Quetzalcoatl Rampant

Had a great time today at a monthly game day at Wizards Keep up in Auburn (WA State). I got to play in a Lion Rampant based game run by Kevin Smyth (A Gamer's Tale blog) using figures and rules modified by him and the late David Sullivan (I Live With Cats blog). The rules are still on David's blog somewhere. It's pretty much Lion Rampant, but with flavor for the period. The scenario was the Spanish along with their native allies attempting to take over the Aztec possessed areas, including crops of corn. I ran a "retinue" of Aztecs which included a couple of units of "knights" and other warriors (pictured below). The guy with the big blue hat was my overall leader - he looked like a Japanese Yokai.

Here are some other pictures from the game. We played about 5 or 6 turns, with the Spanish being declared the winner. It was hard to take out their armored swordsmen having Armour 3. The Aztec were given a special rule of blood sacrifice if passing a separate Courage test after inflicting casualties. We were awarded little hearts to signify this.

The Spanish and allied native left flank - which my units faced.

My skirmishing troops sceening "knights" behind them.

The GM brief prior to the start of the game. The store's gaming area is pretty large with our table located about midway.

These are the retinues at the start of the game - that is, one less which was the one I brought on at the end of the first turn.

Some of the figures are based as suggested by the author of Lion Rampant - that is, in multiples of 3, 2, or singly, for easier movement and casualty removal.

The Spanish center with light cannon, swordsmen, arquebusiers, cavalry, and native allies.

Next are a few pictures of another game going on during our game. It was an Ottoman vs. Polish game which the GM was trying out his own rules. Not quite sure how it played out as I as busy with the game I was in, but the figures looked beautiful.

Well, glad to have attended and participated in this monthly game day. I hadn't been to the even since last year - in fact, I think it was when I played in a Tribal game run by David Sullivan. So much for now - thanks again for visiting, and wishing you all well.

Spanish Colunela With Wargames Atlantic Conquistador Figures

Here are two colunela - each with a main body of pikemen with swordsmen mixed in, and flanked by arquebusiers. This is how I've interpreted the formation in the Death and The Landsknecht supplement.

Here's an excerpt of the Colunela special rules from the supplement.

These Wargames Atlantic figures paint up pretty quickly, and take the Minwax staining well - particularly on the quilted armor.

The pikes aren't as tall as the Warlord Games Landsknecht ones, but are close enough, and easier to handle.

This should be enough infantry for a trial game, but I still need to get some crewmen for the 3D printed cannon I already have. I reached out to Wargames Foundry to see if they'd let me order just crewmen - waiting to see what they say. I know Artizan sells crewmen separately, but I like the Foundry ones better. I wish Steel Fist still sold their crew separately, but looks like they only sell them along with the guns. Until next time, thanks for stopping by and hope you are all doing well.

Wargames Atlantic Conquistador - WIP

Picked up another box of these to add pikemen to the units. They've just been given a stain of Minwax over a basic block paint job using red and yellow as the primary colors.

Below shows them prior to the staining. The uniform colors are likely unhistorical, but I like how they look as a unit for gaming purposes.

I'll later post how they'll look with the earlier swordsmen and arquebusiers in Colunela formation per the supplement.

Napoleonic Prussian Artillery - 3D Print Models

These 3D resin models were picked up off of ebay. The set comes with 3 cannon (with howitzer options), and 4 crewmen per gun, as well as mounted and foot officers and drummer. Note: the mounted figure leaning over to his left is a Perry figure.

These will be part of my 1813 Campaign game - which I hope to run with either Black Powder or Valour and Fortitude. Something light, and easily picked up for an evening game with multiple players.

Interestingly, all the crewmen have uncovered shakos, which would've been unusual on campaign. In any case, I got to paint the top bands of the shakos to make them look more colorful. The NCO's shakos have gold bands, as well as gold trim on their colors and cuffs.

They're mounted on 85mm x 55mm bases - something I've used for most of my Napoleonic artillery.

Here are the command figures, along with the Perry Gneisenau figure.

They match up well with the Perry figure.

