Month: May 2021

Dark Ages II

~ anthony ~ 8 Comments

Following on from Dark Ages-I, I managed to get far more done in the last two weeks even with work pressure and COVID restrictions than I thought I would be able to, and while I still need to finalise the design and do the flags for both forces, they are all ready to be fight over the outcome of rolled dice.

Also while scrapping the bases clean of the 80’s flock, a number of the figures clearly had Essex inscribed on the bottom, so it stands to reason that they are probably all (or mostly) Essex Miniatures, and knowing the person who gifted them to me nearly two decades ago they were probably purchased from The Tin Soldier, when it existed in the Dymocks Building (Sydney, Australia) during the 80’s, sadly the store has gone the way of many bricks and mortar stores, and has been closed for at least the last 10 years.

Two Viking/Saxon warbands, and a small Norman or Saxon Huscarl force, all grouped for Ravenfeast.

Now onto some 28mm terrain, a Dark Ages hut (or two), some low stone walls, and maybe some church/abbey ruins.

Blogging & WFH I

~ anthony ~ 6 Comments

I knew last week and the one coming were going to be a little silent on the blogging front, especially given that it’s end of the year, and the workload in the “day job” grows exponentially this time of year, but then COVID decided to throw another spanner in the works and the “little read dot”* shifted to “Work from Home”.

So I have very little to show on the wargaming front at the moment, I’m plugging away at my Dark Ages stuff as the time allows, but honestly in the free moments I have been more likely to stalk my blogroll and be inspired by the work of others. Normal service should resume in the later part of next week, as the “day job” shifts into holiday mode, and the lack of International travel and the Government mandated partial lockdown kinda forces me to paint figures and build terrain all while safely social distancing.

* Singapore

Dark Ages I

~ anthony ~ 4 Comments

Not much to show this week, and given how crazy the next few weeks at the “real job”* will be, I expect them to be equally as light. However I did manage to get out all my old Dark Ages troops and started to take stock. Over 20 years old, originally belonging to a friend and painted in gloss by him, based on cardboard, and with that amazing 80’s flock, they clearly need a spruce up if I am going to play either Ravenfeast or Saga.

Original (left), spruced up (right), decal by little big men studios.

I blame it on nostalgia that wants me to field these very old castings, also it would be a shame to not let them do battle once more, especially if I can get a chance to “crush enemies, see them driven before me…and you all know the rest.“

If only I could work out who made them?

EDIT (18 May): Some of the figures (not pictured) are old Essex miniatures.

Painting Notes: Figure: Oak Brown (Army Painter, AP), Anti-Shine Matt Varnish (AP), Matt White (AP), Platemail Metal (AP), Agrax Earthshade (Citadel). Base: Burnt Umber (Daler 223), Raw Sienna (Daler 667).

* Just found out we have been ordered back into “Work From Home” in the next 48 hours. So a mad scrabble to get some bases 3D printed, and organise schedules and the such before a month of restrictive movement and gatherings takes place. Sadly this means some of the current projects will have to backseat as access to certain “toys” is curtailed for a bit, but on the flip side other projects get to come to the fore.