[jeffers]

Was with a small group until I realised I was the ‘odd one out’.  After a year’s break I had a go at another club. Friendly enough, but it was clear I didn’t fit in there either, so left after a few weeks.  Haven’t gamed for a year now and don’t miss it: I miss clubs and other wargamers even less. Now I’m happy to just sculpt, build, paint, collect and plan games I will never play without the hassle of other people!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

I have effectively given up actual ‘gaming’ as the reality of playing never matched the fantasy of planning, but I still like toy soldiers and model kits, so will continue to sculpt, buy, paint and plan whatever takes my fancy. To keep it under control, however, I have cut down quite a bit. I stick to 20mm for Cold War and WW2 desert, 25mm for Napoleonics and 18/15mm for ACW and 1866. I suspect when I get back to AWI that will also be 18mm so I can use the same terrain. My 20/25mm terrain is interchangeable and mostly old Airfix and Masterplan buildings (as per Old School, all my big terrain looks like 1950s Britain).

All that gives me enough to bounce between and keep me fresh. For example, this year I’ve finished sculpting a 25mm Saxon range and some French upgrades for Warrior, primed the last of my West Germans from Elheim and BPM, completed some scratch built ACW fences and about four hours ago sculpted a hand on a Belgian NCO to finish the Cold War range I’ve done for RHModels. Doubt I will ever completely finish anything, but it keeps me off the streets.

oh yes, and add a 1/72 Saab Draken in Danish colours….

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Always loved the Herald US cavalry; in fact, I always preferred Herald to Deetail, especially the Knights. I’ve still got my US cavalry and – when I get the time – I will sculpt my US cavalry for Pony Wars in the same style. And paint them like it, too!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

1980s? Bit too much like science fiction for me 😄

PS thanks for the F&F organisation charts. I’d be lost without them!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Agree with all the above. I wanted an excuse to build the Matchbox A7 and finally settled on reinforcement from the ANG.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Have a look for a simple set based on the Survivors TV series. I think I got mine from the Wargames Illustrated website. They are designed to make you capture enemies to increase the size of your group, so you could adapt them to capture downed Nazis. The problem with standard WW2 rules is that they are not generally designed for teatime sitcoms! But you can easily say an effective ‘hit’ is suppression, or if Jones wins a melee the Hun are just throwing their hands up at the sight of his bayonet (+2 for Jonesy in melee because they don’t like it up’em).

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Beautifully painted figures. I feel your pain – all my projects tend to fizzle out and just end up taking space in the loft. I should really just stick to making models!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Just speaking from my own experience, I only prime using spray cans; everything else is done by hand, including varnishing. I found any time I saved airbrushing was taken up masking and cleaning the ruddy thing afterwards, so I dumped it. I can get similar effects with basic brush techniques without all the faff.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

First 1/32 figures I had were Timpo: several guardsmen, 3 khaki swoppet-type infantry and a couple of cowboys and Indians. I still have the guards and swoppets. There were also some Kellogs bandsmen (which I also still have!). This would be 1968/9. I inherited them from my much older sister, complete with a wooden fort my dad made.

Later it was mostly Airfix with a healthy mix of Herald, detail and more Timpo. First Marx I saw were my chum’s US Marines his dad brought back from a business trip in about 1976. I thought they were great figures, but didn’t see any again until the advent of the internet!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

I’ve no problem with painting, modelling or sculpting. I just switch projects or do something else for a while.

One trick with painting that a like-minded chum in the RAF passed on to me was to keep a tray with all your bits on it ready for action. When you feel like working, just get the tray out and have a go. When you feel a bit bored, put the tray away out of sight to clear the mind, so to speak. The speed with which you can deploy means when you feel like having a go you can crack on quickly without the need to clear space, gather the equipment etc. Certainly works for me (and the wooden tray I use is the last thing I bought from Woolworths…).

What demotivates me is the gaming aspect. Sadly all my nicely painted kit is doomed to spend its life in the loft until it goes on eBay!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

I use a modified version of FUBAR for my 20mm stuff. Now I don’t bother going to clubs and I have no room to play at home, so suspect it may all go on eBay next year!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

I love 1/144 models. Mine are in desert colours, which means I had to hand paint shark mouths on my P40s and a snake on a Ju87. Well, you have to, don’t you?

although I’m not brave enough to leave the canopies clear!

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

John is a decent chap and that’s the kind of thing he would do! All my Napoleonic figures are Warrior and John has indulged me by casting up my conversions to fill gaps in the range.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Lovely job. I will definitely include Warrior in my AWI force next year.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

[jeffers]

Very nice! Think I might ask John for a few samples myself.

More nonsense on my blog: http://battle77.blogspot.com/

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