Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Cracking On With Commandos

It’s been a busy few days at the painting table, where I don’t feel like I’m making much progress, but am slowly seeing the fruits of my labours, as my first entry towards the Analogue Painting Challenge V nears completion.  Besides a section of ten Artizan British commandos for my Weird War Two project, which will be the entry, I also took out some half finished Warlord plastic commandos that I gave up on in frustration over a year ago, and am trying to get them up to a level where I’m not ashamed of putting them on the table.  

But there’s no pleasing some people.  Here’s the OC S Commando, the Laird O’Kinch, berating me for deficiencies.  “Come on, Padre, these chaps aren’t based, they need eyes and hair, and their commando patch decals.  What have you been playing at?  You need to do better, old man.  Crack on!  You can sleep when you’re dead.  I NEED these lads NOW!”  

A demanding fellow indeed.  Hopefully they’ll be ready by Thursday, which is my appointed day.  This  Challenge business may be a bridge too far for me.   I’m amazed at how many entrants are already racking up large totals.  This was my face when I realized I had missed the deadline for the first Bonus Round.

 

Oh well, it’s all supposed to be fun, innit? Hopefully they’ll be some time to work on the Commandos tomorrow, though that is a busy day,  as I am planning on making a batch of Dresdener Stollen (Rabbit Man and his lovely wife apparently liked the test batch I made last Friday), and there is always thesis work to be done to make me feel that I’ve earned the time at the painting table.  Speaking of tables, I have an ACW battle ready to go on my gaming table, to test drive the Longstreet rules, if I can ever get to it.

I did make a run to the post office today to pick up this intriguing parcel from Germany, from the fellow who drew my name in Chris Stoesen’s Santa Clause project.  I’ve already written to my benefactor to assure him that it will go under the old Tannenbaum and will not be opened until Christmas day.  Thank you for arranging this, Chris.

Another envelope came through the mail slot yesterday, from all around good chap and plastic model wizard Paul Foster in NZ, and I know what’s in it, but again, it’s going under the Christmas tree.  I’ll thank you properly after Christmas, Paul!

May you enjoy these days of preparation for what I pray will be a joyous Christmas for you and yours.  Until then, blessings to your brushes1

18 comments:

  1. Phew I was getting a wee bit worried it had taken a wrong turn or two. 7 Days my ar...

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    1. No, it got here safely, mate. Thanks so much. Hope you don't mind if I wait to Christmas to open it. :)

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  2. Good work on the commandos, Well done, Michael !

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  3. Looks to me as if the Laird will have you licked into shape in no time! As I look over at my painting area, very little seems to be happening there, must get on! Happy Christmas to you Sir.

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    1. And to you, Michael. I loved your Yeti entry in the Bonus Round, looking forward to more of your work.

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  4. Got to love commandos. Those lairds can be very demanding, but tend to quieten down once you have plied them with sufficient whisky;)

    It is a shame that you missed the deadline for the bonus round. I think that many people were unclear about what time their entries had to be in by.

    And pressies already - you lucky chap!

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    1. I had this vague idea in my head that the deadline was Sunday midnight and I had planned to get my figure done once I got back from church in the morning. Imagine my chagrin - some very unChristian words were said. ;)

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  5. Love the commandos Michael! Got some myself to do. Don't know when though!

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  6. You sound busy! Those Artizan figures are lovely, aren't they?

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  7. Major Graham Macallan is a hard man to please. I say jolly good show old man, well done and al that, what? Pip, pip etc. :-)

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  8. Both the Artizan sculpts and your brushwork are looking very good on the commandos.

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  9. Excellent. Glad this worked out. I love the Santa Clause on the envelope. That was well done.

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    1. It was well done. Clever Stefan! It took me a minute to figure out it was a custom job.

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  10. Great work- Commandos are my favourite unit to collect and game with for the British in WW2 and yours would look good on any table.

    Cheers,

    Pete.

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    1. Thanks Pete. Hopefully you'll like the finished product. I've always been drawn to the early war Commandos, a handful of tough, desperate guys landing in some godforsaken Norwegian place like Spitzbergen, mostly to generate the impression that Britain ins't losing the war. Very cool.

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