Happy New Year-1918 Style

 

  Another New Years' Celebration full of lights in the sky. But on January 1, 1918, the fire in the sky wasn't from fireworks.

Rather it was from two sets of massive warring forces the Allies vs the Central Powers. Here an Imperial German 77mm field gun.

And its opposite number the famous French Soixante-Quinze (75) mm. None of those fighting in the Great War knew that 1918 would be the last year of the terrible conflict. Yet it was and New Year's Day 1919, saw a World that while not at total peace, as least saw the guns of the Great War silent.

These are metal pieces from Old Glory that I painted for my Great War Armies back in 2010.

May 2023 be a good one for you and yours, and hopefully the current guns of war will fall silent as they did in the Great War 125 Years ago.

Any Camo is Good Camo

The Dystopian post-Apocalyptic World is full of dangers and monsters.
 

With the World in disarray, Brenda Trubody has made her own camouflage grabbed her grandpa's old military equipment, especially his Grease Gun and Colt 1911 (both .45 cal.) and prepared to defend her family.

A K-Bar, ammo pouch and canteen full out her basic equipment.

Evey day is a challenge for Brenda, and the wear and tear on her is obvious. Some day she hopes normalcy will return, but until then she will stand and fight to protect those who she loves.

Brenda is a plastic piece I painted this week.

Machinegun Nelly

Childhood ends quickly in the Dystopian World of the future. Such is the life of "Machinegun Nelly" who relies on two fisted firepower to survive. 

Double Uzi's may seem over kill, but better overkill than being dead!

 Her motto is "don't stop shooting till they, or it, stops moving."

Machinegun Nelly is a plastic piece from Warlords female Apocalypse survivor's range that I painted this month.

Brilliant Girl and Einstein

 In the Dystopian World of Cowboy Bebop genius/knowledge comes in many forms and none are stranger than a young brilliant girl named Ed and dog named Einstein:

Edward (Ed) Wong Hau Pepelu Tivruski IV is a computer hacking genius. Forgotten at a daycare by her absentminded father in 2064 and eventually ending up in an orphanage. In 2068, she joined the crew of the Bebop, the spaceship of bounty hunters Jet and Spike.

Einstein (Ein) is not an ordinary Pembroke Welsh Corgi; he is actually a scientifically modified "Data Dog" full of the most advanced scientific information.

As well as using here hacking skills to help Jet and Spike, Ed is the only one who can access Ein's data

Together the two have found a friendship stronger than that of pet and master.

Both are plastic pieces from Don't Panic Games "Cowboy Bebop Space Serenade" boardgame (a Christmas gift) I painted this week.

Kelli Deadi is no Calamity Jane

Kelli Deadi is not a woman to mess with or incur her anger. For she is not olny a crach shot with the 12 gauge,
 

she also is never without her pouch of TNT (all with very short fuses).

And when things get serious Kelli relies on her trusty 1911 Colt .45.

Kelli is a plastic piece I painted last week.

Happy Christmas!

Here are three of our twelve trees we have this year. Living Room Blue, White and Silver Tree.
 

                                                             Kitchen Cooking Tree.

Hallway Red and White Tree.

May your Christmas be full of joy, wonder and happiness

Sgt. Preston is on Duty

 Never fear, Nutcracker Sgt. Preston is here to protect your Christmas presents. So, sleep tight this Christmas Eve. Merry Christmas to All and to All a good night.

I made Sgt. Preston in July of 2017; he is 1.58 m (6'1") tall.

Wolfpack

 

Few are safe when the Wolfpack is on the hunt. Black Pelt is the Alpha Wolf and is quite fearless.

These are plastic pieces I painted in 2018.

Power of Egypt-1880's

Egyptian troops loyal to Ahmed "Urabi (Ali Pasha to the British) stand ready to fight for Egyptian independence in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882.

Most of the Egyptian troops were brave men, poorly equipped, trained and led.

In battle they were no match for the well-organized, equipped, supplied and led Imperial British forces. In less than four months the Egyptian forces were defeated leaving Britian in firm control of the country until then end of World War Two.

These are old Mini Figs cast in the 1970's. Little on detail now but state of the art for the time. African Colonial were the first historic wargame miniatures I painted (I did dozens of plastic military model kits back in the 1960's), the first armies I had and the first miniatures I played, all at Scrubby's Toy Factory in Cambria Ca back in 1974.

Street Smarts Joins "the Woman"

 

 The violence wracked Dystopian World often makes strange bedfellows. 

In this case it's the establishment and street toughs in the form of the power of "the Woman" and "Crazyblue" the street walker.

Two 9 mm automatics and the reliable M-16 give enough firepower for most situations.

If more strength is needed, both have resources available. With a simple call more uniforms and gang members will come a running.

Both are plastic pieces that Iput together and finished this evening.

"Aqua Warrior-has Machinegun-will Dive"

 

After losing his legs, and command, in a tragic underwater explosion (during a secret mission now disavowed by the government), Commander Moran designed mechanical replacements as well as a fully armored aqua suit. Now armored and armed, with a water-cooled machinegun of course, he has become the supreme Aqua-Warrior. Now he hires out to the highest bidder with his motto "Aqua-Warrior-has Machinegun-will Dive," wire Moran, Devils Triangle Roost, Plymouth.

The Aqua -Warrior is a plastic piece I painted in 2018.

Never Underestimate Zulu's

 

Those who fought them knew that even a small band of Zulu warriors were dangerous adversaries.

Zulus were well trained, fearless and brutal close combat warriors.
 

Even European troops with modern firearms were in grave danger if Zulu warriors were able to come to hand-to-hand combat range. as the British disaster of Isandlwana well demonstrated.

These are plastic pieces I put together and painted in the Spring of 2017.

Big Mamma Boom-Boom

 

Some streets in unstable areas of the World can be dangerous palaces especially in times of civil destress. In those areas the side with more firepower is definitely in a stronger position.   When it comes to the use of serious firepower, Big Mamma Boom-Boom (AKA Bertha Smashbang) is who 

 you want on your side.

.

Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG's) are her preferred calling card as she rarely needs to send a second message.

For up close and personal discussions she uses her Desert Eagle .50 cal automatic to make her points.

While Big Mamma is a freelancer who works for the highest bidder, she does have "moral" standards that she will not break (the defenseless, children and animals).

So, in the dystopian World, Big Mamma is ready to lend her Boom-Boom for those who can pay.

Big Mamma is a plastic piece from Warlord that I painted today.

Archchancellor Mustrum Ridcully

 As Archancellor of the Unseen University, the most powerful Wizards University on Diskworld, Mustrum Ridcully knows the most important thing they teach is how not to use magic.

For using magic always has its costs, usually paid by those innocent bystanders that get in between to warring wizards.

Yet being a member of the faculty of UU has its perks, such as at least six full meals a day, plus snacks.

Yes, life at UU is a good life, keeping the forces of darkness at bay and preparing the next generation of wizards ...but they will not replace Archancellor Ricully until he's ready...

Ridcully is a metal piece that I painted this week.