Sunday, November 25, 2012

Wargaming Terrain - Marsh & Bog's


I have been on the hunt for several months for suitable terrain the for the bogs of Ireland, most of the commercial terrain available does not seem to have the depth and rugged feel I was looking for
I was close to having to make my own, having been given the idea by my good friend Paul over at
movealongnownothingtoseehere when a trip to Warfare seemed to solve my problem.

40 - TH45 - Marshy Area 24cm x 19cm Painted or unpainted


The guy's over at  magneticdisplays had the following Marshes and Ponds on their stand for the price of £6.00 a peice a little to plain for my liking but certainly the base for what I am looking for.

With the addition several clumps of Silfor Dark Reeds to break up some of the uniformity, these should be useful for several periods whilst fitting in with my existing terrain.

 



With release of SAGA's latest supplement The Raven's Shadow it these will certainly give my Irish the terrain advantage the battle boards seem to suggest.


Saturday, November 24, 2012

Liebster Award.....

I was surprised to receive the Liebster Award from Smillie over at http://dirtypaintpots.blogspot.co.uk

Thank you very much, I am very pleased to have been nominated, and most grateful for the award!
It really does make all the time and effort, to paint up figures and write the battle reports worthwhile when you know its being appreciated and enjoyed by your fellow gamers.


The Liebster Award
Following on from others here are the rules of engagement.


1. Copy and paste the award on your blog linking it to the blogger who has given it you.

2. Pass the award to your top 5 favourite blogs with less than 200 followers by leaving a comment on one of there posts to notify them that they have won the award and listing them on your own blog.

3. Sit back and bask in the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with knowing you have made someones day!

4. There is no obligation to pass this onto someone else but its nice if you take the time to do so.


In no order here are some great blogs to check out and are my nominations to pass it on!


In no particular order...... My Top 5 nominations.

The Wargame Shed
Whisperin Al and I seem to share very similar tastes in wargaming periods, a great mix of periods and rule reviews always something worth reading.

irregularwars.
I picked this rule set up a number of months ago when I was looking for rules sets for my Irish wars, Mr Hotspur has a great insight into his chosen period with a great balance between historical accuracy and game play.

Hereford 1938
I could hardly avoid Jon over at hereford 1938, by sheer luck our VBCW campaigns run along side each other separated only by the Malverns, JP has some great game reports and plenty of fresh scenario ideas.

Balkan Wargamer
Balkan Dave's website always has some thing worth stopping by for a read, whether it be the book review's or wargames scenario's Dave and I also seem to share a number common periods.

An evil giraffe
The guy's at the local club often look at me a little strangely when I suggest a game of Elizabethan Zombie wars, Evil Giraffe is proof Folk Horror exists in more than my warped mind.... :-)

Stop by and pay these chaps a visit.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Warfare 2012 - Kallistra Antietam Refight

Sunday and the annual trip to Warfare, once again the Wyvern Wargamers linked up with the excellent Kallistra terrain system who were showcasing their ACW 10/12mm figure range.
The plan was to play through elements of the Battle of Antietam in particular Burnside's Bridge.
  

 


As in history Burnside's bridge was to prove a tough nut to crack, as in history time and again the Union forces rushed the bridge on to push back by rebel fire.



On the Right flank the Union forces secured bridge but were unable to make head way through the cornfield as the Confederate forces rushed to plug the gap.


A great day out and nice to play a big game, quite a change from the usual skirmish games.
Well done to Chris from the club who claimed 2nd place in the SAGA tournament, definitely a veteran on the SAGA gaming scene.


Saturday, November 17, 2012

Warlord Cuirassiers 28mm Cavalry

Another purchase from Warfare 2011 that only just made it to the paint table in time for the next Warfare show this weekend.

 

 

These Warlord Cuirassiers will serve as a useful addition to the Spanish Invaders posing as German Mercenaries under a Spanish Flag in the ongoing Elizabethan games.

