tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52367686597994658092012-01-28T23:02:59.808-07:00Miniature Painting, Wargaming, and History Book ReviewsAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.comBlogger1771100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-39144989962757012632012-01-27T13:51:00.006-07:002012-01-27T14:16:19.996-07:00

I can't say this post is an actual book review. I haven't actually seen Frank Reade: Adventures in the Age of Invention in person, but I thought you guys would be interested to hear about it. Next month Abrams is releasing a book about the American pulp hero fiction of the late 19th century. The authors discuss the adventures found in dime novels which are the precursor to today's steam punk

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-44514986302561716162012-01-18T15:12:00.003-07:002012-01-27T14:24:25.298-07:00

This grumpy fellow is one of the 28mm townsfolk sold by Mega Miniatures.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-62598216474442136352011-12-19T20:55:00.005-07:002011-12-19T21:07:23.233-07:00

A friend spotted this how-to guide for chocolate dice on a bridal site (the author of the post was making them as wedding favors).

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-1026947277694076842011-11-23T14:47:00.003-07:002011-11-23T14:51:57.033-07:00

Check out this scratch-built plane my 80-something neighbor made. Everything is custom, and the propellers actually spin. He used little motors from an old DVD player. The wing span is something like 2 feet across. He used the ends of a plastic thread spool as the steering wheels, so that should give you an idea of the scale. Coo, huh?My neighbor Marvin was a tank mechanic in Korea. That's him on

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-14967371770316551332011-11-15T14:47:00.003-07:002011-11-15T14:54:33.357-07:00

Last month a high-end toy store in São Paulo, Brazil had a cool promotion: real-life people costumed as green plastic army men. See a video and more photos.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-54389040130319181712011-11-01T22:46:00.005-06:002011-11-01T23:10:08.107-06:00

It's been ages since I took the time to paint and post anything around here. I hate to leave this blog fallow for so long, so I think I'll do a series of reviews of other guys' hobby blogs.First up: Paul's Bods. If you have any interest at all in 1/72 models, then you must see Paul's work. He paints or constructs his models almost every day. Everything is well-made, well-painted, and expertly

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-21781519083194438592011-10-28T11:14:00.005-06:002012-01-27T14:16:01.403-07:00

Check out this article on The Ladies Home Journal: Want to Be Happier? Try Making Your Life a Little Harder: ...Do things by hand and your brain will thank you."We are programmed to reward ourselves when we accomplish things with our hands."—Marie Pasinski, MD.The article is all about how our brains release dopamine and serotonin after you've created something with your hands. I think it applies

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-20382802097266903732011-09-24T22:44:00.002-06:002011-09-24T22:50:39.497-06:00

Holy smokes. I just learned that G.R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, is a member of our esteemed hobby. He collects and sometimes paints 1/32 (54mm) scale Medieval minis. See his website for more photos.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-29410944558639116792011-08-23T09:45:00.004-06:002011-08-23T09:50:37.786-06:00

Here's a thirsty bloke. He's one of Mega Miniatures' 28mm halfling villagers. I sold this model on eBay a couple years ago, but I wish I hadn't. I miss the little guy!

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-56634772461162389202011-08-18T14:31:00.007-06:002011-08-19T21:54:17.567-06:00

Roman Centurions 753-31 BC is a solid addition to Osprey's Men-At-Arms series. Ancient history researcher and professor Raffaele D'Amato discusses the Roman centurion within the organization of the military, his social status, promotion, duties, arms, and equipment. The reader can be confident in D'Amato's knowledge of historic sources for clothing, armor, and weaponry of the centurion. He

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-92003727277793996112011-08-11T13:24:00.005-06:002011-08-12T10:13:12.094-06:00

Check out these awesome monster posters. They were created by a variety of illustrators and screen printed in limited numbers. I bought the Sasquatch and the Behemoth. Some of them glow in the dark!

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-873248035206963502011-07-31T15:58:00.004-06:002011-07-31T16:00:59.142-06:00

A few weekends ago I was in the fantasy fiction section of a local independent bookstores when I chanced upon Thud! face-out on the shelf. It's a great cover, right? I think this is the first time I bought a book based purely on the cover design (well, it also helped that it was on a staff's recommendation shelf) Anyway, I'm glad I got it. Thud! is excellent. I wasn't aware of Terry Pratchett,

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-68493154005906137032011-07-19T10:20:00.002-06:002011-07-21T10:30:24.130-06:00

These two models come from Gripping Beast. Under the Livestock section of their catalog you'll find this shaggy beast, which to me looks like an Exmoor Pony. The man comes from their pack of unarmored celtic warriors. I made the bag he's carrying out of putty. I didn't mean to, but I ended up painting this guy in the same colors as my celtic boar hunter from two years ago.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-57249505202296294812011-07-16T18:29:00.021-06:002011-07-16T20:22:31.248-06:00

There's a thread on The Miniatures Page about favorite Dungeons & Dragons novels. Although not official D&D books, the Guardians of The Flame series was suggested by one commenter. I got the first book in the series, The Sleeping Dragon, from my local used bookstore (for only $1.50). It was published in 1983, which is apparent when you read the first chapter. The main characters seem like they

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-53406444695316043782011-07-09T21:00:00.017-06:002011-07-09T23:08:04.879-06:00

