Moving pictures

A quickie inspired by some of those new fangled moving pictures that may be of interest to some of The dear readers.

Salute 2016

Salute 2016 has come and gone. A bit of an extended tramp from New Zealand to the UK – though that didn’t stop that dastardly Valleyboy who will have a lot of describing to do once he returns – but via the marvels of moving pictures it’s possible to do a flyover of some of the games. If your wife / husband / partner has left you a spare 31 going on 32 minutes have a look at the Salute – 2016 video from JonLawVids. If nothing else there is plenty of soothing / meditational music to groove to!

Painting Horses

There are many painting tutorials on the interwebs. Here’s a slightly different way to paint a horse … at least different for von Peter himself. It’s all about the hair texture. Moving pictures from Doctor Faust’s Painting Clinic’s How to Paint Horses. Thanks to Theo on a forum for the heads-up on this. There are several horse painting tutorials on the interwebs … in fact there are many tutorials on general miniature figure and terrain painting out there. Let your web searching go wild.

How to play Aurelian

Aurelian from Sam Mustafa from his Honour series provides the rules to fight the crisis of the 3rd century when it looked like Rome would not make it to the 4th century. It has come to the belated attention of von Peter himself that SirTobi has created a series of tutorials on the rules. Very nicely presented and well worth a look if The dear reader has any interest in Aurelian.

Glory, Hallelujah!

Thanks to Garage Gaming Terry a copy of Glory, Hallelujah – the American Civil War supplement for the Black Powder ruleset – now resides at Neu Schloss von Peter. On first flush this appears to be a well written 180 pages which is going to take some reading on account of its size. Being sourced directly from the publishers Warlord Games the book came with the ‘free’ Dead-Eye Davy metal miniature. Dead-Eye Davy is a prone sniper that comes with a choice of head to make him more obviously a Union (kepi) or Confederate (broad brimmed hat) figure. It will most likely be a kepi for von Peter himself who prefers to be on the side of the angels! 😀

The book is full of pretty pictures of war games figures. The proverbial war games porn. But excepting a couple of pictures of Dead-Eye Davy (from Warlord Games) all the figures pictured are the products of Perry Miniatures. Not a bad thing in itself as the Perry twins are rightly feted for the quality of their product but maybe some other manufacturers product might have been used on occasion. Perhaps it’s the Nottingham mafia at work! 👀 Or perhaps it was just convenient to have the Perry’s stage the photographs from their collection. Certainly flicking through the book there is a consistency provided by the use of a single range of figures.

And it may be just coincidence but look what long lost plastic set has appeared all of a sudden on the the Perry Miniatures Facebook page …

Sharp Practice 2

The release of Sharp Practice version 2 from the TheTooFatLardies is now but a few days away on the 23 April 2016. von Peter himself has finally made his decision as to which pre release bundle to purchase and being his normal greedy and uncontrolled self has ordered Bundle 5. The biggest most expensive bundle with greatest savings … albeit that the cards and poker chip set are effectively duplicates of one another.

The Lardies have extended their explanation of the game by adding another two episodes  using moving pictures …

• Sharp Practice Video Three: Movement & Firing
• Sharp Practice Part 4. Command & Turn Sequence.

Until we meet again …

Salute
von Peter himself

von Peter himself is now on leave – so why is he producing this?!

It’s nearly that Christmas Day time of the year. And here is von Peter himself is slaving away on this the first day of his Christmas & New Years holiday leave to bring you this update. I trust that you’re all excessively grateful!

The son & heir persists with his wretched rabbly rebels

Despite being trapped in ongoing intensive holidays and suffering from long sleep ins and other trials and tribulations of the idle The son & heir has spawned another unit of dirty reb’s. This time it’s the 53rd Virginia that have answered the call to the front … or more correctly this front as they look like they’ve been in the field for a while already. Points of interest include the officer who grips his rifle – by repute he’s quite the shot – and his slave who acts as the regiment’s drummer.

The son & heir’s southern horde now consists of 4 regiments, a battery and a couple of command stands. A fifth regiment is well on the way. Mr Lincoln is not amused!

