Unarmoured Early Byzantines (Batch Two) At Last!!!

Anyone who has read my last post will realise that I have been battling with some quite serious mental health issues of late. All I will say on the subject, if you are curious please is refer to my previous post. Whilst I think it is healthy to give voice to mental health issues I do not want to repeat myself nor digress for too long from the subject of the blog.. All I will say now is that the problems are ongoing and have had a negative effect on my painting output. I am fighting my "inner demons" and I will find a way to beat a path back to my normal self one way or another.

The group of eight miniatures featured in this post were finished about a month ago and only over the last week did I find the stamina to get the varnishing process on the way! My usual method of brush on Humbrol Gloss, a week to let the gloss go off and then a couple of layers of Windsor and Newton Professional Matt Vanish spray over the top to get a nice flat finish. Talking of which, the W&N vanish can have the effect of dulling down any metallic paint and it was interesting to note a post by James Morris on the Lead Adventure Forum featuring some of his Wars of the Roses for Never mind the Billhooks that the full plate armours looked the business without any varnish at all. This is not really an option with metal miniatures, especially with a lot of cloth and flesh involved (from memory James's were Perry plastics) so I've been trying out the AK Interactive Ultra Matt Brush on Varnish on some old miniatures, leaving out the metallic areas. The AK Interactive Ultra is ideally ideally meant to be applied with an airbrush, which might explain the speckling that I am getting on the miniatures which is I have to say, a big "no-no" IMHO as it can ruin the overall appeal of a miniature. It might take some time to get the results I am looking for. When I do, I will of course post up some comparison pics.

An airbrush is something I have never used and really want to avoid the expense of buying a decent rig. 

I should add, yesterday I have managed to get to work on the last eight miniatures for the unit which has raised my sense of Elan, which is of course a very good thing. So, a positive :>)

First Four:

Command:

The unit as it stands thus far. Sixteen out of the twenty four miniatures that will make up the finished unit. I usually manage to find a way in which to make the miniatures "talk" to one another. This has been an unusually difficult job with this particular unit. Maybe down to planning (or rather lack of) or perhaps just an audit of my current mental state(???). I think I managed to get a couple of the command miniatures to express a feeling of urgency. What do you guys think?

Painting Review of 2020 in Pictures

It's been a hell of a year for most of us. 

Please excuse me for being indulgent but I think the past year merits a little time. The sad passing of two very close dear friends made it all the more traumatic. Heartbreaking.

Then there is my own mental health, never the best in terms of anxiety and depression for the past twenty years. My mental health has spiralled downward since March last year now reaching a point where I cannot even dip the brush in the paint without being overwhelmed with anxiety and panic. I am seeking help as always as I have when needed in the past, but it can be slow in coming and despite the immense efforts of the local Mental Health Services very little is having any impact. I am at an all time low. Even as I type I am consumed with worry and anxiety, so palpable that it not only manifests in the mind, but in my body too.

To top it all off, I am having a recurring problem with my cardio vascular system which will almost certainly require intervention in hospital. As far as Covid goes I am Clinically Extremely Vulnerable which makes the prospect all the more terrifying.

As I said, I am sorry for being so indulgent with my own problems. I feel that if I don't express them then the anxiety just builds. So I am spilling! 

So, why a review of what was painted in 2020? I embarked on my "Rule of Threes" (basically not overextending myself beyond three projects at one time). Until recently I think I have had one of my most productive years painting in two decades. Granted unless I embark on a speed painting project I paint fairly slowly but I think you will see from the imaged below that I have managed to get a fair bit of work completed over the last twelve months up to the and of last year. Hopefully I will be able to continue in the same manner for the next year.

Enjoy the pictures. They are all "clickable" so you take take a good look if you so desire.

Yusef ibn Tashfin's Black Guard

Andalusian Noble Cavalry

Spanish Christian Vignette 1

Yusef ibn Tashfin's Command Base

Siege of Shrewsbury Terrain 1

Christian Spanish Vignette 2

Christian Spanish Vignette 3

Yusef inb Tashfin's Hasham Guard Cavalry

Ghuzz horse Archers

Christian Spanish Knights

Then Covid hit and put a spanner in the works for the Reconquista Partizan Game!! 

Beja 1

Early Byzantine Dismounted Bucellarri/Extra Heavy Infantry

Early Byzantine Torsion Engine

Early Byzantine Skirmishers

Early Byzantine Army General on Foot Command Base

Malalai of Maiwand

Afghan Tribesmen

Early Byzantine Command Base

Early Byzantine Armoured Infantry

Anglo Danes and Casualty Base

Casualty Base 1

Casualty Base 2

Anglo Danes 1

Anglo Danes 2

Frankish Command Base

Frankish Franks!

Anglo Danes Bordweal!

Anglo Danes 3

Anglo Danes Command Base 1

Anglo Danes Command Base 2

A Few Scenic Snaps of the Anglo Danes