tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83396538014536338502024-03-04T20:01:43.376-08:00Dux HomunculorumDux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.comBlogger397125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-14947681053976981292017-04-23T23:21:00.000-07:002017-04-24T02:01:16.652-07:00Battlegroup Tobruk Goes Strong into the Desert<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Pavlov's dogs, famously, were conditioned to salivate when hearing a bell which they associated with food. I have been similarly conditioned to associate any new release from Battlegroup with hours and hours of fun to be had. Indeed, whenever a new title is announced I automatically reach for my wallet, and I think I would even preorder a copy of Battlegroup The Great Emu War of 1932 if it existed. The latest title from the prolific Messrs Warwick Kinrade and Piers Brand is the long-anticipated Battlegroup Tobruk, and on first inspection it might just be my favourite title yet. These are some of my first impressions after a quick read-through.<br />
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I have to thank gaming buddy, tops friend and allround excellent bloke Paul O'G for my copy of the rules. Mine is no doubt waiting for me at work for when I return on Wednesday, but Paul very kindly handed his over while we were drinking beer and eating Serbian sausages on Saturday night. He wants my new copy, not his one back, I think because of the drool. Paul and I have been eagerly anticipating these rules for a couple of years.<br />
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Firstly though, a reminder of what Battlegroup has to offer. Tobruk is the 8th title in the Battlegroup series from Iron Fist Publishing, which along with a core rule book features supplements for the Blitzkrieg campaigns of 1939-40, Barbarossa, Kursk, Normandy, the Ardennes and the Fall of the Reich. The core Battlegroup rules are rock solid, and by far my favourite set of rules for WWII games. You can read an overview of my general impressions <a href="http://dux-homunculorum.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/first-impressions-of-battle-group-kursk.html">here</a>. These are not rules for campaign gamers, and if your idea of fun is to have five Sturmtigers and a battalion of Tiger IIs on the table you will be disappointed. Likewise, if you are hoping that your cunning use of points will give your Volkssturm a crushing victory over Zhukov's tank armies, you may find these rules frustrating. There is Another Game to scratch those itches if you have them.<br />
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What distinguishes Battlegroup is that the rules are strong enough that with a small amount of tweaking the authors are able to convey the very specific flavour and particular challenges posed by different forces at different stages of WWII. A Soviet tank force from 1941 will feel totally different to their French counterparts in 1940, and the challenges such forces pose to you as the commander are not just due to differences in equipment. If you are prepared to countenance asymetrical games that conveys a powerful sense of different theatres of war, and if a great gaming experience is more important to you than winning and losing, then Battlegroup may well be a set of rules for you.<br />
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On, as Rommel may have said, to Tobruk. In keeping with its predecessors, Battlegroup Tobruk (BGT) is a sumptuously produced and illustrated hardback volume, weighing in at about 200 pages. Its scope is unashameably modest, covering the desert war from around Operation Compass in late 1940 to the aftermath of Operation Crusader in late 1941. There is also a separate section dedicated to Operation Mercury, the German invasion of Crete in May 1941. Everything is very well laid out, with only the odd trivial typo. One bonus compared to previous volumes is that BGT comes with a series of handy data cards, enabling you to keep track of vehicle stats during a game with minimal flicking through the rule book. For those unfamiliar with Battlegroup, I should also point out that this is not a complete set of rules, but requires you to have a copy of the core rule book as well.<br />
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One of the delights of BGT is that Kinrade and Brand can really write. They provide a very readable narrative in the book that explains the confused desert fighting of 1941 with great clarity, and it is clear that this is a historical period that they know a lot about and have great interest in. A number of specific units such as the Australian 9th Division and the Italian Ariete are described in some detail, and the authors also discuss some features of the desert war such as whether it was indeed a sideshow. The overviews of each of the armies involved are also great, and to get some further insight into the authors' thoughts on designing the Italian army lists in particular, I recommend you listen to an interview with Piers Brand on a recent episode of <a href="http://thebrittheyankandtheyhobby.libsyn.com/episode-20-battlegroup-tobruk-1940-1942">The Brit, the Yank and the Hobby podcast.</a><br />
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Apart from unit organisations, a number of specific new rules locate this game firmly in the desert. For example, there are particular rules to represent communications problems, wear and tear on vehicles and fuel supply, while my favourite new rule introduces the very real problem of dust and thus visibility becoming a greater problem as a battle progresses. Army lists cover British Infantry and Armoured Division battlegroups (which include other Commonwealth forces), Italian Infantry and the Ariete Armoured Division, and of course the Afrika Korps. Lists for small raiding encounters between the LRDG and Auto Saharana have already had me drooling and looking for suitable models. The section of the book focused on Operation Mercury covers German Fallschirmjaeger and CREFORCE, including Commonwealth regulars, Greek infantry and Cretan irregulars, who should scare the German player quite a lot.<br />
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As always in Battlegroup, BGT includes a number of scenarios, including an airlanding scenario for Crete that Mr Brand cheerfully admits that the German player is grossly unlikely to ever win. A real bonus is a short campaign for an attack on Tobruk itself, which looks very interesting.<br />
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There is so much to like in BGT, and almost nothing I can find to quibble with. A map would have been handy to support the excellent narrative on the invasion of Crete, but the main absence that I mourn is a hobby section. Mr Brand is a great painter, and it is a shame that the book doesn't include a section that, say, gives tips on what desert yellow to use for British, Italian and German vehicles or explains how to paint the dreaded British Caunter camouflage scheme. Having seen some of his painted DAK vehicles, I particularly would have like a feature on how Mr Brand creates the effect of desert yellow painted over Panzer Grey. Unfortunately though, I suppose such sections would be the first to go when a book is struggling to stay within its word limit.<br />
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Congratulations to Warwick Kinrade and Piers Brand on another fantastic book that is going to take up a lot of my (and Paul's) time and money in the months to come.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-16504366573071310422016-10-06T04:41:00.001-07:002016-10-06T04:41:59.197-07:00Character Figures and Settlers for the FIW<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAZvFkmkBmKQTiXNp1mCP99NBASLdJVHXM3svGqrjKn1rt-5WGk1ntF6xCPF7RzU2u3NRC3iiWgxMjXXb-YvaFtD_fNy_LfmupQ2duX78tNlPqkrWrVseBHpIQMKpIYPeeHNGdfbIzE1K/s1600/20160928_123701.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwAZvFkmkBmKQTiXNp1mCP99NBASLdJVHXM3svGqrjKn1rt-5WGk1ntF6xCPF7RzU2u3NRC3iiWgxMjXXb-YvaFtD_fNy_LfmupQ2duX78tNlPqkrWrVseBHpIQMKpIYPeeHNGdfbIzE1K/s320/20160928_123701.jpg" width="228" height="320" /></a>
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Conquest Miniatures put out a nice little blister of the main characters from the Last of the Mohicans, also released by Warlord Games. I had fun painting these up as characters to join in my Sharp Practice games.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGU3pJVUUbme7A8VTycp5H-gxom_7QN_OKrkR1Xw6ll6AHdr3x7K0jyWZphvvMRU0IXCcP-wJqw1D-KO61Pu7vsr0g-QtUSoyl2YGXPEL4-3CAuTuFw-gbRRhb-sB9BDic2LI727W5M5xE/s1600/20160928_123445.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGU3pJVUUbme7A8VTycp5H-gxom_7QN_OKrkR1Xw6ll6AHdr3x7K0jyWZphvvMRU0IXCcP-wJqw1D-KO61Pu7vsr0g-QtUSoyl2YGXPEL4-3CAuTuFw-gbRRhb-sB9BDic2LI727W5M5xE/s320/20160928_123445.jpg" width="320" height="118" /></a>
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The figures are a bit variable in quality. The women aren't very good in my opinion, suggesting the sculptor should get out more. Uncas and Chingachgook are fine, but Hawkeye and Magua are just lovely.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEktiBaAx3gwX79uLU_XaEdX7V_hx6fylPRekrtbvR0F0DjK7qZVoU3zfLIDFj9OchaBmdTGyyzmRlIYWNSaNiPk9FiRGUdF-l2WmqH1dXHSDksNJI49F7vAg9a520bpiUvZgqOwZczyGj/s1600/20160928_123512.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEktiBaAx3gwX79uLU_XaEdX7V_hx6fylPRekrtbvR0F0DjK7qZVoU3zfLIDFj9OchaBmdTGyyzmRlIYWNSaNiPk9FiRGUdF-l2WmqH1dXHSDksNJI49F7vAg9a520bpiUvZgqOwZczyGj/s320/20160928_123512.jpg" width="277" height="320" /></a>
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Magua is also available in a more warlike pose in a separate blister.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETgn_Bbm34ibxdurWr6jaYJGjTFQIJoeO0PM9-7nCuXG6v36RyaQmPIqz0e9Rz40pjq4uWs-4S9ItmKNRpyompceO13_OtcE2Vvxo2E3ZRV2hU4eWvdWNkhiefB9dtLNFnhmeZl4P6M00/s1600/20160928_123537.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiETgn_Bbm34ibxdurWr6jaYJGjTFQIJoeO0PM9-7nCuXG6v36RyaQmPIqz0e9Rz40pjq4uWs-4S9ItmKNRpyompceO13_OtcE2Vvxo2E3ZRV2hU4eWvdWNkhiefB9dtLNFnhmeZl4P6M00/s320/20160928_123537.jpg" width="203" height="320" /></a> <i>Magua notices a grey hair in the mirror...</i>
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Also from Conquest, here's a bunch of armed colonists. I really need to build a couple of farm houses for them...
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D_wAM-fMa794-60xPkLSjm5S02qykBrEWwdM-zvpzGe5VMsYXZwh8pbNYFHe33r0NJ-P7sfTZwRdoE6-z43HB2a6bkwGS9ZyWewzBOqkgfUpxtOnX17o0squzajrwj8fr9ygETkZwxMX/s1600/20160928_123808.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7D_wAM-fMa794-60xPkLSjm5S02qykBrEWwdM-zvpzGe5VMsYXZwh8pbNYFHe33r0NJ-P7sfTZwRdoE6-z43HB2a6bkwGS9ZyWewzBOqkgfUpxtOnX17o0squzajrwj8fr9ygETkZwxMX/s320/20160928_123808.jpg" width="320" height="99" /></a>Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-30665033671190084432016-10-04T19:44:00.000-07:002016-10-04T19:44:05.704-07:004-Ground's Blockhouse for the French & Indian WarsThis is a nice piece of kit.
