Big Ideas for a small world

 Other challenge at Benno's, a single figure.  Usually I paint a few at the same time, having in mind a wider scenario. Sometimes I take more time with a single figure and the result is... nice. I was happy with how this one came out. Not so much with the basing... 1:72 scale, an american soldier in Iraq.

 By 2013 I was a member of Benno's Figures Forum , a wonderful place where I "met" great people! Really. Meanwhile I stopped visiting the site but a couple of my works were done for the Duel. Never won a Duel... Well, some medieval (or anytime until XIX century somewere in Europe) workers tending some kind of cereal, probably wheat or barley. The figures are from Zvezda's Medieval Peasant Army . I must say I love Zvezda sets. Great minis!  

  5 Figures from  Zvezda - Russian Noble Cavalry  and one from  Strelets Carolingian Cavalry . I really really like these figures! Zvezda minis are great! And I am happy with the result, when most of the times the feeling is not that good. 

 This small fort, together with n.º 18, were between the 1st and the 2nd line. N.º 18, or Forte da Ajuda Grande (Grande, because it was the bigger of the two), was restored and deserves a visit to the spot. My friend Vitor Mestre was already building this last one at 1:160 (10mm) but I prefer the 1:72 scale, so I needed a small construction. As these two forts share the same hill I went no further. So, long story, I tryed a first layout but it turned out too narrow, which made me start from the begining, opening a bit more some angles (because all I had was some bad pictures and a not so accurate visit to the ruins. More info ( in Portuguese ). The garrison consisted on about 200 men and 3 9pdr guns. Two different sketches of the fort. First attempt The magazine (at the centre) isn't completly covered. At first I as thinking about having a removable top, but I couldn't get a satisfying result, so it is fixed but one can see the different layers that protected the magazine if bo...

 First intended to represent the Portuguese at Battle of Roliça (1808), it was later used as part of a fort garrison from 1810 forward. Which fits the intention of the kit manufacturer. Kit LW 2004 1/72 - Portuguese Artillery 1810 Carro (wagon) - Miniart  Set 72010 Hussites This was the original look, each team together on a single base.  An ammunition wagon (unloading) - I've used the Hussites war wagon as base for it.    Hard to spot, but 3 of the artillery teams make the garrison of this small fort. 

One thing I try to do as a modeler is to celebrate the things I like - and I was (am) a fan of the show, so I had to give it a try. This is from 2013. Using the figures I could get my hands on (1:72, plastic, cheap - as in already-in-the-stash), SG1 team is retreating to Stargate, probably fleeing from a Glider (unseen). Figures from Caesar (US Modern Army) and Italeri's NATO pilots and ground crew.  Trees and all other stuff including that crude DHD and detailless stargate were scratchbuilt by me.

 While new projects are on the move, I'll post a few old things I've made. It all started with napoleonic minis... ( links next to the sets to the Plastic Soldier Review page ) Some of the very first were these from Italeri ( 6002 ). I intended to represent the Suiss companies that were present at Battle of Roliça ( 4e regiment Suisse ), durint the first French invasion of Portugal. Each base is a company, each figure represents 20 men (given or taken)... After a while I was no longer doing just the 1808 period and eventualy tried some Waterloo Campaing figures. The intention was to represent the Hougoumon farm section on a wider diorama, a group project that was later put aside. 2 light companies (10 figures) from the 2nd Batt. 2nd Regiment Foot Guards and 2nd Batt. 3rd Reg. Foot Guards. The officer (calling for reinforcements), is from HaT's British Peninsular Infantry ( 8186 ). I painted him as a surgeon, but the jacket is not exactly the same... I don't know which r...

 To say the truth, it is not a comeback to the vitual world, just to blogging.  I stopped posting on a regular basis 6 years ago, as Facebook just "took over". For some time now I've been thinking about what I've been doing and how to keep it online - as Facebook, like other social networks, may be close to its end...  Anyway, new year, new blog. Happy New Year