More Mediaevals

A few more mediaeval figures rolling off the workbench for Lion Rampant.

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

Foot Men-at-Arms from Crusader Miniatures that I recently picked up as part of a Lion Rampant deal that North Star Figures was (and still is) offering.

A unit of Crossbow for my green-coloured opposing force. Also from Crusader Miniatures and part of the same Lion Rampant deal that North Star Figures. I tried to do these in slightly more muted tones of green and yellow - compared to the Knights I did earlier - because... well... these are just pee-ons... The fancy-schmancy dyes and fabrics are saved for (can only be afforded by) the noble classes. 

Two sample Irish Kerns from Old Glory. I have a pile of these - but as they all need fists drilled and javelins manufacturered, I've been kind of dragging my feet at getting on with them. They’ll see action in both Fierce Foot or Bidower units in a Lion Rampant Medieval Irish Retinue – at some point.

More Old Glory (I think…) religious types – ready to spread the good word.

Friar Tuck from Trent Miniatures.

Casualties from Crusader Miniatures - not part of the Lion Rampant Deal, but ordered at the same time. 

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Galleys and Galleons…

Seriously… 

Maybe some Great War stuff (and more Mediaevals!).

Last Game at John’s

A few weeks back I wandered over to John’s for one last game in his beautiful new house… before he moved out of it!

We set up a game of Wargaming Nineteenth Century Europe 1815-1878 and, as per custom, I took the Austrians and John took Russians.

(I had secretly hopped he might bust out the Russo-Japanese war stuff – as our first game had been with those figures – but I’m not complaining, any game at John’s house is guaranteed to be a good time).

SCENARIO

We played the standard “Pitched Battle” scenario and, for once, actually ended up being able to set up on the long sides of the table. 

To win one had to be in possession of three of the four victory locations at the end of the fifteenth turn. 

In the “Pre-Battle Events” I rolled “Bogged Down” and lost two units. John rolled “Traffic Congestion” and three of his units would not arrived unit turn five.

FORCES

Austrians

6x Infantry

1x Skirmishers

1x Cavalry

2x Artillery

(One artillery and one infantry was lost due to pre-game events)

Russians

5x Infantry

1x Cavalry

4x Artillery

1x Cossacks

(I think an artillery, an infantry, and a cavalry unit were delayed)

THE GAME

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

Initial set up from the Southeast – my Austrians are deployed on the south edge of the table.

Initial set up from the Southwest.

Again with the initial set up – from the Northwest.

The Austrians begin their advance.

On the second to third turn the Austrian cavalry clashed with Russian infantry…

… nearly pushing them right off the table with the first clash! I tried to take the battle to the Russians as I know I would only have slight numerical superiority for the first five turns…

So fast was my advance that my infantry overran Russian guns before they could even get set up on the hill! Huzzah!

The remnants of my cavalry fleeing from their second clash with the Russian Infantry west of town.

In the foreground I have three Infantry units converging on the town – one of the victory locations (of which there were four..? Two hills and two villages?). Another Infantry unit is eyeing up one of John’s units across the bridge spanning the river wondering how they’re supposed to cross that thing according to the rules. In the distance I have a unit of cavalry and a unit of artillery facing some Russian Cossacks. Oh, and my Skirmishers are on the wooded hill sniping at some of John’s infantry on the outskirts of the village on the other side of the river.

Russian Cossacks charge and overrun my guns.

The Russians finally decide the best way to go about crossing the bridge is in column of march!

This leads to their near annihilation at the hands of my deployed infantry.

Austrian infantry sweep down off the hill and smash through the wavering Russian line.

Then I got kind of lazy with the picture taking… all these were taken BEFORE the fifth turn when The Russians reinforcements show up… the next pictures are many turns later…?

That full strength Austrian unit that was holding the bridge…? Yeah, that’s them not backed up to the hill (another victory location) being charged by Russian Reserve Cavalry That cam one on the fifth turn and galloped all the way around the flanks to try and take that hill in my rear. The Russian Infantry that’s just crossed the bridge is one that also came on from reserve. The Russian gun set up just on the far side of the bridge is also one that came out of reserve on the fifth turn.

John and his fabulous game table full of toy soldiers (with bubblewrap for the immanent packing in the background!)

The remains of the unit of Russian Cossacks (after charging down the gun) They kind of held the extreme left of the Russian line and mostly just hung out to make sure my skirmishing Grenz didn’t try to pull anything funny as some of his other troops pulled out of their positions opposite to go and try to reinforce their wavering right.

