Rif Raf Miniatures LMG Teams - Head Swaps

With the final infantry on the paint table for the SCW Morrocan infantry platoon, time to turn to a little more support.

I was not that enamoured by the Empress Miniatures LMG team, besides which it comes with a tank hunter team, which I am not convinced that I need more than one in any regular Chain of Command game.

So I picked up a the LMG pack from Rif-Raf which came in moving and firing poses which would give me enough to complete the fire teams for my platoon, unfortunately they were wearing steel helmets and side caps more suited to the Falangista than the Morrocans so time to take to the power tools.

Their heads were removed very easily with a craft knife with very little damage to the webbing or existing shirt collars, using Empress's Morrocan head spures I pinned their new heads and filled the joints. the Empress heads are a surprisingly good fit to the Rif Raf dollies and once painted you can't tell the difference.

 

I added two shock marker frames just in case I need to record both dead and shock results, but I don't feel they detract from the bases. As these Nationalist troops are in summer shirts the actual uniform design fits in well with the other uniform styles within the platoon already completed.

They compare well to the existing Empress LMG team and the use of Empress heads gives a good degree of uniformity - not a bad Saturday's work.

 

Northstar SCW - Moors

Another week another SCW offering, currently within the Nationalist ranks we have Empress Miniatures, Riff-Raff Miniatures who have produced the old Force of Arms range and now Northstar with a small range of Moors.

They lack a little detail in the battle kit and the weoponary when compared to the other ranges and are some what limited based around 4 single "dollies" but they compare well in height and stature providing further variation for the Morrocan Platoon.

In my haste to get them preped for painting they ended up on 2p's rather than 1 pence pieces which will set me back a couple of days, but as they are all in Morrocan Chilaba, they should not take to long to reach the table.

Paint Table Sunday - A strange collection of odments.....

An odd collection this weekend, I was hoping the Northstar order might have arrived but nothing from the postie yet. So an opportunity to clear the decks to make way for other projects.

I had these based up before Christmas and really needed to great them done rather than see them fall to the foot of Lead Mountain.

They have a largely Elizabethan/Thirty Years/Zombie War theme originally for planned encounters set during the Plantation of Ireland but more recently finding a home in the Elizabethan Zombie outings, I have added space markers for dice markers so they can double up as shock markers if necessary.

Redoubt Enterprises English Civil Troops but today playing the part of Spanish Troopers.

In Zombie Wars they can easily represent troops savaging water or wine from an empty village or looking to set a charge to blow the bridge before the dead can cross, the Spanish marksmen are from Foundry.

A wargames Foundry light cannon, to support either the English or the Spanish as they wage war on each other. I lovely piece of kit.

Run - The English are coming or is it the Undead?

I picked these up at Newbury several years ago, on one of those visits to a show where I had no real "list" but thought I could hardly go home with buying anything.

I have added placement markers for shock dice and figured they would do for a number of games, even fatigue markers for Saga if necessary.

The aftermath of battle or has he been bitten - anyway it has to come off !!!!
Again an impulse purchase thats taken years to go from blister to paint table, the challange is to get it on the table in a shorter time period.

Back to the SCW Project next.....

RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR of 1904-5 Book Collection

I spotted this on TMP yesterday and was straight on paypal hitting the purchase button, not seen anything from the Emperors Library before but a collection of over 110 volumes on the Russo-Japanese war - from official histories to personal narratives and reports from war correspondents.
All for the princely sum of £10.00.

The books are in PDF format and supplied on a professionally printed DVD with case.

I have seen a few of these texts before, plenty of others are new to me.

