ONE DAY SON, ALL THIS WILL BE YOURS

Another evenings work has produced this result. We have coated the entire model so far in a wash of Polyfilla/PVA/Brown paint to seal as may gaps as possible and create a stony texture.

Some cart tracks added to the wet coating

When this was dry we add straight PVA to the areas that will be grassy, and then poured sand on which will be painted to look like grass (I wanted to use flock, but the patron of the castle preferred the idea of painted sand)

The Polyfilla mix has dried quite pale (it looks almost white in this picture but is in fact darker)

 The drawbridges were then added using balsa and brass chain

Ready for painting now!

On a different note, does anybody know how to delete blogs of one's reading list on the blogger dashboard. There are a couple among the many I follow that I would like to ditch for one reason or another and I'm not sure how......any advice would be most welcome.

MORE BRICKS AND MORTAR

Another evenings work on the castle, we have added the square Norman keep, the rest of the curtain walls and made up the barbican defences. Doors have been added to the towers and trapdoors to the roofs. 

(Oldhammer regiments in the background gathering dust)

Sir Prancelot examines the barbican.

The approach slope, exposed to arrow fire from the battlements.

"Prithee, thys gateway is a trifle small for my scale, but no matter"

A BRIEF FLURRY OF CASTLE BUILDING

Painting has been put on hold at Atticus Towers as the oldest son and heir came home from school last week with homework.......a mission to build castle. I can remember my Dad helping me build a Motte and Bailey but my lad had grander ideas.

Here we are after 2 evenings work

Loosely based on Goodrich castle which we visited last year. A bewildered early Roman demonstrates scale on the battlements.

Some of these tubes have been in my bits box for a decade or more....I knew it was worth squirelling them away.

So the basic 2 tier mound has been cut using the trusty hot wire cutter, along with the barbican and approach slope. The spec was to build a castle that demonstrated different forms of defence, so we have a partial curtain wall, barbican and dry moat so far. The keep and remainder of the walls will be added tomorrow. Jolly good fun, and nice there is a time limit so we are not being too fussy about detail and accuracy. Afterwards, assuming we get it back from the clutches of the history master, it can be used with 15mm or 1/72 figures.

BREAD IS THE STAFF OF LIFE.....

and what is the life of the staff? One long loaf.

A couple more sundry staff officers, this time definitely Parliamentarians. Perhaps the chap on the left is John Hayne, Waller's Commissary General, while the chap on the right bears an uncanny resemblance to Noll Cromwell, but will probably be an random officer for my Lansdown project.

Both figures by Replicants

STAFF OFFICER (SWEDISH KING?)

Another officer, could be used as either Parliamentarian or Royalist as I have given him a blue sash. I think this is a figure from George Kearton's range of personalities sculpted by Vince Mattocks. I posted a picture of one here (the officer figure) and Brian Carrick of Collecting Toy Soldiers kindly commented and told me what the make was. What do you think about this fellow Brian? It's from the same ebay batch as the last fellow and I suspect it's meant to be Gustavus Adolphus.

PRINCE MAURICE OF THE PALATINATE

Nominally the commander of the Royal forces at Lansdown, I generally don't mind Prince Maurice, despite me being a rampant Parliamentarian. A better chap than his frightful brother Rupert. I'm sure he would have been mounted, but a dearth of mounted command figures has forced him to go on foot.

figure by Mokarex

 I've been painting a few staff officers and command figures to give me a break from regiments of foot.

Also arrived today a large parcel of 54mm ECW figures from The Duchy of Tradgardland. So eager was I toget them sorted out and hand some over to the boys I forgot to photograph them, but some will be absorbed into the lead/plastic mountain and appear painted soon. Thanks Alan.

MORE ROYALISTS AND SOME NEW RULES

I'm managing to stick to my plan so far and cracking on with one project, although other ideas are jostling to get to the front of the queue, including getting out my 28mm Thirty Years War figures and doing something with them (they are of course unpainted). I went along to Crusade at Penarth a couple of weeks ago and an old re-enactment chum was putting on a huge game of Lutzen 1632, using his newly published rules.

The game (pictures lifted from Captain Generals blog as I forgot my camera...again)

The rules

available from

http://captaingeneral.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-warre-game-1632-printed.html

I am tempted to do Mansfeld's rag-tag army in 28mm.

There was also a brilliant 54mm Fantasy game put on by The Skirmish Wargames Group. One of the members said he would mail me some pictures, so hopefully I can post them soon.

Here's the latest unit for Lansdown 54mm.

Not sure whom these guys will be yet....possibly Maurice's Regiment?

I painted them to look like a really flaky unit from the Sealed Knot back in the 1980's. Hats turned up at the side (usually fixed with a new age celtic brooch), startling white hose, and matching gingery breeches......true old school ECW.

The officer on the left is possibly the oldest figure I own (or one of them). He used to belong to my brother and had been in the wars, missing his sword blade and left hand. I repainted him to match the original light blue plastic. The ensign is from a dump bin at a show, again he was missing both hands, and the drummer is A Call to Arms but with a Maros Models head.

A generic flag, loosely based on Gerard's colour.

I found these fellows at a show for the pricely sum of 50p. It was hard to see what they were, but embedded in all the flash was a musketeer in 2 parts (the right arm and musket was a separate piece). They have the look and flash one associated with Replicants, but I couldn't be sure. Original colour was bright red plastic. 

Just realised the belt buckles need painting, must get that done.