Bring on 2013!

I was going to post on the pictures of the first retainers for the Mastons, in their fancy black and green, but i was drafted in to help clear bamboo and by the time we called it a day it was too dark to take photos. So they'll have to wait for next year :)

I have also decided on the forces for the Mastons and the Walkers:

Mastons:

Richard, banner, squire and 3 or 4 mounted retainers.

Sergeant and 11 archers

Sergeant and 9 billmen

Walkers:

Nicolas, banner 1 or 2 squires and 2 men at arms

Sergeant and 11 archers

Sergeant and 11 billmen

Of course, billmen include some men at arms, included in the general mass.

I also have a small band under Woode, a local gentleman:

Woode:

Woode and 5 mounted retainers.

Sergeant and 5 archers (or remove and add 3 mounted men)

Work has begun on the militia, well, a base coat. These will be started shortly, but so does my schoolwork :(

2012 was pretty good for me, seeing my collection start with my Vikings and Saxons, and expanding to a horde of Perrys and buildings! I won't be buying more for some time, except maybe some peasants, animals and wagons. Or a gun...

Next time, there will be pictures!

Blood in the South - the follow up

You might have read the first part, where Adam and his men attacked his old rival instead of following the Queen. Well, i decided to continue the story...

While Adam was off plundering and what not, the Lancastrian army has been defeated at Tewkesbury, and the Queen is trying to escape. The Yorkists are fast on their tail, but Adam arrives and is ordered to hold off the pursuers to give time for the others to escape. Always a hero, Adam readies his men for the battle.

I played the game as a battle with the Dux rules, using Jim's cards and some of his ideas.

The forces entered the table from opposite corners. Adam was near a hill, and planned to form a stand of pike to hold off the Yorkists.

Both sides started with a speech, which reduced the Yorkist's morale and fate hand by 1, and raised the Lancastrian's by 1. Next, Adam's men had a drink, gaining 2 morale but putting 2 bibamus cards in the deck. Not good.

And so the battle commences!

The pursuers, with their retinue spears fighting mounted.

And they're off! The second Yorkist leader is drawn first and the cavalry ride down the left, followed by the Danish crossbowmen.

Adam's force moves into position, the small hill becoming priority for both sides. On the left are some household (elite) archers, and some German hand gonners.

Test rule number one: massed bow fire. Here, 2 groups deploy one behind the other, adding a +1 modifier to hit and effect on the front group. Result: three dead mercs.

Surprised by the speedy Yorkist advance, the Germans close ranks and level their pikes as the Yorkist horse rides into view.

Danes take cover.

The Germans advance up the slope, met by the Yorkist lord and his household men at arms.

Meanwhile, the horse charge Adam and his men at arms. Although the men at arms are confused by the drink, some idiot cries treachery and the charge falters in confusion...

Four retainers are dragged from the saddle and cut down. Time to run.

The Lord is made of firmer stuff, however, and the Germans are pushed off the hill.

Get down!

On the other flank, both sides fire arrows and gonnes at each other, resulting in casualties for both sides.

The Germans have had enough,and pull though the men at arms. The Yorkist lord drives on.

And is repulsed! Both sides wait and shore up morale, then the Yorkists go in again.

Confusing melee.

This leader's not happy though, and refuses to budge until something good happens (this card, 'look what a fine mess you got me into!' forces a leader to stay unactivated until his side wins a combat, which wasn't happening for the Lancastrians at this time).

As the men at arms grind on, the Danes, who have so far done nothing, run to catch up and join in the scrap with sword, axe and buckler.

In the end, another man at arms is killed and much shock is delivered. The archers on the other flank have packed it in and run, so i called it game.

(It might have seemed easy, but in fact it was only a +1 win)

Adam is later captured, tried, and executed for his crimes.

The rules bit:

The other purpose of this battle was to test Jim's new battle rules, such as massed shooting and stand of pike. There was one big thing i noticed when playing; bows are (too?) deadly, such as when the 3 mercs got killed with one volley. On the Yorkist right, they lost 4 household archers to bow fire in several turns.

Perhaps they need toning down a little? Sure, bows were dangerous, but then again it depends if i want to play a wargame or a historically correct game. For the wargame, i want more combat, as a shooting affair is less fun.

I thought the +1 to hit was fine, but +1 on the effect roll means elite die on a 5 or 6, 'levies' on a 4+. It must be thought over however...

Stand of pikes was good though, even if it did not help the Germans much.

I do really want to start a campaign soon, either a family feud, or try my Routier idea, using elements from Jim's Lords of War. Or continue my Viking and Saxon one, when i fought one battle, and haven't continued. This blog is scyld and seax, after all!

