SAGA Vikings Progress and Some BattleTech

So I've started getting some paint on my Viking war band the last couple days.  I've also been rereading through the rules over and over while watching some of the battle reports out there.  The more I look over it, the more and more I like this system.  No one upmanship due to list building, just seeing who has the best tactical instincts.  I got one model mostly finished today to try out colors, though he still needs basing and a bit of touch ups.  Apologies about the blur on one end of all the photos, my phone's camera lens has acquired a scuff.  Fortunately I'm only a bit over a month away from my next upgrade.

 

 

I'm using Vallejo blackened steel and tarnished steel for the metal bits, and then will be using bronze to make the warlord and some other leaders stand out a bit.  Other colors being used are flat yellow, medium fleshtone, clotted red, and flat red.  GW gryphonne sepia is the wash I'm using over the hair and flesh and then GW badab black over the metals.  The baal red and devlan mud washes will also get a bit of use.  I'm not happy with how dark the Vallejo intense blue is and think I need to find a different shade.  I'll keep working on these fellows a color at a time and will keep posting on their progress.  I'm satisfied with how it's starting to progress, but it's starting to come together.  I've also found some small wooden barrels that I've started to use for terrain for SAGA.

The other project I've made a small bit of progress on is in BattleTech.  Needing a break from painting SLDF green on the Eridani Light Horse, I've started assembling a force of Wolf's Dragoons, Black Widow Company to be precise.  I've got a Robotech Warhammer to assemble for Natasha Kerensky's ride that will be added to the force as well.  It isn't precisely the canon force listed in the FASA books, but it'll work for my interpretation of them.

That's all I've got going for now, work is keeping me a bit busy plus I'm still slowly unpacking stuff from the recent move.  Suggestions and advice are as welcome as always and I'll see you all next time.

SAGA Vikings Warband

So my SAGA Viking starter box arrived and I've begun to get it all assembled.  Also being my own fluff writing self, there is a bit of foundation being written for the warband as well.  I'm liking the clear basic style rules that SAGA is written with that has really balanced armies that force you to think about which abilities you want to use on your board and which tactics to use on the table.  It's more of a tactics driven skirmish game rather than one you can win from list building.  Or at least that how it seems from reading the rules and from the battle reports I've been watching.

My warlord is Jarl Hrothgar Einarrson, known as the Black Crow.  His father was on the losing side of a feud near present day Oslo which lead to his relocation with his remaining followers northward of Bergen to found the village of Ravensmyrr.  This village is strategically located at the mouth of a modest sized river and hidden around a sharp turn at the end of a long bay.  Jarl Hrothgar took over leadership of the village when his father was killed in raid against the Saxons.  Hrothgar is a cruel and cunning viking who lives to spread the fear and name of the Norse gods throughout the lands.

I've based him with a banner bearer who also acts as his personal guard.   Hrodgeir Thengilson is Hrothgar's childhood friend and close companion.  They were both blooded on the same raid against the Danes.  When Hrothgar became Jarl, no one other than Hrodgeir would suffice as his personal banner bearer.

Next up is a unit of Hirthguard.  These fellows are Eirleif Vornirson, Bersi Magnusson, Hakon Fasoltson, and Saebiorn Sigvaldson.  All skilled warriors and veterans of many raids, each is capable of being a leader of men.  When at sea, they captain Hrothgar's longships and when on land they form his iron fist that drives the warriors and bondi forward.

Then we have a unit of bondi archers being put together.  The starter box came with the full 12, but I'm only using 9 of them and need to find 3 replacement models.  The ones with fur lined caps are a bit too Rus or Slavic looking for my tastes and I want to find a few Viking archers with helmets to use instead.

The last unit being worked on currently is a unit of 8 warriors.  Once the shields are good and set on the models, I'll be adding swords, axes, and spears to them.  Once this unit is done, I want to look at doing one more unit of 8 warriors to round out my 4 point starting warband.  I think two blocks of 8 warriors give a good number of troops and some decent hitting power when looking at the Viking ability board.