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We are very taken here at Homunculorum Towers with playing the FIW with Sharp Practice 2, and that means terrain. Most of all trees, although we will also need a few log cabins. And to defend all those trees, what better than a lovely blockhouse from 4-Ground?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS2m0a_rjpp3fYy2Ubv81K7uOEBe_HrVCE0JexqqscQNY31v2ntoBIvWmCDFD9727PBWZdiZM0d-Fhi2YfSpUulG5-ySF7pTURS8aJ-wuFnmsKghBYQBUoz7ojsdy1hMKZ1hP1O0EHiao/s1600/20160928_123211.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoS2m0a_rjpp3fYy2Ubv81K7uOEBe_HrVCE0JexqqscQNY31v2ntoBIvWmCDFD9727PBWZdiZM0d-Fhi2YfSpUulG5-ySF7pTURS8aJ-wuFnmsKghBYQBUoz7ojsdy1hMKZ1hP1O0EHiao/s320/20160928_123211.jpg" width="320" height="164" /></a>
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This was a great model to put together, with stacks of detail like opening doors and detachable (and loseable as it turns out) locking bars for the doors. The simple planky appearance of the real thing lends itself well to drybrushing, so I tarted up the model with fifty shades of grey and a bit of brown, textured the base and behold.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NEnekG2WFJAdBeLh4_m_scwg5VA-bBQD5NPI2HPbvY9qPiv6Q6OwMMQyOpp27uNfTULBq6ciqcbv7em5ZFgAm4__ZZoCKseA7BvWYG3IZUOuIXJhK8LQ7oy5bqD7A59lDxzv1zGCjdbx/s1600/20160928_122945.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-NEnekG2WFJAdBeLh4_m_scwg5VA-bBQD5NPI2HPbvY9qPiv6Q6OwMMQyOpp27uNfTULBq6ciqcbv7em5ZFgAm4__ZZoCKseA7BvWYG3IZUOuIXJhK8LQ7oy5bqD7A59lDxzv1zGCjdbx/s320/20160928_122945.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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Those gunports were crying out for some firepower, so I picked up a blister pack from Crusader's pirates range from the friendly elves at <a href="http://www.warandpeacegames.com.au/">War and Peace Games</a>. They are intended to represent a French naval gun crew, but clearly military discipline is a bit lax in this bit of the wilderness.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD1An3_md0XBni5y7pAS5zMdYt9TDSGiL3SruiEXcjo0a2sY7SetZC3rmMfIaEPPyHTmVtip_oQljNjueX_6aKyy4M5-KM9NRdYFAFXoJLuIR8hvMKYOLfC1o7L_PS8ShvyGeUgPn-fEE/s1600/20160928_123142.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieD1An3_md0XBni5y7pAS5zMdYt9TDSGiL3SruiEXcjo0a2sY7SetZC3rmMfIaEPPyHTmVtip_oQljNjueX_6aKyy4M5-KM9NRdYFAFXoJLuIR8hvMKYOLfC1o7L_PS8ShvyGeUgPn-fEE/s320/20160928_123142.jpg" width="240" height="320" /></a>
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The blockhouse gets a couple of enthusiastic thumbs up from me, and would be great to chuck on your table for AWI and FIW games.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-35517102641886895152016-08-26T19:22:00.000-07:002016-08-26T19:22:13.273-07:00Hurons!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4XJyuGeOfKeNHC6XhjzQSg0PzYH58-JoV3k57Yiv19M-_YphRwN_Uco7GwrH6hivtSepV3bfgiZAIK5zVJ-3eNnnpGhFuOSIUAbJrHby5rOLMFeGX7VyvlOV6CYPX48_stKgBOLOgI-Y/s1600/IMG_0564.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj4XJyuGeOfKeNHC6XhjzQSg0PzYH58-JoV3k57Yiv19M-_YphRwN_Uco7GwrH6hivtSepV3bfgiZAIK5zVJ-3eNnnpGhFuOSIUAbJrHby5rOLMFeGX7VyvlOV6CYPX48_stKgBOLOgI-Y/s320/IMG_0564.JPG" width="235" height="320" /></a>
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The final part of my French wilderness force for Sharp Practice 2 is of course a couple of units of Huron allies. I'm really looking forward to using these in SP2 - the rules for moveable deployment zones should give their opponents something to think about.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrkkO8GVVQeiTVoR3-5G5NwAAH4owHP5KO2LQLpt8WN6xLQcIBAkWeuAjcVQ6aS24QAtl_q2NrwG3oJqDmBEDIz-LTQAqIbZfPYfGPscKyL7cRHx04JPbiQiibXYG7iuPweqlwvuPGEWF/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrkkO8GVVQeiTVoR3-5G5NwAAH4owHP5KO2LQLpt8WN6xLQcIBAkWeuAjcVQ6aS24QAtl_q2NrwG3oJqDmBEDIz-LTQAqIbZfPYfGPscKyL7cRHx04JPbiQiibXYG7iuPweqlwvuPGEWF/s320/IMG_0557.JPG" width="320" height="78" /></a>
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These were lovely figures to paint, although very time consuming due to the individual details. Most of the figures are from the Woodland Indians box set put out by Warlord (which are actually Conquest Miniatures figures), with six figures from Northstar. Here's a stack of photos - I hope you enjoy them.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonS6-Vl44wZF0k2LvoCl_rgIeKS5QkE-DQTp13O_wg1L0_fcLTIx_hkaA1WJv3eOUTzn-8XVqgSTdx-ij0fX8zlSlViSo35W0P72YjeJSBDTrn81N_NnLjpUneklB3djakNN904WlLD_d/s1600/IMG_0567.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhonS6-Vl44wZF0k2LvoCl_rgIeKS5QkE-DQTp13O_wg1L0_fcLTIx_hkaA1WJv3eOUTzn-8XVqgSTdx-ij0fX8zlSlViSo35W0P72YjeJSBDTrn81N_NnLjpUneklB3djakNN904WlLD_d/s320/IMG_0567.JPG" width="239" height="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpND4tX20AtkhQoxDsA9BF8j-FtQdqoOKtj0IkoqrLwHYIHHYHMM1hYqII11MuDElTudMorMHTqyHCUMG8ftYTwMpU6H7w9mVnBL5yWf7WRB3JeHXRN6VLvG9MOEf3B8nQiMgkyQ-g9Fh4/s1600/IMG_0558.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpND4tX20AtkhQoxDsA9BF8j-FtQdqoOKtj0IkoqrLwHYIHHYHMM1hYqII11MuDElTudMorMHTqyHCUMG8ftYTwMpU6H7w9mVnBL5yWf7WRB3JeHXRN6VLvG9MOEf3B8nQiMgkyQ-g9Fh4/s320/IMG_0558.JPG" width="320" height="204" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY8CcK2aK1CZtvZOXp81eSlJHyzyFiooZq3RYfShk_Vl-LJqUG-PcURHTkHT-CVUrRPJ_AlKvOmaONIG1jciWAKjPAts7akX90A7yNFz8iG5-jLhCN6KV7uW_fHasfRUi0WFAszeCJIgR/s1600/IMG_0559.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOY8CcK2aK1CZtvZOXp81eSlJHyzyFiooZq3RYfShk_Vl-LJqUG-PcURHTkHT-CVUrRPJ_AlKvOmaONIG1jciWAKjPAts7akX90A7yNFz8iG5-jLhCN6KV7uW_fHasfRUi0WFAszeCJIgR/s320/IMG_0559.JPG" width="320" height="188" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOAxVwElEmJzepvRD1XfXZoNYS_gGEWWXMsuE3XlD1Ut1WHi2o8EQPVuoFt5ypYnKuntb2KBweuL7-1wnRC0vg1viKEokg1_-2D1GO5jqB8RezlEKDoNQdlx-O5bc1B4GMVauNOFnkhK-/s1600/IMG_0560.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheOAxVwElEmJzepvRD1XfXZoNYS_gGEWWXMsuE3XlD1Ut1WHi2o8EQPVuoFt5ypYnKuntb2KBweuL7-1wnRC0vg1viKEokg1_-2D1GO5jqB8RezlEKDoNQdlx-O5bc1B4GMVauNOFnkhK-/s320/IMG_0560.JPG" width="320" height="217" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1aRjgJgH7h6H7KWb7l4niKKd9nCcy_0fTHlltESwOo7gR0Q9xDipsI-2pi32boRBe4Zak00CmSHWbHPWkCUky4wJxIWVnWeUSc8B364GsZr3sR7lLGPm5DAd0Vuyn-qwlWAHb_wqXF4W/s1600/IMG_0566.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib1aRjgJgH7h6H7KWb7l4niKKd9nCcy_0fTHlltESwOo7gR0Q9xDipsI-2pi32boRBe4Zak00CmSHWbHPWkCUky4wJxIWVnWeUSc8B364GsZr3sR7lLGPm5DAd0Vuyn-qwlWAHb_wqXF4W/s320/IMG_0566.JPG" width="208" height="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHwR26ASPXfGYjuXd9xgi9y4S3Ib1lkbTcD_OdYUy_F0phmWIbzUxRhnnDCEsm5MLfRPYrxHpxzPF8muBWt1VEpe9Qv1MgPoGaJ-ogkxIblxK43AQZJZdFiXk1hDrT0fOIKWSfkVJgiv8/s1600/IMG_0565.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIHwR26ASPXfGYjuXd9xgi9y4S3Ib1lkbTcD_OdYUy_F0phmWIbzUxRhnnDCEsm5MLfRPYrxHpxzPF8muBWt1VEpe9Qv1MgPoGaJ-ogkxIblxK43AQZJZdFiXk1hDrT0fOIKWSfkVJgiv8/s320/IMG_0565.JPG" width="239" height="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej7xXbGca-cOarS5Lm0lYSXXqzzTuKD2jC5rqLYiJraosD0I2sWlkfjdcCEqPUtoOqlvcGkEzqtaxFOGjyaR0WoeKKXMTmh5el3wcbG0s3QSIN6ArmDnd10ppIpsJKOGr_E74zF8HAPb4/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjej7xXbGca-cOarS5Lm0lYSXXqzzTuKD2jC5rqLYiJraosD0I2sWlkfjdcCEqPUtoOqlvcGkEzqtaxFOGjyaR0WoeKKXMTmh5el3wcbG0s3QSIN6ArmDnd10ppIpsJKOGr_E74zF8HAPb4/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" width="320" height="208" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOjr04h_dO_Jscz74lIJm2_MhMkRBzrXyWHLc1zbKRIy2vTkzeUbQPHN18KlhfAY0H4s6inregkYX49e1CAh7IDWwL4djJQD8cByi7RFETYfKdVwiClrjxEhMkQZTV-U9yx1ciR8fbpFY/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOjr04h_dO_Jscz74lIJm2_MhMkRBzrXyWHLc1zbKRIy2vTkzeUbQPHN18KlhfAY0H4s6inregkYX49e1CAh7IDWwL4djJQD8cByi7RFETYfKdVwiClrjxEhMkQZTV-U9yx1ciR8fbpFY/s320/IMG_0561.JPG" width="320" height="197" /></a>Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-80342970200706674782016-08-25T04:54:00.000-07:002016-08-25T04:55:07.496-07:00Coureurs des Bois and a CanoeFrench forces in Sharp Practice 2 are allowed a single unit of Coureurs des Bois, rugged irregular scouts. As it happens, buying a box each of the Northstar French Wilderness Force figures and the Warlord Compagnie Franche de la Marine to make a core force leaves six figures left over, perfect to add some 'Runners of the Woods' to them.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2xRVng7JgnB01RTXtvGs8QPmMglxgHdm5UULyIEIZK-pSjfwMcWsAt5jrzLK_kiLtzDAnIpMHQ7-VPbHGN89MJYchnbM03iuRoAYP_UPwxNZ5xv6-0CQvr2aBfZxEfL-8vPgPv2l0zK5/s1600/IMG_0600.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2xRVng7JgnB01RTXtvGs8QPmMglxgHdm5UULyIEIZK-pSjfwMcWsAt5jrzLK_kiLtzDAnIpMHQ7-VPbHGN89MJYchnbM03iuRoAYP_UPwxNZ5xv6-0CQvr2aBfZxEfL-8vPgPv2l0zK5/s320/IMG_0600.JPG" width="320" height="151" /></a>
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What's a French and Indian Wars battle without canoes? Fortunately, Conquest Miniatures make some lovely canoes with different crews, so here's one from the Compagnie Franche de la Marines.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCPHLbxuha9ZscMY_J84NQ5MNK7h5IPc5kX_QgX_ttRwSqBq2rEXfkDyTYCGZ8UCJ-Ue9AHLTS2RzhG4ZJQs6ZJDeq4lfoLVmO1-0-v87IJYDnOuC6l7_t3T52HGnyrLRgYxKat9LDtts/s1600/IMG_0606.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieCPHLbxuha9ZscMY_J84NQ5MNK7h5IPc5kX_QgX_ttRwSqBq2rEXfkDyTYCGZ8UCJ-Ue9AHLTS2RzhG4ZJQs6ZJDeq4lfoLVmO1-0-v87IJYDnOuC6l7_t3T52HGnyrLRgYxKat9LDtts/s320/IMG_0606.JPG" width="320" height="291" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedAgRffxYYOhtN9dIWKgces1oiefvp1XiZQizdso1U94uK-GbctipqMsHXTBr2CAS8xEDNvWGK9G8VRnj0eyZik19KZakXBoltSypl8CcPjLbPjDwPa7YAxCBURoRL5dQ0LJryDpEcfwQ/s1600/IMG_0607.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiedAgRffxYYOhtN9dIWKgces1oiefvp1XiZQizdso1U94uK-GbctipqMsHXTBr2CAS8xEDNvWGK9G8VRnj0eyZik19KZakXBoltSypl8CcPjLbPjDwPa7YAxCBURoRL5dQ0LJryDpEcfwQ/s320/IMG_0607.JPG" width="320" height="257" /></a>
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I'm not sure what function this will have in a game of Sharp Practice, but I might be able to use it as a Deployment Point marker or something like that.
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Next up: Hurons!Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-42584022462653080512016-08-22T01:07:00.000-07:002016-08-22T01:07:20.157-07:00Milice Canadienne for Sharp Practice 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_ywvFrgFJUHV0iaUHUmR9LXechzo_Up7a1a781pSe3NRAqlW2ZRRwWPxXDReT5ugl8xPDZ6r2e_L-coA7_OXFDFiERc91Hjjh0mw3TmoRpDQp3n02K28lzN41HJhgEUBRBHdJAzu6Uar/s1600/IMG_0603.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC_ywvFrgFJUHV0iaUHUmR9LXechzo_Up7a1a781pSe3NRAqlW2ZRRwWPxXDReT5ugl8xPDZ6r2e_L-coA7_OXFDFiERc91Hjjh0mw3TmoRpDQp3n02K28lzN41HJhgEUBRBHdJAzu6Uar/s320/IMG_0603.JPG" width="320" height="177" /></a>
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Along with the Compagnie Franche de la Marine, no French raiding force in 1759 would be complete without a couple of units of Canadian Militia. These are just Northstar and Conquest Marine figures, given a slightly less uniform paintjob, but under the command of an officer of the les Marins.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQz2x-bvBidI24sEQISwLKe6fJoMY9CvpjeazXDWvJETq-CN3Hria25Qx3t43f2Pp85VB1Pqw3LB9bZrv7KsbIG6cCNmTOhYIO_uEKHU550A6tedIqhmQ7yiK92FCv3dRsOYMdfYgVrTA/s1600/IMG_0601.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQz2x-bvBidI24sEQISwLKe6fJoMY9CvpjeazXDWvJETq-CN3Hria25Qx3t43f2Pp85VB1Pqw3LB9bZrv7KsbIG6cCNmTOhYIO_uEKHU550A6tedIqhmQ7yiK92FCv3dRsOYMdfYgVrTA/s320/IMG_0601.JPG" width="320" height="102" /></a>
Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-87371886056155506962016-08-20T02:37:00.000-07:002016-08-20T02:37:36.740-07:00Putting Together a French Wildnerness Force of Sharp Practice 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMyUyeEDF3kCBOtSXI769nzFdrmovPvaSIihWsm8Gcip65em-Y1HOI401979A3PvoQ7Yz-rUGGi7BGQpmfDeHECYIkt5k9Z1ki99hAnyubvvccLWDlssJp1EKjFjbv7ZSk3UHObtRmagE/s1600/IMG_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkMyUyeEDF3kCBOtSXI769nzFdrmovPvaSIihWsm8Gcip65em-Y1HOI401979A3PvoQ7Yz-rUGGi7BGQpmfDeHECYIkt5k9Z1ki99hAnyubvvccLWDlssJp1EKjFjbv7ZSk3UHObtRmagE/s320/IMG_0595.JPG" width="320" height="114" /></a>
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Sharp Practice 2 includes some army lists for the French Indian Wars. I decided to put together a French wilderness force, made up of a mix of Native American allies and Canadian militia around a core of Compagnie Franches de la Marine. This is an interesting and colourful force to put together, and can be assembled from three readily-available box sets.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYzCuiWNRCDdvUi5bowwpopbotEE5y54QPIAkMZOqOaiadbCjeIQJFmHmhMDxqnctIIlsksO2ySnfrCq5qnuTCNIpknEBMP0vnf8fbLnlQENyKeynTzVfGJbGQNzqd8XPQj3sd_ix9Kcw/s1600/20160820_184912.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYzCuiWNRCDdvUi5bowwpopbotEE5y54QPIAkMZOqOaiadbCjeIQJFmHmhMDxqnctIIlsksO2ySnfrCq5qnuTCNIpknEBMP0vnf8fbLnlQENyKeynTzVfGJbGQNzqd8XPQj3sd_ix9Kcw/s320/20160820_184912.jpg" width="320" height="240" /></a>
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The basic core force consists of two units of eight Compagnie Franches de la Marine, under a senior officer, two units of six Canadian militia, with an officer and two units of 12 native Americans, with a leader. Northstar produce a very nice French Wilderness force box set for Muskets and Tomahawks, which combined with a box each of Compagnie Franches de la Marine and Woodland Indians from Warlord Games (actually Conquest Miniatures) gives you exactly what you need, with six figures left over to serve as a unit of Coureur de Bois and an additional sergeant. There is a slight size difference between Northstar and Warlord, but they mix together perfectly well, in my view.
