Friday, 18 December 2009

For a Fistful of Pesos

The Muswell Militia Xmas game (see previous post) was another battle between a Mexican Government army (mainly French, but also including some Mexicans and Austrians), and sundry Republican rifraf.  The forces were broadly similar in size, including roughly 7 battalions of infantry each, 3 squadrons of cavalry and a couple of guns.  Both sides were trying to capture a village; perhaps, from the enthusiasm with which they later assaulted it, it  was rumoured to contain a paychest full of pesos...

This game was to be the second playtest of the rules which Dr. Simon is designing; all the figures are his, and there is info about them on his blog.



Above, on the left are the Government forces; I commanded the cavalry (left foreground) and a couple of units of infantry just beyond them, and General Georges the five units of infantry and the guns in the left distance.



Above is a closer view of General Georges' Government infantry and guns.  If I recall correctly, the majority were French, including the Legion.  The hacienda in the distance is my Roman villa!  Dr. Simon has included a lot of cacti on the bases, of various kinds, which help build the Mexican atmosphere.  The guns feature some fine succulents.



Above, commanding the Republicans were General Ian (furthest from the camera) who commanded a vertiable phalanx of revolutionary infantry and guns facing the village, and General David who faced (and marginally outnumbered) my wing.

 

Here is a closeup of General Ian's revolutionary scum who contested the village with the brave poilus.

 

Both cavalry wings included a lot of lancers; mine were mostly Chasseurs d'Afrique; I'm not sure what General David's (above) were but they looked extremely scary with lances as long as kontos! 

Tomorrow I'll run through the battle.

Thursday, 17 December 2009

Muswell Militia Xmas Game


Tonight we gathered for the last game of the year.  We had pretty well a full turnout of the local (as opposed to virtual) membership of Muswell Militia; the clubhouse was packed!  From left to right Wabby George, Dave, Dr Simon (who brought all the Mexicans), Ian and yours truly.

Dr Simon has written about the miniatures in his new blog.  An account of the battle (or should I say rout?) to follow. 

Aepycamelus greens


I have very much enjoyed sculpting dead nellie, this week, and so have decided to revive a long-abandoned project.  I've dug some old greens out of my drawer and, after some useful advice from TimeLine Barry, have reshaped the legs and bases to make them easier to cast.  The models are only "skeletons" at the moment.


They will hopefully, in spare moments over Xmas, become aepycamelus , an extinct breed of American cameloids who developed long necks to feed off leaves.  I have a plan for them...

New Polemarch Cavalry Released

I'm cautiously excited by the new Polemarch Successor cavalry that popped up on the 'net yesterday.


The photos are alas not great, and one or two of the riders don't appear to be seated on the horses all that well.  I suspect that the photos were taken in bit of a rush, and I think that it would be worth revisiting them, as I fear that they don't do justice to the miniatures. 

Some of the riders look very nice, though, and I shall buy a few samples in order to see them in the flesh.  I aspire to a big Successor army next year.  The price seems fair, too.

Does anyone know about the square shield on the Tarentines?  I've always imagined them depicted with round shields and crested helmets, as in the AEMPW.  But I don't have the recent Osprey on Tarentines, perhaps more recent research has changed things.

Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Persian Cavalryman Green


I had a nice chat with Barry from TimeLine this morning.  Barry showed me a green that he is working on (above), depicting a Persian Heavy Cavalryman (in bigger 28mm; roughly Foundry size).  I think it looks rather spiffing, especially the sculpting of the horse and the scale armour.  I want to try making some scale myself, now.

He also gave me some advice on a couple of greens I've been working on; once I've rebuilt them, I'll post a picture.

Tuesday, 15 December 2009

Dead Nellie Done


Possibly the best dead Loxodonta Cyclotis (without a howdah) model in the world. 

Probably the only dead Loxodonta Cyclotis (without a howdah) model in the world. ;-)

This is a dead forest elephant, around 40mm to the shoulder, as (probably) used by the Carthaginians.  It's not clear in this photo, but the rear right leg crosses the rear left and rests on the ground.  I'm hoping to get 10 cast for our Zama game, which I'll customise so that each is slightly different form the next.  They'll take the place of the "live" elephants as they are killed.


Monday, 14 December 2009

Dead Nellie II


I'm half way through texturing Dead Nellie.  I've added some very short tusks; I don't know if it'll be possible to cast them.  They may have to be trimmed or removed.  The eye needs some work, too. 

I think it'll look half decent when finished, tonight.