Wet Paint: various items

It's been a while since I've done a wet paint post, probably because it's been a while since I actually painted some stuff. The last few weeks have been productive though, so here's some of the latest output off the painting table.

 

Fungal Giant - 3D printed figure

This figure has been 3D printed on my resin printer and was painted using Army Painter's Speed Paint. This was the first figure I painted with these paints (though not with this technique) and you can tell I was still feeling my way around the color selection. 

 

This and the next figure will become part of a fantasy army that is intended to go up against my dwarves.

 

Infected bear - 3D printed figure

Much like the giant above, this figure is 3D printed and painted with Army Painter speed paints. I got a much better feeling for colors with this one, insofar that I felt confident enough to try the speed paints on a historical unit, featured next.

 

Celt infantry: Eppegentii - Foundry, Renegade and Old Glory figures

 

 As mentioned, these were painted with the speed paints (with just a very few minor additions of regular paint). When painting them, I was not really happy with the result. Yet, as always, they turn out very well when put together in a unit. They are the seventh warband of my Celtic army, recently used with To the Strongest! rules. The best thing about this 20-man unit that it took literally less than 4 hours to paint - speed paints indeed.

 

GNW Björneborgs regiment, one company - Warfare miniatures

These are the first miniatures from Warfare / League of Augsburg miniatures I painted. While the figures are anatomically correct I do find the more exaggerated almost comical style of many other miniatures easier to paint (my other GNW Swedes are from Musketeer Miniatures). That said, these are lovely figures and I intend to build a few extra regiments with them. This company sneaked into the painting line because I need a single extra stand for an upcoming game.

 

These figures and the ones below were painted in my classic fashion, layering Vallejo Model Colour over black undercoat. 

Dwarven infantry - Mantic Games miniatures

This is the next unit for my growing dwarven army. The army is now up to one unit of crossbowmen, one artillery unit, two infantry units (including this one) and the chappie below.

 

Dwarven King - Scibor Miniatures

This figure will be the leader of my dwarven army. He's been painted with a few more layers than usual (well, mostly 3 layers instead of 2), noblesse oblige and all that.

Ah yes - the duck. Those of you familiar with my armies will know that most of my generals feature some form of duck as a banner or companion, and this one is no exception.

 

I've been to ... Stockholm

During the Easter holidays, Ann and I visited Stockholm. Yes, I know this is almost 2 months ago, but never late then never to publish some images that might be of interest to wargamers.

We visited a lot or art and history locations, and one of the stops was the Army Museum. As could be expected, a lot of focus on Swedish military history. Too much to show it all in photographs, but here are a few fun highlights.

 

A diorama of miniature soldiers showing formations from the Pike & Shot period.

A close-up of that same diorama.

A life-size display of Swedish cavalry charging during the Great Northern War.

An old Swedish Kriegsspiel: "VinterKrigsspelkarta".

Detail of the same Kriegsspiel.

A German cypher machine - these machines always interest me as a computer scientist.

An Engima machine ... Alan Turing and all that.

 Needless to say, we also visited the Vasa museum. I was very much impressed!

The Great Northern War revisited

 Yesterday we played a game of Black Powder, using Bart's extensive Great Northern War collection (see also out Crisis 2010 game on Poltava).

It had been a while since we played a game using the Black Powder rules (pre-Covid). We don't care that much about 1st or 2nd edition, using a mix of rules as we remember them. It's a game after all, and it's the tactics that count, not a modifier more or less on some die roll.

The scenario was based on a scenario we played before, a great river crossing. The Russians could cross using a ford, a bridge that had to be repaired, and some pontoons.

Eddy and Wim took the side of the Russians, Phil played the Swedes, while Bart was umpiring. At the end of the evening, it was more or less decided that there was a minor Russian victory: the Russians had succeeded in crossing the river, although the Swedes had held them up for some time.

Here are some photos (more photos and a report written up by Eddy to be found here: https://boardgamegeek.com/thread/1387808/article/41703990#41703990).

This is how the table looked when I entered Bart's wargaming den. No deployment yet, although the toys were already out.

Eddy and Wim pondering about the Russian deployment. How will they cross the wide river in front of them?

Initial Swedish deployment, focusing on known crossing points on both flanks, leaving the centre unguarded.

The Swedish left flank - the ford. Russian troops are stuck in the mud in the middle of the river. Eddy will later claim this was all part of the plan, pinning a large Swedish contingent such that the bridge on the other flank could be crossed.

The Swedish Beer Garden.

The Bridge as seen from the Russian side, heavily defended by Swedish troops. An initial attack was repulsed. A first pontoon crossing has also already taken place.

Overview of the entire river.

The Swedish left flank again. No movement, just some shots exchanged back and forth.

Heavy fighting on the Swedish right flank. More Russians are crossing using pontoons. Swedish cavalry are preparing themselves to charge - but this will turn out to be a disaster. Due to hammering by the Russian artillery, an failed command rolls, the Swedish cavalry will rout a turn later.

Another view of the Swedish right flank, moments before the Swedish cavalry routed.

 A very exciting game! As usual, we had a post-game discussion about what worked and didn't work in the scenario. And we also discussed the state of wargaming affairs in Belgium, the world, and the universe!

 

Wet paint: some Cossacks

These were painted many months ago but were not featured on here yet (they did get varnished recently, so it still qualifies as 'wet paint' :)):

They are good old Foundry Cossacks (Seven Years War types nominally, but a Cossack is a Cossack regardless of period) and will be used in my Great Northern Wars games.

Quick photo report: GNW reinforcements game

Last night we played a GNW Black Powder game. I'll post a more detailed report later, but here's the photos from that game:

The evening ended after five turns of the game, with lots of action in each one. The result was not quite clear enough to call the game, but the Russians had a slight advantage which might still be overturned.