Seasons Greetings!

 Hi!

Like for many other wargamers, it has been an excellent year for painting figures. Some, more lucky than others, have completed figures held for years. Who knew at the start of the year old, long held in the lead pile, figures would be brought out and painted due to unexpected down time from work? Or time spent at home for other reasons?

My own time at home saw a completion of outstanding figures, though I bought some new ones! A few of the  Frostgrave bestiary figures.  Now they are almost completed. Hopefully, the Christmas list will provide a few more. I have not asked for many as I want to limit the painting to enable completion before ordering more. That said, I am awaiting a sprue of the new Frostgrave demons. In the new year I will be looking to the Galloping Major for some French and Indian Wars figures and Heroics and Ros for Napoleonic French. The H&R purchase will be several hundred figures so I will need to finish everything before ordering those.

So, have a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year!

Frostgrave beastiary update

 Hi!

Just an update on the Frostgrave figures I've been painting.

4 wild dogs

As with the Gnolls I've tried to make these look similar, as a pack rather than 4 individuals

Small and medium constructs

Bogman!

Enjoyed painting this figure. The browns and Retributor armour look nice to my eye. Currently looks the best out of the crowd.

Banshee

Only just started the banshee and is incomplete. Waiting for paint to be delivered. After Christmas now for sure.

Starfire Elementals

Likewise with the Starfire Elementals. Again, the Retributor armour paint and the purple wash make a good strong look. The orange Elemental isn't as good as I'd like.

Only just undercoated the Ice Toad, Glass Spiders and Snow Leopard so I'll finish these and get them done A.S.A.P.

Doesn't it take a lot of figures for Frostgrave!

Currently:-

2 Wizards and apprentices x 4

1 box of soldiers x 20

1 box of skeletons x 10

1 box of Gnolls x 20

8 packs of the bestiary x 24

7 treasure tokens

and loads more to go!

Thanks' for dropping by

Khusru knows the game!

 A fun, no wargaming, quiz

Can you name every English top-flight champion?

Score: 19 / 24

00:00

You scored 19 - A serial winner. Get down to the Etihad

You scored 19/24

Share your score with your friend

bbc football quiz

Frostgrave and French and Indian Wars painting

 It's been a while but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy. I have concentrated, when able, on painting and keeping the lead/plastic pile down. Choices, choices.

First up is a couple of log cabins for the French and Indian Wars. A present of Hovels log cabins.

Then there is this is a 3D printed mausoleum from eBay. I'm not sure of the quality but it looks rather fine.

I will use it both as a mausoleum and as a chapel for Frostgrave, Unlike many, I think Frostgrave needs a bit of colour! What is with all the Gothic architecture and grey? Wizards are rather refined people and doubtless appreciated the finer things in life. And in death, like the Egyptians.

Also, I'm not going big on the ruins. There will be some, no doubt about it. But there will be 'magically intact' residences and temples. Magically built, magically resistant to damage.

Last, but not least, some Gnolls from Northstar, (northstarfigures.Gnolls). 

I find it difficult to paint plastic for some reason. My metal figures turn out much better, at least IMO.

I wanted to give them a 'pack' look with some variation in dress colours to denote a pack structure. Don't ask me in which order they are other than the one pointing is the leader. Not that they have a leader in Frostgrave as I think they come under monsters. 

I have now given them a banner (from the MiniFigs PB Persian cavalry figures) I hope I can find a suitable transfer to put on it. Possibly a wolf's head from Epic 40K? Or from Little Big Man Hoplite shield design?

Don't look too closely!

I have six packs of Frostgrave figures to paint, two to each pack, except for the hounds which has three.

That will keep me busy at least until Christmas and possibly beyond. That will see my lead pile at ZERO!

Little Wars TV

Hi!

For the first time ever I have become a patron of a Youtube channel. LWTV has been my choice. It could have been Guerrilla Miniature Games due to its Frostgrave videos, but felt LWTV was more my home for wargaming. Who knows? One day I might patron both.

Also, I have subscribed to Tom The Wargamer on Youtube. A young man, around 13 I think, who's enthusiasm for his hobby shines like a beacon. I hope he can convince his friends to keep playing.

