Saturday 9 March 2024

Ulrik Ulrikson

Another Heroic Fighter joins the fray - the vaguely Norse themed Ulrik Ulrikson.



He still needs a shield, but I don’t seem to have any of the old plastic GW shields of the right size.  A few are winging their way to me from eBay.

Thursday 7 March 2024

Lord Aquila and Manfred


Time for an update on the Heroic Fighters set.  First up, I present Lord Aquila!





Arguably one of the weaker models of the set, the pose is quite static, but on the other hand - just look at that massive crest!  The weapon choice is unusual - it looks crude and primitive compared to the armour, almost Skaven like (they were both sculpted by Jes Goodwin after all)!  Perhaps a trophy from a defeated rat thing clan leader that he now carries around to intimidate them with.

Here’s a reminder of how he used to look.


I’d say my technique has improved at least a bit.

Second is Manfred.  He already got an updated paint job around 15 years ago, and sort of represented my breakthrough on effective shading and highlighting.  So all he has had is some chips tidied up and painted.



It’s odd how his pose is nearly identical to Lord Aquila, yet feels much more convincing.   Or is that just me?


Sunday 25 February 2024

Old Bones and Heroic Fighters

 It’s been a while since I last posted, partly as I’ve not really had time or space to paint or game - although I have spent quite a bit of time reading the new Old World rules and Army books (more on which another time).  I am trying to get a bit more done though, so here’s a quick ‘work in progress’ update.

First up: skeletons.  I’ve dug out my old skellies from the attic.  Most of these are a good 40 years old, going back to my early Warhammer days and plans, with a few eBay acquisitions over the years. Some have very poor paint jobs, many have never seen any paint all.  I did a batch a while back, but decided to have another go.  Paint jobs are quick and tabletop standard - they won’t hold up to close scrutiny, but I’m happy enough with them.

Inspiration came from the YouTuber Jordan Sorcery, who recently published his own Christmas themed Scenario pack, ‘Dead King Wenceslas’.  Maybe I’ll finally have them ready for a game next Christmas…

I’ll also admit that my mind has turned to a ‘Barrow Kings’ themed take on Tomb Kings for Warhammer.

Above is the full box, almost all originally from Grenadier Models.  There’s a funny story to this as well; just before lockdown I lost my glasses, had to get a new pair.  Those broke when my daughter sat on them, and I’ve had no glasses for about two years now. Dug this box out of the attic just after Christmas, opened it… and there were my dratted lost glasses!  At least I can see properly again.

Also about to take their place in the projects queue are the models from the Heroic Fighter of the Known World box set produced by Citadel many moons ago, which I have finally reunited from the various boxes they were stored in.  More on them another time but, for now, here are the very varied paint jobs they currently have from the old days (no giggling at the back, I was very young at the time).

Sir Brut, Manfred, and Harald the Hammer.  Manfred got an update in about the 2010s, and is still probably some of my favourite blending and highlighting work, so he will likely remain largely as is.  Sir Brut’s not bad either.  Harald was painted by my brother, so will mostly get a tidy up as well.

Ulrik Ukrikson and Gladius.  Ulrik’s already been consigned to the Dettol pot…

Vlad Krakhead, The Moon Duke (probably my favourite model of the bunch) and, last but not least, Lord Aquila - who has also taken a dive into the Dettol to remove that lovely Humbrol gold enamel paint.

Tuesday 30 January 2024

Viking!

 For a little while I lost my painting and gaming mojo, but I’m trying to get it back (and I promise I will catch up with and comment on all your blogs too).  a few things have helped:  GW releasing Warhammer the Old World,  Jordan Sorcery making a old style Wargames scenario that got me putting some paint on some skeletons (I’ll do another post on that) and the miniature going back to school and finding this term’s project is Vikings!


What else could I do but get on eBay, find an old Citadel Viking, and paint it for her as a surprise? First Viking I’ve ever painted.


On her first day back at school for the new term, when they arrived in the classroom,  it had been ‘ransacked’ by Vikings, who had raided the class, turned over the tables and chairs, and stolen the pencils!  A great way to grab their interest.  

She got interested enough to find out about Viking runes (the ‘Futhark’ apparently!), so the runes on the shield spell out her initials.

Thursday 2 November 2023

Full Thrust - Flight of the Idaho

Even though the Neo-Sov Republic maintains a base and flotilla in the Fiorino system, it remains disputed territory at the start of the 23rd century, with many stellar nations claiming rights to explore and exploit the system.  To maintain its claim, the USN periodically sends a warship to traverse the system, inevitably intercepted and shadowed by Neo-Sov vessels.  The latest ship to pick up the duty is the Heavy Cruiser, USCS Idaho.  It's crew about to find out just how far the Neo Sov Republic's patience will stretch...

(the following events were played out using the basic Full Thrust 2nd Edition, with models from Ground Zero Games and Micro Machines - the 'mat' is a £7.99 shower curtain).

- "FTL drive on cooldown, all systems Green, Captain"

- "Thank you Ensign, signal fleet we have arrived and are proceeding"

- "Sensors indicate four escort class ships on an intercept course, AI flags them as three Corvette Class and a Destroyer"

- "Our usual shadow's on it's way then.  Send the usual signal telling them to alter course and maintain distance.  If they approach with range of secondary batteries they may be fired upon."



