15mm cavalry and year-end wrap-up

OI'm off to Bruce's this afternoon to play a couple of games of CCN. Before I go I thought I'd post the last few figures of 2012--some more 15mm cavalry. These fellows (nobles, I think--including a couple of guys hitting the sauce) bring my painting totals to somewhere around 1600 figures and items--about half of 2011's total.

Looking back at 2012, I played am immense number of card games with my wife and daughter (hundreds, according to my BGG account). I also played a fair number of family games (Pandemic, Carcassone, Checkers, Chess). Overall, I played more than one game a day on average.

In terms of proper games, I played 26 games of HoTT/DBA, which reflects a trip to Saskatoon in June and the EDBAG campaign this fall. Then comes Maurice (12) followed by a bunch of Richard Borg games (14: Memoir 44, CCA, Battlelore, CCN).

Gaming with Bruce also meant a fair number of “wars of North America” games (9: A Few acres of Snow, 1812: The invasion of Canada, Empires in America). Then there are 18 other games (usually one- or two-offs plays at the club or with Bruce).

I’m looking forward to Academy Games 1775 game this coming year as the kickstarter was funded. I’m also keen to play more CCA (working my way through the battles of the first expansion) plus some more War of 1812 battles using DBHx.

I've spent a fair bit of the autumn thinning my collection down to games and figures I'm likely to play with in 2012. A question for me remains my large collection of Star Trek ships. I'm going to see how War Rocket can be adapted to Star Trek before making any major changes. I'm also planning a thorough desk clearing tomorrow to see what needs to be done, what can be tossed and what can go up for sale.

Up next: The last bunch of 15mm cavalry are almost painted (just working on trim colours--perhaps I'll finish tonight). I also have more buildings and a CCN battle report for the new year.

Even more Gotham buildings

I finished the basic work on three more buildings last night as I fought with the glue on some 15mm cavalry (bad batch?). Basically I've done the build, the block painting and the wash.

These were slightly trickier buildings as two are corner buildings with a sight angle to the doorways. And the building on the left has some (as yet incomplete) canvas awnings to attach.

It looks to me like three buildings makes a nice-sized "block", especially if there is an alley or walkway between to the buildings. I'll get onto the window glass and decalling as I get more buildings completed.  I'll also add some detail to the roofs. I have one building being painted, three built and awaiting priming and several more sitting unbuilt.

Up next: Some 15mm cavalry should be dry by tomorrow. I'm also hopeful I'll get a game in next week. And I've started painted the last batch of 15mm troops.

More Gotham buildings

Some more HO-scale buildings for Gotham are done, excepting the window glass and some decals. Nice enough buildings.

Since I paid for all of the detail, I have been trying to bring it all up with drybrushing and a dark wash. It makes the buildings lot a bit tatty, which is part of the look I'm going for. Mostly I'm picturing 7th and 8th Avenues in downtown Calgary circa about 1986.

The roof-tops could use some extra detailing--there are all manner of vents and sights and bins in the railroad set that I bought. I will add these on when I get the buildings finished.

Up next: Some 15mm cavalry (maybe Sunday) and then some more buildings and 15mm cavalry. The weather has finally started to come around so I will be spray priming this afternoon.

Gotham starts to take shape

The first two buildings for downtown Gotham are more of less finished. These are Woodland Scenics HO-scale railway buildings that I got in a dad-and-lad starter pack. They still need the window glass glued in (I'll do all 15 buildings at once) and a bit more decalling. And a couple have signs that need o be attached.

And interesting feature of these buildings is that the pieces (for the most part) don't fit. In order to get an easy release from the mold, the edges of the walls tend to be tapered. This is no big deal to fix. The harder part is that the rear wall off all of the buildings is too long. For example, on a 21-foot section of wall, the wall is 5 inches too long.

I presume this is designed to allow lots of room for sanding the sloped edges square but it represents a real pain in the ass. Given the tolerances plastic models have, it is a shame that they couldn't get this section of wall a bit closer to the actual length (less sanding) or have molded on a couple of vertical guidelines (I'm basically guessing as to how much to cut off). Otherwise lovely kits.

Up next: Two more buildings are drying and seven more need priming. I also have another unit of 15mm cavalry well along.

More 15mm cavalry

Although I have been painting buildings the past few days, I'm still working to finish the hordes of 15mm cavalry for a commission. This is the third-last unit (second last is underway and I will build the last tonight--by New Year's or bust!) and I'm finally getting the hang of the flags.

These are Wallachian cavalry. Nice enough figures although all of the sculpts are starting to run together in my mind. I'm also painting with a larger brush and this is working out just fine.

Up next: I have four HO-scale buildings that are drying and should be ready tomorrow. I also have some more 15mm cavalry underway. And bruce will be back soon so I expect I'll get a game in at some point.

2013 Gaming Plans

With Christmas well in hand, I was downstairs painting and puttering this morning and got to thinking about when to do in 2013. First up is completing the superhero layout I've been working on. I've built seven HO-scale buildings over the past few days (about 30 minutes each) and am painting up the first four. While I managed to spray prime yesterday in -26C, the rest can wait until the weather improves--there is plenty of building to do in the meantime (more on that in a subsequent post).