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This post features the two units of Compagnie Franches de la Marine. The movement based are from <a href="http://www.knightsofdice.com/content.php?s=eefc1a1ec46d72e97da1b2b4d14ddfe3"></a>, and I have gone for a woodlands theme with the basing. The tree trunks are a compromise - I wanted to evoke woods without having to move whole forests around the table like Birnam Wood, but hopefully they don't look too much like Ypres. What do you reckon?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWNyMsVfFANGw89AF0bdPyUCqGRTPRrARhU1JwsLR9MvdXHS3R8lZzKakMPXyoa2PrfUCnWwoeQXHMEpJTKqyeQ7ZfGewNMYLXymxuLQYRhkSlKThS-AKwprAAg8fe4FR41NaVP3mlnZo/s1600/IMG_0596.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTWNyMsVfFANGw89AF0bdPyUCqGRTPRrARhU1JwsLR9MvdXHS3R8lZzKakMPXyoa2PrfUCnWwoeQXHMEpJTKqyeQ7ZfGewNMYLXymxuLQYRhkSlKThS-AKwprAAg8fe4FR41NaVP3mlnZo/s320/IMG_0596.JPG" width="320" height="139" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4JUPQuJuHPboCZREBBiyHJhnSBZSgyxpKuJ7Rmt1PDGdjB9617X-vgzFMxS3IT019hTKOs9GkM-gND2TgNGGbWnOLsrgX8QopIzFkOZd7iM_Ql-4U9rLgaRDPg_TsAAcX_4M4-CjHDTR/s1600/IMG_0597.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4JUPQuJuHPboCZREBBiyHJhnSBZSgyxpKuJ7Rmt1PDGdjB9617X-vgzFMxS3IT019hTKOs9GkM-gND2TgNGGbWnOLsrgX8QopIzFkOZd7iM_Ql-4U9rLgaRDPg_TsAAcX_4M4-CjHDTR/s320/IMG_0597.JPG" width="320" height="229" /></a> Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-6361533320508024002016-08-19T03:35:00.000-07:002016-08-19T03:35:26.035-07:00French and Indian Wars for Sharp Practice 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb6fYLI89xWs1lG5nrNFAycf7Q8UlV4MXN65zmd4qmmDNSOwywoyWOYouYGe9lDv040aZoO3DxTE-V-BOQMoXrvlR6BsX83SmCsq7dRmLSoSvgXHvFl4SDNVkflNpyi9Ys65IPg38S5K6/s1600/IMG_0604.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPb6fYLI89xWs1lG5nrNFAycf7Q8UlV4MXN65zmd4qmmDNSOwywoyWOYouYGe9lDv040aZoO3DxTE-V-BOQMoXrvlR6BsX83SmCsq7dRmLSoSvgXHvFl4SDNVkflNpyi9Ys65IPg38S5K6/s320/IMG_0604.JPG" width="320" height="83" /></a>
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So Sharp Practice 2 looks good. I still haven't played a game, but the size of the forces involved help to make it appealing. Like many of you, I'm drawn to finite painting projects, where I can indulge, say, an itch to paint some Napoleonic French without committing to the next decade to paint the entire Grande Armee. The rules look good, and have been getting great reviews. Even more importantly, a few of us at our gaming club are keen to try them out for the French and Indian Wars, with French, British Regulars and a Ranger force all in various states of painting.
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I've finished my French wilderness force, with the picture above just being a bit of a teaser. Over the next few days I'll put up images of the different units in the force, as well as some terrain I'm working on. The plan is to play our first game on 3 September, so if you are interested in following this little project, stay tuned. Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-80663672629642341912016-06-26T01:50:00.001-07:002016-06-26T01:50:26.111-07:00Wars of the Roses for Lion Rampant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQYCLHE89g6ujh6FmeOrZ0Ni3EPBKl4fmtglXVQFDFvgD3S3Lcic4EbQZ96-i-ugU9r6pw-v4CVntWLclhfygMe1Uj1u8fd2rkc7_tNPdSFW4G-PfAhYlyypY5zElOp0lpptVSp35TlDl/s1600/IMG_0403.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQYCLHE89g6ujh6FmeOrZ0Ni3EPBKl4fmtglXVQFDFvgD3S3Lcic4EbQZ96-i-ugU9r6pw-v4CVntWLclhfygMe1Uj1u8fd2rkc7_tNPdSFW4G-PfAhYlyypY5zElOp0lpptVSp35TlDl/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" /></a>
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What an absolute pleasure it was painting a retinue of Perry Miniatures WOTR figures for Lion Rampant!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqI2H7L95t3m14BqujEiDIefKYMS9w92i2KjHvCzmD279dse_hkcXzph5iogWWPj7EijpFjougO8_uH-_cfetbHWpHdNwoBhezFB6wwPeNoEfwmBTeX09TW3ApcyF5gxNir8YrGK6cZUc/s1600/IMG_0442.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYqI2H7L95t3m14BqujEiDIefKYMS9w92i2KjHvCzmD279dse_hkcXzph5iogWWPj7EijpFjougO8_uH-_cfetbHWpHdNwoBhezFB6wwPeNoEfwmBTeX09TW3ApcyF5gxNir8YrGK6cZUc/s320/IMG_0442.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBNjxAgVkvJgZnEm7q1c8M0a300J4b6WMu2CVosZXrxm7VfWnbpt9Rz-xmQkadz_yH4ocdcgqrMiy20YAImYKkueNnbT7S4vhKCOetVvsiU7fyjQWo5pFyED5LudNC9ybB0XLgaUt6xHK/s1600/IMG_0443.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidBNjxAgVkvJgZnEm7q1c8M0a300J4b6WMu2CVosZXrxm7VfWnbpt9Rz-xmQkadz_yH4ocdcgqrMiy20YAImYKkueNnbT7S4vhKCOetVvsiU7fyjQWo5pFyED5LudNC9ybB0XLgaUt6xHK/s320/IMG_0443.JPG" /></a>
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I may have got little carried away and painted more than I'm ever likely to use in a single game. But here they all are in their finery, a retinue of mounted and foot men at arms, billmen, archers, bidowers and scurrers.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS668zoUFDXuJwdCEPBrUIvxsaF7Ii9A468oEdGXEXUCX_xfcTlp55jBMIHDjKgfc9wBQlQknnTk10Nw7X2lkeBiE4QWjdFV3abzWRGIWpzgSAT_NVwn5n-Hi8x3ONfvBCM5QGZbmsZv3k/s1600/IMG_0397.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS668zoUFDXuJwdCEPBrUIvxsaF7Ii9A468oEdGXEXUCX_xfcTlp55jBMIHDjKgfc9wBQlQknnTk10Nw7X2lkeBiE4QWjdFV3abzWRGIWpzgSAT_NVwn5n-Hi8x3ONfvBCM5QGZbmsZv3k/s320/IMG_0397.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk9seto9y94lYuUBq31z58NYjzO12KVsOH85OpjWlWJOyTW0zgEJWPtZsg0RF9fJdM7slegdE-Wk2COiwvBcuc7dCpuynv7_CEGrjiOkNSECPmh4L0bsHCRbEME8_cy9PVudgsqUV0Bnf/s1600/IMG_0406.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEk9seto9y94lYuUBq31z58NYjzO12KVsOH85OpjWlWJOyTW0zgEJWPtZsg0RF9fJdM7slegdE-Wk2COiwvBcuc7dCpuynv7_CEGrjiOkNSECPmh4L0bsHCRbEME8_cy9PVudgsqUV0Bnf/s320/IMG_0406.JPG" /></a>
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They bear the banner and livery of Lord Scrope of Bolton, a Yorkist Lord who was wounded at Townton, fought at Bosworth and finally died in 1498.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW3_RCIXhDGIqt3rHA7tFQv7jrRAJxv247pEZUkt0WX11IsIogZVuSk6VykT9ccHNXQ3z0Codh2N6m2jBd4MGcTe9k09PO2yh5C2zLXlmTUO1lzZhOcrLtWf1ZWE3ENoNpyORFRxHKpRy/s1600/IMG_0448.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlW3_RCIXhDGIqt3rHA7tFQv7jrRAJxv247pEZUkt0WX11IsIogZVuSk6VykT9ccHNXQ3z0Codh2N6m2jBd4MGcTe9k09PO2yh5C2zLXlmTUO1lzZhOcrLtWf1ZWE3ENoNpyORFRxHKpRy/s320/IMG_0448.JPG" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk5J_zu3AzM1IxJO6oNBYl4dj29eSaW_2V-fM-0PTaJkDweGbm2-aLmPUNhuQayD7mHm-T52-2GyfxReeO1jO-4Lz2UwgrXfTuW8V0c9VSxGafLD7hPSJzkIRTxJyM0PwlZ1bhdUBNAN3/s1600/IMG_0407.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYk5J_zu3AzM1IxJO6oNBYl4dj29eSaW_2V-fM-0PTaJkDweGbm2-aLmPUNhuQayD7mHm-T52-2GyfxReeO1jO-4Lz2UwgrXfTuW8V0c9VSxGafLD7hPSJzkIRTxJyM0PwlZ1bhdUBNAN3/s320/IMG_0407.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFhgtxY1FFRgqSEUqR2Rw0y-O-yL0kx312adCxBqkZUY0RfkBXA6CU7lvriYajtpV0ZY9jEReKkuUjWIb5JYDrllZFbo3D_nRiyZqydgFZ8DL4IM5xLMDzpfuMIBiD3LJTrAnI63Ev1J8/s1600/IMG_0444.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtFhgtxY1FFRgqSEUqR2Rw0y-O-yL0kx312adCxBqkZUY0RfkBXA6CU7lvriYajtpV0ZY9jEReKkuUjWIb5JYDrllZFbo3D_nRiyZqydgFZ8DL4IM5xLMDzpfuMIBiD3LJTrAnI63Ev1J8/s320/IMG_0444.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2HgSzPtSB8uXb6qZhiDofWF9HzCxe3criO_Rwbcp1woeDCx5IMwbBSe_y_qnAgckzVf6Q_YXi7GzPTl4y4CMPpQEdzOCR3OaZmDQBVGOEXFHR98VKKOoD9xeH-lqd-adxzdX3X008tz0/s1600/IMG_0446.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih2HgSzPtSB8uXb6qZhiDofWF9HzCxe3criO_Rwbcp1woeDCx5IMwbBSe_y_qnAgckzVf6Q_YXi7GzPTl4y4CMPpQEdzOCR3OaZmDQBVGOEXFHR98VKKOoD9xeH-lqd-adxzdX3X008tz0/s320/IMG_0446.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IicCD63BBR8nIxdNIO1d6E1e3ae-DqJpiigyv1Ozf3W3Pus-Pk93mord2EgPH8UaX0xowtoXPrM1rNYhwhVKZHsNd_iL49dKBhMlrrD53lAPZZCwIQWLfS-aSW3mzrgR70UsNPgmp9sK/s1600/IMG_0447.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3IicCD63BBR8nIxdNIO1d6E1e3ae-DqJpiigyv1Ozf3W3Pus-Pk93mord2EgPH8UaX0xowtoXPrM1rNYhwhVKZHsNd_iL49dKBhMlrrD53lAPZZCwIQWLfS-aSW3mzrgR70UsNPgmp9sK/s320/IMG_0447.JPG" /></a>
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The banner is hand painted on foil from a nice bottle of Cotes du Rhone.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qduF6Tar8rM0sT0lV90sZz09IF3OJg4GS1jKLbvncrIc9TSmzGnUJAitMG-oln6dbyy37NOSDPR9WsjxlsEyEI0lV8d57eEz5VGopzO8gCGbrhxX2LWowpWZ4SICu-yWl3i-hT1QLl7g/s1600/IMG_3575.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7qduF6Tar8rM0sT0lV90sZz09IF3OJg4GS1jKLbvncrIc9TSmzGnUJAitMG-oln6dbyy37NOSDPR9WsjxlsEyEI0lV8d57eEz5VGopzO8gCGbrhxX2LWowpWZ4SICu-yWl3i-hT1QLl7g/s320/IMG_3575.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtSM3OON_7X5ARCe4nuvd2w0AQEatsQoRqacGpKljOB9lOzk0UJ5Y-xth6vUnG2_Q6e3SiSxfFiR46ZqQf-yWmR_ubkOlhbOwcLYJgnThaOAkfM-6d5PwfgwmeITtBPwhBaXH7qzeWYt0/s1600/IMG_3577.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtSM3OON_7X5ARCe4nuvd2w0AQEatsQoRqacGpKljOB9lOzk0UJ5Y-xth6vUnG2_Q6e3SiSxfFiR46ZqQf-yWmR_ubkOlhbOwcLYJgnThaOAkfM-6d5PwfgwmeITtBPwhBaXH7qzeWYt0/s320/IMG_3577.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESSnDs6sGTTcwNo1JgxwQ46yJwJX8pPKmRn1ZDHtUa-BCYm6L0aeqlpLpjT9Ww-X9mz8Ga0rI9mc7JEh5-4mXLjOLygEC9eGn5xXQauLYewRjuHvAYMcPoB-q1snUDb8J-uqJ5RBb0NmH/s1600/IMG_3578.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESSnDs6sGTTcwNo1JgxwQ46yJwJX8pPKmRn1ZDHtUa-BCYm6L0aeqlpLpjT9Ww-X9mz8Ga0rI9mc7JEh5-4mXLjOLygEC9eGn5xXQauLYewRjuHvAYMcPoB-q1snUDb8J-uqJ5RBb0NmH/s320/IMG_3578.JPG" /></a>
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Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-15680902387463846132016-06-19T04:13:00.003-07:002016-06-19T04:14:24.631-07:00Carpet Bombing with Dragon Rampant<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJAnDqZMoZ_2kdoyFCujwhyI31nKFHwC4Py6b6eMcdxf2V99ALYUmcLk-ctd78UDC485chFV7NV3rlyoPsc0hpKBjaH9fOLy0mhddDF3xIRn1nQO19nFMmP5TvCYw3Gcbki9wefA2YOB-/s1600/IMG_0426.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJAnDqZMoZ_2kdoyFCujwhyI31nKFHwC4Py6b6eMcdxf2V99ALYUmcLk-ctd78UDC485chFV7NV3rlyoPsc0hpKBjaH9fOLy0mhddDF3xIRn1nQO19nFMmP5TvCYw3Gcbki9wefA2YOB-/s320/IMG_0426.JPG" /></a>