A bit of blabbering

Hope everyone had a very merry Christmas yesterday, with plenty of presents, which may or may not be wargames associated. I got the rest of the Perry miniatures (some of the 102 men mentioned the other day, in my last post), as well as 2 men at arms books, one for the Wars of the Roses (bizarrely) and Scandinavian  Armies 1300-1500. Read a bit, they seem like good books. I do like the men at arms, for they explain things quite simply, and lay good foundations to further, more complete reading later.

From Guerre Miniatures i also got a free tape measure with the shop logo on, and a business card with a little note wishing me a happy Christmas. It was nice to read it, i'm now a regular customer!

Plans for 2013? Nothing special, just continue chipping pleasurably away at the plastic mountain. I have made a start on the Maston's retinue (the mounted commander from the last post). They are in black and green, with their badge a sort of flower or wheat head. It is rather similar to a badge of another lord, but it looks good, so why not!

As for the Walkers, i'm still pondering on colours. Their badge will be a stag's head.

Right, next post will be the current Maston retinue, let's hope it's as sunny tomorrow as it was today (the joys of France, sun on Christmas in the middle of December)!

Parade

After getting another 102 figures through the post, I thought it was time to sort out the forces i've already got for the 15th century. It was also an opportunity to see all my figures out the box at the same time.

So, here there are on parade...

First off, my first Wars of the Roses figures i painted up, for use under Henry Stafford. I have begun plans on a small campaign, so i might change the name and banner to get a lesser noble/gentleman of the area.

The second retinue i painted, this time for Warwick. As above, they will become different people in my own little world.

Er, four men in blue and white. I was going to do more, but not sure on the colours. These might fight with the Germans, or serve as a tiny retinue for a squire.

The force of Hanbury. However, they might get a name change, as i'm making a new retinue for the Walkers; Barton perhaps?

The French. You can see the crossbowmen are done! Just bases to finish with some flock. I was going to create a bigger force, but after i decided to concentrate on the Wars of the Roses, these will be used as mercenaries, or possibly another low level noble, if i add some archers.

Ah, the Germans! Vicious devils.

The Danes, now with a leader. He had been knocking around a bit, and thought he was ideal for leading them. I have a couple of soldiers to paint up, as well as a handgunner.

Close up of the free hand on the pavise, a ship in front of some hills. I was going to do a city nearby but it looked terrible. I did a ship, as these are ex sailors who have stayed in England to fight for the highest bidder.

A bunch of men in lots of armour, but with no apparent loyalties. Since they're covered mostly in armour, i have added no retinue colours, so these could go anywhere. I have since added the war hammer armed chap to the Walker retinue.

No more Lowlander, but now the militia of Burton-upon-Trent. Same figures, came colours (eventually) but different name. I might add a couple of archers though, later on.

Unpainted part 1. Seeing the number of unpainted plastic in my boxes, i decided to add them to new retinues; the 3 men in the front row, left, have been added to the Mastons (more below).

Unpainted part 2. The two archers on the left have joined Hanbury (the red and greens above), and the man waving a glaive is a Walker, as has the man at arms with poleaxe on the second row. The man swinging his halberd, and the trumpeter, are now with the Mastons too.

The unpainted cavalry. The right hand man is now the Walker's younger son, Edmund. The rider on the left has a small fur cloak around his shoulders, when i wanted to try a Song of Fire and Ice, so he might look a bit haughty when finished!

Now, as said i have plans to make a couple of new retinues, one for the Walkers, one for the Mastons, both the central figures of my campaign.

I decided, to represent them, i needed a good looking leader. Although all my men are on single bases, i thought i'd take the liberty to do a couple on bigger bases.

So, first up is Richard Maston, along with his standard bearer and squire. I decided to change the horse gear  a bit, inspired by posts on the Lead Adventure Forum and blogs, not sure if it'll look any good when finished. The squire has a separate base, as it was a bit squished on the bosses' base.

And now for the Walkers. Once wool workers (Walker, for the men who walked on the wool along with other stuff to harden it), they have gained enough money to become 'gentlemen', owning land around Hanbury.

I didn't want another man on horse, so Nicolas is on foot. I know most men at arms used poleaxes, but the glaive looks nice. I wanted his left arm more out to the side at first, but now it looks like he's talking to his standard bearer.

The pavise might be removed, it was an after thought on something to add to the base.

I have drawn up a simple campaign map, based on the area i used to live. A few places have been exalted a bit, as Hanbury and Barton aren't big, even today, but if my world they have manors and are places on interest. The campaign is centered around Burton-upon-Trent, and is the ultimate prize for our lords.

And since they were all out, group shot!

Knowing the speed that i paint at, i might finish this project in 2014.

Happy Christmas everyone!

Would you like to live here?

Felt inspired and started a new building.

 

It might not be 100% historically correct, but i saw it in a game and wanted to make it. It would work for Runissia perfectly.

 

It will be timber framed, like my other medieval buildings.

