Weekly Round-up #006

So, after the lord mayor's show, the week that was.  Not as much progress here as I'd like, but partly because most of my hobby time was taken up by the Desert of the Dead Mummies.  However I've promised myself not to give up on the Bretonnians just yet (especially when I have so much still to paint!).  As such:

A)    Games Workshop 6th Ed Bretonnian Archers

Some of you chaps are looking awfully pale!

A couple of WIP archers, showing the colour progression

Started to paint up a unit of Archers (more peasants - I do have knights, promise!).  This is actually the second unit getting painted up using this scheme - the first unit was mostly painted during the first lockdown in the UK, back in the spring of 2020 (feels so long ago!).  However, like other units it got left part finished, as I was in need of waterslide transfers and basing motivation.  However this blog is doing exactly what I hoped it would do, and pushing me to get stuff completed.  As such keep an eye out (hopefully!) for both units of Archers next week ...

B)    Highlands Miniatures Pegasus Knight

See, I do have knights too ...

The second target for some paint this week has been one of my Highland's Miniatures Pegasus Knights.  I have a set of 3 printed from Xmas (so they haven't counted towards the 2021 printing column).  I really like this one because of his base, but I also think he's one of the less practical ones, as he is a bit top-heavy.

I've even been progressing beyond Contrast on these guys ...

He's been left as 3 different pieces for the purposes of painting, and so far I have mostly been focusing on the Pegasus itself.  I need to decide how to paint the Knight's robes.  Any suggestions?!

I've also been branching out from the contrast paint style (as can be seen on the caparison of the Pegasus), and actually trying to layer up the colours "properly".  It does look better on the bigger surface areas.

I'm expecting this to take a bit longer to finish (not next week for example), but it is getting done as it's not just for this, but also for: 

C)    3D Printing

Yep ... I finally managed to actually get to printing some stuff out for myself:

Some test prints from some of the "Not Bretonnian" Kickstarters I've backed recently ...

... and some Men-at-Arms pavisse for an ongoing painting project.

The majority of this (in-fact all of this stuff except for the guy on his knees in the first picture) are from the Tartessos Miniatures "Armies of the Old Age" Kickstarter.  The final miniature on his knees is from Lost Kingdom Miniature's Kingdom of Mercia Kickstarter.  

I've been using these guys as some scale tests.  In fact, looking at the Pegasus Knight at the back of the first photo, leads me onto this:

Pegasus Scale Comparison - Left to Right: GW 6th Ed, Raven Twin Miniatures, Highland Miniatures, Tartessos Miniatures

As mentioned before, I'm interested in using these both in WHFB, and The Ninth Age, so looking at the scale differences between each of these gives me a decent basis to work from!

I'm hoping to expand this blog with some more permanent articles going forwards, with useful information I've gleaned from this kind of test as well as pictures of my completed armies!

So, onto the last section for this week ...

D)    Year-to-date:

Painted : = 49 + 0 = 49 - The first week with nothing officially finished, but that will change next week, and it's not like I didn't do any painting, I did quite a lot, just didn't finish anything!

Printed = 13 + 4 = 17 - Four full(ish - minus weapons, but I'll fix that soon enought) miniatures - praying knight, riderless horse, mounted knight, pegasus knight).  If/when I use the extra bits, I'll add them to the count then! 

Purchased = -140 + 237 = + 97 miniatures (Desert of the Dead Kickstarter creating a big swing here, lets see what we can do about this ...)

So what does the big swings in numbers mean?  I've decided what I want to try to achieve this year is a reduction of the grey pile of shame ... and not in terms of % unpainted, but an actual, real reduction.  Last year (before the 3d printer) this was an easy equation:

Miniatures In - Miniatures Painted = 97 - 49 = + 48 extra on the pile.

However, with the 3d printer I think I need to rethink this, as I'm beginning to have to think about miniatures "in potentia" ... I shall contemplate this over the next 7 days, and discuss further in the future.  However it's late now, and I need to get to bed!

Until next time ...

-    Bsking