Painting Pirates for Åcon: The Chinaman

Well, I was, but I just learned today that the Pirate game at Åcon is cancelled...

But here is the Oriental part of Captain Etton's crew.

There is something wrong with his forehead in this pic, I have to check if it is an actual painting error or just a speck of dust.

I have another two WIPs, but, frankly, my motivation for painting them has vanished into thin hot air, and next week or so I think I am going to spend most of my leisure time working on the driveway.

Ooops, I just noticed that I forgot to paint the buckle! Well, he will go back on the pain(t) station at a later point.

Here is the entire crew so far. I wonder if it will ever grow any further...

From this picture it is clear to me, that the thing on the Chinaman's forehead in the first pic must have been dust - or perhaps a bit of flock. Well, well...

Painting Pirates for Åcon: The Marksman

A former plantation slave, Eagle-Eye the native South American took to buccaneering before signing up with Captain Etton.

He is deadly with the musket, but always brings a knife to a gunfight (just in case).

Artizan Designs Buccaneer.

Painting Pirates for Åcon: Setting the Mood

I am getting ready for Åcon. The bottle is, of course, solely for reference purposes 😏

Painting Pirates for Åcon: The Fencer

Some of you may have wondered about all those vacation posts. Well, here is why I have had nothing else to show; I have been cleaning and painting minis for a Bring-and-Battle Pirate  game at Åcon 2020, an annual private gaming event in a Summer Cabin garden in Esbjerg.

Here is the first one - a Black Cat Bases fencer I got in a mystery bag deal many years ago.

I have not come up with a name for him, yet, but I imagine him coming from a wealthy family, getting into bad company, and then being disinherited by his father - leading him into a life of crime in order to uphold his dandy lifestyle.

Somehow he ended up as part of Captain Etton's crew, and here he plays the part of the archetypal swashbuckler (although he always brings a gun to a swordfight, just in case).

Osprey Wargames: Broken Legions

I got this recently, very delayed, as the first parcel from Osprey seems to have disappeared.

Never the less, here it is, and I look forward to read it.

Hasslefree: Shieldmaiden - For Blood Eagle and SAGA and...

I included this dynamic shieldmaiden miniature in my recent Hasslefree order. Not much to say about it; I expect to include her in my Blood Eagle Viking warband later this year (if I get around to it - lots of ongoing projects that also need attention at the moment)-

Blood Eagle: Another Horrible Dice Day

Shortly spoken, I am on the verge of giving up gaming. I am fed up with getting each and every one of my rare gaming sessions ruined by my dice rolling FAR below average, Today, I think I rolled 3 results over 4 on the d10; 2 Initiative Rolls, and one attack, which latter was, by the way, easily saved by my opponents Fate roll. I find that, what ever I do, I just see my troops wither away while I fail to do any damage to the enemy, and it is simply no fun to play anymore.

Today, I even played the Uruk-Hai, exactly the same force that the Rohirrim got creamed by when I was playing them, which just goes to show how awful everything works when I have to roll the dice for it.

Well, here are the pics from the game - might be the last ones I post in a while, as my motivation is now exactly ZERO. Playing a game really should spur me on to get more stuff painted, not drain me of any will to carry on.

We played 'The Raid', and 'the great hall' was the largest of the 3 buildings (not that it mattered, as it might as well have been on the moon).

The Set-up

Uruks charging in

The defenders tried to keep their archers out of charge range, and succeeded, but the arrows they fired had no effect.

Up until now, everything went according to plan - but then soon we started rolling dice...

Two Uruks down...

The defenders now outnumbered the attackers by more than 2 to 1 - and the third Uruk (the closest one) went down.
This is the point where I gave up.
I think we played 3 or 4 turns. What a fun game... Not.

Attic Attack IV: Day 2, Blood Eagle

I started Saturday playing my second game of Blood Eagle. Ulrik had brought a homebrewed warband of Gondorians (and a single Dwarf), and they squared off against my Uruk-Hai in another game of Assassination.

I spent most of the game rolling 3s and 4s on the d10, which shows all too well in the pictures below tracking the progress of the game (when I remembered to use my camera).

The game was rather intese, but I was also very frustrated by my many low rolls. Never the less, I managed to dispatch about half the enemy company, before my Leader was downed, but even though I ganged up on the Dol Amroth knight a couple of times, I could not beat his armour.

