Adventurers!

A couple assorted adventurers rolling off the workbench:

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


From left to right we have a wounded adventurer from Mega Miniatures (from a “townsfolk” pack, I think…), an old Citadel Miniatures Female Fighter, and… um… I’m not sure, but I’m going to guess that this is a Ral Partha dismounted Crusader Knight (if anyone knows otherwise please feel free to correct me!)


Here they are again from the back – all kitted out for adventuring… well the adventurers are… The knight probably has a squire carrying his stuff while clopping two coconuts together to make horsey noises…

The wounded adventurer is fun, but not entirely useful (as a PC anyway…) could be an NPC met in a tavern with some rumor of marauding orc tribes, or whatever. Or maybe a recurring one to add some comic relief: Dan the wounded hireling - no body ever sees him in action, but he always seems rather beat up...

I really dig the female fighter character – so rare to find one in a full mail shirt without some ridiculous deep plunging V-neck shirt of mail to show off cleavage… (or the nearly ubiquitous chainmail bikini top…). Now don’t get me wrong, I dig cleavage as much as any red-blooded, heterosexual male… but in the miniature world it’s just gotten a little silly… she’s also totally kitted out for some serious adventuring. You can’t see it but she’s clutching a miniature crossbow behond the shield.

Speaking of the shield it was inspired by some shield designs done by Neldoreth over at An hour of Wolves and Shattered Shields (Thanks n!)

I like the crusader – nice dynamic pose. But I’m guessing it was probably one that was originally available in packs of six for wargaming. As cool as the pose is I think it’d look odd making an entire unit of them!? I’m not against units of identical figures – I have plenty, from all eras – but for such a unit I prefer a more generic advancing/marching pose. More committed or dynamic poses look just… well… odd. Especially once you get to the age of gunpowder – all shooting poses kind of look like firing squads if they’re not done right..

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Oh probably some more fantasy nonsense. Maybe a battle report…

Undead Horsey-Things

I'm back!

I haven’t done much over the last week and a half or so due to some houseguests last week and a little vacation earlier this week. Last night I finished up a couple more things for my legions of undead….

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


These are some Skeleton Cavalry from Iron Wind Metals. I thought I’d class them as “riders” – they do have a bow and arrows in a holster-like-thing hanging off the side of their saddle.

Actually I’m kind of torn on the whole undead thing…. Should I have “riders” and “bow”…? Or should I just mix them ALL up on big bases with loads of other assorted foot and call them HORDES!?

I know… Hordes “suck”… I don’t care – most of my undead army will be hordes. I have a load of spear and sword armed foot set aside to build my Hordes of…well… “Horde”.

It says right in the definition “…Those armed with bows use them only at very close range, so that the effect is part of close combat…” Is it therefore “cheesy” to have separate bow-armed skeletons classed at “Bow”? Who makes these bows for the skeletons anyway? Do necromancers raise undead bowyers? Most armour and weapons I imagine the skeletons have on hand – buried with them on an ancient field of battle. But bows and bow strings…? Of course I suppose the same can be said of spear shafts and anything else made of wood or leather…

I’m putting waaaaaaaay too much thought into this.


Strange undead horsey-thing. I have no idea who manufactured this one. I can’t even remember if I got it in a trade or out of a bargain bin…? This one is based for HotT.


Same as above based for skirmishing. I had thought of putting both on one base – to make it look more like a “unit” – also one on it’s own doesn’t look nearly imposing enough to be a “Behemoth” in it’s own right (which is what I was planning on classifying it as). But then decided the two together in the same pose would look goofy, and this way I have one that I can bust out on a Savage Saturday and truly horrify my players.

(I suppose I could have put this in the middle of a “Horde” stand as well…)


The Necromancer. I’m not entirely sure about eh origin of these either. I think the mount might have been a Celtos figure and the Necromancer from Games Workshop (Which would mean, in their little world, I’m breaching their intellectual property rights by using other manufacturers miniatures in a “conversion” with their own models… hopefully this one will fly "under the radar"... seriously, how many of you out there buy exclusively GW product and after seeing this might stop and start buying other stuff... vs. how many of you would never have considered GW product but after seeing some painted on my blog and used in conjunction with other manufacturers thought "hey, those aren't half-bad... I might actually make use of those...?").

The Necromancer will also be the General. I know, I know… not the smartest move game-wise. But I’ve always been of the mind that things should be as they ought to be, not what’s good in the game. Necromancers always struck me as being megalomaniac control freaks… and what megalomaniac control freak would raise an army of the dead and then hand over the command to someone that genuinely has better head for tactics… (or is at least less vulnerable to being stuck down by adventuring heroic types!)?

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Maybe I should get moving on the rest of these undead… I have two more stands of riders, then it’s loads of infantry (“Hordes“).

More Scots

…and here are the Pikemen:

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


These are all from Wargames Foundry - except for the one tall chap in the back, he’s from Renegade Miniatures.

