Japanese themed scenic backboard

Today I did not feel like playing a game and decided to create a Japanese themed backboard instead for a bit of fun and also to complete a family challenge. The challenge was to create something in January with the theme of falling water, which explains why the scenery has waterfalls. I have completed a backboard before for my WW2 Western Desert games using just water colours. This time I used artist pastels because of details like trees and waterfalls.

Japanese themed backboard with Samurai.

The whole thing took a lot less time than I expected and I was able to complete in half a day. I used a foam board and started off sketching out the landscape using water colours. Once all dry I then applied chalk based artist pastels. A coat of clear sealer was sprayed on at the end to hold the pastel in place so they don't smudge when used.

The sketch drawing using water colours.

The scenic backboard in place

A closer view

The drawing is pretty basic but suitable enough for wargaming purposes.

Samurai armies rebased and on parade

Over the New Year period I was able to rebase my Samurai armies. I am much happier with the basing results. The units look better and I have the flexibility to increase or decrease a unit's size. Presently both armies sit at about 140 miniatures each. Once I have completed the remaining miniatures I expect that to go up to about 170 per army. Not that they would all be on the tabletop at once. I would normally field about 8 units so not to over crowd my 6x4 foot table.

The red army set up with 4 bases per unit. 3 infantry per base or 2 cavalry.

A closer view from the side

Rather than go with individual figures for commanders, I am thinking about using the banners/flags to show which units have commanders attached.

A mounted samurai unit with retainers running behind.

The same mounted samurai unit with two banners showing a commander is attached.

I am as yet unsure about the rules I will use. There are presently three options I am plan to look at:

• Pike and Shot Wargaming from the book "Wargaming and Introduction" by Neil Thomas.
• Never Mind the Billhooks rules by Andy Callan and provided free with Wargames Illustrated last year. 
• Pike and Shot rules from One Hour Wargames by Neil Thomas.

The first two sets of rules allow for combined unit (pike-arquebus, pike-bow, pike-swords, etc) while One Hour Wargaming (OHW) is my normal starting point for rules. The activation system in Never Mind the Billhooks seems very appealing and the rules also allow for differently sized units. I have also found a few free Samurai specific rules which I need to read through, but most appear to be geared towards skirmish actions.

Both armies lined up.

Minifigs Samurai armies progress

I have returned to painting my mainly old Minifig Samurai miniatures with a few Dixon figures purchased many, many ears ago. Having done a couple of army parades as I progressed to keep myself motivated, there was one thing that bothered me, and that was the infantry basing which looked all a bit too regimented and close order. 

Since I started the project I have been doing more reading about the armies, their equipment, organisation, formations, etc. This along with some timely comments as I posted painting progress updates (thank you Rob) has convinced me for the need to rebase all the figures I have done. The rebasing aim will be to give the impression of more open formations which tended to be used. Additionally, I want the show the combined pike and arquebus/bow formations without one row of figures being stuck behind the other.

My previous style of basing is behind a rebased unit

The looser basing approach allows arquebus figures to placed between pikes rather than behind as with my previous basing approach,

Now is a good time to do the rebasing. I am on holiday and Melbourne temperatures for the next couple of days are expected to be in the high 30's Celsius (approximately 94 Fahrenheit or more). I can apply the paint, PVA glue and flock and wait no more than 15 minutes for the stuff to try when placed outside in the sun. This really speeds up the process. I aim to have all the rebasing completed over the next couple of days.

Preparation work has already begun. I use a chisel to remove the miniatures from the old bases, and for the most part they come away cleanly with just a little bit of tidying up to do.

Saxon buildings and a couple of bridges

In preparation for a few Norman vs. Saxon games, which will most likely be using scenarios from One Hour Wargames, I needed to create some buildings and bridges. I use the pictures from paper soldiers "Wargame 1066" by Peter Dennis as a guide to the design of the terrain items.

A band of paper soldier Saxons (42mm) with the new terrain pieces.

As with my previous terrain, I tend to use blocks of wood cut then roughly painted. This allows me to pack away the terrain without having to worry about breakages, and it is cheap. I used to use just the blocks painted, but now I use a Gesso Paste to create the roofs which in most cases have the most texture. This helps speed up the painting process with washes and dry brushing.

The building process once cut moving left to right. The Gesso paste gets  textured with a toothpick.

A Saxon church and buildings suitable to represent a village. All the building features are painted on using various washes and dabbed on blobs of paint for stone buildings or stripes for timber buildings.

Saxons defend their village.

The bridges take a similar approach to the buildings. Normally I would not have applied the Gesso Paste, but decided to give it a try and see if it was effective.

The cut wood has some dowel added to the sides. Then Gesso paste added to give a rough texture. A strip of card cut the width of the bridge is used to give a ripple effect of logs or planks.

