2017 Cavalcade of Whimsey - the one true thread

[d_Guy]

I have spent most of my time recently working out and playing One Hour Wargames using various scales in  both Pike & Shot and Horse & Musket periods. Since it was a game in 10mm I did a Battle Report in this forum thread:

http://www.pendrakenforum.co.uk/index.php/topic,15565.0.html

I have done several other OHW battles that I won't do BatReps here (most are not 10mm) but if you care to have a look, various links are provided in this post in my primary blog for the games I bothered to document:
https://inredcoatragsattired.com/2017/02/12/some-fun-stuff/

I play solo and manage to frequently lose! So far I have played the British in 1809 and lost to the Russians - twice. I Played the English in 1643 and lost to the Scots - Irish Coalition - twice. I also played the English in 1639 and lost to a Scots Highland force.

The only time I have won so far is as the Irish Coalition against the English Commonwealth. Pathetic record (I'm 1-5).

It occurs to me that I put lots of links to my blogs in my forum posts which may look like trolling for hits (which is partly true). For most bloggers, blogging is about communicating (although a few are striving for hit numbers to increase the value of ad placement). I actually PAY for by blogs to assure that readers are NOT bothered by ads.

I read comments elsewhere that bloggers are validated by hits (like FBers who relish friends and likes). Maybe, but I get more validation by watching my posting rank insignia here become more and more extravagant.

Here is a picture of each of the other documented OHW games (in case you don't want to bother with the above links):

Der Kriegspielers (~20mm) Napoleonics 1809 (sort of) - British in foreground:



Various 25/28mm 1643 - English in foreground:

[DFlynSqrl]

I play solo and manage to frequently lose!

It's almost as if when you play solo your opponent can tell what you're thinking!   

On a side note, I'll have to add your blog to my reading list. 

[Techno]

Looking good, Bill.

Cheers - Phil.

[d_Guy]

It's almost as if when you play solo your opponent can tell what you're thinking!   

  very true - you very much need well differentiated multiple personalities to pull it off successfully (or great AI features).
At the moment my opponent is my thin, athletic and enormously focused self of near fifty years ago, while I play as my current fat, arthritic and slow-witted self. 

And again, gentlemen, thanks for the comments and DFlynSqrl also the blog follow.

[d_Guy]

Having been inspired by recent posts on the subject, I decided to photograph my progress on the Trojan War.

As always there is a blog post on the subject:
https://leadenshipsandtinmen.com/2017/02/16/trojan-war/

My 10mm Trojan War figures are using some custom hex sabots that Leon ran up for me back in the summer. They are individual but can also be permanently assembled In various ways:


The bases are only roughly done and the figures have not had their final going over ( not that I'm capable of much improvement).

Some Trojan heroes:


Some Achean heroes:


Ajax takes on Hector:


I am running somewhere in the neighborhood of 50/50 Pendraken / MM. I shimed up the Pendrakens so at the moment it is easy to tell which is which.

[fred.]

Cool - they look very effective, I don't think I would have thought of doing this sort of basing, its kind of a cross between board game and traditional wargame.

Are you doing units, or just heroes?

[DFlynSqrl]

This is very cool d_Guy.  The basing looks like it will be very effective.

[d_Guy]

Thanks Fred and DFS!

@Fred. There will be both units and individuals (although all figures will be based individually on pennies). I have a couple dozen archers, slingers and spearmen made up at this point and they are painted in neutral colors so they can fight for either side. A few of them (light green figure bases)  are in the first picture. The units are made up of different clusters of individual sabots (which are glued into a perminant form.
haven't worked out chariots yet.

I tend to lean in the direction of boardgames since many these days are designed for solo play. Most of my tabletop wargaming reflects this influence.

[Womble67]

Yeah  looks very effective

Take care

Andy

[sunjester]

I like the idea of 10mm Trojan War! 

[Techno]

They look cracking !

Cheers - Phil.

[d_Guy]

The unbearable limpness of pikes

During a discussion of pikemen cast with and without pikes about this time last year,
Bobgnar (on the TMP Renaissance Forum) suggested a liquid product that polymerizes to hardness with UV light (RapidFix):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QSA77NE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I finally got around to trying it and rather like the result.



Very simple procedure. Paint the clear fluid on the pike shaft then hit it with the UV light for 15 or 20 seconds::



The result is much less bendable pikes. I will note that the pikes shafts will now be somewhat glossy (in the first picture the pikes have already been treated and hardened so you can judge the glossiness). If this is disturbing, a matte finish could be applied. At some point I'll try this on a primed figure and see how well the polymer takes a coat of paint.


My blog post with additional info is here:
https://inredcoatragsattired.com/2017/03/14/messing-with-pikes/

[FierceKitty]

My God, those pikes! Strong with the Force my Landsknechts are!

[d_Guy]

 
Imagine a battle played in black light!

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Brilliant

[Leman]

No McTavish, I am your father.

[Westmarcher]

I suppose a night attack is out of the question, now, Sir?

[d_Guy]

Greetings all,
I finished the first two books of Scott Washburn's The Great Martian War and wanted a fighting machine in 10mm (more or less). I have ordered some tripods from Pendraken but made this out of wood bits and armature wire.

It attacks a couple batteries of Ulster Scot frame guns:


It turns to destroy two brigades of Irish Confederation Foot trying to flank it:

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Okay! 
Good work fella!

[Ithoriel]

Ulla!