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Our gaming group has been loving playing Lion Rampant and Dragon Rampant of late. Dan Mersey has written a cracker of a rules system. I have often been using my Saracens for Lion Rampant - some of which even appear in the rule book - and love the way that a few little subtle rules allow them to fight in a very different way to, say, a western feudal army. For example, the rules for horse archers work very well, often allowing them to avoid contact with the enemy, but suffering badly when they get caught.Indeed, I like Lion Rampant so much that I even broke my usual rule of avoiding fantasy games to play Dragon Rampant with the fine fellows from the club. After one game, I found myself researching which dwarf miniatures I like the most and looking at big dragon models.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Hm5ooITw1j2fjViXvUc6oFvvesmvOHU5ldb_3CUXiIn9yguB7FG_3w8cBzmU9tH0ZGs9Zy6M30owgKDShS1Nw_5JokgAucf2rOQWNYYijUmkTfXx8ZXIoEEfSu58_E4xzxhyEuNHKQvx/s1600/IMG_0433.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Hm5ooITw1j2fjViXvUc6oFvvesmvOHU5ldb_3CUXiIn9yguB7FG_3w8cBzmU9tH0ZGs9Zy6M30owgKDShS1Nw_5JokgAucf2rOQWNYYijUmkTfXx8ZXIoEEfSu58_E4xzxhyEuNHKQvx/s320/IMG_0433.JPG" /></a>
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I also bought a handful of figures to turn my Saracens into a fantasy force, with six flying carpet riders from Black Tree Design and a beautiful Djinn mini from Otherworld. They were loads of fun to paint up, and I quite enjoyed hand painting the carpets while listening to the audiobook of 'Look Who's Back'.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_insrhO-weXDcizjx6OAPyD-nSzxun0OqnsdbKP82-pMFC0mVNOy3wpBYlV7QoWQ1gh9mtwphQdBSGMDkLXQf4uNC4ziyN8gXOjL512DznxTZwYVtkmJ0TISJDD_6A0nZRV4cFT60_wBf/s1600/Dragon+1.jpe" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_insrhO-weXDcizjx6OAPyD-nSzxun0OqnsdbKP82-pMFC0mVNOy3wpBYlV7QoWQ1gh9mtwphQdBSGMDkLXQf4uNC4ziyN8gXOjL512DznxTZwYVtkmJ0TISJDD_6A0nZRV4cFT60_wBf/s320/Dragon+1.jpe" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGnUQ6Pb48gNsW65bGw_aurkMi1IiB389APQiCKc1xGeTBxNKrsywfpw9DQXQJ-Jnn-jhgc1Noac49r8Mjz6LW_hdbLKCpZ_LZ7ID-EB8HBcS2YqcYIvlAqFbwA0wb031O4Por0BYYPNg/s1600/Dragon+2.jpe" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGnUQ6Pb48gNsW65bGw_aurkMi1IiB389APQiCKc1xGeTBxNKrsywfpw9DQXQJ-Jnn-jhgc1Noac49r8Mjz6LW_hdbLKCpZ_LZ7ID-EB8HBcS2YqcYIvlAqFbwA0wb031O4Por0BYYPNg/s320/Dragon+2.jpe" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIMiM4YHAd_vBwRWTSrEmyhXOeR6RGDrgbrBm3wPYEyjJm0HVJRYISEnzPafZ3-UiBmT5YcCn1wLTY814_SmVuNDponz-wocId4vKNmeVGIlPN-pZCteraVMYpkqUvM8IcXYlIPwQVfiu/s1600/Dragon+3.jpe" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCIMiM4YHAd_vBwRWTSrEmyhXOeR6RGDrgbrBm3wPYEyjJm0HVJRYISEnzPafZ3-UiBmT5YcCn1wLTY814_SmVuNDponz-wocId4vKNmeVGIlPN-pZCteraVMYpkqUvM8IcXYlIPwQVfiu/s320/Dragon+3.jpe" /></a>
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Paul, John and I had a very enjoyable game with my new army, facing off against John's lovely Saracen Orks from Chronopia Miniatures. The flying carpets were lots of fun to use, effectively acting like helicopter gunships as they popped up from behind terrain and showered the Orks with arrows. The Djinn completely failed to cast any spells, but proved his mettle in hand to hand combat. Despite John deploying the Fez of Intimidation I managed a victory and, against all precedent and tradition - failed to lose a single one of my newly painted figures.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIy3CSU-_liLXLku_TTYARlcATbi-u6__4gYsuvp6-vKJYTPSG2Ldhw68vTf1J81azpVTADAtcy8twqtVO4LeTahzzHkJ5ndMFP9SYRb8HzplInGyjpv7LUsVqnMAz-_toMvMPn1_-2af/s1600/IMG_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIy3CSU-_liLXLku_TTYARlcATbi-u6__4gYsuvp6-vKJYTPSG2Ldhw68vTf1J81azpVTADAtcy8twqtVO4LeTahzzHkJ5ndMFP9SYRb8HzplInGyjpv7LUsVqnMAz-_toMvMPn1_-2af/s320/IMG_0431.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIiAe4yogTSmYfhQjiiwIUj-v_Nkf97xv9JRjW_8vYhUQdbkunMvBH0M1edaEFbd87C5nEQNjYwf_QCZmBHb_TRTSUcqK9XDGiRbkjJjresfBhgp6fp24uPErZWmJb8z9BOWJwMN3RyuO/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcIiAe4yogTSmYfhQjiiwIUj-v_Nkf97xv9JRjW_8vYhUQdbkunMvBH0M1edaEFbd87C5nEQNjYwf_QCZmBHb_TRTSUcqK9XDGiRbkjJjresfBhgp6fp24uPErZWmJb8z9BOWJwMN3RyuO/s320/IMG_0437.JPG" /></a>
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If you haven't given them a go, Lion and Dragon Rampant are great fun games, and I'm eagerly looking forward to The Pikeman's Lament, Dan Mersey's next variant on his solid games engine.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-52241538025105418292016-05-01T04:01:00.002-07:002016-05-01T04:01:51.993-07:00Victory Without Quarter with Millsy and PaulHad a great gaming day today thanks to <a href="http://canisterandgrape.blogspot.com.au/">Millsy</a>, who invited Man Cave Paul and I to his lair for a game of Victory Without Quarter. <a href="http://tasmancave.blogspot.com.au/"></a> I've been wanting to have a go at these (free!) ECW rules from Clarence Harrison from <a href="http://">Quindia Studios</a> for about three years, and it was a real pleasure to try them out with Millsy's beautifully painted figures.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtQyz2kqPU0wBcOtNR8kgBSMDOytLwlhtOseww1H-HO4hkW8dPKmO_QX2-VqIT2zPdEbmNtN5jWIYXs7vN_I3_WcHn0zjs_s-A0QimQInQZxUoHPLxk4tP4W_muIFyiUiQwU44s5vy0Hl/s1600/Millsy+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHtQyz2kqPU0wBcOtNR8kgBSMDOytLwlhtOseww1H-HO4hkW8dPKmO_QX2-VqIT2zPdEbmNtN5jWIYXs7vN_I3_WcHn0zjs_s-A0QimQInQZxUoHPLxk4tP4W_muIFyiUiQwU44s5vy0Hl/s320/Millsy+1.JPG" /></a>
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Millsy had come up with a great scenario - the Battle of Curmudgeon Moor. As the Parliamentarian commander, my task was to break through a Royalist defensive position to gain control of an important road and get some of my forces off the table. This was the terrifying sight facing my men.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn5G11IEINMvkTX4YxbGaMA_ORbSjKgMUOsWoUcq6h_-ZjzmfKIcTufvMqsB5y4QVPLZeEr0oaPmolfccn_2ZlEKJhp-BXfUcRFgujeyZKjhC89jG7KmTLae9y4ooJScvI0ajv9dR2vMa/s1600/Millsy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwn5G11IEINMvkTX4YxbGaMA_ORbSjKgMUOsWoUcq6h_-ZjzmfKIcTufvMqsB5y4QVPLZeEr0oaPmolfccn_2ZlEKJhp-BXfUcRFgujeyZKjhC89jG7KmTLae9y4ooJScvI0ajv9dR2vMa/s320/Millsy+2.JPG" /></a>
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The commanded shot occupying the churchyard facing my right flank caused me a lot of problems in the battle, proving to be a tough nut to crack. The artillery also caused me headaches, routing my best unit of horse.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-Nj3BO7SWpRLmQJPi9GEr1Dq-elwkMPimBczB8_V2M1NdwQak1sa72xzzq5ssnSn6iFapk9ayTVH-PZUbnHXwE4z-C3If9dcrjb2AABJG0OKuCdRMehNsiJ7yf0yf1u4X9id17PXbWHR/s1600/Millsy+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6-Nj3BO7SWpRLmQJPi9GEr1Dq-elwkMPimBczB8_V2M1NdwQak1sa72xzzq5ssnSn6iFapk9ayTVH-PZUbnHXwE4z-C3If9dcrjb2AABJG0OKuCdRMehNsiJ7yf0yf1u4X9id17PXbWHR/s320/Millsy+3.JPG" /></a>
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On my left flank, I managed to get a unit of dragoons into a great position, and there they stayed through the remainder of the battle thanks to the stalwart defence of a rabble of Clubmen.
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Towards the end of the fight things started looking up, particularly when I managed to rout a regiment of Scots foot and tear a gap in the Royalist line. Paul took this with his customary dignified reserve.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRkOe__Pued2nWKn0dFmz9qvwe8iOwOhf1dKNrPS3F36j6mziOtUDcHE_rtVC5SII2RZyNud9dr5BAdyuRq9j8QgZ0tnHDWD4ybaL_dru6PQu33JJcaSHBtReZmVcX-jxWOOxgtlMOqZl/s1600/Millsy+4.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNRkOe__Pued2nWKn0dFmz9qvwe8iOwOhf1dKNrPS3F36j6mziOtUDcHE_rtVC5SII2RZyNud9dr5BAdyuRq9j8QgZ0tnHDWD4ybaL_dru6PQu33JJcaSHBtReZmVcX-jxWOOxgtlMOqZl/s320/Millsy+4.JPG" /></a>
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Sadly, this was not enough. As night came on, the forces of Parliament were in a winning position, but hadn't managed to break through the Royalist lines in the time they had available to them, the Royalist artillery, Clubmen and Commanded Foot defending the church thwarting my plans.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MuDuoujP4OZcFzyCNdSZH_uKyUzn9-wOpa-4Wpv7BT8xa8q64TrQfseZ9269VVSgtdAJCDQ_1wv3OEPEzGYxyYbigbG0CTuATq-FM7CiNy742HfxaTtSlFyyJZ8tthKabXKnrvdJmh5Q/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MuDuoujP4OZcFzyCNdSZH_uKyUzn9-wOpa-4Wpv7BT8xa8q64TrQfseZ9269VVSgtdAJCDQ_1wv3OEPEzGYxyYbigbG0CTuATq-FM7CiNy742HfxaTtSlFyyJZ8tthKabXKnrvdJmh5Q/s320/IMG_0424.JPG" /></a>
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I really enjoyed Victory Without Quarter - a simple set of rules that certainly evoked the feel of C17th warfare. More importantly, a great day with some lovely chaps. Thanks Millsy! Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-38215930694318701682016-04-20T04:14:00.001-07:002016-04-20T04:15:17.481-07:00Iron Cross (Great Escape Games) - Rules Review<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvl_D7SycVWfmUBcLEx_e8MjCpwgpZN-Wi9SDjk8_fQTYgp0iPquq2JXGQip2TxKdUx-es-U1p3m6uLRQ3N-CaLhomxXTZDAr0xx0pYXnqarf93MQCW7nT6qWpy9Ctr5UUDv8R5tJnGqE/s1600/IMG_3580.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvl_D7SycVWfmUBcLEx_e8MjCpwgpZN-Wi9SDjk8_fQTYgp0iPquq2JXGQip2TxKdUx-es-U1p3m6uLRQ3N-CaLhomxXTZDAr0xx0pYXnqarf93MQCW7nT6qWpy9Ctr5UUDv8R5tJnGqE/s320/IMG_3580.JPG" /></a>
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Iron Cross is the new-ish set of WWII rules from Great Escape Games, written by Stuart McCorquodale and Darryl Morton, with Mark Mainwaring. It aims to provide a fun, fast-play set of rules to allow players to get lots of tanks and infantry on the table. Thanks to Ian and John at <a href="http://www.warandpeacegames.com.au/">War & Peace Games</a> I was able to get hold of a copy and try them out at our Odin's Night gaming group. Given that I am a big fan of the <a href="http://dux-homunculorum.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/first-impressions-of-battle-group-kursk.html">Battle Group</a> rules from Iron Fist Publishing, I wasn't sure how I would feel about Iron Cross. The rules set out to give a very different game. Battle Group is very gritty, simulating such detail as ammunition supply, communications and different types of munitions, with supplements giving very different flavour for different theatres and periods of the war. Exactly the sort of thing that appeals to me a lot. In contrast, Iron Cross has no rules for artillery or air strikes, very abstract rules for things like mortar observers, no battlefield engineering and so on.
