The cutting of the corners

   Hobby time has been rarer than purple hydra droppings of late, I have however managed to grab a quick half hour to conduct a little experiment.

 First I think a small sprinkle from the shower hose of context may be in order. As all three of my regular readers will know I do like to bodge together my own settings in which to game. One such setting that I keep returning to is that of Olde Albilande. Now I may not have been able to physically hobby lately but the tiny squishy pile of biological matter I call my brain has not been idle oh no, it's returned to this festering isle with some quaint remodeling and ideas for campaigns yet to be played. Now this is a good thing (to me at least) but would require a bucket load of painting to be done. The thing that has always hobbled my plans to make this kind of thing a reality is the volume of miniatures needed. In my normal choice of miniature scale that is...

  But there exists a scale where painting up an army or two in a matter of days is very achievable, a scale in which I have dipped enough toes to have a decent working knowledge of just how wet with possibilities it is. I speak of course of 2mm, where all men are modelled equally (tiny) and impressionism is everything!. My arrival at this decision went like this:

 Brain (B):dooldalbilande,dooldalbilande,dooldalbilande,dooldal...etc

Me: Eh, sorry I wasn't listening.

B: you never do, that's why your life is such an utter pile o...

Me: Shut up or I'll start drinking again, see how you do with even less cells.

B: Bloody charming!. That's why I never talk to you anymore.

Me: did you want something?.

B:Yeah actually, I was saying dooldalbilande,dooldalbilande,dooldalbilande,dooldal...

Me: This again?, Look I can't be bothered to paint 4 whole forces just to play a campaign.

B: 6 forces.

Me: what?

B: 6 forces, I made some changes.

Me: well definitely not then, think on you useless  squidgy tosser!.

B: You never do what I want.

Me: that's because all your ideas are mental, listen to me: I DO NOT WANT TO PAINT FIFTY BASQUILLION MINIS!.

B: You don't  have to I have a good idea.

Me: For once.

B: Piss off, no you can do each army in 1:1 scale in no time.

Me: Have you been drinking?.

B: No just listen for once. What about 2mm?. You can paint loads of them.

Me: You may have a point there... I'll alert the media.

B: oh do fuck off, it's a good idea though isn't it?.

Me: maybe...

And on it went. I did however have some reservations. I can do lots of pretty cheap forces in no time but if I'm doing this I'm doing it in 1:1 scale and I'm taking time to do it to the best of my abilities (which isn't saying much!). 

  I went looking for inspiration and stumbled upon this post on the rather good Roundwood's world about modeling and painting some thirty years war forces. Now this approach to creating bases in 2mm really caught my interest. So the above experiment happened:

Some bases in the Roundwood style. They are ment to be from Old Albilandes early pike and shot period (about 1570 in our time, sort of after the Italian wars but before the Thirty years war)

Two infantry units, a mix of pike and handguns. The first has pike blocks between ranks of shot with two small 'folorn hope' units out front (in Albilande these units are normally made up of the least popular handgunners). The second is more of a loose formation with shot out front and on the wings. 

A unit of 100 Knights (the nobles still insist on charging about on horseback like it's the thirteenth century or something)

  A unit of  reiters in three ranks ready to unload a barrel of caracole on someone.

 I snapped these while the glue was still wet but hope to get them painted up soon. I'm pretty happy with them so far, I think a table full of these could look rather great so long as I manage to paint them effectively. The idea is to do the required forces in this scale to game some big battles then maybe do smaller forces in 10mm (or maybe even 15mm) for in between battle skirmishers.  Well that's the plan anyway...

...'till next time...

Iron Badgers?

 To the most honourable general Welchingtonne, 

    Sir, I have recently made the most favourable acquisition and request the services of your good self and your company in its recovery and subjection.

  You have no doubt come to hear of my good fortune at the card table, besting lord Carpingshire and lord Fossdirte in a hand of slippery fist to the tune of ten thousand gold marks apiece, however also humbled in said hand was that most lackwitted fool lord Stribblessorth, who upon learning my victory was too rich for his like was forced to hand over his claim on his remaining lands north of the upper marches. I am now soul owner of the last uncharted realm!. 

 Towhitt I wish to employ you to sail to Friggit bay at all haste with as many men at arms as you can muster with a firm view to claiming and subduing my new lands. The men (such as they are) of Stribblessorths' former holdings will provide support with lodgings, supplies and some leve troops for you to add to your ranks and use as you see fit. And pay no heed to their tales of giants, ghosts, goblins and the like, such stories of the wastes may dupe the peasantry but men of Valor such as us will not mess our gussets at the likes. 

