Housing Development

Sorry I am so slow in putting things up on this blog. Life does tend to get in the way of my modelling and painting.

Any way, I have finished the 15mm scifi housing and other buildings.

Other than the green and lilac ones, the square buildings are private housing (the green one is the scifi version of the corner shop and the lilac one is a faith building).
 

The rectangular ones are public buildings - the orange one is a pub, the grey one is a governmental building, the turquoise one is the travel hub and the dark blue one is the police/security building.

Solving the Housing Shortage

I thought that I needed a few more pre-fabs - we need at least a few people being able to afford proper housing rather than just shanties. I also need some sort of terminus and a civic building. So I put in an order for some more pattress boxes and blank plates - six one-gang and two two-gang.

If you live in the UK I can highly recommend Tool Station - cheapest I have found and if you spend £10 postage and packing is free and they get delivered express via Yodel. This lot cost just £8.49 for eight buildings.

I've got a busy weekend dropping siblings off at uni, etc so I'll have to wait until next week to get going on the pimping.

If only the UK housing shortage could be solved so easily!

Scifi Scenery So Far

I am planning to use Two Hour Wargames' "5150 New Beginnings" rules for my main scifi stuff and their "After the Horseman" for post apocalytic stuff so will need afair amount of buildlings.

So far I have put together a few shanty town shacks:

 I used the little bits of foam that you have to remove from protective foam trays to form a basic shape and then built the walls of the shacks around the foam using matchsticks, balsa and various plastic card and rod. The tarpaulin roofing is made from ordinary kitchen roll. In places this leaves the tarpaulin with a dimple texture but I can cope with that.

For more up-market buildings, I have used electrical boxes, hopefully to give the idea of prefabs which the owners have had the opportunity to customise (pimp?):-

The green one is meant to be a 'corner store' supplying a bit of everything and the orange one is the bar.

The customising has been mostly done with card, bits from various kits and other items from my bits box. The pub's sign is the end of a twizzle stick that you get with a cocktail. I've had it in my bits box for about fifteen years, knowing that it would come in handy one day.

Other parts have been cast using Oyumaru to make the moulds (exactly the same as Instant Mold but less than half the price - check on eBay!) and then using Milliput to make the copies. If you haven't used it give it a go. It is so simple and quite addictive. It gives you a new perspective on things as you look at the various textures,  protrudances and cavities as well as the item as a whole. For example the entrances of the buildings are copies from an old HO scale railway carriage.

I've got a police station and several prefab habitations on the workbench (if I had a workbench to have them on!)

And finally for the moment, I got these two off eBay recently for 99p. Hopefully, a bit of converting and a decent paintjob should make them look sufficiently realistic scifi.

It's All Their Fault

The first time I saw the Kaamados Squamata by Critical Mass Games, I thought that I would like to have a paint of them but managed to fight the temptation until CMG decided to discount them. But I haven't been disappointed - they are a real joy to paint.

Of course, you can't only buy the figures that you really want so I got these too:

and I have got a few more that I haven't finished painting yet.
Like the squamata, they are a pleasure to paint but I have to say that some of them are quite fragile and I have managed to break several of them off at the ankles and needed the supeglue to rescue them.

And then, of course, I felt that it wasn't write simply to CMG all my custom so I got these from 15mm.co.uk:

 I am not sure about these police - a bit of a labour of love - but I don't like the Laserburn law officers - too Judge Dread!

Fairly basic casts but I am pleased with them.

I do like their new SHM (an example on the left) and will be ordering a few more in the future. I might even submit a few of my own attempts when time allows. The second on the left is an assassin from the Laserburn fantasy range which I thought would fit. The guy in the centre is not 15mm.co.uk but I can't remember where I did get it. I think he looks a bit Obi Wan Kenobi a la Alec Guiness. And the dogs are the from Laserburn.

Well, that's all the figures that I've currently done. There's quite a few more in the pipeline.

 

Erred and Strayed

Well, it has been a long time hasn't it. Life keeps on getting in the way.
Added to that is that fact that having said that I would stay faithful to 10mm I am afraid that I gave into temptation when Critical Mass Games had a sale and before I knew it I was painting them and focusing on 15mm scifi scenery.
 
But I have been doing some 10mm stuff too which I have added to my gallery and I hope to starting gaming again soon I have managed to back two of our boys off. One is returning to uni while the another is about to start a gap year which has left our home looking like a warehouse for relief aid (they have a very caring mum!)

Now the question is do I start another blog for my 15mm scifi stuff or do I just accept that tenmilwargaming is a misnomer?

Sorry, It's Been a Bit Quiet on Here

Life has been pretty full on these last few weeks both at home and work so I haven't managed to move the campaign on and Eorlith and his companions are still stuck in the Ragged Gauntlet (must be totally paralytic by now!)
However, just to show that I am still around, I've started a gallery page which I will gradually populate with all the figures I have or will use in 10mm games.
If you want any size comparisons or further details of the models just leave a comment.

