THE LACEY TROOP

Last year I converted these fellows from A Call to Arms Ironsides to make them look like Sir Martin Lacey's horse in the old series By the Sword Divided. I have just finished them to give me a break from Oldhammer stuff

THADDEUS PERUQUE, WIGGER TO THE COURTS OF EUROPE

Following a post from The Duke of Tradgardland which showed a picture of the latest fashions at court, I thought I would post this little vignette I made a few years ago for my 15mm Marlburian armies who were fighting the War of the Electors Wig, Thaddeus Peruque, the greatest wigmaker in Europe is being pursued by all the Margraves, Kings, Electors and other various gentry to be seized and held to make them the most towering and impressive head pieces that can be imagined. The whole plot was inspired by the costumes in The Draughtsman's Contract, a wonderful if rather strange film.

M. Peruque welcomes 2 prospective clients to his battlefield emporium

The Travelling showroom

Thaddeus inspects his wares

A satisfied customer, helped by Peruque's loyal assistant MaCrackin. Note the TP monogram on the flag,The sign of Excellence in Wigmaking.

A page from the latest catalogue.

I have a feeling we may be meeting Thaddeus again in a different scale. I am being sorely tempted to buy some 28mm 18c figures. Mainly civilians at first, and making some landscape gardens to put them in. Oh no, another project to start.

THREE SONS

Just popping back for a quick post. Sorry it's been so quiet on the Mercurius front recently. I have been concentrating on painting fantasy stuff for my other blog here , and getting some Oldhammer figures painted. I did slap some paint on some 54mm ECW figures last night, so hopefully will be able to show those here soon. 

A few days ago, Robin, my oldest lad (10) roped me into a fantasy battle he had set up in his bedroom, using his own fun rules and figures, all painted himself. A couple of turns in, his brothers turned up eager to participate in moving figures and dice rolling and for 40 minutes or so we had a really enjoyable time with all the youngsters attention held, not bad for Arthur 6, who is not so bonkers about soldiers as Robin , and George who at 3 mainly likes bashing things.

The lego tower holds a goblin hanglider by the way.  Arthur and myself were the diseased minions of the chaos god Nurgle, and Robin and George were brutish orc marauders.

HERNE THE HUNTER

A seminal part of my teenage years was the 1980's TV series Robin of Sherwood, and it's no exaggeration to say it affected me profoundly and set me on a course that has seen me through my life so far. Cited in Hutton's history of Modern Witchcraft Triumph of the Moon as a major part of the pagan rebirth of the 1980's it featured a pleasing blend of gritty historical drama, magic and mullet hairstyles. (and yes, I did have one in 1986, but thankfully no photos survive).

My hopeless meandering through the wargames world has currently stopped in the twelfth century then, as I decided to have a bash at converting a figure to make Herne , the woodland God of Sherwood, and spiritual guide of Robin,  played by the late John Abineri,

I decided to do 2 poses, one giving The Blessing and one more static. The robes are tissue paper and linen. I   haven't decided how to paint these chaps yet...they are asking for a detailed paintjob, but my original plan was to block paint my medievals like my ECW figures...

CASTLES AND VILLAGES

Taking the opportunity to use up a couple of days of 2012 leave, I took yesterday and today off. Yesterday we headed over the old Severn Bridge to Chepstow castle and laid siege to it

The victorious army storms the drawbridge into the barbican.

 The castle is certainly situated in a dramatic location, and the use of natural defences is stunning, the River Wye being visible on the right, flowing past the base of a sheer cliff on which the castle is perched. 

Today we visited a slightly more peaceful landscape in the form of Boughton-on-the-Water model village
http://www.theoldnewinn.co.uk/model-village.html

 A fine testament to the English eccentric (building model houses and miniature landscapes....potty). The model, built in 1937 is a 1/9th scale replica of the heart of the Cotswold town, complete with flowing river, bridges and miniature gardens.

Here George displays a worrying interest in the Aston Martin (?) parked outside the largest domicile in the village.

Some of the buildings are starting to show their age a bit, but it was a great day out. From the little shop I picked up this splendid title

Absolutely tailor made for the outdoor wargaming enthusiast, and I heartily recommend it to any FLW enthusiasts who plan on building more permanent terrain in their gardens.

Here is the blurb from the back of the book

 "This book is about an absorbing new hobby-how to make a miniature living landscape. It might be as small as a window box or large enough to hold a model thatched cottage with trees, forests, lakes and downs. This is an entirely new gardening activity and one that will fascinate all those, young and old alike, who are interested in gardening or are looking for a new pastime.

The plants and trees are individually described, and instructions and advice are given on the various containers which can form a home for the miniature landscape. Planting and care, fencing gates, brickwork, tools, pottery, nailing, painting, streams and farm equipment are all clearly explained. The book is about the fun, adventure and pure pleasure of creating an individual tiny world..."

I think we can all relate to the last sentence. I can see a sudden surge of miniature plants (all suitable varieties listed in the book, some of which I have never heard of) being stocked at work as soon as we start buying in stock again...

CHRISTMAS PUNCH

Alfront mentioned he was rather partial to the Sherlock Holmes story The Blue Carbuncle

http://alfront-wardiariesofalittleenglander.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/the-adventures.html?showComment=1356509332861#c1669285265699434303

which set me thinking about my favourite Christmas story. I am a devotee of good ghost stories, so I think I would go for (perhaps predictably) The Story of a Disappearance and an Appearance by M R James. The story takes the form of a series of letters describing the search for the clergyman uncle of the writer who has gone missing at Christmas time. In one of the letters he describes a horrifying dream in which a demonic Mr Punch appears

" and to see his horrible face-it was yellowish white I may remark-peering round the wings made me think of the Vampyre in Fuseli's foul sketch"

" after it (the murder of one of the puppet victims) Punch came and sat on the footboard  and fanned himself, and looked at his shoes, which were bloody, and hung his head on one side, and sniggered in so deadly a fashion, that I saw some of those beside me cover their faces..."

Another great ghost story, perhaps less disturbing, is For the Local Rag by A M Burrage, which has at least some Christmas sentiment and good cheer in it!

SEASONS GREETINGS ONE AND ALL

I'll be signing off for a day or two I expect, so can I take this opportunity to wish my blogging friends old and new a Very Merry Christmas/Good Yule/Bright Solstice blessings (insert appropriate to your beliefs) .

Here is a very old figure I painted up today (it's great having a few days off I can tell you) issued by Citadel as a freebie back in the mid 80's. On the base it says "Merry Xmas from Citadel" but I can't make the date out.

cheers.