I've been reading The Lord of the Rings to my kids at night, which got me thinking I should look into other fantasy fiction for myself. As a history buff I don't usually read novels, so I have only two reference points for judging fiction: the works of J.R.R. Tolkien and Bernard Cornwell. It might seem terribly unfair to judge a fantasy novel against those two heavy-hitters, but there you go.My

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-47560319068500767272011-06-29T09:00:00.000-06:002011-06-29T09:29:43.898-06:00

This weekend I painted Vendel Miniatures goblin king. I actually based and primed this guy over a year ago. I was going through my shelves, found the mini, and felt sorry that I hadn't painted him after all this time. The king's crown was damaged when I bought him, but this doesn't bother me too much since we all know goblins don't take good care of their stuff.The old Grenadier Fantasy Warriors

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-52961082613962133042011-06-26T15:40:00.008-06:002011-06-29T09:34:03.047-06:00

In my wanderings of the internet I chanced upon this collection of vintage role playing game ads. They look to be from the 1970s and 80s. I'd say most are poor examples of advertising, but these three have a certain charm.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-18024694660498386102011-06-22T15:59:00.019-06:002011-07-11T19:18:24.851-06:00

I read a book to my kids before the go to sleep each night. My 8-yr-old enjoys The Hobbit, so I thought she'd also like all the adventures and monsters from The Odyssey. Although I'm a big ancient history guy I had never read Homer's work. It turns out Rosemary Sutcliff, author of Eagle of the Ninth, published abridged versions of both The Iliad and The Odyssey. Her books, Black Ships Before Troy

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-31950889726719519302011-04-14T13:08:00.006-06:002011-06-26T16:35:47.124-06:00

In July of 2009 I made an order to Black Tree Designs. When the package arrived it was missing a couple packs. I waited for the back ordered minis to arrive, waited, and waited. A couple months later I emailed to see what was up. John, the head guy at the Texas location apologized for the delay and offered a free pack as compensation. I patiently waited some more, and nothing arrived. I received

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-79687400933259440892011-03-30T16:38:00.004-06:002011-06-29T09:38:48.107-06:00

Last week Melvyn Bragg discussed the dawn of the Iron Age on his Radio 4 program In Our Time. Among the panelists was Barry Cunliffe, who is a familiar name in Iron Age British archaeology. You can listen to the program: online or subscribe to the podcast.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-65350930279400701452011-03-22T10:22:00.008-06:002011-03-22T10:34:45.816-06:00

Casemate just started offering its titles as eBooks. As a promotion they are offering Hitler's Pre-Emptive War: The Battle for Norway, 1940 free for the next two weeks. Even if you don't have a Kindle, Nook, iPhone, etc. you can read the eBook in your web browser using Google eBooks for the Web. I've been wanting to read more about the conflict in the Scandinavian countries, so I'm very pleased

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-90279693862665123912011-03-20T14:28:00.008-06:002011-03-21T10:26:45.439-06:00

I finished reading No Greater Ally a couple weeks ago. You can read the full review on WWII history blog and the first paragraph is bellow:You may be surprised to learn that it was an all-Polish squadron that scoured the most enemy kills and fewest lost planes during the Battle of Britain. These Polish pilots reported enemy kills only when doubly-confirmed. This careful reporting was meant to

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-49038870011686856632011-03-07T18:32:00.008-07:002011-03-07T18:58:35.759-07:00

I noticed that the latest book by historical humorist Sarah Vowell features a painted plastic pilgrim figure from the 1/72 Imex set (I painted a few models from this set myself). I went back to her older books and saw more pilgrims from that same set on the cover of The Wordy Shipmates. In fact, she has a long-running plastic model figure theme for all of her books.The student model and

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-19533997079429525072011-03-05T14:54:00.013-07:002011-11-01T22:44:26.187-06:00

My free time activities rotate throughout the year. I haven't been painting any little guys, but have been doing lots of reading. I just finished Lower Regions by independent comic artist Alex Robinson. It's a well-thought and well-drawn take on the dungeon-crawling adventure. You can see sample pages of this comic book on the artist's website. He has several other Lower Regions sample pages

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-89738458707978673132011-02-13T10:27:00.011-07:002011-02-13T10:54:47.718-07:00

Splintered Light is known for its fantastic 15mm models, but I recently discovered they have lots of figures that mix very well with 20mm men. The Goblinoids in the "Splintered Lands" range have chunky proportions which make them suitable monsters in a 1/72 scale. I'd say the humans and most of the other creatures in Splintered Lights catalog are too slim and tiny to serve as 1/72, but the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-35625248326526193632011-02-08T09:49:00.003-07:002011-02-08T09:59:49.365-07:00

British artist Slinkachu remodels and paints miniature railroad people, arranges scenes in public places, and photographs them. Visit the Slinkachu website to see photographs of past shows of his work and to buy his book. Visit the Spy on Design blog to see even more photos.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-7365970398452779942011-01-18T10:00:00.004-07:002011-01-18T20:15:32.963-07:00

I finished painting three elements from my 1/72 DBA goblin army. I'm following the fan-made LOTR army lists from Luke Ueda-Sarson's site. For models I'm mixing manufacturers. In the warband element (thumbnail at left and the photo bellow) I am using Rebel Minis Bag o' Orcs, Caesar orcs and Strelets Franks.My old 28mm orcs were painted with grey skin, so I thought I'd have a little fun with these