1. A Diary of the Russo-Japanese War vol.1
   
2. A Diary of the Russo-Japanese War vol.2
   
3. A modern campaign; or, War and wireless telegraphy in the Far East
   
4. A photographic record of the Russo-Japanese war
   
5. A secret agent in Port Arthur
   
6. A staff officer's scrap-book during the Russo-Japanese war Volume 1
   
7. A staff officer's scrap-book during the Russo-Japanese war Volume 2
   
8. A study of the Russo-Japanese war
   
9. Actual Experiences In War - Battle Action of the Infantry; Impressions of a Russian Company Commander
   
10. Admiral Togo
    
11. An eye-witness in Manchuria
    
12. An Outline Of The Russo-Japanese War 1904-1905 Volume I
    
13. As the Hague ordains; journal of a Russian Prisoner's wife in Japan
    
14. Before Port Arthur in a destroyer, the personal diary of a Japanese naval officer
    
15. Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese War vol.1
    
16. Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese War vol.2
    
17. Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese War vol.3
    
18. Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese War vol.4
    
19. Cassell's history of the Russo-Japanese War vol.5
    
20. Conscription system in Japan
    
21. Epitome of the Russo-Japanese war
    
22. The war between Russia and Japan, containing thrilling accounts of fierce battles by sea and land
    
23. The white peril in the Far East; an interpretation of the significance of the Russo-Japanese war
    
24. The Yellow war
    
25. Thrilling stories of the Russian-Japanese war
    
26. Under the care of the Japanese war office
    
27. War and neutrality in the Far East
    
28. War between Japan and Russia with historical and descriptive sketches of Russia, Siberia, Japan, Korea and Manchuria
    
29. With Kuroki in Manchuria
    
30. With Russian, Japanese and Chunchuse; the experiences of an Englishman during the Russo-Japanese war
    
31. With the Cossacks, being the story of an Irishman who rode with the Cossacks throughout the Russo-Japanese war
    
32. With the Russians in Manchuria
    
33. With Togo, the story of seven months' active service under his command
    
34. Examples of field fortifications and stream crossings
    
35. Exciting experiences in the Japanese-Russian war
    
36. Following the sun-flag
    
37. Fourteen years of diplomatic life in Japan; leaves from the diary of Baroness Albert d'Anethan
    
38. From Libau to Tsushima, a narrative of the voyage of Admiral Rojdestvensky's fleet to Eastern Seas, including a detailed account of the Dogger Bank incident
    
39. From the Yalu to Port Arthur - a personal record
    
40. From Tokio through Manchuria with the Japanese
    
41. From Tokyo to Tiflis - uncensored letters from the war
    
42. Human bullets - a soldier's story of Port Arthur
    
43. Imperial Russian navy its past, present, and future
    
44. In the war; memoirs of V. Veresáev
    
45. influence of the siege of port arthur on modern fortresses
    
46. International law applied to the Russo-Japanese War, with the decisions of the Japanese prize courts
    
47. Japan's fight for freedom; the story of the war between Russia and Japan vol.1
    
48. Japan's fight for freedom; the story of the war between Russia and Japan vol.2
    
49. Japan's fight for freedom; the story of the war between Russia and Japan vol.3
    
50. Lectures on the strategy of the Russo-Japanese War
    
51. Manchu and Muscovite
    
52. My Experiences at Nan Shan and Port Arthur, with the Fifth East Siberian Rifles
    
53. Nogi, a man against the background of a great war
    
54. Official history of the Russian-Japanese war; a vivid panorama of land and naval battles
    
55. Official history, naval and military, of the Russo-Japanese War. Prepared by the Historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence vol.1
    
56. Official history, naval and military, of the Russo-Japanese War. Prepared by the Historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence vol.2
    
57. Official history, naval and military, of the Russo-Japanese War. Prepared by the Historical section of the Committee of Imperial Defence vol.3
    
58. Port Arthur, a monster heroism
    
59. Port Arthur, the siege and capitulation
    
60. Port Arthur, three months with the besiegers; a diurnal of occurrents
    
61. Pre-war diplomacy, the Russo-Japanese problem, treaty signed at Portsmouth, U.S.A., 1905
    
62. Reconnaissance in the Russo-Japanese War
    
63. Reports of US military observers attached to the armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War Part 1
    
64. Reports of US military observers attached to the armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War Part 2
    
65. Reports of US military observers attached to the armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War Part 3
    
66. Reports of US military observers attached to the armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War Part 4
    
67. Reports of US military observers attached to the armies in Manchuria during the Russo-Japanese War Part 5
    
68. The authentic history of the war between Russia and Japan
    
69. The battle of the Sea of Japan, by Nicolas Klado and numerous other officers, eye-witnesses, and commanders of vessels who participated in the battles of Tsushima and Matsushima
    
70. The battle of Tsu-shima between the Japanese and Russian fleets, fought on 27th May 1905
    
71. The campaign of Liao-Yang
    
72. The campaign with Kuropatkin
    
73. The cavalry in the Russo-Japanese war
    
74. The coming power - a contemporary history of the Far East, 1898-1905
    
75. The command and administration of the fortress of Port Arthur
    
76. The Commission of H.M.S. Talbot, 1901-1904
    
77. The events man; being an account of the adventures of Stanley Washburn, American war correspondent
    
78. The great siege - the investment and fall of Port Arthur
    
79. The imperial Japanese navy
    
80. The international law and diplomacy of the Russo-Japanese war
    
81. The Japan-Russia war; an illustrated history of the war in the Far East
    
82. The log of H.M.S. Sutlej, Pacific and China stations, 1904-1906
    
83. The naval battles of the Russo-Japanese War
    
84. The north Pacific a story of the Russo-Japanese war
    
85. The Novik and the part she played in the Russo-Japanese War, 1904
    
86. The official history of the Russo-Japanese war Volume 2
    
87. The real triumph of Japan; the conquest of the silent foe
    
88. The re-shaping of the Far East vol.1
    
89. The re-shaping of the Far East vol.2
    
90. The risen sun
    
91. The Russian army and the Japanese war vol.1
    
92. The Russian army and the Japanese war vol.2
    
93. The Russian navy in the Russo-Japanese war
    
94. The Russo- Japanese war Reports from British officers Vol.1
    
95. The Russo- Japanese war Reports from British officers Vol.2
    
96. The Russo- Japanese war Reports from British officers Vol.3
    
97. The Russo-Japanese conflict its causes and issues
    
98. The Russo-Japanese War a photographic and descriptive review
    
99. The Russo-Japanese war - medical and sanitary reports from officers attached to the Japanese and Russian forces in the field
    