Why not support these two by subscribing?

Poems for Wargamers 9

Hi!
Du Fu is one of the great poets of Chinese history.
Born into relative wealth, he ended up as a common man farming.
His life seems to be one of movement due to wars and civil strife


Song of the Wagons

The wagons rumble and roll,
The horses whinny and neigh,
The conscripts each have bows and arrows at their waists.
Their parents, wives and children run to see them off,
So much dust's stirred up, it hides the Xianyang bridge.
They pull clothes, stamp their feet and, weeping, bar the way,
The weeping voices rise straight up and strike the clouds.
A passer-by at the roadside asks a conscript why,
The conscript answers only that drafting happens often.
"At fifteen, many were sent north to guard the river,
Even at forty, they had to till fields in the west.
When we went away, the elders bound our heads,
Returning with heads white, we're sent back off to the frontier.
At the border posts, shed blood becomes a sea,
The martial emperor's dream of expansion has no end.
Have you not seen the two hundred districts east of the mountains,
Where thorns and brambles grow in countless villages and hamlets?
Although there are strong women to grasp the hoe and the plough,
They grow some crops, but there's no order in the fields.
What's more, we soldiers of Qin withstand the bitterest fighting,
We're always driven onwards just like dogs and chickens.
Although an elder can ask me this,
How can a soldier dare to complain?
Even in this winter time,
Soldiers from west of the pass keep moving.
The magistrate is eager for taxes,
But how can we afford to pay?
We know now having boys is bad,
While having girls is for the best;
Our girls can still be married to the neighbours,
Our sons are merely buried amid the grass.
Have you not seen on the border of Qinghai,
The ancient bleached bones no man's gathered in?
The new ghosts are angered by injustice, the old ghosts weep,
Moistening rain falls from dark heaven on the voices' screeching."

By Du Fu

Frostgrave. On the way to Felstad

Hi!
My name is Salvo. I'm a captain of soldiers. OK, a mercenary captain of mercenary soldiers. My friend and second in command, Mimi, and I were contracted to take Sister Rosa and her novice/apprentice Samira (are they nuns? wizards nuns? I have no idea) to Felstad. That frozen city where weird goings on are happening and fortunes are to be made, some say. There we will form a company to protect the wizard as she searches the  city.

Well. I've done weird but never made a fortune yet. But they say Felstad is on a different level because wizards made things there. Things made from spells, potions, conjuring, summoning and such. But I've got a shield, sword, armour and my friend. I'll survive, Inanna willing. To be fair, She has gone out of Her way over the years since I took up the sword.
And there's gold, silver, jewels, and artefacts to sell to the rich. If you get out alive.

Sister Rosa hasn't exactly said what she is after in that place so we have to go on trust. And money. Payment upfront for the journey helped make up our minds. You don't get those offers too often.

This Sister and apprentice are not native to this country. They have an accent. They roll their R's. That's the letter R not the other one. And they are a little dusky in skin tone. Still, money is money and that's my game.

We weren't expecting too much trouble on the way. After all, two Sigilst wizards and two hard-cases meant most wouldn't try to argue with us.We were a still a couple of weeks away when we approached an inn, The Ryhope Wood Inn (Mythago Wood). It looked a decent place.

Until, that is, two skeletons appeared out of the front door at our approach. And from the woods at either side of the buildings.One from the far side and two from the near side. Five by my count, but there could be more.

Even before I could move Sister Rosa moved ahead of me and cast a spell of some kind ( elemental bolt). Nothing seemed to happen. I heard the apprentice cast a spell (explosive rune), again nothing seemed to happen.
Well, I thought, time to earn my keep! I ran forward towards the two coming from the inn. I took the first one down with one swipe of the sword.

Mimi told me later he moved to position himself between the novice and the two coming from the woods to the left of the inn. He said the skeletons moved towards him, and I heard a bang, he said they suffered a little damage.

As I was attacked by the skeleton left in front of me I could see the other one passing to attack Sister Rosa. I blocked the sword aimed at my head with my shield. Mimi had taken care of one of the others. Sister Rosa cast another spell (elemental bolt) but, again, nothing seemed to happen.