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-47730546961466493002011-01-13T10:30:00.033-07:002011-01-18T16:54:25.682-07:00

Recently I discovered two excellent D&D blogs that feature the art of professional illustrators. These guys make their living making art, but not for Wizards of the Coast. Their monster illustrations are done purely for fun. You'll definitely want to check them out:Beyond the Wall presents post-game reports from an art director's D&D games. Each report is written in a narrative style with the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-89659956697584762732011-01-09T12:30:00.000-07:002011-01-09T12:52:04.821-07:00

The Luttrell Psalter Film follows a year in the life of a 14 century medieval village in Lincolnshire. Based on images from the world renowned manuscript the Luttrell Psalter. The film company promised to release the footage online if they received 1,000 followers on Facebook. In December they reached that goal, so enjoy!Also check out the film blog.And be sure to check out the illustrated

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-68206878212990817182011-01-02T11:30:00.006-07:002011-01-18T16:55:37.488-07:00

Book ReviewIn Fantasy Freaks and Gaming Geeks Ethan Gilsdorf takes on the role of fantasy anthropologist, studying the various tribes of geeks and gamers lurking on the edges of "normal" civilization. A pop culture and travel writer, Gilsdorf journeyed across the U.S. and Europe to meet Tolkien Society members, D&D developers and players, live-action role players, Society of Creative Anachronism

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-88772342861971192852010-12-29T09:59:00.013-07:002010-12-29T10:17:15.634-07:00

One of my current armies in progress is a 1/72 Saxon army for DBA. I thought the horde element would look really cool, so I bought a box of Zvezda's Peasant Army (see sprue scan). These guys are meant to be a 9th century Saxon fyrd.The cows in the background come from Imex's American Pioneer box. That set also has some nice pigs, which I have yet to paint. The paper buildings come from an

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-67892665763692856982010-12-21T10:17:00.006-07:002010-12-22T16:53:29.728-07:00

Several years ago I came across fan-made army lists for the tabletop wargame De Bellis Antiquitatis. On his site Luke Ueda-Sarson hosts eleven Lord of the Rings DBA armies. For me DBA is all about 1/72 scale. At the time I found his site there weren't any fantasy models in that scale. Now there are a several sets to choose from.The above photo shows the models that will appear on the Wb general

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-49234216000858230272010-12-19T09:10:00.003-07:002011-07-17T12:10:43.980-06:00

Usually I'm the one offering book reviews, but today I am happy to share a review of my recent book that appeared in the January 2011 issue of WWII History magazine, p78-79."People often forget that it takes 10 men in the rear areas to support one infantryman on the front line. However, for the men of the port battalions, there were no front lines on June 6, 1944, and at times, they found

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-69577139116064015092010-12-12T17:04:00.008-07:002010-12-14T18:02:09.434-07:00

I'm keenly interested in ancient and Medieval daily life. Last month I grabbed a bunch of books to read my daughters for bedtime. I thought I'd share them here as they make excellent references for dioramas, tabletop wargame scenarios, or rpg settings. Life in a Medieval Village is a classic on the subject. It's a scholarly, yet approachable text discussing the lives of the lord, clergy, and all

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-86970709152647484612010-12-07T06:00:00.013-07:002011-07-17T12:10:43.981-06:00

"I didn't mind moving the ammo. It was the gas that worried me I didn't want to burn to death [if a Germans hit the DUKW]" —Cortland Hopkins, p 79 in Longshore Soldiers.In WWII my grandfather served in a US Army port battalion. Port company stevedores unloaded supply ships. This was ordinarily done on the docks of a port, but for the Normandy invasion they needed to load DUKWs (amphibious trucks)

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-88651573076012771112010-11-30T12:01:00.001-07:002010-11-30T12:13:35.225-07:00

Frequent visitors to my blog will have noticed I recently published the book Longshore Soldiers about my grandfather's WWII Army port battalion. They took part in the D-Day invasion and moved supplies over Utah Beach from June to November 1944. I am putting together 1/72 models to arrange a scene from their work. I built and painted an Italeri DUKW model and working GIs. Right now I am finishing

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-3921462311186385612010-11-25T06:00:00.009-07:002010-12-06T11:15:11.015-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, my fellow Americans. I painted a turkey for the occasion, along with a pheasant. That pheasant was especially fun to paint—so many colors and speckles. The skunk, deer, and raccoon were painted last summer, but I hadn't photographed them before now. These are all Mega Miniatures 25/28mm models mounted on 20mm square bases (the deer's base is deeper). I'm a big fan of animal

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-79715320360846979542010-11-19T11:18:00.005-07:002010-11-19T11:24:45.937-07:00

My favorite Gandalf model is the one sculpted by Mark Copplestone. Naturally, he isn't an officially sanctioned LOTR model, so maybe I should just call him "Generic Grey Wizard." I don't believe Copplestone Castings is selling this set anymore, but he was part of a group of four wizards. I painted and sold two (now I wish I hadn't).As you can see I have access to a much nicer camera. Click the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-40464746884961514142010-11-18T23:52:00.008-07:002010-11-19T00:01:29.016-07:00

