Progress on the table: 19th Century Brits, Mahdists and Bolt-action,also some terrain all happening simultaneously!

Victoria's Little wars: 

Brits in the Sudan, and Bolt Action. Strange bed-fellows

On my painting/modelling table at the moment:

Perry's Sudanese Mahdist Ansar warriors

Squaring up to the British colonial troops. The Ansar are mostly done now, bar basing and highlights

While the brits have only had under coat, base coat and flesh base done

"Here they come, lads!: Let 'em have it!"

"Bismillah! Alah-u Akbar!"

Production line in action

Different historical periods mingling in friendly fashion whilst drying

...or less friendly fashion. Salah- al Din being unhorsed (and de-handed ? ) 

by Viking Hirdmen with greataxes

 

Does anyone else ever imagine the conversation going down?

(For Gottz zake, Hans! Go play viz your flamezrover somevere else! Can you not zee zat det Hauptmann is plannink ze next attack? )

Und how vood ve get zere? Der Hanomag is ztill being painted! And it has kein Ketten!

I say, old Chap! Coming along nicely, what? Spiffing! 

 Terrain for Bolt Action: 

Having been mildly embarrassed with my lack of suitable terrain for modern , well 1940s, gaming in 28mm, I immediately sallied forth to rectify the situation

 I quickly dug out my (now) obsolete 40K terrain, and fantasy terrain, and rapidly brought these into the 20th century. A couple of EWAR french houses and shops, some 20mm railway layout bits and a few pot-scourers, and away we go...the makings of a semi-ruined French village!

In this snap it looks MOSTLY ruined

But the bus-service is still running... Picked up some great pre-painted Corgi and Solido civilian period vehicles in approximately the right scale off Trade Me. 

At the best of times I find it a bit of an issue with Warlord's figures being at 1/48 and their vehicles at 1/56 ! So these little buses are 1/50. Close enough, I think 

While the Corgi US Command vehicle at 1/43 may just be a tad to big. 

Half-painted Heer stopping in for Gipfel und Kaffee (Coffee and Croissants) at the Patisserie 

 

Take a bit of old fantasy stuff, paint the floors, weather a bt

some EWAR stuff and scratch-built stuff, a HO/OO train platform...

40K, Mordheim, LOTR and EWAR bits coming together to form a ruined village and Eglise. Well, almost more like Monte Cassino, or the Vatican, by the time I was finished!

Now for some roads, of course, both tarred and un-sealed:

Out comes the crack filler. In-between we put in a bit of work on the Sudan.

PVA wood glue and sand

Dry overnight, paint and Voila!

 Within a day or two we have roads, the Germans have retreated to the other side of town, 

Or have they?

Opel blitz trucks are seen parked outside the ruined farm-house, as is a German staff-car

These Blitz trucks are the elongated version.

Some advance cautiously 

While the bazooka team

and sniper team move into position

The French doctor sighs. The ambulance will again be needed. 

All to soon...

...while back on the work bench a PzIV and a Hanomag are taking shape. 

Typical German engineering. Taking forever.

Exciting days: Konflikt '47 and Bolt Action v2 incoming

Exciting days coming for Bolt Action fans

 

Looks like both Bolt Action v2 and Konflikt are about ready to launch.

Prelude to a game...

"Konflikt '47 is set in a world very much like ours. In fact, its history is indistinguishable from our own until 1943 when the Manhattan Project's test of a prototype nuclear device opened a rift in the fabric of space. When the Fat Boy atomic bomb was dropped on Dresden on 12 March 1944, it created a second rift, and German scientists quickly set to work studying it.

Both rifts began to relay signals from unknown sources. These signals were largely indecipherable, but occasionally one would convey a formula or scientific theory that permitted huge technological advances..."

Looks like there was a collaboration with Clockwork Goblin minis on the futuristic vehicles; produced in 15mm. Anyway they look delightful !

"Both the US and Germany were reluctant to share these advances with their allies, and in May 1944, Stalin declared the US to be an enemy of the Motherland.

Fully compatible with the incredibly popular Bolt Action rules, this standalone rulebook takes the war to a completely new level. Players are given everything they need to field forces incorporating the incredible weapons and technologies made possible by the rift signals, and to engage in tabletop battles for supremacy and survival."

Great review of Konflikt on WWP:
http://www.wwpd.net/2016/07/konflikt-47-rulebook-review-and-first.html

Using the basic WW2 infantry sets, most Bolt Action players will already be well underway to a Konflik Army...