Meanwhile back at the Ragged Gauntlet...

Eorlith, Lorhan and Dorf are licking their wounds as they sup tankards of Barkeeper Blartur's ale. At the table also sits Multair, Or'eldi's cunning man, sipping his elderflower and nettle cordial.

"We must return to Or'eldi and rescue our people," Multair urges.

"What, and let those Orcs finish us off as well?" Eorlith retorts. "We need to find some more warriors to join us."

"And who is going to join you," the cunning man asks, "when you turned tail and left my people to die like a coward?"

"The man has a point!" acknowledges Lorhan.

[As the encounter is 'complete' I've rolled to see if/how the characters have advanced.

For Eorlith's Rep, I've rolled a 1 so it drops to 3. but I've managed to raise his Hardiness to 2. Because he did a 'runner' his social standing has dropped as well to 2.

Lorhan's Hardiness has also risen to 2 and Multair's Rep has gone to 3. Dorf has not changed.

Recruitment is going to hard. Also as Eaorlith's Rep has dropped, does Larhan's have to as well or can Lorhan take over star-ship? This could be a very short campaign]

The Scouring (Hopefully) Continues

But just as Lorhan slows down, two more Night Orc Spearmen come into view, closing in rapidly on Multair.

Things are not looking too good - four enemy behind them, two in front of them [and the PEFs closing in. Though they have had a bit of luck in that the PEF that moved in close to the rear of Multair turned out to be Number 5 - reinforcements at last! And then the Test of Wills for Multair and the Orcs ends up with the same number of successes. Phew!]

Eorlith and Lorhan run to the aid of Multair and attack the two Orcs. Eorlith beheads his Orc but Lorhan's puts up a sterner fight.

Meanwhile four villagers burst out of their homes right into the midst of the Night Orcs who turn to attack them.

The results of the melees between the villagers and Orcs are mixed. One of the villagers takes out an Orc with his bow as it charges. Another thrusts his spear at the oncoming enemy but has his blow pushed aside by the Orc's shield and so begins a long fight as neither can find the telling blow to dispatch their foe. But a third villager is overwhelmed by the onslaught of the Orcs and wolf.

But now the tide starts to turn in favour of the Orcs. They overcome all of the villagers bar one who bravely continues to fight his foe. Eventually, though, exhausted he collapses and is speared.  

Realising that the odds are becoming too loaded against them, Eorlith and Lorhan take out one last Orc each and then beat a hasty retreat quickly, followed by Dulf and Multair.

They will have to come back another day, hopefully with more and better support.

Conclusion

Well I enjoyed the game even though it didn't turn out how I had hoped. Ironically the tables turned in favour of the Orcs when the villager reinforcements turned up because sunddenly all the PEFs came into line of sight and were activated. Before then the heroes were just about holding their own, killing off one PEF at a time.

Perhaps I had been a bit harsh on the villagers making them Rep 2. Rep 3 may have been more suited as they were protecting their homeland. However, I had reduced the Night Orcs to Rep 3 and not given them the Frenzy attribute as that is not my understanding of Orcs (I think that they were more driven by fear in stories like Lord of the Rings).

Oh well, Eorlith may  have to find an easier foe to fight.

[I seem to have the tune "Brave Sir Robin" from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" running in my head - can't think why!]

The Scouring Starts

Eorlith and Lorhan decide to leave the road and skirt round the village via the ploughed field with Dorf bringin up the rear.
"Where are your people?" Eorlith asks.

"They will come soon," Dorf assures him. "I am the first to get past the Orcs. Perhaps my people do not expect me to  return.

"Or perhaps they are cowering in their homes," Lorhan suggests.

Ignoring his comment, Dorf suggests, "Shall I call them?"

"And attract all the Orcs for miles around?" Lorhan exclaims. "Besides, I don't think you need to. We've got company!"

From around the hillock come an Orc and a wolf.

Over the side of the road another two more Orcs appear both accompanied by wolves.

They charge the Orc and wolf in front of them. Eorlith takes out the Orc with a single thrust of his broadsword but the wolf is made of tougher stuff and holds Lorhan at bay. But free of his foe, Eorlith joins his long-time companion in battle and together force the wolf to retreat before despatching him. Dulf quickly follows worried by the other Orcs and wolves drawing ever closer.

Pressing on, the two warriors and the young lad round the wood and rush headlong into yet another Orc spearman and his wolf. There is barely time for any of them to react. This time Eorlith takes on the wolf which springs at him, forcing him back, while Lorhan makes short work of the Orc. 

Now Lorhan joins Eorlith against the wolf but this snarling old beast  manages to sidestep his attack, forcing Eorlith back again (things are not looking good!)

"I have not spent the whole of the campaign season escaping death so that I can become dog food in some backwood!" Eorlith shouts as he summons up all his strength and slashes wildly at the wolf. Taken aback by the warrior's attack, the wolf slips, leaving itself open to Lorhan's blade and he cuts the beast completely in two.