The castings are clean with plenty of detail and alternative arm conversions, although perhaps to many sash wearing figures.

Painted using a Vallejo Gun Metal Blue with a Games Workshop Badab black wash.





The Assault Group Tudor Range - 2013

Not a follower of facebook, but a fellow Gamer Aiteal sent me the following from the Assault Group's facebook page... An exciting year in 2013 if Stretch Goal five can be reached ..... 

Irish....
Is this the range to trump all other manufacturers?
Still plenty of other castings in the other kick starter pools to bolster the ranks of any Elizabethan Generals.



"On Facebook, Pete from The Assault group outlined the plan for the above. Here is the list and his thoughts: "OK, this is the way that it is rolling with the Tudors. Nick is working on the range now… We plan a full range of English and French minis, which will be ready for release in March or April or 2013. We plan to use Kick starter to promote the range, as present we haven’t seen a full range of wargames minis promoted in this way so hopefully we can spark peoples interest by using the KS as well as reach people who we wouldn't normally get to with our normal releases. When we get to announcing the Kick starter properly we will have the English minis done and the French minis almost complete, so we will be able to deliver on these swiftly, no waiting around lick some KS’s I could mention, but we want the KS crowd to push us into adding more nations for this mid-century period, so the stretch goals will include Germans, Scot and Irish, as well as a few other little treats I have up my sleeve."
REN400 HenryVIII
REN401 General (to be decided)
REN402 Tudor Nobles with lances
REN403 Tudor Noble Command
REN404 Tudor Nobles with hand weapons
REN405 Staves/Borderers with swords
REN406 Staves/Borderers with lances
REN407 Staves/Borderers with pistols
REN408 Staves/Borderers with fire-arms
REN409 Stave/Borderer command
REN410 English infantry in uniform coats with pike/bill upright
REN411 English infantry in uniform coats with pike/bill at 80
REN412 English infantry in uniform coats with pike/bill at 60
REN413 English infantry in uniform coats with pike/bill at 45
REN414 English infantry in uniform coats firing longbows
REN415 English infantry in uniform coats loading longbows
REN416 English infantry in uniform coats marching with longbows
REN417 English infantry in uniform coats standing with longbows
REN418 English infantry in uniform coats firing caliver
REN419 English infantry in uniform coats loading caliver
REN420 English infantry in uniform coats marching with caliver
REN421 English infantry in uniform coats standing with caliver
REN422 English infantry Command in Uniform coats standing
REN423 English infantry Command in Uniform coats advancing
REN424 English militia/Border infantry with bill upright
REN425 English militia/Border infantry with bill at 80
REN426 English militia/Border infantry with bill at 60
REN427 English militia/Border infantry with bill at 45
REN428 English militia/Border infantry firing longbow
REN429 English militia/Border infantry loading longbow
REN430 English militia/Border infantry marching with longbow
REN431 English militia/Border infantry standing with longbow
REN432 English militia/Border Command standing
REN433 English militia/Border Command advancing
REN434 Shrympe (small ordinance piece)
REN435 Heavy Ordinance piece
REN436 English gun crew
REN437 Francis I
REN438 French General (to be decided)
REN439 French Gendarmes with lance upright
REN440 French Gendarme Command
REN441 French Gendarmes with lance couched
REN442 French Gendarmes with side arms
REN443 French Argoulets firing arquebus
REN444 French Argoulet command
REN445 French Argoulets loading arquebus
REN446 French foot with pike upright
REN447 French foot with pike at 80
REN448 French foot with pike at 60
REN449 French foot with pike at 45
REN450 French Aventuriers firing arquebus
REN451 French Aventuriers loading arquebus
REN452 French Aventuriers marching with arquebus
REN453 French Aventuriers standing with arquebus
REN454 French Aventurier Command standing
REN455 French Aventurier Command advancing
REN456 Swiss pikemen with pike upright
REN457 Swiss pikemen with pike at 80
REN458 Swiss pikemen with pike at 60
REN459 Swiss pikemen with pike at 45
REN460 Swiss heavy infantry command
REN461 Swiss arquebusiers firing
REN462 Swiss arquebusiers loading
REN463 Swiss arquebusiers advancing
REN464 Swiss arquebusiers standing
REN465 Swiss light infantry command
REN466 French artillery crew"
  


