New Scots figures

These images are already buzzing around the virtual wargames world, so I hope that Dave Imrie won't mind me sharing them here too. Dave and figure-painter Andrew Taylor have commissioned Paul Hicks to design these lovely medieval Scots - covering the 1388-1402 Anglo-Scottish wars. The range currently includes spear-armed figures for a schiltron, with others planned. The image I've nabbed here is the command pack - all the figures are full of movement and bags of character and look like they'll be great to paint (...I maybe one of the few people who've not yet painted a Paul Hick's designed figure I'm rather ashamed to admit ...now only a matter of time to resolve that!).

I certainly intend to press them into service, as their sons of the next generation of Scots, still fighting against the English (now in France), to bolster my HYW collection.

More info at the Saxon Dog website, which is very highly recommended, in case there is anyone out there who's yet failed to find it!

Fortified Farmhouse - completed.

I have finished painting the Hudson and Allen farm.

The thatching was highlighted with a drybrush of Vallejo Burnt Umber. I decided to flock the grass areas, as I couldn't get a convincing finish by just painting the mouldings. I added a few Silfor tufts and flowers for some variations of colours. I also made changes to the wooden gates. When painting the ones I'd made with plasticard I felt that they lacked the level of detail I wanted. So I remade them, this time using cut-down spare protective sides of Kingmaker Hussite wagons I had, which are typical of medieval fence construction. To these I added balsa strips to the bottom and reverse. The small brass hinges were glued on the reverse and then hidden by a covering of thin slivers cut from balsa sheet - all was then painted as with the other wood in shades of grey. They were attached into slots I'd cut in the walls and open and close sufficiently well.

I've added a couple of smaller farmyard items I had to hand in the 'lead pile' - barrels, basket and sacks - and plan to order some more small items and tools (probably from Mirliton?) to enhance it further.

Some pics here done quickly to show it's potential use as a defensive position. This has been one of my 'to do' medieval buildings for some time and as I approached it with some trepidation, I'm pleased with how it's come out - as terrain & buildings aren't usually my forte - back to the comfort of painting more figures next!