From MikeW: Late 17th Century Ottoman Heavy Cavalry and Artillery (60 Points)

I'm pleased to be welcomed back go participate in Challenge X, this year I'll even hopefully achieve my targeted 2,000 points of painting!

Having missed the target last year by a slim margin, I realise that getting a start over the Xmas and New Year period is key to success, thus my first post in the first week - albeit a small batch of figures and artillery pieces.

An added spur to keep me going is that fellow SAS Wargames Club member 'GrahameH' is participating in the challenge this year, withe the same 2,000 point target - and I'm worried - he can be a truly prolific, quality painter....

4 x 28mm Ottoman Armoured Cavalry

First up are 4 x 28mm Ottoman Turk, Armoured Cavalrymen, these guys will join 8 of their companions that I had already completed before the start of the challenge to make up 2 x 6 figure squadrons.

These figures are a bit of a 'mash-up', the horses are actually from the plastic HaT Industrie,  El CiD Sets, whilst the riders are from a couple of batches of suitable metal figures sourced form eBay with appropriate weaponry such as shields, bows, muskets and pistols added.

I use acrylic paints, from a variety of manufacturers and typically undercoat my figures in white, before building up the colours. I used Army Painter washes on these guys to get the shading as there is a lot of exposed armour and metal work.

Then there is a final coat of Matt Varnish, I have taken to using Windsor and Newton's 'Galeria Acrylic Mediums' varnish, it gives a truly matt finish and is very quick drying. Note - be sure to give the pot a long, strong shake before use!!

The bases of these figures were treated using my usual method - a coat of brown emulsion paint, mixed with PVA glue - various  house paint sample pots and any good glue will do, the paint mix is sprinkled with sand and allowed to dry. Next a dry brushing of the same emulsion / PVA mix and a sprinkle of electrostatic grass to give vegetation cover before applying a variety of grass and plant type 'clumps' to the base to give added variety.

By my reckoning these 4 figures are worth 10 points ea - so a total of 40 points

Field Gun with warped barrel!

Field Gun with acceptable carriage
but dodgey wheels

The final two items on this first post are 2 x 28mm Ottoman Artillery pieces. The green  Field Gun is a plastic model sourced with two others off the internet. Actually, together, they represent three of the worst quality moulded models I've ever seen....

After a lot of knife work to clean up the pieces - I feel that they are now presentable for tabletop games, as long as they are not too closely inspected. The gun carriages are distinctly wobbly and the barrels are still warped, but it is very hard to find suitable Ottoman artillery pieces for the Late 17th Century at present.

To be fair - I was looking for a cheap solution to allow me to put on a game without waiting for more established manufacturers to release Ottoman Artillery - so you get what you pay for! I think the Ottomans will have a high chance of miss-fires when using these field guns...

Ottoman Light Gun, from rear

Ottoman Light Gun, from front

The Red Gun is a similar 'mash-up' to one I did in last year's challenge - the carriage is from an old Warhammer Empire Galloper gun set, with a plastic barrel taken form the Warlord Games 17th Century Artillery set.



These 2 guns are worth 10 points ea - so a total of 20 points

Overall Post Value:  40+20 = 60 Points

So now I'll be looking for what to do next - I have several Ottoman Cavalry Units still to get done, plus some Polish Armoured Cossacks that also need doing, many units of European Foot. Then there is the SAGA Norman Infantry & Dark Ages Archers, some Warlord Imperial Romans. Some 10mm (1/144) Israeli Sherman Tanks. I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do and how I can explore the Adventure Island!

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by Paul: Welcome back to the fray Mike!  Yes, I find that squeezing in some hobby time around Christmas to be essential for me getting off the mark with a few quick runs.

A lovely opening salvo though the modelling of the guns sounds like a frustrating process. 
Still, that is 60 points down range to start you on your way - good luck!