Port Manteau and PENDING CHANGES POSSIBLE

Doubt, greatly, that my use is original - far too obvious and tempting a target.  But I think I must find a use for a Port Manteau name somewhere in my gaming world, likely either for Pirates or Pulp, maybe both.  Just recording now so I don't 'forget' later. 

POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THIS BLOG COMING

I may be adjusting things, especially the pages, to better find "homes" for various topics rather than let them get buried on the main thread.  Probably also explore adding a gadget or two that might help with finding things - assuming that can still be done.

Most likely will, if possible, change page names to allow multiple - but related - topics per page.  With a minimum of twenty different periods with figures collected and a desire for a few "focused" pages, this is becoming necessary and changes here seems a better option that yet another blog, too many to properly juggle already.

Some missed figures and some "added" figures

Well, I realized I hadn't listed a small group of figures that was 'out of sight, out of mind' when doing my tallies.  There are 15 figures representing my three versions of La, one of Tarzan's nemesis, and my Mata Scary and The Librarian (think as in the Mummy - but without any monsters or mummies in the mix) - and the accompanying figures on their bases. 

Then I did something I've been planning to do for a while.  I dug into the 'old' boxes of my Slightly Cracked Colonials and pulled out some units that I can use in the 'refurbished' variation - and then got reminded of some other figures that will be pressed into service.

First are seven units of native soldiers that will be allied to the Europeans, some nicely armed, some not so well armed.  These represent not only Askaris but soldiers from India and Indonesia and environs and even one unit of Chinese (refugees from the Boxer rebellion perhaps).  Then there are seven more units of Europeans mostly in pith/sun helmets and will be mostly German (sailors for one unit) and British but at least two units of Italians (Bersaglieri).  Most of the units are at 24 figures but some are 18 figures and that applies to both the Europeans and natives.  All of these are already based and primed for painting - but will get an additional coat of primer to color match other figures.

The 'reminded' figures are a bunch of porters and 'diggers', the last useful for archaeological digs - of which I will have several including some nice ruins to scatter about.  I might use the porters for my German East Africa setup since I already have 126 painted porters for this collection.  There are 36 porters and 36 diggers.  All of these need to be prepped and primed and bases prepared.

All told, that adds 399 figures to the 1,876 people so a new total of people is 2,275 (though might reduce by 36 if the porters aren't used as above).  Alas, the percentage of painted figures drops but I'm not calculating that again so soon.  Might be a bit demoralizing when I am making such good progress.  Oh, I also corrected the pygmy numbers in the previous post, pulled them out to texture their bases and was reminded that there were more warriors and fewer villagers.

Elephants now have textured and tufted bases and just need that final seal coat to be table ready!  Much too wet to do today.  Working on texturing the large group of wildebeest as well - that is a slog, seventy total bases.  

I am contemplating - no firm decision yet - on a goal of no less than one post per week in the pending new year.  And more and better photographs.  

Taking stock of my Slightly Cracked Colonials

So, I've been steadily applying effort towards reducing my "Scramble" unpainted lead pile, or what I prefer to call my Slightly Cracked Colonials.  For the last two years I've been painting away and today I decided to take detailed stock of where I am at.  Keep in mind the numbers below are changing regularly as I get more done. 

Here is the broad number set: 1,876 humans, 1,384 African wild animals, for a total of 3,260.  There are also some other bits, 3 dogs, 1 horse, 4 bullocks, 30 canoes, 2 pulled carts, and 3 hand pushed carts; that adds 43 to the total.  Also a fair amount of dead figures.  And somewhere mixed into my WWI German East Africa stuff waiting to get painted are 36 American sailors suitable for say the battle of Midway and some Pickle troops (picklehaub Germans I plan to paint in pickle colors - just for the fun of it).  Might be a few other things in the mix - and some of the stuff is very much of a Pulp purpose.  Probably be adding some figures from a 'new' range from Khurasan that fits that last - once they are released.

Oh, 969 of the people are already painted and 482 of the wild animals for 1,451 total or a bit above 44% of the current collection.

More for my records than for your delectation, here are some break downs of the numbers:

ANIMALS -

Elephants                60     3    3    0    painted, based,  textured - just needs tufting and seal coating

Giraffes                  60    2    2    0       game ready

Wildebeest            180    8    6    0     painted, based, in process for texturing then tufting and sealing

Cape Buffalo         96    0    4    2/2    game ready (the 2/2 is a couple of animals with riders)

Vervet Monkeys    24     0    0    2     game ready (the last two are based with the ridden buffalo)

Okapi                        6    0    0    0     game ready

Ostriches                36     1    0    0    12 painted, the rest primed and ready to paint

Rhinos                    30    0    0    0    24 primed and ready to paint, 6 to prep and prime

Sable Antelope       42    0    0    0     primed and ready to paint (adapted from some goats!)

