ImagiNations: Battle of Woodenstadt

ImagiNations: Battle of Woodenstadt

Kublacon game convention this year was a hoot, seeing lots of old friends, making new ones, and running and playing games. Saturday I ran a Wars of ImagiNations scenario using my 54mm woodens. For rules I used highly modified Warmaster rules... probably to the point where I can, with a few  key changes, have my own set of rules that work best for this period and scale of game.
Usually I pick a half a dozen pics to show; I couldn't really narrow it down this time (and I'm still a bit... okay a lot sleepy from the con) so you guys get an eyeful. Hopefully the hit the spot. 

Birds eye view of the table. Up here is where the coffee is located.

Veteran sheep holding the center

Forthwegg forces and allies surround the city

Empress P's troops, led by Baron Fossmeisterhaus attempt to break the siege

The scenario:

The Forthweggian army and it's allies have encircled the town of  Woodenstadt, which is desperately holding out against the siege. Empress P has ordered her Marshall, Baron Fossmeisterhaus to lead her army and break the siege, and has taken her coach to directly oversee the battle. 

Cavalry advance on Forthwegg right and left flanks

Objective- capture the hill And that cool shirt!

Cavalry charge near the woods. Much carnage!

The counter advance!

Baron Fossmeisterhaus advances the army, much to the chagrin of the sheep.

obligatory group shot.

Forthwegg troops decided to take the initiative and were keen on capturing the Empress' coach as well as herself.  Both flanks of cavalry charged in as the infantry made a somewhat haphazad advance.

The killing fields. Actually the guns missed more than hit in this battle.

Forthwegg forces make a final push with their reserves.

Final Outcome: Woodenstadt saved!

As the battle raged there was much carnage, but the Empress' army made a big push through the center and ended up surrounding Lord Marshal Wiley of the Fortwegg army. Woodenstadt was saved! 

Marching over the killing fields. Oh the woodemanity!

The Empress is happy. 

It was a great game, with wonderful players. I think we started around 10:30, and had come to a full conclusion (and 11 or 12 turns) by 1:30pm.   Thanks again for all that played, or came by and said hi!

ImagiNations: Coach and horses

Please Sir, rest here, in my coach...

I finished up my first coach for my Wars of ImagiNations line. This will hit the table/battlefield at Kublacon in a few weeks.

I'm fairly happy with the whole set up, and paint job. I worked hard on getting a "round" effect on the blue, but now that I see the pictures, it looks too subtle for me. The next one I'll really build it out a bit more with the color.

Baron Fossmeisterhaus salutes the Empress' Grenadiers.

This coach was a project I started over three years ago, and am happy to see it go from a sketch to finished piece. Next I'll make coachmen for it.. Hopefully not another 3 year project :)

If you are around in the Bay Area for labor day, I highly reccomend Kublacon game convention, where I'll be running a ImagiNations game as well as a Breaking Lances Tournament!

Cheers!

ImagiNations: (laser)Burnemwood

Woods and Shrubs and stuff

Kublacon is in a couple of weeks, and between a very busy work load, working on my next kickstarter and two commissions, I still need to get my stuff done. This years ImagiNations scenario needed more woods, so I designed up and cut trees and shrubs.

Trees in the "woods" area are removable

I used almost a stain type style on the main tree bits to give it a more light catching feel. The grain coming out on the leaf area is a great happy accident.  After taking these pictures I realized that the base green isn't working for me, and I'll repaint it to match my game mat more closely.

The "Fighting Cocks" regiment march through the woods.

That's it for now- back to the painting table!

Cheers
Ths

ImagiNations: Coach painting WIP

Gilding the lily here

Super busy at work and getting ready for Kublacon- including finishing up this coach for my Imaginations game. Which of course is why I'm spending way too much time doing NMM gilding work on the details.

Stage 1 undercoat of GW Snakebite Leather- the old formula

Stage 2 adding Vomit brown as the base

Stage 3 using P3 Scaborus Yellow for highlights

 Painting NMM Gilding- because I'm crazy! 

My goal for NMM is to create something that looks more like 18th Century print colors than true metals.

 My colors are As follows: GW Snakebite leather (hard to find these days) for the base, GW Vomit brown for the second layer and P3 sulfuric Yellow as the highlights. Vomit Brown is the perfect base color as it's value is neither warm or cool, but can take on the properties of both depending on what is is working with. 

