Versailles TV Series

When I'm painting in the back room I've usually got something jabbering away on the BBC iPlayer. A typical choice would be a documentary, but a work colleague suggested the Versailles drama series. It was a risk, as I normally consider these historical dramas more my partner's domain than mine (she absolutely loves The Tudors). Anyway, I thought I'd give it a shot.

It's lavishly filmed with both outstanding costumes and sets, so that caught my attention initially. However I was also gradually drawn in by an excellent storyline that involves a carousel of court intrigue and plotting (they're definitely handy with the old poison, with quite a few characters gruesomely taken down while coughing blood and clutching at their throats). It seems that the weakness of the French aristocracy was that none of them knew how to prepare their own meals, which gives endless opportunity for some ne'er do well to slip arsenic into the spiced partridge.

The acting is very solid. The background of a few of the main cast is quite surprising once I'd had a search for them on the internet. George Blagden for instance, who plays Louis XIV also starred in the recent Wrath of the Titans film, absolutely shines here. As does my favourite, Tygh Runyan, who plays the King's Chief of Police. He appears as the plotters nemesis, and is quite often equally as bloody minded when it comes to protecting the Crown. 

The DVD set of series one and two are available at a reasonable amount. I picked it up for £15, knowing well that it'll probably be taken off the iPlayer after a few weeks. Definitely worth a viewing!

King Richard III Retinue 28mm Wars of the Roses

Today myself, Chris and Dave went to the Partizan Wargames show near Newark. It's a very good show, and the venue is the same as the Hammerhead one which was a few weeks ago - so naturally I was pleased with what is now a familiar place with plenty of light, cafeteria facilities etc.

Being only thirty minutes away, it resulted in us getting home before 3pm and I decided to set up my painting station in the garden and make a start on the figures I bought (painting figures on the same day I'd purchased them would have been unheard of a few months ago!). Clearly a sign I'm getting back on top of things.

Anyway, while the undercoats were drying I dug out my Wars of the Roses Richard III retinue and took some photos. As with the Warwick one they're all Perry's plastics and still a part of the eBay haul. I did have to chop and readjust some of the arms and legs, as the previous owner had been a bit overzealous with the glue! Something I was guilty of with my first set of Victrix Napoleonic many moons ago.

I'm really pleased with these, and how the Wars of the Roses project is coming along in general. Next time, some Burgundian Pikemen perhaps?

Wars of the Roses, Earl of Warwick Retinue 28mm.

I had a painting commission for some 28mm Perry Miniatures Wars of the Roses, and found myself with some leftover figures. This prompted an eBay search and the purchase of  three hundred assembled but unpainted plastics for the meagre sum of seventy quid. I decided this would be my 2018 project, plus I could fit it in with the customer's requirement of different WotR retinues. Followers of this blog may recall that I had some lovely Perry's Plastics a few years back which attracted the eye of Wargames Illustrated. It also attracted a buyer who gave me what I considered a silly amount of money for them. That said, there's part of me that wished I'd never sold the collection.

Anyway, it turned out to take a lot longer to begin this project due to my health issue and being parked on the sofa with a hot water bottle stuck to my stomach whilst staring at the ceiling. Luckily the worst is now passed and I'm back into a regular routine of painting and being upright again.

I decided to base them for the Hail Caesar! ruleset and the middle ages supplement. They're going to be an average retinue size of forty figures, archers on the wings with three per 4cm x 4cm base (to give a loose formation) and then the centre consisting of men at arms (four figures per 4cm x 4cm base) and one base of foot knights/command.

The command base with standard will be interchangeable, which is why I didn't apply any heraldic badges on the figures. For instance it means I can swap the standard of Edward IV for Richard Duke of York as both retinues had the same livery colours.