The Russians are always supposed to get 1-2 free units of Cossacks – this is the first game we actually got to play with them (as John hadn’t has any for our previous games)!

The end of the game.

I think technically the Austrians won. They held a village and the wooded hill. The Russian held the other village but this hill was still somewhat contested at the end of the fifteenth turn. I didn’t take note of the losses at the end of the game – but it was a pretty bloody battle and I don’t think the Austrians would have been able to hold onto their victory locations for long had it continued...

Good times. I’m going to miss these games. Hopefully I’ll get John over here for a game or two before he takes off for good.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I did get a bit of painting done over the weekend. Mostly Medieval subjects… but there’s some more Great War stuff on the workbench…

This week I hope to get in a game of Galleys and Galleons – so stay tuned for that report! 

Men-at-arms, Irish, Imperial Guard, and a Hobbit…!?

Last weekend the copy of Walking Dead season Four I had requested through the public library arrived and I’ve spent most evenings for the last week watching (well… listening to...) that and painting – so it’s been quite a productive week – compared to the last few!

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

Assorted Men-at-arms, The two on the left are from Wargames Foundry, the next fellow is an old Ral Partha figure and the fellow on the right is either foundry again or an old Games Workshop Brettonian.

Looking over the suggested retinues in Lion Rampant I spotted the Medieval Irish one and immediately thought of the horde of spare Dark Age “Irish” I have left over and an even larger pile of Medieval Irish Kerns I got in a trade… so I busted them all out and prepared to paint them all – I almost have enough for a complete retinue without even having to buy anything! I got these Old Glory Irish Axemen done first as they were already primed and needed no assembling. This could be a unit of “Fierce Foot” but I think I’ll mix in some of the Kerns for some variety.

The medieval Kerns require drilling of hands and manufacturing of javelins and attaching of shields. Also I’ve been having a hard time finding any reference to how their shields should be painted. They’re oval and look like they’re made of wicker and possibly have leather stretched over them – but I have no idea how they’re to be decorated – if indeed they’d be decorated at all!?

A spare Dark age Irish figure (as above) that I’d actually started earlier and just finished up. After our first game of Mutants and Death Ray Guns I’d gone looking through unpainted spares trying to find anything I could convert for use as post-apocalyptic characters. I didn’t do much converting on this guy - I did glue on some mag-pouches on his belt at the back – then tried to paint him to look as though he has a bit of camo tarp draped over him…

An Hobbit. Old Citadel/Games Workshop figure – I thought I’d finished them all. Then I found this one.

A few Games Workshop Imperial Guard from different eras. Just… because…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

It just occurred to me that I never did post that game report from the last battle at John’s house… I shall endeavor to rectify that this weekend.

A few parcels arrived this week with goodies for me! First an order from North Star Figures with a Lion Rampant deal (and a few other things) I picked up. Second was an order from Brigade Games I placed during their Clack Friday sale last weekend (Yes – it’s already here!?) which was mostly some of their Great War British which I will be suing for the units of the 9^th Infantry Brigade, CEF.

I now have all the figures I need for the 3^rd Canadian Division. Half of them are already painted – so I’m going to see if I can’t just finish off the Division by the end of the year – then, next year, I’ll do the 2^nd Division and get cracking on some of the Germans! 

Despite the fact that I’m trying to stay focused on Great War and Ancient (Greek/Roman) subjects – and trying to lay off the Medievals until summer... I have a feeling there may be some of those rolling off the workbench in the neat future.

I also started clearing off the Game Table – which has become utterly cluttered over the last couple months – so I can get playing some actual GAMES here soon!!  

Song of Shadows and Dust Faction

So those of you who’ve been following along will know I got very (VERY) excited about Nic Wright’s excellent Song of Shadows and Dust (a reimplementation of Andrea Sfiligoi’s A Song of Blades and Heroes). Song of Shadows and Dust focuses on street violence in urban areas around the Mediterranean circa the first century BCE (plus or minus) – Think of HBO’s Rome series or the more recent Spartacus series. Though I haven’t got in a game in the last few weeks (er… MONTHS!?) I am still very excited about it and an planning on running a Song of Shadows and Dust campaign for my 11^th Annual Wargaming Birthday Bash/Winter Wargaming Weekend coming up in February 2015.