I feinted to the left and took the head off the skeleton.The remaining skeletons moved into contact. Mimi took care of his and, despite not being much with spells, Sister Rosa took out the other with her staff. 

We went cautiously into the inn but found no one, and no skeletons or anything else. What happened to the inn keeper we have no idea.We stopped for the night, taking turns to keep watch.

In a quiet moment, Sister Rosa explained she had a virus and it had affected her spells. Maybe it did, maybe it didn't. All I know is, if she can't stop a few skeletons it might not be a good idea to enter the frozen city proper with a dodgy wizard.

Another thing I know is this too, if we are encountering spooky things this far from Felstad how much worse is going to be from here on in?

Ryhope Wood Inn

Salvo, the good looking one

Mimi, the less fortunate

Sister Rosa

Apprentice Samira

Skeletons appear, front and right

and from the left

Sister Rosa flunks the spell

I get handy with my sword

Animated skeletons meet their match

Bellona River Sections,

Hi!

Now I've dragged the Bellona river sections into the light of day I'd thought I'd give them a splash of paint. Looking at the results I'm sorry I didn't do it years ago. Pity they are no more. 

I wonder if Amera Plastics sections will fit?

Having done them. though, what will I do with them?

You can see more on Vintage Wargaming (July 2013). Most look quite good, but the Star Fort and Ancient Hill Fort look oddly shaped.

Good wargaming!

If you find gold, don't stop digging!

Hi!
Yes, I know.
The posts are becoming quite regularly now the time is there to paint, game and post.
More gold was forthcoming from the depths of the dungeon. It was the garage really.
Another D&D game.
Dragon Quest

Dice, as always. There never seem to be enough types or quantity of dice.

 Some plastic and metal unpainted figures. The metal figures are a head above the Northstar Frostgrave figures. Yes, the figures are almost an exact match.

Also, lots of cards which could be used for any skirmish game similar to Frostgrave,  Songs of... and such like.

Along with some card monsters doors and things

Also some very, very old river sections.

And more figures to add to the pile.
This time mostly plastics, Esci British and Zulus. Must be over 30 years old! Painting on the British started and not finished

 Along with some 15mm Natal Horse or Boers substituted for them, by Jacklex!.  Will I paint them? Probably.

And the madness starts. I looked on Google and found Esci are no longer in production. To eBay and the prices are somewhat inflated. £10-15 for a box of figures. £2.99 for an empty box!
If you look, the prices on the box is £1.25. Some mark up!
I found similar items from HaT Industries. Which if I were to pursue it (God forbid!) would come in handy. A Gardner gun and wagon carts. Dervishes and other North Africa figures including lovely camel corp figures. Ruga-Ruga. That is pulp gaming rearing its ugly head! Congo anyone?

You see how easy it is to get drawn towards madness?

Poems for wargamers 8

Hi!
Here is an unusual poem I found on the internet, the merits of which I'll leave it for you to decide.


 Chivalry isn't Dead

A Tribute in the Form of a Poem on Erwin Rommel, The Desert Fox

By Dev Tyagl

I am actually a bit complicated,
It will take some effort at your end to understand me,
If you have malice in your mind and blood on your hands, you will never be able to command me,
They said I fought for the Fuhrer,
I maintain I was naive and wrong to that end,
But it is the love for Germany, the duty for my Fatherland that truly inspired me,
I was once full of hope, ready to go all out in the defiance for Germany,
Until I realised I was actually serving a mad-man, one who could harm me,
But by then, maybe it was too late,
Or maybe not late enough to try to reach out in what eventually became the abomination at Berlin,
I pleaded to the Bohemian Corporal to re-analyse the war strategy, just like I requested Rundstedt to try to follow me,
Normandy on D-Day was our downing everyone feels,
But think of it- hadn’t it all started- when in the '30's we allowed an evil outsider to dictate us?
Didn’t we begin to lose when young innocence was hindered from blossoming?
When wives, sons, husbands, and daughters were sent to the gas chambers?
Think of it, I must have done something right
To compel someone like Churchill to admit in his full might,
“That what else matters but defeating Rommel?”
Be it in the sandy desertscapes of North Africa
Or in the French Hills?
I actually never assaulted an innocent,
I am proud I lacked the talent to separate a devout Aryan blood, a Protestant from a Jew,
But I was also this person who braved extreme health scare to continue the charge in North Africa,
I led armoured expeditions at France feeling the morning dew,
If only I had known that for all I did,
Whether earning an Iron Cross or the Pour Le Merit demonstrating feats that left everyone stunned,
Would ultimately yield harsh character assessment and debates whether I was or wasn’t a Nazi,
Then I would’ve never put my life on the stake,
And would’ve thought twice before I taught- Sweat Saves Blood, Blood Saves Life- everywhere, be it Danzig or Gmund,
A century has passed since the First World War came to an end,
On November 15, 2018, I turn 127,
But to this day, the ultimate verdict of my character, my essence hasn’t really been served,
Who really was I – this great Field Marshall- Rommel?
Was I a lasting reminder that chivalry isn’t dead or that a soldier’s true decorum doesn’t concern anything to be ever politicised?
Or, was Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel a misunderstood Desert Fox, who, at the wake of the Propaganda warfare, turning against Hitler, paid for the ultimate forfeit of his life?

