Warlord Games Scots Lancers - WIP

Tried using a can of Army Painter Quickshade Dark Tone my buddy gave me yesterday at the Fort Steilacoom Fix Bayonets game day. This is the first time I've tried it, and it gives a more brownish shade versus a darker shade of Minwax Tudor Satin stain. I ended up using my trusty old can of Minwax instead of the Quickshade.

Here's a comparison picture of the two stains - Army Painter was used on the figure on the far left, the other two Minwax. It's hard to make out the difference in the photo, but the Army Painter has a brownish tone versus the darker tone of Minwax. I suppose, I might just be more used to the darker shading.

Here's a comparison shot of the contents in the cans - Army Painter Quickshade Dark Tone on the left, and my aged can of Minwax Tudor Satin Stain.

The figures before staining.

Next, a couple of pictures of my Imjin War naval game using "At The Height Of Battle" by David Manley, and MT Miniatures 1/1200th ships. Most of the ships used were formerly in David "I Live With Cats" Sullivan's collection (We all really miss David). The players all said they enjoyed the game, but we all agreed that a modification to crew casualties would benefit future games. Specifically, unless you triple the die roll results in combat or shooting, no additional casualties matter after the first one. As written, unless the die roll results as mentioned previously, casualties only affect boarding combat by reducing dice by half. We thought having combat dice reduced by one per each loss in combat or shooting might make it better for both sides.

I had to leave after running my game in the morning period, as my back was hurting - I pulled some back muscles a few days before. Nothing serious, just old man stuff - heck I sometimes pull my back out just stretching. Anyway, more to follow with this ECW project, but will soon be playtesting a long-awaited (by me and others), Hawaiian Tribal Game. Until then, thanks again for visiting and wishing you all the best!

Warlord Games ECW Pike & Shotte Regiments

Finished three more foot units - King's Lifeguard, Sir Hopton's, and another Scots unit.

All of the pikes in the Scots and Lifeguard units are at the ready; and all of the pikes in Hopton's are upright.

Most of the Lifeguard pikemen are wearing armor - whether or not this is historically correct, I cannot say, but wanted them to look the part.

The kneeling Lifeguard pikemen are from the Swedish infantry set. Actually, the box only comes with two such figures, but I had a box, and my buddy gave me his two figures he wasn't going to use.

Musketeers in line - they're based 6 figures per 60x40mm rectangles. I prefer this basing over the 2 per 40mm squares, especially when blocked on the flanks of the pikes.

Simple patterns on the tartan cloaks of the Perry metal figures.

There are now 12 pike and shotte units - 6 each Royalist and Parliamentarian. First row, left to right: Rupert (R), King's Lifeguard (R), Newcastle (R); second row, left to right: Tyldesley (R), Talbot (R), Hopton (R); third row, left to right: Fairfax (P); Manchester (P); Essex (P); fourth row, left to right: Scots; Brooke (P); Scots. With the standards being single based, they can be swapped out with different flags if needed. Although I think the orange/tawny coats worn by Essex's men might be unique.

May add one more unit of Scots since I have left over metal figures for building one. Anyway, glad to have finished these last foot units up, and it's time to get to the Scots Lancers and Ordinance set. Thanks for checking out the blog, and wishing you all the best.

Warlord Games ECW Pike & Shotte Regiments - WIP Update

Just stained the new regiments with Minwax. The can of stain is pretty oldd, and getting quite thick in viscosity. However, I've been using it with mineral spirits thinning medium which seems to work out well. Anyway, just a quick update to show what I've been working on.

From left to right (as you might be able to see from the markings on the command blocks), Scots Covenanters, King's Lifeguard, and Sir Ralph Hopton's regiment. Of course, the ones in red and blue could be other regiments with the flag swapped out.

Will update once the figures are based. Until then, thanks again for stopping by and hope you all are doing well!