A close up photo of the finished bridge. As with the buildings, these are painted with washes and a few lines to emphasise the planks.

These terrain items were completed over two days. One day to cut up the wood, stick and apply the Gesso paste. Then a second day to paint.

A couple of wargaming items for Christmas

A couple of Christmas presents were wargaming and modelling related this year. The Gallic troops by HaT will allow me to expand the number of Gaul units for my Punic War collection, while the Green Stuff was a timely present to replace my existing Green Stuff which is old and well past its used by date.

Christmas presents

On the tabletop at the moment is a Norman vs. Saxon game using the paper soldier armies. I am hoping to play a few quick games with them over the next week or so, but I will first need to make some dark age buildings and a suitable bridge or two.

A game underway

Norman spearmen cross the river while Saxon forces wait on the hilltop.

Trying out the Airfix Battles game

Only a little bit of painting has occurred since the last post and a couple more Samurai bases were completed, and as I look into the boxes containing the remaining unpainted Samurai it would appear I am now two-thirds of the way complete. I certainly have enough painted now for a small one-hour wargames style game.

On wargaming front I was able to try out scenario 1 from the Airfix Battles game. Rather than use the boxed game and counters I opted to setup the tabletop. The rules are fairly straightforward with most of the information is easily at hand on the unit cards and order cards.

First game using scenario 1 to learn the basic rules

I do like the approach the game has used to activate units with Command cards. You are able to hold a number of Command cards in your hand depending upon your leader's capability. For example, a Captain can hold 4 cards and a Major 5 cards. Your leader's rank also determines how many Command cards you can play during your turn.

The Command cards can be used face down to move a unit or have it fire. The preferred option is to use Command cards face up as they provide a variety of extra movement or combat capabilities for units, while other cards provide the ability to interrupt your opponent's activities to shoot or take cover for example.

At the end of a turn player's draw a number of additional cards to refresh their hands.

For a bit of fun I tried the game using some of my Warhammer 40K figures, and I may well progress this further and create some unit cards specifically for the 40K units. The Command cards should be reusable without modification.

Ancients campaign - turn 4 game 1

The first land game of campaign turn 4 has Rome and Carthage facing off in Northern Italy at the battle of Bellunum 212 BC. I ended up playing the game three times as I was trying out some army resolve rules, replacing the previous rules where the first army to be reduced to one unit had to retire. The new test rules have an army losing its resolve when they have half or less army resolve points than the enemy. Resolve points are calculated for each unit still available:

• 1 point for each light infantry, light cavalry, warband, and artillery unit
• 2 points for each heavy infantry, heavy cavalry and elephant unit

At the end of each turn a resolve check is made to see if an army will retire.

The Roman General and troops (all HaT plastic figures) doing a quick count of his resolve points.

Carthage has the advantage with two armies in the region and will gain an additional rally chance card for the game, replacing a no event card.

The order of battle is...

Rome:

• 4 x heavy infantry
• 2 x light infantry
• 1 x catapults

Carthage:

• 2 x heavy infantry
• 2 x light infantry
• 1 x warband (Gauls)
• 1 x light cavalry
• 1 x heavy cavalry

Rome has deployed their centre well forward intending to get their heavy infantry involved as soon as possible and start wearing down the Carthaginians. Carthage on the other hand had a long line with light cavalry and Gaul on one flank and their heavy cavalry on the other.

Carthage's heavy cavalry commanded by their general is positioned on the flanks.

Catapults are positioned on the other flank, hoping to create some disruption in the enemy.

On to the game...

The Roman centre pushes forward while Carthage moves forward on the flanks and decides to wait in the centre.

Part of the centre clashes, but other Roman infantry have been delayed. On the flank the Gauls charge a somewhat unprepared light infantry.

The Romans appear to be struggling at this point and the flanks have been won by the Carthaginians.

The Roman centre pushes forward trying to breakthrough before their flanks are attacked.

The battle is definitely in the balance as Rome has had some success in the centre, but it is now fighting off attacks on its flanks.

Carthage's centre is just holding on and their heavy cavalry may prove a threat. While on the other flank their light cavalry are delaying other heavy infantry from joining the centre engagement.

The Roman commander's unit is committed to the fight in the centre and is quickly under pressure from all sides.

In a bitter fight in the centre Roman heavy infantry are just able to hold on, while other units start to move in from the flank. 

A count of army resolve points at this time has:

Rome (6 points)

• 3 heavy infantry = 6 points

Carthage (3 points)

• 1 heavy cavalry = 2 points
• 1 light infantry = 1 point

A victory to the Romans as they have double the resolve points. It was a game that both sides at one time of the other seemed to have the advantage. However, in the end the Romans were just able to hang in there and grind out a victory.

Out of the three games played testing out the resolve rules, two went in favour of the Romans, so I am happy for this game's result to stand.