Introductory thread

[Bluefalchion]

My user name, Bluefalcon, came to me from when I used to play Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne on line quite a lot. Then I switched to Gameknot for chess, but they already had a Bluefalcon, so I switched to Bluefalchion. A falchion, obviously, is an ancient, curved sword. I read about it in Gene Wolfe's excellent books, The Shadow of the Torturer series.

I am 39 years old, real name of Aaron. I am a public defender in a small town in Washington State, about 2.5 hours drive from Seattle, to the East. When I was 10-17 years of age, I collected many 1:35 and 1:72 plastic soldiers. I got up to about 8,000 figures before I went off to College. About 200 were painted, crudely. I had mainly Airfix, ESCI, Atlantic and Matchbox sets back then, mostly WWII but some ancient world, Napoleonic, "Modern," etc. Used primarily for wargaming with my friends.

I then took 21 years off from the hobby, mixing in college, law school, one marriage, youth soccer coach and local chapter president, being a full time criminal defense attorney, amongst other things. I started getting back into model soldiers afer I discovered the superb website Plastic Soldier Review while browsing one day. At first, it was just great fun to read the reviews (often hilariously negative) of the sets I owned as a kid. I still have them all, by the way. My 1:35 army was lost somewhere along the way, but the little guys survived, intact, in various storage places until they made it back to me. Then I started reading about the authentic, well modeled late-war stuff from Pegasus, Caeser, etc., and I was hooked. I have purchased about 10-15 sets since last year, and am now trying to paint a few of them. The first set back was Pegasus D-Day Rangers.

I am vaguely imagining a D-Day style diorama, and I was trying to find some suitable German opponents. But now I have sort of expanded from that, and am enjoying some relaxing hours just getting the troops in order.

[Killa]

Hello to everyone my name is Sven im 13,i come from Boston,America but for 10 years i live in Zagreb,Croatia,im born 27. of may 1997. im mostly interessed in modern army (both figures and vehicles),but for the start ill paint about 50 easier figures,as modern soldiers have more complicate scheme's that's more less everything about me

Cheers,Sven

[Zed1]

Well... er... hello everyone. My name is Sascha and I'm from Herten in Germany.
I'm 36 years old, married, father of two sons (56 months and 4 months old) and I simply don't have enough time.

I rose up with little plastic soldiers, unpainted axis and allied soldiers that fought their battles all around my nursery. Back when I was seven years old, my dad took me along to a modelling exhibition where he bought me the first two model aircraft - a Mitsubishi Zero and a Ju87. I watched him fixing and painting these planes and I learned everything that I needed to know about building my own model aircrafts. By the age of 14, I had spent lots of money on 1/72 airplanes with wich I played hours and hours. That was the time when I started to build 1/35 tanks and soldiers.

Then, looking for a new challenge, I stumbled accross Airfix sets of Napoleonic figures in 1/72 scale. I bought all available sets and started to paint them. I still have them in a small box - most of them look pretty awful if seen with the eyes of today... I think I'm going to refurbish them some day.

Then came the girls. And the working life. And problems with girls. And with the jobs.

I came back to miniatures some years ago when I got a set of Revell knights that my brother-in-law didn't have anymore use for... from time to time, I bought a new set here and there and spent some time painting.
Today, painting miniature soldiers is more and more becoming my main hobby. You know - I've got a pretty stressy job and two little boys waiting at home. There's work at the office and housework at home and... to be honest, I'm somewhat near to a f*ing burnout.
But when I sit at my desk, painting these little warriors is what really relaxes me. It's better than medicine.

[laurence strong]

Sorry about the late introduction....I will admit I have been somewhat intimidated by the quality of the workman ship here

My name is (see above) though my friends etc call me Larry. I am 56 years old and live in Alberta, Canada. I have done a lot of different jobs I worked drilling rigs for 30 years and did the reg force/ reserve thing in the Canadian Army for around 16 years, most of it being in the "Mo". Currently I work in the prep shop for Xtreme Energy where we build drilling rigs. Just can't seem to get away from the oil patch.

I have modeled all my life with a break during my formative years - the drinking/girls era - and started again in 1980 when my son was born.

I build mostly 20mm though I have started dabbling in 28mm. All my figures are based for war gaming and I have no dioramas.....except for the gaming table

[Lazy Hedgehog]

Hello!