Here’s how they look all formed up with the rest of the Regiment:


Ready for action!!

Well… When I get the rest of the army painted… That’s actually hale the army right there. Another regiment like this plus a couple more horse and we’re good to go. I’d like to add some artillery at some point… but for now I should just worry about painting up what I got!!


These, as the previous pair, are from Renegade Miniatures.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I might actually take a break from painting to do some tidying and stocktaking and planning…. and playing games!! Stay tuned for some more battle reports and rambling about what I’m planning to do…

ECW Scottish Shot!?

I’ve been eyeing these up to finish off for some time. They’re based for DBA/HotT – ECW armies could easily be translated into HotT – the current game of choice at Chez Tim (Shot = Shooters, Pike = Spear, Cuirassier = Knights, other Cavalry = Riders, Guns = Artillery, Dour Presbyterian Preacher = Cleric, etc…).

I’d previously completed a stand of Pike and a stand of Shot (oh and some Mossers…). Anyway, I wanted to at least finish a Regiment of Foot – my ECW-DBA armies are organized into regiments of two Pike and two Shot (like THIS ONE). So I have eight Scottish Pike to finish for the second stand of Pike for this regiment….

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


These are from Wargames Foundry.

Since I was working on Scottish shot for the DBA-X/HOTT I thought I’d do a couple spares I had based singly for skmishin’.


These are from Renegade Miniatures.

I have two regiments of Scots foot from Renegade as well. They're a tad bigger than the Foundry jocks... so I'm not sure I'll be able to squeeze 8 pikemen on a base... Nevertheless... I could have an entire army of just foot (3 regiments of 4 stands). Ideally I’d field forces of two regiments of foot (eight stands total) plus a gun (or two...?), and some cavalry (with a Rider or Knight general).

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Scots Pike!! Then maybe some undead cavalry…? Who knows!?

Orcs Invade Libbyland

Another game with the kids – this time we let The Girl Play too. The Girl was very excited to use her mom’s army (when she found out she has her own army of ALL GIRLS!. I had promised her a game a few evenings ago, but it just hasn’t worked out with the outlaws visiting… This morning, however, Amanda and her folks were out to the market and stuff so after we finished ourt violin practice I thought we’d try and sneak in a game before they got back…

SITUATION

The forces of smelliness and brutishness have invaded the land of happy spites, unicorns and ballerinas (though, strangely, there are no sprites… or unicorns… or ballerinas in the army…).

SCENARIO

Orcs attacking the army of Girly Greatness.

FORCES

Orcs of Badthanc
1x Rider General Borgthag the Not-So-Clean
6x Riders – Wolf Riders
3x Beasts – Wolf packs
1x Behemoth – Trolls.

The Army of Libby the Bold
1x Hero General – Libby the Bold and her Giant Pussycat
3x Blade – Dwarves
3x Shooters – Humans and Elf Archers, and stone-throwing Hobbit lasses
3x Warband – Dark Elves and Celts
1x Riders – Centaurinas

THE GAME


(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


The “Expert” (boy) sets up his army of Orcish smelliness opposite the Girls’ Girl Army.


Initial set up of the Army of Libby the Bold.


The Orcs pour over the hill with their host of wolves….


The Girl vibrates with excitement at the prospect of throwing for her first PIP roll. I think the die went across the room, bounced off a wall, and ended up on the floor somewhere…


The Boy gets ready to throw for Borgthag the Not-So-Clean’s first PIP roll.


Libby commanded her centaurs to flank the enemy line…


…and enjoyed some initial success, routing the first batch of malodorous miscreants.


Rather than surging forward toward the enemy (and letting the centaurs roll up the line), Borgthag the Not-So-Clean showed some serious lack of impetuosity and ability to grok the taktiks, by holding their general advance long enough to dispatch some riders to deal with the menace on the flank.


The Centaurs were frightened off the field of battle. Driven by the loathsome smells emanating from…. rider or beast? They knew not which was worse! (Girls down one)


No tears yet…


The battle lines met – this time it was the orcs turn to… well… turn the flank…


The Celtic Warrior Wimyn were pretty badass, however and fought off the two packs of baddies. Foes clashed and there was much shoving back and forth.


The hman archers were mauled and driven from the field of battle by one particularly rank mob of wolf riders… (Girls down two)


The next round however the Wolf Riders finally surrounded, overwhelmed and annihilated the Celtic Warrior Wimyn (Girls down three)


Further down the line the Girls only managed to throw back a few units that remained in contact or that were rejoined with the pitiful PIP roll… conveniently redressing the Orc line for them…


The Orcs were then able to charge in again en masse! In a particularly bad turn the Orcs managed to route a unit of Dark Elves, the Elf archers, AND a unit of Dwarf Warriors! (Girls down six, game over…).