Figures from the Perry’s ACW 80 American Civil War Confederate Infantry 1861-65 and the flag is from GMB Designs.

The son & heir also shows favour to his Medievals

As per their chronological order in history these skirmishing Medieval handgunners preceded the American Civil War regiment above off The son & heir’s painting desk. (Actually it’s the painting desk of von Peter himself that the Son and heir has appropriated but that’s another story.) This is just another example of how seriously the historical side of the hobby is taken at Schloss von Peter.

The son & heir was keen to paint these in a red and green livery and then repeatedly referred to them as Santa’s little helpers due to that colouration. So much for taking history seriously at Schloss von Peter then. That didn’t last long! <Sigh>

The handgunners are shown during their ill fated defence of a watch tower. Their brave red headed leader Sir Simon is being helped away having just sprained his ankle after slipping on some bird droppings. Poor Toby lies at the bottom of the tower having reached too far over the edge to shoo away a raven at the instruction of Sir Simon … that then circled the tower dropping it’s load which was to prove the downfall of the bird hating Sir Simon. Karma moved fast during the later Middle Ages.

Handgunners from the Perry’s WR20 Plastic ‘Mercenaries’, European Infantry 1450-1500 box. The casualty figures are also care of the Perry’s but are metal and are from their War of the Roses range – WR32 Dead and wounded.

Christmas comes early for those deserving – Saxon artillery pieces imported into New Zealand

Now that we have the preliminaries care of The son & heir out of the way we can get on with more pleasing topics …

A while back Calpe Miniatures released their Saxon artillery guns – a range of five pieces. As a Christmas taster von Peter himself has now accepted into stock the guns for two foot artillery batteries – one 6 pounder and one 12 pounder – at the scale of 1 model per 2 actual guns. Not only does this satiate von Peter’s need to acquire gaming paraphernalia but it also spreads the cost of purchasing the batteries. What a bargain!!

The ordnance for a Saxon 6 pounder foot battery – 3 * SA1 Saxon 6 pdr and a Saxon 8 pdr howitzer

The heavy metal for a Saxon 12 pounder battery. 3 * SA3 Saxon 12 pdr and a SA2 Saxon 8 pdr howitzer

It is the understanding of von Peter himself that the crews for the pieces are in the process of being created amongst the other goodies on the sculpting table. It is also the understanding of von Peter himself that limbers, caissons and suchlike artillery gear will also be putting in an appearance.

von Peter himself may yet pour the contents of some of the packs out of their zip-lock bags, give them a little inking and then post some pictures of them here in the future.

The Saxon 6 pounder as “borrowed” from the Calpe website. von Peter himself can but hope that his will look so fine

More Calpe releases

Calpe Miniatures have released their … errr … ummm … latest releases!

French artillery pieces …

• FA1 – 6 pdr. M1808
• FA2 – M1808 7 pdr. Howitzer
• FA3 – 12 pdr. M1808
• FA4 – 12pdr. Gribeauval barrel on M1808 carriage
• FA5 – 10pdr. heavy howitzer (for use with 12pdr. batteries) on M1808 carriage

Saxon infantry …

• S1 – Saxon musketeers in advancing poses with levelled muskets (parallel to the ground). With covered shakos
• S2 – Saxon musketeers in advancing poses with levelled muskets (parallel to the ground). With hairy shako covers
• S3 – Saxon musketeers in advancing poses with levelled muskets (parallel to the ground). With uncovered shakos

Some of these will undoubtedly be recruited by von Peter himself and will eventually be flaunted here.

Oh yes, and others are on their way. Hurrah!

Old Glory Russian church – the final story

Just to update the story of the 1st Corps Eastern European Church, aka the Russian Church.

• It comes with two domes – in the original preview pictures there was one dome and a spot that looked suspiciously like something would be there
• The final price is  £70.00. The original estimate was  £70.00 so the price has come down a little.

Now all one has to do is to squint a little and pretend that the WWII Russian infantryman in the picture is really a Napoleonic Russian jager.

A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all. von Peter himself fully expects to see everyone safe and sound post the celebrities. Take care of yourselves and your fellow comrades in ams.