High Armour values/good Fate should be limited to main characters, I think, and otherwise high Armour should only be used by characters with medium to low Fate, as a character with the first combo can be very hard to dispatch.

As can be seen elsewhere on this blog, I am preparing some members of the Fellowship to be painted for Blood Eagle, and I expect to add Aragorn to my Rohan warband (followed by Legolas and Gimli), which should boost the points and fighting ability nicely.

Attic Attack IV: Day 1, Blood Eagle Part 2

As you can see from the two last pictures from my first game of Blood Eagle, my Rohirrim did not fare well.

We did not finish the game, as Valdemar had to drive back to Fredericia, a 3/4 of an hour's drive from my home, but things were a bit tight for the defenders, and it did not seem as if I could hold out for much longer.

Well, at least I got the rules tried out...

Attic Attack IV: Day 1, Blood Eagle Part 1

Finally got my first game of Blood Eagle played - this time with Valdemar, a new acquaintance met through another gamer's Facebook profile.

I played the Defenders of the East Emnet, while Valdemar took control of the Uruk-Hai raiders.

We played Assassination, as it is a very straightforward scenario, not demanding anything but a designated leader in both warbands.

The Uruk-Hai split up in two groups, one crossing the stream, the other heading for the bridge.

I already made my first tactical blunder here: I should have kept my archers at one flank, adding more bonus to volley fire.
Lesson learned and duly noted.

With the raiders closing in at full speed (running, -3 ranged attack penalty),
my archers could not beat any Armour, even though their lives depended on it.

Battle is joined!

I just realized that I have not edited all the pictures of the game, as some was taken after midnight - and thus I have to finish this AAR in a later post...

Chivalry: Test of the Jousting Rules

Back in April, Ulolkish/Duregar and I playtested the draft for my Chivalry jousting rules, and we used a mock-up 'jousting field', divided into two build-up areas and a presenting area (the middle-section).

We played through a full 'Round', consisting of three 'Passes', and in the third Pass. my marginally more experienced knight brought down his opponent, horse and all.

The losing knight was badly injured, and I may have to adjust the rules to avoid too many participants in a Tournée being forced to forfeit due to injuries.

I have not had time to do further work on the Chivalry project since April, as Blood Eagle has taken up most of my hobby time, and I need to figure out how and where to get iron/steel bases made to match two 25mm washers, but with straight side edges.

Blood Eagle: Uruk-Hai Warband Also Almost Finished!

As you can see, only some base decoration is still missing - and I have to repair the paintjob on the leader's face (I dropped him back at the beginning of this project, remember?), and hair.

If everything goes to plan, both Rohan warriors and the Uruk-Hai will be finished before noon tomorrow - and I have finished painting my first Viking, and am now in the process of doing his base!

Blood Eagle: Rohan/Saxon Warband all but Finished

A few touches more, and these are ready for the tabletop. At least the leader is going to have a tuft or two, and some fallen leaves on his base

Blood Eagle LotR Warbands: Last Stage of the Re-basing has Begun!

Just finished base-coating all the bases with Warzona Trench Brown.

Now they have to dry, before I apply a drybrush of the same colur mixed with white.

It feels as a mighty relief to finally get something done on these, again - this 'instant warbands' project has dragged on far too long by now!

I am now going to thave lunch, and then go for long walk (8 kilometers), before eathing up the potato-rows (if there is time for it, we have to go to a meeting at the school regarding a school camp for Lea's class at 16.30).

Well, at least I feel thatI have done progress, today!

Blood Eagle LotR Warbands: Re-basing almost complete!

This morning, before working in the garden, I slabbed some glue on the bases of these four Uruks, which caused me some trouble when I glued them to the washers.

I should be able to - at least - basecoat most of the bases of the two warbands tomorrow, BUT I still have some work to do in the garden, and I may have to spend some hours outside - unless we get a lot of rain, the forecasts are a bit uncertain.

At least, all the minis are now ready for some brushwork - it took me long enough, methinks!

OGAM: Greek/Roman Warband Project.

Well, it had to happen. A new set of rules = a new project.

Needless to say, I am going to make an OGAM Norse warband very soon, but they need somebody to fight, and as I have a bunch of WGF Caesarean Romans, I am going to make a Jupiter Optimus Maximus (Zeus) warband, based on the Greek Pantheon in OGAM.