Not a great introduction for the girl… but there was conciserably less tears than the boys first game… and he WON!? She too will be a formidable opponent… when she learns to add…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More of the same… couple guys coming over to play some more HotT tonight…

Roman Empire Invades the Isle of Berk

Gaming With The Boy – Part II

Finnegan decided he’s like to try and play the Romans . The obvious opponent was my Vikings (the Hairy Hooligan Tribe!). He’s a HUGE fan of Cressida Cowell’s How to… Dragon Books. In one of the books (How to Speak Dragonese) the Hairy Hololigans’ take on an outpost of the Roman Empire!?

Finnegan decided the Hairy Hooligan were more of a “Warband” type of Viking than “Blade”…

SITUATION

The Legions of the Roman Empire lead by “The Fat Consul” have invaded the Isle of Berk and are marching on the village of the Hairy Hooligans!

SCENARIO

Romans are the attackers, Vikings are the defenders.

FORCES

Hairy Hooligan Tribe
1x Hero General– Stoick the Vast
9x Warband – Viking Warriors
1x Shooters – Viking Archers.

The Roman Empire
1x Blade General – The Fat Consul
4x Blade – Roman Legionnaires
4x Spear – Roman Auxiliaries
1x Shooter – Roman Archers
2x Riders – Roman Cavalry

THE GAME

(Remember: click on the pictures for a bigger version)


Finnegan and his legions (and his reference guide for Roman tactics).


The Hairy Hooligans arrayed before their village, ready to defend the Isle of Berk.


The Roman Legions advance.


Finnegnan demonstrates how the Romans march.


Finnegan demonstrates how Roman cavalry gallop.


Gallop they did – he got a whopping big 6 PIPs and couldn’t hold them back any longer!


The following turn they contacted the left of the Hooligan line. One unit of Roman Cavalry shoved one batch of hooligans back into a creek, but the others were soundly thrashed by the hooligan warbands further down the line! Romans down one.

There was considerably less distress at this "setback" than there was in our last game. Finnegan, is seems, is considerably less concerned when it’s the “bad guys” losing – even if HE’s playing the “bad guys”…


Hooligans surround the remaining squadron of Roman Cavalry…


…but they’re made of sterner stuff and throw back their assailants.


The Cavalry once more charges in trying to shove the Hooligans right back into the water. (the Hooligans threw them back, however).


The Roman battle line advances ever closer to the Hololigan village.


Once more the Hooligans on the left of the line assault the Roman cavalry…


…and finally they are undone… Romans down two.


At the other end of the line the Hooligan archers started harassing the Romans with volleys of arrows, forcing the Roman archers to retire and regroup.


The Legions of Roman advance ever closer….


Finally the battle is joined…


Just look at those neat battle lines… that wasn’t going to last long!

The horrendous din of metal on metal, metal on wood, metal crushing bone and rending flesh and the fearsome cries of the Hairy Hooligans could be heard as far away as the Bog-Burglar Islands and had Big-Boobied Bertha wondering what the terrible racket was…!?


One legion of Romans was vanquished and a hole in the Hooligan line developed where Romans had done their worst…. Others were thrown back here and there. The wild Hooligans pursuing where they could. The neat battle lines in complete disarray! The fat consul shrank from the might of Stoic the Vast.

Romans down three, Hooligans down one.

(a number of turns of bad PIP rolls – for both of us – followed, so only one or two stands would make contact on any give turn as there was nothing resembling “groups” left on the table…)


At the left of the line the Hooligans struck back! Shattering a unit of Auxilia at the far left,, but being thrown back by Legionnaires elsewhere.

Romans down four.


They shattered a unit of Auxilia at the far left, but were thrown back by Legionnaires elsewhere.


The Auxilia at the left of the Roman line finally got up the nerve to enter the woods and find out what was making that fearsome howling noise… as it turns out, it was THE BERSERKERS!


The Berserkers lived up to their “dangerous” reputation and crushed the Auxilia spearmen to their front.

Romans down five.


The Fat Consul had got up the nerve to rejoin the fight with Stoic the Vast…


… but was again thrown back by his… uh.. vastness…


A fierce battle continued between some hooligans and auxilia at the left of the Hooligan line over a couple of turns neither refusing to give ground…


Eventually a lot of Hooligans Got back into it with one of the legions – supported on both sides…


… and the Romans were surrounded and crushed!

Game Over.

100% less tears shed over this battle, which was shocking, considering it was a pretty sound thrashing!! Maybe it was because it was “bad guys” he was playing… or maybe it was because it was all in the context of a story he understood rather than a head-to-head "competition"… Regardless it was good times for all and I’m looking forward to playing lots more!

I actually didn’t expect it to go this well, when he diecided that the vikings should be Warband. All those Blades at+5 and Spears at +4 versus my warbands at +3… but that Warband quick-kill got them more than a couple times….

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Probably more HotT and DBA stands… and more battle reports – I promised The Girl she could play a battle with her mum’s army of “HotT Chicks”…