Other things I'd like to do once these troops are all assembled is a unit of 4 berserkers (counts as a type of Hirthguard unit for Vikings).  The start box I got came with 4 models to use for this, but I'm not really digging the wolf pelt look for them.  I'm still browsing for different options to use.  What I'd like to find are a quartet of bare chested vikings armed with a mix of large two handed axes and pairs of single hand axes.

For color scheme on this force, I want to use primarily black and dark metals with pale dark blues for a bit of color and maybe a little red for blood on weapons and such.  Plus various wood colors for the bows, spear shafts, shield backs, etc.

As to other projects, I've been working on an idea for a repaint for my X-Wing Imperials but it isn't working out and is back on the drawing board.  Also have a couple BattleMech projects in the works and need to show off the new Americans I got for Bolt Action.  That's all for now and I'll hopefully be back with another blog next week.

Assembling The Paras

So I've started getting my British Paras modeled up so I can quit press ganging Imperial Guard models into service for Bolt Action games.  I've got a game against Cheef coming up in a couple weeks and I'm hoping to run this game with all official models.

First up is some heavier fire power than I've been running with the addition of a 6lb anti-tank gun and a pack howitzer which are the two heaviest guns that the British Airborne list are allowed.  The anti-tank gun especially should help out with the light tanks and lone half track that I've been running up against.

Next is the trio of recce jeeps that I've assembled.  I've become a fan of this unit in the couple games I've got in so far.  It makes a nice mobile platform that with it's pair of medium machine guns can kick out a good amount of fire.  With the recce rule they've got a nice ability to scoot backwards when shot at which has saved them a couple times by putting them beyond half range of something shooting at them.

Then we've got a hoard of men ready to be sorted into sections and other roles.  I've got many more that I need to behead so that I can get them properly attired in their berets rather than helmets.  For some reason, you get 1 model with a beret per 2 with a helmet.

I'm planning on trying to get this batch all primered this evening.  Tomorrow the plan is to see about making progress on the still helmeted paras.  I also want to get started on some of the models for the War of the Roses force.  That's all for now and I'll see you all next post.

A Large Pile Of Loot

So, as mentioned in previous posts, the Warhound went the way of the auction block.  This post will be covering the first influx of what it's funded.  And I've still got about $150 not spent from that with a number of items slated to go up on eBay tomorrow.  Since I've moved, I've had a chance to get my hobby stuff much more organized as I've been unpacking.  While I've still got a number of stuff to finish unpacking (mainly books, knick knacks, and lots of space marines), it's been nice to go through it a box at a time and get things under control.

This is DEFINITELY more organized than the pile and jumble I had pre-move

First up from the loot pile is two boxes of Perry Miniatures infantry for the War of the Roses force I'm putting together.  One is a box of War of the Roses infantry which can be assembled as archers or infantry and the other is a box of European infantry in the same time frame which can be assembled as crossbowmen, handgunners, or pikemen.  Each box contains enough model parts to assemble 40 models, so it was right at $70 for 80 models of multipart plastics.  Eat that GW.

The forces are being marshaled, but which side to support?

Next up is a box of mounted sergeants from Fireforge Games.  There are 12 multipart cavalry in the box and they're easily the match of GW Fantasy other than you don't get an entire sprues worth of detail bits.  But it was another good value at $20 on eBay.  I've got a couple individual models coming from the Dark Blade line of Game of Thrones models to represent the leadership of the force.  Once they arrive hopefully by this weekend, I'll have a bunch of the infantry assembled and will be doing an entire post on the force.  Also, I'm currently looking into the Fields of Glory rules for playing this army and would welcome any advice on the ruleset.

