No half measures

When you are a crazy person, you should think like a crazy person. Act like a crazy person. Plan like a crazy person. I don't know that I am actually crazy, but I do get some incredulous looks when I tell people what I'm working on, and what my goals are. This is fine, but I feel like people have expectations of me now. I have to continue to make outrageous plans, or they will be disappointed in me. Wouldn't want to be boring...

Anyway, I managed to finish my February painting goals, which is exciting. Of course, I cheated and had to use the first day of March to get the job done, but I figure the effort was there and the results were not far behind. Better late than never. So behold, my final 10 Knights Snow Leopard.

My last Knights Snow Leopard, finally painted

The completion of these 10 guys means that my painted unit is now up to 40 models, matching my Knights of the White Wolf. Behold:

The entire legion of my Knights Snow Leopard

As seen from behind. That is a lot of green stuff cloaks...

I had planned to paint yet more knights as my March target, however I think I need a break. If I am going to keep setting goals, I need to sit down and decide what I would like to paint this month, rather the most efficient thing for the eventual needs of the Kislev game. I might be able to get back onto the knights next month.

Recently I have acquired a number of things to support my plotting. Firstly I bought a bundle of resin bases from Tiny Worlds Wargaming. I got bases for the following: 40 infantry, 24 monstrous infantry, 10 cavalry, 9 chariots, 8 war machines, and 2 unit filler bases designed for a model like a Screaming Bell. 

Resin bases, still in their bags

This is hardly an army's worth of bases, but then I'm not trying to base an army from scratch. I plan to incorporate the bases into my Empire army, as they are a decent match for the styles of bases I have been using, especially those where I have been adding extra rocks made from polystyrene. The resin bases will let me add interest to my units without having to do everything from scratch. And the war machine bases are cool and should improve the look of my artillery.

I added resin bases to 3 of the models in my last batch of my Knights Snow Leopard. It's actually the first time I've ever done anything with resin, but they were very easy to work with. Somewhat riskily I have left one of them hooked to the base by a single hoof, however being able to pin the model to the base means I might get away with it. I forgot to do anything like wash the resin before I painted it, however I didn't notice any issues so there can't have been much mould release agent on it.

3 knights on Tiny Worlds Wargaming resin bases

My other recent purchase was movement trays. I do have a large number of movement trays that I have assembled over the years, however planning for larger games reveals just how quickly my stocks will run out. I also keep planning armies with units in formations that don't match my movement trays. I figured something needed to be done.

70-odd steel movement trays from Shogun Miniatures

Above you can see my movement tray order. They came from Shogun Miniatures, and were very affordable despite having to pay the usual extortionate shipping from the US (admittedly my order totalled about 5kg). I have everything from horde trays for 40 25mm bases (or 20 cavalry) through to detachments of 5 20mm bases. All told, if I filled all the trays with infantry, I think they would hold around 1,600 models. Not bad, eh? I figure if I find myself running out of movement trays now, I know I am playing a good-sized game...

I've included some pictures below to show how the trays fit. The flanged lip is about 3mm high - fairly unobtrusive, but enough to keep the models in place. I don't magnetise my models, but for the countless people who do, the bases would be ideal. Once I've painted and textured the edges on some, I will show you how they turn out.

5 Dryads make for a nice, snug fit

10 Knights leave a bit of wriggle room, due to GW cavalry bases being less than 25mm wide (why they never corrected this, I do not know)

10 Flagellants fit quite neatly