 

I also made some conversions; two Runissians, using ideas posted yesterday, and two others. The two men with shields are Runissians. The man holding the flag (which is from the trumpet) will perhaps join the Hanbury retinue, or a new retinue. The man at arms might go with the flag bearer. He wears a gauntlet on his left hand, taken from the mounted men at arms box.

I will perhaps be buying some new figures soon, some for Runissia, but also some English for another retinue. I want to try out Jim's Lord of Battles campaign with plenty of longbows and mercs!

Ideas, ideas

Ah, some sun at last! I took advantage of the weather to get out the paints and continue my crossbowmen. They're still not finished, but slowly does it. The cloths are all done, just leather (it's a bigger part than you might think!), weapons and other bits, bolt quivers, crannequins, etc.

 

I've also been wondering on he subject of figures for my fantasy world. I've really wanted to make some of these, but i didn't want to start making some, then lose intrest and have half a dozen useless figures lying around. Years of daubling with periods and having a smatering of figures for each force has taught me to focus a bit.

But, after drawing and writing so much, i just want to try and make some in plastic. I thought about making only some command figures, and proxy the other men so i can play games, but i would really like to have a full army of Runissians one day.

 

I have already made some Runissians and Kaliads, such as this one here:

 

You might notice he has no thumb! By the time i had done all the chain mail, doing one thumb was just too much.

Needless to say, it took an age to poke the chain mail, and it would be a shame if all this work went to waste.

No shield so you can see the left arm.

As not to loose steam, i decided to note down some ideas, using the Perry bodies so i can actually make them afterwards. I plan to buy a box of Perrys and use them just for conversions to see what i come up with. Christmas is coming up so...

Anyway, on to the plans. I have included a small image of each body for those not familiar with these figures.

 

The first idea i had after painting the crossbow men; a brasir (freeman) levy carrying a spear on his shoulder. The arms are pike arms, and i shall glue a shield onto the left arm, a wargames factory round one.

This one is basically a Saxon or Viking with a breastplate. I thought it might look cool.



At first, there were no faulds (the groin armour) in Runissia, but i guess there is now!

This one will be a commander or unit leader. I think he will be menacing with a full face helm, as long as i don't mess it up.

 

An easy one, i just want to try and make him aim his polearm down, rather than 45 degrees like the Perry arms.

 

 

Bashing with shield, a sutibly dynamic pose if it works. If not, i shall have him lunging with a spear or halberd.

No really a conversion, but an idea for the body. Might make a long padded tunic for him, as to change him a little.

I also found something nice in my bits box. The wargames factory kite shields are too small for early medieval, but perfect for tear drop Kaliad shields! Just round off the bottom, and Bob's your uncle!

 

Maybe a WIP Runissia sometime soon?

2 battles and a teaser...

I've been recently testing my cards for my Runissia/Kaliad setting. As said before, this is sort of a testing field for new ideas.

Both games were raids, with the Runssians attacking. I used the 'extended lists' used by Jim for his Brungundian Succession war setting, adapted for the setting.

Note these are more groups of photos than a proper AAR, as near the end i lost the light and my photos look terrible.

 

First off, an attack on a village. Here is the Runissian force, moving on the table.

 

 

The figures i used was a mix of Perry medievals and Saxons and Vikings. Lords and nobles were in plate armour, although it doesn't exist in this setitng. Some imagination was required.

Here comes the Kaliad vanguard, some warriors, levy, and crossbowmen.

Another shot of the Kaliads. Warriors form the front row, levy the second.

First clash, with the Runissians chargin against the Kaliads, who have closed ranks. The Runissians can too close ranks, but chose not to here, to their cost.

The Kaliad khorv and his cavalry spy some Runissian archers they later charge and kill half of them before being forced back.

 

The Runissian lord and some warriors watching some Kaliad levies.



 

In the end, the Runissian lord was defeated after being weakened before, depsite heroric efforts by some Runissian elites to drive back some levies. Shock was desisive, however, and they pulled back and were killed.

 

Second game, this time to pillage the great hall.

 

The Runissians again, coming over the hill.

Runissian hunters spy the Kaliad vanguard.

The Kaliad force ranked up for battle.

This one lasted longer, as either side wished to attack. A shoot out evolved, and finally the Runissians advanced in closed ranks. After some hard fighting, the warriors were destoyed and the levy pushed back. Funnily enough, the Runissians only lost 2 (yes, two) archers in the whole game.

Not sure if giving the Runissians the ability to close ranks in raids is a good idea. Seeing as the Kaliads have mostly levies, on a straight up fight the Runissians would win. Some thinking required.

 

The games also last a lot longer with more men on the table, but commanding is more challenging, just like in reality i guess.

 

Finally, i've starting thinking about a new varient, this one a bit particulier. All i'll say is it's name; Dux Mirificus (how google translate is right!).

Watch this space!