"Ok, these are the 'Stretch Goals' for our Kickstarter, as you may or may not know these things don't get made unless the goals are reached/exceeded, so we need to get people excited to get ALL these minis made. Plus although we will plan to have the English and French ready to roll at the point the KS is announced, these minis will take time to deliver, 6 months for the Germans and another 6 for the Scots and Irish, sorry about that, but we (Nick) makes these things by hand and eye, and as you may already know if you are a long term TAG customer, it is NOT a quick process."
"Stretch Goal 2
REN467 German General (to be decided)
REN468 German General (to be decided)
REN469 German/Burgundian Gendarmes with lance
REN470 German/Burgundian Gendarme Command
REN471 German/Burgundian Gendarmes with side arms
REN472 German Nobles with lances
REN473 German Nobles with hand weapons
REN474 Early Reiter with boar-spears
REN475 Early Reiter Command
REN476 Early Reiter with pistols
REN477 Berittene Hakenbuchsen-schutzen (with arquebus)
REN478 Landsknecht pikemen with pikes upright
REN479 Landsknecht pikemen with pikes at 80
REN480 Landsknecht pikemen with pikes at 60
REN481 Landsknecht pikemen with pikes at 45
REN482 Landsknecht swordsmen
REN483 Landsknecht heavy infantry Command
REN484 Landsknechts firing arquebus
REN485 Landsknechts loading arquebus
REN486 Landsknechts marching with arquebus
REN487 Landsknechts standing with arquebus
REN488 Landsknecht light infantry Command
REN489 German city-militia pikemen with pike upright
REN490 German city-militia pikemen with pike at 80
REN491 German city-militia pikemen with pike at 60
REN492 German city-militia pikemen with pike at 45
REN493 German heavy infantry Command
REN494 German city-militia firing arquebus
REN495 German city-militia loading arquebus
REN496 German light infantry Command
REN497 German artillery crew

Stretch Goal 4
REN498 Scottish General (to be decided)
REN499 Scottish General (to be decided)
REN500 Lowland pikemen with pikes upright
REN501 Lowland pikemen with pikes at 80
REN502 Lowland pikemen with pikes at 60
REN503 Lowland pikemen with pikes at 45
REN504 Lowland heavy infantry Command
REN505 Lowlander firing arquebus
REN506 Lowlander standing with arquebus
REN507 Lowland light infantry Command
REN508 Highlanders attacking with melee weapons
REN509 Highlanders advancing with melee weapons
REN510 Highlanders firing bows
REN511 Highlanders advancing with bows
REN512 Highlanders firing arquebus
REN513 Highlanders advancing with arquebus
REN514 Highland infantry Command attacking
REN515 Highland infantry Command standing
REN516 Scottish gun crew

Stretch Goal 5
REN517 Irish General (to be decided)
REN518 Irish General (to be decided)
REN519 Irish Horse with lances
REN520 Irish Horse Command
REN521 Irish Horse with javelins
REN522 Irish Horse with hand weapons
REN523 Kern standing with spear
REN524 Kern throwing javelins
REN525 Kerns advancing with spears
REN526 Kerns with hand weapons
REN527 Kerns firing arquebus
REN528 Kerns standing with arquebus
REN529 Kern Command advancing
REN530 Kern Command standing
REN531 Galloglaich with axe, standing
REN532 Galloglaich with axe, advancing
REN533 Galloglaich with axe, attacking
REN534 Galloglaich with hand weapons
REN535 Galloglaich command standing
REN536 Galloglaich command advancing"


I also spotted these on the Crusader Miniatures Medieval Range Irish Skirmishers they look more than passable and certainly more a kin to the Warlord and Foundry castings I already have.
Looks like the postman will be busy......
  
