Είναι όλα σχετικά με τους Βυζαντινούς

With apologies to Puff Daddy and to Weird Al Yankovic. It is, in point of fact, about neither the Benjamins nor the Pentiums but it is all about the Byzantines.

So we had a one day Impetus competition (run by fellow blogger Prinny) at the club which I have been furiously painting for. I always try to play it painted and this was going to be no exception. This post was meant to go up two weeks ago when I finished the army. I assumed it would be done a fortnight ago. Turns out that at 0630 the morning of the comp I was flocking the baggage.

This is the list:

Fair General
Tagmatic Kavallarioi
Thematic Kavallarioi
Akontistai
Flankers

Fair General
1 Large Unit of Kataphraktoi
2 Large Units of Skutatoi with supporting archers
Psiloi
2 Varangian Mercenaries

Average Command, 3 Destiny re-rolls, 6 exploration points

I had no idea if this list is any good. I had some test games that went both very well and very badly.

There are some extra figures in the pics below. If I want to play 400 points I can add another base of Thematic Kavallarioi and another base of Akontistai.

Generals

Harald (left) and Nikephoras Phokas (right)

I got two Warlords for my Saga warband - the Emperor (in this case Nikephoras Phokas) and Harald Hardraada, commander of the Varangian Guard. As it turns out, two generals is a good number for this list. Convenient.

Horse

Flankers

Starting with the lighter horse, these are the Flankers. Light, bow armed cavalry to act as outriders for the medium cavalry in the army.

Tagmatic Kavallarioi

The less serious horse (but  still really serious) is the Tagmatic and Thematic Kavallarioi. The Tagmata was the professional core of the Byzantine army in this period and these are no exception. The Tagmata are VBU6 and I2, Comp Bow C but their real power is in their Discipline A rating.

Thematic Kavallarioi

The Thematic troops were part time soldiers living and working on state land in peacetime from across the empire and as a result aren't as good as the Tagmata. Only VBU5 but slightly better shots with Comp Bow B.

Kataphraktoi

Now. Serious horse. SRS Horse is SRS. This is a double base of CP Kataphraktoi. VBU6 and I3, large unit, Comp Bow C. This is my ace in the hole I think. It'll be a come-from-downtown kind of a thing that hits like a freight train and I suspect I'll have no issues hurling it into spears or pikes and it still getting work done.

Foot

Skutatoi

Byzantine foot is....fine. It's not where the list is at - put it that way. But they'll still be a  good bulwark against enemy horse with their Long Spear and the gem is the VBU4 Short Bow A archers who can shoot over them with no penalty.

Varangians

And the fun stuff. These Varangians used to be Saga Hearthguard and now are two bases of VBU 6 and I3 heavy foot. Also, they're rocking out most of the time so rejoice with Discipline C. I suspect their role in this army is counterpunch as I will be completely unable to get them to go forward with any kind of regularity! If I move the list forward from Nikephorian to Konstantinian, these go from being mercenaries to the famed Varangian Guard and increase their Discipline to B. I should probably make this change but I  gotta be honest, I just like saying Nikephoras Phokas more than Konstantine.

Skirmishers

Akontistai (back) and Psiloi (front)

I didn't bother with Levy for my Saga army so these are all new. The Gripping Beast javelinmen in particular I am quite fond of and I think they've come up very nicely indeed. Two Akontistai with javelins and some psiloi with bows

Baggage

Baggage

Prinny put me onto the tent plan that went on this baggage, oddly enough from our friends at Battlefront as a supporting piece for a WI article they did. It's a wee gem and I think more than a suitable abode for the Bishop as he's preparing for his sermon to the baggage handlers.

How did I do? Well, I won the competition. Turns out it's not a bad list after all. My dice were on fire to boot which certainly did me more than a few favours. So there's some super secret Impetus tech for you. If you want to win, have better dice than the other guy.

