10mm Pendraken Lizardmen Units

     This past week I completed some more units for my planned 10mm Lizardman Army for "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" mass combat fantasy rules.  Some of my readers will remember that a few weeks ago I posted the Giant Turtles that were the first Lizardman units I painted.
   So far, I did three stands of spear-armed troops, one of archers, and a Battlegroup leader, Wing Commander, and a Shaman.  Next up I hope to finish some cavalry and other assorted troops.

Three spear wielding Warbands and one of archers

The Wing Commander on his personal war-turtle "Pooky", a Battlegroup leader with banner, and a wise old shaman 

A close up of the regal Wing Commander

Battlegroup leader

Shaman

Spear close-up....

..and archers.

Dwarven Forge City Kickstarter Adds Battlements and Mega Street Pack

     I just wanted to let folks know that Dwarven Forge has now added Battlement sets, and several expanded Street sets to their City Builder Kickstarter.  And, with just two weeks to go, it's a great time to jump in on these deals.
You can check it out here: Dwarven Forge City Builder

UPDATE: In response to popular demand, Dwarven Forge just added a Sewers Only pledge level, so folks can buy into the sewer stuff without having to buy any of the building stuff.

Recently Painted 10mm Fantasy: Trojan Rabbit, and Sea-Elf Wizard

    This weekend I finished up a couple 10mm stands for my "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" fantasy armies.  The first of these is a 10mm 3-D printed "Trojan Rabbit", purchased from Shapeways.  My friend, Buck Surdu, and I both got one of these; and in talking about it, we decided we'd treat it as a kind of self-propelled  armored personal carrier.  So, to enable the "self-propelled' part, I modified some extra War-of-the-Roses figures I had to become "pushers", and glued them on the base as if pushing the rabbit forward.

Un cadeau!

Let's hope they remembered to get inside this time!

   The other figure I completed this week was an Elf Wizard for my Sea-Elf army.  I used an extra GW High Elf Wizard I had, and painted him in my Sea-Elf army colors.  I tried to paint him as if standing upon a water spout, and casting some sort of water-based spell.

Sea-Elf Wizard

Dwarven Forge City Builder Kickstarter

I just wanted to take a moment and let my readers know about the new Dwarven Forge City Builder Kickstarter.   It is introducing a neat new product from Dwarven Forge for creating modular city buildings.   While a little on the pricey side, I really like the "building block' nature of the components, and think it will be a lot of fun to play around with, besides being really beautifully crafted like everyone has come to expect from Dwarven Forge.

    I've gone in for the Hamlet set and a couple of the extra roof packs so far.  I'm interested to see just how far this one can go, knowing the success of past Dwarven Forge Kickstarters.

  To check it out for yourself, visit their Kickstarter Page.

EDIT  3.13.15:  As of last night, they have added several packs of some great looking sewers! Be sure to chck these out

Cold Wars Saturday Games in the HAWKs Room

It was busy from morning to night in the HAWKs room Saturday at Cold Wars.  In between my GM duties, I was able to get some shots of some of the other games going on in the room.  For reports on the "Battle of Paris, 1814" game and the "Battle of the Elven Capitol" game I was involved in, see Paris and Elves.

An overview of the room Saturday morning.

David Schlegel (in red hat) running his "Incident at Schlegel's Gulch" Wild West game using "Blood & Swash" rules

Duncan Adams (in maroon shirt) helps a player during his "West Bank at New Orleans, 1815" game using "Wellington Rules".

A close-up of the New Orleans game, as British try to storm the American positions.

Kevin Fischer's (in blue shirt) "Mobile Suit Gundam" game using "Mobile Suit Combat" rules

Norman Dean (pointing) explains an objective to a player at the start of his  Scarlet Pmpernel game using "They Seek Him Here, They Seek Him There" rules 

Another shot of the Scarlet Pimpernel game.

Eric Schlegel  (in black baseball hat) running his "Everyone Comes to Schlegel's Ferry" game using  GASLIGHT rules.

Sam Fusion (in black and gray sweater) giving the rules brief before his "Dan'l Boone to the Rescue" game using "Muskets and Tomahawks" rules. 

During a lull in the action around dinner time Sam Fusion presented several of the HAWKs with thank -you awards, including battalion challenge coins and battalion mugs, from the 114th Signal Battalion for the HAWKs' efforts in providing annual SLPD events for the battalion's Officers, Senior NCO's and Senior Civilian Leaders. For more info on the most recent HAWKs SLPD efforts, see SLPD

Battle For the Elf Capital, Using "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" Rules at Cold Wars

On Saturday night, we reset the 20 ft. table we had used for our morning Napoleonic game, "Battle of Paris, 1814", (See report here) with fantasy figures for a big 12-player  "Battle for the Elven Capital" game using the mass combat fantasy rules, "Bear Yourselves Valiantly" and 10mm figures. Buck, Surdu, Dave Wood, and I all co-GMed the game so there was plenty of help for players new to the rules.