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The first point to make therefore is that Iron Cross is setting out to fill a particular niche - it is not competing with rules like Battle Group. The rules are really aimed at company to battalion level games, so it isn't competing with Bolt Action or Chain of Command either. This is a game to play with mates where you want a fun evening with lots of toys on the table and don't want to think too hard about fine details. Despite being light on detail though, the game still manages to present a lot of good command decision making, creating a tense set of challenges as each commander tries to marshal their finite ability to exercise control over their forces. But more on that shortly.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDBlcTtx-8tdYzf7SmV6TqxcjPzH1kZ21-j1OL6N3IN1qFJ9M9XeR5-kCgu0qh0_MPOZNnu9ffM2lOg7hiy47owYiJtg5zrdLQFbyZQeoWKzeZ8f-54JXdqQ7Sjz7sgxH7-yLcr_9NYt3/s1600/IMG_3579.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDBlcTtx-8tdYzf7SmV6TqxcjPzH1kZ21-j1OL6N3IN1qFJ9M9XeR5-kCgu0qh0_MPOZNnu9ffM2lOg7hiy47owYiJtg5zrdLQFbyZQeoWKzeZ8f-54JXdqQ7Sjz7sgxH7-yLcr_9NYt3/s320/IMG_3579.JPG" /></a>
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For anyone used to other Great Escape Games like Dead Man's Hand, the rulebook format will look familiar. That is to say, this is a beautifully produced set of rules that explains its core concepts very well through clear diagrams and the device of having a couple of 'narrators' periodically appear throughout the text to give advice and clarify points. There is plenty of eye candy as well, with good photographs of mainly 28mm figures and terrain.
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The core rulebook contains representative army lists for Germans, Brits, US and Soviets in 1944-5, with more appearing already as <a href="http://www.greatescapegames.co.uk/iron-cross">free downloads</a> at the Great Escape site. The army lists give a basic overview of major vehicles and guns, although there are some simplifications for the rivet counters among us. For example, the rules give the same weapons stats for a Hetzer as a Jagdpanzer IV, without differentiating a Jagdpanzer IV L/70. It also seems odd to give stats for the (rare) Churchill VI and VII, but not the Churchill IV, which was such a workhorse in North-West Europe in 1944-5. But these are quibbles for the more OCD among us.
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So what of the real meat of the game? Iron Cross is built around each general having a series of Command Tokens - one for each unit and two extra for the commander. At the start of each turn the rival commanders gather the tokens available to them, and a simple die roll identifies the active player. The active player can then start to 'spend' his or her command tokens to activate units, with each activation allowing two actions, eg moving and shooting or shooting and moving (but not shooting twice, unlike Battle Group). Tokens can be spent to activate the same unit again, but after the first 'free' activation subsequent attempts require a die roll, so it becomes progressively harder to activate the same unit.
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The most engaging aspect of the game is that at any point your opponent can interrupt your turn to activate a unit of their own. They do so by spending a command token, but also need to roll a die, even for the first time a unit reacts to the active player. This is a nice rule, as it presents the non-active player with the command dilemma of whether to react, with the chance of wasting a command token, or to try to hold on to their tokens for when they become the active player. There is also a one in six chance that the reactive player will steal initiative from the active commander when interrupting their action. Initiative during a term can therefore switch between the players a number of times, the turn only ending when all tokens are spent.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Zg4igcFxMcRQAko_GG7FyxCHIBJJF5L9uBIeeoC2GmcQd2_4gQrZ9fRsFvGP8GFwZVPKV0TQA9W5zj7eGjekrM_Vz_phVGku7bSYZwoCiRQOsixc6bgmdkwPTLL6KyySwaBMdGY4e1_/s1600/IMG_3559.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_3Zg4igcFxMcRQAko_GG7FyxCHIBJJF5L9uBIeeoC2GmcQd2_4gQrZ9fRsFvGP8GFwZVPKV0TQA9W5zj7eGjekrM_Vz_phVGku7bSYZwoCiRQOsixc6bgmdkwPTLL6KyySwaBMdGY4e1_/s320/IMG_3559.JPG" /></a>
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<i>Desperate die rolls as the German and Soviet commanders try to activate their tanks</i>
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This mechanism of contested activations is the core of Iron Cross, and it makes for a tense game of decision making, with a great 'narrative' feel. For example, picture the Panzer IV sitting in the street of a French town. It knows there is a British Cromwell around the corner, so the commander pays a command token to move and shoot. However, the British commander interrupts the activation by paying a command token and successfully rolling dice to activate the Cromwell, seeking also to move and shoot. It succeeds in activating, the Cromwell reversing behind some rubble to give it cover from the tank it can hear clanking around the corner. The Panzer IV now takes both its actions, moving around the corner and firing on the Cromwell. However, thanks to the cover the Cromwell gained, the Panzer IV misses. The Cromwell then takes the second action of its activation, firing on the Panzer IV and blowing off its track.
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Damage in Iron Cross can be sudden and dramatic, for example a hit may cause a tank to brew up. More usual, however, on vehicle and infantry targets is a steady degrading through the accumulation or morale counters. These further restrict the ability of units to activate, and if unchecked by spending command tokens to try to boost morale can result in the unit routing, or the crew abandoning its vehicle.
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There is lots to like about Iron Cross. My only real criticism is that despite the lovely production of Iron Cross, at times I felt the rules needed to be spelled out more carefully. Some aspects of the rules felt as though they were the result of being exhaustively playtested by a small group, rather than being tested for clarity on people uninvolved in the game's development. This was particularly the case with the rules dealing with transporting infantry in vehicles. Page 20 of the rulebook deals with this, explaining that a transport vehicle is considered to be part of the infantry unit they come with, and thus does not generate command tokens. In a sense then, it seems that transport vehicles should almost be considered as a sort of movement bonus, rather than a unit in their own right. However, the rules go on to say that they require a command token to be activated separately from their infantry unit once they have dropped them off, either to move or to fire. Alternatively, it states that the transport unit can be moved (but perhaps not fire?) when its parent unit is activated, instead of the infantry unit itself. This sort of makes sense, suggesting that the commander can either activate the transport unit or the infantry squad to move their transport, depending on which is going to be easier to activate. However, I think the authors could have pinned this section of the rules down more, especially since infantry support working with armour is the core of the game. Judging by a couple of <a href="http://forum.greatescapegames.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=760">threads on the Great Escape Games forum</a>, I don't seem to be alone in finding the rules for transported infantry confusing, with another issue being how to allocate morale hits to the transport unit and the infantry they are carrying if the vehicle is hit. The intention of the authors is clear and salutary; they are trying to avoid the situation sometimes found in other games (cough, FOW, cough) where transport vehicles are used as quasi-light tanks or even just shields in completely ahistorical ways. However, I'm not entirely comfortable with the solution of leaving, say, an Opel Blitz truck equivalent to a SdkFz 251 in everything except armoured protection, the SdkFz being listed as unarmed. The authors have been very responsive and helpful with queries on the GEG forum, but have tended to explain the way they have handled this aspect of the rules by referring to their own games, rather than being able to give a clear and universal interpretation.
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Clarifying the way infantry interacts with armour is essential, as the authors have cleverly made infantry support essential to the way tanks operate in the game. In particular, I really like the way that unsupported armour in the presence of enemy infantry are significantly handicapped, reflecting the caution of their crews travelling 'buttoned up' without their own infantry operating in support.
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<b>So is it Fun?</b>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM5FGz05wLed59j9M3LZjSbTdVxKzDcaQNQ4GxQK0U3Qr2zelWsYq6XbQ56RbH5wR_vl8B4TSy3lt2R9wwJ8wKV2M6tWS_DgnCXtpAQQsKbgvvK8ZfELrDX0iqrTwGeRE_UUCmWOCqAio/s1600/IMG_3557.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcM5FGz05wLed59j9M3LZjSbTdVxKzDcaQNQ4GxQK0U3Qr2zelWsYq6XbQ56RbH5wR_vl8B4TSy3lt2R9wwJ8wKV2M6tWS_DgnCXtpAQQsKbgvvK8ZfELrDX0iqrTwGeRE_UUCmWOCqAio/s320/IMG_3557.JPG" /></a>
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<i>The Odinians put Iron Cross to the test</i>
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Despite these minor reservations, the one game of Iron Cross I have played so far was thoroughly enjoyable. One thing to note about the game is that it does lend itself to multi-player games really well, and we tried it out with three players on each side. We played a meeting engagement scenario set during the Battle of Kursk, with a company of T-34s with a platoon of infantry in support coming up against a platoon of Panzergrenadiers with Panzer IIIs and IVs. Mainly due to the way I set out the terrain, the game turned into something of a slugfest, and my force (the Soviets)had the most incredible string of bad luck I think I've ever experienced. Nevertheless (and despite some confusion over transported infantry) the game played exactly as promised, giving a highly interactive and exciting evening of mayhem.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSdYm-a593K9iHQCk-UaE2c1Bv2pBEn9kj5T2_oqt_7n_VYHZ4qFM_wA2WCULdmM2YN77FX0IO6Fg47eokKSnsDbRTzXRmCSwHcGBTEXznuU13x9MrvS9gHss5u5ArHa_Mz49pXjsVNVh/s1600/IMG_3558.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBSdYm-a593K9iHQCk-UaE2c1Bv2pBEn9kj5T2_oqt_7n_VYHZ4qFM_wA2WCULdmM2YN77FX0IO6Fg47eokKSnsDbRTzXRmCSwHcGBTEXznuU13x9MrvS9gHss5u5ArHa_Mz49pXjsVNVh/s320/IMG_3558.JPG" /></a>
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Showing off with a laser LOS marker from Army Painter</i>
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<b>The Verdict? </b>
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Given the time and similarly OCD people to play with, I would choose to play Battle Group over Iron Cross any time. However, that is just a reflection of my own preferences, and no criticism of the game itself. I'm looking forward to trying out Iron Cross at the school club, where I think it will work very well, and I'm particularly keen to run some multi-player games. I would certainly love to play it again, and I look forward to new expansions coming out. The first promised supplement will cover the dessert war, and I think Iron Cross will be well suited to gaming that theatre. Go and buy it: It's a good set of rules.
