War whoops!

Well, not yet, but a few photos in the French and Indian War page on some recently completed terrain.  Photo does show a need to use some dull cote to tame the sheen.  Enjoy.

Aaargh!!

It took until yesterday until the figures made it into my hands but worth the wait.  I now have the last of my French and Indian War figures - the native villagers and the civilians from Blue Moon.  And from the same firm, a half dozen native huts and long houses to create a couple of villages.  Got a couple of buildings - something I will be getting a lot more of from same company.

And almost all of my Musketeer figures arrived.  A bit of an oops that is being remedied and once those arrive I will have them all.  Nice!  And many of these figures will have a variety of uses in other areas - things like the coaches and the civilian figures, especially the women.  Imaginations for certain.

Some more tents to round off my Robin Hood and Viking era setup.  And then there are some very nice barriers - meant for the Texas War of Independence (the Alamo) but quite useful in other ways.  And speaking of those TWI figures - MOUNTAIN MEN!  Yes, I can sort out at least two dozen figures that will work.  Now I just need some appropriate native figures to tumble into the mix!  And beasties, too.

Then there is the cavalcade - of wagons to add to my old west and, maybe, see some use in ACW actions.  And another set of Blue Moons wild west furnishings for inside buildings - really cool stuff there, the sort of things to make those who play with larger figures jealous.  I love it when that happens after all those years of us 15 mm folk feeling that way!

There may be more that I can't recall since my brain is tired but one little tidbit for you to consider - maybe by the end of the year there just might be some figures toting tommy guns and wearing fedoras climbing in and out of vintage conveyances.  Did I say anything about prohibition?

It's too long...

To wait.  By this hour tomorrow, if all goes well, I'll have a nice little package full of figures from Old Glory/Blue Moon and that much closer to having all the figures I'll need - not all, but much closer.  Go on, admit it, you know that feeling of excitement and anticipation, like a kid at a certain season.  Yup, I'm there.

Yee gads! Is that an actual photograph?

Why, yes, kind sirs and others, it is indeed an actual image.  Not new.  But new here.  This is a shot of my herd of buffalo - and while the photo has been retouched (badly) every buffalo you see is an actual model.  Clearly, of course, there is still work to be done on texturing those bases.  (sneaking back in to note that there are thirty-eight bases with three beasts per base, that's 114 critters folks!)

Don't have time at present to add more but I wanted to give some evidence that there will be images here.  Well, maybe not right here on this part of the blog - but there will be many more over time.  Can't promise I won't move them around.  And maybe even delete one here and there as the need or the mood strikes me.

I must say, I hate it when those poltergeists show up in the backgrounds of my photos.  AWAY, you nasty demons!  Or whatever you are.

Narratives

Heavens to Betty-Boop.  Two posts in two days - and in the same month, mind you!

What is up here?

Well, I am in the mood to herd words, I guess.

If you've poked around here you've probably found a few hints of narrative in a place or three.  But what I need to do, or want to do if you prefer, is start getting a solid narrative line for each of the periods I game or have figures to game with at some point.  This means a main character or two and some sort of history for each and something to propel them down the "road to adventure" so that games have something to link them together.  Hey, a tapestry!

My all time favorite song with vocals is Carol King's Tapestry.  Why?  Well, it just resonates for me, from first listening.  Still does, too many decades later.  But think of it this way, my goal is to weave the threads of story, the warp and woof, into a many colored tapestry, like the man with the coat yellow-green on either side.  And for those of you thinking I've gone off my rocker (which I did a long time ago, been a curious ride since), are forgetting Bayeux, that tapestry is one of the most important historical "documents" on the planet.  Without it our knowledge of the period of Hastings, and of the battle itself, would be considerably less.  So, I'm not that far off base, really.   The goal, then, as time permits - very short supply for another month and a few weeks, at least - will be just that; to find a narrative for each and every period and specific characters that will 'survive' through game after game to keep them pulling a thread, or woof.  Now how the heck to I get some figures to push the warp?  Something to ponder.

Mergatroid!  I've forgotten to mention the need for villains.  Every good story needs a nasty, unscrupulous bad guy.  Or, bad girl.  Don't we love our girls to be bad once in a while?

Now, who knows where I can get a Betty-Boop figure in 15 mm?  Someone out there must make one.  Ah, the joys of cantilevered dames.  Well, I do have plenty of dogs to bark; make for some discomforting moments for players trying to sneak up on a homestead or village and such.  Off I go.

Anticipation - is keeping me waiting...

Order off to Blue Moon for the figures to create the Musketeer set-up, round off the French and Indian War (figures and a few native buildings and one non-native as a sampler), and a start to something new and long hoped for but sort of abandoned: Mountain Men!  Now, before you run off to check out Blue Moon's new 15/18 mm mountain man range, hold on to your possibles bag, partner.  I spied some items in their newest range, Texas War of Independence range that should work for mountain men - on foot.  Waiting to see if they have some mounted versions and now need to find some Blackfeet indians to suit.  But did order a few bags to see up close and in person.

