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.