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Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-6737549623241454562015-12-19T23:10:00.002-08:002015-12-19T23:10:54.382-08:00The Painting Challenge Begins!And so it begins.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjph4AVmytYVu4L0FRz9v8EbfjCL6q6AmhJ5JpjxH7ZlUA3E1OfodnjAv8lEiUb5PwYrxdFFW7BeiJsF2nOyBC9D-eNKHYHU6Lkl2Ale6bibe2cgsDrqlZcgW19J1iXzZlIwOkc2bFGNSjh/s1600/IMG_3337.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjph4AVmytYVu4L0FRz9v8EbfjCL6q6AmhJ5JpjxH7ZlUA3E1OfodnjAv8lEiUb5PwYrxdFFW7BeiJsF2nOyBC9D-eNKHYHU6Lkl2Ale6bibe2cgsDrqlZcgW19J1iXzZlIwOkc2bFGNSjh/s320/IMG_3337.JPG" /></a>
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Good luck to everyone taking part in the 6th Annual Painting Challenge. Enjoy the warm glow of the international brotherhood and sisterhood of the brush, and may the Force be with you. Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-70942662444047270142015-12-19T19:06:00.000-08:002015-12-19T19:06:04.149-08:00Assault on the Stronghold of S'AntarLast Friday night saw an epic struggle through the streets of S'Antar's stronghold as two warbands of Anglo-Danes and one of Scots fought each other and waves of angry elves to pillage the riches of The Man in Red himself.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdNbsx3dbI6LOFCBu4V3c4Sqbh3Gkf9qAFZ3XiwisuIAkYqjY9XfxP9Ry2b2SG88Xl1SBoBuVwkXr6523KHjpgnuPdO2jo_rkpXXU41ex0jgFlF7Odz9NWXaWvNadohCrz4CXMOy99Duc/s1600/Blog+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdNbsx3dbI6LOFCBu4V3c4Sqbh3Gkf9qAFZ3XiwisuIAkYqjY9XfxP9Ry2b2SG88Xl1SBoBuVwkXr6523KHjpgnuPdO2jo_rkpXXU41ex0jgFlF7Odz9NWXaWvNadohCrz4CXMOy99Duc/s320/Blog+2.JPG" /></a>
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All-round excellent bloke John Shoemark invited <a href="http://144paces.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/santa-claws-is-coming-to-town.html">Steve</a>, Dave and I up for a game of SAGA with a festive twist. Essentially, we were playing something like the Feast of Crows scenario from the main SAGA rulebook, but over a table laid out with Christmassy terrain.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5LWlzlBvcy7OkE-T9gle8cCxCpwNL5iw4a_rHskUPvFGXCDyYHBgp2GZBJmdeh1vnq-_RAT5-zsrus2A1lgPrEZHQG_1EHQCV09pfbuOsSQmKa2ZNRAaPQJQ3CUB2-VuZmAtnRDnG2mi/s1600/Blog3.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5LWlzlBvcy7OkE-T9gle8cCxCpwNL5iw4a_rHskUPvFGXCDyYHBgp2GZBJmdeh1vnq-_RAT5-zsrus2A1lgPrEZHQG_1EHQCV09pfbuOsSQmKa2ZNRAaPQJQ3CUB2-VuZmAtnRDnG2mi/s320/Blog3.JPG" /></a>
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The target for our warbands was S'Antar's workshop in the middle of the table, wherein seasonal loot was stashed. However, every time one of our units approached a patch of woods or a building there was a chance that a unit of angry elves would appear to attack, or possibly even S'Antar himself. John controlled the Elves, using (appropriately) the Pagan Rus battleboard for them.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3qQbshTjEgRM9MJXLT9TrdeSB9bLaIgxSBLcdIlikyWgMK4GHvVnOH5WGsTkVOlbENY7QbT97z6M37LGCzYHrCk_2P9gMc-P0jiem2uh8cW0MkTcQ_PBeO33GqnYnt-C1R4JPHiBrLDI/s1600/Blog4.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc3qQbshTjEgRM9MJXLT9TrdeSB9bLaIgxSBLcdIlikyWgMK4GHvVnOH5WGsTkVOlbENY7QbT97z6M37LGCzYHrCk_2P9gMc-P0jiem2uh8cW0MkTcQ_PBeO33GqnYnt-C1R4JPHiBrLDI/s320/Blog4.JPG" /></a>
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After a great BBQ we got stuck in, with Dave's Anglo-Dane's slowly hacking their way through fanatical elves like Russians in the streets of Berlin. Steve had more luck, making his way rapidly towards the middle of the table while causing my Scots some grief with his Anglo-Danish ability to inflict fatigue. Despite this, I had a lot of luck with my dice rolls early on, and was the first to raid S'Antar's workshop, although angry elves flinging lumps of coal rapidly massacred my Scots as they tried to escape with their loot. From that point on everything rapidly unraveled, with S'Antar emerging blearily from a building to slaughter my Levies, only to fall victim to a flurry of Steve's Dane axes. So if anyone misses out on presents this year, you know who to blame.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAqfdebaCUqXwQn1Jmfq8tWqLvdxcXbQ-2vuod5zU8UwcVwpvgSqIK5U6pNSfIU_5xdEOg7GcP1R_l40B9dJZFkpAF4Q400wox8rMP_RN2Si53qpPaieqT9u1d3Y4FpHOknCuI1VGPHQA/s1600/Blog+1+.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwAqfdebaCUqXwQn1Jmfq8tWqLvdxcXbQ-2vuod5zU8UwcVwpvgSqIK5U6pNSfIU_5xdEOg7GcP1R_l40B9dJZFkpAF4Q400wox8rMP_RN2Si53qpPaieqT9u1d3Y4FpHOknCuI1VGPHQA/s320/Blog+1+.JPG" /></a>
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Thanks to John for a great night of fun, tinsel and festive slaughter! Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-46657929293968742492015-12-19T17:21:00.001-08:002015-12-19T17:21:34.561-08:00Cake!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Uky9BDxpcgjTeKR3kd4PxlpwMEIPxvE8ahDyV_fwXxZh9rvCNzmxagWAFlx4H816UYa3yt1Ye5CAbGVkzQMz7qk2C07t-_2uV96Xs8uvD6XASk7I8FWkxfPcWumGWIK4Fqqcmxsrp6iJ/s1600/IMG_3312.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7Uky9BDxpcgjTeKR3kd4PxlpwMEIPxvE8ahDyV_fwXxZh9rvCNzmxagWAFlx4H816UYa3yt1Ye5CAbGVkzQMz7qk2C07t-_2uV96Xs8uvD6XASk7I8FWkxfPcWumGWIK4Fqqcmxsrp6iJ/s320/IMG_3312.JPG" /></a>
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The mini-Duchess turned 9 last week, so I put my nerd skills to work and made her a cake of the crashed Star Destroyer <i>Inflictor</i> from The Force Awakens. As usual, I used a great white chocolate mudcake recipe as the basic cake. It's not only delicious, but dense enough to support being carved into shapes like the Star Destroyer, which was then wrapped in fondant, had panels etched into it, and then given a wash made from diluted black fondant!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6MOB1Xx4RQK3dyF_MgBH_Yi1qLmYLww4KC_MCSUkQndtaX6rQ5LIaR4g1Q3ZoIjuLDsi9DoHbrytSGyDl0wfjwlJgu7Gp-RFRdfRPJ-C65wsyoPTJc8Mr7U3Xk0b3clcmgyb-RFOsrxx/s1600/IMG_3310.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6MOB1Xx4RQK3dyF_MgBH_Yi1qLmYLww4KC_MCSUkQndtaX6rQ5LIaR4g1Q3ZoIjuLDsi9DoHbrytSGyDl0wfjwlJgu7Gp-RFRdfRPJ-C65wsyoPTJc8Mr7U3Xk0b3clcmgyb-RFOsrxx/s320/IMG_3310.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQh2OAiV-3hKtGcpUi_MbvRp1mAWNwozxNjSfk6VBLV0i43ROL0Kcj02sYDds7xED8cloC79TaatOR0L2lF_5fZcunf9IUZxawg7qielcxFYc6UKtanHhLX0Tpygxlz1XKEyXcyKlG79Y/s1600/IMG_3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFQh2OAiV-3hKtGcpUi_MbvRp1mAWNwozxNjSfk6VBLV0i43ROL0Kcj02sYDds7xED8cloC79TaatOR0L2lF_5fZcunf9IUZxawg7qielcxFYc6UKtanHhLX0Tpygxlz1XKEyXcyKlG79Y/s320/IMG_3311.JPG" /></a>
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If you don't know that the crashed Star Destroyer was called the <i>Inflictor</i>, I recommend you read <i>Lost Stars</i> by Claudia Gray. I haven't read any Star Wars fiction since <i>Splinter of the Mind's Eye</i> about 35 years ago (!), but thoroughly enjoyed <i>Lost Stars</i>. Reading it was a great warm up to seeing The Force Awakens. Which is brilliant, by the way.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL9MCBZpWuvaL3mPH18nnKjAclYLgfb2QzBSzORugBqkIMFtUShqhXeoW6pIio47RAimbYxXJV_LmmOJpREmhZaWMZL9A70qgUEYDUEKfsd7H5Ecc6W03SRO4cqNfO5qzBrHPzZ76C66d/s1600/IMG_3341.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL9MCBZpWuvaL3mPH18nnKjAclYLgfb2QzBSzORugBqkIMFtUShqhXeoW6pIio47RAimbYxXJV_LmmOJpREmhZaWMZL9A70qgUEYDUEKfsd7H5Ecc6W03SRO4cqNfO5qzBrHPzZ76C66d/s320/IMG_3341.JPG" /></a>
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May the cake be with you.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-67817849292734628312015-12-06T20:36:00.003-08:002015-12-06T20:36:42.015-08:00Ludite, Romani!A friend and I am keen to try out Jugula, the gladiator rules from Studio Tomahawk. I've painted up a couple of familia, using Crusader Miniatures. The first familia is made up of a murmillo, a provocator, a laqueator and a crupellarius.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPRlPK-O2eUhYN6Cwf2S9IUEEbzXBHD8fuo9Xl1CHilsB0czOl-ChvpcJ_r-4Og89c5kt7IF215CDJpekwQx_wfCU61HDLU6AnoeHWEpotPnx6-qI_kC5whsnca3xJ54v6OsGHyzXNQss/s1600/P1030407.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLPRlPK-O2eUhYN6Cwf2S9IUEEbzXBHD8fuo9Xl1CHilsB0czOl-ChvpcJ_r-4Og89c5kt7IF215CDJpekwQx_wfCU61HDLU6AnoeHWEpotPnx6-qI_kC5whsnca3xJ54v6OsGHyzXNQss/s320/P1030407.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVlwk1on6ZyuThAqq_PQ7-vc_ckEbCxCYpHIF8TbkXH3Qz5WxLj7S9QpnNWrEmrm2LESlJqq9Qsc36Leo5tv9EcB7umg5Bk8n6fU5bqheLovSQPZCK2a6vmijF5In9M8XW1r_n59PQyS2/s1600/P1030408.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihVlwk1on6ZyuThAqq_PQ7-vc_ckEbCxCYpHIF8TbkXH3Qz5WxLj7S9QpnNWrEmrm2LESlJqq9Qsc36Leo5tv9EcB7umg5Bk8n6fU5bqheLovSQPZCK2a6vmijF5In9M8XW1r_n59PQyS2/s320/P1030408.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PnGwwTqyMoATKjfDztgIurGUfic7XkmMka_E77n3n1UihYJYAXljWy82JTfqz_N5GLKPXwck0598cvOsc7gq-q6OwOAriZocftURfBHsHMqXP522w2fK0QpXuoeoyBngcG-Sisii3BzR/s1600/P1030409.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5PnGwwTqyMoATKjfDztgIurGUfic7XkmMka_E77n3n1UihYJYAXljWy82JTfqz_N5GLKPXwck0598cvOsc7gq-q6OwOAriZocftURfBHsHMqXP522w2fK0QpXuoeoyBngcG-Sisii3BzR/s320/P1030409.JPG" /></a>
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The other one has a murmillo, provocator, retiarius and dimachaerus.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvu2_2Gs_lR8k856ACbpOZuedZf32VYXQYFRVd5_Jelxxol7dAs27v2QI2LkFpQRfEJsuVpUq3KB0YxKsGLb3C3rRazyxdToo2BRUacvClD5i9P9_uEtxRCxxuS_rK5XfIWBEh8-g5g6c/s1600/P1030410.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjvu2_2Gs_lR8k856ACbpOZuedZf32VYXQYFRVd5_Jelxxol7dAs27v2QI2LkFpQRfEJsuVpUq3KB0YxKsGLb3C3rRazyxdToo2BRUacvClD5i9P9_uEtxRCxxuS_rK5XfIWBEh8-g5g6c/s320/P1030410.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_2Xcba0B-j-9bqxbn0fKK5pXcpBmhvnac-sE3xrw7QbVHwMUdegxm0Y1lTmMdSlNMkNj5FQFWtA5d7-ysCbO6FTl3_HLbt_5zlqztdZLSJ1qtnjykRAWgPE8RF5h8nOhV4PZDscuM0nT/s1600/P1030411.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_2Xcba0B-j-9bqxbn0fKK5pXcpBmhvnac-sE3xrw7QbVHwMUdegxm0Y1lTmMdSlNMkNj5FQFWtA5d7-ysCbO6FTl3_HLbt_5zlqztdZLSJ1qtnjykRAWgPE8RF5h8nOhV4PZDscuM0nT/s320/P1030411.JPG" /></a>
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I really like these minis - loads of character and historically accurate details. Stand by for thoughts on the rules after we play a campaign day on Wednesday.
Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-33631575758864840752015-11-23T03:27:00.000-08:002015-11-23T03:27:06.044-08:00Teeny tiny Scotsmen<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7vn3KnW4HJFdaix6oxdsOlBR3tE80XN2s_JLbhv4ukFOODk8UivBi_HnivUPqBcpu3aec_9eanVdU5-Z4QJ1axvBLvGNozShCihfTt0vH0GmmslOuvoe7cMPbTXoH3s4t1Sdup6WFGN-/s1600/P1030404.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7vn3KnW4HJFdaix6oxdsOlBR3tE80XN2s_JLbhv4ukFOODk8UivBi_HnivUPqBcpu3aec_9eanVdU5-Z4QJ1axvBLvGNozShCihfTt0vH0GmmslOuvoe7cMPbTXoH3s4t1Sdup6WFGN-/s320/P1030404.JPG" /></a>
