28mm!

You might have noticed but all my finished models are small - either 6mm or 10mm. I've tried bigger before but never got a good result so I've never really committed to it.

Well with Frostgrave I have every intention of fielding a properly painted warband - besides I'll only need a few models for me and missus.

So I stepped into the breach with one of my Man-At-Arms and here is the (nearly) finished result - I'm going to colour code our warbands so for my force there will be light green. I haven't decided on the bases yet so I'll post more pictures when I've done a few.

Thor Rune on Shield

My force is based upon a Nordic force with an Enchanter Wizard so I have picked those with this style helmet and each model with a shield will get a nordic rune symbol.

Blade

The difference that a wash makes - picking up the details within the cloak.

Rear View

I am undecided as to how to base them - snow limits them for other settings, grass and mud looks out of place in  Felstad and the tunnels beneath - also looks out of place if using in D&D setting in a dungeon. So I've got 3 choices:

1. Standard mud and grass
2. Snow and rubble
3. Cityscape

Choices, choices.

Early War German Reinforcements

So didn't get a huge amount done besides large quantity of texturing some bases. But did get a few reinforcements (which you've already seen WIP pictures for).

First of all the Panzers - I had 12 of these but over time - lots of moves I opened them up to find I only had 4 turrets - quick email to Leon at Pendraken and the turrets are on their way as a separate order. But in the meanwhile I have finished these 4 - not sure about the markings but think they look ok.

Panzers!

The wash really helps detail the tank - also helped by the high quality casting allowing for the wash to settle. The crosses were black then white to help make them jump out.

Panzer IIIE with added foliage

I used lichen to dress the tank and this works well - just need to avoid overdoing it.

Herr Commander!

All in all looking good - building this up based on either 17th or 18th Panzer Division eventually but depends upon what campaigns that they were involved in. My Cavalry also gained reinforcements; HMGs and Recce for the infantry and the majority of the Panzerjager Battalion.

MG42 Teams

Sdkfz222

The recce needs its markings added to it but these shouldn't take long and will be on by time I repost the whole force in it.

Fear my mighty 37mm Shells

I've got to be honest I'm not sure how I use this force against counterattacking Soviet Tank Forces. I mean T26s, BT7s yes but I've just bought a KV2 just to see how much of a monster it is and I have very little to take it out. At least with a Panzer Division you have quite a few mobile anti tank guns and can always throw in your heavy artillery. My heaviest artillery is a single unit of 10.5cm Howitzers!

I've started on my Prussians but I haven't ordered the bases yet. So I'm painting a cavalry regiment at a time (1st Hussars should be done by end of week) so I feel like I'm moving forward.

Lobositz Prussian Cavalry Colours

So following on from yesterday's post, I've continued my research to determine the colours of the cavalry regiments. Whilst doing this I quickly realised that I would have to seriously expand my paints collection - not used to having to paint bright colours! First of all the Kurassiers (Cuirassiers) which are also wearing a blackened cuirass:

Regiment	Coat	Collar	Cuff	Turnbacks	Saddle
2	Yellow	Red	White	Yellow	Red
3	Off-White	Dark Blue	White	Off-White	Dark Blue
5	Off-White	Light Blue	White	Off-White	Light Blue
6	Off-White	Red	White	Off-White	Red
7	Off-White	Yellow	White	Off-White	Yellow
8	Off-White	Dark Blue	White	Off-White	White
10	Off-White	Red	White	Off-White	Dark Blue
11	Off-White	Light Blue	White	Off-White	Light Blue
13	Off-White	Red	White	Off-White	Red

As you can see - plenty of variety in the colours - I miss painting Horse and Foot for this reason - the armies look so much more vibrant. The Hussars are their traditional bright colours as well:

Regiment	Coat	Headgear	Pelisse	Collar/Cuffs	Saddle
1	Light Green	Brown (Green)	Dark Green	White	Dark Green
2	Red	Brown (Red)	Dark Blue	Dark Blue	Dark Blue
7	Yellow	Brown (Yellow)	Dark Blue	Yellow	Dark Blue

Finally the dragoons which don't have as much variety but still. They will still also have variety as opposed to their opponents.

Regiment	Coat	Waistcoat	Lapel/Collar/Turnbacks	Cuffs	Saddle
3	Blue	Yellow	Pink	Pink	Pink
4	Blue	Straw	Straw	Straw	Red
5	Blue	Straw	Red	Straw	Red

All in all very excited to get this lot painted up - each Regiment will be 9 figures strong on a 3" by 1.5" base so plenty of room to make dioramas.

