CoK Loot and Plans for Next Year

A morose air hung over the camp after the tournament. Two figures sat by a campfire, one a human with both arms in enormous plaster casts and the other a great beast-man with a bandaged lump on his head as large as an extra horn. One turned to the other and said: 

"It's no good. Next time we're going to have bring a competitive army list."

Gaming paraphernalia freebies. Tape measure not included as I'd lost it down the sofa by this point. 

As well as a 3 games per day and free lunches, Clash of Kings attendees also received a haul of free tat including a 6" ruler, 90 degree arc templates, and tape measure, but the stand-out elements were the nerve test dice and the £2 off voucher which I will be reviewing in some detail.

The dice were a nice idea: the ones and sixes, which have special effects in Kings of War nerve tests, were replaced with "hold" and "doomed". All very nice and thematic, until you realise that, when making an exciting and important roll in the heat of battle, two words are more difficult to distinguish than numbers of spots. I was therefore mistaken on several occasions when rolling one and six together (no special effect) which was a tremendous embarrassment.

As for the voucher, all I need say is that the event is held in a shop/gaming centre.

Ill-advised purchases: more 'Mechs and a Reaper Bones fire giant. I think the model is rather sexy. 

After the first day (and rather a few pints at the club bar) I was in a dangerously suggestible state to be walking among large racks of models. I have been tempted by the variety and economy of the Reaper Bones range, and was pleasantly surprised to find them in the UK. I would have bought more, but there was also a battletech box that I've been eyeing for months, and I want to encourage shops to stock that sort of thing. I mentioned the rarity of Battletech models to the chap on the till, and apparently plenty of people are asking after them, but the supply just isn't there from the US end. Most perplexing.

Centaur(ide) from Heresy miniatures with a a couple of scouse knights.

As I mentioned in my last instalment, I've written a new army list for Kings of War, and that need more models. Fortunately, with the hoplites I finished earlier and the celtic warrior sprues I picked up for £1 apiece from a Warlord Games sale, I've actually got (if you include the extra shield transfers, shields, and obligatory fighting women) almost enough models to fill out two regiments and a horde if I base them three to a 40 mm x 40 mm base. Of course, I was still a few models short so I've had to buy a pack of  reinforcements from Wargames Foundry. Readers are reminded that small initial sums on offers soon lead to bigger purchases 'to complete the set'. Be warned.

Sharp-eyed readers may remember these two from the start of the blog. I ended up repainting vast areas of these figures in the end. The Birmingham FC crest turned out rather well, and wasn't that difficult either.

This new list fits in quite well with a dream I've had, of a fantasy army consisting of lots of different troops taken from various historical periods to form an 'all-star' team. To this end, I will replace the Norman foot with the aforementioned hoplites which can be (just about) ranked up for Kings of War. The list calls for 'militia mob' which will be played by some peltast types. Which I've had to buy. More on these to come in future.

General progress on a few items from my 'to do' pile. This lot had lounged half-done for over a year!

The unrestrained spending is to be completed by some werewolves, who are better in difficult terrain than my trolls. I've yet to decide on which models to use, as the Mantic ones are expensive and lack fur (Perhaps I could sculpt some on?) and everyone else is just expensive (but hirsute). Ho hum. Fortunately, the longer I delay the more time my bank balance has to recover from the earlier shocks.

EM4 spaceships, painted in Battletech-style paint schemes for use as aerospace fighters and a 20 mm piat team. The piat basing consists of a new method where I apply dark green flock, then apply tiny spots of glue to the surface and stick on light green flock as a sort of highlight.

 In the brief period between returning from the tournament and realising I have to get my painting skates on, I finished off a few odds and ends from the 'to do' box.

Top view of the spaceships, painted in 'Steiner' (left) and 'Davion' (Right) colours.

In the time it's taken me to finish this post there has been painting progress, and I've found myself time to visit the wargaming pals with whom I will be 'throwing it down' and 'mixing it up' and hopefully recording it all for your edification and amusement.

First batch of Celts done. The poses are a bit over-excited for my taste, but they still look impressive.

That's pretty much it, I think. Enjoy the hoplites below. I'll see you in June (at current posting rate).

After 10 minutes of blood, sweat and tears, I finally got them to sort-of rank up...

.. just don't look too closely.