Saturday 30 January 2016

From SidneyR - The Scene in the Grote Markt, 1688 (45 Points)



Have you ever had a hobby plan which became diverted? Ah, yes ... I thought you might have had that feeling! Well, among painting up my themed submissions for the Challenge, I had hoped to be finishing some of the French forces for Flanders 1688. It's good to have a plan, but sometimes its hard to keep to it.


I've had some of these figures for years. A Citadel poacher from the 1990s with a head swap with a Foundry ECW gunner.  A Foundry housekeeper.  And a couple of serving maids which I picked up on Ebay in the early 2000s. I had a feeling that they would come in useful, one day. 

And here they are, handing out refreshments for some of the Flemish civic militia from 1688 as they march to the field of battle outside their town. I'm not quite sure what the poacher is doing, although he does seem to be carrying off one of the chickens which was happily roaming in the Grote Markt (again). He's also seem to have purloined a couple of (very nicely sculpted) fish. 



I've enjoyed carrying some of themes over from the previous two submissions - and there's a couple here.  Chickens (yes, again) and the pelican civic motif on the drum, which is being used as an improvised card table.  



I should really be painting regiments of French cavalry of course, or finishing my "Defensive Terrain" submission. I should really stick to what I planned to do in future. No more silly vignettes. I promise. Until the next one.


Eight figures (two chickens), 28mm - 40 points of vignettes!


Stunning work once again Sidney. I've always had a soft spot for these 'scene dressing' vignettes. They often have no purpose in a game but they end up making he game somehow complete. Again, I admire the cobblestone basing (I definitely need to pick some of that up) and I'm particularly taken by the scene of the girl selling drinks to soldiers passing by. Wonderful stuff. 

These vignettes will give you a base of  40 points but I'm adding a bit more for the little extras that help along the narrative. Well done Sid!


38 comments:

  1. Distractions, distractions... Don't you hate them.. And love them

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    1. I'm hopeless. Regiments undercoated, and here I am, painting chickens and women serving drinks :)

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  2. Stunning stuff Sidney :)

    Distractions? What ar..squirrel! ;)

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  3. These are just great, lovely paintwork and basing!

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  4. > Have you ever had a hobby plan which became diverted
    Umm... yeah, at least half of them!

    Gorgeous work once again Sidney. It's all wonderful but the drum is super!

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  5. Wow, I am in awe! Lovely, lovely little vignettes Sidney. What project is this for, 30YW, Dutch Wars?

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    1. Ignore the dumb question, I had a look at your title line again. So it's League of Augsberg, Nine Years War or War of English Succession then. Great stuff.

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    2. Thanks Peter!! Yes, it's the Grand Alliance against Le Roi Soleil - back in the 1680s and 1690s. One of those almost forgotten wars of history, fought for reasons no-one can quite remember, featuring wonderfully colourful armies and memorable commanders on both sides, counter-marching over Flanders! It's a great, quirky period. What's not to love?

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  6. Great work Sidney - and plans are lame, so screw that!

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    1. Yaaayyyyy....way to go, Greg - you said it, mate!

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  7. fabulous work as usual!

    repat after me: to avoid diversion, have no plan ;-)

    GillesW " when there is no solution, there is no problem:-)"

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    1. Thanks so much. And yes, that's a motto I can get behind!

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  8. Just beautiful, just the thing to add that extra dimension

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  9. I very nearly got distracted looking at this and thinking about some future projects.

    Top work.

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    1. See what I did there, Clint? Yeah? Yeeaaahhhh ....just keep watching this little pocket watch ..... distraction....ahhmmmm...

      ;)

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  10. Really good fun stuff and the painting itself is outstanding. I wish my diversions looked this good!

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    1. Thanks Jamie. And don't worry, almost all of my distractions never get painted! This one is an exception ;)

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  11. As always you've managed to outshine everyone else here! You really should get a Challenge category by yourself Sidney! Superb work on the mini's as well as on the scenery and thus the set-up of the pictures.

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    1. But they're not Vikings.... ;) (see my comment on your earlier post, mate!)

      Thanks very much!

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  12. Glorious brushwork on these! I have to echo Curt too as these vignettes will really liven up the games and make the villages seem not quite so deserted.

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    1. Thanks David - that's exactly the plan! They always go down well in participation games!

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  13. Escellent work yet again Sidney! I like the painting, basing and the whole set up! Fine, fine work!

    Christopher

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  14. Amazing work Sidney! Excellent little diversions :)

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