As usual <click> on the images for a larger and clearer image.

Until we meet again …

Salute

von Peter himself

What did the Rebel Yell sound like?

We’ve all heard the term “Rebel Yell” – or at least von Peter himself knows he has. And no doubt we all have our own version in our minds ear of what that “Rebel Yell” sounded like – or at least von Peter himself knows he did! Well now thanks to a recording made in the 1930s of some surviving Reb’s you can now hear the “Rebel Yell” for real.

So prepare yourself, take a deep breath and transmit yourself quite a few decades back in time thanks to the black magic that is the internet by clicking on The Rebel Yell.

HEALTH WARNING: it’s probably best to leave any Union apparel or pro Union comments at home for this particular journey!  8O)

The heading picture portrays The son & heir’s Confederate brigade defending the outskirts of a town. The 57th Virginian in the centre next to the battery have had enough of all this standing around shooting and have just commenced am impetuous charge forwards … while emitting their blood curdling Rebel Yell of course!! The 9th Virginia also on the front line are still keeping up a hot fire while the 38th Virginia stand in reserve.

All figures from Perry Miniatures, flags from GMB Designs, brushwork & basing by The son & heir.

For an enlarged view don’t forget to click on the image.

Until we meet again …

Salute

von Peter himself

Delayed ACW news … covering for some delayed Napoleonic news

Yes, this posting was meant to be the official unveiling of the completely based Napoleonic Russian 3rd battalion of the Oufa Infantry Regiment – flags and all – but von Peter himself rarely has his life under the sort of control that he would like.

The big event in the von Peter’s hobby life – ah what the hell … von Peter’s life – since the last post has been the arrival of the Martin Kelly’s Befreiungskriege 1813-14 Limited Edition Figures. Three sets arrived – one for The son & heir as per his request and two sets for von Peter himself. The cunning plan of von Peter himself is to use one of his sets as the complete vignette with the other set to be broken up and used throughout the army.

Now The son & heir is not one to be tied by convention or to follow the masses and he wasted no time in declaring that his figures would not be Frenchmen. The only question was … “what can I paint them as?”. At least The son & heir had half a plan! Much scurrying through various books and internet sites followed – not by The son & heir mind you but by some other mug. The question was even posed on Martin’s blog and thank you to the respondents there.

In the end Italians were selected as the nation of choice and the infantryman and the two artillery drivers have all been completed with little bother. The drummer though has proved a bit more of a bother. The Italians do not appear to have gone in for all that Imperial livery arm lacing puffery that the French Bardin regulations called for. von Peter himself did however find one illustration of a drummer of the Italian 2nd Line Infantry Regiment with the looked for arm lacing. It’s a bit dubious but it’s enough to give The son & heir some colours to paint the drummer with. The alternative would have been to file the lace off the arms and The son & heir displayed a distinct lack of interest in such a prospect. And miraculously (/disappointingly!) the 2nd Italian Line was the regiment he had selected to model the infantryman of the set on as well as the GMB Design’s flag he had requested.

What selected GMB Designs flag you might ask in astonishment. There’s no standard bearer in the Befreiungskriege 1813-14 Limited Edition Figures set you may perfectly reasonably assert. It seems that having got a four figure vignette painted as Italians The son & heir has realised that he needs some units to support it. So as the order went to GMB Designs for the much needed flags for the 1/Bourtirki Infantry Regiment (see the previous post Standards, my kingdom for some standards) a request for a pack Italian flags was respectfully – he can do it when he wants to – made and granted.

And when the Calpe Miniatures march attack French are released and von Peter himself feels the not to be denied urge to purchase one or two the order will no doubt be swollen by some Frenchmen destined to become Italians. All in all that single set of Befreiungskriege 1813-14 Limited Edition Figures is going to be quite expensive!!  8O)

Pictures of The son & heir’s Italians when the set is completely painted and based.