After that, I'm starting to hit the bottom of my paint pile. One project is to paint the figures that came with my various Battlelore supplements and core game. I've been mulling doing this for awhile and expect to spend much of the spring doing that. I also have a few scenics to put some paint on and a set of Mighty Empire tiles to finish the back side of. And I might put some paint on a few of the MayDay auction items I have here in order to increase their value.

My hope is to do more gaming in 2013. My daughter is now old enough to play most games that don't require a lot of strategy so maybe we'll try some Commands and Colours Ancients--I've never worked my way through the Greek and Persian Supplement so that would be a good project.

Up next: Some 15mm cavalry and being based and another set are primed for painting. I am also gluing HO-scale buildings together with wild abandon.

Progress on superhero terrain board

I spent some time this morning painting some 15mm cavalry and made quite a lot of progress. As these dry and ready themselves for detailing, I turned my attention back to the superhero terrain boards.

I painted on sidewalks and crosswalks and then I washed and sealed the entire board to dirty it up a bit. Cutting the acrylic paint for the sidewalks with future allowed me to get a watercolour effect when I painted each panel on. It also enhanced the flow. Then a wash overtop added some grit. I will probably spray on a flat sealer when I get a chance.

I then cut a piece of grass to fit and built a park in the middle of the board to see how things looked with a bit terrain. If you image some 1940s-style buildings in the background, I think the effect is going to be just fine. The joint between the two boards is nearly invisible.

So I guess the next step is to start building some buildings! There are 15 in the railroad town box I picked up. We'll see how much time I get over the next few days to start building.

Up next: A unit of 15mm cavalry should finish up in a day or two. Then onto more 15mm cavalry before New Year's and the end of this commission. Maybe also some gaming when Bruce gets back.

Graveyard and terrain boards

I picked up a second bunch of tombstones at the club on Tuesday (thanks Scott and Terry) and put them together last night. The GW tombstones had their skulls cut off (great little pieces but what a pain in the ass to de-GWify them) and bases fashioned, so they would stand up as well as match the integral bases of the Hallowe'en tombstones. A quick bit of paint, some flock and done.

Here they are inside the wall of the graveyard--starting to get a nice effect! I have a matching grass mat that I will cut to fit when I get the gaming board further long.

Speaking of which, I have the board ready with base colours painted on. This is 41x48" and pulls apart into two 2x4 pieces for transport. You can't see it in the photo but I have sketched on sidewalks, gutter and indicated crosswalks. There is more painting to do to make the sidewalk and crosswalks look proper. Then the whole thing will get a brown wash to dirty it up.

In my mind, the centre area can be a factory and yard, a park, a stockyard or a cemetery while buildings would populate the edges. I have two buildings built and bought 15 more (a railway starter kit) to build this winter.

Up next: Some 15mm cavalry are primed and ready to start. Also likely some more work on the terrain boards and maybe I'll get a building underway.

Noble dwarves fight for you!

SOLD!

I picked up a bunch of 28mm dwarves in a trade about six months ago. I've painted up these Mantic Iron Breakers and am looking to send them on their way (no fantasy armies to add them to at my house).

There are 20 dwarves, including a leader, musician and standardbearer. There are also two dead dwarves. All from a smoke- and pet-free home.

One of the dwarves is carrying an attack poodle in lieu of a shield.  I'd like $20 (cost of the bare plastic) plus $15 shipping in Canada or the US (this is the cost of postage only). These guys have a small integral base that should easily fit atop any standard fantasy base. Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca.

Up next: I have built some more 15mm cavalry an will prime them along with some 28mm tombstones for painting. I also picked up a bunch of buildings today to build over the winter so I will start doing some figuring for my superhero terrain board.

FS painted 28mm Norman Army

SOLD!

I have for sale a painted 28mm Norman army. These are based on a 60mm frontage so work for HoTT, DBA, and Dux Bellorum. They could also be double based for Impetus, fudged for Hail Caesar or popped off their bases (all have integral bases) for WAB or SAGA.

There are 86 foot, 25 mounted and one aerial figures. These were built for DBA so they make may Norman-esque DBA armies. The price of the bare lead (unpainted) is about $125. I'm asking $150 plus postage (about $35 in Canada or the US because the metal figures are heavy). These are from a smoke- and pet-free home.

There are 8 bases of mounted: 7 bases have three riders each and one base has two riders. These are plastic Conquest Miniatures Normans. Shields are hand painted.

The core of the army are 12 bases of metal four-man foot units. These are predominantly Old Glory and about half have decalled shields (rest are hand painted).

There are 2 bases of metal seven-man hordes. A couple of these guys are armoured but most are bare-headed peasants.

There is a metal war wagon with a plastic rider and metal runner alongside. No idea who makes the wagon but there are two metal figures on board.

There are 3 bases of two-man skirmishers (combination of crossbows and spears). I'd use these as psiloi in DBA.

