Progress ?

Still learning about this technique. This scale (3mm) also makes it harder to suitably photograph these armies. The cavalry and infantry are painted and mounted for the 3 Armies (Russian, British, and French). I have spent several hours trying to figure out an easy way to make artillery with little succes so far.

What started as an effort to make armies quickly and easily has ended up being a bigger challenge than I anticipated. My eyes, hands and fingers just don't work well enough any more to tackle this type of project. But, I will push on to make 6 artillery stands and finish up the 3 Napoleonic Armies. And anticipate finding 10 suitable rollers to do the Austrian and Prussians.

Trying to figure out this Aleene's Quick Dry Tacky Glue has been an experience. Not as easy to glue one's fingers together as "crazy glue", but has caused bowed bases and trying to balance the PMS (Plastic Mesh Sheets) horses is a real patience tester.

Size is everything

Discovered that my hair roller armies are actually 3mm. Which has resulted in another version of horses to be cut from the #10 needlepoint plastic mesh. This time 1 1/2 rows. (Photo above)

Took another trip to Sally's Beauty Supply (the places my hobby has taken me over the decades) and found some Nitecurl rollers (above, right). However, it looks like the roller design has changed from the type recommended by  Kenneth Van Pelt at The Penny Whistle. A lot of sprue on the bottom and the bodies appear to be not as tall.  On the left, above is my orignial hair rollers.

So this is going to take a lot more thought than I intended as I try to figure out how to proceed. I don't have enough of the 3mm hair rollers to build the Austrians & Prussians armies to give me the the 5 Napoleonic armies I was originally after.

 However, along the way I have a lot of 4 to 5mm horses, which I can salvage into a Late Eastern Roman army and Attila's Hun army made entirely from the #10 plastic mesh for needlecraft.

   Now how the heck did that happen ? Did I mention that I have a #7 size plastic mesh sheet which allows for cutting out 6 mm armies ?

Thanks to Kenneth Van Pelt for all his info, advice, suggestions and photos. If you're not following his blog The Penny Whistle, I highly recommend it.

3 mm Cavalry

Lost 2 days while experimenting with different ways to make cavalry for my hair roller armies. I was looking for a quick way to assemble large number of mounted troops. No luck. So I Returned to using a modified Van Pelt cut. I am using #10 plastic mesh used for Needlepoint. As my hair roller infantry is only 3mm high I opted to use the smallest mesh I could find. I choose to leave them as strips to make them quicker and easier to paint. Will cut them 5 deep on a 30mm deep base.  Still not sure how many units on a base for the different cavalry types, as I prefer a more massed looked.

The making of the 3 Armies

In the lower right are the cavalries, which are a bit tricky to construct.

2 mm Hair Roller Armies

My new fascination... Hair Roller Armies. They are made with the old knobby & pink rubber hair rollers. This is a setup of Early Hoplites, Athens versus Sparta mounted for DBA. The scale is interesting at 2 mm. Makes the battlefield scale look like a general would view it. One Day to figure out the technique and build and paint 2 armies. I am working on 3 Napoleonic Armies (British, French, and Russians) while learning how to make horses and artillery. Now all I need is to find more hair rollers. A quick way to assemble large armies for any set of rules.

Merry Christmas to All, and it was a good night

By tradition, the December game night closest to Christmas is dedicated to a variation of the fictional "Battle of Reading town". This year's premise is that in retaliation for the American's victory at the "Battle of Trenton" (December 26, 1776). A force of Hessians, under British command, embark on an assault on Reading (PA) town in an effort to free Hessian prisoners being held captive in an area of the town known as "Hessian Camp". We experimented with an Order of Battle using "Horde of the Things" as the rules set, instead of the usual DBA rules.

British and Hessian troops (top) advance on the Continental defenders in Reading (PA) town (bottom).

British/Hessian forces (top) deploy for battle.

The dreaded Von Rall Grenadiers (bottom, right) prepare their attack on Continental Militia (Reading Militia). While British loyalists take casulties from the American artillery in the center.

Mirbach's Musketeers join Von Rall in their assault on the Hessian Left. Cannon exchange fire in the center.

British Lights, Line and Dragoons battle back and forth with Continental Line and Dragoons on the British/Hessian Right Flank. While Mirbach's Musketeers and Von Ralls Grenadiers battle on the German Left Flank.

The Grenadiers and Musketeers clear their Left Flank in hand to hand combat. Their right flank continues to engage in a back and forth battle with the "plucky" Colonials. However, the British cannon begin to take their toll in the center, supported by Prince Frederick's troops.

After a series of engagements, with their Right Flank turned and with their Commanding Officers forced off the board as the British artillery continued to out dice the Continentals. The final tally was made. The British/Hessians lost one stand of British line troops (on their Right Flank) but the Loyalist who were chased by the early cannon fire had reorganized and returned to fight. The Americans had lost a line troop, a stand of lights, and 2 militia and their General was off board.  The Hessians had the advantage in Movement rolls all evening which allowed them to bring Grenadiers to a militia fight (or "bring a gun to a fist fight"). I wonder what the Reading militia would have thought when they first saw those pretty conical caps and waxed moustaches approaching ?

All that's left to say is "Frohe Weihnachten" (Merry Christmas and a fantastic New Year) to all my gaming friends, old and new, and their families.

Original 25mm Empire of the Petal Throne Miniatures

While searching through "the old gaming closet" I came across these original 25mm Empire of the Petal Throne miniatures. They were painted with the then new Heritage water based paints. Unfortunately, some one "borrowed" a stand of archers.  I wish I still had the package they came in, as I remember it being quite graphically well done.

Anyone remember the manufacturer's name  and anyone interested in buying these ?