Oh yes – before von Peter himself signs off he’d better give some explanation as to the heading picture. As part of his Christmas remuneration The son & heir received a box of the Perry Miniatures American Civil War Confederate Infantry 1861-65 plastic set. The heading picture shows the first battalion he has recruited from that box. The GMB Designs flags denote it to be the 57th Virginian. They’ve been waiting a few weeks for their time in the spotlight. Their time has finally come. Click on the picture for a bigger, less fuzzy view.

Until we meet again …

Salute

von Peter himself 

A first 2013 post

von Peter himself wishes to welcome all to a brand new year – namely 2013. May it prove to be prosperous, productive and jolly good fun! Now back to the usual program …

There is a new blog of a Napoleonic variety to keep an eye on. Der Feldmarschall – aka Jason Meyers – and Eric Hagen have opened a new blog Immer Vorwärts! for business. von Peter’s understanding is that the two gentlemen will be using this blog to track their 1813 adventures – the painting, modelling and gaming – starting with Prussians and French. von Peter himself thinks that we should all support the new blog … for our own selfish purposes of course!  8O)  If nothing else they have a wonderfully evocative graphic (see above) with which to adorn their electronic reporting.

The first game of 2013 has come and gone. American Civil War (ACW) was the period and five of us played while Raymond steered us through a new set of rules – They Couldn’t Hit An Elephant by the Too Fat Lardies. The scenario played favoured the God faring Union but von Peter himself sees this as only right. 8O)

Opinions varied on the rules but von Peter himself and The son & heir would play them again. One game does not necessarily fully inform one’s opinion on a set of rules. They are perhaps not the best for a multiplayer game as the card mechanism means that only one player is active at a time. Perhaps ways could be found around this.

The 2/von Rechten Infantry Regiment of the Napoleonic Saxon army circa 1813 stutters towards its mustering. A final light coloured dry brushing on its bases, followed by the addition of some vegetation, varnish and the raising of it’s GMB standard and all will be complete. A picture or two next time hopefully!

Until we meet again …

Salute

von Peter himself 

The son & heir bends his back

If all goes according to plan this will be the last post on this here blog for the year 2012. If it all goes astray then welcome to the first post for 2013!  8O)

Several stars have aligned themselves to form the raw material for this post.

The son & heir is chomping his way through the Bernard Cornwell novels that are set in the American Civil War (ACW) and based around the adventures of Nathaniel Starbuck – a northerner who fights for them dirty rebels of the Confederacy. He had also asked Father Christmas – touching aint it – for one them new fangled Perry Miniatures boxes of plastic American Civil War Confederate Infantry 1861-65 along with a box of plastic American Civil War Cavalry. The good Father duly delivered.

And then there was the talk that the institution of the monthly multi player game would be reinstated and that the first game would be of the ACW flavour.

The long suffering Confederate 12pdr Napoleon battery finally gets coloured tubes

Put all this together and being young and impressionable The son & heir has leapt back into the ACW with a vengeance …

1. He has forced his long suffering parents to obtain for him a Confederate flag and even had it installed on one of the walls in the hallowed Bastion – the gaming room of Schloss von Peter. See the heading picture. Some sort of Napoleonic or perhaps Seven Years War standard is required to bring sanity back to The Bastion. Hopefully the folds will drop out or else some variety of corrective action will be required!
2. He has painted up a standard bearer for his first battalion of damned rebs … errr, Confederate infantry; chipped out one of the figures and replaced it with said standard bearer.
3. Painted a second battalion of damned rebs – including standard bearer.  8O)
4. Finally painted the gun barrels of his damned reb battery thereby completing the battery.
5. Not that you’ll see it in this post but he has also painted the figures for two stands of the three required for his third battalion of damned reb infantry.

The 9th Virginia – now with standard

The newly raised 38th Viginia

The son & heir’s damned rebels as of the end of the year 2012. A third battalion of charging Confederate Infantry is not far off. Now about those partially completed Napoleonic units young man … … …

The good news is that having had a few days off work von Peter himself has managed to progress his long suffering Saxon battalion to the point where it is very nearly complete. So here’s hoping for some pictures early in 2013.

Further glad tidings for early 2013 include the anticipated arrival of the fruits Martin Kelly’s Limited Edition Figures project and the chance to order some Calpe Miniatures March Attack French AND French Artillery. Roll on 2013.

