Monday 21 November 2011

Chronicles of Xepher - Post 1.5

So, never got round to finishing the last Chronicle but this has been sitting in posting tray for ages. Now might be a good as time as any in finishing it off as am off work today in preparation for an exam tomorrow. (And no i am not slacking before you ask, have already done a mock this morning!) 
But anyway other hobby news, have been doing stuff when i have a free moment but no photos as of yet. A nice mix of minis including some Infinity ones. Just had to buy some after they which caught my attention. Very nice sculpts, just want to paint them well now so have also been adding to my blog list by seeking out ones with Infinity minis. This ultimately led me to Studio Giraldez and the home of the guy who paints the studio figs. Very nice log just amazed at how he manages the detail. Talented painters are those Spaniards.
Anyway that's about all on that front so without further ado back to chronicling!

Chronicle 1 - the continuation

Russian "rifles"
Of course these were just imaginary battles to re-enact Sharpe's engagements so no rules as such (besides this was before i was introduced to the whole wargaming thing), just lining up of the soldiers and knocking them over when they were shot with cries of pain and explosions. But with a limited amount of figures it often involved the Russians fighting themselves, but all in all a good time was had. 

Air Marshal
Captain of the ground forces
However, the Russians were soon joined by more advanced colleagues as I was introduced to other small scale toys and figures. First up were zero hour, these where of a similar scale and introduced vehicles into the collection. And actual firing ones to when it came to tanks, now they added some variety as well as having some great detail. haven't got many pics. They were never painted though but i remember many a happy hour, bombing, exploding and shooting with them. Shortly after some uber cheap soldiers in a plastic bag followed swelling numbers and increasing the numbers to make the battles more epic.

all of them together with samurai bot
Being a child of the 80s i had been influenced by pseudo mecha cartoons such as Bravestar, Jason and the wheeled warriors plus some ones i'd seen in Hong Kong. So when Micro machines (remember them?) introduced some robotage figures i just had to add some to my toy collection and eventually got them as a birthday present. Now these added a further dimension to the imaginary wars and probably influenced why i would later fall into the GW hobby.
Fly bot







However while are on the 1:72 scale story, after GW superseded them, they weren't forgotten and at a later stage i revisited them and added to their numbers again. On the pretence of homework, i decided to try and create a diorama of the battle of Waterloo for a French project at secondary school, however with all best laid plans it never happened...although i did end up with some scots guards and les Bleus backed up by cavalry for the French and artillery for the british. They now sit in a pile in storage but it was fun digging them out. 

Les  Bleus
Scots guard



















On a more recent note after a trip to modelzone i also picked up some of the 95th Rifles from the italeri ranges. These sit waiting in the paint queue to complete the circle




Friday 4 November 2011

Month of Change

So doesn't look like this is going to be a regular thing. Requires a surprising amount of time to update this and when low on energy, inclination is even more diminished. Even now this is a semi cut and paste job as i also post on a couple of mini related forums so am using some of that content! lol!   However, the lowdown for my month long absence is that major changes are afoot, both at work and at home. Not least of these is that I am in the process of making the largest purchase of my life..and no its not a titan, although that would be awesome... i am of course talking about becoming a home owner, its been a stressful few weeks hence lack of motivation.

Anyway the gist of this post is that I'm back..if only momentarily, having taken the day off work to "revise" for another professional exam which is soon to fall upon me, i've been able to regroup slightly. So following up on previous army shot decided to continue in a similar vein

This can also serve as a preview chronicle in prep for the big change. Therefore thought it be cool to see my guard army in all its glory and put together another of my roll call parades. Thought it be good also to have a stock take, gf and family have "joked" about selling off my minis to pay for the deposit...hmmmm, now even though i know each mini in my collection, it's still good to have some evidence! :D so after some fun late last night and this morning I present the latest view of the maybe "Cadian" expeditionary battle group. Main photo includes almost every guard model i own bar the ones being built and a few artillery crew. So with out further ado...here we go

Furthest forward: Storm troopers and other misc at the front such as a death korps grenadier squad and some of Gaunts ghosts
Front left: Catachan "Jungle cats" company
Front Middle: Veteran light Assault company
Front Right: "Desert Ice" company
Back left: "C" company - "Codger" company - the old guard(metals)
Back Middle: "A" Company - "Advanced" company(Being built)
Back right: "B" Company - "Bastion" company



"Desert Ice" company

Veteran light Assault company & Death korps etc


"Jungle cats" Catachan company


"C" company


"A" Company


"B" Company





and finally, what would a guard army be without its tanks....so here is the "Armoured Corps"

Left: Leman russ company - Spartans supported by baneblade "Deliverance"
Middle: Chimera phalanx - LAVs for use with Light assault company
Right: Artillery company ("Heavy reign" -under construction) and fire support (literally- 3 hellhounds & 1 swappable pup- "the firebrands") supported by shadow sword "Providence"