Going Ballistic...

The last time I ran my Ancient armies on a gridded board with the Charlie Sweet Ancients Rules back circa 2013, it called to my attention the need for a few more War engine units to allow me to field as many of my ancient Ancient armies simultaneously as I might want. Around that time, Mega miniatures was having a going out of business sale. Along with a supply of new "chickens" of  many kinds, I also bought 4 of their  28mm Ballistas for only about $1.50 each. Such a deal!

They sat on the lead pile until this month when I needed them for my Ellis Con Ancient games with Legio Quaternarius. 

While more of a giant crossbow than an Ancient Ballista, they still serve the purpose.

I don't think I'd want a line of these things pointed in my direction!

I added the "bowstrings" with the same spool of black thread I've used for ships rigging, bows etc for at least 30 years. Anyone know where I can find some suitable crew figures?

A Wolf in Sheep's clothing?

As I've mentioned before, we tend to use farm and woodland anumals as markers in our games. In bwteen other oprojects, I did some new aditions from the models I aqyuired from Mega Miniatures before they sold off their molds abiout 2years ago.

First and especuially for Bob W., some especially toothsome sheep. 

I dio thjem in a variety of wool colors, for all your pre industrial knitting and weavuing needs!

Some lambs in the mix as well.

A litte; closer up; the camera makes the white look "whiter" than it actually is.

The sheep seem tio sense a threatening scent on the air....

as a pack of wolves approach form the edge of the forrest!

The MM Wolf Pack" had a nice variety - 3 running, one siting, one howling at the moon... or something. 

Also useful for Retreat from Moscow, North American Frontier, etc games!  We got to see an  American Arctic Grey Wolf up close a few year ago when a Wolf conservation group brought one to The Institute for American Indian Studies, less than 10 minutes drive away in neighboring Washington, CT. They are imnpressively large creatures!

A Feast for Crows

As some of you may know, we like to use various animals as markers for Disorder/Out of Command, etc. in our games, referred to generically as "chickens", from the most prevalent variety that we have. I'm always on the lookout for new types, so when Mega Miniatures  announced that they would be ceasing production in 2013 and selling off their molds, I bought a bunch of their various types of birds and animals, which will gradually appear here. It just happened that I finished up the crows and a few others last night, and someone asked about the availability of 28mm ravens on TMP, so this post came to the top of the "to do list"!

Mega Minis crows with some Redoubt Renaissance casualty figures. 

George R. R. Martin would be proud of the carnage, no doubt.  "I find Lannister most to my liking!"

Here are the crows by themselves. They were painted Payne's Grey (a very dark blue grey), dry brushed Purple and then dry brushed again with Hippo Grey, a medium dark neutral grey. I gave them red eyes and yellow bills to make them standout a bit more, but strictly speaking both should be black. 

I did a little reading on Crows before I painted them - they are supposedly among the most intelligent of all birds, use tools, and cooperative strategies as well. All Crows (and Ravens) belong to the genus Corvus, a word perhaps familiar to most wargamers as the name given to the spiked boarding plank device used by Romans to even the naval aspect of the conflict between Rome and Carthage during the 2nd Punic War. Various species of Crows are found on all continents except Antarctica. Crows figure prominently in American Indian and other mythologies... as much as they are hated by farmers!

  

Along with the rows, I got a couple of squirrels. My daughter  having worked in a vet;s office for years (and presently in Veterinary school), we have rehabilitated quite a number of orphaned baby squirrels over the years - they are quite affectionate when they are young, and ordinarily are not weaned until they are 3-4 months of age. They are wild animals, though, and have to be released when ready, both for their own benefit and by law. 

 "Hmm, is that unit is acting a bit squirrelly?"

"Nah, the Commander is just nuts!"

(And one gamer at a convention asked us why we use animals as markers - well, they look a lot better than random chits, etc, and they are excellent fodder for bad jokes and one liners!) 

Now her's a fellow that I encountered coming out of the back door of the office late one night. At first I thought it was a stray cat - the staff had been leaving food out for one. Well, they attracted a Polecat, too! We put a stop to that after my nocturnal encounter, LOL!

"Your Generalship stinks!"

In our Napoleonic Imaginations campaign using Warplan 5/5, Barry's tongue in cheek country is Fuddland, with Elmer as ruler. Pepe le Peu holds some kind of office in the Fuddland Government; perhaps he'll appear on the tabletop in a future game?

Dogged Prussian Napoleonic Generals

With plans to do Ligny and Waterloo in 2015, I need to add some more generals to my stable of Prussian commanders. I already have a stand for Feldmarschal von Blucher, plus Corps Commanders for von Kleist and von Thielman, plus "Brigade" commanders for von Roder, von Lehrman, Prinz Friedrich August von Preussen, Ziethen, von Klux and von Braun (ironically, an artillery officer; ? any relation to Wernher). These new additions will be used for Corps Commanders von Bulow and Pirch I, and brigade commanders von Kraft and von Tippleskirch  (hmm, does hie tipple Kirsch?).

First up is this rather Aryan looking fellow, accompanied by an infantryman and his schnauzer dog.

Old Glory figures; the dog is from the recently sold Mega Miniatures line. Being a "dog prson", I got a bunch of their dog models before they sold their molds last year. 

He wears the silver and black sash common to all Prussian officers. 

I think the colors came out very nicely on this vignette. These pictures were taken outdoors yesterday; my wife and I were about to head out to the gym lsate afternoon, when the sky became overcast - just the right light I liki to take my pictures in! My wife, fairly patiently, let me spend the ten minutes I needed to go outside (28 degrees, foot of snow plus on the ground!), and take these pictures! e have an outdoor spa (which we happily used on return form the gym), and the large flat cover of that is perfect for taking outdoor pictures (wUsyually with one of my felt table covers draped over it, as in this case).

Next up is this fellow wearing the bicorn and white plume allowed for the dress uniform. 

He could be an infantry or cavalry officer. 

It took several coats to get the red to come out bright like this, but I think it was worth it. 

The orange flowers are by Silflor. 

This Corps command stand has an infantry general wearing his cape and undress uniform.

and a cavalry general or aide (blue cap) wearing the uniform of his regiment, Hussar Regiment #6, "2nd Silesian".

A rather dashing looking duo, eh?

I think I'll use this base for von Bulow....

Here's a final Brigade commander, with his dog accompanying him. 

The crimson collar and cuffs mark him as an officer of the General Staff, perhaps detailed for temporary command of a Brigade. 

Like all Prussian general officers, his horse has a black sheepskin saddle cover with a silver star in the corner.

His dog bears a not entirely coincidental resemblance to our 6 month old Golden Retriever, Zoe. 

A tired dog is a good dog!  :-)