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I painted some tiny little 6mm Covenanters. If you don't know it already you might be interested in following the tiny adventures of Man Cave Paul and I as we work on our ECW project over <a href="http://declaresir.blogspot.com.au/">here</a>.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-84125130534370811722015-11-21T23:43:00.000-08:002015-11-21T23:43:15.850-08:00Alea Iacta Est<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHRHM0wVpG5ysNu6wbk6s6hMnYJ-NPNxq-_WgqmlwRiMNiFC9fB_ovbYy4EAiYCqbuRlRt-fGTRbYgKQneB8RskIdFoD7v2mQWDhTj17cS8JlQt6vpJtyijytAmYDz995nxgCfiksV09s/s1600/6AHPC_Poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmHRHM0wVpG5ysNu6wbk6s6hMnYJ-NPNxq-_WgqmlwRiMNiFC9fB_ovbYy4EAiYCqbuRlRt-fGTRbYgKQneB8RskIdFoD7v2mQWDhTj17cS8JlQt6vpJtyijytAmYDz995nxgCfiksV09s/s320/6AHPC_Poster.jpg" /></a>
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It's that magical time of year again when Curt announces the annual <a href="http://thepaintingchallenge.blogspot.ca/">Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge</a>. I've put myself down for 1500 points in a moment of bravado, which is absolute madness given how much work I need to do over the summer holidays. The best thing so far though is that three friends from our gaming club (Odin's Night) have also thrown their hats into the ring, including Man Cave Paul after I bribed him with paint and lead. I'll have to set myself some clear project goals. 6mm ECW is certainly one, but maybe some early Saxons for Basic Impetus? A warband for Muskets and Tomahawks? 15mm Brits for the Desert war? Hmmm.....Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-19695567778308685862015-11-20T16:28:00.002-08:002015-11-20T16:28:26.589-08:00SAGA Sunday<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqBauQC0mQNhwzhLz-1pgE4hpsz2Eij0ObFAZ1AkLY5GIGX3UKD_rFP8l-ZnZ3w815HkpKdVqK7sTxosq4FAsMwxTCI02JRKrDjzkL6EUlmD2HohpG8uYll6v7tEZ44hG-_C4vBCpOXO_/s1600/IMG_3267.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqBauQC0mQNhwzhLz-1pgE4hpsz2Eij0ObFAZ1AkLY5GIGX3UKD_rFP8l-ZnZ3w815HkpKdVqK7sTxosq4FAsMwxTCI02JRKrDjzkL6EUlmD2HohpG8uYll6v7tEZ44hG-_C4vBCpOXO_/s320/IMG_3267.JPG" /></a>
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Last Sunday I played my first game of the full SAGA rules with my little Valkyrie. As some of you may know, I have been playing a few games with her using just the activation boxes from the SAGA battleboards and the fatigue rules ('SAGA lite') to get her used to the basic mechanics of combat and movement. On Sunday though we used the full battleboards, and I was really chuffed by how rapidly she grasped the concepts of having to make decisions about using dice for abilities vs. activation.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSAK3VN52IzxEzKNeZbedCi88cXQQkLAqX5JpeNJNO9F3nJTlyk5SmY6z5b3LI2LcVdhi0W7PMYHVBnbLI6g2slyCrTABkuJ43P5VfCnVAYsLioxesznP2rrNm9cdnLLs2fiTK-c9Jbk-/s1600/IMG_3268.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVSAK3VN52IzxEzKNeZbedCi88cXQQkLAqX5JpeNJNO9F3nJTlyk5SmY6z5b3LI2LcVdhi0W7PMYHVBnbLI6g2slyCrTABkuJ43P5VfCnVAYsLioxesznP2rrNm9cdnLLs2fiTK-c9Jbk-/s320/IMG_3268.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L5DblOW1tjf2xthEsPWv22WJJ5BAaOdURzeKMUcbOyqPMqn-qcu_esFxaFiEm_03PboQAyRUD1_GZMkHZTBYqhq-3bE3jQj3Ubmmi-JSBdhK0i7LwfkACpFD8LsXa93dAAX0dFPAErzN/s1600/IMG_3270.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9L5DblOW1tjf2xthEsPWv22WJJ5BAaOdURzeKMUcbOyqPMqn-qcu_esFxaFiEm_03PboQAyRUD1_GZMkHZTBYqhq-3bE3jQj3Ubmmi-JSBdhK0i7LwfkACpFD8LsXa93dAAX0dFPAErzN/s320/IMG_3270.JPG" /></a>
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We played a sort of escort game where my Welsh were trying to get an important Viking prisoner across the table. Although I succeeded, the mini Valkyrie had the satisfaction of defeating my warlord, so she wasn't too put out. Her basic tactical ideas were really sound - she's going to be a formidable opponent!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-s6kXb71Qqfig8K0cbJGtle5UL9zJaYvBlRrH2QH0E1WOkHiJ3ODsK188h8ZGrzkCsHMmah90SLnH5d_a0DD5CApOAPSN3qnTzIe0AtX-5dxpCGYjHaCPYR3AHq_PeRZdj0xumO19FER/s1600/IMG_3269.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1-s6kXb71Qqfig8K0cbJGtle5UL9zJaYvBlRrH2QH0E1WOkHiJ3ODsK188h8ZGrzkCsHMmah90SLnH5d_a0DD5CApOAPSN3qnTzIe0AtX-5dxpCGYjHaCPYR3AHq_PeRZdj0xumO19FER/s320/IMG_3269.JPG" /></a>
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For me though the best bit was the way she used her model of a Valkyrie to escort each one of her fallen warriors to the pile in the corner. So cool.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-17810202229084993452015-11-06T16:02:00.001-08:002015-11-06T16:04:15.951-08:00Project Zama Complete!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1DU2xO9oo12Uceip1hPj-XWEC28Or3vyFVXdkZxcThMDu3r6JTPj0QAIQXWf5A8gh9AWKa39eY2Xp4RJN8VS8dRNyTW4akM8BH33vkxyJO31XfNhmDUgmfEEFrsIeeOjH4HoCsHLmAID/s1600/P1030397.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1DU2xO9oo12Uceip1hPj-XWEC28Or3vyFVXdkZxcThMDu3r6JTPj0QAIQXWf5A8gh9AWKa39eY2Xp4RJN8VS8dRNyTW4akM8BH33vkxyJO31XfNhmDUgmfEEFrsIeeOjH4HoCsHLmAID/s320/P1030397.JPG" /></a>
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This week I finished my Roman Republican army for the 2nd Punic War, the project I've been working on for the past 5 months. If you haven't been following my progress, the figures are based for Impetus and Sword and Spear. The legionaries are mostly from Agema Miniatures, with a few from Relic Miniatures added in for variety. Cavalry are all from Relic, as are some of the command figures. Most of the command figures are from Crusader, and the slingers are from Wargames Factory.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRso9ot_O2wYCDU-Hoe87CfiecLPHJfceCVMfLDGifzmfMm9pyQtJTQvbVvYtpAhYRftqJfENEPwXjMSOMfU3HsPnuSmvEotsTCrK7QuEXEsRZTSeUiisY-eee1p3BfuTGFFIsXqjCu7pd/s1600/P1030400.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRso9ot_O2wYCDU-Hoe87CfiecLPHJfceCVMfLDGifzmfMm9pyQtJTQvbVvYtpAhYRftqJfENEPwXjMSOMfU3HsPnuSmvEotsTCrK7QuEXEsRZTSeUiisY-eee1p3BfuTGFFIsXqjCu7pd/s320/P1030400.JPG" /></a>
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The final roll call:
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6 bases of hastati<br/>
6 bases of principes<br/>
4 bases of triarii<br/>
5 bases of velites<br/>
2 bases of slingers<br/>
2 bases of Roman cavalry<br/>
2 bases of Numidian horse<br/>
2 bases of Campanian allied cavalry<br/>
1 base of Campanian infantry<br/>
3 command stands (for Sword and Spear)<br/>
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For a grand total of 193 infantry figures and 24 cavalry
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgLeytRLByduNfNVCpHsJJZmt8i9nDWDtTDmNIOMxUo7zRXmN1WGIi4ocHMtvwdEyTrdda0u1dR_2Au9YJSO-DGJBt0vNZ4HbUSEdXNtdTU8MqB-TzvftIKisrMPWqdgUl_2GJZCOWk-7/s1600/P1030403.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgLeytRLByduNfNVCpHsJJZmt8i9nDWDtTDmNIOMxUo7zRXmN1WGIi4ocHMtvwdEyTrdda0u1dR_2Au9YJSO-DGJBt0vNZ4HbUSEdXNtdTU8MqB-TzvftIKisrMPWqdgUl_2GJZCOWk-7/s320/P1030403.JPG" /></a>
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I've stayed very focused on these for the last few months, and so I'm itching to paint something different. With Paul of the Man Cave's imminent return to the gaming world it's time to make a serious push on out 6mm ECW project, although I've got a few gladiators to paint along the way.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLkEoOH75gZ4fOSeDdYG6gu6q6u0Ria1OIACeu9duh20XsHp46M9_Iw3Dffjoq-vOf0pOnlDjoq1gXkN0ycrN76qepdUL6jZERwx2Uq65rUm-X1apl3gUC82x2tEaUELUjETvV_y-IhWr/s1600/IMG_3259.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLkEoOH75gZ4fOSeDdYG6gu6q6u0Ria1OIACeu9duh20XsHp46M9_Iw3Dffjoq-vOf0pOnlDjoq1gXkN0ycrN76qepdUL6jZERwx2Uq65rUm-X1apl3gUC82x2tEaUELUjETvV_y-IhWr/s320/IMG_3259.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-g_sgVYEfXhid9LK4HWzyc6L4Fjf9f1hyphenhyphen1u-pqAGR78rqBRTdOthoMEIETg0DT3-D_zw4uiQlkby4vB80S_R0STamdAmWqxHUAYPmWr69Zeg6n3RtAWAiD_q6noQ2Ks2sxZChA1N602C/s1600/IMG_3260.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO-g_sgVYEfXhid9LK4HWzyc6L4Fjf9f1hyphenhyphen1u-pqAGR78rqBRTdOthoMEIETg0DT3-D_zw4uiQlkby4vB80S_R0STamdAmWqxHUAYPmWr69Zeg6n3RtAWAiD_q6noQ2Ks2sxZChA1N602C/s320/IMG_3260.JPG" /></a>
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My Romans have seen two battles of Basic Impetus so far, and been victorious in both. Here's Steve looking despondent after his latest defeat.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGUAoziXpAzeWrLjutaqmsmNW12TUcnKh0GLTBViQ-YYLX1M7H1eGVyf3s2mAsaYJ466ysOsLPY7ZJqQQ4R9Uv2MuMzl-fvm9rt8ox0saM6mY4jB_WOvSrORz-bdQuAHo3fZuaWfjCfYs/s1600/IMG_3265.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGUAoziXpAzeWrLjutaqmsmNW12TUcnKh0GLTBViQ-YYLX1M7H1eGVyf3s2mAsaYJ466ysOsLPY7ZJqQQ4R9Uv2MuMzl-fvm9rt8ox0saM6mY4jB_WOvSrORz-bdQuAHo3fZuaWfjCfYs/s320/IMG_3265.JPG" /></a>
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I'm really keen to play a full game of Impetus, so please add encouraging messages to get him to paint the rest of his army.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmYlINNk5DoUoKTArC-kKZyj2txtlb1T-XHSRVld30BgMudzXO0X1Ti2pbzLAX5CJ-rju_oFwrcdp4L6IdEhnOddSijnlWY95xp0dxSqoBbwq0FAj0DLnVd88wuotp3uqA7M0FC-5ujEF/s1600/IMG_3256.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfmYlINNk5DoUoKTArC-kKZyj2txtlb1T-XHSRVld30BgMudzXO0X1Ti2pbzLAX5CJ-rju_oFwrcdp4L6IdEhnOddSijnlWY95xp0dxSqoBbwq0FAj0DLnVd88wuotp3uqA7M0FC-5ujEF/s320/IMG_3256.JPG" /></a>
Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-67765203599248922832015-10-22T02:58:00.000-07:002015-10-22T02:59:20.419-07:00TANKTOBER!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2HEM9uIs6kRuGGnelgAqpSjdgEvIn4lxmn88XiL_zckAs-MxzbYkQD0y5xm03cyN6sqRzSaKih5TI1PnX1uNwJYV7oXdph3moUQDC_pwJsx_jG2TfCZDLMOJISDnO20MR4K2m_xlSM1E/s1600/DSCF0011+-+Copy.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt2HEM9uIs6kRuGGnelgAqpSjdgEvIn4lxmn88XiL_zckAs-MxzbYkQD0y5xm03cyN6sqRzSaKih5TI1PnX1uNwJYV7oXdph3moUQDC_pwJsx_jG2TfCZDLMOJISDnO20MR4K2m_xlSM1E/s320/DSCF0011+-+Copy.JPG" /></a>
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I really must apologise. After inventing and aggressively advertising Tanktober last year I have been completely remiss in giving it any blog coverage so far in 2015. For those of you who are friends with me on Facebook, there have of course been tanks a plenty.
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Fortunately, Tanktober has been getting some traction this year with the outstanding coverage from Man Cave Paul aka Sea Otter aka Captain Pugwash. Paul has managed to post a pic of a different tankevery day, most of which he has taken himself (the pics, not the tanks, unfortunately). If you haven't already, get over to <a href="http://tasmancave.blogspot.com.au/">his blog</a> and start identifying tanks.
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I do, however, blame Tanktober for what is turning into a dangerous sort of obsession. I'm thinking microarmour, Cold War, c. 1980-85. Reckon another project is looking likely.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-83771108746193109792015-10-14T23:08:00.002-07:002015-10-14T23:08:39.764-07:00Project Zama Hits the TableIsn't it great when you've been working on an army for a while and you finally get the chance to chuck at least some of it on a table and roll some dice?
