What to Do When Faced With an Old Model

Pulled this mini out of the box the other day, which prompted a bit of thought.

 Its an Infinity model (I used to like Infinity, still do in some respects.......but BY GOD the rules were fiendishly complex and got in the way of the game, rather than facilitating it. I think my last game ground to a halt for 45 mins as everyone in the club was puzzling over the rulebook. We gave up in the end and I called time. Never played since)

Mr Ajax the Great. Great model. All of that Iliad influenced stuff that Corvus Belli created is superb. I could get into collecting those...........er, best not start down that path!

My notes from the time say that this was 70% complete when I finished it, but interestingly for me, this marks the exact point at which I gave up on the super fine layering and highlighting style of painting and went for more efficient, quicker, enjoyable ways of painting and being a lot more muddier rather than crystal clean.

Not sure what that other intended 30% could be, though? Face needs working up from the wash, but I don't bother doing that any more. Its also looking quite plain, so I would have added markings and symbols onto the armour plates. I think I also intended to work up the white to a brilliant white edging as well.

Choice - I could put this back onto the painting table and finish it in the old style, or I could use this as a base and finish it in my current style. In which case, these pics would act as a record. But then, I've done a nice job here and still have that "oh, but I've already painted it this well" twitch about overpainting it..........

Some thought needed on that, I think.

ECW - Newcastles Regiment

Last of my ECW full regiments I had kicking around, so went for a classic. Newcastles double hard bastards.

Pretty quick and dirty job on these, as I'm getting a bit ECW'ed out now, as far as painting go.

Through Shadow Deep - 1421 - The Village

We travel for some while before reaching a village. After discussion between us, we enter to search for supplies. There is a silence about the place which makes us uneasy. 

Rauf sees the embers of a fire burning, indicating people were here recently. None are seen.

Then we hear it.........a cry. A wounded figure appears.

Three of us run to aid, when a foule figure appears, being walking dead.

This creature advances quickly, ignoring Johns arrows

I hear a cry from behind, as the others in our group spot similar figures and are beset by imps.

I see other figures approaching and call warning to my fellowes.

A building collapses, thankfully far and none is hurt. What is this place?

Brave Rauf takes the fight to this enemie, dealing much damage, whilst I stuggle to deal with my foe.

A call from Rauf indicates he has found another person, recently dead

The rest of our fellows fight the deviles, with Tom Poachers arrows proving strong

I find myself transfixed by this enemie, needing aid from friends. My blows do seeming no damage

Brave Harold finds his warhammer to be of great use in combating these walking dead, as he pursues and destroys them in a rage.

More buildings around us fall into ruin. This is a curs'd tun.

Our immediate fight over, we spy more figures approaching. Good bowmen make ease of these.

I give the call to regroup around the barn, as enemies press us from all sides.

I break the doors of the building, finding store of food. We take this and make our retreat from the village, defending one another.

I check the corpse we pass. English, with a good light hammer. I take this weapon for Harold, for he has show much vigor this day

We carry injuries, mercifully no major wounds nor hurts. 

This land is a forsaken place. We take our goods and hurry on.

HYW English Archers

More English archers, following up from the ones I'd previously painted. These are all Perry, singly based for skirmishy gaming and are rather gorgeous models. Highly enjoyable.

Through Shadow Deep, 1421 - Setting

22rd March, 1421.

The Battle of Bauge has been fought throughout the day, with a confused and fiercely contested melee taking place around the Chapel of Fauborg St Michael and its cemetery, finishing with the English soundly defeated. The day ends with an action by Salisbury attempting to rescue the holdouts of the English army, as well as attempting to recover some of the bodies.

Just before Dawn, 23rd March, 1421, Easter Sunday. 

John de Covham, Baron of Covham wakes from being knocked unconscious during the melee. Sitting up, he finds himself surrounded by the dead and injured. A handful of other survivors are confusedly looking around and attempting to assess the situation and immediate dangers - apart from the French being in the locality, scavengers have descended onto the battlefield to strip the corpses and those too weak to defend themselves.

Amongst the small group of survivors - a mere handful of men at arms and archers - Covham finds himself the senior voice, and the decision is made to strike out and attempt to reach either the English army in retreat, or to make way through to English held territory. All know how dangerous this is likely to be, as they remain in the midst of hostile forces, terrain and locality, but a small party has a better chance of slipping through unnoticed.

Taking what they can from the field for travelling goods, weapons and supplies, the group departs through the thick morning mists as the sun rises, leaving the cemetery before anyone can detect their presence, out into a ruined land.