When I was last telling you lies, mentioned how much I liked Neldoreth’s approach to keeping tabs on the pile – Keeping a tally of Unpainted Figure Totals. While I’m not planning on having an ongoing tally of what I haven’t painted, I did decide to get a clearer idea of just how much crap I HAVE and how much of it is painted versus unpainted… So, over the last week I’ve stayed up to absurd hours tallying up all the lead and here’s what I’ve come up with…
I should mention that this is only the 25/28mm stuff, which is all I’m really concerned with and seem to paint these days – I have scads of 20mm stuff and I don’t even want to think about tallying that right now. I do still have a few 15mm items after THE PURGE – but that’s pretty static – I won’t ever be adding to it and most of it is painted, I also have a handful of micro sci-fi stuff… not really worth counting at this point…
I’ve only counted foot, mounted, vehicles and guns… some things aren’t exactly what they might seem they should be… some fantasy giants I classed as “mounted” because I figured they involved as much work as a typical cavalryman… stuff like wolves (which are classed as mounted in HOTT) I counted as foot (unless, of course it had a rider). I counted war elephants with crews and chariots both as “vehicles”…. Guns, including any artillery piece (catapults, ballistae, etc) I counted them separate sometimes… others, if they were small and simple I think I just counted as “foot”…
Some things I counted I knew I would never, ever use (stuff bought in a pack of 6 and I only need four, etc…) I thought about not counting them at all… but I do HAVE them so they are counted for now… At some point when I have finished the projects they are for and I’m certain I will never use them I’ll dispose of them… but I’m not sure how, I mean what do you do with three 25mm Mysian Peltasts… or two 25mm Illyrian Light Cavalry…? It would cost more to mail them to someone than they are worth… I guess I should just worry about it when I get done with them… probably just melt them down…
Fantasy
“Generic” Fantasy
Humans - Painted: 112ft, Unpainted: 88ft/12mtd
Dwarves - Painted: 86ft/1mtd, Unpainted: 146ft
Elves - Painted: 73ft/10mtd, Unpainted: 142ft/14mtd
Undead - Painted: 55ft, Unpainted: 142ft/4veh/11mtd
Orcs - Painted: 101ft/18mtd, Unpainted: 99ft/2mtd
Halflings - Painted: 21ft, Unpainted: 16ft
Dark Elves - Painted: 5ft, Unpainted: 26ft
HOTT Chicks - Painted: 53ft/3mtd, Unpainted: 76ft/2mtd
Narnia - Unpainted: 18ft
Centaurs - Painted: 4mtd, Unpainted: 13mtd
Assorted Monsters and Minions – Painted: 50ft, Unpainted: 33ft
“Generic” Fantasy TOTAL - Painted: 574ft/36mtd Unpainted: 783ft/52mtd/4veh
Lord of the Rings
Rohan - Painted: 13ft/15mtd, Unpainted: 15ft/18mtd
Isengard - Painted: 84ft/2mtd, Unpainted: 7ft/6mtd
Mordor - Painted: 29ft, Unpainted: 45ft/1mtd
Moria - Painted: 5ft, Unpainted: 85ft
Other stuff Painted: 12ft, Unpainted: 75ft/7mtd
LOTR TOTAL: Painted: 133ft/7mtd, Unpainted 227/32mtd
Fantasy TOTAL: Painted 707ft/43mtd, Unpainted: 1013ft/84mtd/4veh
Ancients
Macedonian Successors
Cassander/Antipatros/Macedonia - Painted: 1veh, Unpainted: 60ft/6mtd
Lysemachos - Unpainted: 61ft/5mtd
Antigonos - Unpainted: 54ft/8mtd/1veh
Seluekos - Unpainted: 44ft/8mtd/3veh
Ptolemaios - Unpainted: 60ft/8mtd/1veh
Classic Indian - Unpainted: 45ft/6mtd/3veh
Skythian - Unpainted: 18ft/30mtd
Thracian - Unpainted: 38ft/9mtd
Assorted extras: 80ft/18mtd
Early Imperial Romans - Painted: 85ft/7mtd Unpainted: ~300ft/30mtd/8veh
Early Germans - Unpainted: 86ft/10mtd
Ancients TOTAL: Painted: 1 Elephant, Unpainted:793ft/138mtd/
Dark Ages
Anglo-Saxon/Danish - Painted: 122ft, Unpainted: 88ft/2mtd
Norse - Painted: 137ft/6mtd, Unpainted: 144ft
Normans/West Franks - Painted: 40ft/25mtd, Unpainted: 18ft/8mtd
Pre-Feudal Scotts - Unpainted: 61ft/5mtd
Norse Irish - Painted: 25ft, Unpainted: 41ft
Welsh - Painted: 4ft, Unpainted:98ft/3mtd
Picts - Painted: 19ft/4mtd, Unpainted: 51ft/1veh
Assorted dark ages junk: Unpainted: 80ft/7mtd
Dark Ages TOTAL: Painted: 347ft/35mtd, Unpainted: 581ft/25mtd/1veh
Samurai Japan - Painted: 74ft/3mtd, Unpainted: 168ft/5mtd
English Civil War - Painted: 43ft/4mtd, Unpainted: 283ft/43mtd
18th Century
British - Painted: 108ft/2mtd, Unpainted: 141ft/2guns
French - Painted: 173ft/9mtd/2gun, Unpainted: 93ft/13mtd
Indians - Painted: 10ft, Unpainted: 77ft
Jacobites - Painted: 29ft, Unpainted: 54ft
Pirates - Painted: 83ft, Unpainted: 65ft
Civillians - Painted: 54ft, Unpainted: 25ft/3mtd
18th Century TOTAL: Painted: 457ft/11mtd/2guns, Unpainted: 355/16mtd/2guns
Late 19th Century
British/Indians - Painted: 109ft/3mtd, Unpainted: 59ft
Mahdists - Painted: 31ft, Unpainted: 9ft
Zulus/Darkest Africa - Painted: 8ft, Unpainted: 17ft
Martians - Unpainted: 39 ft/1mtd
Wild West - Painted: 41, Unpainted: 32ft/1mtd
Canadians - Painted: 14ft/5mtd, Unpainted: 12ft
Metis - Painted: 5ft, Unpainted: 12ft
Victorian Horror/SF –Painted: 115ft, Unpainted: 40ft/1mtd
19th Century TOTAL: Painted: 323ft/8mtd/1gun, Unpainted: 213ft/2mtd
Great War
Western Front
Canadians - Painted: 248ft/1mtd, Unpainted: 18ft/14mtd/2veh
Germans - Painted: 159ft/7mtd/1gun, Unpainted: 10ft/1veh
Back of Beyond
White Russians - Painted: 126ft/22mtd/1gun/1veh, Unpainted: 4ft/1gun
Bolsheviks - Painted: 104ft/3mtd, Unpainted: 10ft/1veh
Chinese - Painted: 160ft/14mtd, Unpainted: 5ft/1veh
Turks - Painted: 8ft/1gun, Unpainted: 9ft/5mtd
Great War in Africa
British - Painted: 60ft/1veh
Germans - Painted: 36ft
Early 20th Century TOTAL: Painted: 901ft/47mtd/2gun/2veh, Unpainted: 56ft/19mtd/5veh/1gun
Pulp Adventure - Painted: 93ft, Unpainted: 41ft/2mtd/4veh
World War Two
British Commandos - Painted: 55ft, Unpainted: 40ft
British/Canadian Paratroopers - Painted: 59ft, Unpainted: 22ft/1gun
LRDG/SAS/Desert Commandos - Painted: 20ft, Unpainted: 11ft
Legion Etranger - Painted: 30ft
Deutches Afrika Korps - Painted: 35ft, Unpainted: 13ft
Germans - Painted: 64ft, Unpainted: 38ft/1gun/1veh
Resistance/Partisans - Painted: 26ft, Unpainted: 7ft
WW2 TOTAL: Painted: 339ft/1veh, Unpainted: 173ft/3veh/3gun
Vietnam
Americans - Painted: 83ft, Unpainted: 4ft/4veh
ANZACs - Painted: 8ft
Vietnamese Civillians - Painted: 20ft
Vietcong - Painted: 67ft
PAVN - Painted: 35ft, Unpainted: 4ft
Viet Nam TOTAL: Painted: 213ft, Unpainted: 6ft/4veh
Modern Military
British Desert SAS - Painted: 19ft
Afghans - Painted: 18ft
Russians - Painted: 33ft/1veh
British 70’s/80’s - Painted: 19ft/1veh
British 1990’s+ - Painted: 24ft
USA - Painted: 9ft
Canadians - Painted: 5ft
SWAT - Painted: 13ft
East Germans – Painted 8ft
Mercs – Painted 8ft
Modern Military TOTAL: Painted: 156ft/2veh
Other Modern
Super Heroes & Villains - Painted: 20ft, Unpainted: 26ft
Civillians - Painted: 49ft, Unpainted: 44ft
Other Modern TOTAL: Painted: 69ft, Unpainted: 66ft
Sci-fi
Eldar and Harlequins - Painted: 14, Unpainted: 55ft/3veh (+40ft)
Imperial Guard - Painted: 18ft, Unpainted: 34ft/1veh
Other stuff - Painted: 103ft/1veh, Unpainted: 140ft/7mtd/1veh
Sci-Fi TOTAL: Painted: 135ft/1veh, Unpainted: 269ft/7mtd/5veh
Critters – Pianted: 28ft, Unpainted: 30ft
TOTAL PAINTED
3971 Foot
158 Mounted
7 Vehicles
5 Guns
TOTAL UNPAINTED
4047 Foot
341 Mounted
34 Vehicles
10 Guns
Hmmmmm… So that’s what it all adds up to after 20 or so years at it… (after a couple of purges…). Based on how much I picked up this year and a notion that I did the same last year… about a quarter of what I currently have was acquired in the last two years…
I’d say about a HALF of the painted stuff was painted in the last three and a half years – when I started getting really focused on projects and trying to STAY focused on them.
