Empire of the Dead, Gentlemen

PREVIOUSLY POSTED ON VICTORIA'S BOYS IN RED

   Some indeterminate amount of time ago, I participated in the crowdfunding (via Kickstarter) of some miniatures for the Empire of the Dead game. I don't currently play Empire of the Dead (hereon, EotD), but I liked the figures for the Requiem expansion, so I bought in to the project. Naturally, as with most Kickstarter projects, everything was delayed, partly by the number of stretch goals reached and partly by the problems that spring up in any project. Not being in a tearing hurry, I was for the most part okay with it. When I duly received my package of lead, I was quite pleased with the contents.

   I started painting up the Lycaons first, which I believe have made previous appearances here. Now I am working on the Gentlemen's Club. I can absolutely see me making an Adventuring Company for IHMN out of these figures as well. I chose a theme color of blue for this faction. Thus, the Sapphire Club of Marylebone was born!

I am particularly fond of the Clockwork Butler.

Members of the Sapphire Club.

More Sapphirians. I like the fellow in smoking jacket and fez a lot.

The fellow in the overcoat is actually a club porter, not a member.

As if such a ruffian could be a member!

   One thing that I didn't like to paint, but which I think looks 'right' for these figures is the preponderance of black. Black trousers, black coats, black toppers. Not as bad as all white (snow blind me, will ye, ye damned Napoleonic Austrians?!?!), but still. I am glad I went for a brighter blue to help break the monochromatic issue.

   I have two more members to paint up (currently on the table) and that will be mostly that for this faction. I am finishing up what I think is the last of the Lycaons as well. He's just a human servitor, a hunter with a crossbow. After that, who knows? Maybe finish up the latest unit of automatons, which I have five completed and five remaining...

A New Look

So, trying out a new look on the blog.

How do you like it?

Comments?

El primer peloton es terminado.

   Or, in the Queen's English, "The First Platoon is finished."

   Well, that is not actually true, though it is close. The command and infantry rifle sections are completed. I have just primed the LMG and I am looking for the 50mm Valero support mortars to purchase.

   At any rate, here are some of my 27 requetes, ready to protect their faith and traditional values.

Command Team

Labels on rear to help organize.

"Command of the First Platoon"

The flag is a traditional Carlist emblem from their

support of a Hapsburg monarchy.

Seccion B

There are two bases (equipos - teams) per seccion, three secciones per peloton.

Rear View. Again, labeled.

I added a Nationalist flag because I had more room.

It also lists what type of team (equipo) the stand is. In this case, a Rifle team.

Making Cards for IHMN

   This was previously published (about two minutes ago!) on Victoria's Boys in Red, my VSF blog. So if you read it there, you needn't read any further. Otherwise, check this out!

  I downloaded a free Magic Card Editor program a few years ago. I don't play Magic: The Gathering any more, but the program is very useful for making reference cards for gaming. I have used it previously for GASLIGHT units, and now I am making a set of cards for In Her Majesty's Name.

This is a Talent card. It gives the rules and point costs for a Talent.

I have all the published Talents done.

This is a Beast card.

I am making one for each creature in the published Bestiaries.

A Character card.

I have finished Lord Curr's Company, the Servants of Ra, and

the Mechanickal Menace (Automatons).

Mystic Powers.

Phase, Range, Duration, Save, Effect, and points cost.

   If you like these, the program is free. You can get it here.

Lots of Objectives

15mm Black Faced Sheep

Objectives/Scenics

Food sources are a great target for a raid.

25mm Native Pots

Objectives/Scenics

   Each of these is numbered on bottom. The number corresponds to a chart. On the chart is the result for searching the objective: friends, foes, treasures, or traps! I stole this idea from Frank Chadwick. So you know it's good.

15mm Swine

More Objectives. See Sheep, above.

A new tree, and a Marksman of Miragliano.

A little scenery and another trooper.

The tree has four more like it. Steel base, too.

Requetes Approaching

   I've been working on some Carlist requetes that I obtained from Peter Pig. These are troops for the Spanish Civil War. 15mm, of course. I plan on basing them for Flames of War, because we are considering using the Spain in Flames version of that game to play. I am also interested in obtaining a copy of Bayonets and Ideology, which is Peter Pig's ruleset. Finally, we have a copy of Osprey's ruleset available (A World in Flames, I think).

   Anyway, I am nearly finished painting the first platoon of infantry for my Carlist forces. So here are a few in progress photos:

Crucifer, part of the command group for each platoon.

Carlist advancing.

Carlist officer. "Vamanos, compadres! Dios, patria, fueros, rey!"

Flames of War Victory Dance

   I won another game of Flames of War on Saturday. That puts me at 4 and 4 for the year - the best I have ever done! And this is one of two victories ever for me in which I was the only guy on my side of the table. So I am a bit stoked.

   The key was keeping the goal in mind - take objectives, forget about destroying the enemy. Well, maybe not forget, but certainly it is secondary.