Until we meet again … and a Happy New Year …

Salute

von Peter himself 

The A & E of Civil Wars

With the counting down to Christmas the life of von Peter himself has gotten more hectic and unbelievably his idleness more pronounced. Hard to credit but there you go!

A few weeks ago the thought went bouncing around the skull of von Peter himself that he would pull a wonderful trick on himself. von Peter would announce to the world that he would complete his latest Saxon battalion by Christmas. By this cunning ruse von Peter himself would be forced to get off his idle butt, pull out the stops, complete said long suffering battalion and all would be happy … especially von Peter himself. Of course with only a few days left until Christmas the battalion is no closer to completion so thank all that is/are merciful that von Peter did not blab his self set challenge to the world … or at least the little part of the world that would have been listening!  8O)

However the time has not been totally wasted …

American Civil War Leaders

To be honest these have been completed for several months but one has never been flaunted on the web – that would be the image above – and the other only once on a portion of the web no longer accessible – that would be the image below. All the figures are from Perry Miniatures. To be precise the two mounted figures are from the pack ACW3 – Union Generals mounted and the running away and lying down chaps are from the pack ACW23 – Casualties. The lying down chap was painted a bit cheekily – because he isn’t a real zouave figure – with red leggings as the plan is to have this leader stand associated with some zouave units in the fullness of time. Given the current output this ranks as extremely long term planning. von Peter himself is very proud of his planning!!  8O)

As is usual the close up photos have shown the horses to be incompletely created beings. Darn and confound it all. Perhaps they’ll get eyes and darkened nostrils if they perform particularly heroic feats on the tabletop of battle.

English Civil War

The reorganising and rebasing of the English Civil War Covenanters continues at a non too stressful rate. Life was not so hectic all those centuries ago so it would be unseemly and out of character to rush things along too precipitously now.

First to be presented – because he is the first in the army – is the Commander of the Covenanters. As all the leader stands will be he has been placed on the same sized Litko stands as the rank and file but with rounded edges … as is only to be expected of the more refined better bred type of gentleman likely to be found in charge of the less well bred masses.

The hand painted standard looks a little rough in close up but von Peter himself can assure the readership that it looks perfectly wonderful on the tabletop when leading the army in battle. One of the goals of the rebasing exercise is to retain the original standards with the army. They have been proudly flown in many battles past and hopefully will be present in many more in the future.

Above can be seen the second Covenanter Pike & Shotte unit to complete the transition to the new fangled basing regime. Many other units are partly there. It is not easily seen but the standard used particularly takes von Peter’s fancy. One of the diagonal crosses is white while the other is yellow. Very pleasing to the eye.

This unit is the second to have flowers added to it’s basing regime. This latest horticultural  innovation was first used on the Covenanter commander above but does not show up that well in the photograph because of where they grew on the base. As if rebasing these Scots has not been enough rework it would seem that a revisitation of many of the Napoleonic units is in order. A few flowers and a selection of some of the latest tufts is just what some of those veterans need to cheer them up.  8O)

A Christmas tale

Wilding pines have their uses when it’s Christmas time and a Christmas Tree is required. The good Fraulien von Peter herself captured the above image near the end of the annual hunt for the in this case 2012 Christmas Tree. Bits of von Peter himself can be seen manfully slaving away at the base of the falling tree – brown tee shirt and dark blue shorts are the clue. The invaluable aid provided by The son & heir who has climbed the neighbouring tree is also on display. Comments could be made at this juncture regarding faeries up Christmas Trees but von Peter himself would not stoop so low. And while regarding the photograph it strikes von Peter himself that perhaps he has chopped down the wrong tree!  8O)

And just in case anyone is overawed by the size of the Christmas Tree please be assured that the whole tree was not hauled inside and decorated. Just the top of it. And just in case anyone else thinks that our Christmas Tree procurement methods are terribly wasteful please be informed that the remainder will be left to dry out before being chopped up and moved into the woodshed for utilisation during the colder winter months.

Until we meet again … and a Merry Christmas to one and all

Salute

von Peter himself