Unlike previous events I’ve run I will likely not be providing everyone with forces to play with – I’ll be providing 3-5 urban game tables (that’s a LOT of buildings) – and, really, that should be enough! But I thought to help inspire those that are coming to the event – or anyone else interested in the game, but are unsure where to source figures – I’d try and put together a few quick, relatively inexpensive factions in 28mm. (I figured I could also sell these factions I build to other who really want to participate but absolutely, positively refuse to make any attempt to assemble and paint their own!)

Factions are predominantly armed civilians and there aren’t a lot of ancient armed civilian figure currently available – the lovely Ancient Civilians Collection from Wargames Foundry being the happy exception! There are ancient light infantry with slings or bows or javelins are available could be used, but most other light infantry generally have shields – which generally wouldn’t be carried around in the street as it would attract a bit too much attention.  After much searching around I settled on the Numidians from  Wargames Factory

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

The pack contains 28 plastic figures. Most of the 300 point factions we’ve used in our games so far have had 6-8 figures. As I am planning for a campaign where the factions could potentially grow larger the factions people bring to the campaign would need to be larger. So the box could easily make two factions of 13-15 figures totaling 500-700 points each.

In the box, there are seven sprues with bodies and LOADS of arm options!

There are also seven sprues with an assortment of weapons.

I’d originally planned to do this as a step-by-step how-to sort of post… but after sticking the bodies on the bases I realized this was going to take more time than I have to spare at the moment… maybe next time.

After sticking bodies to bases I thought I should probably go about this with a plan rather that sticking random weapons on willy nilly. So, I sat down and worked out two factions. Both had to have a starting faction of 300 points and include extras that could be added as the faction expanded it’s influence and grew in numbers ( I should say “IF the faction expanded it’s influence and grew in numbers”!)

For the first one I wanted to do as little converting/sculpting as possible – to illustrate what can be accomplished by simply assembling the figures out of the box. Here’s what I came up with:

Starting Warband:

1x Faction Leader 60

1x Boxer 83

4x Henchmen @ 27 = 108

1x Henchman with Sling 36

This is a total of seven figures at 387 points (the number in the faction was important as one of the rules I was considering using, at the time, from Song of Deeds and Glory</a> was that the maximum warband/faction size is limited to the number in the initial warband/faction x2)

The additional figures that could be added to the warband – or used as different options to replace lost members)

1x Armed Henchman (with sword) 36

2x Retired Vetrans @ 52 = 104

1x Henchmen (with cudgel) 32

1x Cruel Henchman 27

2x Henchmen (with Slings) @36 = 72

1x Henchmen (with javelins) 27

For a total of 14 figures at 685 points (I think a faction would have to be doing REALLY well and not taking ANY losses to get that big in the course of a 5-6 game campaign…)

So here is what they ended up looking like.

The Whole Faction. I painted them all is various shades of blue (or blue-ish greys) to make them a little more easily identifiable from other factions. When (if) I get to doing another

The Faction Leader – he could just as easily be fielded as a Guild Master (for less points) or a Demagogue (for more points) - done in darker more vibrant colours to make him stand out a bit. 

The Boxer – the taping on the hands was just painted on. Could also be fielded as the “Punch Drunk Boxer” for 46 points…

Four basic “joe-shmoe” henchmen – I gave them rocks and knives. Anyone in the game can pick up rocks and hurl them! Knives are small and easily concealable – to help maintain their “grey” ability. The could also be fielded as apprentices or even a “Savvy Henchman” (at 48 points)…?

Some  henchmen with missle weapons – two with slings and one with Javelins

The two retired Veterans (in helmets) and single sword armed henchman - for when the faction gets a bit bigger and BOLDER! (note the swords are a bit thin and fragile - one already broke off before I even finished painting!?) 

Henchman with “cudgel”. Perhaps that a bit big for a cudgel… whatever – big stick that gives him the bludgeon special rule!

Finally the “Cruel Henchman” I gave him a bloody stone and knife to make it easier to differentiate him from the regular henchmen. The “Cruel Henchman” has the Savage special rule…

And that’s that… Hopefully it’s inspired one or two of you and filled your heads ideas and possibilities.

The next faction I was planning to do with the remaining figures from the box was to be lead by a Young Politician or Disgruntled Aristocrat – I can’t quite remember which – that I planned to try  and model a toga over with some green stuff. Possibly an Assassin with a hooded clock – also modeled from greenstuff…? I may not get to those for a week or two however – I have some other stuff to get going on – Great War stuff… play-testing Song of Galleys and Galleons… other stuff…

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

More on my plans for the Song of Shadows and Dust campaign in February and HOPEFULLY some game reports of Song of Galleys and Galleons!! 