My name is Alexander and I'm from Russia.
I'm 31 years old and I'm a manager in a small company.
Historical books surround me since my childhood. So, it is no wonder, that I like history, especially the ancient period.

I began to paint 1/72 figures long time ago, but the number of painted ones is not great. The word 'Lazy' in my nickname is not a joke. It's almost truth

Also, I am interested in a photography and sometimes two my hobbies fight to each other for my free time.

[lancer miniatures]

Thankyou for the warm welcome. Allow me to introduce myself, My name is KIeven, old now 52, wargamer since I discovered it at school at 12, It has played a big part in my life. Artic driver by trade but I also own Lancer miniatures which sells the ex shellhole scenics range and I am starting a new range of 20mm Russian civil war figures, which I will get posted as soon as possible for your thoughts and opinions.

[Einarolafson]

Hi,

My name is Andrés and I´m writing from North Wales. I´m mainly a 28mm miniature painter but I´m collecting 1/72 miniatures since chilhood. I´m preparing some armies for wargames (FoG, Impetus). The armies: Early Imperial Roman, Dacians, Ancient German, Hussites. I´m painting some WW1 Late German too.

Regards.

Andrés.

[mathew@wartime]

Hello Fella's

I am Mathew, from Brisbane Australia. Always loved 20mm (1/72) scale figures since i was a young bloke playing with 1/72 plastics. Prefer my metals these days and have over the last 12 months began designing and in some cases converting and do partial sculpts of my own 20mm figures which i plug through my own website. In the long term i would love to design every period i can all in 20mm metals.

Love seeing all the 20mm stuff here and in due course will post some pics of what i am working on.

regards
Mathew

[fabriziodavi]

Hi everybody!

Let introduce myself to this very interesting and full of little masterpieces forum: a long time painter, born in 1/72 (mainly for wargames purpose), then switched to 6mm and back again to 1/72. A plastic lover.

Currently painting plastic napoleonics, plastic XVIII GNW and sometimes, when my reumy eyes allows it, 6mm syw.

Fabrizio,

from Italy

[Paintolli]

Hi,
my real name is Oliver, I come from Germany and my age is 46.

The first hobby from me is Cardmodeling wih my own models.
Here you can see what i mean: http://olli.maquettes-papier.net/index.php?

Now it`s time for 1/72 Figures .
I have paint many Figures in 1/32, 1/16 and more, so i hope 1/72 is not to heavy for me

I wish me and you a lot of fun here!

Regards
Olli

[tony24th]

Hello chaps,

Great to be here.

My name is Tony, I'm 30 and from London.
I work in building refurbishment all over the south of England.
I'm a solo wargamer and generally play my own rules, I also paint when the mood takes me.
I've been an enthusiast of 1/72 plastics pretty much my whole life, nothing else comes close (except women ).
I collect mainly ww2, although I have been known to delve into other periods when a good set is released.

Apart from that, I LOVE the zulu war (everything about it) and am interested to a lesser extent in ACW, HYW and the napoleonic wars.

I intend to enter the next painting competition (I've selected the picture and plans already) so you can all have a laugh at my expense.
If there's anything you want to know, feel free to ask.

Thanks

Tony

[tallyho]

hello all my name is daz i use tally ho as i was in the ROYAL AIR FORCE for 12 yrs and now work for europes leading aircraft manufacturer as a paint sprayer , iam married with 2 children
my hobbies are scooters vespa lambretta , i also collect action man and gi joe , but wanted some thing else to do , so ive gone right back into my childhood and gone for 1/72 scale figure s , just after xmas i got some italierie us soldiers and vietcong and airfix jungle out post put them together, considering my job painting 1/72 i found difficult , but with practice i will hopefully get better iam now in the process of painting some strelets colonial highlanders and red box afghan warriors, i am totaly new to this hobby so bare with me on quality of painting and photo's

many thanks
tally ho

[Frater SINISTER]

Salve (Hello),
I'm Matteo, I'm an italian 33 years old guy.
I live in the open countryside of the little town of Savigliano (CN). North-West of Italy, near the frontier with France (about 60km in the south of Torino, do you remember Torino 2006?).

I'm a trader, I have a shop in my little town where I sell models and toys.
I'm a reenactor... In fact I'm a member of a reenacting group from XII-XIII century "Compagnia di S. Uberto" ( http://www.compagniasantuberto.it/ ). I have a costume of a XII century Knight Hospitaller and a XIII century costume of a Crossbowman.

