Normandy Navy

I have continued to experiment with the 3d printer over the past few months.  

Test prints of the various Landing Craft needed

I recently started planning to put on a set of large games around the Normandy Landings for June 2024.  I have a large number of the wonderful Leva (and more recently LegionsIVHire) bunkers and defensive positions.  But as I am doing this in 1/300 scale I have the opportunity to have a large number of landing craft of various types so that the seascape truly looks like "wall to wall ships" as various German reports stated on the morning.

So I have acquired various STL files for these craft and have been resizing and doing test prints.  This will allow me to realise a long held dream - many of these variants are not commercialy available in resin or lead.  As well the cost of those that are available range from 5-15 pounds.  So to put a lot of them on the table would have involved a significiant investment.  

At the moment they are simply undercoated.  I have some more work to do to tune the file and printer to get rid of some of the step marks - but otherwise I am delighted.   

LCT Mk3 and Gun and Flak versions

Plain LCT Mk4 and Gun, Flak and Rocket versions

LCT Mk5

LCI(L) - Landing Craft Infantry (Large)

LCI(S) - Landing Craft Infantry (Small)

A (small) 3d test printed of a gun for the Flak versions

A little progress on the 1813 Project

 I have been making slow progress on the 1813 project using my Adler miniatures.  

When I say I have 'completed' these - that is up to the stage of flocking the bases.  I've tried various basing styles none of which I have been overly happy with in the past.  I am awaiting some new supplies to try a new option or two and once decided I'll have hundreds of bases to catch up on.  

Over the past four or so months I've finished painting my Saxons except commanders and the guns.  They have come out as:

• Liebgrenadiergarde - 2 battalions
• Converged Grenadiers - 4 battalions
• Line Infantry - 16 battalions
• Light Infantry - 4 battalions
• Garde du Corps
• Von Zastrow Cuirassiers
• Liebcuirassiergarde
• Prinz Klemens Uhlans
• Von Polenz CheveauxLeger
• Hussars
• Horse teams

And for the French I've done 17 battalions of the Marine Artillery that were converted to Line regiments.

 

 

3d Printing

I have wanted to get a grand building that I could use in the context of the Italian Wars collection.  I have the wonderful Mirliton sets which I'll post photos of below and wanted to be able to have a place to put a scriptorium in or at different times a grand manor kitchen service a Duke's feast.

I got a 3d printer late last year and have been mainly printing 1/300 stuff for WWII but stumbled upon the Infinite Dimensions site who had a Sciptorium model.  So I paid my money for the files and have been printing it on and off over the past month.

All of the structure is finished - just need to print the doors.  I am very happy with what I have got and think I will be even happier once painted.  I plan on joining the pieces of each floor together so they lift on and off in one piece.

It is very large so don't see it making an appearance often and only then as a centre piece in a town and on the biggest tables.

 

And these are from Mirliton to go with it.  I realise they are slightly out of period - but I am happy with that.

And from Eureka their orchestra to stand on the balcony and entertain.

Zama in Mittagong

After we fought out the Renaissance game (on my prior post) on the Saturday a wonderfiul dinner was had in nearby Bowral, proceeded by a few beers and followed by some homemade Limoncello at one of the local lads houses.

We then awoke bright eyed for Sunday and a grand refight of Zama.  The Romans were John's and most of the Carthaginians were mine with a group of light foot Allies from Rex.  I do not remember the order of events and so can't put too much story into the photos.  It was however a great game - took most of  the day - and ended with mutual destruction.

The game was again played with Impetus 2.

The armies arrayed

The Numidians fought well among themselves 

A steady Carthgo line about to smashed by the Romans

The elephants beginning their middle run

Pushing on

Not many Romans in site on the left wing

But a picture doesn't always tell the full story.  While there were almost no Roman foot left on the left wing, just out of shot at the left were a few remianing Numidians (on the Roman side) who had outnumbered the Carthaginian Numidians 2 to 1 and eventually won the tussle and were free to roam and shoot javelins at what Carthaginina foot I had left.  You can however see the victorious elephants returning from their carnage through the Roman middle.  But on the right flank it was another story with the Romans well in the ascendency.

A great day and weekend's gaming.

Mittagong Weekend - Renaissance

We are lucky enough to to be able to make a long awaited return to the club in Mittagong over the last weekend in January.

On the Saturday, John and I played a 500 point Impetus battle with my Papal (loosely flagged) army against an army of Maxmillian Imperials that belong to Ralph.

We were playing Impetus 2 which were a very welcome change from all the ‘comp’ games of Basic Impetus that we have played on the last few years leading up to early 2020.

The 'pushing power' of the Papal army

The 'baddies' - they had an awful lot of heavy cavalry

But I had guns and they like deep big targets

Getting a sweat up with the pretty boys waiting for their turn

While the Generals drank

Here come those heavies

My brave shot were lucky and caused quite a bit of damage

But thsi is what we came for

The moment of glorious victory - the Pope gets to live on.

I have a bunch of photos from Sunday's big refight of Zama between the Roman hordes and the brave Carthaginians.  I'll upload those in the next day or two.