"Nice work!" Eorlith says with a grim smile.

With their latest foe out the way, they spot ahead of them a single character dressed in brown robes . Lorhan makes to charge him but Dulf shouts, "No! That is Multair, our Cunning-man. Don't kill him."

[Here is where I had to roll  one of the Story Cubes. I picked one at random, rolled it  and hopefully you can see what came up - a capsule. Hardly the most inspiring of results but,  as one of my villagers was a healer, I decided that, rather than come out of the houses with the other villagers, he would be amongst the trees (where the PEF was), possibly being the latest villager to attempt to escape the Orc blockade].

Anyway, I think that is enough for tonight. The Scouring will hopefully be completed tomorrow.

The Village of Or'eldi

Here's the set up for the game which I hope I will be able to play tomorrow.

You can see the three heroes at the end of the road on the left and some of the potential enemy and reinforcements on the white paper.


The ten 20mm square bases are the PEFs for the game. I know that the rules say that I should start with three but my thought was that the Night Orcs would be surrounding the village by being in small clusters.
Each one of the 20mm squares has a magnetic square on the underneath with the numbers 1-10 on them so that you don't have to stop the game to discover how many are in the PEF. That has already been sorted out in advance. It's an idea I picked up some time back from Terragenesis, I think.

There are five villagers who are potential reinforcements all with a CV1 so the total CV of the heroes is 11. I decided to make the Night Orc CV a little higher. So then I created the make-up of each of the ten PEFs.

1. False alarm
2. Night Orc Spearman and Wolf 
3. Night Orc Spearman and Wolf
4. Night Orc Spearman with Shield and Night Orc Spearman
5. Villagers pluck up courage and join the fight.
6. Night Orc Spearman with Shield and Wolf
7. Night Orc Archer and Night Ork Spearman with Shield
8. Night Orc Spearman with Shield and Night Orc Spearman
9. An incident happens - roll a story cube (well, I had to get my new toys in somewhere)
10. Night Orc Spearman with Shield and Wolf

I think I am ready.

An Aid to Creativity

When it comes to quests for my heroes, WHAA only really offers three basic ideas:

• Recover an item
• Destroy someone or something
• Rescue a person

I am sure that there should be more than just those three and spotted these on Solo Nexus' blog:

Rory's Story Cubes

The nine dice on the right are from the basic set while the ones on the left are from the Voyages set. I should be able create lots of other types of quests with them as well as flesh out the three that WHAA gives.

And I know that I could simply have used a set of ordinary spotted dice in different colours or perhaps percentage dice but you have to agree that these look more fun. And I managed to get both sets on Amazon for £6.48 plus p&p so they weren't expensive.

Besides, we have a son who is on the autistic spectrum and who likes dice so we are hoping that we might be able to help him develop his imagination with them.

The Characters

THE HEROES

Eurith

Orm-daran Mercenary

Star, Rep 4, Hardiness 1, Elite Trained Warrior

Chainmail Byrnie (AC3)

Broadsword and Medium Shield.

CV3

Social Standing 3

Lorhon
Fellow Orm-daran Mercenary
Rep 4
Chainmail Byrnie (AC3)
Broadsword and Large Shield.
CV2.



Dulf
Young lad from Or'eldi
Rep 3.
No armour (AC2).
Sling and dagger.
CV 1.

The Adventure Begins

Eurith and Lorhon are mercenaries.

Following a successful campaign in the Blarach-nalian army, they drop in at the Ragged Gauntle - a hostelry popular with rogues, adventurers and those with a sword to hire. There they are approached by Dulf, a young lad, who tells them that he has come to find help for his village, Or'eldi, but so far all his pleas have been ignored (probably because he has nothing to offer in payment for their services).

For several months now Or'eldi has suffered raids by Night Orcs. Many villagers have been carried away and much of their farmland has been destroyed. In desperation the villagers have sent several messengers to find help. Dulf has been the first one to make it through.

He promises that some of the villagers will join them once they see such mighty warriors arrive.

Eurith smiles at Lorhon, "Well, we've had a highly profitable season and we're at a loose end. I'm up for it."

Lorhon grins grimly, "It could be good sport."

Introduction

Welcome to my second attempt at blogging. My first attempt lasted a year in which I only posted once and that was to ask for readers to be patient. I am hoping that this time I will do better than that!

My initial aim is to chart my progress using my 10mm wargame figures (mostly from Pendraken but with a few odds and ends as well) and Two Hour Wargames' (2HW) "Warrior Heroes: Armies and Adventures" which I think are the best set of rules for fatasy skirmishes, especially if, like me, most of your gaming is solo.

Having said that, I am not entirely happy with the rules so will be creating my own setting with a less simplistic alignment, developing the character creation rules and redefining some of the creatures and other races.

Coming soon, The Relief of Or'eldi.

[Well, that's already more than I have ever posted before - result!]