Federates States of America fleet

Today I finished up a Dystopian Wars fleet. Base don the a planes, I'd guess these are about 1/1200-scale based on the size of the planes. This fleet is from the Federates States of America and their signature is side-wheel propulsion systems.

The carrier is a double decker (the top level comes off) with four paddle wheels and a slew of anti-air weaponry. The planes looks like a steam-punk version of a Corsair.

The fleet came with a battleship. There were a number of weapons options, but I chose the missiles. Escorting the battleship are three Guilford-class destroyers, each with a brace of missiles.

There are three medium cruisers, again modeled with missiles. And (below) nine frigates.

Finally, there are 30 or more bases of tiny fliers. Apologies these are slightly out of focus. Overall, a treat to paint and very cool looking.

Up next: The club is Tuesday and I have to get my game ready. I am also sorting a very generous donation to our convention silent auction (hint: lots of 15mm troops in many periods).

More World at War

Bruce hauled out half of a Normandy scenario last night. After enduring ribbing about his self-propelled smoke generators (Shermans), we got under way with the Germans holding the village on the right (below) and the British advancing all across his baseline.

Alas, it appears that it was the Volksgrenadiers' day to drive the Panthers and I threw attack dice that consistently came up 1-2-3-1 (high is good in World at War). Then Bruce got a series of double impulses. Then the Typhoons showed up and kept sticking around (for the entire game--must be the new perpetual motion engines Churchill was on about!).

It was a slaughter. I think I killed one of his units (a Stuart, with an infantry assault in the woods). My reinforcements arrived and drove up the left side to grab the bridge and swing back around behind the British advance to grab a town but the Typhoons got them too!

Not that it would have matters, given how well entrenched the British were. And all of the Shermans survived! That will teach me to be cocky! Overall, a good game marred by terrible luck. But that happens!

Up next: Some dystopian wars ships then the club on Tuesday then back to 1/72-scale ancients. More Germanic horse, I think. Or maybe some Roman command stands. We'll see.

1/72-scale Germanic cavalry

As I work my way through the pile of plastic, I happened across a box of Strelet's 1/72-scale Germanic cavalry. These 12 riders might serve as light cavalry for the Romans or scouts for their Germanic opponents.

The sculpting of typical of Strelets: lots of deep detail, a bit cartoonish in places and a few dogs.

The fellow below, in particular, makes little sense. Maybe he is warding off a blow. But he is also looking right into the back of his shield. Looks worse in person than it does in the picture. There is also a fellow with a big metal belt who was, in a past life, a WWF champion?

These figures fit in nicely, in terms of size and sculpt with the MiniArt figures I'm currently using as medium and heavy cavalry. Strelets is left and MiniArt is right in the picture below. They are quite a bit beefier than the HaT fellows I painted last week.

Up next: Some WW2 gaming with Bruce tomorrow. Then onto some Dystopian Wars ships. I also have discovered six half-painted AWI dragoons that I will finish. This may inspire me to begin rebasing my AWI guys on washers. That will be a large, albeit mindless, last.

Springtime in the new forest

I decided it was time for a periodic refreshing of my terrain so I passed my old trees onto Bruce and spend some cash I earned on painting commissions on some new HO-scale Woodland Scenics trees.

I based them on washers and textured the bases but otherwise didn't fuss with them. They fit in well enough with 1/72-scale figures and one-per hex should work in CCA-style games.

I now have 24 trees which is enough to do this tree-heavy scenario at the club in 10 days. Between these trees and recent figure production, I think I'm good. Only question is how to denote the wagon lagers. I downloaded a paper wagon but it looks way to fiddly to do five. I wonder if there is a "top-down" crowd or camp shot I could just print out to denote the hexes are off limits. Even a top-down campfire would likely work.

Up next: Some 1/72-scale Germanic horse are coming along nicely. Since the weather is cooperating, I will also go out today and spray prime a steampunk fleet for painting.

EWG Club Night March 4

We had about 18 out at the club last night (wow!) with three or four games of Warmachine going at one point.

Scott hosted Chen, myself and newcomer Shawn (Sean?) at a game of War Rocket. Red on blue with some scenario notes that no one fully digested.

Things seemed good for blue until a lucky shot vaporized the large blue ship in the picture below. Love the simply mechanics in this game. Could be adapted for Star Trek or Star Wars.

Similar results on the other side of the board led to follow the leader as the smaller ships swarmed into the blind spot of the second big blue ship. Blue gave as good as they got, however and red held the board but only barely.

Dave hosted Wiley, Bruce and Terry in a game of Bolt Action WW2. This one will blow up next declares Dennis' finger.

 Alas, it was a Russian armoured group that burned instead.

Up next: 18 new trees are underway. Also some 1/72 Germanic horse. If it warms up this weekend I will spray some more steampunk ships.

More 1/72-scale revolting Britons

And the last of the Britons needed for the Boudica scenario are done. Alas, the trees are not. Oh well, good to have something in the can for the mid-March club night. Here are some samples of the Brits.

Again, it is a real mix of figures, including a bunch I got from Dave in a "my junk for your junk" box trade. His junk was really handy! The fellows below are Strelets except for the guy on the right. I'd like to know who makes him as he and several of his cronies were wonderfully easy to paint.

In more exciting news, a big order of HO-scale railway trees have arrived. These just need some weighted bases (perhaps this weekend). I will be passing my older trees to Bruce for his miniaturization of World at War on 2" hexes.

I also did nine mounted figures for the three cavalry units i needed. I think these guys are Italeria.

Up next: Club night this evening then onto some terrain. Then maybe some more steampunk ships.

Some revolting Britons

The next CCA game I want to run at the club is Boudica's revolt, but I found myself a few Celts short of an insurrection so some painting was in order. A puking child, a sore back and a small flood (across the hardwood, down through the floor and out the ceiling lights and door casings in the basement...) stalled painting but I'm making some progress (on all fronts). That it is -39 but feels like -50 in the wind has helped keep me indoors.

While I think there is only one general in this scenario, most CCA games require three command bases so I decided to knock them all off. I pulled a bunch of stuff out of some bags and boxes so the figures are a real mix. First up, we have Thor and his buddy who seems to be somewhat embarrassed by the boar standard. No idea on the manufacturers.

Then we have Boudica and her two daughters. These are HaT figures from a chariot kit (I think).

Then a generic Briton (Airfix?) with an anachronistic fellow (maybe Irish or Pict?) who will one-day get a banner on his spear.

I also needed a couple of units of slingers and managed to find eight figures. These are a real mix and I quite like the different poses.

Up next: I have a bunch of foot (light and auxilia) that are drying. And then 9 mounted Celts. Man, I hate painting mounted troops! Such messy poses with lots of fiddly bits to paint.