The List - 2011 Fall 2012 winter Projects

OK so here we go:

1. EPIC - Well I muct say, painting some ultramarine on a sprue of original beaky Space Marines has been pretty fun and nostalgic. And the last few releases of models are just gorgeous. I had forgotten that. So I am gonna pick off EPIC as I go into the long night, to hopefully emerge from the shadows with a painted Space Marine, Orc and Eldar force. Imperial Guard may be too much to ask, but I have a bunch of it too. And that Damn Chaos and Squat stuff. Focus...Focus.

2. VIKINGS - I love my new collection of Vikings. I need to add some odds and ends to it, but its in really good shape. I will add some trolls (I have a nice selection of assorted old GW Trolls just for the job) Dire Wolves (I have a bunch of Plastics from GW kits), Valkyrie Leader (Maybe convert one of my unbuilt Bretonnian Pegasus Rider mounts), Hill Giant (Again GW plastic, beautiful), then probably figure out how to do some goblins, and press some Orcs into service as more trolls, ogres, and giant kin. Really going for a more Ragnaok-y kinda thing here.

3. SAMURAI - Love my sammies. Not painted great. From my old days when I was learning, but they look good together. and look even better now on group bases. Going to play Commands and Colors and Commands and Colors Fantasy and Hail Caesar with them. Need to do ground work, flock, static grass, etc. Then decide if I want to paint more of my Old Glory and L5R sammies, or go for it and do the Perry's stuff and stay historical. I am leaing toward the Perry's. I also have a nice selection of the L5R Goblins to add to the mix, so they are perfect for C&CF, beautifully sculpted too. And if you can get the Bob Ollie samurai orcs and goblins sculpts then you have added a pretty colorful army to the collection.

4. 15mm FANTASY - This is the ongoing project. Really need to do basing and flock for these guys to get them finished. Undead are on paint sticks already, and I have a great selection of Thain from Demonworld, so kinda anxious to get them painted as well.

5. 15mm NAPOLEONICS - A rebasing project. They look good rebased. And since I will never use them the way they are based, they need to be converted. Once rebased I can play Commands & Colors Napoleonics and Black Powder. This is a big project, just because of the sheer vilume of my exsting collection. But it will look good when done.

Gonna keep the list to 5 this time. But you all know me. I will certainly add to it. I am pretty sure I will come back to Post Aocalyptic when I am suffering some general malaise, I always do. And I have all my 15mm Sci Fi to do as well. And I have been thinking about doing some 15mm scale 2'x2' game boards for me and the boys to play on. Be fun to have some pull out boards to skirmish on in 15mm. Now I can get back to painting. Finally. 

Workshop of Doom

Well, since the finish of RECRUITS, I have been itching to work on something new in the workshop. But as usually happens, the Workshop of Doom was an absolute wreck. I am pretty messy when it comes to terrain projects, and building 28mm scale shelled out buildings and rubble makes for an even bigger mess. So it was time for a clean out. I have also been sick for the last week, so it took a little longer than anticipated, but I now have a shiny clean workshop, with all painted and unpainted figs, neatly tucked away in their plastic shoe boxes, and all of them LABELLED!!!(revelation). The labelling is really what took so much time. Sorting and such. I have 1 6' bookcase of finished, painted minis. And 3+ bookcases of unpainted stuff. When painted, they would probably take up another 5 bookcases of stuff. So, you never really finish I guess.

Anyway, I am contemplating what's next.

I have my list of course. And it would be nice to finish of the basing on my 15mm Fantasy stuff and rebase my 15mm Napoleonics. And Epic has been weighing heavy on my mind. and other things 15mm...

We shall see.

Saw the release of the Dread Fleet boxed game by GW. Yawn. I was hoping for a Man o War game, but I guess Spartan beat them at their own game. Better to make money on a llimited release boxed game like Space Hulk. Oh well. I am indifferent.

And what will winter hold. Will I finally get to those Late Romans/Arthurians, or does the Raven Banner sally forth? Hmmmmm...

Get the Loot - Fallmouth Hills

The FoL:WW game was a lot of fun. We had 6 players, and a small board, so I could get them to engagement quicker. Well they got engaged, but not as much with each other as with the environment. Remember, in the wastes, the environment is just as deadly.