I was looking through my old unfinished blog posts and found this shot of a Grenadier Fantasy Warriors dwarf. I believe this was sculpted by Nick Lund. I got him on eBay and painted him to be Gimli. The rest of my in progress 28mm Fellowship of the Ring is made up of models from Vendel Miniatures models and Mark Copplestone.You can see my Strider and Gollum models in an old post. I painted the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-60673874697229109782010-11-11T22:55:00.003-07:002010-11-12T13:33:20.861-07:00

I finally finished my 1/72 plastic army of vikings to play De Bellis Antiquitatis (DBA). It's a mix of Zvezda and Emahr/Imex models. The last DBA armies I made were the Romans and Gauls painted way back in 2000. I'd like to think my paint skills have improved since then. I half-finished a 15mm Dacian army 2 yrs ago, but I gave up. I'm just not into painting 15mm.These 1/72 models are based

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-42367057221567831942010-11-09T16:07:00.001-07:002011-07-17T12:10:43.982-06:00

WWII veteran Cortland Hopkins will be signing copies of my book, Longshore Soldiers on Veterans Day, November 11, 2010. Copies of the book will be sold for $20 this Thursday at Evergreen Commons, 1070 Luther Road, in East Greenbush. Cortland will be sharing stories and signing autographs from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. A portion of sales will go to Evergreen Commons' activities & entertainment

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-34043718811773433502010-10-25T12:50:00.006-06:002010-10-25T13:09:50.773-06:00

Pictured above are freshly-painted Emhar/Imex vikings on a Bd stand. With these large figures you can see why I opted for only 3 models per base, rather than 4. Below are two more blade elements using the Zvezda vikings.I'm glad these photos came out a little better than the last round. I should invest in some nice Silfor Tufts. The static grass has been getting everywhere!

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-58196317206807977632010-10-21T13:30:00.009-06:002010-10-21T13:44:29.573-06:00

Here is a blade element for my 1/72 DBA Viking Army. These three models come from the Emhar/Imex set. They are a bit larger than Zvezda's vikings. For that reason I mounted the Emhar and Zvezda models on separate bases.I do have one element that mixes the two. The middle Emahr viking is crouching slightly, which make him almost the height of the two Zvezda gents on either side.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-16466685505906241142010-10-15T12:43:00.004-06:002010-10-16T15:47:07.936-06:00

I'm halfway through painting a DBA viking army, III/40a. It's made up of 1/72 plastic figures by Zvezda and Emhar/Imex. This general element is all Zvezda models. The Emhar vikings are tiny bit larger that Zvezda, so for he most part I did not mix the two manufacturers on the same element. I wasn't too happy with the molded plastic flag that the above standard bearer came with, so I fashioned my

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-20553349748880441152010-09-28T13:37:00.011-06:002010-09-28T14:50:39.324-06:00

So, after 5 months of inactivity I finally painted something. In August I finished my WWII book, so now I can use my spare time to for my hobby. Picrured above is King Philip from Brigade Games King Philip's War range. This is a really nice set. The flared musket barrels (almost a blunderbuss) mark these as 17th century Indians, but they would work well for 18th century warriors.These five models

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-41509608936580467372010-09-07T09:30:00.001-06:002010-09-07T09:34:52.230-06:00

Airfix Kits is a sharp little book about the venerable British model kit company. It's a brisk 56 pages with oodles of color photographs. Written with experience and humor, it's apparent that the author is a long-time modeler. The book traces the hobby's history back to the first crude kits in the 1930s and brings the reader to the Airfix company in 2009. Pask writes about production technology,

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-78265628218337997542010-09-01T22:50:00.005-06:002010-09-02T13:54:48.549-06:00

Traditionally the West's dominant view of Mithradates came from his Roman enemies, and in recent times there has been virtually no view of the forgotten king. Adrienne Mayor does history a great service by countering that imbalanced knowledge. In The Poison King Mayor strips the skewed Roman accounts to present a story closer to the truth. Her story is supported with alternate contemporary

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-23978926765822428662010-08-24T17:00:00.002-06:002010-08-25T14:37:42.902-06:00

My Family and I have been visiting my parents at Lake George, New York. While I prefer 28mm or 1/72 scale, my dad has always been a fan of 1/32 plastic. When he was a kid he played with the classic Marx playsets. Now he collects reissued Marx figures along with all the new 1/32 plastic manufacturers offerings. (click on photos to enlarge)When we visited last year we weren't able to see his war

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-85209971565768751082010-07-30T20:15:00.003-06:002010-09-01T23:13:57.792-06:00

519th Port Bn in WWII: Longshore Soldiers released!: "Yesterday I gave final approval for the book. It was great to finally see the work in print. I'm waiting for my fist box to arrive, but the ..."