Below, a comparison with a Victrix French cannon and crew on the left. They're proportioned pretty similarly, IMO.

Here's the set prior to painting. The sprue trees in the back have extra equipment pieces, but I found them a bit too fragile to cut away - so didn't use them.

Well, glad to have these done, as now the Russians, Prussians, and Austrians all have artillery support to face the French. Thanks for checking out the blog, and hoping you all are having a safe and good summer.

Empire Knights or Gendarmes w/o Skirts

As mentioned before, I plan to use them for Italian Wars, although their armor is a bit more fantasy than historical. Proper looking French Gendarmes should have those skirted tunics over their armor. I did leave off their shields, but may add them later for an Empire army.

I used decals that came with the kit for the standard and also the musician's trumpet flag. Although the color scheme and helmets are for the Knights Panther, the decals are for the Order of the Blazing Sun. I thought they looked more like something from the period.

They are old models, and out of scale next to most 28mm figures, but I still like their overall look.

Along with the older Empire Knights unit painted up as Reiksguard.

Have some 3D resin printed Napoleonic Prussian artillery to work on next. Those should be the last figures needed for an 1813 Campaign game I hope to run later this year, in addition to an Italian Wars Pike & Shotte game. Until next time, thanks for stopping by, and wishing you all the best.

Empire Knights - WIP

Finished up the horses - inspired by the Knights Panther colors. They'll be used as proxies for French Gendarmes for Italian Wars.

The blue on the barding is darker than in the photos - the lighting washed it out a bit. I used a mixture of about 50:50 with Vallejo Dark Prussian Blue and Vallejo Ultramarine Blue.

The actual knights are up next. Plan on leaving off their shields to give them a more in-period look. Although I may add the shields for WHFB Empire stuff.

Death and The Landsknecht - Pike Block Upgrades

If I understand the rules in the new supplement correctly, I was able to add another 30-man pike block for a total of 8 blocks. Using the Arquebusiers and Swordsmen Forward! tactical upgrades special rules, I added two-each zweihander swordsmen and arquebusiers to 6 of the blocks (only had 12 zweihanders on hand - pardon the pun). I may add some to the other two units - one a Swiss block and the other the Black Band. Hopefully, this is how the author intended these upgrades to be used. I also arranged the pikemen wearing armor to the ranks immediately behind the first rank for the Armored Front Ranks special rule. Here are the 6 blocks with the arquebusiers and swordsmen, along with the leader and musician, in the front ranks.

Here are excerpts from the supplement of the special rules mentioned above.

The Swiss army list allows for the same upgrades. I have enough arquebusiers for the separate units to be deployed in Battle Line. I didn't see a provision for separate swordsmen units in the German lists.

Here's a picture of the 8 pike blocks - before I swapped out the arquebusiers for swordsmen.

I have to say that I was happy I based the figures individually. 

3D Print 1/16th Scale Achaean Warrior in Dendra Armor with Tower Shield

Here's the completed figure. I'm very pleased with this resin kit - minimal parts and very well-detailed throughout..

The interior of the shield is particularly well done - wicker work with support cross bars and sling.

EDIT: I've since rebased the figure on one with a smaller footprint; an oval one with the same width at the center. It's also a bit taller, so I used a thinner piece of foam over it.

I used the sponge method some folks use for AFV camo, but this was my first time trying it. Came out okay - I think better than using a brush which would've made the edges of the patches look too clean.

The detail of this sculpt is quite impressive - the leather edges of the armor have stitcing, and also securing staples. A lot of these details are the result from decades of academic research of the actual armor - which was discovered in a tomb in the 1960. The armor is dated to the 15th Century BC., and a couple of centuries before the Trojan War.

Below, he's next to a couple of 28mm Redoubt figures in the same type of armor. 

And on another note, FedEx just delivered my copy of "Death and The Landsknecht" - as well as the free figure of Richard de la Pole and few other things I added to the order to get the free shipping. 

Taking a cursory look at the contents of the supplement, it looks very nice indeed. Thanks again for visiting the blog, and hope you're all have a great summer.