Pissing into the wind!

"Oops a daisy!"

Recently, life at Schloss Krautheim has been exceedingly stressful.  Poor quality building requiring remedial work and the usual misery of rearing a brood of unruly children takes a great toll.

That said, I have been countering stress insomnia with thoughts of this project and the direction I wish it to take.

The latest and (in my opinion) most entertaining solution is to construct a "Kreisheer" comprising regiments from the five States.  This should provide variety and a more colourful spectacle.

Budgetary constraints have forced me to construct a back-engineered prototype figure to be used as a Saßenland or Dirlewitz musketeer.  All being well I will reveal him in the next few days. As I will need no more than 48 of these, I feel the task should be practical to achieve once a production line is set up.

Hopefully, I will soon manage to devote the time I wish to this project and stop feeling as if it is one step forward and two back!

Not slacking - honest!

If only my life was such fun!

Things have been pretty hectic here at Schloss Krautheim.  Having recently moved home we are engaged in combat on multiple fronts to get people to fulfil their various legal obligations.  Sometimes it makes one wish to jump in front of a carriage!

That being said, the 1720/40 project rolls on, albeit retarded by the domestic situation.  The armies are massing ready for conversion, basing and PAINT!  The map is progressing nicely.  Plus the "Grenzwachtturm" design nears fruition.

Finally, a redisign of some elements of the blog will be required as more than one Nation will soon be included.  Next up is the "Prince Archbishopric of Dirlewitz", a small but influential neighbour ruled over by a somewhat jaded member of the clergy.

More to follow.

Presenting the "Beimbacher Reichskreis" of 1720

Click for a better view - it is a fairly big picture!

Complete with Reichkreis standard carried by the various State contingents alongside their own.  Place names have yet to be added as have roads etc but I have made a start on the position of towns and cities along with the internal boundaries.  The Prince Archbishop of Dirlewitz domain will be the land-locked territory surrounded by the other States.

Veterans will notice that the boundaries are very similar to the original B-S map albeit with some logical alterations.

Any helpful suggestions are appreciated.

Online - at last!

"If one was to insert an engraving in yon instrument would it's semblance appear in the frame?"

To my joy, finally I located all the cables and paraphernalia associated with modern computing and can now scan and edit jpegs once more!

Following in the next weeks the expanded (and subtly altered) scope of my imaginary region.

This will comprise four or five states in the "Beimbacher Reichskreis" located in modern day Slovenia/Bosnia/Croatia.  The emphasis will remain on the war with the dastardly Turk.  However the new structure enables me to field a wider range of units and thus not get bored with the assembly and painting of the little men.

I think I will stick with the 1720-40 period for starters although the new Perry American Revolution plastics I received today scream out for attention!  They are certainly going to form the core of the mid C18 armies.

I hope the work proves enjoyable for anyone still watching...

"It's alive!" - well almost...

After an horrendous pause, I am pleased to say the Chronicles are once again going to become active.  I have moved home and have more space (hopefully soon to be matched with more time) to devote to my ImagiNation.

"Egad! It lives!"

The map is in the the process of being redrawn.  The background has been expanded with three new Allied States.  The figures are almost ready for painting.

So hopefully all should be "go" in the near future!

Stay tuned...

Dabbling with the 1840s

Poor quality photo courtesy of HTC mobile.

After a long hiatus and a good deal of personal problems, I suddenly got the urge to do something mid C19!

I bought some of Ebor Miniatures' Crimean Russians as they looked different and were very cheap.   The figures arrived (along with some of their lovely early C18 offerings) and unfortunately I got quite a few breakages.  The proprietor was a real gentleman and sent out replacements telling me to keep the "deaders".

Last weekend, during a rare moment of mental composure, I decided to cobble together a model to represent His Majesty König Ferdinand II in all his martial glory.

I had a dig about in the boxes of lead and decided on an Essex body (Russian Nap. Officer) with an Ebor head.  This figure will be mounted upon an heavily butchered Foundry (British) horse and given a Perry pelisse as "icing".  In true mid-C19 form I added an outlandish caterpillar crest (in three stages) and bulked up his face-fungus.

I think he looks suitably "OTT" and he will be improved when the pelisse is fitted, collar properly finished  and furry horse furniture is sculpted.  I intend to finish him soon and perhaps even paint him too!  Ferdy and nag will be mounted upon a 40mm steel washer with sculpted groundwork and his hound running alongside.

I would be interested to hear what people make of him and indeed if there are any other mid-1800s ImagiNation projects out there.