Female Armour Sucks!

Here is a funny video that illustrates the inherent differences between male and female armour- It literally made me laugh out-loud

CollegeHumor's Favorite Funny Videos

Peninsular War: Frenchies Off eBay

In order to get a fighting force ready for sharp practice I have decided to try something I have never even contemplated before: Buying painted figures on eBay.  After reading an article in Wargames Illustrated on repainting figures bought on eBay, I realised that it might speed things up considerably. I began to scour the store for a bargain, and stumbled on these- some nearly-completely-finished French infantry- obviously someone started the project and ran out of steam before finishing it (that would never happen to me I assure you! lol). From what I could make out in the photo they looked like they had been painted in a similar style to my own. 
And how much did I pay for this little lot? £38 for 36 Crusader Miniatures. Which is less than I would have paid for them unpainted from the Crusader miniatures store. 

This is how they arrived- all well packed in card- all in good condition except for a few chips of paint- and all based on card with plaster filler round their integral bases. 

Crusader miniatures are a bit shorter and a bit chunkier than the Victrix ones I have been painting for the British, but not so much that they look stupid. And for that price...

First things first I had to take them off their bases- mercifully this proved very easy- and once I had scraped off most of the excess plaster then I could stick them to my bases and 'sand' them so they match my British.

These ones are some Elite infantry that I have just re-based but not painted yet- the previous owner painted them as a mix of Light Infantry and Grenadiers, but I will be painting them as a single unit of grenadiers because I like the look  of light infantry in skirmishing poses, and grenadiers marching in nice ordered ranks.
So what needed doing? I didn't like the way the previous owner had painted the trousers, and the gun barrels were too shiny, and the faces too dark, but on the whole they just needed touching up a bit.  Here they are after their treatment...

And here they are- two stands of Grenadiers for my French army- and was it quicker than painting them from scratch? Well, I managed to paint each stand of four in a single evening, and for the British I was pleased to be getting five models per week. And when you take into account the time it would have took to de-flash, remove mould lines and spray them up I think they represent a considerable saving in time and money.

Peninsular War Backdrop- (Complete)

I have finally finished my Backdrop for my Peninsular War 

Napoleonics- It took a lot longer than I had initially imagined, but I think it was worth the effort. 

I was so excited I snapped of a few photos with some of my British army and sailors- just to see what it looked like- the lighting was very poor, so you will have to use you imagination a bit. 

The British Army are Victrix, and the sailor is from Brigade Games in america- but sculpted by our own Paul Hicks. 

Peninsular War Backdrop (WIP)

At the moment I am jolly busy preparing for the Lead Painters League compensation, and so I can't show you any of the figures I have been working on for the last few weeks, but I can show you this- it is going to be a back drop for my photos of my Napoleonic Peninsular War figures, and obviously is representing a typical Spanish or Portuguese street scene- It might seem like quite a lot of work to go to (and it is) but I don't have any suitable buildings or terrain for the Iberian Peninsular yet, and if I want my figures to look cool I need something suitable- It's also a good chance for me to practice some scenery making techniques that I will eventually employ to make a whole village for use in the games. 

The balcony are laser cut MDF from Warbases- as are the windows and shutters. This plastic door is a left over from the Mighty Fortress. The buildings are foam card, and the barn is made from balsa and part of a broken resin model from TSS I have been meaning to recycle for some time. 

It is a happy chance that I decided to base my Napoleonics on 1p coins not 2p, so that they can rank up together in close order- because the 1p coins fit onto the balcony really well. 

Here you can use you imagination to picture how the back drop will work if was all painted- also not they use of brown undercoat for my Napoleonic range- something of an experiment- and I like the way it is working out. 

I'll post pictures when it is done- That is allowed win the LPL rules. 

American War of Independence Game

As promised here or a few photos of the AWI game they played at Earlswood Wargamers last week. I didn't participate in this game, as I was busy playing Dead Man's Hand on another table, but it looked to good not to snap some shots to share with you guys. 