I read good reviews on this set and they were right

After that we'll make a quick hyperspace jump and look at a pair of basic Tie Fighters to bring me up to 5 basics as I slowly build up my Imperial forces.  I still want to get a pair of bombers, 3 more Ties to be able to field a full swarm list, and then a Firespray.  I'm not going to make the jump into Scum and Villainy just yet.

Soon you will feel the power of .... two lone fighters with no shields

And then last but far far far from least, my order from Warlord arrived with the last of my Bolt Action British paratroopers.  With what I already have, this will easily let me put together a force of up to 1,000 points quite easily.  I'll be working on getting them all onto bases when I'm off work this coming Sunday and Monday so they'll all be ready for my next foray up to Johnson City.  There paras have a return engagement planned with some aardvarks and we'll see if the paras can continue their success when properly modeled and not proxied.

Airborne rangers from the sky, fearless men who'll ...

So that's what all I've got on the plate for now.  Plus I've got some stuff to finish getting organized to get up on eBay.  My goal (if most likely a bit more than ambitious) is to get all this assembled by the end of the month and make a dent is starting to get it painted.  Hopefully I'll at least get it all primed by then and perhaps some basic colors on them as well.  The paras will be the top item for getting paint as they'll definitely be seeing the table top a fair amount while the War of the Roses force will be more of a hobby project for now while I find a rule set that looks promising.  I think I've got Bob talked into trying the time frame at least.

Thanks for the reads and I'll see you all later.

Updates From A New Location

So over the last two weeks I've moved and now am in the process of unpacking.  As part of that process I'm getting my hobby stuff sorted out and even thinned out some to free up funds and space for other things.  I'm still going to keep the core main part of my Lions of Harlech and some other choice pieces, but a lot of the excess is going.

The first to go was my never completed after 4 years Warhound Titan.  It fetched a bit over $460 on eBay which I was quite content with.  Next on the chopping block are my 4 Super Heavy Tanks, 2 Apocalypse variants of the Landraider, and some other marine stuff never started such as a couple Rhinos still on the sprues.  There is also a batch of Warmahordes that'll be going as I only got the lot to try and do some 40K imperial guard conversions that really didn't come close to working out.  There is a lot of 40K being played in a group I used to game with quite a bit, so I'm offering some of this there first and then it'll be finding it's way onto eBay.

Now as to what it'll be funding, I've got the last of my Bolt Action British airborne on order and will need to get them all assembled and painted.  Once the British Paras are done, I'm considering a US Army (possibly a Marine) force for a change of pace army and something that goes in for heavier armaments, especially in armored options.

I also got the core rule book for Black Powder.  I must say that I'm .... not a fan.  I'm not saying that it's a bad rule system, far from it.  But it isn't what I'm looking for in a system.  It is DEFINITELY for the historical gamer who likes to figure out their own scenarios and army forces for the game, not a casual gamer quick pick up type thing.  This is a game that you have to get lots of planning in on the front side.

I'm considering some X-Wing purchases as well, not making the Scum and Villainy jump yet, but I need to add to my fledgling Imperial force.  I need four more basic Ties to be able to field a horde list, and I'd like to get a couple Tie Bombers as well.  Still need a Slave One option in my collection as well.

Also while talking with Bob (of Fist Full of D6 infamy), we're both interested in some historical gaming that is farther back in years than Bolt Action.  While we haven't figured out a rule system, I have ordered a couple boxes of Perry Miniatures plastics in their War of the Roses line to get some units put together for when we do figure out a rule set to try.

So that's it for now and I'll see you later.  Feel free to leave any advice on rulesets or inquiries into what is on the chopping block.

Albion Triumphant

So last evening I got my second game of Bolt Action in against Bob and his Germans.  We stretched it a bit and played a 1000 point game which let us try out some of the rules that we haven't used yet at 500 points such as Air Strikes, Mortars, Sniper Team, and there was even an infantry close combat.  The mission was maximum attrition with 10 units on his side and 11 units on my side.