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-54036578618264539772010-06-25T18:03:00.007-06:002010-09-01T23:14:18.692-06:00

Remember that sophisticated British officer in the film Inglorius Basterds who joins Brad Pitt on the commando raid in France? Osprey Publishing's new addition to their "Raid" series highlights the efforts of fourteen intrepid men just like that character (but they're real). The Cockleshell Raid is about the Brits' daring 1942 raid in the German-occupied French port of Bordeaux. Their mission was

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-2841943979117424672010-06-23T19:21:00.012-06:002010-06-23T19:38:21.949-06:00

Officers' quartersOn the way back from a business trip yesterday, I and my family stopped at Fort Bridger in Wyoming. The site was opened by mountain man Jim Bridger in 1843. He and a partner supplied the pioneers heading west. Bridger was driven out by the Mormons in 1853. They fortified his camp with a formidable stone wall and occupied the outpost for their defense against the US Army's Utah

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-18996885626322680552010-06-06T16:08:00.011-06:002011-07-17T12:10:43.983-06:00

On my book-writing blog I posted an excerpt from my book, Longshore Soldiers. It's my grandfather's story of his D-Day experience on Utah Beach.In the news today is the story of another US Army port company veteran. Attached to the 1st Engineer Special Brigade the 490th worked on Utah Beach alongside my grandfather's unit, the 519th. You can read his article here on the Chattanooga Times Free

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-58930049379340971142010-05-16T18:44:00.002-06:002010-05-16T18:50:31.246-06:00

My kids and I spent another couple hours playing with Legos today. We tried to follow the directions for a castle, but I couldn't find all the pieces. So, I scratch-built this tower, while my kids put in a red floor in a half-built castle, worked on a little house (both in the background), and played with the minifigs.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-31226909932069992462010-05-15T17:31:00.004-06:002010-05-16T18:50:51.794-06:00

My daughters and I played with my old Legos today (Legos are "miniatures" right?). I've got boxes and boxes of the Castle Lego sets from the 1980s and 90s. We made these two wagons with castle bits. I still have the Lego minifigs and instructions for the Black Monarch's Castle, King's Mountain Fortress, King's Castle, and the castle for the knights with the bird on their shields. I'm sure I have

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-54425216481108744612010-05-14T16:05:00.010-06:002010-11-02T17:34:00.133-06:00

It's been pretty quiet around here hobby-wise. I haven't painted anything in a very long while. Business was extremely busy last month, so I was working evenings and weekends. And when I wasn't working on client projects I've been spending my free time writing my history book. It's about my grandfather's WWII unit (check out the book blog).I have to say I have missed painting and posting these

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-54939632698537039242010-04-23T16:18:00.044-06:002010-09-01T23:14:48.302-06:00

Zelner's A Rabble in Arms: Massachusetts Towns and the Militiamen During King Philip's War should be indispensable reading to students of New England's 17th century conflict with the Native Americans. Readers already familiar with the organization of American Revolution and French and Indian War colonial militias would be very interested to see how different the practice was during the late

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-31699208744659536482010-04-22T10:33:00.003-06:002010-04-22T11:02:03.560-06:00

US Coast Guard in World War II, by Alejandro de Quesada is a perfect example of what Osprey does best. In this book the publisher takes a little-studied military subject, introduces historic and visual detail, and places the reader in a position to learn more.de Quesada plots out the origins of the US Coast Guard, its organization, and its war-time participation on the Home front, North Atlantic,

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-6030730041169119922010-04-19T15:10:00.005-06:002010-04-19T15:22:48.963-06:00

I illustarted this map for Duncan Campbell's article in Ancient Warfare magazine. Vol.1. Issue 4. It depicts the Roman siege works of Numantia (135-133 BC) during their campaign to conquer what is now Spain. Duncan is great to work with, because he always provides a detailed pencil sketch with other published maps of the area for reference. I just dress it up with paint and text. The decorative

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-64993176671127099972010-04-12T15:36:00.009-06:002010-04-19T15:10:21.550-06:00

Do you subscribe to Ancient Warfare magazine? I illustrated this map for Glen Barnet's article in Vol III, issue 5. Most maps seen in magazines are rendered with professional cartography software, but I do my maps by hand. Well... the text is done in Adobe InDesign, but all the artwork is paint and ink. These little drawn buildings, horsemen, etc. are a old tradition—something lacking in modern

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-67651214341106154562010-04-06T09:40:00.010-06:002010-04-12T16:38:19.776-06:00

BBC Radio 4 airs a program that often visits a historic subjects: Tacitus, Queen Boudica, the fall of Rome, King Alfred's Battle of Edington, etc. The topics tend to focus on British history, but host Melvyn Bragg also discusses world history: Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Crusades, samurai, etc.You can download the latest of Bragg's In Our Time on iTunes or you can browse through the years of past

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-64907952267148830422010-04-04T10:24:00.002-06:002010-04-04T10:26:08.017-06:00

There's no way you could buy a toy like this these days. I enjoyed the irony of the delicate bubbles produced by the violent swinging motion.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-18635556413027315782010-03-08T13:43:00.006-07:002010-09-01T23:15:37.277-06:00

Today I reviewed War in the Pacific by Richard Overy. The book's production value is exceptionally high. Check out photos of its beautifully designed spreads on my WWII research blog.Several of my family members served in the Navy, so I will be continuing the Pacific war theme on that blog for the next few posts.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-10235852396981319512010-02-25T22:45:00.003-07:002010-03-01T09:47:18.159-07:00

In November I based and primed these 1/72 scale plastic Pilgrims, thinking I would feature them in a Thanksgiving post.... but I ended up not painting them until last weekend.Imex put out a great set here. Most of the models are townsfolk in daily activities, but they included 4 musket poses that can be used as 17th century Puritan Massachusetts militia. (See the full sprue on

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-21022149754744635082010-02-19T10:58:00.010-07:002011-01-13T12:03:32.030-07:00