Lockdown gold!.

Hi!
When you dig in the garage for something and open a box and hit pay-dirt!

First, an old copy of D&D.
Rarely played at the time. Well. Played once! But I still bought some more figures years and years later.

Add caption

6 Hobbits and an Ogre

Kingmaker!
Bought secondhand about 6 years ago and never played. I was going to use it for a campaign.

The game is on the table ready to set up!

Realm of Chaos.
Boxed and unwrapped. I had plans....

Space Crusade
First game played with my eldest son in the mid '80's. Figures painted by a local guy who did a nice job. My follow-up painting on the supplements weren't quite so good. I've improved so may try to improve the look, especially of the Eldar.
Eldar Attack and Mission Dreadnought included!

Doom of the Eldar.
Really, really wanted to use this with my Epic 40K armies. I had this plan to build a 3 tiered Craftworld starting with a 3ft base. If only....
But I did play it 2 or 3 times.

Now. Kingmaker on the table and time to find out how to play. I seem to have some time on my hands.

OHW, 6mm Cossacks vs Poles

Hi!
A 'return the favour' raid by Cossacks on a Polish village.

I've changed to composition of the Poles to reflect the fact they are defending.
The local Drab is represented giving the Poles more infantry. I was going to reduce their effect but decided against it which turned out to be a good decision.

1 x General
3 x Drab Infantry
3 x Cavalry
2 x Light Cavalry

Cossacks
1 x General
5 x Cavalry
2 x Light Cavalry
3 x Light Infantry

Poles defending the village

Cossacks looking for donations from unwilling Poles

Looking at the Polish line

Cossacks advance

First casualties from Polish Drab firing

Cossack success on their right wing

Mixed fortunes as after charging one unit falls back after receiving 1st casualties

Polish General hope to shore up the left flank

Bloody fighting around the village Polish Drab holding up

Polish cavalry holding their own but about to be out flanked

Polish left wing looking fragile.

Drab unit retreats with 1st casualties

Casualties mount

Drab flanked! 

Flanked and on the verge of rout!

Tense on the Polish left flank

General flanked and he's gone!

Drab unit rallies and flanks. Second Drab unit pushes back Cossacks with 50% casualties.

Polish casualties

Cossacks, no lost units. Flanked Drab holding 

Fourth Polish unit gone and Cossacks running riot

Looting the village as the Drab fight a losing battle.

A very good battle.
The Cossacks are a pretty mean bunch. Or Lucky!
I thought the inclusion of more infantry would help the Poles but nothing seemed to go in the Poles favour. The cavalry vs cavalry battle did start well for them but swung the Cossacks way after 3 or 4 turns.
There were plenty of 'what if' moments:-
The Polish general could have stayed with the infantry and may have helped. He could also have been useful in the all cavalry battle.
The initial cavalry battle could have stayed in the Poles favour.
The Drab came close to winning several fights which could have changed things.

The Cossack infantry could have marched faster to the village.
The cavalry could have committed to attack the Drab later, after the Polish cavalry had been defeated.

Isn't this why we love the games we play?
.