The battlefield before deployment

I lost a total of 3 units which included both 5 man squads representing the two halves of Section C of 11th Platoon and the recce jeep.  Bob lost his light tank, 2 of 3 infantry squads, his Pioneer squad (with flamethrowers, thank goodness they didn't get used), his forward observer, his officer, and his mortar team.  In true blogger fashion, after taking the board set up picture, I got so involved in the game that I never took another picture.

We both had mixed luck on the dice.  I had a section of infantry with just one pin marker that didn't activate twice due to being unable to pass leadership of the modified 9.  Then there was the small assault squad that paused to rally and dropped 5 pin markers of the 6 they had picked up.  C Section has taken the most casualties in the two battles by far but they've taken out a light tank in each battle.  I think assaulting with anti-tank grenades is definitely the way to go, though as my opponents adapt to that, it's likely to change.

I'm a fan of mortars now.  The spotter making it a lot easier to hit was a big boost and they really could pile the pin markers on a unit.  My medium mortar kept his pioneers pinned in place while slowly whittling them away.  My sniper team was completely useless.  He took 4 shots and got a total of 1 hit which didn't wound.  I'm in no hurry to take this unit again.  The Medium Machine gun team did ok, but I think I like units that are more mobile.

2nd Lt. Marlowe again did very well leading his troops in battle.  At one point late in the game, 4 remaining members of a German squad assaulting him and his one remaining aide.  The first round of combat saw no injuries taken which lead to a second round where the aide and a German soldier were laid low.  The Lt. then finished off one more German soldier which scattered the other two.  An infantry assault being fought until it's decided is interesting, but I can see losing most of a squad because one man was killed to lose the combat could be annoying.  I'll have to see how it works more in the future.  A bit on the fence on this one.  Going back to the Lt. though, 2nd Lt. Vincent Marlowe was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry as I feel he earned a bit more than another mentioned in dispatches for his performance.  He's also being looked at for promotion to 1st Lt.

The ineffective sniper has been assigned field punishment and is busy digging new latrines and foxholes.  Hopefully he'll learn his lesson.

That's all for now and feel free to leave some input.  I like how my paras are evolving and as soon as I finish moving this month, I'll be ordering the last of my miniatures to get them put together properly and retire the borrowed Naval Infantry from my 40K range.

A Second Bolt Action Skirmish Upcoming

So this coming Friday, 2nd Lt Vincent Marlowe will once more be leading his 11th Platoon of C Company, 2nd Battalion of the 1st Airborne Regiment into battle.  After proving his abilities in the skirmish against the Wylsh rebels (for which he received the minor decoration of Mentioned in Dispatches), he's been intrusted with a larger force this time while probing the German lines.

Our Distinguished Hero, 2nd Lt Vincent Marlowe

2nd Lt Marlowe will  be accompanied once more by his two personal aides and runners with all three having Sten SMGs.  He'll have his A and B Sections led by Sgts Oliver Crowe and Andrew Jamieson, all armed with Enfield rifles and a Bren LMG.  C Section will be divided into two 5 man elements lead by Sgt Paul Halstead and Corporel Neville Barton, each armed fully with Sten SMGs and Anti-tank grenades.

Mortar Team with Spotter and the Machine Gun Team

1st Lt Willard Stowe will be present with two assistants as a Forward Observer for the Royal Artillery of the BEF.  Lt Andrew Candless of the RAF will also be along as a Forward Observation Officer with a pair of paratrooper bodyguards.  A Medium Mortar Team and Medium Machine Gun team will be attached from 2nd Platoon as well as a Sniper Team from the Intelligence Section of the Battalion.  Last of all a Recce Jeep will be sent along from the 3rd Platoon.

It needs a repaint to fit the army, but I love this model

I'll be using this nice model from Dust Tactics to represent my Air Support.  I really like the look of the model and will need to see about getting it into RAF colors at some point to continue supporting my Airborne troopers.
That's all for now and I'll see about getting a batrep up this weekend after the game on Friday.