Mega Miniatures will soon be releasing three new animals to join your 25/28mm prehistoric models. Miniature painter Roger O'Dell paints Mega Miniature's new releases for their catalog. Once they have the photos he sells them, which is how I saw these three pics. It will probably be a month or two before they are available for purchase—I can't wait! The saber tooth cat looks great. I quite like

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-25675837525301893972010-02-17T11:47:00.007-07:002011-01-13T12:03:32.031-07:00

As a painter and diorama-maker first (and gamer second) I am very interested in townsfolk models. My favorite historic period is ancient Rome. To make simple Roman and Celtic civilians I have been buying un-armored warriors and removing their weapons. Today I was happy to see the Foundry has a large new collection of ancient civilians.The sculpting is excellent, and there is a nice range of

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-20012389509310406552010-02-17T11:27:00.005-07:002011-01-13T12:03:32.032-07:00

Ancient Warfare magazine is offering an exclusive and free 28mm Etruscan Centurion miniature with a 2-yr subscription. From their email newsletter:Cover Image in MiniatureWe have a new first for our magazine: the cover image of Ancient Warfare issue IV.1 now exists in 3D! Well-known sculptor Steve Saleh has modelled a 28mm miniature inspired by the cover illustration by Johnny Shumate. This

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-61894608625162787332010-02-11T08:50:00.002-07:002010-09-01T23:15:57.174-06:00

I was unaware of WWII Britain's Home Guard until a few years ago. I gather most Brits are at least familiar with the BBC comedy, Dad's Army. Of course, as an American I had never heard of this TV show. My introduction to the subject was actually a wargame project on Matakishi's Tea House hobby blog.The Local Defense Volunteers (later named The Home Guard by Winston Churchill) was an organization

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-51364635049536461282010-02-10T09:42:00.010-07:002011-01-13T12:04:11.195-07:00

It's impressive to think that elements of our hobby span back thousands of years. Toys soldiers, or “historic miniatures,” have existed since ancient times. Perhaps more interesting, the craft of sculpture-painting was a highly regarded profession in classical times. Ancient Greek and Roman statues are typically pictured as pristine white marble. Yet, historically these art objects were almost

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-68885205284214560822010-01-28T18:48:00.018-07:002010-02-10T11:34:07.668-07:00

The new Field of Glory supplement, Lost Scrolls, was given to me, and it's up for grabs. Although I love ancients, I am not a very active wargamer. The local gaming club in Denver is fond of de Bellum Antiquitatis (DBA) and Big Battle DBA. So, Field of Glory has been well received at this group. I moved kind of far away, so now I don't know anyone to give it to. I thought it wold be cool to give

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-32832811043552635182010-01-26T13:54:00.011-07:002010-01-26T16:05:24.508-07:00

Alpha Miniatures was a one-man miniatures manufacturer from New Zealand. Aaron Brown sculpted and cast an absolutely fantastic range of metal 1/32 Romans, Germans, Celts, and gladiators. They are full of historically accurate detail and have great character. He and I used to email quite a bit to discuss equipment details. A few years ago Aaron sold off the molds and now works as a freelance mini

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-90560907624978121762010-01-26T10:25:00.004-07:002010-02-01T10:02:41.860-07:00

After giving my mom a copy of Garden Gnomes: A History (see my book review), she went through her old photo album and found these two shots of me. I look about 2 or 3, so I'm guessing the photos are from around 1980. This is my grandfather's backyard in Rotterdam, NY. These two gnomes were given to him by his friend, Mr. Heiner. His parents came from Germany, and obviously they brought their

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-60093359561963591502010-01-17T21:55:00.006-07:002010-06-30T00:37:46.917-06:00

Simon's recent illustration on Iron Mitten features a French Dragoon painting some toy soldiers. The helmet reminded me of a photo in my grandfather's WWII photo album. In the summer or fall of 1945 my grandfather and some men from his company took a tour of the Waterloo battlefield. They visited the farm at La Haye Sainte, which housed a museum. The Belgian curator was only too willing to let

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-73284130108105269312010-01-09T17:36:00.017-07:002010-01-09T18:25:35.704-07:00

Last month I was cruising around Twitter, and I found a follower of a follower who draws comics inspired by history. "History comics?" I thought, "Awesome." Kate Beaton was a history major, museum employee, and now a comic artist. Her subjects bounce from vikings to Elizabethans to cowboys to chimney sweeps. The illustration style is loose with wonderfully expressive faces. Her humor often rests

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-66087378592094498322010-01-04T12:03:00.010-07:002010-01-04T12:12:46.142-07:00

I posted a full review of Liberators: The Allies and Belgian Society on my WWII blog. I'm trying to keep Ferrous Lands within an ancient to 18th century historic timeframe (and some fantasy). Lately, I've been reading a lot of WWII books to fill in events surrounding my grandfather's service in the US Army's 519th Port Battalion. These reviews appear on my 519thPortBn.com

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-70773401218754757662009-12-31T11:27:00.000-07:002009-12-31T11:29:12.760-07:00

Check out these vintage 1930s-40s gnome New Years cards I saw on eBay. Hilarious!

