Looking back, looking forward

Looking back, I keep a running tally of the figures I paint based on troop type, scale and project. In 2012, I painted 1,453 figures in 15mm. To achieve this mark, I've forsaken almost all of my other hobbies and interests for painting. A man can only serve one Master and he calls me loudest from the painting table!

Impetus 

Mid-Republican army: 217

Pontic army: 162

Gallic army: 206

Maurice
Ottomans: 164

Field of Glory 
Ancient Spanish army: 262

Later Hungarian army v2: 218

Later Hungarian commission: 110
Ancients odds and ends: 90 

Looking forward, I took the Saga plunge.  A fellow was dumping his Saga projects on Bartertown and I snapped them up.  By my count, it's enough Normans and Vikings to paint up 3 warbands for each side.  

Over Christmas break, I started with the plastic GB Vikings.  This is old news for many of you but the Gripping Beast plastic Vikings are fantastic.  Great models, lots of options and a great value with 44 figures costing only $32.

I've limited the color palette and intensity for the first batch of Vikings. I'm going to have to decide whether to use LMBS shield transfers or paint shields from scratch.  I've got 200+ figures to paint so maybe I'll put the time into figures and not shields.  I also grabbed a tin of Army Painter Strong dip.  I've never done AP dip so for one of the warbands, I'll give this a try as well.    

The 4Ground Saxon hovel has been reviewed on other blogs but I thought I'd give this excellent product a quick shout out.  The kit is fully assembled in less than 30 minutes!  I'll be getting a few more of these.  

What new projects have you got under way or queued for 2013?  

Hungarian heraldry-can you spot the fake?

Up next are the Clipeati and Armati.   Clipeati were armored footmen equipped with enormous shields called pavises.  The Clipeati formed a shield wall from which Hungarian infantry could fight or hide behind.  Crossbowmen and handgunners probably operated behind this shield wall.

It helps to have a large flat surface like these pavises when painting heraldry in 15mm.  I used watered down grey or brown to block out the shape of the icon.  Then I filled up the base color and worked up successive highlights.  When the icon was finished, I highlighted the surrounding color one last time to clean up and bring visual interest.  It is a bit of a trial.  You want your paints thinned so that you don't get too much build up but then again, too thin and it runs.  Images with too much detail just doesn't work in this scale.  For example, the severed eagle's leg with an arrow looked great on the web but took forever to paint. Ultimately, it was visually dwarfed by the much simpler egret, goose and goblet heraldry.  I should have just painted all white geese on black shields!

I found my heraldry at a Hungarian website.   Thanks to Chrome's translator, I was able to click through and find what I needed!  I can vouch for the accuracy of the heraldry on the shields above, save one.  As I got to the finish line, I decided to have a bit of fun on one pavise.  +5 points to the first reader who can spot it!

Armati were the armored footmen who fought with the Clipeati. It is not clear what the Armati were armed with but it is assumed they used pole arms for fighting from, over and around the Clipeati pavises.  Overall, I'm pleased with how this mix of figures turned out together.  

Mustering the Lights for Corvinus' Black Army

Santa brought me a new Daylight Triple Bright Lamp,  Despite the absence of sunlight, I can start taking pictures and posting King Matthias Corvinus of Hungary and his Black Army.  This is a major upgrade over the workshop light I've been using.  Here's hoping it'll pay dividends with photography and painting in 2013!  

I pitched into the Later Hungarian army v2 project wanting to change my painting and basing style. Some speculate that the Black Army was given its moniker based on their black armor panoply.   If any readers have an opinion on this point, I'd love to hear it!  I experimented with black but as always, straight black in 15mm is a problem visually. I've settled for working black in as much as possible, including the base coat.  From foot soldier to knight, armor will be very, very dark. 

Archers:  I started with a black and white livery but that wasn't working on account of the fur coats.  The very fine detail on these Essex figures made dry brushing a challenge.  Sharp-eyed readers will note the ballast is a change-up from what I usually use.  It's probably a touch too light but with an army composed of 50% cavalry, it'll pay dividends with the 100+ horses in various shades of brown.  

Handgunners:   When I look at these fellows, I'm thinking "Killer Bees."  It doesn't come through in the photos but the yellow triad pops nicely on the tabletop.  

Crossbowmen:  The camera shows all sins and I see I forgot to put a highlight on the quiver case!  D'oh! I do like these Essex poses though.

Next week, I'll post on the heaven and hell that is painting heraldry in 15mm.  With  persistence and some luck, I managed to find a website with medieval Szekler heraldry.