As I have done this over the last 5 years the companies have all changed up their formulas on colours: to that point I've added a bit of scale colors brand Tenere Yellow to my Scaborus to lighten it up a bit. You will note I even number them so I can find them easier in my messy paint rack! 

Note the numbering- because I lose them!

 Why not just use metallic paints? 

Actually painting metal paints on my Woodens doesn't always look the best because the metallic bits don't always have a curved surface upon which light can catch and reflect things, or rather sometimes it can pick up the grain of the wood, which is not always optimal for something like a gun barrel. That being said, I do use it, but put down a layer of underpainting first.

 Cheers

Imaginations: coach making 101

A Coach Fit for the Marshal

I started this project almost 3 years ago, as a brain storm late night sketch session with my good friend Jaye Wiley when visiting as a guest of honor for Recruits gaming convention. I reckoned as with all good lace wars soldiers, one needs a fancy coach (and eventually noble ladies).  Well one thing led to another and also the realized complexity of how coaches were made left this project standing in the wings...

The original sketch

Enter Procrastination- Stage Left!

I currently have on my plate a large commission for (can't tell you yet), getting geared up for my upcoming Triumph of Death II kickstarter, and some more edits and new photos for Breaking Lances, on top of a crazy work schedule... and Kublacon coming up.  So- what better way to procrastinate on what needs to happen then pick up a project that could happen and make it "important". After all, I do need new stuff for my ImagiNations battle for Kublacon, right?

Send Me in Coach!  

Working out the details in vector lines. Soldier for scale 

I jumped into my vector program and started figuring out the pieces. It took 4 revs to get it to all come together in scale, size and fit. I'd not call it ready for production; more like a good Alpha candidate. That being said it will be just fine once painted up for the game table. I'll try to get one for each side, hopefully with different details.

The Marshal approves and gives advice on colours

Kublacon Battle Report Part 1: The Pikeman's Lament

Captain Pickwith's "Pokers" regiment clear the center amidst heavy fire.

Kublacon Battle Report:

I had the great pleasure and honor to run two games this past weekend at Kublacon game convention- hands down my favorite con of the year here in Northern California. The first game I ran was a scenario of dashing pluck using "The Pikeman's Lament" rules by Mssrs. Meresy and Lanke. Two sides, each consisting of 3 Captains and their regiments were racing towards a carriage inn off the beaten track. The goal; rescue (or capture depending on which side you were on) a parcel of letters written by a certain Dutchess to a certain Duke, that was not in fact her husband.

Fun Rules! I give them 4 out of 5 wigs!

Each of the 6 players commanded between 2 and 4 units and had at the lead a Captain model portraying them. The Captains all had cool traits and each had at least 1 mission, such as " you must duel" in order to garner more honor points.

The rules played well, and everyone got into the swing of things really easily. I was a bit worried that my 54mm woodens being multibased would be an issue, but it never even came up.

Peep's fighting Cocks regiment.

 The Right Flank: A duel is fought

During the beginning of the game both of the Cavalry regiments came together, with Schlager's Trotters taking casualties from Captain Dumas' Dragoons.  This prompted a challenge (Schlager had a mission to duel) and the two officers met in front of their troops.  Each rolled 3 dice with parrying and thrusting all around. Dumas got the better of Schlager- who did not at all live up to his name by rolling 3, 1's, and that was the end of that! Dumas horse charged and after a bit of a scuffle, routed the Trotters!

Dragoons give fire

The Duel! More wig than fight

Captain Dumas salutes his vanquished foe.

The Left and Center: The Dutches' Regiments break through

On the center and left the Dutchess troops were advancing with great valor and giving a stern beating to BlackStone's company of Foote who marched bravely to meet them. Blackstone managed to actually get the letters from the inn, but during the battle was dropped by a lucky (or unlucky) shot and the letters were lost in the scuffle. (no doubt to be found in the post credits scene by some ne'er do well, setting up the next battle).

Oh the Woodmanity!

Radcliffe's Rods give What for to Blackstone's company of Foote

All in all good fun was had, lots of ribbing, 4 officers hors du combat, and much honor gained!

Painting Contest: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

So, I entered my Triumph of Death units in the painting contest and managed to get bronze in the Masters category! This is my first time in the big kids circle, and I feel really blessed and honored to get such a cool trophy. Gold medal winners are the guys that go on to Crystal brush. Gonna have to really step it up for next year.