An overview of the table. The Caledonian Heights can be seen in the back left of the table.

      In this outing, the High Elves (and some of their Elven cousins from the Woods and Sea), replaced the French from the earlier Battle of Paris game; and a loose alliance of Dwarves, Antmen, Undead, and Goblins replaced the Prussians and Russians from 1814.  This time the attackers were bent on  ransacking the Elven city and capturing the wealth it contained.

HAWK David Schlegel  helps a young gamer and his Mom. Both mother and child grasped the rules pretty quick and seemed to have a lot of fun co-commanding their Elven force.

    Apparently, the Elves had become over-secure and careless in their ever-increasing wealth, and the new outer walls of their growing city were only partially complete.  The alliance formed against them saw a keen opportunity to separate the Elves from their riches.

A force of Dwarves, with the Dwarven cavalry anchoring the right of the Allies line, advances towards the Heights

       The Elves chose the Caledonian Heights  on the outskirts of their city to anchor their stand against the invaders.  The Alliance formed on the plains below to make their attack, with the Dwarves and Antmen on the right and right-center,and the Undead on the left-center, and the Goblins on the far left.  

The beginning of the battle for the wall that lasted almost the whole game.  With  no one avialable nearby to hold the wall as the Dwarves neared, the local Elven commander sends his warband of Giant Eagles and a unit of Pixies to hold the wall. In the photo a unit of Dwarves has gained the first foothold on the top.

     With commands distributed among the players, the game began.  The Dwarves and Antmen started their stoic march on the Heights, as did the Undead on their left.  The Goblins on the far left advanced towards some built up areas and canals they needed to cross to gain the Heights.

The Goblin horde advances on the left, as HAWK Noah Guilbault helps a young Goblin commander conduct a melee on a unit of Elves defending a built-up area

     As the battle waged on the Heights, fortunes see-sawed back and forth.  Meanwhile, the Goblins on the left ran into stiff resistance and restricted approach lanes which greatly hampered their advance. In the center the desperate Elves had only a warband of Giant Eagles to send to defend their partial wall as the Dwarves approached. The Eagles were joined by a unit of Pixies as a back and forth battle developed for control of the walls.

The battle rages on the heights. In the foreground a pair of monstrous Dust -Devils prepares to assault an Elven unit, as Antmen come under a hail of Elven Archer fire.

    Just as in the historic game in the morning, the attackers seemed to be in reach of gaining their objective of capturing the hill right as their losses began to tell and some of the attacking warbands began to rout off the slopes.

Another view of the battle 

  There was massive carnage on all sides.  Besides the loss of many rank and file warriors, commanders and airships were brought down as well.   First one of the Goblin over-all commanders fell to some Elf Knights,  then the Elven Commander on his mighty dragon was cut down. The majestic Elven Airboat was brought down by a unit of Giant Wasps.

The battle for the wall continues. The Dwarves have now gained a stronger presence on the wall, and the Eagles are beginning to be the worse for wear.  In the end, the Eagles were eliminated and the Dwarves held the wall,  but a small remnant of Pixies still held out in the right-hand tower

    In the end, the Elves managed to hold the Caledoinain Heights at a heavy cost, and they were declared the victors.   Everyone seemed to have a good time and picked up the rules very quickly.  As GMs, we had a great time running the event for a great group of gamers.

An Elven Wizard creates a magical wall of flame to hamper the advance of some approaching Dwarves.

Cold War Report: The Battle of Paris 1814, using "Fate of Battle" Rules

Saturday morning we were up early to do the final set-up for our big 12 player "Battle of Paris, 1814" game using "Fate of Battle" rules and 10mm figures on a 20 ft. table.    The battle centered around the Montmartre Heights on the outskirts of the city, as Russian and Prussian armies attempted to storm the city and oust Napoleon.  Joseph, who had been left in charge of the city while Napoleon  was out trying to raise a new army, was supposed to have been fortifying Paris, but had only managed a few hasty defensive works as the enemy approached.
      Buck Surdu, Dave Wood and I were the GM's, but due to being short a few players, I ended up commanding a force rather than doing a lot of help with the game-mastering

An overview of the battlefield near the beginning. The Montmartre Heights can be seen in the back left of the table.

    The game began with the Prussians and Russians making the march towards the slopes and coming under long range cannon fire.  My command was located on the French right, were we attempted to fight a delaying withdrawal against superior numbers.

A view of the battlefield from the other end of the table. The ranks of Prussians and Russians can be seen preparing to climb the slopes. 

     As the battle raged on the Allies began to push further up the slopes. Meanwhile, on the French right, the canals and built-up areas prevented either the attackers or defenders from gaining a true initiative as movement was slowed and maneuver difficult.

Buck Surdu, pointing, helps a player work out an artillery fire result.