Warthogs                36    0    0    0     primed and ready to paint

Gorillas                   18    0    0    0    primed and ready to paint

Gorillas *                12     0    0    0    game ready (these are more pulp gorillas, angry and violent)

Baboons                   48    3    0    0    primed and ready to paint

Chimps                    34    4    0    3    primed and ready to paint (last three accompany Tarzan)

Hippos                     39    1    0    0    24 primed and ready to paint, 15 to prep and prime (12 waterline)

Crocs, gators, etc.    63    0    0    0    48 partially painted, 15 to prep and prime (12 waterline)

Quagga                    96    3    4    0    during the Victorian era these were thought a different species

Zebras                    120    4    4    0    primed and ready to paint

Flamingos                24    1    0    0    bought painted, HO scale birds

Gazelle/Antelope    72    3    4    0    61 primed, balance to prep and prime

Gazelle/Antelope    60    1    2    0    41 primed, balance to prep and prime

Gazelle/Antelope    60    1    2    0    41 primed, balance to prep and prime

Pangoloin                 3    0    0    0    painted toy models, just need to work on texturing bases

Anteaters                 3    0    0    0    as above

Leopard                  3    0    0    0    primed and ready to paint (from HATT Jungle set)

Cheetahs                3    0    0    0    as above (or one of the two was from a plastic toy set)

Hyenas                24    0    0    0    primed and ready to paint

Lions                    75    0    0    0    48 part painted or primed and ready, 27 to prep and prime

The way the numbers work is first number is the main grouping/herd, then for the live animal trade, then dead, and the last number is for 'special' situations.  

Yes, that is a lot of animals - and I plan to add a lot more if a certain company releases a long promised range.  

The Gazelle/Antelope are models of Pronghorn antelope I will paint up as various ungulate species to fill in gaps - though hoping some of those 'pending' animals will better fill some of those gaps.  

The reason for so many lions is working to find better options, originally just had Irregular male lions and using their tiger for my female lions, then added some smaller bead animals for younger lions, then adding in the lions from the HATT jungle sets (bought three total) and more recently finding some nicer sculpted metal lions and some smaller lions from Pendraken for young.  And, if those pending animals materialize, will be adding even more lions.  May not paint them all if the last hoped for batch meets higher expectations.

PEOPLE -

Tarzan grouping, 23 figures (4 versions of Tarzan with a chimp and Waziri for three of the versions, 4 of Jane - with dogs for three of the versions, and 4 of their son - one of the Cape buffalo riders(fourth version is the family nicely dressed for a ride to Europe); 6 canoes with 30 canoers; 38 Dahomey Amazons (and the 1 horse included); 6 archers of indeterminate assignment at this time; 39 Waziri warriors in three groups of 12 plus the leader (who can be an arch-enemy if I need to use him that way against Tarzan).  Hopefully, it is obvious that these figures are more pulp oriented whereas much of the rest can just as easily be historical.

The pygmies consist of 96 warriors, 24 villagers (adapted from 10 mm figures since no one makes any 15 mm pygmy villagers that I could find), and a chieftain group of 3 figures.

There are two 'grand' natives sets (the italicized paragraphs here), each more or less composed the same, the great difference is one group has Ashanti and the other Maori - and a color theme difference to make it easy to tell them apart.

Each of the two groups has 9 groups of 12 for 108 warriors, 6 groups of 12 for 72 villagers, 36 canoers in 12 canoes, a witch doctor led (3 figures) group of 3 units at 12 each, and 12 bound captives - and three sub-chiefs and one paramount chief (or king).

There are 5 native leader groups, 3 figures each; these are a mix of African and Arabic peoples.

One 'grand' set has those Maori, 4 groups of 12 for 48 figures, the other has the same but Ashanti.

And last there are 6 groups, 3 figures each, of "Great White Hunters" (2) and a gun bearer (African).  One of the groups has two female white hunters.

The italicized above and the pygmies are all painted - just a smattering of bases to finish texturing with a large amount needed grass tufts and such added.

For my "Zanzibari" civilians, there are 8 groups of 12 figures for a total of 96 with a fair balance of male, female and a lesser balance of children.  Child figures are often hard to find for many periods in my chosen 15 mm sized figures.