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-75572391220147495472009-12-19T14:40:00.007-07:002010-02-19T11:26:01.488-07:00

I've been interested in prehistoric models for a while now. I was glad tp see the new production of 28mm scale metal prehistorics from Dazed Miniatures Unfortunately, it looks like they are no longer being produced. RLBPS is only selling off the old stock, so get them while you can.My only prehistoric models are a few sets from Pulp Figures and some very old school mammals. Marx Toys produced

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-74388318271975828422009-12-19T14:37:00.004-07:002010-09-01T23:18:29.357-06:00

Note: I've been reviewing World War II books on my other blog. Ancient up to 18th Century book reviews will stay here.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-11172025745912312862009-12-11T11:56:00.022-07:002010-09-01T23:22:02.101-06:00

I've mentioned Shire in the past. This is a British publisher of brilliant little books on antiques, archaeology, architecture, and even military history. The style of the books—accessibility to the general reader, with detail for the specialist—is quite similar to Osprey Publishing's books. In fact, Osprey purchased this press in 2007. A very good fit, I think. (See the article about Shire on

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-57238945425492745942009-11-30T18:00:00.010-07:002009-11-30T21:40:56.173-07:00

I just figured out that I am Google's Blog of Note today. I was thinking, "Why the cuss are all these people coming to my site today?" I thought it was some spam thing. Anyway, after my realization I felt guilty that I didn't have anything more recent than my scratch-built tavern post from over a 2 weeks ago. I've been way busy with work and with Thanksgiving / Christmas goings-on, so I haven't

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-29975584393309938342009-11-11T07:08:00.000-07:002010-11-18T23:50:41.840-07:00

Last week I started building a tavern for my 28mm villager models. She's not interested in gaming, but I think my 7-yr-old daughter and I will like playing with this "doll house." The top and front will remain open to allow access to the rooms (although I am leaving space for a possible front wall in the future). I'll scratch-build a bar, but I think we'll be buying metal 28mm furniture, barrels,

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-585363059099211842009-10-31T15:01:00.004-06:002009-10-31T15:07:29.994-06:00

Happy Haloween folks. Both of these models come from Mega Miniatures. The witch was part of their 20 model Fantasy Town Folk set. I never thought I'd paint her, but then I had the idea for the Song of Blades and Heros game: Pilgrims vs. a witch and her monsters. I went for a bright red dress, rather than the typical black ensemble. The fire is molded plastic from an old 1/32 Marx playset.

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-47866522755616914382009-10-28T07:00:00.007-06:002011-01-18T16:54:25.683-07:00

"Another evil being best suited to terror and destruction, the Headless is indeed a creature of nightmares. Many a traveler has fled in abject horror at the sight of a headless torso bearing down upon them." —Ultima IV guide book"This ensorcelled creature appears to be a living ambulatory, beheaded human being. It is unknown exactly how it compensates for its apparent lack of sensory organs,

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-27480937278597796892009-10-23T13:50:00.008-06:002011-01-03T20:56:05.575-07:00

I finished a couple tree stands this week. I used Woodland Scenics tree armatures mounted on hardboard. I scattered used dried loose leaf tea (Irish Breakfast) to represent leaf litter. The leaf bits tend to flake off, so I sprayed the boards with matte varnish.A close up of my Black Tree Design woodsmen and leaf litter. These two are from their "Good People of the Land" sets I and II.The trees

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-12304456225370090502009-10-23T09:15:00.000-06:002009-10-23T09:21:49.470-06:00

To accompany my recently finished pilgrims I have painted a Vendel Miniatures mastiff. I came across an interesting passage about the colonists' mastiffs while reading The Skulking Way of War:"The English had great difficulty killing these predators [wolves] because of their cunning and their ability to outfight even greyhounds and mastiffs. William Wood said that wolves were the 'greatest

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-36628516949813227952009-10-20T21:45:00.020-06:002009-10-22T10:25:05.629-06:00

I presume the majority of people choosing to read about King Philip's War (1675–76) do so out of an interest in local history. As evidence of this, the authors on this conflict appear to all be New Englanders. My schooling in Pennsylvania completely skipped the subject. We were taught about the landing of the Pilgrims (one generation before King Philip's War), then we jumped ahead 150 years to

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-78181788287759427002009-10-14T21:00:00.006-06:002010-09-28T13:39:15.648-06:00

I just finished painting my first set of Brigade Games King Philip's War Pilgrims (this is my first post, but the models are from set #2). I wasn't sure how uniform the men's costume should be. I went for brown and black colors for woodland camouflage. Perhaps the New England milita wore proper uniforms, but these Pilgrim models appear to represent rangers in irregular attire. Indian stockings

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-83097459167313240212009-10-02T23:28:00.024-06:002009-10-04T23:42:21.092-06:00

Puritan women from Colonial Living, by Edwin Tunnis.An idea for a 28mm skirmish using Song of Blades and Heroes occurred to me this evening. I was reading about 17th century New England and noticed how the appearance of the classic Halloween witch is based on the costume of Puritan women. The origin is obvious to me now (Salem witch trials), but I just never thought about it before! Halloween is

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-22932941565915033792009-09-28T00:02:00.003-06:002009-09-28T16:09:35.561-06:00

Every summer I visited my family's cabin in the Adirondack mountains. I would spend several weeks there, walking through dense forest trails, and canoeing/boating on mountain lakes. The woods also bordered my house in Pennsylvania. My friends and I would often wander along paths and streams, surrounded by birds, rabbits, and often deer. Perhaps this partly explain why I have a fascination for the

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-64264694571120575662009-09-22T17:14:00.020-06:002009-10-14T21:11:58.741-06:00

