Mini Figs,the Marmite effect.

Sometimes it feels that my ECW project has been like painting the Forth Bridge and never seems to have an end. I dont help this feeling by adding to the unpainted pile as figure buying opportunities arise. I love a bargain and cannot help myself if I can get some figures at a decent and fair price.
   A fellow blogger, David Crook is responsible for the latest additions to the pile of metal as he attempts to sell off a very large collection of unpainted metal belonging to a wargamer who is now no longer with us. I would never have considered using Mini Figs for the project once. I think it goes back to the days when I was far younger and could only obtain the said 'dumpies' because they were cheaper and more available than my beloved Hinchliffe. When I had more cash I sold my Mini Figs and bought what I foolishly saw were superior sculpts.

It just shows how stupid young people are because I've re discovered the charm of the Mini Fig. Yes their horses have Kardishian issues, but the actual figures are very very nice with some lovely sculpting. [well in my eyes they do] So here we have the latest Mini Fig regiment, which I have painted as a 'Oxford regiment?'  I didnt have the heart to cut out the cast in pikes, but they dont look too ridiculous. I think the figures are second generation sculpts.

As stated several times now [ the price of being senile] that I am building my vision of how the ECW armies would look, ie inaccurate, pretty and frankly totally non historical [ Hollywood style] So I have picked cavalier types for the Royalists and better armed types for my Parliamentarian types. Even I know that Parliament was able to equip their men with better equipment and more armour should it be required. Plus I thought it would be easier to tell the two armies apart.

Since the introduction of the new Games Workshop contrast inks/paints I have been experimenting with them to see if I can utilise them and perhaps cut down on painting times. I think Im beginning to get the hang of how to use the ink/paints and find that certain shades are perfect for leather, wood and certain horse types. The key is the use of different colour base coats. For wood and horse shades I use a deep yellow which with the application of the ink/paint gives a lovely burnt umber effect very similar to the old oil colours. 

I like to have lots of standards and flags in my armies. The more colour the better is my motto. These Hinchliffe cavalry are perfect for a Parliamentarian 'trotter' regiment.

More of the David Crook additions, this time dismounted dragoons. These were from the Mini Fig Thirty Years War range, but I couldnt resist using them. Certainly too well equipped for the civil war but very dashing and cavalier looking. 

A troop of my fast diminishing stock of unpainted cavalier cavalry. I think I have enough for two regiments before I run out of figures. Hopefully the weather will now ease somewhat and allow me to crack on with the final part of the project especially as John and I have taken the first steps towards a new small project that will take some of my painting attention.