Carribbean: First off 'Little Ships' coastal modules

The last couple of days I've been making some initial coastal modules for my littel ships, I decided on a small coastal port. Three modules, overall length 12 inches.

These are just 3mm MDF cut to shape, painted over in sand colour with mid-green, plus a little static grass, some small grass tufts and some foliage clusters. Monopoly houses painted up - door/window detail added with fine black marker pen; the little church is made-up from a hotel/house and some scrap bits.

Caribbean: back to the little ships ...

For some time I've wanted to make some scenic items to use with my little ships to make for more interest; so I've in mind coastal modules, islands, coast port/harbour etc. I wanted some buildings and the Monopoly plastic buildings are about the right size, so when I managed to buy a cheap old Monopoly set I was ready to tryout some of my ideas. I also managed to source some more little ships, HMS Victory, clipper ship and Mayflower.

I did some measuring and the little ship models I use are approximately 1/1200 scale, this gives me the option of using Rod Langton 1/1200 buildings/accessories. 

I made up a couple of coastal modules using 3mm MDF, and tried out some Monopoly plastic buildings  to check the effect.

Seems ok to me, now I'll finish off the modules I've started...

India: Books Of Interest

I've been doing some background reading before I start work on the sepoys and native troops.

Firstly a good read on the life of' Lord Clive, Colonel G.B. Malleson; published orginally in 1893,

Malleson also wrote a book about the frenchman Dupleix  (Title: Rulers of India, Dupleix).

Secondly 'Britains Army In India' by James P Lawford, covers the period from the inception of the East India company up to the end of the Seven Years War.

India: Native Artillery - new arrivals

Newly arrived and now part of my lead pile, these lovely guns and crew from Indus Miniatures.

A little preparation ...

Now I've finished the main europeans for India and most of my other carribean 'colonials'/pirates, before I embark on getting the Indian sepoys and native allies I needed to sort out storage space; after getting a permit from SWMBO I was allowed to take over a 'spare' wardrobe', so I added an extra shelf and now have ample space for my pirate island/ coast terrain modules, jungle trees, pirates, ships and colonial troops - with enough space to expand a bit :)

I've also got a small order in with Indus Miniatures for some native indian guns and crew which I'm waiting for, can't wait to see what their like. In addition the elephants which I undercoated last year (oops - a long wait they've had) have now had their second coat of brown wash - one step nearer to painting them !

India: English Europeans on Parade

Lord Clove and his trusty adjutant  ride round the parade outside the fort,  he passes the converged grenadiers and goes to take a look at his newly formed dragoons

Next up the Madras european regiment with the german/swiss battalion (mostly recruited in europe from Wittenberg and Fenwick) at the rear ..

Finally the english regulars, IR39 Aldercrons, they look in fine shape ...

Lord Clove has a last look round before returning to the fort for a spot of tiffin ...

Caribbean: Shipyards re-open...

I wanted a couple of extra smaller ships for my pirate games; so I bought two from the same toy range that my large pirate ship came from - these need a bit of a rebuild for better decks for guns and figs.

I've finished the initial rework of the smaller one, still have to add a couple of cannon etc