... and let slip the dogs of war!

Image description: a scoreboard. Your blogging hero is placed 24th out of 26.

It's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

ANGRY BEAVERS

I REGRET NONE OF THIS

The beavers in question. Sold by Bad Squiddo Games, originally a North Star product

Not a Complete Disaster

Here follows  my account of the Haven from the storm tournament at St. Mary's church, Leigh. I would make more fuss about this, but as games were on the clock I was too busy generalling and strategering to take photos. Not that it helped. The three pics shown here were taken during our lunch break.

The chaps (and chappettes) on parade during the lunch break. I had to take every single model out of the carrying cases and individually place them in ranks. 

The Bishop! (part two)

Today's update features some almost-but-not-quite-finished models. I'll be varnishing them tomorrow, but I thought some work in progress stuff was overdue.

Ok Devious, don't move!

1,200 point challenge...COMPLETE!

I've done it!

This shot, while an impressive view of the army, isn't very detailed or well lit.

I've been very baaaad

In this season of post-Christmas purging, like many gamers I made a small resolution not to buy any more models until I've painted the ones I have. This recently went out of the window when a retailer had an online bargain bin sale with a few things I wanted at knockdown prices. The lure of cheap models with the fear of limited stock is such a terrible snare.

No apologies for the pun.

Spider 'Mech!

Does whatever a Spider-'Mech does

You know how it goes, no blog updates come for ages and the next update is three times the usual length. So many 'Mechs to post here, so many new rules to gush about, so little time.

Back to the 1,200 Point Challenge

Yet again Mantic have dangled the possibility of a big global participation campaign in front of me, so I decided to count up my Normans to see if I had enough. After 30 minutes ranking everyone up in the movement trays (I probably should have provided a picture...) I discovered I was 4 crossbowmen and a few licks of paint shy of 1,500 points!

Impulse buys from my local gaming shop/cafe. Lovely figures though.

Honour the Dragon

Well, the models that I posted as works-in-progress have now been finished, based and varnished. Here they are for your dubious pleasure.

A 'Lance' (squad) of House Kurita Battle'Mechs

A Night on Bare-Metal Mountain

This week I moved to a different provincial city because of work, and must suffer much reduced painting space and time for the next four years. I therefore present a sample of my work from the last few months, which you will note contains only four finished figures (and their bases aren't quite done yet either.)

Left: two peasants from Gripping Beast's civilians range. Right, two Games Workshop marauders from the 90's
Notice how I post the nice 'finished' pic first...

Now (partly) Finished

Well, after a long time I've at last finished the basing on the latest batch of Anglo-Normans, plus made progress on the 'Mechs. I leave work for two months tomorrow, so hopefully updates will become more frequent (some hope).

Archers in a variety of postures, featuring the last of the Wargames Factory torsos.

Merry War (Christmas is over)

In a herculean feat of modelling endurance, I have managed to paint the 27 models I received for Christmas in only 4 months!. To celebrate this enormous achievement, I present to you a group shot for your viewing pleasure. 

Models more or less grouped by manufacturer, Perry knights, spearmen and command, Gripping Beast crossbowmen, and crusader spearmen make up the centre.

Mission Creep

I know that I do *technically* have enough models, painted and unpainted, for a reasonably sized Anglo-Norman army. Unfortunately the lure of Reasonable Female Miniatures (buy some!) plus the Dice Bag Lady's new selection of heads, with more medieval-friendly hairdos, has led me to spend worrying sums on new stuff. What makes things worse is that at some point I'm going to want a camp element, which will no doubt involve expenditure on tents, camp followers (ooh Matron!) etc.

 

So, the following post, as well as containing the latest finished efforts, will showcase some of my most adventurous conversions yet, using actual modelling putty.

All but the one on the left are finished, she needs a sling in her hand.

The First of Many Hastings Battle Reports

As some of you may have noticed, this year it's the 950th anniversary of the Most Memorable Date In English History. Aside from a thread or two on Lead Adventure posting progress for mega-games at shows, I haven't really seen as many refights as I would have expected. So, needing an excuse to try out Basic Impetvs, I asked Derek to rustle up his Early Medieval legions and we gave it a go...

Harold's troops line Senlac Ridge, Huscarls (household troops) in the centre, Great Fyrd (Home Guard) covering the flanks and his main force of Fyrd (Territorial Army).

Duke William drew his practiced eye over Senlac ridge, where the usurper King Harold's troops stood between him and his rightful crown. Harold himself was in the centre, surrounded by his Huscarls, with weaker troops on the wings. The germ of a plan grew in William's mind: if he could overwhelm one flank, his knights stood an excellent chance of rolling up the Saxon battle line. He gave himself a quiet nod  before turning to bark orders to his men.