The Race Across Idlib Province, 28th October, 1918. Demonstration Game, Colours, Newbury, 2018.

Some images of the intense and frustrating experience that was the demonstration game put on by "Adrian Shepherd and Friends". The British failed in their objective to capture the last remaining flyblown Ottoman/German airstrip in northern Syria (a collection point for serviceable aircraft that would then fly on to Alexandretta) in the shadow of the Krak des Berger, the superb Crusader castle made for the game by Adrian Shepherd. At the end of the game, before we cleared away, we arranged all the vehicles to represent the British forces taking posession of the area following the Ottoman surrender on 29th October, 1918.

Huzzah for Larry Lenton!

Some months ago Adrian asked me to paint up a little vignette of Gen. Larry "Light Horse" Lenton, his tabletop persona in the recent AWI campaign hosted by Alan and Michael Perry. I was asked to keep it under wraps. Now that the glorious victory of the Continentals has been posted on the the  Perry Miniatures FB page I think I can now go public. Adrian has two cats. He insisted they too be in the vignette. He even sent me photos as a reference. I think I did rather well with the tabby coats. Figures from Perry Miniatures and a Wargames Illustrated limited edition figure.

The Big Push 9. Objective Achieved.

Finished! A week to spare before the demo game at Newbury. So.... what do we have? A unit of Sharifian Regulars supported by an Irregular Arab lewis gun team (all from Brigade Games). A number of odds and sods that may be utilised as dismounted armoured car or Light Patrol car crews. These may or may not be used so I didn't spend a lot of time on these and got them done pretty quickly not really worrying about the end result as they may never make it onto the table. The exception is the Lewis team which form the first two figures of a unit of Queen's Westminster Rifles that I need to do eventually (hence they sport unit patches). Finally a small number of "Supression Markers" that are needed for the Setting The East Ablaze ruleset. These are GWM casualty figures. Done!

The one thing I have gained from this speed painting excercise over the past five or six weeks is some experience using the base coat-wash-hightlight technique. I dabbled with this about a year ago as I searched for a way to speed up painting for my own tabletop collection given that most of my time is taken up painting up commissions "properly". I am quite pleased with some of the results given the time constraints. I am less pleased with others. I have learned quite a bit using this technique. Bring on the game itself. If you are at Newbury, please pop by and say "Hello". Just look for the game being put on by "Adrian Shepherd and Friends". I wonder if Adrian has finished the Crusader Castle......?

Sharifian Regulars and Irregular Arab Lewis Team.

Odds and Sods from Empress Miniatures, 

Woodbine Designs, Great War Miniatures and Footsore Miniatures.

Great War Miniatures "Suppression Markers".

The Big Push 8.

The Sherwood Rangers dismounted unit. Figures are Footsore Miniatures Interwar BUF/Yeomanry Troopers with Woodbine headswaps. Again, a mix of khaki serge and khaki drill.

I thought that was it but a bag containing another thirteen figures can to light last night! No rest!