Wednesday 16 February 2022

An itch I keep on having to scratch

No, no not that itch, I’ve got an ointment for that.

I’m referring of course to my continual Dark Age and ECW fixations. 

I’ve owned and built ECW armies in 2, 6, 15, 18 and 28mm over the years, from bendy 6mm pikes to Wofun flats and everything in between. Despite my general (and perhaps unfair) dislike of Warlord Games I’m pretty sure I’ll be elbowing my way to the front of the queue if they ever do the period in their new Epic range. 

The other genre on which I seem fixated is the dark ages in Britain. The number of armies I’ve owned in  this era is smaller but I think it’s fair to say they’ve seen the most action. Eventually, as part of “operation generate more hobby cash” I flogged the last of them on eBay recently and resolved never to go there again. 

Of course within a week of shipping them off I discovered these...

Age of Penda - Wiglaf Miniatures. 18mm. Get ‘em from Northstar.

...and I came all over weak at the knees. 

I posted about them a while back but Northstar have finally begun stocking them and my initial order arrived on Friday. 

Now I hate painting, but these minis are so lovely that I jumped right in and had a go. They’re not up to Lee’s standard of course but I’m fairly pleased with the outcome. 

Penda and a couple of nobles from the leaders pack

Same lads - from the back

Helping to ease me into a painting vibe was this jolly “anarcho folk” tune favourite which I've decided to share, cos I'm good like that. If your feet don't tap - you might want to check you've still got a pulse.

I’ve spared you my recent discovery of the Cherokee Death Cats (best band name ever) since I think it’ll be too rich for your blood (with the possible exception of nundanket and Elenderil) mayhap.

Toodle ooh.


15 comments:

  1. They are indeed very nice, your brush has done the animated sculpts justice.

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    1. Cheers Norm, they really are great quality sculpts.

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  2. Lovely work, 18mm? You're edging towards 28mm bit by bit! I've been looking longingly at a dux Bellorum Romano Brits army I have primed but I am mostly resisting and sticking to Napoleonics, well for a bit!
    Best Iain

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    1. Hi Iain, not sure I’ve got the room any more for 28’s but yeah the scales are getting bigger. 18 seems to be the new 15 for some reason. These tick all the boxes for cost, size and detail.

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  3. Very nice toys JBM…
    That Mark Copplestone sure knows how to push putty about…

    The Levellers… Sealed Knot Punk… 😁 What’s not to like.
    Cherokee Death Cats… yes please…

    I once bought an album called Strange Sounds from the Basement by Colorblind James and the Death Valley Boys… Because as titles go it’s a cracker… the album wasn’t too bad either.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Sealed knot punk. Lol. Another classic line. I’m off to check out sounds from the basement.

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    2. Ooh just found em, seems they were on a John Peel sesh once too. Like the snippets I’ve just heard. You have good taste sir!

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  4. You got me banged to rights on the music.

    Nice paint job JBM.

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    1. Cheers matey, I was inspired by your Finnish polka!

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  5. Very nice figures they are JBM will look a treat when all painted up.

    Can't beat a bit of the boys from Brighton, been a huge fan for more years than I can remember.

    Funny band names - back in the Seventies my mate was heavily into Funk and there was a Funkadelic spin off 'Fred Wellsley and the Horny Horns' quite good actually! And of course there was the brilliant Bootsy Collins and his 'Bootsy's Rubber Band', Funkadelic produced some real talent and of course Bootsy is credited as inventor of the 'One' bass rhythm (you may need to look that one up :). Sorry, went off at a right tangent there, music always does that to me!

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    1. Thanks Lee, never seen the levellers live but always loved them like you. Funk is a genre I’ve never really explored - since I’ve a doctors note excusing me from doing dancing of any kind, (I wish) lol. Great band names though nonetheless.

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  6. Nice figures and a good paint job too. As for the Music...guilty as charged seen the Levellers a few times (and never failed to enjoy them) as noted they have the SK beer tent vibe. I had to Google The Cherokee Death Cats though. You have not disappointed there is a distinct Krautrock drum and base line (early Kraftwerk or Neu) mixed in with a hint of the Slits. Not sure that Wiglaf would approve though not enough plainsong.

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    1. Thanks for the kind words about the miniatures Elenderil. I knew you were a Levellers fan from previous correspondence. I’d be hard pressed to name my favourite track of theirs if I’m honest. Maybe another mans cause or cholera well. Dammit I don’t know, I like em all. I agree with your assessment of the Cherokee Death Cats too though I wasn’t able to pin them down as precisely as you have. Slits. Yeah definitely.

      Plainsong…lol.

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  7. I did think I had commented on this one previously - dont know why I didnt - nice 18mm figures for sure. I dont recognise any of the bands bar Kraftwerk and the Slits - although to be honest, I would struggle to name or recognise one of their tracks - its just quite a memorable name, for some reason - cant quite put my finger on it...so to speak!

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  8. I’d say how dare you lower the tone here sir, but I’ve already taken this blog waaaaay past smut on more than one occasion myself, haven’t I? Lol.

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