Union Cavalry unit, Bonnie Blue Flag

On checking the regiment size for cavalry in Bonnie Blue Flag, I noticed the unit was quite small. 4 mounted bases and dismounted was similar with the fourth base being a horse holder.

I was inspired to paint one up for a bit of a change. I took inspiration from the author Kevin Calder himself and based my dismounted cavalry on round bases. 

 As my infantry are mounted on 45mm wide bases, I used the same measurements for the round ones. 

Some figures from eBay sparked the idea as they came with a few horses too.

Cavalry and infantry bases. As there are only a few in a regiment, I will use three figures to a base to bulk them out.

 

I stuck the figures down to the base, the next test is to see if I can paint them on this size of stand. My sharpshooters were mounted on 60mm bases so they were a lot easier to paint around. As my infantry are stuck down in a row, they too are much easier to paint. This will be interesting.

Well, after painting up a few bases I can safely say they weren't too difficult. There's enough room on these 45mm stands to get around the figures with a brush. Some of the piping was a bit tricky on some but nothing too bad.

The three horses I put off for another day. These will finish the unit once done.

I also need to source a standard for the command base.

The figures are from 1st Corps and like Dixon have a style all of their own.

That was fun, I enjoyed that. Another unit ticked off.

UPDATE: I got those blasted horses done, like most people I find them a bit of a chore to do.

I sprayed the unit with Halfords Matt varnish, then gave the uniform a coat of Ultra Matt varnish from AMMO. That way the metal and leather work will have a bit of a sheen to it compared to the material.

Just need to flock the base and they're done.

UPDATE: Spurred on by the recent joy of finishing a unit, it wasn't long before I was going through my drawers digging out more troopers.

These figures have been sitting unloved for over twenty years, nice to get some paint on them and push them into service.

There are some Redoubt and Foundry troopers, the Redoubt ones have to be stuck together. This is quite nice as you can create different characters.

I also did some research and came up with the idea of giving my cavalry regiments skirmish bases...or picket bases to be more accurate. 

In Bonnie Blue Flag, all regiments can throw out skirmish lines to soak up fire, there's no reason the cavalry units can't have the same.

Here we see a new cavalry regiment of three stands with a skirmisher stand behind. The skirmish stand is 35mm with two troopers on it. This can be advanced six inches out in front to form a picket line.

Good old Redoubt figures, it was great to put these together and base them up. It's a shame about Redoubt miniatures these days, I guess I'm lucky to have ordered these many years ago.

Here two broken standard bearers (Dixon) have been turned into horse holders with the help of some twisted brush bristles.

The finished horse stand gets a brush bristles too to help keep the horses steady.

A new picket line prepares to go out ahead of the dismounted regiment. These stands of two troopers can be put with the mounted versions too.

The couple of extra stands I had done before get turned into a full regiment with an added command and skirmisher base. The horse stands will come later.

UPDATE: The Union Cavalry are on the move again, another couple of bases get put through the colouring machine.

The Redoubt and Foundry figures go well together on the same base.

I do like the big white gauntlets on some of these troopers, maybe it's a result of growing up in the 70's with the countless cavalry films at the weekend. It's a classic look.

The standards are Wargames Design, they seem a little too big to me, but when you have Brigades to do, the price is right!

I bought some for the Confederate cavalry too.

Autobot Rescue Mission

Last night I promised my little lad a game of the new Transformer rules. He didn't let me forget and it wasn't long before the table was set up and ready. 

As Maximus had been captured in my last test game, it made only sense to form up Autobot strike teams to break him out.

The Autobots weren't leaving anything to chance and attacked in force. Adding to this large force was the legendary warrior, Ultra Magnus. Against him was a small but powerful force of Decepticons led by the newly upgraded Shockwave.

Autobots gained the initiative and took up positions around the Decepticon detention block.

Having got themselves into position the Autobots launch their assault. Magnus uses an energon net to disable Shockwave, while Ratchet and Hound fire on the Seeker guards.

Shockwave, outraged by this attack, breaks free of the net and transforms into his shock cannon form. It's now that Green bug (my old car) and her team make a dash for him. Their goal was to divert his fire away from the rest of the teams. A head on run for the commander failed after a huge blast from his Shock cannon blunted the attack.

Little Green bug narrowly missed being vaperised from a huge blast from Shockwave.

The Seekers having been driven back, Ratchet and his team attempt to open the holding cell door. Before they can get anywhere, Soundwave surprises them and sends them flying back. They are damaged and in full flight. It is now that Ratchet uses his ability to repair and restores two energon points back onto his unit.

Silver spin and Green bug take cover then try again to get close to Shockwave. Magnus blasts the great Decepticon from behind and this pushes him back. Soundwave too is sent flying back from a volley from a heavy Autobot team. Transforming into their heavy tanks they continue to push the Decepticons back. In the brutal firefight, the out numbered Decepticons are eventually whittled down and taken off line. Soundwave is shot while falling back and taken out.

 Shockwave transformers back into robot mode and attempts to rally his Seeker jets. Hit and wounded he fails to reach them in time and they too are destroyed.

This leaves the mighty gun bot on his own and heavily outnumbered. As Ratchet tries to open the cell block door, the other Autobot teams surround Shockwave. Shockwave diverts energon into himself and repairs his damaged systems.

 Greenbug finally catches up to him and her squad accelerate to a ramming attack. Seeing all is lost and the growing Autobot numbers, Shockwave flees the scene..

Ratchet cracks the door code first go and Maximus is freed. Damaged, low on energon, but still functional. The victorious forces gather to hear a small speech from their old sector commander.

Having heard a rushed speech about freedom is the right of all sentient beings, the Autobots fallback, melting away into the wreckage of Cybertron.

Megatron will not be pleased at this affront to his authority and no-one crosses MEGATRON!