Of course, as I mentioned earlier, this doesn’t even take into account the 15mm and 20mm stuff I still have… Oi!!
So, if I didn’t buy ANY more toys… and continued to paint at the frenetic rate I’ve been going at all year… I could be finished all this in four years… Yeah… that’s going to happen (no, not really). Still I should really sit down and figure out some sort of plan or schedule or priority list to get a clear sense of when I'm going to get to what and work on shrinking the damn pile!!
I should do this again in December… Compare the painting total versus what I purchased and what I’ve still got to do… and add that to the running total of "vital statistics" I keep tabs on...
Damn… I just realized I have a box full of Blood Bowl stuff hiding somewhere… I should have dug that out as that might have put me over on the painted vs unpainted foot at least… Ah, well…
When I started out on this I had originally broken things down into figures on stands (for DBA/HOTT/etc) versus individually mounted for skirmishing. It got to be too much of a pain in the ass right off because there was a lot of fantasy stuff that I wasn’t sure if I’d ever get around to using for HOTT and figured, thus, that I’d just base anything that wasn’t individually and use it for skirmishing…
I should really go through all these again and really sort out what I definietely AM going to use at some point and get trade away some of the stuff that I KNOW I never will… like the 40 or so plastic Eldar (that I only just bought this year!?) – I ended up getting a pile of older metal ones (some from Cory, some from ebay) and the plastic ones are just junk by comparison… really, when am I ever going to get around to painting the 50+ cool ones… let alond do anything with those plastic ones!?
Here’s the really stupid part… despite that huge pile of unpainted lead (and plastic) there’s other things I’d still like to pick up!? Oh… not piles… not another 1000 or so… but I would like to pick up enough stuff to be able to put together TWO Samurai armies – and have a few more for skirmishing… I’d like to pick up a few more highland dwarves so I can field an entire HOTT army of them… There are the Ghost Miniatures SAMURAI DWARVES…. Plus a few other bits and individual figures that might be fun for this or that…
Ugh….
Anyway… back to painting!!!
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I finished up 12 Norman Knights (4 stands) earlier this evening, I just have to finish the basing details… pics should be up in teh next day or so – then it’s on to Anglo-Saxons/Danish!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Roger’s Rangers
Here is a stand of “Jägers” for my18th Century British DBA army…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are from RAFM’s French and Indian War range. I’ve had these for ages and just repainted them to bring them up to current standards and fit in with the rest of the army. I have a bunch more… I guess I could do another two stands or so for when I get around to doing REALLY BIG battles…
One more stand of British and I can play a game… I guess I COULD play with one short… or use one of the French guns as a British one (They’re both in blue coats with red facings, right?) or something like that…
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I had hoped I’d be able to finish off the Norman Army this week, but two board meetings and a Halloween party are putting a serious cramp in my painting productivity… that and I’ve been doing a massive stock taking of all the 28mm miniatures I have to get an idea of how many I actually have and what percentage are actually painted!? More on that soon!
Hopefully I will finish up stock taking AND maybe finish up the Normans on Friday night... ? We shall see..
Unfortunately I just bought 40 new figures!? They're old AEG Clan War Samurai - similar to (if not the same as) the ones still being sold by Magnificent Ego for about $5US a piece - and I got the whole she-bang for just over $30US including shipping!? How could I pass that up!?I should still be able to paint more than I've purchased this year..
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are from RAFM’s French and Indian War range. I’ve had these for ages and just repainted them to bring them up to current standards and fit in with the rest of the army. I have a bunch more… I guess I could do another two stands or so for when I get around to doing REALLY BIG battles…
One more stand of British and I can play a game… I guess I COULD play with one short… or use one of the French guns as a British one (They’re both in blue coats with red facings, right?) or something like that…
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I had hoped I’d be able to finish off the Norman Army this week, but two board meetings and a Halloween party are putting a serious cramp in my painting productivity… that and I’ve been doing a massive stock taking of all the 28mm miniatures I have to get an idea of how many I actually have and what percentage are actually painted!? More on that soon!
Hopefully I will finish up stock taking AND maybe finish up the Normans on Friday night... ? We shall see..
Unfortunately I just bought 40 new figures!? They're old AEG Clan War Samurai - similar to (if not the same as) the ones still being sold by Magnificent Ego for about $5US a piece - and I got the whole she-bang for just over $30US including shipping!? How could I pass that up!?I should still be able to paint more than I've purchased this year..
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Campaign for Kümer – Year Three Summer
The Map
With the news that Marrow had fallen to the Warrior Women, Bolg Skullcrusher decided he would not be subject to the Sapphists and making a living in this land of Kümer was too much work. The warhost gave up their siege of Skohln and headed east to return to their ancestral homelands…
A small number of the Grummsh remained in the area of Crudd. The Army of the Sapphic League marched there but were unable to pacify the area during the summer and would be caught up in a small guerilla war there at least until fall.
When news of the fall of Marhan reached Jarl Thorvald Skardsen he immediately gave orders to give up the siege of Toctglenn and head back south! They marched south west to Cognomen to meet the fleet and sailed back for Marhan. Upon their arrival they found the city half in ruins and firmly under control of the orcs. They laid siege to it, but the orcs held on through the summer and could not be persuaded to give up the city.
The Filed Army of Valishog had moved on and invested the capitol of Ludharn! King Claudius, his resolve stiffened by the news his general and the Field Army was on it’s way home, held on through the summer.
Meanwhile, the Ilferien, having set up their administration in Praenomen, were back on the march. They headed back to Cognomen, then west to Wienglenn! There they called for the surrender of the fortress. Seeing the Elves as liberators, the Dwarves within murdered the Orc garrison and flung the doors open to welcome their esteemed guests!
Country: Tria Nomina – Vassal of the Ilferien
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Nomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 16AP (6AP are accompanying the Ilferien)
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg, Marrow
Location of Field Army: Crudd
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 22AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen, Weinglenn
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 4
Army Size: 20AP (+6AP of Tria Nominian Allies)
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities:
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Skohln
Location of Field Army: Marhan (siege)
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 14AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn, Marham
Location of Field Army: Ludharn (siege)
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Capitol:
Other Cities:
Location of Field Army: Disbanded
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: Disbanded
With the news that Marrow had fallen to the Warrior Women, Bolg Skullcrusher decided he would not be subject to the Sapphists and making a living in this land of Kümer was too much work. The warhost gave up their siege of Skohln and headed east to return to their ancestral homelands…
A small number of the Grummsh remained in the area of Crudd. The Army of the Sapphic League marched there but were unable to pacify the area during the summer and would be caught up in a small guerilla war there at least until fall.
When news of the fall of Marhan reached Jarl Thorvald Skardsen he immediately gave orders to give up the siege of Toctglenn and head back south! They marched south west to Cognomen to meet the fleet and sailed back for Marhan. Upon their arrival they found the city half in ruins and firmly under control of the orcs. They laid siege to it, but the orcs held on through the summer and could not be persuaded to give up the city.
The Filed Army of Valishog had moved on and invested the capitol of Ludharn! King Claudius, his resolve stiffened by the news his general and the Field Army was on it’s way home, held on through the summer.
Meanwhile, the Ilferien, having set up their administration in Praenomen, were back on the march. They headed back to Cognomen, then west to Wienglenn! There they called for the surrender of the fortress. Seeing the Elves as liberators, the Dwarves within murdered the Orc garrison and flung the doors open to welcome their esteemed guests!
Country: Tria Nomina – Vassal of the Ilferien
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Nomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 16AP (6AP are accompanying the Ilferien)
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg, Marrow
Location of Field Army: Crudd
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 22AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen, Weinglenn
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 4
Army Size: 20AP (+6AP of Tria Nominian Allies)
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities:
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Skohln
Location of Field Army: Marhan (siege)
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 14AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn, Marham
Location of Field Army: Ludharn (siege)
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Capitol:
Other Cities:
Location of Field Army: Disbanded
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: Disbanded
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Finally… Some Normans…
I FINALLY got cracking on some stuff for the Dark Ages DBA Campaign Weekend coming up in February! Some Normans!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Three stands of Spear – to join the one I already have… (I only need two… Guess I have enough for whenever I decide I need a second Norman/West Frank Army). The figures are mostly from Old Glory, with a few from Gripping Beast tucked in here and there…
This will be the Knight General, perhaps Duc Guillaume le Bâtard himself. For a “Knight” stand, they don’t look all that damn… impetuous… Knights should be charging at a full gallop… Ah, well… The two mounted figures are from Crusader Miniatures, and the foot are from Gripping Beast.
