Put Up or Shut Up.

First, Bad Daddy, Cyborg, the Kid and I played Fantasy Rules! in January.  Actually we attempted to play them. I was supplying all the minis, the army lists, the table, and lunch.  I did a great job of getting it all together and then losing the army lists.  I cranked out four lists (Dwarves [I prefer Tolkien's misspelling over Dwarfs], Orcs, Japanese, and Chinese) in ten minutes.... and we played Dwarves (Cyborg) and Orcs (Boaz) in an unlikely coalition versus the eastern alliance (ooooohhh, Galatica reference) of the Chinese (Bad Daddy) and the Japanese (the Kid).

If you've played Fantasy Rules! then you know about the Moral Clock.  Suffice it to say that each side starts with ten morale and the first to zero loses.  Cyborg and I lost the first turn and were immediately behind.  Entering what would be the last turn, Bad Daddy and the Kid were leading five to one and they went first.  Needing a miracle, my Orcs overran and killed the Shogun (minus 2 morale) and Cyborg's Dwarves surrounded and executed the Imperial Prince (minus 2 morale) and won the turn (minus another morale for the eastern alliance... and we won.  We only took them down by five morale in the first fourteen turns and then got five in the last turn.

And then we looked a bit closer at the rules and found out that I cheated because I did not have a beast master with my wyvern... Ultimately it flanked and ate a third of the Samurai on the field.  Oooops!

It was an interesting mechanic.  There's a lot of pushing and disorganizing units.  There is some amount of loss of command and control.

But the feeling is not as epic as our system.... Scramasax.

Second, we played Scramasax in February and March.  Crusaders, Kong/Lost Jungle, Fairies, Sky Pirates, Dark Elves... it all blends into one giant beating.

Third, the Romans are still waiting for primer.

Third, I ordered the Ping Panda from Bombshell.  He's painted already.  He'll be a great hero for the Chinese.

Fifth, Copplestone Castings has produced 15mm Barbarian Cavalry.  If you did not click the link, then think of Conan on horseback.  Bare chests and long hair.  If  I replaced the swords and axes with arakhs (sort of like scimitars), then I'd finally have my Dothraki Khalasar for A Song of Ice and Fire.  It's time to put up or shut up.

Sincerely, Boaz

I came. I saw. I painted.

I am painting Elves, but I have a few other future ideas in mind. I envision a fantasy Roman army based upon the wolf myth and priests looking for portents. It would feature Republican infantry with lots velites in wolf skins. I can also see allied Gallic or Numidian cavalry... and Romano-British cav riding giant wolves. The Copplestone 28mm huskies might work out well for this purpose. The army would also have Roman priests, priestesses, and Sybil.

The other army I am contemplating is a Khalasar. It's is the name of a Dothraki horde in ASOIAF. HBO does a good job of representing the Dothraki. At most, their warriors wear leather jerkins while many of them ride bare chested into battle. One slight problem to painting a Khalasar is that no 15mm manufacturer makes appropriate figs. Asiatic horse archers, such as... Huns, Mongols, Alans, Parthians, Arabs, Khurasanians, Tuaregs, and Turks are produced by a plethora of companies. I've also seen Sioux, Dakota, Apache, and Comanche mounted archers. But all of these, except for the occasional Plains Indian, have shirts, helmets, and various pieces of armor. My best bet might be to find some break waist riders and replace the upper bodies with unarmored Gauls or Britons.

By the way, The Kid suggested I change the name of the blog to Paint Is Thicker Than Water. Mayhaps, I might use the title of this post as the new name... Veni. Vidi. Picti.

I must figure out how to do photos. This blog needs them.... immediately, if not sooner.

Sincerely, Boaz

Edit: So the button to publish this post does not seem to be working... I'll try it again...