I started this blog on 21 Feb 2001 and then Migrated Balagan to WordPress on 15 Sep 2013. So, roughly 4.5 years ago. One of the great things about WordPress, compared to the hand crafted HTML site I had before, is that I get statistics on page views. Apparently I’ve had 1,176,779 views since I migrated and 1,125 comments. My biggest day (23 Feb 2018) brought 2,420 views – this was because Reddit got hold of my Academy of Street Fighting: Tactics during the Battle of Stalingrad post. Today is a typical day with 750 views.
Painting Guide
Painting wargaming figures is a key part of the wargaming hobby so I’ve a collection of painting guides, photo galleries and uniform guides to help out.
WW2 Painting Guide: Kiwi and British in the Mediterranean
This WW2 Painting Guide shows how to paint the 2 New Zealand Division, and other Commonwealth/British, who fought in the Mediterranean. It solely uses Vallejo Model Colour range of paints.
I have used four sources: Battle Front, SHQ, Artizan Designs, and Crac des Chevaliers.
WW2 Painting Guide: Soviet Motorised Rifle Battalion with Vallejo Paints
I’ve started painting my Soviet Motorised Rifle Battalion. Only one company done so far but I thought I’d record for prosperity (and when I next pick up the brushes) how I’ve painted them. I’ve used Vallejo paints for everything.
Portable Photography Studio: Perfect for Wargaming Figures
One of my better wargaming purchases in the last few years was a “HQ Portable Mini Camera Photography Lighting Studio”. Basically a small home photography studio and great for taking close ups of wargaming figures.
Painting Guide for Viluma 1815
A painting guide for the Battle of Viluma / Sipe Sipe of 1815.
You can never have too many trucks
“You can never have too many trucks” is a catch phrase of Megablitz players, and, in fact, of players of other operational games such as Not Quite Mechanised. You see Megablitz includes rules for logistics and transport for those supplies is very important. Megablitz forces also need headquarters and signals units; signals units in particular are something that rarely appear on a wargaming table.
Steven’s Late Imperial Romans
For the Fall of Rome and the Barbarian Kingdoms I’ve a Barbarian Horde that can act as Suevi, Vandal, Visigothic and Late Imperial Romans. I picked the Romans up from Ross Pirie before I left New Zealand. Ross painted the Romans, Huns, and some of the Barbarian Horde. I have reflocked them all using my standard flocking method.
Steven’s Fall of Rome Barbarian Horde
For the Fall of Rome and the Barbarian Kingdoms I’ve a Barbarian Horde that can act as Suevi, Vandal, Visigothic, or similar, plus Alan allies, and the Romans to fend them off. My favourite Horde are the Suevi = but my overall favourites are the Alans.
Painting Guide for the South American Wars of Liberation
These are just rough notes about how to pant specific units. Refer elsewhere for more complete guidance, including:
WW2 Painting Guide: Fallschirmjaeger
I needed a painting for my Fallschirmjaeger in a hurry – so Roland Davis could paint some more. So I took some snaps of my existing figures. This is one of my WW2 Painting Guides.
Painting Skin Tones on 15mm Wargaming Figures
Some notes on painting skin tones. Bear in mind I paint 15mm figures using the black undercoat.
Animal Blinds: Ghosts in the African Darkness
For the Portuguese Colonial War – set in Africa – I used Wild Animals as my Blinds. Lion, Tiger, Giraffe, Rhino, Croc, African Cow, Hippo, Ostrich, Antelope, Warthog, Hyena and Ape on a tree. This is also a nod to the movie “Ghosts in the Darkness” where some supposedly supernatural lions kills a whole bunch of people in southern Africa.
Stevens Insurgents for the Portuguese Colonial War
This is my Insurgent ‘army’ for the Portuguese Colonial War. I’m also painting a Portuguese force.
Steven’s Portuguese for the Portuguese Colonial War on Individual Bases
This is my Portuguese ‘army’ for the Portuguese Colonial War. I’m also painting a generic Insurgent force.