A single Saxon – another figure from Crusader miniatures.
I got it in my head that I should make some “casualty markers” to show where stands were destroyed when I’m taking pictures for a battle report.
The two Grim Reaper types are from Games Workshop. One I’ve had a while, the other recently acquired – both freshly repainted. The others are from Old Glory, the one standing has been repainted, the prone ones simply rebased…
Wish I had some more dead and dying horsemen…
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
More Norman Knights to finish off the army!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
Three stands of Spear – to join the one I already have… (I only need two… Guess I have enough for whenever I decide I need a second Norman/West Frank Army). The figures are mostly from Old Glory, with a few from Gripping Beast tucked in here and there…
This will be the Knight General, perhaps Duc Guillaume le Bâtard himself. For a “Knight” stand, they don’t look all that damn… impetuous… Knights should be charging at a full gallop… Ah, well… The two mounted figures are from Crusader Miniatures, and the foot are from Gripping Beast.
A single Saxon – another figure from Crusader miniatures.
I got it in my head that I should make some “casualty markers” to show where stands were destroyed when I’m taking pictures for a battle report.
The two Grim Reaper types are from Games Workshop. One I’ve had a while, the other recently acquired – both freshly repainted. The others are from Old Glory, the one standing has been repainted, the prone ones simply rebased…
Wish I had some more dead and dying horsemen…
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
More Norman Knights to finish off the army!
Dark Ages DBA Campaign Weekend
Well… now that the Back of Beyond Campaign is over with it is time to start work on the NEXT campaign weekend!!
The next campaign weekend will likely be the weekend of the 26-27-28 February 2010 (Tim’s Sixth Annual Wargaming Birthday Bash). It will be set (mostly) in England, nominally around the end of the first millennium AD (give or take 66 years or so…). There will, at the very least, be Normans, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons or Anglo-Danish, Irish, and Scotts. If I get a couple extra armies finished, and if CVT, Cory and Gary can be convinced to bring theirs out… well then we could potentially have up to THREE Anglo-Saxon/Danish players, two to three Vikings, Normans AND West Franks, Scotts AND Picts, Irish and Welsh… potentially up to twelve players…. (MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-Ha-Ha-Ha-ha-ha-ha…. wait… do I even have that many friends…!?).
I’ve done some rough sketching of the map, but I won’t make a good one until I have a better idea of who is coming and what armies will for sure be available. If the megalomaniac vision of 12 players was realized I imagine it would be broken up something like this:
Norse Irish in Ireland, Welsh in Wales.
Picts in the North of Scotland (Highlands), Pre-feudal Scots in the south (Strathclyde, etc).
The English would be broken up into three and could play either Middle Anglo-Saxons or Anglo-Danish. The three “kingdoms” or regions would be Wessex/Sussex/Kent in the south, Mercia/East Anglia in the middle, and Northumbria in the north…
The three Vikings would be Denmark, Scandinavia, and the Islands (Hebrides/Shetland/Orkney).
The last two would be the Normans in Normandy and the West Franks in… well… the rest of France…?
Maybe not entirely historically accurate... but damn wouldn't it be FUN!? TWELVE players!? Is this totally nuts…?
It’s never too early to mark it on your calendar and say “DUDE, I AM SO THERE!!”
I decided last week to take stock of where I’m at and realized I have about 339 foot and 25 mounted to paint… That will finish off the Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts and a second Viking army…. With just under 20 weeks to go, that’s about 20 figures per week… Easy… so far this year I’ve been averaging 23. (I will do the second Viking army last – that’s 76 foot right there, if I don’t get it done it’s no big deal – I’ve already got one and Gary’s half finished his… a third would be fun… but… Anyway without them it drops the per week quota to 16). There is also a week Amanda has off in December and I could potentially get a lot done then.
Future Campaign Weekends
I think for the weekend in June I’ll do another Hordes of the Things campaign. I had hoped to do the Successors of Alexander, but I just don’th think I’ll have time to finish all the required armies. Another HOTT campaign seems more likely as I wouldn’t HAVE to do anything for it…. I already have five complete purely fantasy armies that can be fielded right now (Elves, Dwarves, two Orcs, and the Sapphic League). By then I’ll likely be able to field two Dwarf armies, possibly a third Orc, maybe some others…. And, of course, I can add any of the 9-10 DBA Armies I will likely have done (Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts, two Vikings, Romans, and Samurai). Maybe the HOTT Summer Campaign weekend could become a regular annual event…
That will give me up to eight months to work on something big for next October…. I’m kind of torn between The Successors of Alexander or an 18th Century “imagi-nation” campaign… I’m totally going to do BOTH at some point… the question is which will I do FIRST. It will probably come down to which requires the least to paint…
Of course I was also sketching a point-to-point map for a 1914 campaign the other night and dreaming up a possible campaign mechanic to play a section of France in the opening stages of the great War…. I’ve also been contemplating just how many English Civil War DBA armies I could put together with the shwack of lead I have…
We shall see… The next one will be Dark Age England… the one after that will most likely be a Fantasy Hordes of the Things campaign…
The next campaign weekend will likely be the weekend of the 26-27-28 February 2010 (Tim’s Sixth Annual Wargaming Birthday Bash). It will be set (mostly) in England, nominally around the end of the first millennium AD (give or take 66 years or so…). There will, at the very least, be Normans, Vikings, Anglo-Saxons or Anglo-Danish, Irish, and Scotts. If I get a couple extra armies finished, and if CVT, Cory and Gary can be convinced to bring theirs out… well then we could potentially have up to THREE Anglo-Saxon/Danish players, two to three Vikings, Normans AND West Franks, Scotts AND Picts, Irish and Welsh… potentially up to twelve players…. (MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-Ha-Ha-Ha-ha-ha-ha…. wait… do I even have that many friends…!?).
I’ve done some rough sketching of the map, but I won’t make a good one until I have a better idea of who is coming and what armies will for sure be available. If the megalomaniac vision of 12 players was realized I imagine it would be broken up something like this:
Norse Irish in Ireland, Welsh in Wales.
Picts in the North of Scotland (Highlands), Pre-feudal Scots in the south (Strathclyde, etc).
The English would be broken up into three and could play either Middle Anglo-Saxons or Anglo-Danish. The three “kingdoms” or regions would be Wessex/Sussex/Kent in the south, Mercia/East Anglia in the middle, and Northumbria in the north…
The three Vikings would be Denmark, Scandinavia, and the Islands (Hebrides/Shetland/Orkney).
The last two would be the Normans in Normandy and the West Franks in… well… the rest of France…?
Maybe not entirely historically accurate... but damn wouldn't it be FUN!? TWELVE players!? Is this totally nuts…?
It’s never too early to mark it on your calendar and say “DUDE, I AM SO THERE!!”
I decided last week to take stock of where I’m at and realized I have about 339 foot and 25 mounted to paint… That will finish off the Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts and a second Viking army…. With just under 20 weeks to go, that’s about 20 figures per week… Easy… so far this year I’ve been averaging 23. (I will do the second Viking army last – that’s 76 foot right there, if I don’t get it done it’s no big deal – I’ve already got one and Gary’s half finished his… a third would be fun… but… Anyway without them it drops the per week quota to 16). There is also a week Amanda has off in December and I could potentially get a lot done then.
Future Campaign Weekends
I think for the weekend in June I’ll do another Hordes of the Things campaign. I had hoped to do the Successors of Alexander, but I just don’th think I’ll have time to finish all the required armies. Another HOTT campaign seems more likely as I wouldn’t HAVE to do anything for it…. I already have five complete purely fantasy armies that can be fielded right now (Elves, Dwarves, two Orcs, and the Sapphic League). By then I’ll likely be able to field two Dwarf armies, possibly a third Orc, maybe some others…. And, of course, I can add any of the 9-10 DBA Armies I will likely have done (Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts, two Vikings, Romans, and Samurai). Maybe the HOTT Summer Campaign weekend could become a regular annual event…
That will give me up to eight months to work on something big for next October…. I’m kind of torn between The Successors of Alexander or an 18th Century “imagi-nation” campaign… I’m totally going to do BOTH at some point… the question is which will I do FIRST. It will probably come down to which requires the least to paint…
Of course I was also sketching a point-to-point map for a 1914 campaign the other night and dreaming up a possible campaign mechanic to play a section of France in the opening stages of the great War…. I’ve also been contemplating just how many English Civil War DBA armies I could put together with the shwack of lead I have…
We shall see… The next one will be Dark Age England… the one after that will most likely be a Fantasy Hordes of the Things campaign…
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Going Berserk! Fun for boys AND GIRLS!
A couple new things rolling off the workbench… closer, but not necessarily things I really “NEED” to be working on for the Dark Ages campaign…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
As mentioned in the previous painting update, here is another stand of Viking Berserkers. They are a mix of Old Glory and Gripping Beast. I now have three…. Unless I get around to a THIRD Viking DBA Army they won’t be of much use (other than in a Viking HOTT army – where I can have as many Warband as I want!!).