I usually paint miniatures of 25/28mm scale. I'm (or I was) a player of many wargames: Warzone, Warhammer 40.000, Lord of the Rings, Warmachine, Blood Bowl, Mordheim, Warhammer Historical Battle and now Impetus. I never painted (before now) 1/72 plastic miniatures. I tried to play to a WWII 1/72 wargame called "Operation Overlord", but never found players. Actually I found a club near me that play to basic Impetus (using 1/72 miniatures), so I decided to create a parthian army. I'm Impressed about the excellent work done in this scale. Initially I thought that 1/72 miniatures were not for me, because the scale was too small, the plastic and details seem bad. But, now I must admit that there are many nice products.

[Paulo S.]

my name is Paulo Santos I`m Portuguese and I live in swizerland I`m married whith 2 kids I`m a retired diver I have 42.I´m collecting 1/72 miniatures .Regards. Paulo Santos

[Rosbif]

Hi all,

I'm a Napoleonic tragic living in Melbourne, Australia. I collect and wargame with 1/72 plastic and metal figures mainly HaT, Zvezda and Italeri, but also with a smattering of Revell, Armies in Plastic, Waterloo 1815 and SHQ/Kennington. I aim to represent the Peninsula War in particular, but also have a French army compatible with the 1809 Austrian campaign.

Most other wargamers at my club are rusted on to their metal 28mm figures which is a pity, because I think 1/72 plastic is going through a renaissance since the days of Airfix being the only manufacturer of note. 1/72 lends itself best to wargaming in my opinion as it is a medium sized scale, small enough to make large battalions, but still large enough for small scale actions, too.

My mission is to change attitudes at the club to show that 1/72 are worthy figures to wargame with!

You can see more at my blog Monsieur le Rosbif and Johnny Frog http://rosbiffrog.blogspot.com/

I look forward to posting my projects here for all to enjoy and pass comment on!

[Carlo Antonio]

Hello everyone! My name is Carlo. I live in Italy, in Genoa. I have this hobby since 1983. I started to paint the first Space Marine (I own several rare items). Then, I started to paint models in 1 / 72. I like the Napoleonic era and World War II, I'd paint something about the Roman Empire. I think that in this forum I will find many friends!

My blog is : http://militaryminiatures-carloantonio.blogspot.com/

Many thanks !!
Best regards

CarloAntonio

[judgefredd]

Hello !

My name is Frederic, know on this forum and on other ones as Judgefredd.
I’m writing from Orleans in France.
I’m 37 years old and I'm the happy father of 3 little girls of 5, 7 and 9 years old.

I’ve been painting miniatures for a long time now.
I started collecting minis around 12 years old with Esci and Matchbox miniatures.
I then discovered the Citadel Miniatures and started painting for WH40K for years and years. I must now have a 25.000 points Khorne army somewhere in boxes…

I started really painting historical minis something like 3 or 4 years ago. I have a special particularity in the fact that I can’t paint historical AND fantastic miniatures… I have to make a choice !!!
So, I now paint historicals, especially 20mm napoleonics.
I used to play historical wargames along time ago and had a huge collection of AWC 15mm Old Glory miniatures.

I’m also a moderator on a French forum about miniatures called Les 3 Abeilles Figurines.
You can find it here : http://les3abeilles.byethost24.com/

I’ll try to post several photos of my minis soon.

Judge

[etnub185]

hello. For 25 years my collection was packed up and in the attic. Then i discovered all the blogs and saw all the pictures of these incredible figures beautifully painted...in the scale i loved(1\72). It was an ephiany. that was 2 years ago. since then i have been practicing, so now i feel confident enough to where i want to show my `bods`. plus you all seem to have a good time. so i will post soon, i hope.

[Panzergrenadier]

Hello,

My name is Christian, I'm 14 years old and I'm from Zagreb, Croatia.

I can still remember my first model that my dad assembled because I was too young back then...
After that, I built some models time to time, but that was only assembling without painting, or with some details painted with a brush (...like tools on on tanks, etc.)
I really got interested in modeling about a year and a half ago, mainly in armor.

Right now I'm really interested in learning how to sculpture figures...

Greetings,
Christian

[zlikovac]

Thanx for welcome.

My real name is Dragoslav, im from Serbia and now live in Bosnia.
Im a armor modeler (mostly in 1/72 scale) and great fun of acrylic painting small WWII solders.
Im here to learn, ask, see and if i deserve, presenting.

Cheers