Early Medieval Mounted Men-at-Arms

After our first game of Lion Rampant I went snooping through the lead pile to see if I could find any more mounted troops that could pass for “medieval”. I found these fellows I got in some trade – I think they are Old Glory Crusaders…?

(of course then North Star Figures went and offered the first of their read-made Lion Rampant Army Deals - made up of Crusader Miniatures… er… Crusaders…).

(and then I found some Wargames Foundry  Hundred years War Mounted Men-at-arms on ebay…)

I’m trying to let this go until next summer (when our survey of history will bring us around to the middle ages) and focus on the task(s) at hand (Greeks, which we are studying now, Romans, which we will be getting to in teh new year, Great War stuff for the Vimy Project, and getting out the sailing ships for a game I'm supposed to be play-testing - not to mention the not-so-game-related projects I have on the go)… but it doesn’t seem to be working out so well…

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

Mounted Men-at-Arms

Same bunch, slightly different angle.

Again with the different angles…

Actually I only need six for a mounted unit in Lion Rampant, but I'm hoping I'll be able to scare up another four of these (for a total of twelve) to be able to put together TWO such units. 

Most of my Medieval-ish retinues have belonged to Philipe du Lapin - who colours have been red and white, usually red surmounted by a white bunny (sometimes the "Bunny Rampant"). I thought I should start in on a second (opposing) force whose colours would be green and yellow... maybe involving a badger... I don't know... I think maybe I overdid it a bit with all the different patterns all using yellow and green here...?

 With these done I think I will shift gears and get working on some of the more pressing projects!

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I fell into the Black Friday trap and ordered another Brigade worth of Great War British/Canadians which should keep me busy for a bit. Expect to see more Great War stuff in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, however, I took it upon myself to try and make a faction or two for Song of Shadows and Dust - the first of which I finished last night and should hopefully post some pictures of later today.

I’m also supposed to be play-testing a new set of Age of Sail Rules - Song of Galleys and Galleons - By Nic Wright – so I’m going to be laying off on the painting for a week or two to clear off the game table to get some games of that going on – stand-by for game reports!! 

I've also been very busy the last few weeks working on some crafty projects with The Girl... more on that shortly as well. 

49th (Edmonton) Battlaion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

I have finally gotten back to painting battalions for my Canadian Great War project. This one is the 49^th (Edmonton) Battalion, CEF

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

The figures for the 49^th – along with all the units of the 7^th Brigade (3^rd Division, CEF) are from Great War Miniatures.

I have two more battalions to paint up to finish the Brigade; The Royal Canadian Regiment and the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. Then it’s on to the 9^th Brigade to finish up the 3^rd Division (or perhaps a few of the German opponents…?)

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

I have a few odd and sundry items in the works; mounted Knights for Lion Rampant (or A Song of Blades and Heroes or Song of Arthur and Merlin or any other medievally skirmish game, I suppose)… and … other things… and hopefully tonight or tomorrow I’ll get around to posting the report of the game of Wargaming Nineteenth Century Europe 1815-1878 I played with John last week. 

Bones Shoggoths and a Halfling

Wow… I’ve been slacking off a bit - over TWO WEEKS since my last post!?

A couple odd items this morning – all Reaper Miniatures Bones figures …

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

4 Shoggoths – I picked these up to use with Innsmouth Escape - a boardgame from Twilight Creations that I picked up a while ago but only recently got around to sitting down and playing it. In it there are Deep Ones of four different colours (so up to four of your bestest friends can control Deep Ones chasing your hapless hero who is trying to run around Innsmouth and round up some of his/her Miscatonic college buddies before escaping from the wretched city…). Each Deep One player is supposed to be able to summon a Shoggoth – but instead of supplying a miniature for this there is only a cardboard counter… I noticed that there were Shoggoths in the Reaper Miniatures Bones collection… so I picked up four and painted one each in the colours of the four colours of the Deep Ones provided in the game.

While I was at it, I painted a Bones Halfling.

Coming soon on Tim’s Miniature Wargaming Blog:

Despite not posting much over the last few weeks I haven’t been entirely unproductive! In addition to these figure I also finished up another Battalion for Vimy project (which I will be posting shortly) I also got in one last game of Wargaming Nineteenth Century Europe 1815-1878 with John at his house before he moves out – which I will hopefully get around to posting… soon…?