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmELH97D9bNaYd_O4pkzFD6cA2BZVxV2jLTREHpbOow1ORj_Hwj7Wamz46bu26v5wbME6p4A_UgBmAu2t6MmIXl_BartjrgIvWU7jJ3Lfr2e_FjXMZE0Jal2bQbPCeA1ybNA6BA9J8Hg/s1600/IMG_3187.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmELH97D9bNaYd_O4pkzFD6cA2BZVxV2jLTREHpbOow1ORj_Hwj7Wamz46bu26v5wbME6p4A_UgBmAu2t6MmIXl_BartjrgIvWU7jJ3Lfr2e_FjXMZE0Jal2bQbPCeA1ybNA6BA9J8Hg/s320/IMG_3187.JPG" /></a>
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Last night at our regular Odin's Night club, Steve and I gave our Zama armies some exercise. As our armies grow they are destined to try out various sets of rules, but last night we just had a game of Basic Impetus. I used to play quite a lot of Basic Impetus, but lost a lot of steam when SAGA came out. It was great to play it again, and remember how much I like the game. It's simple, it's bloody, and it makes me think far more about the narrative of the battle than the intricacies of using rules against my opponent.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoMX3UocTYIuHPhtae3qh_fqiHZu_cjdvjlPB89kvtYOi_RENGxPQwoxNZl-AXoLuwgHnf9U4LDvHxsouNK1GfcUPY2DsX52MRa6qL31pEEqt9FdtnVWyTGkLcU_pSUWLWnL-2AVhdbI/s1600/IMG_3184.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhoMX3UocTYIuHPhtae3qh_fqiHZu_cjdvjlPB89kvtYOi_RENGxPQwoxNZl-AXoLuwgHnf9U4LDvHxsouNK1GfcUPY2DsX52MRa6qL31pEEqt9FdtnVWyTGkLcU_pSUWLWnL-2AVhdbI/s320/IMG_3184.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJ0cDsjswT5fBBrhFoaS0ngwfjxdEE04QXUst2Kpbr1mytVNc-6_oHOo6pupSGhnQh7wEzHmB2FAjibZbMyXW-21380jbRmF0p6mmxMfMHQNw_VAn_hZdPRvQTYqT7ATbGsei9nyq1oQ/s1600/IMG_3186.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbJ0cDsjswT5fBBrhFoaS0ngwfjxdEE04QXUst2Kpbr1mytVNc-6_oHOo6pupSGhnQh7wEzHmB2FAjibZbMyXW-21380jbRmF0p6mmxMfMHQNw_VAn_hZdPRvQTYqT7ATbGsei9nyq1oQ/s320/IMG_3186.JPG" /></a>
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As we know, there is an immutable law of the universe that newly painted armies always get slaughtered in their first battle. Since this was the first time either my Romans or Steve's Carthaginians had taken to the table we were interested to see who the Dice Gods would favour. They smiled on me, praise their name, and I managed to win a decisive victory over the Carthaginians. Fortunately, in the deployment I was able to keep my cavalry away from Steve's elephant, neutralising it instead with some allied light infantry. My general's cavalry over on the opposite (left) flank meanwhile managed to hold off attempts by Numidian light horse to get around my flank, while my legionaries in the centre steadily destroyed their Carthaginian opponents.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGWdvadu7TB8pdqPF4pTwwYIOLVMdxmo_kybAEYJZvxJEwQCZJcxENMB2fasdlMDIzek-Ld-HukVPQH2bIBigPY1ASluHucOM4n9oTmJZrvAI3ACwC-k1MshFnhBp_kgRQTqbWGI7sQA/s1600/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVGWdvadu7TB8pdqPF4pTwwYIOLVMdxmo_kybAEYJZvxJEwQCZJcxENMB2fasdlMDIzek-Ld-HukVPQH2bIBigPY1ASluHucOM4n9oTmJZrvAI3ACwC-k1MshFnhBp_kgRQTqbWGI7sQA/s320/IMG_3188.JPG" /></a>
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So much to like in these rules! Thanks for a great game Steve, and I feel your disappointment. During the evening his mood steadily slipped from this:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwPHu96rMk3VTzf7_bGv4Y9VyVrW33-7Y9VhGvJ6Tr-e7Oh9ndqppNQN_GoQQFc2WIVgYvlEGfOQhkwR-lUra65mnbCqjKyX7m9wgw1NMpThzdg91xbuJ6NYQ6DlOzwo5aCfRgj8W6zc/s1600/IMG_3183.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMwPHu96rMk3VTzf7_bGv4Y9VyVrW33-7Y9VhGvJ6Tr-e7Oh9ndqppNQN_GoQQFc2WIVgYvlEGfOQhkwR-lUra65mnbCqjKyX7m9wgw1NMpThzdg91xbuJ6NYQ6DlOzwo5aCfRgj8W6zc/s320/IMG_3183.JPG" /></a>
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To this:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDV8KqMpWzDPrIvxNdEPPvBrNxqkgVTAgeKf6Q4fIfi4jJfAw9qnU2oMfz-qKFu6_abXCGyQS46Zv4Zw4MG5bu3RP111iOypp6617J0PLIO8PWbg_75XOS5K8wVFyMf_LEkl9gRjyxHiA/s1600/IMG_3189.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDV8KqMpWzDPrIvxNdEPPvBrNxqkgVTAgeKf6Q4fIfi4jJfAw9qnU2oMfz-qKFu6_abXCGyQS46Zv4Zw4MG5bu3RP111iOypp6617J0PLIO8PWbg_75XOS5K8wVFyMf_LEkl9gRjyxHiA/s320/IMG_3189.JPG" /></a>
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ROMA INVICTA!Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-14335920545828723592015-10-13T03:11:00.002-07:002015-10-13T03:15:27.070-07:00Project Zama: Italian Allies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAOwBBIQHp74YJpjzIKevyy4mur9bEoA3VFlS9UOPX31rXGOlJEtmtof4UZbBeSt5B6B7P9dlBFOg5HdOgL46H9251hGCU73dTtztmAkduTyDuf5CtdwadfpDBsdkBhrYzukUgVxGSiEZ/s1600/IMG_3180.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpAOwBBIQHp74YJpjzIKevyy4mur9bEoA3VFlS9UOPX31rXGOlJEtmtof4UZbBeSt5B6B7P9dlBFOg5HdOgL46H9251hGCU73dTtztmAkduTyDuf5CtdwadfpDBsdkBhrYzukUgVxGSiEZ/s320/IMG_3180.JPG" /></a>
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Here's a unit of socii (allies) I finished this week to help out my Romans. Figures are from Relic Miniatures, and I've painted them to be a bunch of Campanians, hence the bull and man- headed bull on the shields. One of them even has an Oscan inscription.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o18-M2q2GjKGIG-rIUte34UuBMy9uiJ8OnIEPpKy5hk_pGMYJUzs5vnF8f6PbxBc1hMj0nA3nmYXkGkJjuueaE9XXMzodB6Cquz4DCcg_8Pvtq-XoUa0PXuxzxHttkJUlm76iuc9unF0/s1600/IMG_3176.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3o18-M2q2GjKGIG-rIUte34UuBMy9uiJ8OnIEPpKy5hk_pGMYJUzs5vnF8f6PbxBc1hMj0nA3nmYXkGkJjuueaE9XXMzodB6Cquz4DCcg_8Pvtq-XoUa0PXuxzxHttkJUlm76iuc9unF0/s320/IMG_3176.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZSJxmYMqU3elP2y84XzTEbkv5XjsaV9WoDmUj5VggwYwIFpnpDmiwKCZUAgdIdAd0bw7CSOf8FgaTY39_rA4LV8HLNs1e2LRIwyWje6qM844JxYTCLDpbA8M6Kce1k8hcykp18zyHPdZ/s1600/IMG_3178.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinZSJxmYMqU3elP2y84XzTEbkv5XjsaV9WoDmUj5VggwYwIFpnpDmiwKCZUAgdIdAd0bw7CSOf8FgaTY39_rA4LV8HLNs1e2LRIwyWje6qM844JxYTCLDpbA8M6Kce1k8hcykp18zyHPdZ/s320/IMG_3178.JPG" /></a>
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As always, shields are hand painted.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76PZlKX-MyN_M4FOLKuV3D-fdYIuK8XYT66O5C1PAROU27FARzEd6jhcU49gFkAXLGrExCrmyWdFFAsy9yiqZkO-OaFR6D2nCEQJ6BmUwxtiCbtuJiRRlyEAR6blWSz5rzvvlwN45Cqph/s1600/IMG_3179.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76PZlKX-MyN_M4FOLKuV3D-fdYIuK8XYT66O5C1PAROU27FARzEd6jhcU49gFkAXLGrExCrmyWdFFAsy9yiqZkO-OaFR6D2nCEQJ6BmUwxtiCbtuJiRRlyEAR6blWSz5rzvvlwN45Cqph/s320/IMG_3179.JPG" /></a>
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For those interested in Project Zama, check out the other half of the project at <a href="http://144paces.blogspot.com.au/">Steve's blog</a>. Yep, he's started a blog at last to help motivate his painting, so check out how his Carthaginians are getting along. Great to see you in the blogosphere, Steve!Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-64250479738580525632015-10-11T22:53:00.000-07:002015-10-11T22:53:09.784-07:00SAGA-lite with the Valkyrie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKxIExfjsgekmlj7sV15XBDx81INsla4IBYH8MdK377RqOmGdWmM6rZBgSgoCqID_yZKcCyjzsJ2XIeTORDugIpSPBUzilglNOx0lEbtX0ofhy6nRXzVvfNrwWjLLgNlq6CCCuKNMTP6Q/s1600/IMG_3159.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKxIExfjsgekmlj7sV15XBDx81INsla4IBYH8MdK377RqOmGdWmM6rZBgSgoCqID_yZKcCyjzsJ2XIeTORDugIpSPBUzilglNOx0lEbtX0ofhy6nRXzVvfNrwWjLLgNlq6CCCuKNMTP6Q/s320/IMG_3159.JPG" /></a>
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Had a great game yesterday with the mini-Valkyrie, playing SAGA-lite. This involves using the first column of activations on the SAGA battleboards and the rules for fatigue, but none of the other abilities.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOA3B4Uu0MArMNPK9ox8znGYOGdlTa_jTeRQknN_H_XL1eDyDeNl3IQ6zR8GQuibo4Pmb_GqfRcdMXVo_YyFBbK36XeuM7_FSTl9BLLHP5SuIYm5wdoc3C7i1bxKYBgCUfJQ4hgcx5ozw/s1600/IMG_3156.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaOA3B4Uu0MArMNPK9ox8znGYOGdlTa_jTeRQknN_H_XL1eDyDeNl3IQ6zR8GQuibo4Pmb_GqfRcdMXVo_YyFBbK36XeuM7_FSTl9BLLHP5SuIYm5wdoc3C7i1bxKYBgCUfJQ4hgcx5ozw/s320/IMG_3156.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpry2Gho8_bNuptU8XjGho9EmUDvmInsYnP9-y8CXEyEalVq3rdtF4lNVt985RB-WASbQOZ-RWfLZ22k2Jr3q0XKpbfH-e4J3Zt6-iiUCiE9yqnOoVdvXjSkGOfMzYX7fMpdyLZ3wIaBE/s1600/IMG_3157.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpry2Gho8_bNuptU8XjGho9EmUDvmInsYnP9-y8CXEyEalVq3rdtF4lNVt985RB-WASbQOZ-RWfLZ22k2Jr3q0XKpbfH-e4J3Zt6-iiUCiE9yqnOoVdvXjSkGOfMzYX7fMpdyLZ3wIaBE/s320/IMG_3157.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCISUiwHYjc7ZMK_1zMzbiTajfPJ27YfbxxDqWFfny3j6lPbE1f8Rb705xF3G6kRtABHMTXgZmYwc91YKnR0PiTv3j0DFiVBuSohNOj5wwR9KCd4qg0gHtFMAAffi3AXOq-EnEWZvRQn1u/s1600/IMG_3160.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCISUiwHYjc7ZMK_1zMzbiTajfPJ27YfbxxDqWFfny3j6lPbE1f8Rb705xF3G6kRtABHMTXgZmYwc91YKnR0PiTv3j0DFiVBuSohNOj5wwR9KCd4qg0gHtFMAAffi3AXOq-EnEWZvRQn1u/s320/IMG_3160.JPG" /></a>
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As is her wont, the M-V played Vikings, this time led by a Valkyrie warlord she had painted. The Vikings had six points, my Welsh four. The Vikings had to break into the Welsh fort, raid the hut inside the fort to recover a magical horn the Welsh had stolen from Odin, then escape with it. To suit her divine status, the Valkyrie had armour of 6, and generated 6 dice in combat. To break down the gate, attackers had to accumulate 8 hits on the gate, hitting on a 6 with no saves.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8kWWeHZdL6LYpXEz8MxMOI_hBZ3y2CHgoLdaXpxnZVD64zuJ90qO-N_i8MqNa33SeMnnrCJ_0uROzScSEeBIAQQuNkEj15PtpBdF9oxRFkMHPNMZLlQq8VIfk137vVo1MeC8B18n8JyA/s1600/IMG_3162.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy8kWWeHZdL6LYpXEz8MxMOI_hBZ3y2CHgoLdaXpxnZVD64zuJ90qO-N_i8MqNa33SeMnnrCJ_0uROzScSEeBIAQQuNkEj15PtpBdF9oxRFkMHPNMZLlQq8VIfk137vVo1MeC8B18n8JyA/s320/IMG_3162.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72g5TW2yN4J-gYGRnHZXt6M2HCE4FdHQtf4nPg3hUA25TX7XDhly7XSu9Y7ifcu0qQZIiJXB3lKE13uzJgPLWUoUq_TWDwCYChvE2auUf1yRJYEBZp7ff5dFudGmhKyvhEgtrRlqqRQEx/s1600/IMG_3166.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72g5TW2yN4J-gYGRnHZXt6M2HCE4FdHQtf4nPg3hUA25TX7XDhly7XSu9Y7ifcu0qQZIiJXB3lKE13uzJgPLWUoUq_TWDwCYChvE2auUf1yRJYEBZp7ff5dFudGmhKyvhEgtrRlqqRQEx/s320/IMG_3166.JPG" /></a>
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After taking some losses from Welsh javelins, the Vikings managed to break into the fort, the Valkyrie and her followers leaving a trail of death and destruction behind them. The Vikings escaped with the magic horn, then went back to slaughter most of the Welsh. That's my girl.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR3hzeAWWbQe4cTnFVWks_q3Jv_jzpQ-iPdjiFPbrwtY46UsLClUwvoJOHsBYR4n_f8pzYfqT72I-pCG1P3d5m30PpjDquWs7cTFgzVetR1CMn_AbEpdWq2JcGfPz6VtiwTfqZNEgw1lA/s1600/IMG_3168.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxR3hzeAWWbQe4cTnFVWks_q3Jv_jzpQ-iPdjiFPbrwtY46UsLClUwvoJOHsBYR4n_f8pzYfqT72I-pCG1P3d5m30PpjDquWs7cTFgzVetR1CMn_AbEpdWq2JcGfPz6VtiwTfqZNEgw1lA/s320/IMG_3168.JPG" /></a>
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SAGA-lite has been a great success in getting my M-V into miniature gaming. Next time we're going to have a game using all the battle board abilities.Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8339653801453633850.post-14768142895034035372015-09-22T05:24:00.002-07:002015-09-22T05:24:46.740-07:00The Last Hastati for Project Zama<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRotWSrU-ro1bsoi3vCZVPjRevKUA2Dtcq9barC5W62z-B38g-jzi6eii_I3KYpI7tAdoAayFnBRZo0k9wtswjDxA9fd4riF0ngTXq3cIfMVDlqubtxfJqr8XmmEA1EUyD6-6fGIBDYaPw/s1600/P1030307.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRotWSrU-ro1bsoi3vCZVPjRevKUA2Dtcq9barC5W62z-B38g-jzi6eii_I3KYpI7tAdoAayFnBRZo0k9wtswjDxA9fd4riF0ngTXq3cIfMVDlqubtxfJqr8XmmEA1EUyD6-6fGIBDYaPw/s320/P1030307.JPG" /></a>
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I've just had a couple of days between Army Cadets annual camp and going away on a family holiday tomorrow, but I managed to finish another couple of bases of hastati for Project Zama. This means I only have 56 more figures to paint!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIgKjG7nuZK0r-W-mR_FzHKfKhV0scAlwGa5_1LYITRuDhwQIofbNgRepqwKJj87NeEymalxC5Zkd-ZaRaLy47EorsyfNTP_1JI7n_K0wAFBFPCn1ie4mVRuzj4JZfU7YzabCbrxBY3YS/s1600/P1030309.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIgKjG7nuZK0r-W-mR_FzHKfKhV0scAlwGa5_1LYITRuDhwQIofbNgRepqwKJj87NeEymalxC5Zkd-ZaRaLy47EorsyfNTP_1JI7n_K0wAFBFPCn1ie4mVRuzj4JZfU7YzabCbrxBY3YS/s320/P1030309.JPG" /></a>
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As usual, the figures are mainly Agema plastics, with one metal Agema figure (the bloke crouching really low to throw his pilum). The command figures are from Relic Miniatures.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19djdeQiy9O3cY6rD5UiISifhaBy9WeZkK-cKbEvMnZOMmGgno0yViAVF5cBqHF3x-lVYIHH9gZ2sDfk6vuJtMo65m8ynkZTkh3FBpubT1g5HkT4HAvQgRurOG4atU6sUH9sVaiIZsa4G/s1600/P1030310.JPG" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi19djdeQiy9O3cY6rD5UiISifhaBy9WeZkK-cKbEvMnZOMmGgno0yViAVF5cBqHF3x-lVYIHH9gZ2sDfk6vuJtMo65m8ynkZTkh3FBpubT1g5HkT4HAvQgRurOG4atU6sUH9sVaiIZsa4G/s320/P1030310.JPG" /></a>Dux Homunculorumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00536604035307855671noreply@blogger.com4