Based & painted Hovels buildings

Recently I decided to base my terrain pieces to enhance the look of the models on the gaming table. I reckon basing them will also help protect them from getting knocked around too much. The models below are from Hovels, a well-known and popular supplier of wargaming terrain, and I'm sure many gamers will have these in their collections. I've had these 28mm models painted for a while and a couple need some touching up with a brush, but I think the basing with the foliage has certainly added something to their look. 

28mm church from the European collection

28mm mansion from the North American collection, suitable for both AWI and ACW gaming

28mm Virginia farm house based on the one Stonewall Jackson died in in 1863  

28mm generic church suitable for AWI and ACW games

No sign of Colonel Tavington and his Loyalist Green Dragoons attempting to burn this church down

I've still got a few models to base up, but that job can wait until the Christmas holidays.

Until next time!

Nap French Chasseurs a Cheval in 28mm

 About a month ago I attended the annual wargamers swap-meet at the Woolston Workingmens Club here in Christchurch. These things can be  kind of 'hit and miss,' as some years I haven't spent a dollar apart from the gold coin entry fee. However, that was not the case this year when I spent all the cash I I had in my wallet. The funny thing about this was that most of the stuff I bought off guys from within my own gaming group, the Southern Strategists. Included in this was a couple of 28mm Front Rank French Napoleonic cavalry units from Chris Packer. Chris has a huge collection of figures, the surplus of which he was casting aside to help pay for the construction of a new wargaming garage. I secured from him a unit of chasseurs a cheval and a hussar unit. He had bought these second-hand and they had seen quite a bit of action, needing some freshening up regarding painting.

My new second-hand French chasseurs a cheval after being 'refitted'

All the paint chips have been covered, company pom-poms added, along with a new GMB flag. An eagle has been added to the standard since I took these photos 

I've also added some grass and foliage produced by Rodger Wood from the Southern Strategists

I tend to paint all my horses, except those for the trumpeters, as Bays and the different colours used on the horses of this unit, as painted by the unknown original owner, will make them stand out from the rest of my French cavalry

It will be a while before I tart up the French hussar unit as I need to order some replacement swords from Front Rank and I also have a few other painting projects that have priority. This includes a second-hand SYW/AWI Hessian force of  four infantry battalions, 2 artillery stands and a unit of cavalry that I bought of another Southern Strategist, Geoff Martin. They only need a change in facings, some new GMB flags and rebasing to get them ready for action; so keep an eye out for the next dispatch from the Mess.

Until next time!