With a fresh interest in the French and Indian War I have been browsing various mini manufacturers, planing my purchase of some 28mm Roger's Rangers, French, and woodland Indians. A few days ago on TMP someone asked for 28mm AWI Indian model suggestions. To my surprise I saw a reply describing native minis for 17th century America. The King Philip's War miniatures were released by Brigade Games

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-8289456578236161352009-09-05T17:05:00.001-06:002009-09-05T17:41:10.107-06:00

As I mentioned earlier, in August I visited my parents in upstate NY. My dad is a big history buff. His main interest is 18th century America. I enjoyed looking through the many history books on his shelves. He picks them up from the gift shops at historic sites in New York and Pennsylvania. Among them is a the History of the Northern American Indians, by David Zeisberger. His copy is a paperback

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-26928655196457935742009-08-28T14:43:00.005-06:002009-09-05T17:39:15.130-06:00

This is Major Robert Rogers, sculpted by Dixon Miniatures and painted by me. After my trip to Fort Ti., I have been inspired to paint up some units of French regulars. I have my eye on Old Glory Miniatures' French and Indian War line. There aren't too many painted photos of these models visible on the web, so I hope to fill the void. I don't have a ruleset in mind. I think I'm simply going to

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-61278928950317834352009-08-12T10:15:00.031-06:002009-09-05T17:39:15.131-06:00

I just got back from visiting my parents in the Adirondacks in upstate NY. Saturday was a cloudy day (too misty for hanging out at the beach on Lake George), so we drove up to see Fort Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain. This stone fort was built by the French in 1755-1759. The current museum was constructed on the original footprint to well-researched specifications, duplicating the 18th century

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-24930326296744400092009-07-30T14:58:00.004-06:002009-07-30T15:08:58.090-06:00

I just read the review of Hat's new Peninsular War British Infantry on The Plastic Soldier Review. The sculpting is brilliant, don't you think? It's some of Hat's best, and I love the addition of the alternate heads. It almost makes me want to start painting Napoleonics, BUT I am making a concerted effort to avoid it. My hobby time is already split among too many different themes. I actually gave

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-9900110611304053402009-07-14T11:46:00.022-06:002012-01-27T14:21:32.152-07:00

(click for larger picture)Cornwell's Arthur Series has inspired me to raise a Romano-British army for De Bellis Antiquitatis. I am using II/81c Sub-Roman British. To start off I painted the above spear element using all Hat figures. I'm not sure how soon I'll finish the whole army, but I really wanted to get this element done while I'm still reading. On the left is Nimue, the druid. She is from

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-48919786903071415162009-07-08T16:24:00.130-06:002011-07-09T21:02:15.026-06:00

I read Mort d'Arthur in high school English class, and excerpts from a few other Arthur tales. Yet, for some reason I was never very fond of the King Arthur legends. The stories always take place in a vague timeless Medieval setting, the magical element is simple, and I just never saw the attraction for Guinevere! The King Arthur subject has been just too overdone for me to take a series interest

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-87692565482580206402009-06-29T08:00:00.003-06:002009-06-29T11:55:27.821-06:00

(click pictures for a larger version)I finally finished my Song of Blades and Heroes / Song of Arthur and Merlin Romano-British warband. It's made up of all 1/72 models by Hat. They're mounted on plastic slotta bases. The above warriors are from Hat's Late Roman Medium Infantry, plus one armored model from the Heavy Infantry box.Three guys from the Late Roman Missile Troops box.The above British

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-51297838821300721252009-06-25T11:31:00.007-06:002010-11-18T23:50:12.944-07:00

Have you seen the online short film, The Hunt of Gollum? It's brilliant. It was a fan-made piece, but obviously they have alot of funding and skill. I had trouble with the volume, but I solved that by listening with headphones.After watching I was inspired to paint a couple models I have had for a while. On the left is one of the adventurers from Vendel Miniatures. On the right is a Gollum model

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-45570874963618735212009-06-23T10:36:00.006-06:002009-06-23T11:25:46.250-06:00

I'm back from a camping trip into the Rocky Mountains. Fun stuff! Of course, it would have been more fun if I didn't have a cold the whole time (or was it really bad allergies?) Anyway, upon my return I was happy to find my mail box contained a small package from Mega Miniatures. Mostly I got a bunch of animals and skeletons, but I also ordered one of their new Orc Villagers. I thought it would

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-27142491608961623422009-06-15T14:55:00.002-06:002009-06-15T15:06:47.007-06:00

I gave my Muster the Minis coeval project another try, and doubled the participants (previously, it was just me)! This time around my friend, Jasper, joined in. The theme was artillery. I painted the above models from Hat's 1/72 Late Roman Missile troops. This scorpion is almost the same model as appeared in their older Roman Catapults box. The new set offers a choice of pieces for the forward

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5236768659799465809.post-69897578172711570472009-06-11T11:50:00.010-06:002010-04-19T15:10:07.489-06:00

Page 24 of Ancient Warfare magazine's recent special issue on the Varian Disaster was meant to include my illustrated map. Unfortunately, a temporary sketch was accidentally printed in Duncan Campbell's "Secrets from the Soil" article. With the rush to get this issue out, I can understand how this rare error occurred. I would still like to share my work, so I have posted it here. What do you

Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08759810100407996847noreply@blogger.com6