Russian Orthodox Priest

As a follow-on to yesterday's post, have just finished the Orthodox priest for my Renaissance Muscovites. The casting deserved a general clean-up, and some fine sandpaper greatly improved the appearance of the coattails and hat. Some black enamel on those areas having lost their priming, and it was ready to repaint. Still don't know who manufactured this figure, but I like it, and I granted my priest some silver ornaments. MGB

Zaporozhian Cossacks,

As a policy, I don't purchase painted figures. My reasons are in part a lack of funds to pay for such a service, and the likelihood I will still want to repaint them, or at the very least rebase them. But having looked at these on several occasions, I decided to take the plunge. I paid £24 including postage from my friend Ian Hinds, the figures were formerly part of John Tuckey's massive collection, also an old time friend. I'm very pleased with this purchase. The drummer will be converted and repainted, and then drafted either into the artillery or the provincial Streltsy baggage-guards. The Orthodox priest is a character I've been wanting for some time, I would welcome any information on who cast this excellent figure? Yes, it will be repainted. As for the eighteen cossacks however. These are OOP Essex castings, a shame really as they are very fine. I already have two in my collection, and although some of these additions have had their bardiche axes converted into a more conventional style, they don't look out of place. On the positive side, the figures really only require tidying up, shading, some highlighting, and rebasing. MGB

Andalusian, Almohad/Marinid, and Hafsid garrison flags

Just completed a few more garrison flags for my several Arab and Moorish dynasties. As these are based on Christian manuscripts , their accuracy may be in some doubt, but they are too colourful to reject completely. The top two are for my Hafsids. The checkered flag and the field command flag will be used by the Almohad/Marinid army. The six pointed star flag is influenced by one used by Moors in Spain, but could also represent Jewish allies. Even when staging small war-games these large banners add a great deal to the visual impact. MGB

Landscape addition, on a budget

A visit yesterday to a local charity shop furnished an item which has made a nice landscape addition. It was originally some kind of resin table light ornament on an African theme. Quite tacky really, and missing the internal light, but they were only asking £1. At that price it was worth a gamble. With the project finished, scatter materials added to the trees, the waterfall narrowed and rejuvenated, here we see an Ottoman baggage train passing through Transylvania. (The elephants are not badly cast, and they too have been saved for a future project?) MGB

CAMPAIGN NEWS (No.1) RECRUITS preparing for War

With Muscovy preparing a campaign against the Crim Tartars the Tsar has approved further recruiting. The first batch of the 1st Moscow Streltsy (in red) are now complete. This being a large regiment, authorised to have 1500 men, a second batch of recruits are expected. Both the 7th and 10th Moscow Regiments have now been increased to 1000 men each with the arrival of their colonels. The water cart has gained a driver, a large garrison flag is ready, and the first of some irregular light horse has made an appearance. It appears a Dutch gentleman with naval experience has been hired to command the gun boat, he is still having his uniform tailored. Reports have been received that a substantial force of Ottomans have disembarked on the Crimea peninsular, this was to be expected. MGB