Gamer Seeks Friendly, Hobby Loving Mojo To Help Keep Enthusiasm Going. Must Have GSOH

 

  ....and wads of cash wouldn't go amiss either, Miss Mojo 😉

Introduction

     Yep, time for an update to encourage Miss Mojo back to the McCubbyhole....mmmm....that doesn't sound quite right, does it? Anyway, unbelievably, after a really enjoyable and educational, solo game of Sharp Practice last week I found my tankard of mojo drained almost to the dregs. Doubtless it's a combination of factors that brought about this lamentable situation but one of them appears to be the broad front approach I have unconsciously adopted towards putting forces; figures and vehicles, and terrain together. Following whim rather than a plan, if you like. Add the current Covid restrictions that are affecting all of our gaming, Miss Mojo, the much loved, much admired barmaid at my own hobby themed enthusiasm bar, hung her beer soaked towel over the beer taps and went outside for a cigarette and to do some online shopping...probably, just when my tankard was in need of a top up...heartless.

     

"one of these days, I'm gonna get myself organizized..."
as Travis would say. 

That's tidier and that's a start.
Can I rest on my laurels now?
Some organizating done

A stash of shame or a pile of potential?

Anyway, she has popped back in and is pouring me a pint of mojo as I type...which is nice, so on with my update....

A Couple of Snifters

     A few weeks ago, long before the missing mojo flap, Richie and I played a game of Bolt Action (oops, did that go down the wrong way? Here dab your chin with this mojo soaked bar towel and try to regain your composure while I continue...) so as I was saying, we played another game of Bolt Action using the Lebisey Woods scenario from the D Day; Overlord campaign book (more of which in another post to be released soon). Playing the fiendish Hun I needed to add a Panzer III to my tank platoon. This led me to have to repaint one of the two early war Panzer IIIs I own. A quick coat of Tamiya Dark Yellow, some splotches of green and brown, a decal or two, spot of Agrax Earthshade and suitable tank commander and it was good to go. Happy days, especially as it did such sterling service during the game..

obligatory oblique shot 1; from the right

obligatory oblique shot 2; from the left

A Fine Vintage

     After playing the Bloody Nose At Sankt Norburga solo game of Sharp Practice (see elsewhere in this blog) I felt my newest Austrian character, Ensign Enzo Papageno, needed fleshing out, more troops and more challenges. So I dug into the pile of Foundry Austrians (I love the Foundry ranges; bags of character as well as great detail) that I had accrued from Colonel Bill's and found that I had enough Grenzers to give Enzo a bigger command. I quickly repainted a spare Jaeger officer as his second in command. So here they are. In the follow up game (a report of which I will post later) they replaced the Austrian Jaeger and had a much more mixed effect than at Sankt Norburga.

Enzo and the Grenzers, Austria's latest pop sensations.
They popped away at the French with sensational
enthusiasm but was their noisy enthusiasm enough
to have an effect on the French? See the next
thrilling-ish instalment of my solo Sharp Practice
journal!!

     Next to the Grenzers I also finished off some more of my terrain in time for the next game of Sharp Practice. The barn is from the most excellent TT Combat and was initially intended for my Stalingrad/Eastern Front set up but it will easily cover many theatres and ages. For example 19th century Bavaria...

"What's this!? A bleeding mother's meeting!?
Oh, it's Suzanna the Sutler. Bratty and pommes,
please, mit dopple mayo?" The roof tiles are
from Warbases

Really nicely thought out building with plenty of access
and firing points

The Doors...they're alright. I do like these timbered
ones on the barn though..I don't love them madly,
though

Lots of nice details in the exposed brick work and wood
grain on the window frames and doors. I had to add my own 
base though. I also textured the walls with watered down
filler and a piece of sponge; a tip I got from the Knights
Of Dice Youtube channel, Rubbish In, Rubbish Out

   

  At the same time as I finishing off the barn I chucked this Sarissa Precision European church together. A really nice kit but watch that crucifix on top as it snaps easily, especially if being a clumsy git is your special super power!! I filled the dome with scraps of corrugated cardboard and wood filler to give it a proper onion dome appearance. As with the barn I added Warbases roof tiles. 

The chapel of Sankt Norburga

The church dome. A clever approach from Sarissa
but I wasn't happy to have mine left like that. 

How nice does the real thing look?

I am toying with the idea of placing the chapel
on a hill. It's an aspiration at the moment as my
attempts at making raised terrain so far have
been disappointing...

     I also got round to painting Hoka Hey/Timeline Miniatures blacksmiths.As with the other buildings I textured the walls with watered down filler and added Warbases roof tiles. I had bought and painted up Black Tree Design's blacksmith set exactly a long time ago, give or take a wee while, and stuck the parts into the blacksmith's interior (eh?) 

"Where's young master Pip, Joe?"

Black Tree Designs black smiths set installed
in it's new home. The only problem with doing
something like this is the interior now looks half
finished and in need of more detail

A pint of pivo?

     And that brings us to my main project of the moment; putting together terrain for the Stalingrad railway station scenario from Campaign Stalingrad (try saying that, 8 pints into a session...go on, do it now!!!) It's been chugging along nicely (apologies in advance, there's going to be lots of railway puns in the next few paragraphs..) but has been sidetracked for the moment due to a signal failure in my ability to focus on one project at a time. In the meantime I got all I had done thus far and set it up to help stoke up my enthusiasm. And I took one or two photos once it was set up....and got a wee bit carried away...like a runaway train, almost.

Plan view. It's filling out nicely. I need to make another piece of track
to fill that gap by the signal box. I have another Sarissa Precision kit,
too whit the Destroyed European Residential Townhouse With Dormer
(another drinking session challenge) to put together which should
give me enough buildings for the scenario

Couldn't resist the urge to add some figures for
scale and mojo

     

     So that is coming along nicely, there's still the trucks to finish off as well as some damaged trees, pavements and a platform of some description. I have ordered a brake van from Sarissa Precision's railway collection. I'll convert this to fit the track I have if need be and use it as a guide to fitting buffers to the trucks etc.

Time, gentlemen, please

    Finally, other stuff I have been bashing away at, after I drained a swift half of single mojo, include this squad of late war German infantry 

and these Samurai from Perry Miniatures for Test of Honour. The geisha with the katana comes from Foundry and was a freebie along with an order I...erm...ordered from them a few years ago. I kept hold of her because she was a freebie and I like freebies; who doesn't. And I actually painted her with the intention of putting her into the painting competition at Carronade two years ago but didn't get her done in time. And, further more, she is the only 28mm figure I have ever painted eyes on....and she will always be the only 28mm figure that I ever paint eyes on....like ever!! She does fit into the ToH force I am kinda putting together....bit of a slow burner that one, all things considered...

And that, gentle reader, is that for this update. Well done for enduring my witless whining, I am confident it was well worth it 😁

All the best and stay safe,

pip pip,

GJ