  What say you sir?, Adventure and a great deal of coin awaits you upon your acceptance.

Lord P.D. Crimpletoppe esq.

P.s. those limp wristed dribble mouthed quill jockeys of the royal cartographers guild wish to send a team to map the lands as part of your force. The King's behind them as ever so try to keep them alive there's a good chap.

    The above letter was recovered from the Welchingtonne estate, sent to the famous mercenary General Armando 'rabid hamster' Welchingtonne, leader of the much feared Iron Badgers, the meanest licensed sell sword company of their age.  

The Iron Badgers in all their glory.

The Iron Badgers latest new fangled contraptions...TANKS!!!

They are 15mm Da Vinci tanks from Alternative Armies. I think they scale well with 10mm troops. 

The 'lands north of the upper marshes' referred to in the letter are believed to be the area known as the northern wastes, the last unconquered 'wild lands' within the realm's of King Fiddius the 14th, who's deeds would be passed around for a price between the lesser nobility. Many lords attempted to subdue the lands but none returned alive, the people's living on the boarders claiming that the 'devils and monsters' within would have done for them. No attempts had been made for many a year before this letter was sent.

 'Volunteer' troopers of the upper marches, now under the rule of Lord Crimpletoppe.

   So hopefully I will be using the above as the basis for some honest to goodness fantasy campaigning. I reckon I can collect and paint forces while the Iron Badgers attempt to subdue the ones already sorted in a series of games. However my gaming area has been invaded by one of The Amazing Mrs Sprinks' latest projects:

She assures me she's planning to turn it into a cupboard... however I think she may be trying to tell me something!.

...till next time...

  

Bag o' Bastards

 

Just a little ditty to set the tone

  

  Well it has to be said that things have been interesting here at chez Sprinks to say the least. Sprinklings 2: Son of Sprinks and 3: The Revenge have seen a huge spike in their Tourettes symptoms, so much so that both now hit, kick, throw and swear compulsively and in the case of Sprinkling 2 have tics in their legs that mean they require a wheelchair most of the time. To top that off the amazing Mrs Sprinks is having considerable back troubles meaning she is also struggling to get about. However we are muddling through and the kids are taking it in stride as much as possible so it could be worse.

But on the bright side I have finished my 10mm not Mongol army I mentioned Here.  It seems like a trivial thing with everything else going on but it's been surprising just what a great refuge a few hours hobby time can be 

The Bastard sons of the most black'ed Crow ride out to commit some form of dickishness or other!.

  They are a much feared gang of inbread raiders, excelling in ambushing and riding down trader caravans, trafficking contraband, raiding isolated settlements and providing mercenaries for anyone that needs them (and can stomach having them around). They are expert scavengers motivated to feed their greatest and grossest habit, that being the consumption of human flesh which takes on the center of their disgusting religious customs. The Sons are one of many such groups across the wastes that form an uneasy network to swap information and trade stolen goods and captives. When threatened the groups band together for mutual protection and can form an impressive and powerful army...if they can work together long enough.

My basic idea for the theme of the army was basically a medieval fantasy version of the classic American biker gang, but if they were cannibal rednecks. Sort of Sons of Anarchy meets Sawney Bean with a hint of Deliverance and the hills have eyes chucked onto the mix.

The latest additions:

2 units of veterans, mixed Lance and bow to follow the Mongol list I'm using as a base for the army.

The army's nobles. Heads of the extended family that is the Bastard sons.

 A couple of wasteland great eagles raised and trained from chicks by the sons. Most people think these creatures are noble and majestic beasts, however all dwellers of the wastes know them to be pricks. The eagles are used by the Sons for scouting and tracking potential pray.

 These eagles came from a job lot of painted bits off of evilbay, I just based them.

The army is now in a playable condition, I do have extra units of light and veteran horse waiting for paint but I have the required 8 units so I'm calling them done for now.

A Burgundian force attempts not to be eaten by horse riding wasteland loonies.

 If you are wondering why the pictures have an odd black shadow in the bottom corner it's because it turns out I can't be trusted to keep a phone in one piece!.  My device took a nose dive while I was completing some basic household chores and the screen and camera lenses seem to have lost a few hit points in the process. Hopefully I will have it sorted by my next post.

...'till next time...

Burgundian Ordonnance army done

  I managed a final push this afternoon to finish off the last two units for my 10mm Burgundian force. 

