From PeterB - Old World Empire additions (140 points)

This week I am not claiming any location bonus. I have just been concentrating on some additions for my Old Work Empire army. Our local club is playing a lot of Old World, so it won't be long before these models are failing miserably in combat.

Firstly the Hellblaster Volley gun and crew. 

Next up, a model with some vintage, a Unicorn knight on foot.

I love this old model, it was in a mixed bag of items I got from somewhere and has been sat in my bits box for a while. It makes a great addition to the army as a Champion or Captain, Sadly I could not find a shield in my bits box with a unicorn head, but I shall keep looking. For now, the lion will have to do.

Some more Warlord games Landsknecht, this time with handguns and crossbows make up two units of line troops.

And finally, the Landsknecht box has enough parts for thirty models, so a couple of the spares with some parts from my bits box make up an Engineer and a standard bearer for my Longswords from a couple of weeks ago.

So that is 26 x 28mm models for 130 points and 10 points for the gun.

Total 140 points.

The Old World seems to be very popular since its release. Looking at these figure one can easily understand why, they have a very old style fantasy feel about them. The models themselves are very nice, and you have done a fine job with them, Peter! I like your lion unicorn knight, and the Hellblaster Gun is aways a favourite. Nice! 140 points it is.

Martijn

From AdamW :A break from Hell (72 points)

 This is my first entry that has nothing to do with the Hell/heaven challenge.   I do intend to get them all done (in fact I have one of the heaven entries finished), but I haven't finished the next one in hell yet.

My next one involves some big models I have had to design and make, so have yet to paint. Hopefully I'll get them done for next week, although with a new kitchen being fitted and the house in chaos, I'm not so sure.

Anyway, back to the business in hand.  One of our group wanted to put on WW2 Russian game this week. The battle needs several armoured cars and it was pointed out I only had three of them. A gap in my army that I never got around to filling.

So in true Russian style the factory (my 3d printer) has worked hard to churn out some more.  A simple paint job has them ready to be shipped off to the front.

The close up photography shows up the imperfections you get with filament printing, and my rushed 'tidying up' of the prints. Personally I am happy with the slightly rough look, as the real things were often crudely finished.

Apart from the cost saving, if I'd ordered some they may not have come in time for me to get them painted and on the table for Thursday. This is when I like being able to print off what I need.

So here are nine 15mm Russian BA10 armoured cars. Yes, I base all my vehicles , and that is not to everyone's taste. It is mainly to prevent wheels etc from being broken off, but also the magnetised bases make it easy to transport. I also like everything in the army to be on a matching base as it gives uniformity and a consistent height.

Points claimed

9 x 15mm vehicles @ 8pts = 72 pts.

Good job, Adam. Yes, filament printing does make its mark, but at three foot few will notice it, and as you say the cost savings are considerable. I think these armoured cars look absolutely fine. I also usually base my vehicles, for all the reasons you mentioned, and your bases look very good. Well done, and 72 points more for you!

Martijn

From LeeH: Moscow & St Petersburg Opolchenie (100 Points)

In addition to the regular Russian army, the Tsar could call upon a huge number of volunteers to provide reserves and garrisons, and even fight alongside regular infantry. The Opolchenie militia enrolled over 220,000 men in 1812 and became a vital element in Russia’s defence. During the French retreat from Moscow, the Opolchenie were increasingly used to pursue the French and in front-line roles alongside regular units, which were by this time tired and depleted. The training was rudimentary at best with an emphasis on musketry and the charge. 

These two units are Front Rank figures and represent some of the better-armed “Jager” Opolchenie equipped with a rudimentary uniform and a Musket. There were also some mounted units armed with lances and other foot units armed only with a Pike and an axe. These would often follow up the Jager units and some sources refer to these troops as ‘foot cossacks’. Although initially used only for reserve roles they were increasingly used to fill gaps in regular troops. What they lacked in training they often made up for in bravery and ferocity in melee. 

Both units have a Kaftan-style jacket and trousers, and a backpack with black belts which wouldn’t be out of place in a regular Jager unit. The Moscow Opolchenie are dressed in brown with a tall fur hat, while the St Petersburg militia are in green with a soft cap similar to the infantry forage cap. In both cases, they display a brass cross symbol on their headgear, a symbol of their loyalty to the Tsar.

I think I am going to buy more Opolchenie although I think my next lot will be the pike-armed variety plus some cavalry… yet again I am expanding the army before I have even finished painting the first batch! 

(Scoring: 20x28mm Foot = 100 points)

More fine Russians, great! Your army grows at a steady pace, and each new contribution continues to delight me. These militiamen definitely look ready to defend Mother Russia from the Corsican Ogre! They do have, indeed, a rather regular look and I like the drab colours on their uniforms. And of course, you will need further reinforcements. We always do! Very well done Lee, 100 points added to your total.

Martijn

Yet again Friday

 Ande so another Friday comes along. Today, we will have another visit to the Abyss, with Heresy. As Curt put it, "something that breaks with the accepted code". So we will look at the Dulle Griet.

Dulle Griet is a painting by Pieter Breughel the Elder from 1563. Bruegel has combined two opposites in this work: Dulle Griet (dul means savage, angry, and griet means girl or woman) in the foreground is the woman who behaves like a man, with the focus on greed with opposite the Giant in the background who represents the man who behaves like a woman, with the focus on waste. This is set against the backdrop of hell, where other sins are addressed by the fighting females, the devils and the loving couples. A perfect Umwertung alle Werte!

Dulle Griet is also a Belgian beer. Dulle Griet is a dark chestnut brown high-fermentation beer with an alcohol content of 6.5%. It is a powerful beer, with a mild aftertaste. The beer has slightly sweet aromas, of licorice and candy, and a fruity and spicy taste. Dulle Griet has been brewed since 1999. Originally, it had an alcohol content of 8.5%. It is brewed by the Scheldebrouwerij in Meer. Originally the brewery was based in the Netherlands and Dulle Griet was also brewed there. In 2008, Scheldebrouwerij moved to Belgium. The name refers to the Dulle Griet, a bombarde (cannon) of Ghent from the 15th century. The beer's label shows a large cannon carried by two wild men. These are typical of Scheldebrouwerij and refer to Bergen op Zoom, the Dutch municipality that bears two wild men in its coat of arms and is the birthplace of the brewery. On the cannon sits a “dulle griet.”

Dulle Griet is a monumental iron bombard in the Belgian city of Ghent. Because of its original red color, the cannon was also traditionally called groten rooden duyvele, the big red devil. The bombard dates back to 1431 and was probably manufactured by Jean Cambier, the major arms supplier of the Burgundian Duke Philip the Good. It was brought from Oudenaarde to Ghent in 1578 along with other weaponry to be used in the fight against the Spaniards. Whether the cannon was stolen or a gift is unclear.

As always, drink responsibly and enyoy today's contributions by the Friday Crew!

Martijn