They were using a ACW rules called Brother against Brother, which, with a few minor changes is ideal for AWI and FIW. In the game a French/American column has been ambushed by the British and their Native American (can we call them Indians?) allies. The French are attempting to cross a narrow bridge to force their way through the ambush. 

British Light Infantry and Jaegers outflank the French and cut off their retreat- they only way out is forward, onto they British guns!

American Irregulars move up the flank of their French allies to engage with the British skirmishers at the river

The fight doesn't go well for the British as they Americans cross the river

The view from the top of the British hill looking down on the French/American positions

Native American troops engage the French Skirmishers at the bridge

As you can see, a great looking game. It did not go well for the French/Americans- the Native Americans took the fight to the French Skirmishers at the bridge, wiping them out, and proceeded to maul the French column too. The Americans who fought so hard to get across the river were cut down by the disciplined fire of the British troops on the hill while the Jaegers harassed the French rear- all in all not a good day for the rebellion, but a great game to watch!

Across the Dead Earth Kick-Starter Live

I am guessing many of my readers will already know about the Kick Starter 'Across the Dead Earth', especially if you read Brummies Blog, as he has been banging on about it for ages. We- in case you missed out it is basically a small skirmish games using 28mm figures- about 5-6 a side I think, and the setting is a post apocalyptic Britain, three generations after a nuclear and biological world war. - Think Mad Max- only with more trees. 

The art work really sold it to me, especially this picture with the ruins of a Tescos. It's very evocative and imaginative. It reminds me of the ruins of the town by Chernobyl- I have always been fascinated by the way nature reclaims the land once we leave it alone. 

I have backed the KS for the £30 level- that is a great deal as you get a soft cover copy of the rules and all 12 minis- good value if you ask me. I am looking forward to making some nice post-apoc England scenery- should be cool!

Here are some of the minis- with the concept art

The Kick Starter can be found here...KS LINK

and the Dead Earth website is here...DEAD EARTH

Dead Man's Hand Game

Last week I had my first game at the Earlswood Wargamers, a (very) local wargaming group that meet just up the road from were I live, just south of Birmingham, England. 

I have to say I was somewhat apprehensive about joining a wargaming group- being something of a virgin when it comes to being part of a group. In my imagination, historical wargamers are stuffy, beardy war-anoraks who will cheerfully point out to you that your lovingly painted soldiers have the wrong colour bootlaces for the period they are meant to depict, or whatever. I also imagined they had would field rank upon rank of not particularly well painted troops, as they endlessly re-fought Waterloo.

As soon as I walked into the village hall where they meet (we meet?) I knew my preconceived ideas where dead wrong, as they were welcoming, friendly and interested in my many and varied collections. They did have huge armies, but rather than the paint-daubed Napoleonics I have seen at shows and on the internet, these were rank upon rank of beautifully executed paint jobs! And even more exciting for me- they like smaller skirmish games too- like Dead Man's Hand. 

The scenery and figures they were using just blew me away. The Dead Man's Hand board, the handy-work of David, was first class- featuring Lasercut MDF buildings from 4Ground and Sarrissa Precision that David had 'Pimped Up', and some scratch built additions- was easily as good as the best display boards I have seen at the wargaming shows like Salute (and better that many). His figures were simply stunning too. 

I played the game (using three of my own Mexican Banditos alongside David's). I played with David and his nephew James. Dead Man's Hand is a fun, fast paced small skirmish cowboy game, inspired by the Hollywood and Spaghetti Westerns. We had six men apiece and the board is just 2 foot square, so it really is small. Never the less, it was great fun, full of dramatic moments, cinematic scenes and laughs. 

David's dusty western town

A marshal takes down a wanted bandito

A Marshall with a Winchester takes up a good firing position

Low-life Billy Bob takes the fight to the law-men- killing a Deputy and a Marshal, before the Sheriff guns him down. 

