Wargaming the Water Margin - The Nine Dozen Heroes.

The latest Chinese Village project led me to think of an alternative use for the RJW village.   

Being a child of the 70's their was only one thing on telly worth watching on BBC2 - The Water Margin..... 

For those too young to remember, this is a TV adaptation (set in China, made in Japan, dubbed into English) of a famous Chinese folk legend, one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature.  -- a kind of 'Robin Hood in China' -- hero-outlaws fight a corrupt government "in a world very different from our own", their were a minor fantasy elements.... but nothing to fantastical.

Gradually, over the 26 episodes, wicked Kao Chui the local government official forces each of the 'nine dozen heroes', into outlawry joining the rebel band living in the water margins of Liang Shan Po, forming a steadily growing force of opposition to Kao. 

Having painted up some of Black Hat miniatures range of Fantasy Chinese figures a few months back having played a number of Songs of Blades and Heroes games recently, I figured they were perfect for recreating the nine dozen heroes.

Lovely looking castings and they will certainly add some colour to future oriental outings. Six of the Nine Dozen Heroes, I shall add more as I need a break from other projects.

Lin Chung -- Panther Head

Lu Ta -- The Flower Priest

 Sung Chiang -- The Good Judge

Shih Chin -- Tattooed Dragon 

Chao Gai -- Pagoda-Shifting Heavenly King

Zhang San -- Street Crossing Rat

And remember.

^{"The ancient sages said, "do not despise the snake for having no horns, for who is to say it will not become a dragon?". So may one just man become an army. Nearly a thousand years ago in ancient China, at the time of the Sung dynasty, there was a cruel and corrupt government. These men riding are outlaws - heroes - who have been driven to live in the Water Margins of Liang Shan Po, far to the south of the capital city. Each fights tyranny with a price on his head, in a world very different from our own. The story starts in legend even then - for our heroes, it was said, were perhaps the souls reborn of other, earlier knights..."}