    It  eventually began to look to everyone that an Allied victory was inevitable, as the Allied forces neared the crest of the heights; but the wear of the uphill battle began to show on the attackers, as one after another brigade began to rout back down the heights. To everyone surprise it suddenly began to look like the French would be able to hold the heights after all.

Dave Wood, the other GM, explains a rule to an onlooking player.

      As the game wound down there were some tense turns as the French and Allies, like two battered boxers, tried to land some decisive punches on the heights, but both seemed too exhausted to do so.  When time was up, the French were declared the winner; as the Allies did not appear to have enough strength left to dislodge the remaining defenders from the hill.

A close-up  of some cavalry action on the French right, as a unit of Russian Cavalry appears on the flank and French cavalry turns to meet it. 

     Everyone seemed to have a good time, and it was a great group of players who took part.     I certainly enjoyed myself; even though no decisive outcome was had on the French right were I as located.  

The Allies push further up the heights, meeting a determined defense.

Dave helps measure a range, as fighting nears the crest. Some of the retreating Allies can be seen on the plain below the hill.

A shot of myself, maneuvering some cavalry to counter Russian cavalry dogging my steps as I attempt a gradual withdrawal.

Cold Wars HAWKs Room Friday Evening Report

After we finished our Friday evening Northwest Frontier by GASLIGHT game, (See here for a report on that game)  I was able to get around and take some shots of some of the other HAWKs room games that were going on.

Greg's "Dr Who and the Crash of te Byzantium" game

A Weeping Angel attacks in the caverns beneath the crashed Byzantium.

A frantic battle ensues within the crashed ship.

David's "Hunger Games" event drew a big crowd of players.

Jim's "SAGA" game was popular with the players.

Duncan's Monthyon WWI game using a homebrew variant of the "Look, Sarge, No Charts" rules

A close-up of French and German troops battling in a woods in the "Monthyon" game.

Cold Wars Report: Northwest Frontier by GASLIGHT

I arrived at Cold Wars Friday afternoon, had time to check  in to the hotel, unpack, and then helped Buck Surdu set up our Friday evening Northwest Frontier by GASLIGHT game.  I was scheduled to help GM, but  we were down a couple of players so I stepped in to take one of the commands.

An overview of the field, as the British start to set up a defensive position on the hill in the center to guard Wee Willie Winkie.

   The set up for the scenario was based on  a previous game, where the British had been tasked with rescuing Wee Willie Winkie from the evil Pasha's fortress. Now, the Brits were heading back with Wee Willie Winkie in tow, only to find themselves ambushed by a force of the Pasha's men, bent on retaking their prize.  The Pathans was aided by some Russian advisers who sent some old timberclad steam-tanks, and a small contingent of troops.

Another view of the table.  as a hot firefight develops near the center.

      Things got off to a great start when I decided to charge my commanding officer, Victoria Hawkes, at an approaching open-topped Russian Steam-lorry; with the goal of dispatching the driver.  The driver rolled a hit with his Scuffle, and I a miss.  I then promptly failed my Save roll, dying gloriously.  Much laughter followed.  

Russians charge the Female Hussars' Steam-Carriage. 

  My misfortune continued when I managed to have one of my two support helicopters shot down by the same steam-lorry, and my other one failed its Sustain roll on the first turn and was never able to get started again before crashing to the ground.  The driver was allowed a last ditch Save to auto-gyro safely down, but failed that miserably as well.

A unit of my Female Hussars ends up with the short stick in a melee against a unit of Pathans

        My last attempt at glory came when a group of Russians charged my broken down steam-carriage. I counter charged with a unit of Female Hussars, and a swirling melee developed on top of the vehicle.  Unfortunately, two of my troops rolled 20's on their Scuffle attempts and were ruled to have fallen off the top of the vehicle to their deaths. I did however win the battle and two of my Hussars retained control of the vehicle-top as the Russian unit failed their morale and ran.  At this time the vehicle crew inside the Steam-carraige had managed to repair their engine, and attempted to move the vehicle. This caught the two surviving Hussars on top by surprise apparently, as both failed their Save to not fall off a moving vehicle.  We decided all their troubles were caused by the long skirts the unit wore that made movement and balance difficult. :)

The Punjab Lancers charge a Timberclad Steam-Tank

    A last bit of British "heroics" occurred when the Punjab Lancers charged one of the  Pathan timberclads and attempted to use their lances through the gun port.  A lone Pathan commander charged the Lancers in return, and the sight of the lone crazed fanatic running madly at them was apparently too much, as the Lancers failed their "to stand" morale check and went fleeing back away from the Pathan commander and the vehicle!

In the end, the Pathans were unable to ever reach their prize.

    Despite all the British mishaps their modern firepower decided the day, as by game's end the Pathans were too badly chewed up to get at Wee Willie Winkie.  The British were declared the winner.  The game was a lot of fun to take part in and a good time was had by all.