All in all a great night (even if my banditos were all killed). The whole group made me feel welcome, especially David and James. They also had a big American War of Independence game on too- I took some pictures of that and will post them in a few days- look out for that because it looked just as good as this game.

Games Workshop Castle

My son Charlie and I have just finished painting the Games Worksop Mighty Castle he got for Christmas. It is a lovely model, very large and nicely detailed. Charlie plans to use it for Lord of the Rings and for his Greek myth game, while I secretly plan to sneak off with it to use for just about anything I can think of.

 It could be the walls of Chester for VBCW, it could be an old fort in modern Zugando for Force on Force, or even a Iberian castle for the Napoleonic Peninsular Wars (a bit of a tease there- for the Peninsular wars will be my new project- more on that very soon!)

Uruk Hia storm the defences of the Free People of Middle Earth

US Special Forces search the ruins of an old fortress for Zugandan insurgents. 

VBCW The Stonehouse Farm Road Block- A Battle Report

Regular gaming Buddy Pulp Citizen and I managed to get together for a game of Very British Civil War. For a change we played Bolt Action, which is a new rules set for the both of us. Because we were using new rules we decided to keep the game small, and so we had just 450 points aside.

The Forces

I was The Manchester Legion of the  British Union of Fascists (BUF) , commanded by First Lieutenant Thompson.Thompson is an inexperienced officer keen to impress his captain, Captain Webster, with his competence. He had two experienced (Regular) infantry sections, a Vickers MMG and, to instil a little 'shock and awe' in the locals, a Vickers Light Tank MKIII.

Pulp Citizen was the Wirral Socialist Worker's Council (WSWC). They were commanded by Commissioner Lunn (a rank equal to First Lieutenant) Lunn was an experienced officer, having fought in the Siege of Liverpool.  He commanded and experienced MMG team, a 3" mortar team, a soviet trained sniper team, and three sections of green militia, dragged in to make up the numbers. One of these teams had been designated as 'tank hunters' and equipped with satchel charges, crowbars and molotovs.

The Missions 

The BUF have information that smugglers from the village of Frodsham are shipping in arms from the continent to supply to the WSWC forces in Helsby. On Captain Websters orders they have established a road block on the road in-between Helsby and Frodhsam, near Stonehouse Farm, and are stopping and searching any vehicals passing down the road. There are also rumours that they are charging a 'toll' to any passing travellers and, being Mancunians, filching goods off the local farmers. 

WSWC forces in Helsby are understandable incensed by the road block, which local hot-headed agitators have started to refer to as 'The Siege of Helsby'.

Lieutenant Lunn has gathered a force of the local militia, together with a few of his more experienced men, and is determined to drive off the BUF and 'lift the siege'.

Stonehouse Farm

The starting positions

Lieutenant Thompson's men manning the roadblock, with the terrifying visage of the Vickers Light Tank standing by. 

The WSWC MMG on the Crag- good sight-lines but too far away to hit anything without redeploying. 

Lunn and his tank hunters take up position in the woods. 

 The battle began in earnest when the BUF patrol in the field came under sniper fire- the WSWC sniper shot and killed the sections Lewis Gunner. The section dived into the broken ground for cover but to no avail- the sniper also took out the sections NCO too. 
The sniper was well dug in in the stones of the old ruins, and try as they might the BUF couldn't draw a bead on him. 

The BUF patrol dive for cover. 

WSWC Sniper- well dug in

 Lieutenant Thompson came under fire from the WSWC in the woods, and leapt over the hedge to hunker down, while ordering his men into Stonehouse Farm. The farmhouse proved to be an excellent defensive position with effective sight-lines across a wide area.  The Vickers MMG team moved up and set up their gun behind the road block- from their they could rain lead down on the militia in the woods, or coming up either road. Eliminating the infantry section in the Farmhouse became a priority for the WSWC militia.

Thompson directing his troops whilst 'Down' behind a hedge.

The BUF Vickers MMG Team at the roadblock  added serious fire-power to the BUF Force throughout the battle.