These are some relatively new figures from Warlord Games (well… except the dead guy, he’s from Old Glory…). They will make another Warband in Amanda’s “HOTT Chick” army or perhaps show up in a Pict, Welsh, or Scot DBA army as an odd Warband, or as some particularly exuberant and menacing “Camp Followers”. I have a few more – enough to make a second stand… when I get around to it…
I am curious to see what Warlords plastics are like. I was a bit underwhelmed by the quality of Wargames Factory'sColonial British Firing line... Warlord seems to be taking a better path - Rank and file plastics, supplemented by metal specialists, command, etc.
This is a Troll from Ral Partha… It’ll probably see use as an Oni in my Savage Worlds Oriental Adventure Campaign.
Not newly painted but touched up and rebased – some more 18th Century British. The Musketeers are figures from John, and the Officers are from Old Glory - thought I could call them either Light Horse General or Cavalry General… Two more stands and I’ll be able to play a battle.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Normans… no, seriously… or maybe some 18th century British artillery…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
As mentioned in the previous painting update, here is another stand of Viking Berserkers. They are a mix of Old Glory and Gripping Beast. I now have three…. Unless I get around to a THIRD Viking DBA Army they won’t be of much use (other than in a Viking HOTT army – where I can have as many Warband as I want!!).
These are some relatively new figures from Warlord Games (well… except the dead guy, he’s from Old Glory…). They will make another Warband in Amanda’s “HOTT Chick” army or perhaps show up in a Pict, Welsh, or Scot DBA army as an odd Warband, or as some particularly exuberant and menacing “Camp Followers”. I have a few more – enough to make a second stand… when I get around to it…
I am curious to see what Warlords plastics are like. I was a bit underwhelmed by the quality of Wargames Factory'sColonial British Firing line... Warlord seems to be taking a better path - Rank and file plastics, supplemented by metal specialists, command, etc.
This is a Troll from Ral Partha… It’ll probably see use as an Oni in my Savage Worlds Oriental Adventure Campaign.
Not newly painted but touched up and rebased – some more 18th Century British. The Musketeers are figures from John, and the Officers are from Old Glory - thought I could call them either Light Horse General or Cavalry General… Two more stands and I’ll be able to play a battle.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Normans… no, seriously… or maybe some 18th century British artillery…
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Campaign for Kümer – Year Three Spring
The Map
Starting in the south, The Orcs of Grummsh decided to take a slightly different approach to their campaigning. Despite their capitol being threatened by the Sapphic League they surged northward into the land of Ronarok, laying siege to Skohln. The Orcs of the south, while ferocious in battle, are not the most adept at siege works. The city was surrounded and assault after assault were thrown at the walls, each to be beaten back by the valiant defenders of Skohln. Eventually The Orcs just decided to camp out and starve the defenders out. Then ill tidings arrived from the south….
The Sapphic League marched on Marrow, expecting to find it defended by the Host of Grummsh. They were surprised to find the hillfort all but deserted. The walls were quickly stormed and the city sacked, many slaves were taken, and most of the rest were put to the sword. Would the Warriors or Grummsh accept The Sapphic League as their overlords or would they be wiped out of existence or driven from the lands of Kümer…?
Further north the Ronarokings sailed from Marhan to Cognomen – a rough passage in the spring as the Tria Nominians can attest. A number of ships were lost in the crossing. Arriving in Cognomen they found the Elves already departed north and so marched east to Toctglenn. There they found the mountain fastness held by a small garrison or Orcs. Though the garrison small the mighty Dwarven fortress is darned near impregnable and the orcs could not be winkled out.
The absence of the Orcs weighted heavy on Jarl Thorvald Skardsen's thoughts. “Where could they have gone?” he pondered. The answer arrived as a shocking dispatch from King Claudius; the Orcs of Valishog had stormed down from the mountains near Weinglenn and overrun the city of Marhan!!
The Legions of Tria Nomina mustered in the spring and readied to march back to Cognomen in, yet another attempt to wrest if from the Elvish invaders. The Elves, it seems, were lighter of foot and caught the Tria Nominians as they just began their march south from Praenomen.
The Second Battle of Praenomen
(Click on the picture to see a bigger version)
The Legions of Tria Nominia marshal to defend the gates of Praenomen.
The Elvish lines are drawn up for the attack.
The lines close.
There was a brief cavalry skirmish on the flanks where the Tria Nominian auxiliary horse came to a bad end.
With their flank threatened by the Elvish riders the Tria Nominians tried to redeploy.
First the Auxiliary Archers guarding the flanks were ridden down…
Then the first century in line was ridden down. I t started to look like it might be a very short battle with the Elvish Cavalry taking all the glory.
The next Century in line, however was made of sterner stuff! They charged down the hill after the Elvish horsemen…
…and wiped out one squadron of them.
The Elvish cavalry was taken off guard by the sudden ferocity and violence! The second squadron was engaged…
…and vanquished!
There was some skirmishing of the main lines of foot. The Tria Nominians General drove two units of Elvish archers off the field of battle. It looked like the tide had turned….
But then the Tria Nominian General’s unit was surrounded and destroyed by the Elvish sorcerer while elvish archers blocked their escape.
There was some shoving of heavy foot which accounted for very little
Eventually a unit of Auxilliary spearmen were driven from the field by the withering hail of deadly accurate Elvish archery. The Tria Nominians were forced to seek terms….
Country: Tria Nomina – Vassal of the Ilferien
Race: Humans
Head of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 16AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Marrow
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 24AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 4
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Skohln
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 16AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn, Marham
Location of Field Army: Marham
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 22AP
Country: Grummsh – Vassal of the Sapphic League?
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Skohln
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 16AP
Starting in the south, The Orcs of Grummsh decided to take a slightly different approach to their campaigning. Despite their capitol being threatened by the Sapphic League they surged northward into the land of Ronarok, laying siege to Skohln. The Orcs of the south, while ferocious in battle, are not the most adept at siege works. The city was surrounded and assault after assault were thrown at the walls, each to be beaten back by the valiant defenders of Skohln. Eventually The Orcs just decided to camp out and starve the defenders out. Then ill tidings arrived from the south….
The Sapphic League marched on Marrow, expecting to find it defended by the Host of Grummsh. They were surprised to find the hillfort all but deserted. The walls were quickly stormed and the city sacked, many slaves were taken, and most of the rest were put to the sword. Would the Warriors or Grummsh accept The Sapphic League as their overlords or would they be wiped out of existence or driven from the lands of Kümer…?
Further north the Ronarokings sailed from Marhan to Cognomen – a rough passage in the spring as the Tria Nominians can attest. A number of ships were lost in the crossing. Arriving in Cognomen they found the Elves already departed north and so marched east to Toctglenn. There they found the mountain fastness held by a small garrison or Orcs. Though the garrison small the mighty Dwarven fortress is darned near impregnable and the orcs could not be winkled out.
The absence of the Orcs weighted heavy on Jarl Thorvald Skardsen's thoughts. “Where could they have gone?” he pondered. The answer arrived as a shocking dispatch from King Claudius; the Orcs of Valishog had stormed down from the mountains near Weinglenn and overrun the city of Marhan!!
The Legions of Tria Nomina mustered in the spring and readied to march back to Cognomen in, yet another attempt to wrest if from the Elvish invaders. The Elves, it seems, were lighter of foot and caught the Tria Nominians as they just began their march south from Praenomen.
The Second Battle of Praenomen
(Click on the picture to see a bigger version)
The Legions of Tria Nominia marshal to defend the gates of Praenomen.
The Elvish lines are drawn up for the attack.
The lines close.
There was a brief cavalry skirmish on the flanks where the Tria Nominian auxiliary horse came to a bad end.
With their flank threatened by the Elvish riders the Tria Nominians tried to redeploy.
First the Auxiliary Archers guarding the flanks were ridden down…
Then the first century in line was ridden down. I t started to look like it might be a very short battle with the Elvish Cavalry taking all the glory.
The next Century in line, however was made of sterner stuff! They charged down the hill after the Elvish horsemen…
…and wiped out one squadron of them.
The Elvish cavalry was taken off guard by the sudden ferocity and violence! The second squadron was engaged…
…and vanquished!
There was some skirmishing of the main lines of foot. The Tria Nominians General drove two units of Elvish archers off the field of battle. It looked like the tide had turned….
But then the Tria Nominian General’s unit was surrounded and destroyed by the Elvish sorcerer while elvish archers blocked their escape.
There was some shoving of heavy foot which accounted for very little
Eventually a unit of Auxilliary spearmen were driven from the field by the withering hail of deadly accurate Elvish archery. The Tria Nominians were forced to seek terms….
Country: Tria Nomina – Vassal of the Ilferien
Race: Humans
Head of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 16AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Marrow
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 24AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 4
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Skohln
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 16AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn, Marham
Location of Field Army: Marham
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 22AP
Country: Grummsh – Vassal of the Sapphic League?
Race: Orcs
Head of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Skohln
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 16AP
Monday, October 19, 2009
Not Quite Dark Ages…
I finished up a fair chunk of stuff this last week.
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
First of all... I finished up the shed!
These are some medieval axemen. I think most of them are from the Old Glory War of the Roses Line, though there are a few old foundry figures mixed in there. I have to admit, I did just because I knew they’d be easy and I could get them done and out of the way quickly…
They will be used as Blade in a “Generic Medieval” Hordes of the Things army. They join three stands of Shooters (Archers). I have at least another three stands of Shooters (Crossbow, maybe more archers), and three more stands worth of Blades (halbardiers). I’ll probably split these up into the foot element of two separate armies.
