Here's the thing. If there was a bottom league for slow painters, not only would I be in it but I would also be in the relegation zone.
Having purchased The Pikeman's Lament (note that I cleverly omitted the apostrophe in the title), and considering my snail paced painting skills, the feasibility of starting a new project and completing it before the end of the decade, has started to occupy my mind. And with my current collections consisting of 10 and 15mm figures, Pendraken (naturally) is on the shortlist.
So, the question is, "Has anyone played The Pikeman's Lament, Lion Rampant or Dragon Rampant in 10mm and, in terms of the scale of the figures used, how did it go?" Plus, did you play 10mm using the same measurements (i.e., inches) or did you use centimetres instead? And were your unit sizes the same (i.e., 12 and 6 figures strong) or did you have more figures per unit (say, double sized)?
If you have played any of these games in a scale other than 28mm, I would also be interested in hearing about your experience (how you tackled measurements, etc.).
Whilst I have (so far) only played these rules using 28mm figures, I see no reason while you could not use them with smaller scales successfully. I have been giving it some thought for my own purposes and come up with two possible ways to go.
Firstly, use individually based 10mm figures and play the rules using cm instead of inches. This allows really cheap armies and to play on a much smaller table area.
Secondly, base groups of 10mm figures on 2p coins (say 3 foot or 2 mounted) and use each base to represent one figure in the rules.
I too am a VERY slow painter and that is why HOTT is so wonderful. Not only does it give a fun game, but requires only a few figures. I would say 50 or less as an average. Another advantage is that it doesn't take a lot of space to play and terrain pieces required are only a few, maybe 4-5 pieces at most. And when it comes to doing the armies, your imagination is the only inhibitor - be it historical, fantasy or a mix.
OK, I'll get off the HOTT soap box
Terry
I've played all in 10mm using the 3-2-1 system that Michael Leck, co-author of 'The Pikemens Lament', developed. See below for how the units look:
(https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8fFoL1HdwWQ/WiBpRQglxMI/AAAAAAAAF9U/VTxKRRBM4H8qGr5iBo7-8rnLOyrO5ENKACLcBGAs/s400/P1090537.JPG)
(https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-66ovqmmZD84/WiBpQCHyi-I/AAAAAAAAF9M/0edNXGuLnAQDbP7bACzG_uFZ8pH7KLVBwCLcBGAs/s400/P1090535.JPG)
The pikemen I kept at as a 2 & 1 system, to allow them to form a line and look better that way. Cavalry I base singly on 2p coins.
In terms of cms vs inches, I used both, but halved the inch measurements. Both work equally well.
For demo games at Salute, Michael counts each base as one figure, no matter how many are on it, thus giving the spectacle of a massed battle but easy counting in terms of 'casualty removal'.
Hope this helps?
Steve - I really like what you did with the 3-2-1 basing. :-bd
I had experimented a bit with using my regular 6 figures per 1x1" stands when I tried out PL a while back. Each represented one figure and I used ranges in inches. Of course I had pike units with 72 figures! Visually it Didn't quite capture the spirit of a skirmish level game. :)
I was going to post on this thread, but Steve J has already said almost exactly what I was going to say.
Except I'd use cm as a direct replacement for inches, and figures on the base actually counts. So a unit of 12 would be made up of 2x3-figs, 2x2-figs and 2x1-fig bases. Bases can be removed and/or replaced as required, and you always know how many figures are left in the unit.
Steve's units look really good. Might tempt me to base some up this way, as it would be pretty quick.
Base size wise, have you used 20mm, 25mm and 30mm?
Excellent. Thanks, guys. Your thoughts pretty much follow my own. Also reassuring to see you've actually played at this scale Steve. I was swithering over 15mm or "double size" 10mm units and reckoned that it would cost me about 60 quid either way to field two 24 point "Companies." But with same unit size numbers wise as the Rules, in 10mm I can easily field two Companies for the price of a Pendraken Army Pack (about £33). This way I can use my new 10mm scale buildings and I can buy Companies for both the ECW and LoA.
OK, perhaps I'm being fussy and should really ask Leon this (but as I am posting this, I may as well comment), but are the constituent codes of the Army Packs 'cast in stone,' as it were? For example, Pendraken offer both 'Parliamentary' and 'Royalist' packs and, rather traditionally old school, the Roundhead horse wear helmets and the Cavalier horse wear hats. I'm no expert on the ECW but wasn't that view rubbished years ago and it is now recognised that both sides wore hats and helmets? I would really have preferred it if they offered a generic English ECW Army pack.
[p.s. @ Fred - I've been experimenting with 20mm diameter circular bases with some spare Pendraken SYW figures and can fit 1,2 & 3 Infantry (March Attack pose) on these. The same bases can accommodate 1 cavalry figure and a UK 10p coin (about 25mm diameter), two horse figures (obviously 2p coins, as indicated above, are cheaper!).]
I recall Leon commenting in another thread, I can't remember which one, that the mix of packs was flexible.
I think having one EC9 & one EC10 rather than two of either would be pretty straightforward.
Base wise I use plastic tiddly winks that are around 10/12mm diameter for single infantry figures, with 1p coins taking 2 figures, 2p coins 3 figures or one horse.
They look really good
Take care
Andy
Thought I'd add a couple of pictures of my ECW Royalists and Roundheads that I use for HOTT and DBA-HX
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh235/terry37photos/Misc%201/Lord%20Essex%20with%20the%20Roundhead%20Army_zpstuuwvmbp.jpg) (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/terry37photos/media/Misc%201/Lord%20Essex%20with%20the%20Roundhead%20Army_zpstuuwvmbp.jpg.html)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh235/terry37photos/Misc%201/Prince%20Rupert%20with%20the%20Royalist%20Army_zpsspdboeux.jpg) (http://s257.photobucket.com/user/terry37photos/media/Misc%201/Prince%20Rupert%20with%20the%20Royalist%20Army_zpsspdboeux.jpg.html)
Terry
They look great
Take care
Andy
Totally agree ! :-bd
Cheers - Phil
:-bd =D> :-bd
Great work Terry 8)
Very nice, indeed. :-bd
Thanks guys,
My sharing the photos was to give an idea of how one might pursue a game for the period using the HOTT or DB-HX rules. Somewhere I have pictures of some games and when I can find them I'll post them to give an idea of the armies in action. They've played in many fun games.
Terry
I plan on using PL for a game based on the real skirmish at Phillipsnorton, Now Norton St Phillip in somerset) during the Sedgemore Campaign. I have painted some units up but having had a break from war gaming and the period for a while I have a long way to go. My old thread has some pictures of how I have approached it.
Love those bases 8)
Excellent
Very nice indeed
Take care
Andy
When I first played LR I did think 4-6 10mm on a 20mm square base for a mass battle effect.
I seem to remember that swapping a single pack was acceptable for it stil to count for an army pack discount. But the best bet is to drop Leon a line