Hi Everyone. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing this Christmas, Rex and I hope you have a happy and safe Xmas and New Years. I'm away on my honeymoon at the moment ( there is an obvious clue to my whereabouts in the images below!) but Im sure Rex might drop an update also in the coming fortnight or so.

about 10 weeks or so ago, Rex and I put out our podcast updating our hobby goals we set at the start of the year. In that episode I was really happy with my hobby output for the year against my goals I had set- with one notable exception; I had committed to painting 100 German Grenadier infantry, and hadnt painted a single one, and despite my having finished dozens of Waffen SS and Panzer Lehr It rankled me that this goal was unfulfilled. 

BUT, with Rex coming over for the wedding, we had a big game planned. It was going to be based during Op. Barbarossa in 1941- and I hadnt a single early war German painted...but the answer was simple; Paint the early war version of the grenadier- the German Infantryman- over a hundred of them!!  

Heres one of the batches, prior to final basing and details and a matt varnish...painting in big batches of 30-40 kept me busy!
Heres a 1940 era infantryman. 1941 was such a time of change in uniform for the Heer infantryman. The change from stone grey to Field gray trousers, collar facings changing but many veterans still retaining their dark green with the new uniforms etc etc...I have tried to reflect that in my infantry but being prudent i painted those with their gas capes worn at the alert ( like in this pic) by Warlord Games with grey trousers to avoid having to paint a further early war force...Im keen but im not THAT crazy. lol.
I had a magnificent suprise when I asked a friend and wargamer  in our group, Colin, if he could help me prep our group game and airbrush the base scheme of the panzer grey vehicles. WOW! i couldnt believe it when he gave me back these finished vehicles!! Thanks Colin!!
including all of these , he also painted and Sdkfz 10/4, which i failed to get a picture of during the game...I was particularly pleased with the way the Pz II came out, which was a Rubicon model and a pleasure to put together. I assembled it as an early model ( Ausf C if i remember correctly!) but i did have the pleasure of encountering this today;

 So anyways, Im VERY pleased to report that I made my 100 German 'grenadiers' ( they werent called grenadiers yet, but ill give myself a break!)...in fact 111 of them, in 3 months, while working and prepping for the wedding and the honeymoon...I think I shall rather unusually give myself a wee pat on the back ;)

I shall look forward to formulating and sharing next years hobby goals with you. probably something to do with all the figures in my luggage from our trip already! 

Talk soon, stay safe and Happy Xmas to you and your families!!

Regards,

Dan