The next project is finishing off the last of my mid-war Flames of War Italian infantry for a game at the club in a couple of weeks where I'll also be setting my Mexicans loose on Tank Engine's Cowboys in a game of Dead Man's Hand in Clearmont. We'll definitely blog that one since it will look super sweet on Tank Engine's amazing terrain.

Welcome to Clearmont

One of my favourite genres for wargaming is the Ol’ West. It has a neat mix of fiction and real events that interests me, mostly the fiction. Recently the family went on holiday to the South Island and we had a fair amount of driving. Long hours in the car with two young kids can be a trying time for all but I found an old radio series from the States called “Powder River”. What a fabulous story and great bunch of characters in a tale (over 9 series) spreading over just after the American Civil War to the early 1900s. It develops along really nicely from a time of “Injun Troubles” to the introduction of the railway, telephones and even the mention of flight. It even has a sprinkling of historical characters making cameos, such as Mark Twain and Custer. This inspired me to create the township where “Powder River” was set, a town called Clearmont. So I have slowly built up a collection of wild west building from a variety of sources. Some I have built myself, some are from Game Craft Miniatures, I have one from 4ground and one from Sarissa. I am awaiting a game mat to finish the whole town off.

The collection of figures is wide and varied too, including Artisan, Copplestone, Battleflag, and Northstar. The original rules we ran were the GW Historical Legends of the Old West. This had a campaign system that worked for a couple of rounds but fell down if anyone got a bit of a lead on. In the great tradition of GW they stopped supporting there good rulesets and the updates fell away, and so a vacuum was left in Old West gaming. That is until Dead Man’s Hand arrived. Over the last few years a whole new raft of rules have come out for the Old West and I took a shine to Dead Man’s Hand. It is a card driven initiative game with nice mix and randomness and control. The gameplay is fast and resolution of combat quick and effective.

The books have a nice cinematic feel and the campaign works ok for the limited time we have had to have a go. One of the really cool aspects of Legends of the Old West was a couple of really funky scenarios - one being a train robbery where the terrain moved as part of the turn (simulating the train steaming along the tracks). These are the things I want to bring into the Dead Man’s Hand universe. I also found a nice simple Old West RPG that could be a vehicle to get the conflicts going in the setting - all pie in the sky at the moment but when I get some time I will put some effort into this project, you know - when the kids have left home :)

Cheers Tom

Getting to the bottom of it

So my project to complete a 50 point Warmachine List for my Mercenaries faction is well underway. To achieve a consistent look across my units I am using a unified basing for all the models. Now as the fluff dictates the Cephalyx like to live underground in hive clusters destroying and enslaving other cultures from within or below. I thought I would share the result and give you an idea of the process and its simplicity.

So I began with a 30mm base and added a tile of cork torn up, this was to be the degrading earth the tiles of a once proud civilisation.

Finished Drudge left Step one right

Small modelling tiles from secret weapon

Its a simple pattern, three colours

Build the pattern on the cork tile

Once complete add a wash to tone down the bricks and cork

Still a damp

Model added

Some small pipes used to add LoS marking front and sides

LoS markers added to all

Now the gangs all here, highlights to add to the figures and we will be done

Two Units, one solo and one monstrosity (22 Points)...not far to go

So I hope that provides some inspiration and helps me feel motivated to knock out the rest of the list!

Scotty

Painting Mania

I have been crook this weekend - laid up with manflu - so there's been some time for painting. A couple of different projects on the go. Firstly the 15mm Napoleonic army continues to grow, in fact I have finished all my line infantry today (only to discover that I probably need a whole lot more). All I need now is for the flags to arrive from Battleflag, so I can sort the last few colour parties. I have been reasonably happy with how this project has developed and it has been an increasing joy to get the infantry done. Next I have the Dragoons and Artillery - yay the fun bits.