- "Sir, bogies are not changing course and are accelerating towards us"


- "I want that warning on regular repeat, and raise shields.  Fire control, I want solutions on all targets just in case.  Helm turn 30 degrees starboard."

Concerned about exposing the vulnerable drive cone, the Idaho turned into the advancing Neo-Sov flotilla, risking closing the range.  Not wanting to overshoot, the Neo Sov Corvettes decelerated but maintained heading.

- "Sir, energy spike from the leading two corvettes! They're firing!"

- "Firecons are free to engage!"

The leading two Corvettes (designation X1 and X2) opened up with their 'C' batteries and the Destroyer with it's 'B', the latter taking 2 hull points off the Idaho.

Idaho's return fire was split between the lead corvette and the Neo-Sov destroyer, inflicting significant damage on the lead corvette (X1), knocking out it's point defences, but failing to damage the destroyer.

- "Helm hard starboard, fire control concentrate on that destroyer as we turn!"

 

Idaho turned into the attack, this allowed two of the corvettes to swing around into her vulnerable drive arc but put the USCN ship in a perfect position to rake the more threatening destroyer with a broadside.

Idaho's screens protected it from fire from corvette X1, but X2 caused further hull damage.  However in return, Idaho's concentrated fire, whilst causing relatively little hull damage, knocked out the Neo Sov destroyer's 'B' and one of its 'C' batteries, its fire control system, and point defences (by rolling a spectacularly unlikely series of 6's for threshold damage!).  With no Firecon, the destroyer was now effectively out of the fight. 

- "Hard starboard!  I want those corvettes targeted!"

As Idaho pulled a tight turn to try and unmask it's batteries on the pursuing corvettes, they used their superior maneuverability to keep in the cruiser's rear arc, although they were temporarily out of range with their weaker 'C' type batteries.  With it's greater range, Idaho was able to target the third corvette, causing a point of hull damage and knocking out one of its 'C' batteries.

- "Helm - full reverse thrust, fire control prepare to fire as targets present themselves"

 

Wanting to close into range of the cruiser, the two pursuing corvettes accelerated while turning, only to be caught out as Idaho shook, piling on full reverse thrust.  The corvettes had a brief window to fire...

- "Damage report!"

- "Sensors show only minor reduction in hull integrity, but FTL is offline!"

The corvettes' firing was just enough to push the cruiser to a threshold damage check, resulting in damage to its FTL drive.  Idaho would have to fight its way out rather than jump to safety.

Idaho targeted the only enemy ship it could, the destroyer, which was just in range of it's single 'A' battery, inflicting further damage to the already crippled vessel.

- "Maintain full reverse thrust!"

Corvettes X1 and X2 braked hard and turned sharply to port and starboard respectively, trying to keep safe in Idaho's drive cone, but they were too late.  X1's tight turn was just enough to confuse the cruiser's fire control, but X2 came apart under a stream of focused charged particles.

With one ship destroyed and two damaged, one to the point where it was combat ineffective, the Neo-Sovs attempted to break off.  But with its velocity right down, Idaho was able to pull  tight turn and finish off Corvette X before it could break away.

 

- "Well done all.  Helm, plot us a course away from any sensor contacts.  I want casualty and damage reports from all section heads.  Comms, get a sitrep to sector command, make it clear we have no functioning jump capability and will need support".

 

Idaho had successfully fought off the unexpected attack, but was now stranded, damaged, in a now hostile system with no FTL drive...

-----------------------------------------

Well, that was fun!  I'd forgotten how much I like Full Thrust (I haven't dusted it off for decades!).  It's such a simple set of rules in some respects, but not simple at all in terms of the results you get.  This battle really showed how vulnerable the slower, larger ships are when unescorted - the heavy cruiser was in real trouble for a moment, with the faster corvettes in its blind spot.  Things could have turned out quite differently if it hadn't been for that truly spectacular set of threshold damage rolls against the Neo Sov destroyer, and the success of the last ditch breaking maneuver - a fraction the other way and the enemey corvettes' frantic turns would have saved them.

I think I need to have another game soon, as the cavalry attempts to reach the stranded Idaho before Neo Sov reinforcements can arrive.

Tuesday 31 October 2023

Orctober wrap up

Orctober is over - what did I do with it?  Well, I didn’t take it too seriously, but did use it as motivation to get the bulk of my Orc and Goblin army tabletop ready.

Alongside the Wolf riders, bolt throwers and warlord, that mostly meant a lot of basing. Many of the models are still in old paint jobs, either my own from many moons ago, or as they were purchased secondhand, but they look coherent enough now.

Still about 20 goblins to do, plus I still have some more EM4 orca, and I need to sort some black orcs of some kind, but there is a table ‘legal’ army there now for both WFB and Fantasy Warriors.


Two bolt throwers, including a Notlob original


20 orc boys 

One of my giants (orc for scale)

The Wolf riders - will count as boars for WFB purposes

14 orc archers

Warlord and two shamans

20 more orc boys

A somewhat grisly standard

The three trolls


Another giant



Monday 30 October 2023

What next?


 Orctober is coming to a close, so what shall I do next?

I have an idea, and these two helmets could be a clue.  It will be a heroic project involving some excellent models from the 1980s.