A couple of months ago I bought some vacuform craters made by Pegasus Hobbies at my local hobby shop. I bought them because they're the right scale for 28mm and had a nice selection of sizes and shapes at a reasonable cost. I could have dry-brushed them as-is and dropped them on the table, but that's just not my style. I was afraid that they'd be too light and would move on the table, and I was not excited about the flat flange around the edge of each. This is part one of how I'm working on them to make them better.
Step 1 - solve the weight issue: I did this by filling each crater about half way with #6 lead shot. I had this hanging around my shop as it's a material I use to make ballast blocks for R/C model airplanes. Sand probably would have worked just as well. After I got the lead shot spread out evenly I drizzled PVA (Elmers) glue over the lead shot. I thought I might have to stir it in, but capillary action spread it out perfectly. These photos were taken after the PVA dried for 48 hours. There seems to be enough texture in the crater models to let the PVA bond well enough to the plastic. The craters are now too heavy. Sand would have worked better and kept the weight just right.
Step 2 - keep the craters from sliding around: After the PVA was good and try, I sprayed the underside of the craters with textured spray paint. I chose a texture that was very fine - just enough to give the crater bases some grip on the tabletop. I also sprayed all of the lead shot with a coat of paint. I did this mostly to add a second layer of binder over the PVA and to moisture-proof the lead and PVA mix. The photos below were taken while the paint was still wet. When dry it's a flat finish like the top of the paint can.
After seeing how nice the texture looked on the crater undersides, I thought it would improve the
top of the craters, reducing the smoothness of the plastic. Craters are
made of blasted-up dirt. They shouldn't be smooth at all.
It was my hope that this texture would also hide the flat flange at the edge of the crater models, but alas, they still look quite artificial. I guess that's going to be step 3 in the next update. Stay tuned.....
I've been re-organizing my figures and wargaming storage lately. One thing I have WAY too many of is un-built WWI aircraft kits in 1/72 scale. If anything in the photos below interests you, please check out my ebay auctions for these kits.
Last night I ran a new AWI scenario at the Northern Conspiracy's August game night using my Electronic Brigadier rules. This was a hypothetical AWI scenario prior to the Battle of Monmouth. The scenario pits Charles Lee's American Advanced guard against a portion of the British column of march commanded by Sir Henry Clinton. The premise is completed by assuming that elsewhere to the west Lord Cornwallis and General Washington will square off in a separate battle and Clinton is to destroy Lee's force which is blocking the British route to Philadelphia. It's a seven player scenario, but with three veteran Electronic brigadiers and plus one additional player who was familiar with the rules we gave it a go.
The Americans, were led by Dick and Bob (below left) and the British were commanded by Charlie and Ralph (below right).
The Americans had two brigades comprised of mostly continentals and veteran state troops. Their final command was a New Jersey brigade of state troops and local militia. The British had an advanced guard comprised of cavalry, light infantry and Hessian grenadiers, the guards brigade and two full brigades of British line regiments. The guards brigade was bolstered by four twelve pound field guns.
Bob's New Jersey brigade got partially over the stream that blocked their approach while Charlie deployed. One unit of militia guarded the stream bank to attempt to discourage a crossing by the British. Charlie's line unit there engaged across the stream in a firefight that eventually drove off the militia. Closer towards the center the British first light regiment and the Queens Rangers slugged it out with Bob's continentals in a bloody exchange where neither side wanted to leave. Eventually two of Bob's units including his militia and one of Charlie's started to waver towards the end of the evening.
On the west flank (British left flank) the British twelve pound battery sent out a devastating initial barrage which stuck home on a section of American three pound guns with a force that sent the gunners running. They eventually quit the field without the courage to return to their guns. On the far left flank the British engaged in long range musketry while Dick's Americans held their fire, waiting for a 'whites of their eyes' moment. Ralph's third brigade eventually advanced into close range and Dick got his shot which was effective, but the British morale wasn't put into question.
The climax of the fight was a series of charges in the center by the guard's brigade against Bob's Virginians. The initial charge was stopped by a stinging volley by the Virginians forcing the British to halt and conduct a firefight. In the next two turns Ralph brought up two fresh Guards regiments and charged the Virginians with a two vs. one attack that caused the Virginians to flee to the rear due to shaken morale. Bob's 4th New York continentals were in reserve and the only thing between the guards and the shaken Virginians.
With time running out we concluded the battle after 24 turns with the battle still in question, but with the British having the upper hand in terms of army morale state and units lost. Having a full seven players would have let us get a couple more turns in, but even considering that the conclusion was that casualties need to be more impactful in morale. Charlie and Bob each had units whose casualties should have caused them morale problems. An adjustment in this portion of the morale procedure will be made based on this. There were also some other procedural changes that were recommended that will be added.
Below is a short video of the game table during the game:
Mark put on a huge Crimean war battle using Charge of the Light Brigade rules. The battle pitted a huge array of British and Russian figure and also included his European farm complete with various and sundry farm animals. I believe in this one the British put the lead to the Russians and good. Russians shown below were George and Art (left). British were Dave and GM Mark.
Below is a short video of the game table during the game:
Greg ran a 1940 WWII game using Chain of Command of the Battle of Narvik. Chain of command is one of two WWII skirmish rule sets that are currently very popular with the Club. This year each game night has a featured game that is supposed to be 'not your ordinary game'. Greg offered this seldom gamed theater of WWII to fill August's extraordinary game slot.
