Blockhouse Number 4 - WIP (3) and a (rather good) new War of 1812 18mm figure range

The palisade is now more or less finished - just the  earthy/banky thing at the bottom to paint.  I was going to paint it to look grassy, but decided to leave it as earth instead.

I've painted the areas to be flocked green, and the entrance and area round the blockhouse that is going to be muddy / earthy  brown.

New 18mm War of 1812 Range

Today I received some packs of of the new War of 1812 American range by Capitan Games from Stonewall Figures. If the rest of the range is like these they will be my new go to figures for 1812. Apparently when Stonewall took on production they found moulds for a load of figures that had never been produced before and these are some of them so the moulds are brand new.

The  figures are crisp with no flash which immediately puts them ahead of the equivalent Blue Moon  figures (see previous posts for flash report!!). In addition they actually have firing / loading line infantry figures, and a broader range of infantry and artillery figures for the yanks in general. Their British / Canadian range has Highlanders in trousers and marines of all nations can be found in their 18mm naval crew ranges.

Here is a link to the Capitan American range

Small Rant

I am getting really, really, really fed up with the wargames myth that Thebans had white shields!!!!!!
The latest version of this fantasy is Warlord Games "Sacred Band" advert. I really dont know where this idea comes from.
https://store.warlordgames.com/products/theban-sacred-band

Blockhouse Number 4 - WIP (2)

All Assembled

Blockhouse Number 4 WIP

So this is this blockhouse at Gananoque that I'm basing the model on:

And this is what we've got so far:

It's sitting on the upside down base of a walled 150mm x 150mm field at the moment, but there is an extra section to go in each side that will take it up to 200mm square

The shingles are 00 gauge self adhesive jobs from

YORK MODEL MAKING

They are listed in the TT gauge section too.

Sharp Practice - War of 1812

I've been wondering whether it's worth continuing with this blog, I can't really be bothered with it and had considered taking it down. After a bit more thought I've decided to keep it and use it solely for  recording  the progress of my 1812 Sharp Practice project.

The project is centred on a sleepy little town in His Majesty's Loyal Colony of Upper Canada. The town is located at the point where the Eleven and Three Fifths Mile Creek enters Lake Ontario and is called "Viagara On The Lake".

It has a garrison located in Blockhouse Number 4 commanded by Major Brackenried, a Yorkshireman , assisted by Captain Murdoch and Sergeants Crabtree and Higgins. (see previous posts for the inspiration).

Another character who will soon make an appearance is Don Jose de Battista, a Spaniard,who as a young man left his ancestral home when the French invaded. Like many young men he developed an urge to hunt beaver, and having spent several years trapping in Lower Canada, caught a marvellous specimen that he felt could never be surpassed. He decided to settle down in the Niagara Peninsula with the ridiculous idea that he could restart the family business of wine growing - vines, in Upper Canada, crazy!

Don Jose took possession of Plot 19 in Viagara On The Lake and now commands the local militia. His favoured method of hand to hand fighting is swinging a large club and he will be classed as having an "Impressive Weapon" in Sharp Practice.

Back in the real world I'm currently sticking tiles on the god-awful roof of 4Ground's 15mm blockhouse. The 4 segments of the pyramid have  huge gaps between them as they are not mitred - I suppose you would need a tilting table for the laser to achieve that - and the whole roof needs covering to hide them.

I have also got some palisade from Museum Miniatures (cheap in their January Sale) to surround the blockhouse with. Hopefully I'll soon have a picture up of the completed model.