Next on the painting block was this unit of Gatormen for my Hordes Minions army. I picked these up off Chris (Pelarel) and they will quite nicely go into the list with my other 2 units. I listened to a podcast this morning which described Minions players as very Special Snowflakes. This, I take, is the way Uber competitive numbnuts describe people who play the game for the fun of it - taking models and armies they like - rather than copying the latest and greatest from the inter webs. So snowflake I will probably always be.

Finally from my Warmachine Mercs army a 3 point jack called Buccaneer. I love this little fella and I can't wait to get him out with my Magnus1 list so he can knock his boss on his butt. I did mention the Special Snowflake thing, didn't I? Tom

Rob Cameron RIP

To all who new this magnificent man, we have lost a true friend and an amazing human being. Rob was a stalwart of Wellington and NZ wargaming, and in amongst a community of sometimes self centred behaviour, Rob was a stand out of gentlemanly and sportsmanlike conduct. I last saw Rob at the Huttclub and he was in obvious ill health, but we shared a joke and a chat about the latest projects we were planning. It was always a pleasure to catch up with Rob, and being such a positive soul I am sure he will now be Generalling in the best game ever. Unfortunately today saw some of the worst weather we have had in Wellington for a good long while and that meant I was unable to attend his funeral, so I leave my tribute here. As I write this the rain keeps falling steadily - I think Rob was such an amazing person that even the gods are crying for our loss. RIP Rob - may we meet again in the great battlefield in the sky my friend.

Club day! Fun Day!

Saturday the 9th was our regular club day and it was also the club's AGM. As most of the contributors to this blog are Hutt Club committee members (and presidents, treasurers and secretaries) we were out in full force playing games and generally having a good time.

Club day for the Hutt Miniature Wargames Club (www.huttclub.co.nz). Behind the camera, out of picture are three or four tables of DBMM rockin' along (slowly :) )

I took some pictures of the games that we were playing but not many notes, simply because, ummm pictures paint a thousand words? Yeah, thats it.

First up McZermof and I played some Impetus. Alex is playing in the one day Impetus comp that we are hosting at the next club meeting (the 23rd) and needed a refresh of the rules. We had a really good game with his Nikophorian Byzantines versus my Late Feudal Scots. The Scots pike won the day by seeing off the Byzantine infantry and the Large Unit of Heavy Cavalry. After the battle we found out that I had cheated as I had misunderstood the command size rule and instead of using the VDT of the units I was using total points. It wouldn't have changed the outcome, but could have if some combats had gone the other way.

Next up Tank Engine pitted his Middle Imperial Romans against McZermof' Byzantines. As Tom had only played less than four games of Impetus the result was not important - it was the learning that was the winner :)

6mm Moderns! Pelarel and I played some games of Fist Full of Tows 3. Its a fun little (scale wise!) game. I enjoyed it and I'll be looking forward to some more games.

Prinny played some more Impetus versus our good friend, Tibby. Tibby had his first game with his new Mycenaean/Trojan list against Tim's blocks of MDF masquerading as an Early Feudal English army :)

Scotty then played LintMan in a game of Warmachine with Scotty's things* playing Nick's troll things*

*not much attention paid!

The AGM went smoothly with Tom retained as President, Alex still Secretary, Me still as Treasurer and Nick and Chris as committee members.

Painting update from me to come soon :)

Bork Bork Bork

I have wanted to get this guy on the tabletop for quite a while now. I had been looking for something new from my Warmachine/Hordes and needed something to break my Grim habit. So for a change of pace I pieced together a few list ideas, painted him up and played a few games. I think this guy just might get me excited to play my Trollbloods all year!

Jag tror inte rida en björn!

