Summer Gaming Plans, Ver. 1.0

   We all know how 'buggy' a version 1.0 can be, right? So don't hold me too strictly to these plans. But in a few weeks I will go on summer vacation, and have significantly more time for gaming as a result. The thought occurred to me that some sort of plan might help with gaming productivity in my slow time. Thus, the following:

• Send 20 Kroot to painting service for Venusian Parrotmen.
• Send the boys' frogs to painting service.
• Obtain and paint about 15 Victoria Miniatures "Ood-like" figures.
• Paint eight 25 pdrs plus crew and staff for FOW.
• Paint an Indian mortar platoon for FOW.
• Obtain and paint more Cygnar figures ( a unit of trenchers and at least 2 warjacks).
• Finish painting Dragonfly Lancers.
• Finish painting 10 Empress Miniatures British.
• Obtain and paint replacement VSF British from Victoria Miniatures.
• Finish 5 German VSF figures.
• Obtain 10 more Prussian infantry. Paint all 20.
• Paint 10 more Aetherbattalion figures.
• Complete Volume 3, Issue 1 of The Aethergraph.
• Play some Star Frontiers RPG with the boys.
• Attend Historicon.
• Obtain a lot of terrain for 15mm desert and city.
• Obtain a lot of terrain for 25mm desert, jungle and city.

Ummmm... I think that's probably it. Look for updates, though. This is only v. 1.0, after all...

An idea whose time has come.

Pike? Check.

Shot? Check.

Zombies? Che - what!?!?

Yep, that's right: Renaissance zombies.

From AB One Games, written by Stephen Danes.

Available at Wargames Vault.

More Renaissance, and a Tournament's Results

   Work continues on my Thirty Years War army for Field of Glory Renaissance. The army is technically "Early German Catholic," but could be most any except for the banners. All of the figures are Old Glory.

Two field guns. Notice Zed in the background?

   I also took part in my first Field of Glory Ancients tournament. This was at Comicpalooza, here in Houston - a few pictures of which will be on my other blog, Victoria's Boys in Red, as they are mostly steampunk in nature. Anyway, I spent all day Saturday playing three games, using my friend Gerald's Komenan Byzantine army. My record was 1 - 2, for a 7th place finish out of eight players.

   I'll never play in another tournament. I hate the way people play in them. "I don't want to do this, but I'm going to anyway." I must have heard that a half dozen times. What a crock. If you don't want to do it, don't. If you are going to do something brutal, just do it and don't think you are going to excuse it with some meaningless words. Just like "In all due respect..." right before you say something incredibly disrespectful.

Quick Note

   Sorry its been so long since last post. Things have been hectic.

   Anyway, I got in some goodies from eBay. More Mage Knight figs to be converted into VSF figures, and some gnolls for D&D, mainly.

   I've painted a little (need to update the log, adding 13 15mm figures). I finished up a battlegroup (battery) of medium field guns for Field of Glory Renaissance, and the command stand for the late tercio infantry regiment. I'll work on pics tomorrow maybe.

   Ordered some 15mm banners for Thirty Years War (Imperials) from a fellow in the UK. I'll review them when I see them, but one cool thing was I received an email asking about the length of the flagstaffs. He is offering to individually scale the banner for the staff length as needed. Pretty cool.

   Still working on the 15mm TARDIS. The 6mm one is done; again, I'll try to get pics soon.

   One last thing: I have put the last of the Praetorian riflemen on my painting table for the final stages of that particular unit of VSF troops. Not a lot to do on them, but I just want to get them done. Maybe next week I can finally call that unit "finished."

   Still alive, still kicking, just not as hard as I want to be.

One Regiment of Foote Down.

   Only about four more to go. Plus dragoons, and artillery. I may do the artillery bases next (only have four of those), just for a change. Could use some limbers to go with, as well. Need to check and see if there is one available.

   I also have some cavalry done, but I didn't do the painting on them. My friend Tom did the honors. I just based them up. There is a BG of 4 bases of Croat light horse and one of 4 bases of bandellier reiters. Tom has two BGs of kurrassiers in his clutches as well. Nice work, what?

Croat Command (Tom)

Bandellier Reiter Command (Tom)

Bandellier Reiter BG (Tom)

Closeup of a stand of muskets (mine)

 

   All figures are Old Glory 15s. We took advantage of the army deals, and I got a few extras.

Started Painting

I started painting my 15mm 30YW Germans this past weekend. I am trying something new on them, a brown primer. I was hoping it would give a nice line of definition like some folks do with black primer between base colour blocks. Not too harsh like black, but still delineated. I'm not too sure how it is working. When I get a few finished, I'll post pictures.

Thirty Years War Army Arrives

  So I got my Old Glory 15s order of Early Thirty Years War German Catholics in. Lotta lead for my $100, I have to say. It includes:

• 3x Commanders
• 2x BGs of Kurassiere
• 1x BG of Bandellier Reiter
• 1x BG of Crabaten (Croat Irreg. Cavalry)
• 4x BGs of Infantry Regiments
• 1x BG of Musketkompanien
• 1x BG of Field Artillery
• 1x BG of Schutzenkompanien
• 1x BG of Heavy Artillery
• 2x BG of Dragoner (dragoons)
• Plus additional Armored Pikemen, so that I can make either Catholic League (Old Tercio) or Imperial (Late Tercio)

So, lots and lots of lead. Good stuff, huh? Now, just got to get it all painted.

Renaissance Decision Made

I know many of you have been waiting with baited breath to learn which of the Field of Glory Renaissance armies I was going to choose to begin with. No, really? You haven't been? Well, you're gonna find out anyway.

 I am doing an Early Thirty Years' War German Catholic League army. Yes, Count Tilly's merry band of pike and shot in old fashioned tercios. I have my order ready to go to Old Glory to purchase said army, now just waiting for financial clearance from the CFO, also known as SWMBO.

  In other game-related news, I finally finished my second battalion of 6mm German colonial troops, and the first legion of Martians. I am moderately happy with them, but I used GW's clear coat on them, and I don't like it at all. It leaves a very dusty look on the figures. For $15, I expect more from a matte coat. Back to Krylon and ModelMasters for me, thanks! I also finished a base of powered armor infantry in 6mm for BattleTech, and a battery (with limber!) for the Germans.

 Finally, we look forward to hopefully getting another game of D&D in on Saturday or Sunday. Only two sessions down, and we are starting to get antsy. But the reward of making 2nd level is a soothing balm...

Declare thyself: For King or Parliament?

  Well, they came in today, finally! I received a lovely package from the guy in the brown shorts, containing two books: the core rules and the Wars of Religion companion. I've been looking forwad to these rules for a good bit, ever since I learned they were being made back in the Spring. The local gang I play with has been going through FOG Boot Camp for Ancients and Medievals for about six months, and we like the rules.

  While at Historicon this past year, I played a single ECW game, and though I really like the miniatures and such, the rules they used were not fun to me. They may have been an accurate model of battle in the era, but dull ain't in it. I mean, you basically could not remove any enemy troops, even when you catch fleeing troops from behind with cavalry! They just got to run further, and you had to follow them, until one or both of your units ran off the table/battlefield. Yawn!

  So now I only have to decide which army I want to get, and how I am going to pay for it! I am torn between the Swedes of Gustavus Adolphus and the German Catholic armies commanded by Tilly, et al. The Scots Covenanters look interesting as well, but I think my friend Gerald will have them covered. Another friend, Zach, is considering the Late Imperial Spanish, and the last hurrah of the tercios. No idea what the other fellows are contemplating, if anything. Cavaliers? Roundheads? Egads, the French?