 Seeing the BUF parole pinned down by the sniper in the broken ground, Lunn ordered one of his militia units to advance, and finish them off. Unfortunately for them the BUF Vickers Light Tank spotted them and entered the field to support the infantry. The tanks machine-guns proved decisive,and the militia unit found itself pinned down in open, and eventually destroyed, by the withering fire from the tank. The tank was screened from the bulk of the WSWC by the worker's cottages, and the WSWC had nothing that could penetrate the tanks armour on  this flank, giving the tank commander free reign. 

The Tank is King!

The WSWC continues to exchange shots across the street with the BUF section in the Farmhouse

 The militia lost the momentum of their attack, as the BUF section in the farmhouse, and the MMG team at the roadblock continued to poor fire into the woods, effectively pinning the militia, while the tank chewed up the flank. Suddenly the WSWC 3" mortor zeros in on the Farmhouse, and begin firing 'for effect'- the section in the farmhouse start taking a pounding. The BUF section fight on, but as the shells start getting more accurate they can do little but keep their heads down and exchange a few shots. The WSWC MMG team move up to support the advance,and suddenly things don't look so rosie for the BUF in the farm. 

The BUF patrol hunkered down in the broken ground decide enough is enough, fix bayonets and charge across the field towards the sniper. Miraculously the sniper, shocked by their sudden momentum, fails to hit them as they advance. 

Bayonets fixed!

The WSWC loose their momentum

The BUF extract bloody revenge on the snipers

 The mortar team continue to drop shells inside the farmhouse- turning the once safe haven into a bloody death-trap. The entire BUF section is destroyed. With that section gone, there is nothing stopping the WSWC militia from occupying the Farmhouse- and using its excellent sight lines to pour fire onto the MMG and Thompson command section. Thompson was killed outright when he tried to drive the WSWC section out of the farmhouse, and the MMG was destroyed by the militia unit in the farmhouse. 

Thompson tries to drive the Militia back out of the farmhouse

The BUF on the flank, having finished with the sniper, take up position in the workers cottages, and open fire on the militia in the woods from very close range, while the Vickers tank cuts down the mortar team and kills the WSWC Platoon Sargent. The 'tank hunter' unit is all but destroyed- only three remain,and they are pinned down, but despite this, Lunn manages to inspire them to attack, and they assault the tank, hurling molotovs into the engines- and destroying the tank!

The remaining BUF section in the worker's cottages, upon seeing their tank destroyed, decide discretion is the better part of valour, and withdraw, conceding the field. 

Commisioner Lunn might have driven the BUF off and lifted 'the siege', but at a terrible cost- most of his platoon were killed or seriously injured, including the majority of his more experience men- fighting had been fierce and bloody!

The Vickers tank flanks the WSWC attack and destroys the mortar team- one of the units that could threaten it. 

My VBCW inspired dice mug

Bolt action turned out to be a great rules set for VBCW, and it was very easy to adapt the game to suit the setting. Both Pulp Citizen and I  really enjoyed the game, and are looking forward to trying it with bigger forces very soon. 

Subterranean Worm Monster Attacks New York!

"I don't know what happened! The ground started rumbling, and I though it was an earth quake, but then it got louder, like a subway train. I just looked at my buddy Max, and I was about to sey 'Hey, what the hell was that?' when the ground burst open and that giant purple maggot just out and swallowed Max whole! It's just a good job those superheroes turned up when they did or I would be worm food by now!"

An eye witness to the Worm attack in Central Park, NYC.

 Another Reaper Bones here- this one being the Purple Worm- I love this figure- its just fantastic. I intend to use it in my Four Colour Superhero campaign as some sort of subterranean burrowing icky monster, (perhaps enslaved by the Mole-men)but its also good in any sci-fi, post apoc or fantasy setting too- I could just as easily see it making it into a Lord of the Rings game, for example. I love versatile models

It's a big model- as you can see in the bottom picture- that  is with a 28mm Hasslefree figure!