End of 2012.....

Goodbyeeeeeeeee!

.....And the beginning of 2013 beckons. I've had a relatively good year after losing my wargaming mojo completely. Setting up the blog has been instrumental in this. Photographing and writing up the projects has given me new impetus as well as an insight into the thinking of others' via their own blogs.

I've enjoyed building my two 54mm FLW armies, especially since the Anahuacan one started life as a Villista army for a Mexican Revolution project. My favourite is the Tarbooshian Army with all its contradictions and impossibilities. All made possible by the fantastic nature of FLW.

On other fronts I've re-activated two 28mm projects. One based around the movie Underworld and the other around 1970s Cops & Robbers. I've enjoyed the detailing of these figures after so much, equally enjoyable, toy-soldier style paint jobs.

I want to play more games and visit more wargames events in 2013. I've managed one game only this year: a 1/72 scale Crossfire one and that simply will not do!

This is also the first anniversary of me starting swing-dancing. I wish I'd done it sooner but I didn't. That said it remains the best fun you can have with your kit on. I get to dress smartly in a 1940s style and dance with the most amazingly beautiful and stylish ladies too.

And there was cake.

To conclude. Thank you for your support, advice and guidance since late August 2012 and I wish you all a happy 2013 and a bright future too!

All the best

And HE! Shall Have Music Wherever HE! Goes

The HE! of the title is of course His Excellency El Presidente or HEEP as he is sometimes, unwisely, called. This name is provided only as an example of what the filthy Tarbooshians call humour at Our Presidente's expense. We urge all loyal citizens not to use it or expect a 4am visit from El Presidente Death Squad.

Music is central to Anahuacan cultural life with villages, towns and cities flooded by strolling players. Why this is so when the Army is crying out for recruits is a matter for concern. Expect these cadging buskers to be rounded up and put into uniform any time soon.

Not so these brave and clear-eyed musicians. All are volunteers for The Army Band of Eternal Anahuaco and El Presidente is a big fan. They have kept up the spirits of our troops in many an encampment, march and battlefield. Their unique sound striking terror into the paper-thin, lily-livered and swivel-eyed Tarbooshians!

Percussion & Brass

Syncopated Beat

The figures are Kellog's bandsmen bodies and Crescent Mexican heads. The bandsmen's heads have found alternative employment in Tarbooshia. All these 54mm figures were sourced from the bargain bins at last month's Birmingham Toy Soldier Fair.

All the best! 

El Escuadrón Aereo Primero

Angered by a leaked report about the Tarbooshian armoured artillery tractors El Presidente has taken the following measures.

1. Restriction of direct coal sales to Tarbooshian agents.

2. Increased paperwork and a stronger bureaucracy in the coal industry for greater security.

3. Sourcing of kerosene supplies through El Presidente middlemen.

4. The formation of a aerial bombing squadron to pinpoint and destroy these unholy Tarbooshian creations.

Anahuacan purchasing agents made contact with our good friends in Caribia who assisted in obtaining the aircraft that will surely put paid, once and for all, to the dastardly machinations of that Tarbrush fellow, yes, we insult you!

This is the right piece of equipment in the right place at the right time with the right bombs right on target every time. The pilot is right for the job and is a right-thinking FSA citizen named Wright. Bearing all that in mind it has been decided to name our wonder weapon, quite rightly: The El Presidente!

Pilot Wright at the controls!

Sturdy construction!

Beware, minions of Tarbooshia, El Presidente is upon you!

The aircraft is a scratchbuild with an obvious nod towards The Wright Flyer. Wings, tailplane box and bit the pilot's feet are on all from balsa. Wing struts and rigging all from cocktail sticks. Ailerons are thin card cut to size and glued on. Engine blocks: balsa, propellers from coffee stirrers. I used plastic inserts from a couple of old pens as spacers between the engine and the prop.The propellor hubs are dressmakers pins. The tail is made of long kebab skewers, the bracers are matchsticks cut to fit.. Undercarriage is coffee stirrers, a cocktail stick and two slices from a cork. The pilot has a control stick in each hand to control yaw, height, speed and pitch (possibly). The pilot figure started life as a 54mm cowboy wagon driver. Scarf, goggles and gloves from milliput. Kudos to whoever spots what the scarf's colours refer to!

I need to construct a suitable 'flying' stand for it so any advice and guidance on this will be gratefully received. I'm thinking it will need a fairly large base to remain upright during Garden Wargames.

All the best!

Last Anahuacans for a while.......

These photos are of the last Anahuacans I've got round to painting. There will be more once I've got through the Tarbooshian backlog.

What we have here is the HQ & artillery 1st Infantry Brigade. Also pictured are two regiments from 1st Cavalry Brigade of Eternal Anahuaco's Army Lime Green of The North. All for FLW in 54mm.

Brigadier & ADC

HQ Bodyguards

1st Artillery Regiment

Las Verdaduras - 1st Cavalry Brigade

Los Novios De La Muerte - 1st Cavalry Brigade

All figures painted by me. 54mm toy soldiers by Airfix, Army Men, Britains, Crescent & Steve Weston. Guns by Crescent. Flags by TVAG.

TTFN!

2nd Infantry Battalion: Los Voluntarios de Guadeloupdeloupe

A fine body of men, I'm sure you'll agree? Veterans of Vim Fuego, Nuevos Pantalones & Cuerda Antigua the 2nd Infantry Battalion is made up of brave and willing workers and military colonists. They are a tough proposition on the battlefield so let Tarbooshia and the FSA pirates beware! Ready to do and die to protect El Presidente, El Presidente's bank accounts, El Presidente's wife and Eternal Anahuaco. In that order. Anahuaco salutes them!

Los Voluntarios de Guadeloupdeloupe

Unstoppable!