I am going to include a unit of Satyrs, and as I bought some second-hand Citadel plastic Chaos Beastmen along with some plastic Bretonnians last year, I thought I would use some of those for this purpose.

Some of the Beastmen are covered in really bad paintjobs, and I thought this would be a good time to bring my ultra-sonic cleaner into service once more.

To the right, four Beastmen is getting their second treatment after getting a good scrub with a soft acrylic 'leather brush'.

This fellow to the right was ready after treatment with a brass 'leather brush'.

I need only four for this my first warband, the rest of the Mortals being formed of a unit of legionaires (Greek Hoplites) and one of Veteran Legionaires (Spartan Hoplites)- which I have to assemble and paint, too, as I do not have many ready for painting.

My two Legends will be a Centurion (Generic Greek Hero), and a Harpy - which I have to purchase, prep, and paint, and I think another Foundry order is building up.

I had hoped that I would not need further purchases this side of the summer holidays, but I really want some armies ready for OGAM as soon as possible.

It seems a fast and easy to pick up game (it is basically Song of Blades and Heroes, just with units for the rank-and-file troops instead of individual models), and, although I am not fan of pass-activation-roll-or-forfeit-your-turn games, the Ganesha engine is so straight forward, that a game does not require a lot of planning and rules-reading - just build your warband/army (yes, I think it scales very easily), and get stuck in - you can always avenge a defeat the next time (the Dice willing).

I also plan to make a 'Slann' warband from some of the painted Lizardmen army I purchased recently - I shall use the Slann as the deity, and some of the larger models (the Salamanders and the Terradons) as Legends (and I shall see if I can find some Kroxigors to fill this rôle, too).

I may have the Lizardman warband ready very soon, but the Romans will not be painted, until I have my Blood Eagle project ready for Åcon.

Shortly after I wrote the above, my ultrasonic cleaner blew a fuse, and now has to be de-commissioned. IF I can find the invoice for it, I may be able to get a re-fund, as I purchased it less than 2 years ago, but that is a very big 'if'.

Blood Eagle LotR: Rebasing Next Phase

All the Rohan warriors and about half the Uruks have landed in the sandpit.

Either this evening or tomorrow morning, I shall get the last Uruk-bases sanded, and start painting the bases already with sand.

Unfortunately, my regular gaming buddy Ulolkish/Duregar does not have time for gaming this weekend, but I guess, we can find time for testing the Blood Eagle rules and these LotR warbands next weekend, although it is in my 5-day night watch period (we just have to game after 3 p.m., so that I have sufficient time for sleeping).

Still Struggling with the Re-basing

I had some problems with the glue on a couple of the Uruk-Hai, so I have not yet completed the re-basing project, but I am close, now!

Tomorrow I shall begin glueing sand on the bases, and then - hopefully - paint most of the bases during the weekend.

Blood Eagle: Re-basing the Uruks

I did some work on the Uruk-Hai warband yesterday. I expect to glue the two remaining members onto washers today, and then start putting filler on the bases.

Blood Eagle, Uruk-Hai Scouts Warband: Shagbug

And, finally, the last member of the Isengard warband.

This evening, I shall start re-basing some of the Rohan/Saxon warriors, and I hope to have both warbands re-based and ready by the 20th, and that I can get a gaming appointment with Duregar/Ulolkish for the weekend, as I really to roll some dice and push some dollies.

The weather keeps showing itself from its most agreeable side, and as long as we have summer-like conditions, I shall have to focus on getting stuff done in the garden, but the forecasts promise colder weather from this upcoming weekend, which means much more indoor activity, so I am confident that a lot of progress will happen!

Name	Shagbûg, Uruk-Hai Scout Swordsman w/Helm									Points Cost
Attributes	Fate	FV	SV	Speed	Religion
Value	5+	+2	+0	+1	(Pagan)					26
Points	2	2	0	1						5
Traits	Endurance		Count Encumbrance as one level lighter							5
Armour	Hides and crude plate (mail byrnie), full helm					Encumbrance	(Medium) Light	Armour Rating:	11	9
Fighting Weapon	Attack Bonus	Hands Required	Fate Modifier	Notes						Points Cost
Sword, long	+3	1	-1							7
Unarmed - unskilled	+0	1	+1							0
Shooting Weapon	Attack Bonus	Hands Required	Fate Modifier	Range	Notes					Points Cost

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