Loads of HYW knights

Loads = 27 French knights for a HYW Agincourt commission. This was my first crack at Perry Miniatures and I can't say enough good things about them. The knights and their mounts come in a great variety of poses and kit. The sculpting is tops, with flourishes like bits of chainmail peeking out from the bottom of tunics.

For colors, inspiration and heraldry, I relied on a great French website found  here.  I'm painting to match an existing army so these were done with wetbrushed armor.

Pre-shade

Post-shade

And a batch of Kingmaker knights to round out the French.  I wonder if these fellows know what they'll be up against at Agincourt?

I've got English knights up next and then a Jomsviking warband for SAGA.

Things are going to get crazy busy with hosting my son's graduation party, a trip to Milwaukee for a wedding, and then my sister and her family travelling from Turkey to stay with us. I'm going to put my paintbrush down and my feet up for a bit. Summertime is truly the best!

King of the Britons & his bard

Maredudd ab Owain, King of the Britons, is a Hero for the Welsh faction in SAGA. Maredudd was plagued by Viking raiders during his reign. In 987, Godfrey Haroldson raided Anglesey, killing thousands and taking  a thousand more as captives. Maredudd was said to have paid a huge ransom to free his people.  So you might say he was bit of a Welsh Moses!  If the ransom story is true, he was an remarkable fellow.  

"Say Anything," the 987AD version.

The King was a challenge to paint. The detail was very fine and the cloak was quite flat.  For a time, I hit a wall and had to set him aside.  It didn't help that I recognized the scowl on the King's face. I saw that look every time I helped work on my dad's car and handed him the wrong tool.  Despite the difficulties in painting up my father, I did get to the finish line and that's enough on some days.

Last bit, Gripping Beast wagons for SAGA!  

"These damn nags follow me where ever I go! "

We've started a new campaign of Maurice with 8 players. The campaign rules are what make Maurice special, and there is a great deal of variety in the 8 armies in this campaign.  I'm looking forward to fielding my Turks again, and playing The Sultan.  To get in character, I read The Decline and Fall of the Ottoman Empire.  It was a decent read and I'll try to avoid making the mistakes of Sultan's past.  I'm quite sure I can top them with new, better ones!

My son, the composer

Our local newspaper posted an article on my son today.  It's about his love of music and how he ended up on a path to becoming a composer. He's been studying under one of the great composers of our time, Libby Larson.  This spring, he won the prestigious ASCAP Young Composer's award.  He's had a number of pieces played and performed, and he even had his first commission.  I used to worry that a career in music would be a tough road but I've seen enough that I don't worry any more.  That in spite of the fact that I'm a worrier by nature!  Enough of me talking about him; here is his story.

In August, he's off to Indiana University where he'll major in composing with an oboe concentration at the Jacob's School of Music. We'll miss him dearly but he's so ready to move.  I can't wait to see what the future brings. Oh, and speaking of the future, he's helped me put together a list of classical music to game by so you've got that to look forward to!