Completed Scratch-built Fortified Tower House in 28mm

Earlier this year I posted some images of the beginning of a 28mm fortified tower house project...which I've now finally finshed. It became a 'labour of love' and took up much of my gaming table throughout the Southern Hemisphere winter months. Made out of artist foam board, insulation foam board, cereal box cardboard, and Christmas Shop vinyl paving sheets, it's a bit rustic but I'm happy enough with it for my first attempt at something on this scale. I've used 6mm mdf board for the base, but I intend carving up a rocky plateau from insulation foam board to go underneath it. The layout was very loosely based on Dunguaire Castle in Galway and Smailholm Castle on the Scottish border. It should serve as a nice table piece for my planned Irish and Scottish Jacobite campaigns, as well as some Border Reiver skirmishes.

Until next time!

Hessian Regiment von Bose

After buying these 28mm Front Rank AWI Hessian musketeers way back in 2002 I finally got them painted during November. I've painted them as von Bose's regiment as this unit served almost everywhere during the American Revolution, including the southern campaigns which I hope to replicate on the gaming table sometime. The superb standards are by GMB Flags. I'll also be using this unit as part of my growing Hessian force to fight the French during the Seven Years War. I've also included a couple of images of a new Hessian command stand I put together using a couple of recycled second-hand Wargames Foundry Prussians depicting Fredrerick the Great and one of his generals, along with a Front Rank Prussian artillery officer. In my army the stand will represent either Ferdinand of Brunswick or a Hessian general.

Until next time!

Messing about in the Mess

Just a short update on my pottering around in the Mess over the last couple of months. I've finally managed to get the superb painting by Christa Hook framed and mounted that I bought from her in January. Christa was commissioned by Helion & Company to paint the illustration of an Irish Militiaman for the front cover of my latest book, 'Rebellion, Invasion and Occupation: The British Army in Ireland, 1793-1815.' It now takes pride of place next to one of my figure cabinets. The other photos are of some minor projects that I've fitted in between painting up larger units. These include a second-hand Front Rank SYW British cavalry mounted officer which was given to me painted as a Bavarian, a Front Rank mounted Duke of Monmouth which I've painted as a Jacobite general for my 1690 campaign in Ireland, along with my version of the Duke of Cumberland and staff which will be my command base for the British '45 and War of Austrian Succession campaigns. Other photos are of an American Plains War 7th Cavalry Gatling gun and crew. I picked this up at the annual Christchurch wargaming swapmeet last year as I always wanted a Gatling gun...although I'm not sure where I'm going to use it. I've currently got von Bose's Hessians under the brush for AWI games, but these will also double for SYW stuff as well. The Scottish/ Irish Pele tower and barmkin is not far off completion, so hopefully this will be the subject of my next posted

Until next time!

Irish Jacobite foot regiment- de Boisseleau's Regiment 1690

Introducing the freshly recruited de Boisseleau's Regiment of Foot for my Jacobite force to fight against William of Orange in Ireland. These superb Front Rank figures (now sold by Gripping Beast Miniatures) were so easy to paint and full of detail. The flags are by Warfares Miniatures who specialise in providing flags from the Williamite Wars. The reason I chose to paint up this regiment was that I wanted another unit in the grey uniform supplied by the French, but also because I had a paternal ancestor who served as an ensign in Fitzgerald's company of the regiment...another example of my ancestors having a habit of fighting on the losing side.The next unit will be Sir Maurice Eustace's Regiment of Foot in red coats with yellow facings, which also had some maternal ancestors serving in it...but that's another story for the future.

Until next time!

SYW/ FIW French 2nd Battalion of the Guyenne Regiment

I'm currently building up my SYW/ FIW French force to use in both the European and American campaigns of the Seven Years War, as well as the War of Austrian Succession. The 2nd Battalion of the Guyenne Regiment is the latest unit to be recruited. I've decided to paint up a second battalion for a few of the regiments I already have to brigade them together as was the norm during the campaigns in Europe. Plus, a lot of the second battalions fought in America during the FIW, so I can cover both units that fought on both sides of the Atlantic. I had already painted up the grenadier stand for this unit a few weeks ago to be part of the composite grenadier battalion that I've put together...although for some reason I had a spare grenadier figure, so I've added him to parent unit. The raggered frontier stockade in the background was built by the talented Rodger Wood, another member of the Southern Strategists here in Christchurch.

Until next time.

SYW British Grenadiers and others

Lately I've been pottering around painting up a couple of stands here and there as quick side projects from painting battalions ans regiments. I've just finshed painting a couple of stands of SYW/FIW Front Rank British grenadiers. Now that they are done it means I can finally field a battalion of grenadiers using stands from units I've already 'recruited.' You can get an idea of how long this has taken me to do by comparing the different painting styles used on the faces. I never used a wash on the first lot and used to paint in the eyes...seems crazy now. I've also included some images of single figures from Front Rank and Warlord Games that were quick to paint up. I particularly like the Indian chief figure on the rock.

Thanks for taking a look. Until next time...