Plans for Lobositz

As mentioned yesterday, I am doing little bits, slowly moving forward. For instance last night I started basing my Panzerjager Abteilung for my Cavalry Division as well as starting to paint my Prussian Army in 6mm.

King Frederick with IR3

This is more of a project moving forward and I've got a scenario both for Volley and Bayonet and Honours of War for the Battle of Lobositz - the first major battle of the Seven Years War. So as such I'm going to base my Infantry up by Regiment to match the Regiments that were there - I know most of the time I won't be able to match it up perfectly but I wanted some variation between units. In 6mm this is quite basic but I reckon I can detail lapels, collars, cuffs and turnbacks. As such I have used Kronoskaf to work out what regiments had what - I also have a set of the colours from Baccus to distinguish further.

Regiment	Lapel	Collar	Cuff	Turnback
3	None	Red	Red	Red
5	Cream	Cream	Cream	Red
7	Pink	Pink	Pink	Red
9	Red	Red	Red	Red
13	White	White	White	Red
17	White	White	White	Red
20	Red	Red	Red	Red
21	None	Red	Red	Red
27	Red	Red	Red	Red
30	None	None	Red	Red
36	None	White	White	Red

In total for the Prussians I will need the following (with what I have the models for in brackets):

• 11 Infantry Regiments (12)
• 2 Grenadier Regiments (4)
• 1 Hussar Regiments (3)
• 4 Dragoon Regiments (3)
• 9 Kurassiers (6)
• 4 Artillery (6)

So there are a few bits I need (and obviously an OPFOR) but its a strong start.

Little By Little

I know it seems like a flurry of action but there's not actually much happening - just a little by little - mostly just finishing off the odd bit. But if I clear a bit of space I can get on with some more complete projects which will hopefully be a bit more impressive. And I'll also post a picture showing everything!

Last Nights Work Drying

Shocking picture I know but I was hiding out in the shed. At the back, left to right there is a Sdkfz222 which just needs cavalry markings, 3 HMGs which need texture and my Bicycle Battalion HQ. On the front row from Left-Right, I've got the 3 Early War Panzers which just need divisional markings, 6 StuG III/StuH '42 which I've given a wash to try and reduce how bright yellow they look. Finally in the shadows is my Brigade Command stand for my final Canadian Infantry Brigade - this brigade has been half painted for a long time so a bit of work and should be able to significantly increase my force.

Brigade Command

Its an excessive vehicle but there is no Divisional Commanders in Spearkrieg Commander so I'd rather use it for this than have it sitting around doing nothing. Also helped that I had a spare finished officer model from when I downsized my command stands.

Panzer Grey

Continuing this no plan painting action; some of which is because my polyfilla ran out so I can't base anything right now.

First I pulled out my small collection of Early War Panzers and decided to repaint them. Unfortunately I seem to have lost most of their turrets so I am left with a single PzIII 37mm, 2 PzIII 50mm and a PzIV with a short 75mm. However having painted them in a lighter grey I then used a brown wash and they look really good. I just need to add some appropriate markings and base them and this can be the core of a battlegroup to support my cavalry. Better pictures will follow.

Panzers!

 I'm also fleshing out my Cavalry - painting support weapons and starting on the building blocks for the 2nd Regiment.

HMGs

Whilst I had the grey out I've been working on my elephants (the cavalry have gone away to make some room). So far I think they look ok.

Heffalumps

Still doing bits and bobs - need to get more bases and just keep motoring. Still got a brigade of half painted Canadian Infantry to finish!

German EW Bicycle Battalion

Just to prove I am painting and its not all words:

Bicycle Battalion

The glues still drying on the bases but this is the core of the battalion. As per usual Pendraken figures and I have the command stand and support elements still to do but they should take little time.

To be honest I'm not necessarily working very efficiently for the purposes of the blog - what paint time I get now is wedged into small time gaps so I try and get as much done in one go as possible. So at the moment I have these, early war German support elements (37mm ATGs, MG42s, Mortars), Fallschirmjager AA Support, Numidian Cavalry, Carthaginian Forces, Prussian Seven Years War Infantry (in 6mm) all on my table - you can see some of the mess in the background.

Now I need an actual rule set to use for Seven Years War (6mm). I'm probably going to base battalion groups on 3" x 1.5" bases as per Volley and Bayonet but I've also got a copy of Osprey's "Honours of War" rules which use multiple stands per battalion. Now I might be able to amend these and use markers to show casualties, formations etc but are there any others people could suggest?