Irish Skirmishers (8)





Sunday, November 11, 2012

Pendraken Miniatures 28mm Elizabethan Range

Public service wargaming.....
On the hunt for more figures for the Irish wars, I came across the Pendraken Miniatures range of 28mm Elizabethan Irish, I am not a fan of purchasing blind and a  search of Google produced limited image results but at 96p each, I thought I would take a punt.
  

 

(L to R) Irish Cavalry in Mail, Irish Light Horse, English Petronel, English Demilancer.



(L to R) Irish Caliverman in English Service, Kern with Caliver, Scottish Redshank.


(L to R) Irish Officer, Gallowglass, Ulster Kern.


 

(L to R) Irish Light Pikemen, Irish Kern with Bow, Horse boy with Javelin.

An interesting range of figures, very little flash, clearish  mold lines, closer in style to old Vendal (Sgt Major Miniature) range than the crisper Foundry and Warlord ranges, they do seem rather larger than some of the Irish figures in my collection but they should fit in ok once based and painted.

Friday, November 09, 2012

Elizabethan Zombie Wars - Dead Man's Hill

Last Sunday saw the continuation the occasional campaign games set in  England during the Black Death, unfortunately I forgot to take any photo's. however in true Blue Peter style here's one I prepared earlier....


The scenario is based upon a small Spanish outpost holed up in a village, barricaded to stop the undead hordes that sweep the land, every week potential victims are escorted to a large hill outside of town where they are left to the ravages of undead.


 The Spanish defenders drive off all comers for fear of letting the walking dead enter the town.

 

Meanwhile members of the Littleham trained band are on a scouting mission looking for survivors and supplies when they see the Catholic priests shackling the victims to their stocks.


The incessant chanting and bell ring brings the undead from their plague pits and shallow graves. break cover from the trees and head towards all members of the living regardless of race or religion.


Yet more victims sent to their certain death, under Spanish guard.


The undead set upon the train band, their fire arms let loose which only serve to attract more walkers craving for the flesh of the living.


Spanish cavalry join the fray fearing that they will be dragged down by the tide of the undead appearing from the numerous plague pits that surrounded the hill.


The noise from the continuing melee attract more of the undead, whilst the remaining Spanish defenders look on in silence.


The priests leave the scene and hope to flank the undead when they stubble upon a further plague pit, which breaks open and the priests and their escort are set upon  by the evil hordes. Their faith could not protect them from the walkers.


The melee on the hill continues, Spaniard fighting back to back with English man as they fight there way to the top of the hill.



The prisoners are set upon unable to defend themselves they fall victim to the tide of death sweeping the hill.

One of our heroes goes down in a mass of undead bodies.


The survivors flee the hill heading for the safety of the village the undead in slow pursuit.


Both games were played using a variant of LOTR's rules with tweaks from Pike Shot and Zombie, a few more adaptions are needed to ensure the right feel for games, such as exhaustion rules and chance cards, but given the numbers involved a conclusion in under 3 hours on the first outing will do for me.

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Redoubt Enterprises - Stocks

Warfare next week and plenty on the shopping list, even though I have not finished last years purchases.... With that in mind I have made an effort to clear a few items from the back log.


I picked up the punishment set from Redoubt Enterprises to add a little flavour to the Zombie/Irish War scenario's within the Elizabethan era, they went together really well and were crisp castings, they will form the basis for tonights scenario over at Wyvern Wargamers.

Jon on the Wyvern forum prompted a question regarding the use of lighting after seeing Neil from Wargames Illustrated and his kit. I thought I would try a couple of alternatives to see which result works best for future pics.

The photo above was taken using the standard flash off the camera.


The shot above with a day light lamp and flash whilst the one below with good old winter daylight.


Not sure what I achieved here, but until the Summer returns I guess it will be flash going forward.