I haven’t painted a banner for the stand in the middle yet. I’ll have to decide on the names and backgrounds of the armies. I may resurrect Duc Phillipe Lapin – a character I used when I played warhammer… goodness… 20 years ago!? Duc Phillipe’s coat of arms had lots of rabbits on them.
If I did the second army as his nemesis – what would their coat of arms be…? Turtles…? Foxes…?
I have two or three old Bretonian Knights from Games Workshop and some old citadel mounted crossbowmen I could use as Riders… but I’ll need some more knights. I’ve been eyeing up some of the Perry Miniatures Hundred Years War mounted men-at-arms to use as knights… Or perhaps just some more Old Glory… We’ll see. It’s not a big priority right now.
These are some Grenadiers made by my friend John Bertolini. As with most of his figures they are meant to be very generic. I’ve tried to paint them as “British”. I actually started painting these figures… oh… eight years ago… but recently decided I really wanted to try out the DBA Extension for 18th Century battles. I have easily enough French, but need a few more stands of British. Two Guns and Crew and maybe a stand of Jägers should finish them up.
This is a Keltos figure… I’ll use him with my Picts.
Some children from Reaper Miniatures.
A Viking berserker/Ulfehdnar from Gripping Beast.
This is Tsathoggua a Great Old One from the Cthulhu Mythos. It’s an old Grenadier Miniatures Call of Cthulhu figure I’ve had for ages – recently stripped of paint and repainted and based to be used as a God in Hordes of the Things - should anyone ever want to play an army of Great Old One worshipping cultists….
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I’m just finishing up the basing for a stand of Viking berserkers (Warband) – not something I really NEED (as I HAVE two already)… but at least it’s getting me on track with the Dark Ages stuff… Most of the stuff left on the workbench is Normans… I’m going to try and finish that army off in the next week or two. Then it’s on to the Irish!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
First of all... I finished up the shed!
These are some medieval axemen. I think most of them are from the Old Glory War of the Roses Line, though there are a few old foundry figures mixed in there. I have to admit, I did just because I knew they’d be easy and I could get them done and out of the way quickly…
They will be used as Blade in a “Generic Medieval” Hordes of the Things army. They join three stands of Shooters (Archers). I have at least another three stands of Shooters (Crossbow, maybe more archers), and three more stands worth of Blades (halbardiers). I’ll probably split these up into the foot element of two separate armies.
I haven’t painted a banner for the stand in the middle yet. I’ll have to decide on the names and backgrounds of the armies. I may resurrect Duc Phillipe Lapin – a character I used when I played warhammer… goodness… 20 years ago!? Duc Phillipe’s coat of arms had lots of rabbits on them.
If I did the second army as his nemesis – what would their coat of arms be…? Turtles…? Foxes…?
I have two or three old Bretonian Knights from Games Workshop and some old citadel mounted crossbowmen I could use as Riders… but I’ll need some more knights. I’ve been eyeing up some of the Perry Miniatures Hundred Years War mounted men-at-arms to use as knights… Or perhaps just some more Old Glory… We’ll see. It’s not a big priority right now.
These are some Grenadiers made by my friend John Bertolini. As with most of his figures they are meant to be very generic. I’ve tried to paint them as “British”. I actually started painting these figures… oh… eight years ago… but recently decided I really wanted to try out the DBA Extension for 18th Century battles. I have easily enough French, but need a few more stands of British. Two Guns and Crew and maybe a stand of Jägers should finish them up.
This is a Keltos figure… I’ll use him with my Picts.
Some children from Reaper Miniatures.
A Viking berserker/Ulfehdnar from Gripping Beast.
This is Tsathoggua a Great Old One from the Cthulhu Mythos. It’s an old Grenadier Miniatures Call of Cthulhu figure I’ve had for ages – recently stripped of paint and repainted and based to be used as a God in Hordes of the Things - should anyone ever want to play an army of Great Old One worshipping cultists….
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I’m just finishing up the basing for a stand of Viking berserkers (Warband) – not something I really NEED (as I HAVE two already)… but at least it’s getting me on track with the Dark Ages stuff… Most of the stuff left on the workbench is Normans… I’m going to try and finish that army off in the next week or two. Then it’s on to the Irish!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Campaign for Kümer – Year Three
The Map
And so begins the third year of the Great War of Kümer…
The Orcs were dealt a terrible blow last year but were not wiped out and have recovered some of their numbers….
Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 18AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 24AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 24AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP*
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Marham
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 24AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 22AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Crudd
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 18AP
And so begins the third year of the Great War of Kümer…
The Orcs were dealt a terrible blow last year but were not wiped out and have recovered some of their numbers….
Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 18AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Otisburg
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 24AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 24AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: Ghillebrae
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP*
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Marham
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 24AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 22AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Crudd
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 18AP
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Light Horse for Everyone!
Well… at least the Picts and Normans…
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are some Light Horse for my Picts. I know one of the figures is from The Foundry.
The other three I got in a trade. From the look of them I might have guessed Crusader Miniatures…? maybe...? but I can’t find them on their website… So probably not… Anyone know where they came from?
These Light Horse are for the Norman army. They are from Old Glory.
Last night I decided to take stock of where I’m at, in terms of what I need for the next Wargames Weekend (more on that shortly) and realized I have about 339 foot and 25 mounted to paint… That will finish off the Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts and a second Viking army…. With just under 20 weeks to go, that’s about 20 figures per week… Easy… so far this year I’ve been averaging 23.
(I will do the second Viking army last – that’s 76 foot right there, if I don’t get it done it’s no big deal – I’ve already got one and Gary’s half finished his… a third would be fun… but… Anyway without them it drops the per week quota to 16). There is also a week Amanda has off in December and I could potentially get a lot done then.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Despite the need to get it on with the Dark Ages stuff…. the next stuff up will be three stands of generic medieval axe-wielding Blade (for a Generic Medieval HOTT Army) and a couple stands of 18th Century Grenadiers…? The figures are painted; I just have to finish basing them.
After that… well… there are some 18th Century light infantry, artillery and crews still on the work bench (Two Cannon and one Jäger will finish up an army of British – then I can try the DBA extension for the Horse and Musket era – although, admittedly, I don’t actually have very many “horse”… ).
After THAT there are more Vikings and Normans ready to roll right off (and some Descent minis…).
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are some Light Horse for my Picts. I know one of the figures is from The Foundry.
The other three I got in a trade. From the look of them I might have guessed Crusader Miniatures…? maybe...? but I can’t find them on their website… So probably not… Anyone know where they came from?
These Light Horse are for the Norman army. They are from Old Glory.
Last night I decided to take stock of where I’m at, in terms of what I need for the next Wargames Weekend (more on that shortly) and realized I have about 339 foot and 25 mounted to paint… That will finish off the Normans, Anglo-Saxons/Danish, Irish, Welsh, Scotts, Picts and a second Viking army…. With just under 20 weeks to go, that’s about 20 figures per week… Easy… so far this year I’ve been averaging 23.
(I will do the second Viking army last – that’s 76 foot right there, if I don’t get it done it’s no big deal – I’ve already got one and Gary’s half finished his… a third would be fun… but… Anyway without them it drops the per week quota to 16). There is also a week Amanda has off in December and I could potentially get a lot done then.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
Despite the need to get it on with the Dark Ages stuff…. the next stuff up will be three stands of generic medieval axe-wielding Blade (for a Generic Medieval HOTT Army) and a couple stands of 18th Century Grenadiers…? The figures are painted; I just have to finish basing them.
After that… well… there are some 18th Century light infantry, artillery and crews still on the work bench (Two Cannon and one Jäger will finish up an army of British – then I can try the DBA extension for the Horse and Musket era – although, admittedly, I don’t actually have very many “horse”… ).
After THAT there are more Vikings and Normans ready to roll right off (and some Descent minis…).
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Last of the Wolf Riders
Well… this is it… no more wolf Riders after this… In fact the only thing I have left for this tribe of orcs is a PILE of Orc foot warriors (Warband) and a handful of goblins (Horde) - of course I still have piles of Mordor Orcs... and Moria Goblins.... But they're not really part of the same army...
Now the Army of Grummsh could be totally mounted!!!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are Ghost Miniatures Orc Wolf Riders from Old Glory. I swapped out a number of the wolves and mixed in some wolves from West Wind Productions Gothic Horror line for some variety.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I have both Pictish and Norman light horse finished – just finishing up the basing. The workbench is still populated mostly with Norman Cavalry… but there’s also some medieval axemen, some Seven Years War infantry and artillery crews, some Viking berserkers, and a couple Descent minis have made it back on the table…. Maybe this time I’ll damn well FINISH THEM!!!
Now the Army of Grummsh could be totally mounted!!!
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are Ghost Miniatures Orc Wolf Riders from Old Glory. I swapped out a number of the wolves and mixed in some wolves from West Wind Productions Gothic Horror line for some variety.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
I have both Pictish and Norman light horse finished – just finishing up the basing. The workbench is still populated mostly with Norman Cavalry… but there’s also some medieval axemen, some Seven Years War infantry and artillery crews, some Viking berserkers, and a couple Descent minis have made it back on the table…. Maybe this time I’ll damn well FINISH THEM!!!
