Carry on Cowboy

 

I've hit a bit of a painting block recently, not for the first time.  Last year was a really good spell for me with lots of figures painted (mainly Wars of the Roses) and I started this year with 2 or 3 new things in the go.  I find I need more than one project or In get easily bored.

I've assembled and painted my Roman-British/Arthurian infantry, painted (but not based) some models for Gamma Wolves (although I'm now not sure these are the right models for this project) and started on some.of the 54mm Paper Soldiers.  But over the last month or so I've kind of run out of steam.

I know when this happens I need to find something different to distract me and, after a bit of thinking, I remembered the mdf Wild West buildings I'd bought over a lengthy period of time a couple of years ago.  Assembling buildings felt like a bit of a break from painting and would hopefully be understanding, although I'm notoriously impatient and cack-handed when it comes to this sort of thing.

I dug out the Wild West box from the loft and found that I had quite a few more buildings than I remembered.  I'd also painted up a dozen or so cowboys from Artizan... I was shocked to discover I painted these 3 years ago and they still haven't made it onto the table!  

I got to it with PVA and a lack of patience and after a couple of, at times, very frustrating evenings (I need to learn to leave pieces to dry properly and not to fiddle with them!) I have a nice collection of buildings ready for painting.

So, first up is the enormous Warehouse and extension set from TT Combat.  I was given this a few years ago (I think in a giveaway another blogger was doing and embarrassingly I can't remember who!). Although this is listed in their Wild West range it would do for any game set in the 19thC or later.  I'd always been slightly intimidated by this kit so outsourced the assembly to my son who is much better as this sort of thing.

It's a huge model, especially with the extension added.  Unfortunately you need to have it either permanently built on to the side of the main warehouse or not at all, and it seemed a shame not to use it.  It dwarfs the other buildings so would really need to be used in a  different set up... perhaps as part of a mine or in a  more industrial setting. Storage is the biggest issue although it's big enough that I can store other buildings inside it!

The next building is my only 4Ground building.  These are very nice and obviously have the advantage of being pre-painted but are also quite pricey.

The rest of the buildings. The fencing for the corral and the boardwalks are mainly from TT Combat.  The Jailhouse and blacksmith are by Sarissa.  These are definitely nicer than the TT Combat models but again are a bit more expensive.

Of course you have to have a gallows...

The inside of the Jailhouse.

Every town needs a saloon

...and a general store.

 By a stroke of coincidence my pre-order of the new plastic Gunfighters from Great Escape Games turned up as I was building the houses.  And then to provide the final bit of inspiration I needed, Carry on Cowboy was on tv!  Welcome to Stodge City!

So now to do a bit of painting, but already I have the makings of a decent sized town.  Of course I'm now thinking of all the extra bits that I will need to add....