Below is a short video of the game table during the game:
First off, rumors of my demise are greatly exaggerated. Sorry to have not been posting lately. Family commitments and a three-week sinus infection has put a damper on gaming and painting. All is better now so gaming and painting has resumed. We now return to our regular programming in progress....
Last Friday my friend Mike (pictured left) invited a couple other club members and me to his house for an afternoon and evening of Saga 2.0. Mike has been running a few games at our club's monthly events recently. With the publishing of the 2nd edition of the rules and the Crusades army supplement, Mike has taken it upon himself to offer to get those in the club that are interested in Saga up to speed.
I showed up at Mike's in the early afternoon for some 1 on 1 games and after a dinner break, Charlie and Michael joined us. In the afternoon Mike and I were able to play three games with me getting to learn three different armies and their associated battle boards. All games were four point games with the basic scenario from the core rule book.
The first game I played a Mutatawwi'a force against Mike's Crusader force. These are fanatical eastern Muslim jihadist. Their battle board features many skills that allow them to lower their armor to increase their attack power. They also have the ability to sacrifice a figure to do a targeted attack on an enemy unit. The latter seemed a bit more modern of an interpretation, but the rest of the skills seem in theme for the period.
I set up my archers in a small palm tree grove and Mike calmly ignored it instead preferring to anchor his flank on his own grove. I got a lucky shot with my bows against his hearth guard (elite) unit and then we started trading figures in successive attacks. In the end I used my depleted bow unit to invoke the skill that sacrificed a figure to attempt to attack the enemy units. After a few attacks my bow unit was depleted, but Mike's remaining hearth guard unit was eliminated sealing the game.
Game two I chose the more traditional Milites Christi army and Mike tried again with the Crusader force. In this game I mismanaged one of my hearth guard units, isolating it behind a palm grove. Mike skillfully used the grove to keep my unit out of the battle fighting my army with his four units against my three. In the end I did finally get my hearth guard back thanks to aggressive pursuit by Mike and the accidental reserve unit turned the battle right at the end.
The third game Mike let me have his Crusader army with two units of warriors and two units of hearth guard. Mike opposed this with his other Crusader army 'The Twelve' which featured three mounted hearth guard units combined to form two six-figure mounted units with an eight-figure warrior unit backing them up. Mike's larger units hit like a truck, but once one was eliminated, the lower dice pool of the army became very limiting. I eeked out a win in this one. All in all I think Mike may have been 'letting the Wookie win' in order to give me a good tutorial on the rules.
After dinner Michael and Charlie arrived. Since Charlie was new to
Saga, Mike played a couple of games with him while Michael and I squared
off. Michael wanted to push the Crusaders so I ended up with the Mutatawwi'a again. This was a close fight with the two key moves being a long-distance charge from one of my foot warrior units (a Mutatawwi'a special attack) and some finishing suicide attacks.
For our final game Michael and I swapped sides and for this one the Mutatawwi'a came out on top again, but in a very close affair. Michael out played me by using an ability that put my own dice against me. His Mutatawwi'a ability reduced his armor, but in trade made my missed attacks damage my own troops. Michael chose the perfect time to spring this ability on me, when I had a maximum 16-dice attack. The ability cost me three extra damage, two of which I had to use one of my own abilities to abate, the third killed an additional figure on top of the losses from his attack. I had counted on my ability making the engagement safe, but that didn't work out quite as I planned. Late in the battle I made some desperate attacks, but Mike's troops held up. Well played. I ended up playing five very fun games, all to conclusion in one afternoon and evening. What a great day of gaming. Thanks to Mike for hosting and Michael and Charlie for the chance to get together. I wouldn't be surprised to see some Saga war band figures on the painting table in my future.
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The Americans had two brigades comprised of mostly continentals and veteran state troops. Their final command was a New Jersey brigade of state troops and local militia. The British had an advanced guard comprised of cavalry, light infantry and Hessian grenadiers, the guards brigade and two full brigades of British line regiments. The guards brigade was bolstered by four twelve pound field guns.
Bob's New Jersey brigade got partially over the stream that blocked their approach while Charlie deployed. One unit of militia guarded the stream bank to attempt to discourage a crossing by the British. Charlie's line unit there engaged across the stream in a firefight that eventually drove off the militia. Closer towards the center the British first light regiment and the Queens Rangers slugged it out with Bob's continentals in a bloody exchange where neither side wanted to leave. Eventually two of Bob's units including his militia and one of Charlie's started to waver towards the end of the evening.
On the west flank (British left flank) the British twelve pound battery sent out a devastating initial barrage which stuck home on a section of American three pound guns with a force that sent the gunners running. They eventually quit the field without the courage to return to their guns. On the far left flank the British engaged in long range musketry while Dick's Americans held their fire, waiting for a 'whites of their eyes' moment. Ralph's third brigade eventually advanced into close range and Dick got his shot which was effective, but the British morale wasn't put into question.
Greg ran a 1940 WWII game using Chain of Command of the Battle of Narvik. Chain of command is one of two WWII skirmish rule sets that are currently very popular with the Club. This year each game night has a featured game that is supposed to be 'not your ordinary game'. Greg offered this seldom gamed theater of WWII to fill August's extraordinary game slot. 
After dinner Michael and Charlie arrived. Since Charlie was new to
Saga, Mike played a couple of games with him while Michael and I squared
off. Michael wanted to push the Crusaders so I ended up with the Mutatawwi'a again. This was a close fight with the two key moves being a long-distance charge from one of my foot warrior units (a Mutatawwi'a special attack) and some finishing suicide attacks.