100. The Russo-Japanese War Sketch map of the theatre of war
     
101. The Russo-Japanese war from the outbreak of hostilities to the battle of Liaoyong
     
102. The Russo-Japanese war fully illustrated v. 1-3 (no. 1-10), Apr. 1904-Sept. 1905
     
103. The Russo-Japanese War Vol.1
     
104. The Russo-Japanese War Vol.2
     
105. The Russo-Japanese War Vol.4
     
106. The siege and fall of Port Arthur.
     
107. The siege of Port Arthur - records of an eye-witness
     
108. The tragedy of Russia in Pacific Asia
     
109. The truce in the East and its aftermath
     
110. The truth about Port Arthur
     
111. The truth about the tsar and the present state of Russia
     
112. The truth about the war
     
113. The war in the Far East, 1904-1905
     
114. Rasplata (The reckoning)
     
115. The price of blood - the sequel to Rasplata and The battle of Tsushima
     

Rif-Raf Miniatures - Review Part 2

The Wyvern Wargamers latest project continues to take shape, in an earlier posting I uploaded a couple of pics of Rif-Raf Miniatures Moroccan Infantry these are now finished and have been added to the ranks of Spanish Nationalists. 

Once painted they mix in well with the Empress Miniatures and certainly add a more uniform feel to the ranks of the Army of Africa each wearing the small Turban with only the Officer wearing the Rexa.

Rif Raf Miniatures First and third from the left.

A Rif Raf Junior Leader and Empress Senior Leader

I have ordered a couple of packs of NorthStar's Moroccans lets see how they match up, more on those once they arrive in the post.

Songs of Deeds and Glory - A short SBH campaign.

Having enjoyed the last few outings of SBH I decided that the games would be a little more interesting if they were linked by an intermittent campaign so I picked up the expansion rules for campaigns Song of Deeds and Glory.

The book features a number of unique mechanisms for drawing up battlefields in a number of settings, Frozen wastelands, Marshlands and Mountainsides of more interest to myself was the aftermath of battles, character development and gold earned.

The book also includes 15 new powers for magic users and stats for 36 new creatures, which I am sure will come in handy.

Having drawn up a Warband for the Werewolf encounter, I thought I would use the same force structure rounding the number up to 500 points but using the results from the encounter to roll for  wounds and survival.

Capt Hernando De Leon - Squadron of Urcas
Quality 3, Combat 4
Leader, Fearless, Short Shooter, Unerring Aim, Lethal (vs Undead)
95 Points

6 Swordsmen
Quality 4, Combat 3
23 Points 138

6 Calivers

Quality 4, Combat 3

Long Shooter, Unerring Aim, Lethal (vs Undead)

42 Points 252

Total Points 485

After the encounter Hernando and 4 of his men were left on the battlefield having been been left for dead by their fleeing comrades.

With Songs, Deeds & Glory personalities roll 2D6 and Minions 1D6 on their recovery charts.

Hernando De Leon -  Rolled a 10 and whilst badly savaged is saved by his breast plate and will make a full recovery in time for the next encounter.

The 3 swordsmen felled by Werewolves all rolled a 5 and also received a minor wound but will be available for the next encounter unfortunately Juan Balboa the Caliverman rolled a natural 1 and is killed.

For the sheep escorted from the table the Spanish Patrol received 20 Gold coins, whilst losing the battle they did receive 25 Gold coins, providing them with a total income of 45 Gold coins.

More than enough to replace poor Jaun with another Caliverman (42 points)

Leaving Henando De Leon with a purse of 3 Gold Coins.

Each surviving character gains 1 experience point, which can be spent on new skills later in the campaign.

Rolling on the scenario table the next scenario is (12) Holdout.

More to follow shortly.

Double, double toil and trouble.....

Look what happens when you let the kids play with your toys!!!!

Next thing you know you are being badgered to paint Witches.... who own Witches?

Well now I do thanks to Westwind miniatures.

I was given strict instructions to give them a green face thanks to the popularity of the musical Wicked, I just could not bring myself to go quite that Green.

I guess they might find themselves in one of the Elizabethan outings....
 

Back to the SCW Rif Raf Miniatures after this minor distraction....