Warlord Games Scots Lancers Conversions - WIP

Used the lance arms and heads from spare/leftover Wargames Atlantic Heavy Cavalry and Conquistador parts. Also, metal beret heads from the Scots Battalia set. A little Tamiya putty was used for the gauntlet cuffs. The figures themselves came with the Scots Battalia Starter Army set which should've included the metal parts for the lancers. However, it was a re-sold opened box from the vendor (Noble Knight Games in the US) and listed with all parts included. After contacting the vendor and letting them know of the issue, they promptly gave me a partial refund. To be honest, I had wanted to try and use these Wargames Atlantic parts since I prefer using plastic instead of metal on the plastic riders. It seems to have worked out well enough.

Thanks for stopping by, and wishing you all the best!

Warlord Games ECW Foot - WIP

Working on an additional 3 foot regiments. The one on the left will be Hopton's in blue coats, the center one the King's Lifeguards, and the one on the right another Scots regiment. Awaiting the arrival of Perry metal Scots pikemen to complete that unit. Plan to paint the Scots with redcoats belonging to Earl of Crawford-Lindsay's Regiment of Foot. I also took the liberty of giving the Lifeguards a much more uniform and well-equipped appearance than they historically might have had. All of the musketeers are in Montero caps, and most of the pikemen are in armor. I used the kneeling pikemen from Swedish foot sets. The metal commands came from the Swedish and Scots sets.

Once these new units are completed, there will be a total of 12 regiments of foot - which should be enough for a decent game.

Warlord Games ECW Pike & Shotte Regiments

Finished three more foot regiments. Lord Brooke's in purple coats, Talbot's in yellow, and Essex's in orange.

There are now 9 foot regiments, and I hope to someday add 3 more for a total of 12 - which should make for a good 4 to 6 player game, with cavalry and artillery.

The pikemen and command are on metal washers to help ease their placement on movement trays - the pikemen with levelled pikes take some consideration of where to place them. Also, the flag bearer can be swapped out for different units, if needed.

For the record, this is the look I tried to achieve with the blocks of shotte - from period illustrations below.

Plan to start on the artillery set soon, however, it'll have to wait until next week since my son will be stopping by later this week from his Army assignment in Italy. He's actually coming to his friend's wedding, but will be staying with us while coming and going. Until next time, hope you all are doing well!

Warlord Games ECW Musketeers

Finished the shotte for three new regiments, pikemen and command to follow. Essex's orange coats, Brooke's in purple, and Talbot's in yellow.

They're in my preferred basing for shotte - 3x2 ranks on 60x40mm rectangles. I like the look of the shotte being more of a block formation when flanking the pikemen.

I only gave them a little highlighting after the Minwax staining as they're in close, rank and file formation.

Thanks for checking out the blog, and wishing you all the best. Oh, and I think I'm getting over my slight cold - abstained from alcohol and had a lot of chicken noodle soup.

Warlord Games ECW Musketeers - WIP

Nursing a cold I may have picked up on the flight back home last week, started work on some musketeers for several new foot regiments to take my mind off of a cough and slight body aches. Block painted the clothing and leather parts. Although, some of these regiments may never have faced each other on the historical battlefield, I couldn't resist the coat colors. The yellow coats are Sir Gilbert Talbot's regiment, the purple coats are Lord Brooke's, and the orange/tawny coats the Earl of Essex's.

Back in Hawaii there is some good news, my mom started having a care giver show up for several hours a few times a week, and she gets on well with her. She said her old toy dog who I was also taking care of is always looking for me to return. Anyway, I plan to go back for a visit in the fall - when it is cooler. Thanks again for stopping by, and wishing you all the best.

Warlord Games Pike & Shotte Cuirassiers

Although the Royalist were not known to have many fully armored cavalry units, went ahead and gave them a conjectural Royalist flag. Hope to get a box of Scots Lancers to oppose them someday.

They painted up fairly quickly being mostly armored, except for the musician. 

In keeping with the rest of the Royalist cavalry, their saddle cloth are painted blue with white trim. This simplifies identification of units on the table.