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Campaign for Kümer – Year Two – Autumn
The Map
The Scouts of Vlad the kinslayer headed south before the army. Their hunch was, after the news of the Ilfeiriens defeat at Praenomen arrived, that the Ronarokings would give up the siege at Toctglenn and return to Cognomen, and possibly march on Praenomen again. They found Toctglenn no longer besieged and reoccupied the mountain stronghold.
The legions of Tria Nomina, meanwhile, pursued the Ilferien back to Cognomen. They were disheartened to hear the Ronarokings had given up their siege and returned to the port city.
The Second Battle of Cognomen.
The much reduced Elves march out to defend the city of Cognomen.
The also reduced Legions of Tria Nomina – ready to battle. Not so reduced as the Elves, teir only hopw was to beat down the beleaguered elves before their allies could show up…
The armies close
There was much shoving back and forth – though the Tria Nominian cavalry was driven from the field in a hail of Elvish Arrows.
… and things got pretty confused for a bit.
A legion was forced to retire and things started looking bad for the Tria nominians.
Around midday the Ronarokings finally arrived, but this seemed to only make the Tria nominians fight more desperately! A unit of Elvish Archers was knocked out…
Then the Elvish cavalry was driven from the field, and their General threatened!
The Ronarokings surrounded the Tria Nominian Generel, but were beaten off - not once but THREE TIMES! The third time the Ronaroking Berserks left the field!
Then it was the Elvish General that was once again threatened… the Elvish mages driven from the field… Everything hung in the balance! The Elf Generals body guard threw off their assailants and charged down after the legion – which was also flanked by archers and driven from the field… this was too much for the Legions of Tria Nominia and the remaining legions retired from the field of battle and back to their capitol of Praenomen….
The Siege of Marrow
In the south the army of the Sapphic League followed The Grummsh to their capitol of Marrow. Bolg Skullcrusher and his defeated mob holed up in their primitive hilltop forteress and hoped they could hold out until the Sapphists were forced to retire for the winter… and they did…. The Warrior women gave up their siege and returned to Otisburg…
Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: retiring to Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 10AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Marrow (siege)
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 20AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: *Has no Field Army – all troops are accompanying their overlords army…
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 6AP*
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Marrow
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 12AP
The Scouts of Vlad the kinslayer headed south before the army. Their hunch was, after the news of the Ilfeiriens defeat at Praenomen arrived, that the Ronarokings would give up the siege at Toctglenn and return to Cognomen, and possibly march on Praenomen again. They found Toctglenn no longer besieged and reoccupied the mountain stronghold.
The legions of Tria Nomina, meanwhile, pursued the Ilferien back to Cognomen. They were disheartened to hear the Ronarokings had given up their siege and returned to the port city.
The Second Battle of Cognomen.
The much reduced Elves march out to defend the city of Cognomen.
The also reduced Legions of Tria Nomina – ready to battle. Not so reduced as the Elves, teir only hopw was to beat down the beleaguered elves before their allies could show up…
The armies close
There was much shoving back and forth – though the Tria Nominian cavalry was driven from the field in a hail of Elvish Arrows.
… and things got pretty confused for a bit.
A legion was forced to retire and things started looking bad for the Tria nominians.
Around midday the Ronarokings finally arrived, but this seemed to only make the Tria nominians fight more desperately! A unit of Elvish Archers was knocked out…
Then the Elvish cavalry was driven from the field, and their General threatened!
The Ronarokings surrounded the Tria Nominian Generel, but were beaten off - not once but THREE TIMES! The third time the Ronaroking Berserks left the field!
Then it was the Elvish General that was once again threatened… the Elvish mages driven from the field… Everything hung in the balance! The Elf Generals body guard threw off their assailants and charged down after the legion – which was also flanked by archers and driven from the field… this was too much for the Legions of Tria Nominia and the remaining legions retired from the field of battle and back to their capitol of Praenomen….
The Siege of Marrow
In the south the army of the Sapphic League followed The Grummsh to their capitol of Marrow. Bolg Skullcrusher and his defeated mob holed up in their primitive hilltop forteress and hoped they could hold out until the Sapphists were forced to retire for the winter… and they did…. The Warrior women gave up their siege and returned to Otisburg…
Country: Tria Nomina
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: Aculeo Bibaculus Mediocrito, Imperator of Tria Nomina
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Praenomen
Other Cities: Nomen, Agnomen
Location of Field Army: retiring to Praenomen
Prestige Points: 11
Army Size: 10AP
Country: The Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness
Race: Mixed – WOMEN!!
Head(s) of State: Myrah the Mighty, Chairperson of the Council of Empowerment of the Sapphic League of Unity and Togetherness.
Commander of the Field Army: General Libby
Capitol: Thatcherton
Other Cities: Bhutto, Beauvoir, Otisburg
Location of Field Army: Marrow (siege)
Prestige Points: 24
Army Size: 20AP
Country: The Ilferien
Race: Ilferien (Elves)
Head(s) of State: Consul Rhalasa
Commander of the Field Army: Consul Sundiasen
Capitol: Melitele
Other Cities: Anasterele, Wynstrele, Dyladele, Cognomen
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Toctland – Vassal of Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Dwarves
Head(s) of State: King Malaius MacDoogleg
Commander of the Field Army: General Gilgidi MacAuslin
Capitol: Ghillebrae
Other Cities: Weinglenn,
Location of Field Army: *Has no Field Army – all troops are accompanying their overlords army…
Prestige Points: 2
Army Size: 6AP*
Country: Ronarok
Race: Humans
Head(s) of State: King Claudius Hrosskellsen
Commander of the Field Army: Jarl Thorvald Skardsen
Capitol: Ludharn
Other Cities: Marham, Skohln
Location of Field Army: Cognomen
Prestige Points: 14
Army Size: 20AP
Country: Transil-Valishog-Atania
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Vladimeag Votostogish (Vlad the Kinslayer)
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Brasog
Other Cities: Gorj, Dolj, Toctglenn
Location of Field Army: Toctglenn
Prestige Points: 12
Army Size: 12AP
Country: Grummsh
Race: Orcs
Head(s) of State: Bolg Skullcrusher
Commander of the Field Army:
Capitol: Marrow
Other Cities: Crudd
Location of Field Army: Marrow
Prestige Points: 8
Army Size: 12AP
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Viking Archers
Well… not Normans or Irish… but at least they’re for the “Dark Ages”
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are some Viking Archers from Gripping Beast. They’ll be replacing some Welsh Stand-ins as the optional Bow element in my Viking DBA Army.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
ummm... Normans...? More Wolf Riders...? hard to say, there's a lot of half-finished stuff crowding my work area....
(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)
These are some Viking Archers from Gripping Beast. They’ll be replacing some Welsh Stand-ins as the optional Bow element in my Viking DBA Army.
Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:
ummm... Normans...? More Wolf Riders...? hard to say, there's a lot of half-finished stuff crowding my work area....
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
The Back of Beyond Campaign
This past weekend I ran a campaign set in the “Back of Beyond” – nominally during the Russian Civil War in Central Asia. We used a modified version of DBA (mostly based on the DBA 1500-1900 Extension with a few tweaks of our own…). We took some liberties with the forces and setting for a variety of reasons (available figures, ease of play, etc.).
The entire campaign (four years, 12 turns) was played on Saturday 3 October 2009 between approximately 9AM and 9PM - stopping only briefly between 5-7 to nip over to Amigos for a bite to eat...
1918 – Sumer
In the summer fighting broke out in earnest. The Army of Von Ungern-Tighem, hot on the heels of the fleeing Chinese met both armies at Wurumchi The Battle of Wurumchi.
The Forces of Ungern-Tighem face the “Yellow Tiger” Brigade – hoping to smash through them before their allies can be brought up.
The Cavalry clashed with the left of the Chinese line. In the melee Von Ungern-Tighem was knocked off his horse. Rumours quickly spread that their general had been killed Chaos and confusion ensued and quickly turned into a route!
Brigadier Biggles-Smythe marches his forces towards Tashkabad!
Somehow Brigadier Biggles-Smythe acquired a local to use as guide, interpreter and assistant dice roller…
General Strelnikov also ended up with an advisor and assistant dice roller…
Von Ungern-Tighem draws up his forces and sets off towards the “Yellow Tiger” Brigade who were arrayed to defend the city of Wurumchi.
(When the kids returned from their days activities and found the battle board upstairs unoccupied – they decided to get intot he spirit of the tday and have a battle of their own using playmobil and duplo blocks…)
The Bolshevik 4th Shock Army marches on the Tsarist Stronghold of Baboushka.
It was a hard fought battle but eventually the Tsarists were overcome and the city was saved from the tyranny and oppression of the imperialists and introduced to a whole new kind of tyranny and oppression!
Perhaps a little cocky from his previous pastings of von Ungern-Tighem’s army, Sun Jak-Shen perhaps thought defeating his foe and his “out-dated” cavalry was a mere matter of marching up and driving them off…
Relentlesly mocked by all players in the campaign so far, von Ungern-Tighem unleashed his Mongol cavalrymen. The swept north around the mountain that looked over the city of Ulan Goom and successfully outflanked the pickets of the White Tiger Division.