An additional 10 groups of 12, mostly all white except for the natives in the archaeological dig grouping, are European whites.  Some of these are armed, some are not, some fit history fine and others lean into the pulp elements, but more so historical.

For my many river boats, side wheeler sized and launch sized - and a couple of iron glads and a few Chinese junks, I have 10 groups of European sailors plus six extra figures for 126.  There are also three native crews so another 36.  And two shore parties of sailors decked out for land fighting. (And somewhere those 36 sailors mentioned earlier in this post.). And just mixed in with this group are 6 men and three push carts. [not included in the totals above are my dhows with their crews - but can certainly be pressed into use here, not yet prepped for painting, I think I have 8 of them with 5 crew each]

Some light-hearted relief comes in the form of the Daftu (a man who goes by Digits on the Lead Adventure Forum started a lovely thread in the Pulp board titled Daftest Africa.  When he asked about points of inspiration, I tossed the idea of the Daftu tribe, a play on the Bantu peoples of Africa).  Since, at least not to date, he hasn't created such, I decided to create my own Daftu tribal figures and just to be different I, mostly, will be using figures originally intended for John Carter style Mars figures.  Mine, however, will be very much earth bound.  There are 24 'character' groupings of figures and 5 groups of 12 warriors for 84 total people in this group.

For European forces to 'protect' the Europeans, I have a number of figures.  For British I have 12 sailors and 18 soldiers.  There are 24 figures in slouch hats that might serve in some capacity but I haven't decided for sure.  And then there are 24 Odonites, figures for my fictional alter ego, Odo - much more of him and his ancestry and progeny at some later date.  There are 24 figures as a start for the Force Publique - hoping to augment this with some Belgian figures from QRF's WWI ranges - if they release appropriate figures (if not, I will order in some of their ACW figures for a rag-tag version).  Another 24 figures will represent US Marines (I did say Slightly Cracked - not aware of any Marines in East Africa in my intended time frame (which is remarkably fluid at times).  French are represented by 24 sailors.  And the Germans have 24 figures plus 3 more - and more planned like the Pickle Haube troops mentioned above.

There are also 72 native units to assist, or maybe resist, the European forces.  Likely I will add a bunch more to this using 1880s or so Egyptian soldiers that have become surplus over time.

There are also 10 groups of 3 each, 30 total, of "Adventurers", most if not all of the groups include at least one woman, maybe two sometimes.  This definitely, but not entirely, leans into the pulp side of it all.  Some stalwarts of fiction and cinema may be found mixed in here.

One of the "conceits" of my inspired variation of the Scramble will actually have the Germans in the place of the heroic people (this is pre-Nazi and Carl Peters is a vastly reduced presence) with the British being much more the villainous side of the affair.  For those who don't know, despite the less noble element of the Germans in Africa (and they had no monopoly on ill deeds, all the European powers were less than noble in their treatment of the native Africans), at least the Germans worked to better educate the locals and trained them much better in the military arts in relative terms according to my readings.  This is perhaps influenced by my German heritage which harkens back at least to the revolutionary days.  Then again, I can trace my first ancestors in America to 1630 and the ship William and Mary out of England.  So, I can land on both sides of that issue through family heritage.

I don't intend to create games of native bashing but of Europeans in conflict with one another in the quest for colonies, domination, and the like and dragging, usually unwillingly and unwittingly, the indigenous people along.  And, when history is in second - or even third place - behind pulp, all sorts of odd things might intrude - like tanks and airplanes very much out of place - as long as it makes the game that much more fun.  Just no VSF, but maybe steam traction, slow, clunky, and very unreliable.

By in large, except for rounding out my German East Africa stuff with Belgians and Portuguese if they become available and more African animals, I am at an end of collecting periods.  But things that fit here - like those pending Pulp figures from Khurasan I intend to add - may join into this happy madness.

SYW Figures

Just some photos to help try and identify origin of figures.

 

Models turned into terrain?

The link below goes to a Lead Adventure Future Wars post I did that shows some Buzz Lightyear ships - and at the bottom of the photo two pods (that I thought might be rockets). 

https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=90825.msg1766358#msg1766358

Well, I bought them today thinking I would use them as some sort of fuel towers or something like that - but they wouldn't stand upright.  Sure, I could easily find a way around that problem but first I unfolded them and laid them flat and realized - with the scale of the 15 mm figure in the photo below - they could be some sort of installation on my variation of Tatooine for my Star Wars gaming adventures.  That is likely the direction I will go, probably with some modifications and definitely with a significant repaint.  Now I just need to decide what sort of an installation.  I could still use one as fuel tower.  