 No, not that guy. This guy:

Borka, Vengence of the Rimeshaws

He is the new Warlock for the Trollblood faction in Hordes. He is a drunken warrior warlock who rides a bear into battle. Yep a Bear! How could I possibly lose?
Here is the list I have been testing out:

Borka, Vengeance of the Rimeshaws - WB: +6
-    Mulg the Ancient - PC: 12
-    Troll Axer - PC: 6

Horgle Ironstrike - PC: 3
-    Pyre Troll - PC: 4

Fell Caller Hero - PC: 3
Saxon Orrik - PC: 2
Stone Scribe Chronicler - PC: 2
Fennblade Kithkar - PC: 2
-    Stone Scribe Elder - Elder 1
Pyg Burrowers - Leader & 9 Grunts: 6
Pyg Bushwhackers - Leader & 9 Grunts: 8
Dannon Blythe & Bull - Blythe & Bull: 4

Krielstone Bearer & Stone Scribes - Leader & 3 Grunts: 3

It has a few things I want to be good but will need further testing to see if I cannot find a better alternative (looking at your Dannon Blythe & Bull). I feel I need some long range shooting hence the bushwackers. I am trying out a smaller battlegroup with the Pyre on Horgle to try to address the low fury score on Borka. Burrowers are there because Burrowers always get their points back.

So far my games have seen me up on control points after the feat turn. This is forcing my opponent to kill Borka or lose on Scenario. If that trend picks up I might have to squeeze in a bouncer. 

It did make me paint a few more models (basing them tonight):

Dannon Blythe & Bull

Saxon Orrik

The photos are not the best, it was done on my cellphone camera which will have to do while I find my camera charger.
Also you might of noticed the Wargames Factory boxes in the background. That is because I have poor impulse control and bought an entire Impetus army from Mighty Ape after a brief chat at work and a list sent from Tim.
Look out for my Gaul-ish updates to come.

exercising the brush

I've finally managed to break out the brushes over the last week or so and, typically, flitted between two projects.  The first was to finish another model in my Infinity starter. With the Domaru Butai and Ninja to choose from I went for the Ninja.

I went for the stock black and green from the CB scheme. Rather than just painting green and highlighting,  I painted the green areas yellow and glazed with green inks.  Looks better in the 'flesh' than on naff camera phone.

The second project was to finish an armoured squadron for my British Infantry company for Panzerschreck- the Palmerson North Flames of War doubles comp Simon and I are entering.

I'm pretty pleased with how these have turned out. The colour scheme is something different for WW2 British tanks and I decided to mark them up asB squadron of the 17th/21st lancers, the "Death or Glory" regiment. Though with my dice rolling it's more likely the former than the latter :-(

However, these guys took 2 attempts before I was really happy with the colours

 The base colour was Green Ochre, shaded woth some dark shade wash then drybrushed acouple of times, adding incresing amounts of Iraqui sand tp the green ochre. The camoflage patern was then picked out in german grey and highlighted.  Just have to find those damn turret hatches now....

Cheers

Chris

More Austrians and scale creep

So I have not been as eager or able recently as I would have liked in getting through the Austrians for Napoleon at War but I have managed to finish the second regiment of the first brigade. Below are two battalions of  the Infantry Regiment Erzherzog Ludwig-Josef Nr. 8. They have 'Wine Red' trim to their white uniforms.

Again, no basing has been done as yet with the same reason as my first post about these guys.

And now the scale creep reference. Most of the reason why not much painting has been completed recently is because we are currently painting our house! You thought the 54mm ANZACs and Turks we painted for the Peter Jackson diorama were big but painting in a 1:1 scale is huge. At least any comments about painting your projects with a house brush actually means something!

I do have some plans of things to paint once the next 4 battalions of Infantry, one regiment of Hussars and one battery of artillery are complete. All are projects that I have the bits for already and are just piling up on the painting desk. In no particular order:

• repainting my Early War German Infanteriekompanie for Flames
• painting my EW French Foreign Legion company for Flames
• painting some Wasp Carriers, Ram Kangaroos and M10c TDs for my LW Scots for Flames
• stripping and painting some Dark Ages Scots for a new Impetus list (that I am writing on the Impetus forum at the moment!)

No. No. Must stop and concentrate on one project at a time! Concentrate man! Finish. The. Austrians.