   For the record, I still hate reserves. Next time we do a friendly game, we are just going for a straight up free-for-all. Everything out on the table.

   Now I just need to finish painting my Indian mortar platoon, and start painting up my DAK forces. I have more of those to purchase, too, but hey - you have to start somewhere, right?

   Sorry I didn't take any pictures - I was too busy trying to remember how to play the game. We did somethings that are unusual for us in this one, including the first use of British MG barrages. As far as we can figure it out, you conduct them just like any other barrage. This means that a single hit pins the target unit(s).

   Also the first time I have ever really used Recce assets. In this case, it was two sections of India Pattern Carriers. So I had to review those special rules a bit, too. In fact, I pushed them out a little too far ahead and one group got killed. This made for a 5-2 win, but it eats a loss any day of the week.

Bovington Photos, Part 6: The Final Chapter

Actually, it's video this time. I have a little footage of the modern armour, but this WW2 armour is much more interesting to watch.

Panzer III

SdKfz 250 Half-track

Tiger 131

  I hope you have all enjoyed the photos and videos. All I can add is that if you love tanks, and if you ever have a chance to do so, you should definitely take the trip to Bovington and the Tank Museum for TankFest. It was the most WW2 fun I have had in years.

Bovington Photos, Part 5: The Big Guns

  The British 25-pdr gun. Proper Quad tractor, limber, and everything. The battery even had a White scout car, proper alignment stakes, the whole job. One of the more interesting bits of the program was watching these fellows prepare the site, unlimber, align the guns, and ready to go into action - a process which took only a few minutes.

Quad, limber, and gun.

Limbered gun in motion

closeup of the Quad

Unlimbering

15cwt truck delivering ammunition.

BOOM!

BOOM! WHOOOP!!

More BOOM!

Playing Poor Bloody Infantry

   While in Weymouth at the end of June, I had the very good fortune to spend an evening playing some introductory games of Poor Bloody Infantry with Martin Goddard, the owner of Peter Pig Miniatures. We played on some terrain that he and his employees had made up as a folding table for convention games. Really, a very useful setup for introductory games, and simply turning the board (it was something like a 4 foot square when opened up) changed the game a good bit.

   The rules seem designed for 15mm minis, which makes sense considering that is what Peter Pig manufactures. It is a stand based game, played out on a table gridded with squares. This can be done in a variety of ways, including marking the lines or just the corners. This does give a bit of the feel of an old fashioned Avalon Hill type wargame, but it has its advantages.

   What I liked about Poor Bloody Infantry: 

   My favorite thing about the game was that it is played on squares - 5 inches in this case, I think, but you could easily do it as 6" squares. What that means is that you don't need to have a measuring tape and there is none of that "You can only charge me if I am within 4"; my tank is 4.01" away from you so you can't hurt it" rubbish. No questions about terrain or cover either - the dominant terrain of the square is what you use for everything. Eliminating the tape for movement and ranged fire is also quite a nice time saver. You simply move the bases the desired number of squares and there you are.

   What I didn't like about Poor Bloody Infantry:

   In the intro games, well, there seemed little to dislike. It's a relatively simple game when you are limiting yourself to just some infantry with a little bit of LMG support. Perhaps the only mechanic that I found frustrating was dealing with casualties in order to maintain morale. You do need a bucket full of dice to play, and that can be off-putting for some people. I attacked a German MG nest, while 'bunched up', and I think he rolled 20 dice? Something like that.

This is the traveling board. Notice the dots? Those mark out the squares.

Buildings are placed on the board; trees are magnetically mounted.

Ridges and hills are built in.

A Soviet platoon, including rifles, LMG support, and command.

Dane contemplates his impending doom.

   Conclusion:

   I think I need to buy the rules and evaluate some more, including adding in tanks, aircraft, and artillery. It seems good for a company sized game. Also, I will be looking out for the re-vamped rules for the Spanish Civil War that Martin tells me will be coming out sometime near Christmas, if I remember correctly.

   Martin was a gracious host, taking us to dinner and showing us a bit of the local history around Weymouth. Thanks also go to his wife and daughter for putting up with two perfect strangers from America who invaded their home to play with toy soldiers for a few hours.

PETER PIG MINIATURES - "MORE OINK"

US: Brookhurst Hobbies

Bovington Photos Part 4: Tiger 131

   This is Tiger 131, a Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf E1, the last of its kind in operable condition in the world. Looks good for over 70 years old. 131 is located in the Tank Museum at Bovington, Dorsetshire. Big, loud, and scary - but also very cool.

Bovington Photos, Part 3

World War II is the theme.

Dane did a good job getting his fingers in this one.

Hetzer's gonna hetz...

Maybe a Dingo ate your baby?

Me and my homie, Erwin.

A Proper Rolls Royce.

French rubbish.

Dane and Goliath

Za Rodina!