
3. AWI - long term project to do Germantown via a few smaller battles along the way.
4. FPW using Bloody Big Battles - I bought some samples of these a while ago and in my recent tidy up came across the rules again. Froschwiller will be first.
5. Vietnam - Oh dear, this is getting rather long and I've still not finished. So this is a skirmish project and the figures are purchased. Initially for Charlie Don't Surf, but I'll be searching for other company level rules.
6. Dont shoot me....but 30 Years War having read Europe's Tragedy by Peter Wilson last year.
7. I'm also very tempted to do some early war desert stuff...
8. And maybe get a modern British army for Cold War Commander to play against my mate Baz's Soviets.

That's just 10mm. In 6mm (God's Own Scale!     ) I have
1. Blenhiem.
2. Pony Wars.
3. 6mm Cold War Commander.

Phew. Can you believe I set out to donwsize a couple of months ago? In fairness, FPW, 30YW and Blenhiem are probably low on the priority list. Other than early desert and the 10mm Cold War British, I have most of the figures already.

Maybe ambitious, but one can dream!

[Sean Clark]

Had a chat with the Rev Parsons this morning whilst doing some weeding of the herbaceous borders at the cricket club. Apparently there's some bother at the old Manor House. He saw two police cars and Mrs Bracewell heard some suspicious noises and lights coming from up there in the early hours when she was letting her cat in.

The Reverend looked most upset as he recounted the tale; so I told him I'd received an email from Leon that my latest order was out for delivery. He seemed very pleased for me and promised to mention it in his sermon the next morning.

It was just then that old PC Carol came around the corner, looking as if he had seen a ghost.

"Ah, PC Carol. I do hope you're well on this lovely spring morning!" chirped Rev Parson.

PC Carol stopped and took a handkerchief to wipe his brow.

"Not at all, Reverend. There's been a murder!" was his reply!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Looking good.
Will Inspector Morose be summoned?

[Sean Clark]

Looking good.
Will Inspector Morose be summoned?

Do you kno what? I think he might.

[Sean Clark]

**UPDATE**

Cam home from work otday to find this on my doorstep. Now, when I last posted, it was suggested that forum etiquette states that one allows forum members to browse over the photographs to try to decipher just what I have bought! So here you go.

A slow reveal...



Some rather curious crumpled paper...

#

Mmmmm...bubble wrap!



At last, a glimpse!



Ta Da!



Very pleased to recieve this bundle of joy. It means that the Spanish Civil War project will move to front and centre of the painting desk.

More soon...