Sun Jak-Shen quicky tried to bring forces back to guard the baggage train, but the Mongols rode them down and looted the camp. Panic spread among the troops of the White Tiger Division and they broke and routed…
Most died in a hail of machine-gun fire.
Here is what the map looked like:
The Forces involved included two Nominally White Russian/Tasrist forces; the 3rd Siberian Guards Division Commanded by General Bertolovski and the Central Asian Cavalry Division commander by Baron Roman Christof Maximillian Von Ungern-Tighem.
Nominally supporting them was the Canadian Central Asian Expeditionary force commnded by Brigadier Biggles-Smythe, who has pushed their way up the rail line from Vladivostok.
Opposing them were two forces of Bolsheviks; The Red October Division Commanded by General Strelnikov and the 4th Shock Army commanded by Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein.
Just across the border in china were territories commanded by two warlords; General Sun Jak-Shen commander of the “White Tiger” Division and Luong Wei-Roun commander of the Tang Ti Brigade.
I had originally thought of having special rules for some of the different factions about who they could or could not attack… The Chinese could not cross into Russia unless they were first invaded…. The Canadians would roll a die each year to see which Russian faction the western allies were wanting to prop up in hopes they might rejoin the war against the Germans… Bolsheviks could not ally with White Russians… etc, etc… But I’ve found that this kind of engineering doesn’t work out in the end. The astute players figure out what is going on and find a way to take advantage of the situation. I find it best to take a laissez-faire attitude towards that sort of thing as the players will come up with they own reasons to fight amongst themselves…
As it turned out this campaign, unlike the Previous Weekend Campaign turned out to have very little deal making and negotiation and diplomacy… and no treachery or back-stabbing AT ALL… No sure why that was… maybe because to the history of the conflict and the ideologies involved… players with more of an appreciation for history… lack of any realpolitiking movers and shakers… I don’t know… but lines were pretty much drawn in the sand on the first turn and the White cause was fighting a losing battle from the get-go…
You can find the rules we used for the campaign HERE.
Here’s how it all played out…
1918 – Spring
Over the winter the Canadian Central Asian Expeditionary Force had pushed its way along the rail lines into Central Asia and established a zone of control based around the City of Canadar. In early spring they marched through Canuckand to meet up with the
3rd Siberian Guards Division, marching south from Baoushka, at Vlodkask. There they met the Bolshevik the 4th Shock Army.
There were a few minor skirmishes between out riders but Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein, despite his fervent dedication to the cause, was a bit of a realist and retired his force back to Engelsk.
Further to the south The Red October Division marched on Tashkabad and laid siege to the walled city. The Emir of Tashkabad had decided to capitalize on the chaos and declared the city independent when the fighting broke out . The city held through the summer.
Off to the east the White Tiger Division marched through the territory of General Luong Wei-Roun to Wurumchi. There, they found the General beating a hasty retreat, if not an utter route, out of the mountains. They were fleeing from the terrifying General Von Ungern-Tighem without having even met his force in battle.
For the balance of the year they were secretly referred to as the “Yellow Tiger” Brigade…
1918 – Sumer
In the summer fighting broke out in earnest. The Army of Von Ungern-Tighem, hot on the heels of the fleeing Chinese met both armies at Wurumchi The Battle of Wurumchi.
The Cavalry clashed with the left of the Chinese line. In the melee Von Ungern-Tighem was knocked off his horse. Rumours quickly spread that their general had been killed Chaos and confusion ensued and quickly turned into a route! When Ungern-Tighem finally caught up with his forces at Driutsek, riding a stolen Chinese mule his fury was inconsolable! He had nearly 300 men executed, then retired to his yurt with a selection of local ladies and was not seen for several days…
Further north The Tsarist and the Canadians split their forces; the Siberian Guards Division pursued the 4th Shock Army to Engelsk while the Canadians marched south to lift the siege at Tashkabad.
The Battle of Engelsk
Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein marshals his forces to defend the city of Engelsk.
General Bertovski leads his forces into battle.
The battle began with a bit of an artillery duel, but the Bolsheviks were no match for the precision drilled gunners of the Tsarist forces. The Bolshevik guns were quickly silenced and forced them to go on the offensive lest they be pummelled to death by the guns of the imperialist dogs…
In the end he Bolsheviks were forced to retire and give up Engelsk.
The Battle of Tashkabad
It was a close fought battle, but eventually the Bolsheviks were forced to give up their Siege and retire back to Holopchi.
The people of Tashkabad threw open their doors and welcomed their liberating Canadians with open arms and odd smelling dishes that caused them much gastrointestinal distress for some weeks…
1918 – Autumn
After a week of drunken debauchery General von Ungern-Tighem stumbled from his yurt outside of Driutsek to find the Chinese armies had followed him up into the mountains and had already surrounded the city! To avoid another disaster Von Ungern-Tighem retired his forces to hid “capitol” of Gura and the Chinese invested the city. Driutsek held on, however, and the Chinese were obliged to retire back through the mountains into China for the winter.
The Red October Division rallied at Holopchi and decided to return to Tashkabad. There, however, they found that the 3rd Siberian Guards Division had joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force and decided discretion was the better part of valour and retired back to Holopchi for the winter.
The 4th Shock Army returned to Engelsk and besieged the city, but the Tsarist garrison held on and Knudsoloffskivichstein’s forces retired to Bakunin for the winter.
1918 - Winter
All forces received reinforcements, bringing them all back to full war establishment… or as near as anyone in war can be near their full war establishment…
1919 – Spring
After a winter of debauchery in Gura, von Ungern-Tighem had worked up a powerful thrist for blood and led his Central Asian Cavalry division back into China! Despite news of the immanent arrival of the “White Tiger” Division, von Ungern-Tighems forces were once again drawn up and readied to fight the Chinese!
The Second Battle of Wurumchi
Unfortunately, due to poor communication and possibly a terrible hangover, von Ungern-Tighems forces are still maneuvering when the lead elements of the “White Tiger” Division arrives!
The cavalry charges into the fray!!
Surrounded on all sides by the yellow horde an attack looked a bit like suicide.
B
Von Ungern-Tighem, leading from the front, fought furiously!
Despite the ferocity of their commander, it was an absolute slaughter…
The Central Asian Cavalry Division limped back across the border having lost nearly half their number…!
Meanwhile, further to the North and East the combined forces of the Red October Division and the 4th Shock Army faced off against the 3rd Siberian Guards Division and the Canadian Expeditionary force at Engelsk.
The Second Battle of Engelsk
Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein and General Strelnikov marshal their forces outside Engelsk.
The Canadian and Tsarist forces
The Bolshevik Horde
If it weren’t for the steady Canadians hammering of the 4th Shock Army the battle would have been an utter disaster for the Tsarist forces… still they were obliged to give up Engelsk.
The Canadians retired to Tashkent and the Siberian Guards Division retired to Vlodkask.
1919 – Summer
After his staggering defeat in the spring, Von Ungern-Tighem spent much of the summer was spent avoiding battles and licking wounds.
The Tang Ti Brigade of General Luong Wei-Roun pursued Von Ungern-Tighem to Driutsk. The Central Asian Cavalry Division was in no shape to risk another field battle so they continued on to Stlojia, leaving Luong Wei-Roun’s forces to besiege Driutsk.
The “White Tiger” Division of Sun Jak-Shen marched west to Bashkent, via Sui-Pei. They demanded the city give up or face the consequences and the doors were flung open to receive their new protector…
The Bolshevik Hordes pursued the Canadians to Tashkent. Realizing their foes had gone that way, General Bertolovski marched his forces that way as well…
The Second Battle of Tashkent
The lines advance
The Tsarist forces fought a desperate battle against the Red October Division on a hill Northwest of the city.
The Canadian Expeditionary Force met the 4th Shock Army to the Southwest.
Brigadier Biggles-Smythe contemplates his options.
General Bertolovski watches as time and again the Bolsheviks try to wrest his troops off of the hill.
The desperate battle reaches its climax
The Tsarists are forced from the hill and set to flight…
The forces of Imperialism are once again defeated by the Bolsheviks and retired back to Vlodkask.
1919 – Autumn
The Bolsheviks maintained the momentum of their advance and followed the Tsarists and Canadians to Vlodkask. The Tsarists and Canadians were much too depleted to give battle there and so the 3rd Siberian Guards Division continued on to Baboushka where they would winter and refit, while the Canadians returned to Canackand to receive reinforcement drafts from home.
The Bolsheviks besieged Vlodkask, but were unable to take it before winter set in and they were forced to retire to winter quarters.
The Tang-ti Brigade continued its siege of Driutsek with little success. The city held and the army retreated to Wurumchi for the winter.
The Army of Unger-Tighem however was on the move again and fell upon the white Tiger Division of General Sun Jak-Shen at Bashkent!
The Battle of Bashkent
The Chinese mount the hill and pour fire down on The Army of Ungern-TIghem who were stalled by… well... I’m not sure why they were still standing there… Ill advice from international advisors…?
1920 – Spring
Once again the Tang-Ti Brigade marched north into the mountains to Driutsek, and once again fled from the terror that was the Central Asian Cavalry Division – the personal army of Baron von Ungern-Tighem – without even fighting….
Luckily the mighty General Sun Jak-shen had advanced to meet General Luong in Wurumchi, and the presence of the White Tiger Divison kept the retreat from turning into a rout!!
