Big John Wayne, The Duke himself, was given to saying " Never apologise its a form of weakness" .
Nevertheless, and with due respect, I feel a word of apology is due to the many who have clicked on this site in the vain hope of an update. Lack of Inspiration? Laziness? Aching shoulder? A bit of all those but it suddenly occurred to me that Christmas is almost upon us and I will wish to take another seasonal look at 'Wargaming Before Featherstone'. I had better blow the dust off the keyboard and get in a little practice first.
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So let us take a quick canter through the events of the last six months. I have been mainly painting the new 30mm Franco Prussian range from Peter Johnstone at Spencer Smith Miniatures. These are a new 'Classic' range of genuine 30mm figures. The best news is that they match perfectly with the old but incomplete Willie range.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEGBgDJyaNmy9z2PM436XA9ven2KP3ZD80ibbvStPiEsvP3yFQY-Nk_bCV6blM9HzrAZoP39SUM6N3k6CPjeoiPCnP83pMLoyLs49VwMrLyzIDw-wBk1mC875gGai2sInTAkgil2urK2EV/s400/PrussianOfficer.jpg)
Most of the painting has been done for display models for SSM, though I have managed to put in a few for myself. So I can hardly claim to be a disinterested party, nevertheless I think these are a great range and it is
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wonderful to actually be able to buy new 30mm castings. On which point I would also praise the Jacdaw 30mm figures from Old Glory UK, but more on those at a later date.
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I have also enjoyed painting the 25mm
Stadden range of Crimean figures. When you think that these were designed over 50 years ago
they are amazing. Above a Guards officer stands next to a Foundry figure.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCfLoj-7RplkBIQEiDOklkIvkWDa8PC4Kszd55-_kmaxnNnkmZrcrnjRIElQZoh_8Iyta-8HJ8RM6Pah_dkPANzFt3nitJ8F7Za3-W-tga1vPcttiYYU5tgi6d3ErIyzwJVcn3qvhZvEDL/s400/rifles.jpg)
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These figures are great fun to paint in a straightforward
toy soldier style and really look the business in a nice coat of gloss varnish.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5dBwFaDXTAkZstKcP9fI5LQdn4tmGzYdprYfH3BzAwbsPPJh9qBn6tDLPQrZWN3vAjhBY6ZbiIgcyJb_TKuhiRG96xF0PFBEp17UwB8XzztIchhlMnFIGDvOiBf2HYoo0fvQJSQPNGUO/s400/mysteryminifig.jpg)
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I also took a giant step forward with a chance buy on
ebay which got me all my
mini fig S range Heavy Brigade with one click of the button. This is how they arrived and apart from a
re varnish I don't think I can improve on the original painting.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5OUoxv0DaGXl1p5kbqdJ7Wg0Pqhqm92jMulmxt6qWiDBZ2p0G9b_m3fEOrkMYHQNg7I-aMc6ZN60TzqtamaJpMCMK9Z-tsK_CEEYuwk9WK5vjS9qRKSObeKjbPwEfRmbGXIb3b0K5cmID/s400/indian3.jpg)
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Finally just so that not everything is Old School and
pre 1970, I have been painting up some of the excellent redoubt French Indian Wars figures. I bought these when they were first released 10? years ago and finally have been painting them this summer. A very welcome contrast to the other figures.
So nothing of any literary merit, just a shopping list really. Still it has actually broken the barrier of the first post again. Who knows perhaps in my next post I may manage something a little more interesting.