THISTLEBROOK BRIDGES

Two useful bridges for the Thistlewood scenario, and to add to my slowly growing terrain store. Both by Hovels and released in 1985.

Trees are by Merit and widely available back in the late 1970's and early 80's.

In this last picture, you can see the village stocks...an old Citadel piece FS20, without the victim.

DEM BONES, DEM BONES...

As well as painting the Thistlewood terrain, I've re-based Lord Vassago's army in a more old school style. The painted sand and flock just looked too fussy for these old figures. I returned to the good old Tetrion (wall filler) texture, which was then painted my standard bright green, dry-brushed white and then washed with the brilliant Army Painter Green tone. This gave the finish I wanted, a sort of washed out look we used to get when we used tube acrylics straight onto Polyfilla (when we could be bothered to base them at all).

All skeleton are Minifigs from the Valley of the Four Winds range from th late 1970's 

THISTLEWOOD CHURCH

Another very old kit is this old Airfix church , again still available from DAPOL . I've seen it appear in a number of early Warhammer games, such as this splendid display by the Players Guild in 1986.

There's the church, in the middle of the picture.

Back in the day there was no Sigmar, and feudal medieval fantasy states seemed follow a sort of woolly Christian religion. In the Thistlewood scenario King Amias' kingdom has a band of fighting monks called The Knights of the White Lord, who fail to show up for the battle incidentally. The church priest, Priest Varlie is made of sterner stuff, and I will be painting an early Citadel Cleric to represent him. Meanwhile here is his church. I left off the most of the crosses as they were likely to snap off anyway, but added a little shield over the doorway. 

HOVELS IN THISTLEWOOD

I've been cranking up enthusiasm to try and get my Thistlewood project finished by the end of the year after completing loads of large scale historical figures. Often with various projects I have undertaken before I have left the terrain until last and then lost interest, so taking up the Oldhammer reins again this month I decided to get all the terrain finished and ready and then proceed with more figure painting.

Initially I was to set the re-creation of the first published Warhammer scenario back in 1983 when it appeared in White Dwarf 45 as a 30th anniversary event but that idea flew out of the window. Letting 2 years slip buy to do the re-enactment has it's advantages as it's now 1985 and these rather nice cottages from Hovels are available to use, first released in that year.

There are 6 suitable houses from the "English" range, all still available from HOVELS .Despite what the catalogue online says ALL the cottages are available, but as a couple are far too small to use with more modern 28mm figures they have taken them off the web page but if you ask, Dennis Coleman will cast them up for you.

It's true all the cottages are quite small even for 25mm figures, but true scale houses would completely clutter the table up and these have a real charm about them, cast in chunky resin they are a lot sturdier than the card Warhammer buildings which came along later.

The Inn looks a bit like The George at Norton St. Philip, where I have spent many bibulous hours in my youth. The oriel window particularly.

rear view. I added the flagstone courtyard bit.

Butcher, baker and candlestick maker

The 3 smaller cottages, deleted from the catalogue but still available.

A larger cottage, called the Manor house

rear view of the Manor, which will be the blacksmith's in Thistlewood

As I need 7 cottages for the scenario, I pressed the good old Airfix thatched cottage into service, a veteran on wargames tables since the mid-1960's I should think, and still available from DAPOL .

I must admit I found painting them all a bit of a bind, but finally got there. There are more terrain pieces to deal with, and I'll be tackling the 2 bridges next.

TRADING POST ESTABLISHED

Having finished painting 400+ 54mm English Civil War Figures for a school project

I am cranking up the Fantasy engine again and hope very soon to get stuck into some Oldhammer, Prehammer and Skinthammer projects. I have far too may figures to deal with, but there are a few more that I reeeeeaaaaalllly need (there is always room for a few more figures). Click on the link at the top right of the page to be transported to Windy Jape's Liquor Emporium (or in fact to see a list of the few rarities I am seeking). I hope to get around to putting photos of the boxes of surplus stuff I have to trade with in the very near future.

FRAGILE LIFE

I've just read this post  over at Mark Hides blog which sums up pretty much how I feel all the time. Mr Hides is of a similar age to myself (47) and has captures that past-mid-life spectre that is hovering over all of us...the old enemy Time chipping away as our measured span. One of the many things on my 'must do and see before I cark it' is now beyond reach with the sad death of YES bassist and co-founder Chris Squire at the age of 67.  I'm not sure when I was going to see YES , but I had a vague idea I would in the next couple of years.

Inevitably with the constant feeling of a limited life span, time seems to pass even quicker and I have a Damoclean sword continually hanging over me about all the gaming projects I want to complete but know I never will ( as well as important stuff to worry about like bringing the kids up, keeping the Mrs. in her usual good mood etc.). Faced with a bloody mountain of figures it all seems rather futile. I am currently ploughing through several hundred 54mm Toy Soldier style ECW figures to help with a school project next year, but once they are finished I hope to fling myself back into Fantasy stuff, with Oldhammer, Prehammer and Skinthammer projects brewing (or rather looming).

How I feel most of the time.

 (This picture, along with the rest of the gatefold pics in my brother's copy of the Yes album Fragile, used to fascinate me. In fact I think it's safe to say poring over the Roger Dean illustrations and designs aged about 8, had a lot to do with my future Fantasy leanings)

In the meantime I'll be raising a glass To The Heart of the Sunrise and drinking to Chis Squires memory and musical legacy.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU (IF YOU HAVE BEEN BEHAVING)

A tale my father used to tell me was of a mountaineering aquaintance who was hiking in the Alps, presumably in the late 1940's at the same time my Dad was hiking about Europe. This intrepid fellow was making his way along a lonely snow covered track one Christmas eve , when he heard galloping hooves behind him. On turning he could see nothing, so continued on his way, no doubt eager to get to the nearest gasthof for a glüwein and germknodel .Cocking an ear he heard the hoofbeats again getting nearer but still no sign of any animal coming along the track, hurrying on, the traveller was just coming to the village when the hoof beats sounded loud behind him...now severely frightened he took to his heels, and felt a mighty blow on his back as the galloping sound passed over him and continues toward the village, yet no sign of any beast was there. Stumbling to the inn, he managed to find a bed for the night, but in the morning, upon examining the back of his jacket he finds a cloven hoof mark burned into the fabric.......

Perhaps it was this chap Krampus, my Christmas figure for this year. I have just finished painting him, and after a few day of grotty behaviour from the 3 boys, I can sympathise with this tradition which you can read about here . A nice figure from Reaper, complete with birch twigs for swatting naughty children and washtub to carry them off to Hell.

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS. I'm painting a lot of 54mm toy soldiers at the moment, primarily for a project at my oldest son's school next year (they are studying The Battle of Lansdown), but after that I hope to get back painting some Prehammer toys. In the meantime here is an old Christmas figure which didn't feature on this blog, an early 80's freebie from Citadel