The scenaior was simple: Sticky Earl, the prospector, got drunk in town and let it slip he had been looting some good stuff up in Fallmouth Hills. He expected a continued treasure trove of goodness to come out of there. Well, when the rest of the saloon heard what he said, they all decided to get there crews together to get what they could before Ol Sticky Earl could back up there.

So, a simple search and loot scenario, with loot having a value, and so does getting rid of the other gangs, or dealing with the environment. Everytime you came to a terrain feature or item, you could search. We developed the Loot/Event Deck to turn over to see what happens. It worked well. and one player had so much to search and so meany encounters, he never got out of a 12" by 12" area, and almost won the game.

Here's pics of the game.

Nice to get this phase of the post apoc stuff done for now. Habve some more buildings to paint, but gonna put those on the back burner for now.

I didn't get much this year at the convention, toy wise. I was very focused on what I was looking for, and seeing none I didn't really get anything except a couple of great things.

first, I got a beautifully painted 15mm ECW army by the Baron for a couple of blisters form Recreational Conflict. I now have a little interest in adding some to them to do a pocket version(almost) of Black Powder.

second, I got a couple of MicroPanzers Mechs, to go with my 15mm Aquan Army.

Since the Workshop of Doom is in a total mess, I decided to do a reorganization and a thorough cleaning before I started anything else. But once complete, I've kinda had Epic Space Marine on the brain this last month, afetr trading a bunch of my Battlefront stuff for some nicely painted Marines and Squats. Also, I would like to add about 20 archers to my Viking Horde. And I would like to start rebasing in earnest, the 15mm Napoleonics. and Blasphemy, I feel an odd itch in my brain to paint and acquire some new 28mm space Marines for In the Emperors Name, or FAD. Let's just see what happens.

A new project.


We have been play testing the Black Powder Rules, and soon Hail Caesar. I really like the rules and the spirit of them. I am really lucky that I have 2 groups of gamers who seem to have hit on them at the same time. and they both can play them for the spirit of the game they represent and not be gamey. Lucky Me!

So after a successful week of playing them, we want to stay in the period, but play another set we love but hadn't played yet. Commands and Colors Napoleonics. We love C&C Ancients and BAttle Lore. You have seen my fantasy armies for the system, but we hadn't played the NApoleonics version yet, so I brought my stuff and 15mm figs to the BAron's new Castle and had a game.

It was fun, 3 generals on each side. We played Vimiero out of the scenario book. A rough go for the BRits if they don't concentrate fire and whittle down the French attack columns. It was fun, and over in 2 1/2 hours. My kinda game.

But while prepping for the game, I decided I hated the basing my collection was on. It served no purpose for me any longer. It was for Age of Eagles, which I have abandoned as a game I want to play anymore. 3/4" x 1" stands with four guys. six stands a unit. Too small, too few figs, and barely a third of any of my painted armies ever got to the table. So I have a new project...the worst thing in wargamming...REBASING!

I hate it, but since my philosphy about what I find fun in a wargame has changed so much in the last 10 years, its time for a change.

Here they are. 6 stand units to go with Black Powder Standard Units, or they can be used for C&C Napoleonics, since base size is irrelevant. Or even in better looking Age of Eagles game, if I were so inclined.(I'm not).

I did a test on the Brits. 6 stands. Each stand is 25mm x 50mm. Same size as my C&C Fantasy mounting. Cav is 6 Stands for Lt. Cav(2 to a stand), 4 Stands for Hvy Cav(3 per stand), on a 50mm x 50mm stand, and Cannon are 1 cannon and Crew on a 50mm x 50mm stand. I think it looks pretty good. Dense and easy to see as a mass of men on the field. I also get to do what I have always wanted to. Have infantry commanders, moounted, with their units, like The Grand Manner. And for the BRits, I get to finally have the room for the Kings Colour and the Regimental Colour on the same stand.

Infantry Unit



Infantry Unit with Artillery Support

Gamers View

Lt Cav Unit

Down the Line

I will do this as time allows. I am going to finish the construction of my foam dungeons and do some doors. Finish the HiMobility 15mm guys. Then maybe the WWWII stuff thats's on the table, or the rebasing effort.

Also looming, playing Pike and Shot with Black Powder. I  have 12 units of infantryand 1 cav painted. The Baron has some as well. I need some more infantry, cav and cannon, all of which are sitting in a box, rady to paint. Its a golden age for the game, truly.