The Canadians, this year marched south to Driutsek to meet up with von Ungern-Tighem’s Forces, while the 3rd Siberian Guards Division stationed itself in Vlodkask to stall the advance of the Bolsheviks.
When combined strength of the Red October Division and 4th Shock Army arrived the Tsarists once again retreated to Baboushka, leaving the Bolsheviks to besiege Vlodkask. The city was weary of siege, remembering the trials and hardships of the previous year and fell to the Bolshevik forces only a few weeks later.
1920 – Summer
The Tang Ti Brigade, now backed up by the White Tiger Division again marched up to Driutsek only to find the Canadians and the Army of von Ungern-Tighem had vacated leaving only a small garrison that held on through most of the summer, but eventually surrendered the city to them.
The Army of von Ungern –Tighem had, in fact, marched west with the Canadians to Bashkent. The Central Asian Cavalry Division stormed the city before they even knew they were under attack. Von Unger-Tighem’s troops sacked the city before moving on. All the Chinese prisoners taken were crucified along the road as the Division pressed on to the south!
The Red October Division held in Vlodkask, raping and pillaging while the 4th Shock Army moved on to pursue the Tsarists to Baboushka…
The Battle of Baboushka
1920 – Autumn
The Canadians took their leave of the Mad Baron von Unger-Tighem and marched north to Vlodkask to aid the Tasrists there. When they arrived they found out the 4th Shock Army had returned to join the Red October Division. Quickly the Canadians turned tail and ran back to Bashkent, from where they made their way back to Canauckand via Stlojia for the winter…
The 3rd Siberian Guards Division waited in Borschka for the Bolsheviks to come… but they did not. The Canadians arrival at Vlodkask had successfully stalled them long enough that they weren’t able to mount an operation to Borshka in the fall.
The 4th Shock Army remained in Vlodkask for the winter while the Red October Division retired to Tashkabad…
What of the Chinese…? Well, realizing they’d been outmaneuvered and that the White Tiger division’s line of supply was severely threatened they hastily headed back into China, but could only get as far as Sui-Pei…. And then… well... I really have no decent fluff to explain it away because what happened next was nothing short of rules-lawyery…
(of course I’m the moron that let them get away with it... so I guess I shouldn’t complain too much…)
The Chinese fought each other…
That’s right, Genral Sun Jak-shen must have thrown a hissy-fit, or something, at Luong Wei-Roun for letting him get cut off and so they met on a “ceremonial” field of battle General Luong Wei-Roun (or perhaps one of his aides dressed dressed in his uniform) rode forth to be shot down by a literal firing squad, thus “losing a battle” and Sui-Pei along with it to the White Tiger Division thus giving them a place to retreat to for the winter and not be knocked out of the game… conveniently all stands lost were recovered in the Winter…. Huzzah for clever manipulation of the rules!
I didn’t even get a picture of it. They claim they set it up and played it out while I was out of the room… It was THAT quick!!
1921 – Spring
There was some pretty fancy dancing in the spring of 1921….
The Tsarist 3rd Siberian Guards Division marched from Borshka to Vlodkask, only to find the 4th Shock Army had already left to march on Canuckand.
The Canadian Expeditionary Force, meanwhile, had marched north from Canuckand to Borschka and then on to Vlodkask to meet with the Tsarist 3rd Siberian Guards Division.
When the Red October Division marched north from Tashkabad to Vlodkask to find two armies investing the city, they quickly turned tail and marched back…
The Tsarist 3rd Siberian Guards Division took Vlodkask, and the 4th Shock Army took Canuckand…!?
Further south the Tang Ti Brigade marched from Wurumchi to Sui Pei and then north to Bashkent and invested it, only narrowly missing the Army of Unger-Tighem, which had wintered in Stlojia and headed for Ulan-Goom in the spring.
The garrison more fearful of the Wrath of the Baron von Ungern-Tighem held on against all odds!
In Ulan Goom von Ungern-Tighem met with Sun Jak-Shen and his White Tiger Division.
The Battle of Ulan Goom
But there is a bit of devilish cunning behind the crazed askew eyes of the “Mad Baron”…
1921 - Summer
The Dance of the Tsarists and Bolsheviks continued… The Canadians marched north to Baboushka and south again to Canuckand. There they laid siege to the city that had once been under their control, but were unable to wrest it from the Bolshevik garrison within.
The 4th Shock Army, meanwhile had marched directly back to Vlodkask and, there meeting the Red October Division, laid siege to that city… and was unable to take it in the summer…
The 3rd Siberian Guards Division had marched south to Bashkent and fought the Chinese there besieging the city…
The Second Battle of Bashkent
The Chinese rush forward!
The battle was hard fought, but eventually the Tsarists were obliged to retire.
As news had arrived that two Bolshevik forces were in Vlodkask, General Bertelovski chose to lead his troops to Stlojia.
The Tang Ti Brigade then continued their Siege of Bashkent…. Unsuccessfully…
In the South the Army of Baron von Ungern-Tighem stormed the city of Wei-Li while The White Tiger Division returned to Ulan Goom to take it back by siege.
1921 – Autumn
Hoooo-boy… is anyone still reading this…? I’m getting kind of tired of writing it… and, to be honest, by this time I was getting really tired of RUNNING the campaign…
Autumn began with a great debate about whether the Bolsheviks could give up their siege at Vlodkask and march, together, to Canauckand…
Perhaps I shouldn’t say I was tired of running the campaign… I was just plain TIRED. I’d had an exhausting week and was really winding down and had been since about suppertime (Summer-Autumn 1920, in game terms). I could barely think, let alone make a sensible ruling… in the end the Bolsheviks decided to stay in Vlodkask and continue their siege, While the Canadians and Tsarists Continued with their siege of Canuckand. Neither was successful in their attempt. Nor was the Tang Ti Brigade successful at taking Bashkent for that matter…
Further south The White Tiger Division hurried south to relieve their capitol, which was being ruthlessly sacked by Ungern-Tighem and his troops. There they met on the battlefield one last time…
The Battle of Wei-Li
Once again von Ungern-Tighem tried to outflank the White Tiger Division with his Mongols, but Sun Jak-Shen is a quick learner and would not be fooled again…
The Army was broken and routed, but, being completely cut off most were massacred as they tried to run. The Baron von Ungern-Tighem himself was severely wounded and captured. He was executed a couple days later in Wei-Li and left to rot in a ditch outside the city on the edge of the desert.
Final Results
Player: Terry
Army: Canadian Central Asian Expeditionary Force
Commander of the Field Army: Brigadier Biggles-Smythe
Cities: Canuckand, Canadar
Prestige Points:
Battles: 6
Cities: 12
Total: 18
Player: Christian
Army: 4th Shock Army
Commander of the
Field Army: Comrade Commissar C.I. Knudsoloffskivichstein
Cities: Bakunin, Kropotkand, Engelsk, Baboushka, Canuckand
Prestige Points:
Battles: 4
Cities: 30
Total: 34
Player: Gary
Army: Red October Division
Commander of the Field Army: General Strelnikov
Cities: Kubassa, Pyrohy, Holopchi, Tashkabad
Prestige Points:
Battles: 4
Cities: 24
Total: 28
Player: John Bertolini
Army: 3rd Siberian Guards Division
Commander of the Field Army: General Bertolovski
Cities: Borschka, Vlodkask
Prestige Points:
Battles: 10
Cities: 12
Total: 22
Player: Chris
Army: Central Asian Cavalry Division
Commander of the Field Army: Baron Roman Christof Maximillian Von Ungern-Tighem
Cities: Gura, Stlojia, Bashkent
P
restige Points:
Battles: 6
Cities: 18
Total: 24
Player: Jackson
Army: “White Tiger” Division
Commander of the Field Army: General Sun Jak-Shen
Cities: Wei-Li, Ching-ho, Ulaan-Goom, Sui-Pei
Prestige Points:
Battles: 16
Cities: 24
Total: 38
Player: Rick
Army: Tang Ti Brigade
Commander of the Field Army: General Luong Wei-Roun
Cities: Lung-Hu, Wurumchi, Driutsek
Prestige Points:
Battles: 16
Cities: 18
Total: 34
Congratulations to Jackson (Sun Jak-Shen) and his White Tiger Division for his hard fought victory (we didn’t just let you win because it was your birthday…)!
Once again Rick was robbed of overall victory due to clever manipulation of the Campaign Rules… but at least this time it was his own doing (so I don't feel so bad...)!!
Overall I think it went over… okay… As I mentioned I was really damn tired and had a trying week and just didn’t feel quite as prepared as I would have liked. It wasn’t quite as awesome as the HOTT Campaign in June. As with every event, though, I learned a lot and will make some changes for next time… already starting to plot and plan for the Dark Ages Campaign in February (which will also be the Sixth Annual Tim’s Wargaming Birthday Bash!)
Thanks to John and Gary and Rick and Jackson and Christian – and especially to Terry and CVT who drove all the way from Edmonton! Despite my utter exhaustion at the end of it all it was a pretty darn good time… I guess the players were having a good enough time too, as they totally skipped having lunch and raged on with the campaign instead!?
The next morning CVT went for a little run before heading back to Edmonton… Terry and I rode along to encourage him (and maybe heckle a bit…)
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