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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Back to the Reconquista

After a very long hiatus from the painting table (almost two years!), a unit for this long neglected project was pushed into the painting queue.  Why so long of a layoff from the project?  Good question.  I suppose so many projects and not enough time.  Coupled with my more active projects, du jour, and the long time since the Reconquista troops last saw the gaming table, this absence is really no surprise.  
Off the painting desk today is a BMU of twelve Black Tree Design Warriors of Islam figures.  The seven crossbowmen are flanked by two spear-wielding guards to discourage enemy cavalry while they ply their trade.  Up next is a similar unit of crossbowmen but for the opposition.  

48 comments:

  1. Arabs would have invented the pike and shot? 🙄
    Beautiful colours!
    Bravo Jonathan! 😀

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    1. Well, Arabs were at the forefront of many inventions. Why not pike and shot tactics too?

      Thank you!

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  2. Nice work again, Jonathan! You certainly are pumping these out at a steady and impressive rate.

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    1. Thank you, Dean! You may see a dip in the painting output soon...

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  3. At first I just saw the powder blue headgear against the contrast of the figure and I thought very nice .... then I noticed the clever and subtle patter on the clothing and thought very nice - so that’s two very nices (I don’t think that is a word, at least my spell checker doesn’t think so!)

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    1. Norm, you are always very kind on my work. Always appreciated too! For the patterns on the clothing, I am a bit of an impressionist and not a realist.

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  4. Lovely looking Arab unit, nice to see you back in this period!
    Best Iain

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  5. Once again, beautiful work Jonathan. I have read a few comments about BTD withdrawing a lot of their figures for retooling ....hopefully they all come back, as they are very nice miniatures indeed...love the basing and the size of the BMU as well!

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    1. Thank you, Keith! Looks like the BTD plan is to resculpt and then present as Kickstarters. We will see how that goes.

      Glad you like the size and density of the base!

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  6. Lovely work Jonathan and the patterns on the cloth is brilliant and really makes the unit look lovely.

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  7. Quality Johnathan, I really admire the neatness of your basing and paint techniques, well done.

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    1. Robbie, your feedback is most appreciated and very kind. Thank you!

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  8. Very nice Jonathan...
    That white and light blue mix does work rather well....

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thank you, Aly! I like the white and blue combo, myself.

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  9. Neat work Jonathan, especially the patterned tunics and the spearman’s quilted armour.

    I guess your foot is close to healing by now?

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    1. Glad you like them, Mike!

      Yes, leg is healing. Out of cast and now working on physical therapy.

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  10. Nice work again Jonathan. I love the spearmen standing guard in particular.

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  11. Beautiful unit Jonathan! Love the tunics!

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  12. Truly superb, lovely white color on a great base!

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  13. Good looking units. The patterning on the uniforms must have taken a steady hand.

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    1. Thank you, Peter! A steady hand helps but even I can make a few impressionistic dot patterns.

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  14. Another lovely unit Jonathan. How’s the leg?

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    1. Thank you, Mark! THe leg is improving. Been out of cast for about three weeks and retraining my muscles to work properly again. Leg continues to remain swollen most of the time but I am on the road to recovery. I appreciate you checking in!

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  15. Nice to see figures for this under represented but very interesting period. Being a man of a certain age, always conjures up images of Charlton Heston as El Cid.

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    1. Ed, it was a pleasure returning to this long, neglected period of mine. This period conjures up images of Charlton Heston for me too.

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  16. Very nice, I would like to use more BTD WWII but am afraid of the wait time, pity those are lovely.

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    1. Thanks, George! Not only are there wait times but many of the ranges have been withdrawn. Luckily, I over ordered (not a surprise) and have enough to last a while.

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  17. They are great figures, easy to paint and have plenty of character, it is a pity Black tree let you down when you order, I have Celt chariots on order for 8 months and have never heard a peep from them, and given up the email follow up.

    Thought about another order but stopped myself, now they have changed name again.

    Cheers
    Matt

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    1. Great figures and easy to paint, for sure. Too bad BTD is having production issues. For now, I have given up on them. I had Celtic chariots on order from last May. I gave up on that order and finally got a refund.

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  18. Another nice looking formation. Well done.

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  19. Really like that blue, Jonathan. Great figs well painted as always!

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  20. Very handsome Islamic foot, Jon!

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  21. Really great job on these miniatures! I like the subtle patterns in the clothing. I must admit that I embarrassingly failed my history check and don’t immediately know what is meant by the reconquista. 😀
    I think everyone has 1 or 2 or 15 miniatures projects that have seen some love in awhile.

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    1. Thanks, much, Stew!

      In a nutshell, think of the Reconquista as a nearly 800 year campaign for the Christians to take back control of the Iberian Peninsula from the Moors.

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