Washing the Spears

Washing the Spears

I have played a number of solo games with these rules and liked them .  However ....being a typical wargamer I feel the need to tinker.

The number of optional rules (towards the back) require you to build all sorts of unique units that do almost nothing.  Being stingy by nature I thought that there must be another (better?) way.  So here's my first attempts at 'chance' cards:

I throw 1d6 at the start of each turn and draw a card if a 5 or 6 is thrown.  The card is passed to the appropriate side (red dot for Imperials, black for Zulus) or is diced for with 1d6 (1-3 to Imperials, 4-6 to Zulus).  A player may use the card during his/her turn.  No player can hold more than 5 cards in his/her hand.

So far this approach has added a little 'spice' without skewing the game.  After a few more trials I will, no doubt, create proper cards.   If any of my readers have any suggestions then please drop me a comment.

Just a Quick Note

Just A Quick Note

Real Life has got in the way of my wargaming over the last month.  Too much hassle from some local vermin.

On a positive note I have managed to sort through a load of figures and am now painting Zulus at an industrial rate.

Anyway .... I'm not too curmudgeonly to wish you all ...... a Happy New Year (2013).

Two More ACW

Two More ACW

Louisiana Tigers CSA - more converted Mahdists

Charleston Zouaves CSA - converted from French Foreign Legion

I have managed to find the Airfix guide.  Confederate units are 20 figures per unit whereas Union units only have 15.  Looks like I have made Zouave units only 15 strong no matter which side they are fighting for.

Now I have to search for the cavalry and artillery - it may take some time!

ACW to the Fore

ACW To The Fore

Inspired by the blog "The Airfix American Civil War Project"

http://airfixacwproject.blogspot.co.uk/

I delved into my attic to find the file boxes of ACW figures.  Here's some of what I found:

front - 17th Virginia CSA

rear - 8th south Carolina CSA

front - 19th Virginia CSA

[some Russian Napoleonics mixed in]

rear - 11th Virginia CSA

44th New York Zouaves USA

[French Foreign Legion conversions]

Keystone Zouaves

[I think these are Mahdist foot conversions - plus an odd standard-bearer]

All these figures have been gathering dust for years.  Still if we are dealing in nostalgia some leeway has to be allowed......I hope!

Not What It Seems

Not What It Seems

Last Saturday (17th Nov) I purchased two boxes of plastic soldiers:

HaT 8024 - Numidian Cavalry [12 figs for £4.25 - 35.4p each]
Zvezda 8049 - Russian Infantry of Peter the Great 1695-1725  [43 figs for £3.80 - 8.8p each]

The latter have long coats and wide cuffs but at this scale are still suitable for frontiersmen, settlers, riflemen or other irregulars for the French-Indian Wars and the American War of Independence.

The former were a bit of a surprise.  The box was standard, as were the illustrations on the side.  the contents, however, were far from it..  Instead of light horse there was cavalry.  These are the riders:

The one on the left seems to be of early Italian origin.

On the right we have a Gaul.

Both of these are Hellenistic types.

The one on the left shows Spanish influences.

On the right is another Gaul.

Not sure what either of these are supposed to be.

Juba I (55-46 bc) had a Gallic and Spanish bodyguard so presumably that is what these figures are meant to represent!   

Can anybody throw any light on this?

Club Medievals

Club Medievals

Finished a batch of club medievals / Wars of the Roses.  Andrew acquired a job lot from Ebay and I got lumbered with painting them. All these are Museum Miniatures.

MD10 HYW French Brigans - brigandine, plate, helm

(and yes Pink was an official colour of the time)

MD15 WoR Lancastrian Billmen - HI, chain, plate legs, bill, upright

(given that these chaps are likely to end up as levy I only gave them plate knee protectors)

On the Left - MD05 HYW French Crossbowmen - MI, mail, hauberk, kettle, firing.

On the Right - MD04 HYW Genoese Crossbowmen - LHI, mail, hauberk / brigand, pavase.

 

It seems that mercenary 'Italian' captains outfitted their troops in their own, preferred, livery but the shields showed their area of origin.  In this case it is Asti or Savoy (had I put red on white it might be Genoa, Milan or Padua).  Some 'Italian' states had really complex designs that I would not want to try in 15mm.

Finished At Last

Finished At Last

Well that's one small project finished....

 

5 Daleks - still think the orange one is a bit strange though!

And here's the assembled company

You may notice that one of the Silents is listing badly to the left.  The Silurian on the left is leaning backwards as well - no matter what I do the horrible plastic seems to remember its distorted shape.

Oh well only another 34 Daleks to go.  I am modifying them to various degrees but this takes time.

Almost finished some club medievals as well.  Watch this space.