18 x 28mm Perry Miniatures 1st Crusade European cavalry unit, Work in Progress

STATUS: Finished apart from static grass on bases

All figures finished apart from grass and stones on bases.

Poor Knights/ Squires one converted to lead his lords riding horse. Same again below.

Above , hand painted Milan Cross/ St George's cross / Papal banner almost certainly carried by crusaders on first crusade.

More knights

One knight in area used head gear, and variety of shield designs

And above Goddfrey command group on an additional smaller movement tray so he can be embedded in to a unit if desired.

 I will provide 3 more movement trays so the same can be done with three other command groups of Raymond, Bohemond, Robert Curthose.

Norman Knights in progress , banner has just been started. Shields may be swapped around  before being glued and varnished 

Movement trays 80 x 90 mm so the same depth as command trays but more tightly packed to represent "boot to boot" shock cavalry formation.

Spare horses with saddles awaiting  squires.

I will be supplying extra movement trays for the command groups so they can be integrated into larger units or kept as a seperate unit. 

Above 6  movement trays of 4 figures the colours and designs of shields correspond with , Bohemond,Raymond, Robert Curthose and Geoffrey command groups with a few  generic studded leather shields.

Shields have not been glued on yet, maybe changed before they are finished.

Three of the Knights almost complete, the studded leather shields have not been glued on and may be swapped  with others when the unit is completed. Bases still need painting. Like the look of plain leather studded shields they feel really authentic.

Here all twenty horses and the four command figures of Geoffrey make a  good size conroi of 24.

Should look mighty impressive when finished.

The horse holders and spare horses have been based in twos, all the rest based on singles, movement trays to follow.

Anglo Saxon Great Hall progress

Status: finished

Really pleased with how this  model has turned out.

Just a couple of hours finishing the basing details. A shield or spear to add hear and there.

Little details such as splitting log and axe above really set the building off.

Note the floorboards running through out the inside just visible in this shot.

Firewood, I am sure wood have been stored under the overhang of the thatch.

Logs would have been split length ways .

When was the saw invented ?

I think it was later than we imagine, will look into that !

Below the other end of the hall with a shield and pair of spears proped up against the porch.

Below pictures of the hall in earlier stages of construction .

The base was painted with pva and sand for texture, prior to painting.

Close up of the side doors

28mm Perry Miniatures British Napoleonic command,Wellington,UxbridgeandPicton

Status: Finished

Above the Iron Duke and Lieutenant General Picton and Lord Uxbridge finished, a lot of character in these command figures .

Above the Iron Duke and his horse completed.

Telescope in hand, this figure paints up really well, for a 28mm.

Close up of the work on the face, subtle shading and blending of skin tones combined with accurate paint strokes for the eyes and eyebrows.

Copenhagen was a chestnut stallion 3/4 thoroughbred.

Plenty of naturalist detailing on the base.

One white sock and a white blaze for Copehagen, happy with this piece, one for eBay, but it has inspired me to start building up my own collection, and to start work on some dioramas.

Above Genral Picton , died at Waterloo, as a soldier he was both respected and feared,injured at Quatre Brass he still led his em into battle at Waterloo.

Don't know how the Perry's managed it but they have caught the likeness of these British commanders in 28mm scale.

The faces paint up really well on these.

All angles covered in these photos.

Uxbridge finished sitting on his tiger skin.

Wellington, Uxbridge and Picton unpainted, love this period, great figures, really nice to be painting some again.

Wellington on  Copenhagen , good sculpt this.

Uxbridge before his appointment with a cannonball .

Below Wellingtons horse Copenhagen ready for varnishing.

This horse was 3/4 thoroughbred chestnut stallion with one white sock and a white blaze on his face according to the portrait  by Spode . A fast horse for getting around the battlefield or getting off it ?!? Being super critical for a 28mm figure but I think this horse is more 3/4 Irish Draught ! 

Anglo Saxon great hall

Status: Basic paintwork complete

Completed the base coats colour for this museum quality model of  an Anglo Saxon Hall.

 Above one of four entrances.

From the side, the base requires texture and scenic detail.

Detail of the entrance,note the planked 

 floor interior,some dry bushing and watercolour washes needed to bring this model alive, should be up for sale in a week or so.

Below some photos I took of the West Stow Anglo Saxon Village in Suffolk showing some reconstructions , I used these photos  as a colour reference for the paintwork.

The timber tends to grey up when it's been in the weather for a while.

Colouring of the thatch varies quite a lot here, think they have replaced the ridge thatch recently on this one?

No hot water or reading iat night in these !

Godfrey de Bouillon command group progress

Status: finished 

Godfrey and his knights complete except for a little extra detailing on his leggings.

Simple banner based on early images of this famous leader( the tomb of Robert Curthose amongst other references) is very  similar with other 11th century banners portrayed in images found in  the bayuex tapestry.

This level of research gives the figures an authentic feel of their era.