I've been using a brown spray paint to basecoat the horses, and then brush on varying browns over it. This really speeds up painting cavalry. I vary horse tails and manes with black and buff.

Building back up my ECW collection is a longterm project, which I am not in any rush to finish. It's enjoyable, and a sort of hobby within a hobby.

Thank you for your visits and kind comments as always. Best regards to you all.

Back From Hawaii

Just got back from visiting my family in Hawaii early (1:30am-ish) Wednesday morning. I spent the two weeks there nursing both my 94 year old mom, and her elderly and ill little dog. My older brother, who lives with her, called me several weeks ago thinking my mom was on her last leg. She hadn't been eating much, and staying in bed almost all day. I made her breakfast every morning and she was eating all of her meals. By the time I was leaving, she had improved dramatically, both physically and mentally. We also started in home care service for her a few times a week - starting today (my brother just called, and he said it went very well). Anyway, I spent most of my days at home, which is only about 10 minutes walking distance to Waikiki. I found souvenir tiki keychains like the ones I bought off of ebay - at a very inexpensive price, in one of the numerous ABC stores along Waikiki.

The lighting gave them a washed out look in the photo - they're a little darker in person.

As you can see, the two new tikis and the .49 cents ABC store shopping bag were less than $10 total.

Green Stuff for the tikis' foundation base, and prior to drybrushing; the earlier two tikis are above them.

According to Ancient Hawaiian religion, there were four main gods - Kāne (the god of creation and the sky), Kū (the god of war), Lono (the god of peace and fertility), and Kanaloa (the god of the ocean). These four tikis can represent them guarding a sacred area, which can be a victory condition for an attacker to reach, and take some sacred item there.

In addition to the tikis, I based and primed the Warlord Games Pike & Shotte Cuirassiers and several mounted commanders.

All in all, I was happy to help get my mom back in good health, but it was very hot and humid the whole time there - and they don't have central air at the house. Also, I was a bit worried about my flight back to Washington as a downgraded hurricane with heavy winds and rain blew in a few days before I was to leave. On the gaming front, I'm scheduled to host an Imjin War naval game next month at Fort Steilcoom's Fix Bayonets game day. I was supposed to host this game last week at the Veterans Memorial Museum, but had to cancel due to my unexpected trip to Hawaii. Thanks again for stopping by, and wishing you all the best.

ECW Pike & Shotte Project Update

The project is up to 6 units each of pike & shotte and cavalry, thanks in no small part to my buddy kindly gifting me back two units each of those - including my dear Scots! I had kept my King Charles vignette and Prince Rupert and Boye command stand. My buddy is into Thirty Years War, specifically the Swedish phase, and not into the ECW, anyway.

In addition to these painted figures, I just received a couple more  boxes of foot from ebay, as well as a big order (for me) from Noble Knight Games. The Noble Knight order includes the Ordanance battery, cuirassiers, another box of foot, a saker gun, and several mounted commanders. I will have to hold off on painting them for a few weeks, as I'm heading to Hawaii in a couple of days to visit my family. 

I may update the blog while in Hawaii if I stumble into any hobby-related stuff, but I'm actually going to help out my brother whose been taking care of our 94 year old mom by himself. Until next time, wising you all the best.

Warlord Games ECW Cavalry

These are the two units from the second Army Starter box. Although I painted the coats (where visible) in green and white to match the earlier Manchester and Newcastle foot units, respectively, they have different unit flags. The guys in white have Prince Rupert's flag, and the green guys have one for the Earl of Essex. If I ever obtain the correct unit flags, they'll replace the ones here.

They're based in pairs on the 50x50mm bases that came with the box.

Kept with painting the saddle cloths blue for Royalists and red for Parliamentarians - just to keep them easier to ID on the table.

Incidentally, my buddy who I had sold off my ECW collection actually gifted me back two units of pike & shotte and cavalry each. I didn't ask him, but was willing to pay for them, but he said he had more than enough already. I plan to rebase the shotte on 60x40mm bases.

Thanks again for stopping by and wishing you all the best.