There are also 3 bases of missile troops with four shooters per base (all crossbow).

For those playing HoTT (or other games with heroes/leaders) there is 1 base with a hero standing on a small rise with a musician playing the lute as well as 1 base of three warriors with spears.

Finally, there is a murder of crows (or a glutter of ravens) as an aerial unit.

Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca. If you buy both this army ($150) and the Saxon army ($100) I have up for sale, the shipping cost drops to $50 and I will throw in a copy of Dux Bellorum.

FS painted 28mm Saxon Army

SOLD!

I have for sale a painted 28mm Saxon army. This was originally built for DBA and HoTT but the 60mm frontages would also work for Dux Bellorum, Impetus and Hail Caesar (the latter two with some fudging). All of the figures have integral bases so you could also easily dismount (short soak will loosen the glue) if you wanted to play WAB or SAGA.

The army comprises 64 foot, 6 mounted and three aerial figures. The bare "metal" cost of these figures is about $75. I would like $100 for them plus $25 postage (in Canada or the US). These are from a smoke- and pet-free home.

The bulk of the army comprises 12 four-man bases of foot. These are Wargames Factory Saxons (some armoured, some not) with handpainted shields. There also appear to be a few Old Glory metals and at least one GW LotR figure in here.

There are also 2 three-horse bases of cavalry. These are Conquest Games Normans with round shields and heads from Wargames Factory.

There are also 2 seven-man bases of hordes and 1 two-man base of skirmishers (psiloi in DBA).

Finally, to give this army some additional mobility in HoTT, there are three bases of plastic war hawks.

Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca. If you buy both this army ($100) and the Norman army ($150) I have up for sale, the shipping cost drops to $50 and I will throw in a copy of Dux Bellorum.

Club Night: War Rockets

We had 12 guys out for the last club night of the year and three games ran. Kevin and Elliot played some Hordes while Dave hosted four guys in a game of Commands and Colors Napoleonics, using some very pretty 1/72 figures. I believe they got two games in last night.

Scott brought out a three-sided, four-player game of War Rocket. I played the Privateers and my goal was to get the colourful civilian ships off the far side of the board.

Opposing me were Bruce's Imperials, whose job was to prevent the convoy from getting off the table. As you can see below, Bruce was pretty effective at disrupting my formation (you jerk!).

Annoying both of us were the saucer people (Terry and Chen) whose goal was simply to destroy both the red and blue fleets. In game one, they basically did that as Bruce and I beat the heck out of each other early on and were too weak to stop the saucers, despite making common cause.

We played a second game where Bruce and I still battled (a bit) but spent most of our time cooperating to bag the Saucer folks. We managed to beat the saucers down but, in the end, we had a tactical draw. I had more ships but no convoy left and there was little point is duking it out to the last man.

Overall, a very enjoyable fleet level game. I wonder if there has been a Star Trek adaptation?

Up next: Some 28mm dwarves and then back to some 15mm cavalry. Must buy glue today!

Extra superheroes for sale

As I prep my superhero game for the new year, I find that my initial enthusiasm resulted in me collecting a large number of extra figures that I don't really need. So there are up for sale. Any number of lots will ship in Canada or the US for $15.

First up is the Fantastic 4 (plus 1). I didn't know She-Hulk was a member at one time--guess that will teach me not to read a comic book for 25 years. All of the figures listed are Heroclix that have been removed from the bases, repainted and sealed, and then rebased on a metal washer with printed cobblestone terrain. $12 for the lot.

Next up are a bunch of X-Men plus Dr. Doom and the Hulk. There are 11 figures here for $20.

Then I have five Batman-related figures ($12 for the lot) and nine Batman-baddies ($20), including the Riddler, ManBat, Penguin, Joker, Mad Hatter, Harlequin, Poison Ivy, Bane and Catwoman.

Finally, I have most of the Justice League of America circa about 1986. Eleven Figures for $20. These include Wonder Woman, Firestorm, Aquaman, Hawkwoman, Batman, Hawkman, Elongated Man, Superman, Green Lantern, Zatanna and Black Canary.

These would be perfect for Super System 3. If you take all five lots, I will I cover the first $10 of the postage (so $5 pot in Canada or the US). Offers to bob.barnetson@shaw.ca.

More 15mm cavalry

One more unit of 15mm Polish cavalry has rolled off the production line. I have three more boxes to go and I'm aiming for the new year. These guys are glue hogs, though so I'll need to get some more.

I have a bunch of 28mm Mantic dwarves on the workbench right now and they are fairly fun to paint up. Cartoonish and animated and with some nice poses. There are a couple of places were the detail runs together to facilitate casting so I'll have to make some painting decisions about what should be where.

I also have put together a 4x4 wood frame (breaks down into two 2x4 panels for transport) as the base for my super heroes game. I now need to think about how to make it look like the mean streets of gotham. I have some paper roadway that can be printed. I might also paint it pavement colour and then hand detail sidewalks and whatnot. I'm thinking about four intersections with a central "block" in the middle of the board. The terrain itself can then be varied, depending on scenario.