Also, just finished re-reading The Battle For The Bundu about German East Africa and was struck by the sameness of so many of the battles related and am reconsidering whether to do that period or not.  Haven't abandoned it, still has some interest  But I have decided to add some Prussians in picklehaub for a nice colonial German force for my slightly cracked colonials.  Would really love to get some camel mounted Germans.  Have plenty of French and British to toss into my Scramble mix but being of German heritage, though American through and through, I want to give them some reinforcements so the Hun can have his day.  Why the heck do Germans get called Huns, anyway?  

One of the nice things about being so close to being done adding figures is now I can comfortably contemplate conversions or even the occasional custom sculpted figure.  Not quite there yet, but perhaps soon.

Now back to Blue Moon.  Depending on how I find the sample, and budget as always, I just might order a whole bunch of their French and Indian War buildings.  Also, wondering about the if and when of their 15 mm Gangster range of figures and whether they will include vehicles and buildings.  Hoping.  Oh, and one last pack of native tribes for Africa and a few things, from Old West and ACW ranges, for my old west gargantuaevality (gargantuan eventuality) that draws close to being worked on.

Next month or so I will be busy getting ready for the Pacificon convention in Santa Clara, California where my pirate extravaganza will  make its second appearance.  I really shouldn't claim it as mine since the local club had a lot to do with bringing it into being - but the toys are almost all mine so I do claim it from that perspective.  Maybe after the beginning of September I will finally have time to start putting up some photographs.

And while Blue Moon is great there are other players in the game.  Ordered some of the scenic details from Baueda (trickling in to the local hobby shop) that will be a nice addition.  And planning an order from Musket Miniatures that will be mostly detail bits, including lots of fencing.  But a couple of bags of AWI casualties to finish that off - except for the painting!  Looking at a few items from Stone Mountain and JR Miniatures, again details.  And from across the water, some items for Donnington.

What will I do with my time when I'm no longing shopping for, dreaming up, organizing, buying figures?  Well, um, PAINTING!  A lot, for a long time to come.  Oh, and a game or two here and there.  Had a fun AWI game a week and more ago, not my figures.  My forces, did well, especially one unit.  Moments like that keep up the "gaming juice."

One last note, to self, MODS = maneuverability, offensive power, defensive power, and survivability.  That relates to my rules in development (for self, not for sale).  Go ahead and wonder; it's good for you.

So, it is possible that one tab may go away, GEA, and one new one may arrive - Mountain Men.  Enough for now since I really should be working on something else!

To Pulp, Or Not To Pulp

That is the suggestion - and it's giving me some indigestion.  (Yes, yes, I know, pretty pictures, where are the pictures?  Well, somewhere.  Not here. Yet.  But they will be.  When life and the wife give me a few spare moments.  Waiting is until waiting is fulfilled, young groklings.)

So, do I already have much of what I need to go Pulp?   Well, of course I do.  But do I have enough?  Well, of course I do not.  Need a 15 mm Murch and 15 mm Copplestone to, um, pardon, but mate up (clever use of phrasing there, yeah?) and put forth some darling little ones that will charm our wallets right out of our pockets.  

Where are the femme fatales, where are the jut jawed heroic fools who'll run for cover when the real firing starts? Where are the scatter-brained quasi-geniuses who'll convert the steam traction engines into something fiendish and clanky and grand - and distinctly unreliable?  For that matter, where are the steam traction engines?

Despite the yeoman efforts of Blue Moon and Splintered Light, and the plowman efforts of Rebel Minis and Irregular (Brigade Game's offering in the scale, while pleasant, are pauperish in quantity), there just plain ain't enough yet.  Need nineteen-ought vehicles, like a Stanley Steamer, some wonky flying machines right out of, well, Those Magificent Men and Their Flying Machines (the opening sequence, of course).  And at least the underslingings for a lighter than air ship.

I need, I need, sculptors take heed or, by thundering boilers, I'll break out in poetry!  Now, how about a nice spot of tea?  Oh, don't mind the rusty color of the hot water, I had the flues cleaned out a year or two ago.  Fortitude, chap.

And can Pulp exist pre-1900 or just into the twentieth century and still be Pulp?  I aim to make it so and keep it on earth and more or less to have it "make sense", 'cept when time gets a bit angulated in order to move around a sharp corner or two.

Got a script to go read so you'll have to finish cooking.  Hope it doesn't disturb my stomach to read it.

Narrative, narrative, must come up with a suitable narrative for my iteration of Pulp.  Don't worry, I'll share.  But it's mine, you hear me, all mine, just for me.  By leavens and lean-to's!