These two. These Gendarmes should finally give the army the punch they have been lacking. And with them done the army is now complete. Yay!. Here are some gratuitous army shots to show them off:

Repelling the Swiss!.

Speaking of finishing armies I only have a couple more units to do and the Swiss will also be done, then it's back to the greatest dilemma a Wargamer can ever wrestle with...What project do I do next?...I may have a couple of ideas...

...'till next time...

More late medieval tomfoolery

  I had a few pre-easter days off so managed to paint another Swiss pike block (and almost finished a second) in between watching far too much Trailer Park Boys, I even got another test game of this in:

 I decided to roughly link it to my last game, the plan being to play a very loose narrative campaign as I paint more units. In the last game the Swiss frankly mullered the Burgundians so this time I decided to put some slightly larger forces on the table to play a game where a hastily deployed Burgundian force have been tasked with slowing the Swiss advance to allow the main army to properly prepare to meet them. To that end a battlefield was prepared:

A field of battle, somewhere over the Burgundian border.  

 The basic idea was for the Burgundians to deploy on/ near the hill in the top of the picture, the Swiss would deploy opposite and must have more units over half strength than the opposition on the hill by the end of turn 5.

  Burgundians prepare to receive the Swiss (all minis are 10mm Pendraken).

Swiss pike form a strong center ( in the rules Swiss pike can 'double up' to create massive units).

Crossbows deployed on the hill on the Swiss left.

The final unit of pike march along the road on the right.

The battle begins with the Swiss advancing under heavy missile and artillery fire.

The Burgundians prepare to unleash another volley...

...Badly as it turned out!.

The Artillery take a heavy toll on the opposition as the Swiss close.

On the road the forces finally clash.

Which goes badly for the Burgundians.

In the centre the Swiss steamroller the Burgundian pike at the foot of the hill.

On the road the Swiss brush the opposing enemy aside and continue on.

The view from the Burgundian lines.

The final assault on the hill begins.

With just the archers left the Swiss move to the foot of the hill but it's too late!. The game ends with one unit each on the hill so a (very) narrow victory for the Burgundians!. They have done what they were ordered to do and slowed the Swiss enough to allow for a proper defence to be organised... although they would not live to see it.

The final positions at the end of the game.

Hopefully I will have some more painted units to show off soon meaning I will have an excuse for another game!. Yay!....

...'till next time...

A small piece of Swiss 'diplomacy'

   I managed to grab a few hours to myself this morning to get a quick game in so decided it would be a good idea to test one of the rule sets I am planning to use for my Swiss Burgundian wars project. The rules in question being:

Ancient and medieval wargaming by Neil Thomas.

 Having played and enjoyed his One hour Wargame rules i decided to pick up a copy.  The rules seem pretty simple (not One hour simple but still) which suits me as one thing that I find puts me off games these days is needlessly complex systems. They also seem to be very customizable with each unit only needing a few pieces of information to make them work ( their type, armour and morale level) along with a few simple special rules go give them flavour. So I decided to get the table set up and chuck some units together to give the rules a try.

  In the rules forces are made up of 8 units chosen from a set list, I had enough painted units for four a side. Also in the rules you win by reducing the enemy to two units, I decided that I would play until one side was completely wiped out.

A valley on the Swiss border about to get far less peaceful.

Swiss pike march onto the valley.

Swiss crossbow swing around the left to support the pike.

  A bevy of Burgundians stand in their way.

The Burgundians push their archers forward and form up the pike.

The Swiss advance. One of the Swiss special rules is that they have to advance at full speed and always engage the enemy if able.

The Swiss van take heavy damage from the Burgundian longbows and artillery.

Speaking of artillery, in the rules they roll 1d6 attacks each time they fire. However if they roll a 1 they explode and are destroyed. Guess what happened...

The Swiss crash into contact.

Crossbow continue to pour shots into the Burgundian line.

With the archers minced the pike clash.

Which goes the way you would expect!. 

Before long the writing is on the wall for anyone present that happens to not be Swiss!.

The rules play really nicely. I have to admit the Burgundians had little chance once the cannon blew up as it had caused plenty of damage before that and the rest of the force was heavily outmatched. I think once I have painted up their Gendarmes they may stand more of a chance. Combat was nice and 'crunchy', units would stand long enough for it to feel right without dragging on. Artillery is fairly random in effect having a random number of shots which feels right to me for the period as it was pretty new at the time. All in all a nice simple set with plenty of period flavour. It does exactly what a lot of bigger pricier rule systems do with a fraction of the faff. 

...'till next time...