Discipline is the key to Victory!

I painted this lot up about a year ago; well before I'd ever heard of FLW or even considered garden wargames as the way ahead. 54mm figures from: Airfix, AiP & Steve Weston. Flag from TVAG.

TTFN! 

Anahuaco: ¡El Pueblo En Armas!

Having a Guards battalion is all very well but they can't always win without support. And supported they are by the People of Anahuaco who form the bulk of the army. Here we have the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 1st Infantry Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division of The People's Army of Anahuaco.

To ensure the loyalty and steadfastness of the People's Battalions El Presidente has authorised the creation of  a Corp of Comissars. They will be responsible for education, welfare, occasional issue of uniforms, assisting in training and shooting slackers. Laziness and stupidity will not be tolerated in The People's Army.

El Comisario kneels for a better aim whilst El Capitán vogues

Heroic!

I'll be actively recruiting for this unit but for now it is made up of 54mm AiP, Crescent & Steve Weston Figures. Flag by TVAG.

All the best!

¡Viva Anahuaco!

It's been Tarbooshia this and Tarbooshia that for a few weeks now. Time to redress the balance!

Eternal Anahuaco is nothing like this fictional place known as 'Mexico'. Neither does its army bear any resemblance to that of the cartoon character 'Pancho Villa'. El Presidente Death Squad takes the spreading of lies and disinformation most seriously.

The slanders and calumny poured on our leader His Most High And Mighty Excellency, El Presidente For Life Don Llardo de Baluna del Lobby y Correedor by the yellowish press of Wilhelm Rednose Hurtz are not to be believed. Or read by loyal Anahuacans. Literacy in Eternal Anahuaco is running at an all time high of 12% and not the 11% claimed by the filthy Tarbooshian propaganda machine and its tawdry FSA backers.

Defending Eternal Anahuaco is our brave army. Many of them voluntary conscripts and all the better for that. First onto the field and always last off it is our courageous Guard unit:  
                        

       The Redoubtable Guards of 

The Outstanding Power of Eternal Anahuaco 

¡Adelante!

Steady!

At Your Target In Front!

Steely Eyed Sons Of Anahuaco!

These toys have a good deal more shading than is really needed for FLW troops but I did paint them some time ago. That's my excuse anyway. 54mm Figures from AiP & Crescent., flag from TVAG.

As always comments welcome.

Talking of welcomes.......hello to StuG whose superb vehicle modelling skills have to be seen to be believed.

All the best!

The Buildings of Vim Fuego

Good morning all,

After a night's sleep my internal editor decided that The Defence of Vim Fuego had a load of unecessary building pictures. So, in the hope anyone will be interested, I split the post in two: first part the troops, second the buildings.

Each building was designed to be wargame friendly: large doorways, plenty of windows, flat, removable or shallow incline roofs,

I scratch-built all the buildings from balsa, foam-core, wooden rods, coffee stirrers, adhesive floor tiles, tequila bottle cap & kebab skewers. The walls are plastered with a mix of sand/PVA glue which dries rock hard and then painted.

The timetables are real old-time Mexican ones I found on-line and scaled down.

I got the church bell from a haberdashery stall in Birmingham's Rag Market.

The tiling on the church and station is corrugated card, top layer removed, cut into strips; soaked in mostly PVA with a drop of water and then placed onto the plain roof piece. Once in place put another one on and so-on until you've covered the roof. Allow to dry, trim and then paint. Remember to start from the the lowest roof edge and work upwards!

Vim Fuego Station, track-side

V F Station, side view inc Ticket/Telegraph Office

V F Station, Main Entrance

La Cantina, rear elevation

La Cantina, Front & Roof 

Peasant Dwellings 1

Peasant Dwellings 2

Church of St. Wonky

Bell Tower

Church Interior

All the best!

The Defence of Vim Fuego

The title is a bit misleading, it wasn't a game. Just me setting up the vital rail junction of Vim Fuego, its buildings and its garrison and getting some shots.

The town of Vim Fuego consists of one street of noisome peasant dwellings. A church with a bell tower - Our Lady of Holy Misery. La Cantina Borracho that also doubles as the town hall. And the all important railway and its station.

The town is garrisoned by units of FLW's Army Lime Green del Norte de Anahuaco under the command of  Mí General Don Bongo de Baluna. The garrison comprises:

4 units of Army Lime Green infantry - 54mm

1 unit of Army Line Green Cavalry - 54mm

2 guns of Army Line Green Artillery - 54mm

1 Hospital Wagon of El Servicio Sanitario - 54mm

Don Bongo's mission is to defend the town, secure the railway & telegraph at all costs from Tarbooshian attacks.

A Panoramic View of the town and its garrison 

Don Bongo leads the defence!

The Left Flank: Artillery dug in in the trees; 

3rd Infantry Regiment in the trenches; 

6th Infantry appearing from behind the church.

The Centre Right.

The Centre Left.

Las Verdaduras advancing to glory.

Los Cacadores de Anahuaco in position at the front.

 

The Left Flank.
Ably defended by ALGdelNdeA Artillery

La Cantina El Borracho. 

HQ of our Glorious General Don Bongo.

Las Verdaduras to the front!

A sniper & artillery spotter placed in the tower by Don Bongo.

Don Bongo is a military genius!

The Redoubtable Guards of The Outstanding Power of Eternal Anahuaco

or

The Reserve

El Servicio Sanitario Wagon.

The toy soldiers are a mix of 1/32 54mm AiP Boers, AiP Zulu War British, Crescent Mexicans & SteveWeston Mexicans, Airfix Cowboys and converted Army Men. Flags from TVAG. Guns are Crescent 18pdrs. The limber and hospital wagon I picked up at Birmingham's Toy Soldier Show last year.

All the best!