Quarter 3 Week 7 Update: But is it Canon?

Oh my god, it’s Thursday evening already. That must mean it’s time for yet another Hammer the Backlog update. Get ready to get blasted with the weekly scorecard update, the project progress, this week’s models and the now infamous “any other issues” segment. Do you have the balls to read on for this week’s minipainting, accountability and productivity updates? I mean the balls like a cannon ball, not the patriarchy.

SCORECARD

So, on Tuesday evening, as I write this, after cutting it close on getting everything done this week, I finally realised that I had painted 6 Hammer the Backlog points worth of models rather than 5. I forgot that I set warmachines like cannons and bolt throwers as being equivalent to three models, and that the empire cannon, unlike the Dogs of War cannons or the High Elves bolt thrower, actually has 3 crew men not 2.

Other than the fact that it was slightly more models than I’d accounted for, the week was pretty smooth. Except for the fact that I stressed myself out more than was necessary.

Since I got invited to play a game of 5th edition fantasy this weekend, I also decided to get some squires painted to act as a screen for my Bretonnian Knights, and to get some more much needed bodies onto the table.

So not only did I paint up the 6 points of great cannon and crew this week, I also got five squires on foot cleaned up, de-mouldlined, undercoated and got some basic colours on them. Why do I do these things to myself?

Hopefully I will have some nice battle photos to show you next week!

THIS WEEK’S MODELS

The big question this week was, since there is no watercolour plate of a named cannon in the Uniforms and Heraldry book to copy exactly, how would I paint up my great cannon and crew.

The first one that caught my eye was this one, from Altdorf. Since I already have some Company of Honour in the army, they match nicely. And I love the idea of one bright red and one bright blue wheel. Looks spiffy.

I wasn’t sure if faux pike and shot era Holy Roman Empire cannon should be iron or bronze. Or brass? Or steel? Actually, I realise I know almost nothing about historical cannons. In the end in matched the illustration with a dark iron or steel colour with Iron Warriors basecoat and Stormhost Silver highlight.

For some reason. FOR SOME REASON! I decided to paint a wood grain effect on the plain body of the cannon’s carriage. Limber? I know nothing about cannons. I think it looks fine enough, although, as always, a little more time and care might have worked in the end.

I wanted the crew to have broadly the same colour scheme as the company of honour, but to not be uniform. I’m quite pleased with how they turned out, and I think the whole thing looks very nice in the ever growing army shot.

Oh, and apparently I never attached the handles to the cannon! I only noticed that this evening while taking comparison photos. I might still have a sprue in the backlog somewhere, so next time I come across them I’ll pop them on.

A NICE RELAXING WEEKEND AHEAD

Hahaha! I’ve made my bed, I may lie in it! I’ve the five squires to finish before Saturday afternoon, and then 5 more models to done to get back on track for the quarter. That might sound like madness, but what you’ve not realised is that we have our new national bank holiday in Ireland this weekend, so it might just be doable. Thanks, saint brigid, you’re a good egg.

Just like the readers.