I also found some much smaller versions of the Buzz Lightyears ships that I will be adding to my debris field so I now have three large vessels and three small vessels - no photos yet of the smaller vessels.  Still trying to find a way to represent an imperial destroyer type ship and do it for cheap.  Maybe I'll get lucky at a garage sale or swap meet or something.  If not, I will have to do some creative scratch building.

My overall color scheme for buildings and the debris field will be a desert sand color with varied tones of browns and tans, maybe some reddish tones - and some heavy rusting where appropriate.

A New Adventure - of the "Hope"ful kind

 A variation of what is below was posted on 10/22/2022 to my Whiskey Hills blog but, since that is Old West and Pony Wars, I deleted that post and doing this one.

In September the wife and I took our adult niece for her first trip to Disneyland.  She had a good time and gave them, on a scale of 1 to 10, 101!  So, that made it worthwhile.  

I made a point of visiting the Star Wars area and ended up going back to buy two Imperial Walkers and a Millennium Falcon that are mostly made of metal with some plastic parts.  Below are some photos showing what I purchased:

A group shot.

To the left of the closer shot of the Falcon is a Minifigs colonial highlander figure to show scale.

One side of one of the walkers.

The other side of the other walker - still showing the remnants of the price tag, same thing on the other side of the other walker.  Working, carefully, to remove the tags - mostly gone, just a little adhesive residue to clean off.  Fortunately, the Falcon tag was on the bottom so less of a problem. The Falcon was $17.99 US and the walkers were either the same or $1 more.

As of today, 10/31/22, that purchase price is substantially higher because I've added and/or ordered a whole bunch of additional vehicles and figures - some in earlier posts here. LOTS of figures, and some scratch building bits and pieces.  Still waiting on a few more vehicles and the vast majority of the figures - though hopeful some might arrive today.

edit: forgot that I'd added, once received, the Sand Crawler from Hot Wheels:

Yes, it is a good deal smaller than it should be but big enough to keep me happy.  The local Jawas only went for the mini version.  That is a Rebel Minis 15 mm Sahadeen War Maiden for scale.  She, and the twenty similar to her that came with her, will be part of the smugglers and/or marauders in my games.

I will do some serious weathering on the Sand Crawler to improve its looks.

edit:  Well, at least I got the last of the War-Mart ships today - but no figures.  Here are the two tie-fighters and transport.  I like that one tie fighter is locked in firing position and the other isn't.  I also did a check for other Star Wars items from Hot Wheels and discovered my swap meet find on a similar stand is Yoda's Jedi Straighter - which makes it my new favorite model being a HUGE Yoda fan.  And it scales very nicely with these ships.  All of the ships are easily removable from their stands.  The ships are probably a little small compared to 15 mm figures but that also means they won't over-dominate the table if used in a game.  A bit more of a challenge with the transport but maybe it is a different transport than I was hoping for - a deep space transport rather than a landing craft for troops and/or passengers.

I did get an invoice from one the manufacturers of 'not Star Wars' figures which means I should have lots of figures inbound - and that I am, mostly, done spending money on this set-up.  May still be ordering some 3D printed items.  

AT-STs arrive

 More still on its way but late yesterday a package arrived with two AT-STs inside from Wall-Mart, Hot Wheels models:

Above image shows how the Hot Wheels items scale to my Disney Imperial Walkers.  Works for me.  The 15 mm Mech Pilot from Rebel Minis is for scale.  My two walkers and these two items will be the "muscle" of the Imperial Forces.

Not sure about the paint jobs on these - perhaps out of one of the clone wars movies (so called episodes 1-3 which I have yet to watch but will one day soon).  No plans to repaint, will just live with them as they come - except for some possible weathering.

Still awaiting a couple of X-wing fighters and a transport.  And LOTS of figures.  

Star Wars: Huts and "Attack of the Dremel"

Out roaming this morning with the wife and checked out a Five Below store (they should be called 20 Below these days it seems) and found the kids game above - the igloos spoke to me as useful for my 15 mm Star Wars - so I bought two.

Here are all eight huts with a 15 mm figure, unpainted.  The two blue things are referred to in the game as "snow crabs".

Here is close up of one hut with the figure, Rebel Minis tech pilot.

No idea what to do with these except given them to some kid that likes them.  If someone has a 'great idea', let me know.

Here is Yoda's head decapitated from the toy ship.

And here is part of the Dremel attack.  The hole above is part of the kit.  The hole below will be a door - which is a very minor hint of what might happen to the head.

