Entry #6 to the Lead Painters' League: 'Citizens, We Must Feed the Revolution'

When I first saw this set of figures on the Eureka Miniatures website I knew I had to get them. They really have a certain charm about them - the young lass ardently kneading the dough with her bare feet, while her fellow citizens busily work it into loaves for the baker's oven. Bread to feed the hungry mouths of the Revolution!

I especially like her jaunty feathered bicorne and the men sporting their distinctive Liberty caps.

I've also included an industrious looking fellow sitting astride some sort of workhorse contraption. He's working on... I dunno, some manner of metalwork? Or perhaps he's a woodworker repairing some vital component of Monsieur Guillotine's Le Rasoir National.  You can almost hear some unfortunate aristocrat getting a 'haircut' in the distance accompanied by a refrain of La Marseillaise. 

Ah, spring in Paris...

I invite you to check out the Lead Painters' League to see all the entries from this week's round.

Entry #5 to the Lead Painters' League: Spanish Civil War Moroccan Regulares

For the 5th match of the Lead Painters' League the organizers have asked for a submission depicting a unit from a 'historical civil war.' As I have quite a mess of Spanish Civil War castings waiting in the wings this seemed a fairly easy fit.

These figures depict a unit of Moroccan Regulares in their very distinctive uniforms. I hear you say, 'Moroccans in the Spanish Civil War?  How did that happen?' Well, many of the officers who initiated the coup were veteran colonial legionnaires, some of which were stationed in Spanish North Africa. Consequently many Moroccan troops were brought over from North Africa to the Spanish mainland  (with significant help from the German air force) in order to fight for the Nationalist cause. By all accounts they were ferocious fighters who gained the fear and grudging respect of the Republicans and played a pivotal role in the first few months of the war.

I find it quite ironic that Franco's military insurrection, which had a mandate to reinstate and protect the power of the Catholic Church, saw no problem at all in utilizing Muslim fighters to fight and subjugate their fellow Spaniards on Spanish soil. Reconquista indeed.

These are 28mm Empress Miniature castings. Like most of their other offerings in this range these are wonderful models to work with - well proportioned, great detail and not much for seam lines or flash. Highly recommended.

I encourage you to visit the Painters' League and check out the various entries.

Entry #4 to the Lead Painters' League: 'A Daughter of the Emperor' Old Guard 12lb Gun & Crew

I thought I'd go back to Napoleonics for my 4th entry to the League. This time I've submitted a  French 12lb gun served by its crew of Old Guard artillerists kitted out in their campaign uniforms.

These are 28mm Perry castings which I've mounted on a thin steel base. Similar to some of my existing field artillery I have used texture gel and some clumped flock to simulate mud and turf sticking to the wheels along with gouges in the terrain indicating the successive recoil and running up of the gun.

Please check out this round's entries from the League and cast your votes. It's always interesting to see what the other painters have submitted and how the judges have matched us up.

For the 5th round, which will be the contest's halfway mark, the League organizers will be awarding extra points if we can submit a group depicting combatants from a 'historical civil war'. My entry is still in progress but I hope to have it completed for the deadline (fingers crossed).

Entry #3 to the Lead Painters' League: 28mm Mordheim Warband

Well, I'm having a great time participating in the Lead Painters League. It's prompted me to drag out a bunch of my unpainted figures (and purchase some more) in an attempt to provide a more varied selection of subjects and periods to submit. This week's group of figures is a good case-in-point. Though I had painted a few in the past, I've had these untouched Mordheim castings for probably twelve years, and without the impetus of the League they  probably would've sat untouched for another dozen more.

I particularly like these two-pistol wielding figures. I already had a set done from a few years ago, but found I had another couple raw castings so I was happy to work on them again.

I've kept the majority of this lot in the same blue and yellow 'livery' as my existing Mordheim collection.

These are beautiful GW sculpts - some of their best in my opinion. They have a fabulous, whimsical, quasi-renaissance air about them. I really like their puff and slash sleeves, half-armour and jaunty feathered caps. I entered the five shown at the top for the League, but I've added the two below which I've recently finished.

Again, I invite you to visit the League to view this Round's entries and place your votes (this one is going to be another close one on my part). The variety and scope of subjects is great fun to follow.

Entry #2 to the Lead Painters League: Greyscale French Poilu and Officer

I managed to pip a victory in the first round of the Lead Painters League with my Napoleonic  French battalion command stand (many thanks to all those who took time to vote) and today we head into the second match.

For this entry I've put forward a small squad of WWI French 'Poilu' dressed in their early-war uniforms. They are being led by a grizzled one-armed colonial veteran who is attended by his loyal trumpeter.

The infantry are from Great War Miniatures whereas the officer is from Artizan Design. I'm not sure how this entry will resonate with the voters as I realize my greyscale stuff is a bit esoteric and is probably a little narrow in its appeal. Nonetheless, it's nice to get another squad of Gauloises-smoking 'hairy ones' done and in the cabinet.

Again, please check out the League's 2nd round over at the Lead Painters Forum and place your votes for your favourites of the wide variety of subjects on display.