So the just beautiful Clockwork goblin 15mm models:

I'm even thinking of using my Olleys Armies Scrunts or Hysterical Games Panzerfauste minis, and Confrontation Wulfen, if the size fits!

I really like the look of the Hysterical Games minis:

Panzer Fauste Dwarf Truppen
Panzer Fauste Brits
Undead Russians

Don't know how I missed the Kickstarter!

Who does not want a Panzerbär...

SAGA Crescent and Cross: Playing with myself

SAGA: Cross and Crescent - 1st two armies at Siege: 

Spanish vs Muslims

I couldn't make it to the wargames club tonight (like many other Wednesday nights, unfortunately) as I had a meeting on endocrine surgery.

Very interesting stuff that, all about adrenal glands, thyroid glands and parathyroid glands, mammary glands... So I got home after 9, too late for club. I had to be content with playing with myself.

No, you dirty minded gamers, you! I have mostly finished my Muslim and Crusader forces, and contented myself by setting them up as a siege.  All wargamers will admit to playing with themselves at some point. I even took some photos:

Lets call it the Siege of Al Zabells.

El Cid's Spanish Crusaders/Reconquistadors taking on the fortified Moorish desert town of Al Zabells:

The trumpets sound, as the Reconquistadores of El Cid pour over the dunes. 

To arms, to arms!

Next to appear over the dunes are lightly armoured knights on foot and archers.

The Moorish archers take aim.

Heavy spearmen and archers prepare to defend the battlements of the mud-brick and sandstone fortified town of Al Zabells, as more and more Spanish bear down on the town.

Rachid Al' Din and his Berbers respond to the trumpets and call of the Muezzin

Every man to defend the Mosque!

Mighty siege engines roll forward

Mounted light archers pour out of the town gates to harass the advancing Spanish.

While Mutatawwi'a and Moors unite to repel the Infidels

As the Crusader cavalry draw close to the gate the Muslim cavalry come thundering around the corner of the Mosque

Victory will be ours! Who will prevail? 

SAGA: Crescent and Crosss: The Crusades Part 2

Not slacking on building and painting. Just not posting very much.I have purposely built and painted by Muslim forces so that they can be mixed and matched to form different factions from the Crescent and Cross book. The buildings are also starting to look middle-eastern (I think)Anyhow, here goes:

Mutatawwi'a and light horsemen emerging from the dunes

Generic Muslim Infantry with swords

Camel Riders and Warlord, Archers and Tuareg-styled infantry. 

I particularly like the look of the fez-wearing hadji figures

(Muslim warriors who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca) 

I painted the camel riders and command group, as well as some spearmen as Tuareg warriors

  

                                                                 from Crusader (Chris De Burg):

A messenger came, blood on his feet and a wound in his chest,

"The Christians are coming!" he said, "I have seen their cross in the west,"

In a rage Saladin struck him down with his knife,

And he said "I know that this man lies,

They quarrel too much, the Christians could never unite! 

I am invincible, I am the king,

I am invincible, and I will win..." 

Closer they came, the army of Richard the Lionheart,

Marching by day and night, with soldiers from every part,

And when the Crusaders came over the mountain and they saw Jerusalem,

They fell to their knees and prayed for her release

They started the battle at dawn, taking the city by storm,

With horsemen and bowmen and engines of war,

They broke through the city walls,

The Heathens were flying and screaming and dying,

And the Christian swords were strong,

And Saladin ran when he heard their victory song; 

"We are invincible, God is the king,

We are invincible, and we will win!" 

"What do I do now?" said the wise man to the fool,

"I have spent my whole life searching, to find the Golden Rule,

Though centuries have disappeared, the memory still remains,

Of those enemies together, could it be that way again?"

Then the fool said "Oh you wise men, you really make me laugh,

With your talk of vast persuasion and searching through the past,

There is only greed and evil in the men who fight today,

The song of the Crusader has long since gone away...

...Jerusalem is lost,Jerusalem is lost,Jerusalem is lost, 

Jerusalem...

SAGA: Crescent and Cross. And now for some buildings...

SAGA Crescent and Cross. Buildings taking shape

Been doing some scratch-building of  arab style buildings for Saga. Progressing slowly but getting there:

Quality Street octagonal chocolate box and a toddler's toy:

 on the way to becoming a mosque

Arab hut

City wall defenses having taken a hit from a rock lobber