Here is the ship after more Dremel attacking, it will be part of the ancient debris field of crashed space ships.

And the last attack of the Dremel was modifying one of the huts just to make it look different - might be off by itself and home to some hermit or other.

And those snow crabs?  With a good wash, a prime cover, and a repaint - and maybe some work on those forward claws - and these will turn into robots.  I believe there is something like this - a robot - in at least one of the Star Wars movies.

Oh, the game was only $2.50 US at the local store so a pretty cheap find, the ten useful pieces, not including sales tax, were only fifty cents each.

Off the shelf ships - New Adventure

 The following photos are of Star Wars, mostly, items purchased at local War-Marts.  Either Hot Wheels or a couple of Buzz Lightyear items.  This all for a Star Wars setup.  While the ships are cool, my plan is mostly for planet based action, lots of 15 mm figures on order, a few received, buildings and parts for scratch building, too, on their way (plus some stuff I bought at a local hobby swap meet).

An overall shot, four on the left are Hot Wheels items, two on the right are Buzz Lightyear.

The two Buzz Lightyear ships will be turned into battle debris.  The unpainted figure to the left is a 15 mm Rebel Minis Mech Pilot, comes four to a pack, bought three packs.

Debris "in training".

Advanced Tie Fighter - Darth Vader's ship.

A regular Tie fighter.

Imperial shuttle.

Obi Wan Kenobi's Jedi Interceptor.

Same with wings adjusted.

Also wings adjusted.

The Buzz ships come with models that I think I will repaint and use as very large robots.

The two photos below are of swap meet finds.

This will be used as an escape pod ship - maybe.  A bit small scale compered to all else.

And this last one will be a debris ship - after I "decapitate" it of Yoda.  I have plans for the Yoda head, too, but those will be revealed at a future time.

The Lark Side

 I do hereby lay claim to the phrase "The Lark Side" (and trademark, copy right and whatever else means it belongs to ME!  I mean it, peanut.) for using to describe the quasi-historical gaming that lends itself to the lighter side of gaming that is still historical in core nature but just doesn't take itself so seriously.  

All you outraged Nappy fans please avert your attention, no apoplexy, please.

The rest of you, come on in the water is fine - can't say whether or not it is infested with sharks, alligators, leaches, or venomous snakes.  But, hey, it sure looks inviting.

Bwa...ha...bwa...ha...bwa-ha-ha-ha.  😀

Just used it in a local gaming group I belong to and realized that phrase has got some serious legs to it.

(edit: so I posted the above to LAF's general discussion board and it got deleted.  No doubt one of that class of Englishmen without a 'proper' sense of humor complained and it got deleted.  Or maybe it was one of those outraged Nappy fans!?  Some people just don't get tongue in cheek humor.  Oh, well.  It's so much more fun over here on the Lark Side.  At least England gave us Monty Python - so there is some hope.)

Ruga-ruga, Natives, and Porters

Just received from QRF Miniatures yesterday, part of the WWI range under the Africa sub-heading. 

Above are the Ruga-Ruga, four poses.

These are East African Tribesmen, seems to be five poses here.

And last are the porters, four poses.

You should be able to click on the photos to make them bigger.  Posting these "naked" photos for some who want to see bigger images than are on QRF website.

German East Africa status

Since losing access to the blog I have been busy.  Painted nearly or maybe a little over 1,700 figures.  Bought in a new 'scale' with 10 mm Vietnam, went all in from Pendraken, TimeCast, a bit from Miniature Figures, and a few 3D printed items purchased - especially some twin rotor helicopters.  Other than maybe some more buildings for an urban environment, should have all I need.

But my BIG project has been buying figures for the German East Africa World War One theater in 15 mm.  This has been possible because QRF Miniatures has gone in whole hog.  So far I have all the troops I need from India, for England and allies (Rhodesia, South Africa, etc.), King's African Rifles, Germans, and Askaris.  Just released are the Ruga-ruga, East African natives, and porters - just waiting for photos to be posted before ordering.  Next up are the Belgians and the Portuguese, hopefully in February.  And then comes something that thrills me - more animals for the African plains.  Then it is all about getting them painted.

Speaking of painted, I've painted most of my domestic livestock - lots.  Also, some more of my African animals.  And lots of the natives and a few other folk for the exploration era of Africa, or maybe a little mild "needle barely above 1" pulp sorts of action.

Back in the fray, so to speak

 Old computer system wasn't able to update and couldn't access.  Finally got a new computer (a lot of Covid delays and then waiting for the 'latest and greatest' from Apple).  So, more soon.