Chosen Men - Objective Marker (Nick)

Firstly welcome back to Carl, it's been a while!

...and for me at long last I have my first finished piece of 2021, a lot later than anticipated, and certainly not what I expected to be up first!

However, I have managed to keep up the 'paint on brush' for 84 days straight now which must be an all time record for me, so there are quite a few things that are very nearly completed.

This is an objective marker I have been wanting to make for ages since I first picked up a spare French finial, and I'm sure it's nothing to do with watching Sharpe's Eagle & Sharpe's Regiment again recently on DVD?

Quite a simple piece, it is just a French Napoleonic 'Eagle' from Warlord Games attached to a suitable brass wire flagpole, which is then inserted into an mdf base and given some extra stability by adding a small pile of rocks.  The remnants of the Tricolor are made from ordinary printer paper wrapped around the pole, secured and hardened with thinned PVA and then cut into a ragged edge with plastic cutters - the metal ribbons of the finial were then made to look battle worn too with various tools.

Although intended as an objective marker for the Chosen Men rules from the 'blue cover' Osprey Wargames series, it could easily see use in Sharpe Practice or any other 28mm Napoleonic games - this should give Carl's 'Frenchies' something worth fighting for, I just need to get cracking on some of my 95th Rifles to contest it!

Sharp Practice - WFR French Chasseurs Officer (Nick)

Time to hang out the bunting and ignite the fireworks? ...maybe not, but another miniature has been completed as the nights draw in at the end of the year.

Yet another departure from anything I've done before, and my first proper Napoleonic(ish) figure since those Airfix plastics of my youth - I say Napoleonic(ish) as it's a French Light Infantry officer from Eureka Miniatures and their 'Wars of the French Revolution' range, a completely new period for me just before what is generally accepted as the Napoleonic era and quite fascinating.

Starting as another experiment with Games Workshop's range of Contrast Paints this one didn't quite go to plan originally and so was put to one side in shame!

This last week he has been 'rescued' with the application of some highlights and detail using more usual acrylic paints and techniques, and I'm beginning to see how useful the Contrast Paints can be when used in conjunction with other mediums as a basecoat & wash all in one - something my good friend James Morris suggested when I was looking at buying into the Contrast Paints.

This week has also been a revelation for both myself and Carl's painting regime, as we had both stalled due to other commitments and finding it very hard to find time and/or motivation for a 'painting session' - then YouTube suggested I watch a video by the always excellent Zumikito Miniatures on how to get/keep yourself motivated to paint on a regular basis: 6 tips to paint more miniatures when MOTIVATION is low

Now we already know about being set up ready to go, and removing other distractions etc. but the one thing that stood out for me, and then Carl when I shared it, was his #4: set an easy daily target ie. put some paint on your brush even if you don't paint anything - silly as it may sound it was just what we needed, and a real game changer that hit home with both of us... the above is just one on the results for me, and Carl has finished at least one figure too so one week into painting rehab and we're both doing good and getting to our paint station at least once every day because of it.

Onwards and upwards, I can hear my paint station calling and a brush with no paint on it... Vive la France!