Black Powder & Perry Miniatures

Many moons ago it now seems, I began collecting a Napoleonic British army, to enjoy some gaming with a local gaming circle. The rule set of choice at the time was General de Brigade. At this time I managed to collect and paint one battalion of British Line infantry, 3 pieces of foot artillery, and a General with a couple of Brigade commanders. Unfortunately the level of gaming did not amount to much, and I found the rules a little "clunky". It seemed you needed to pass a morale test to just about do anything in the game...
I typically noted that a great deal of time would be spent setting up the game, and then the slow slog across the board commenced... Usually after several hours, the two opposing forces were just about to get to grips with each other, when we ran out of time and it was time to pack up. Not good.
My interest in the period fizzled out, and I went other ways.

Now, after some time, another rule set has been released, that has its roots in Warmaster, which I enjoyed for many years. If you hadn't guessed, it is Black Powder.
I have to say, after a couple of games, I am quite thrilled with it.

The first game gave me an idea of it, the second I got it, and got to grips with the differences and similarities to Warmaster, and the third I am fully up an running :-)

It is a tremendously fast moving and fun game, designed ideally for large armies of 28mm figs, on a big board. Normally within a turn or two, you can be right into the action, and fast and furious it can be.

It has plenty of period flavour and doesn't get bogged down in pedantic movements, or endless morale issues.

Here's a link to more about the game.

http://www.warlordgames.co.uk/?p=136

It has opened up Napoleonics for me again, and the whole Horse and Musket period.

Now the problem is for a pretty much newbie to Horse & Musket, is getting those big armies ready. Thankfully, thanks in part to new advances in hard plastic figures over the last few years, a large army need not cost you an arm and a leg ;-)

Thanks to folks like the Perry's with their sets of plastic figures, and brigade deals from Warlord games, a sizable army is within reach for most gamers I feel. The only downside, may be the time to get it all painted!

Still, I have firmly dipped my toe again and ordered a box each of Perry's Napoleonic British Line and of ACW infantry and cavalry. It was only after placing this first tentative order, that I found the brigades deals available from Warlord, so I then ordered a brigade of Napoleonic British Line and ACW Infantry.

(The box of Brits says 14 figures! Must be a misprint as there's 36 in there!)

Well there's commitment if every I saw it!

I only need to juggle some painting space and time, from the masses of Lord of the Rings figures I am still painting; more Perry plastics in part ! ;-)

I think I may try and alternate a box from each period in turn. Its not going to be quick, but my forces will slowly grow and I'll be able to add them to allied players forces for multi-player games. I can't wait.

When's the next stoush!?

Elven Heroes

I finished these a little while back but had not got round to putting up the picures to my blog.

Galadriel, Lady of Lothlorien


Celeborn, Lord of Lothlorien.


Haldir, Guardian of Lorien.


Glorfindel, Lord of the West. Here on Foot for the SBG game.


Glorfindel, Lord of the West, riding Asfaloth.


An Elven Stormcaller of Lothlorien.


A company of Mirkwood Sentinels.
A single company is a little brittle but its all I have of them currently.


Gildor's Household. Only two companies, still a little brittle, I'd like to add another company.

Larry Lead Head - Says its all...

Sorry to all those who follow my blog. I am currently working through a bunch more Galadhrim and Elven heroes, more pictures will follow once the silly season is past us.
In the mean time I spotted this on the Fusiliers




For anyone into Lord of the Rings, I am sure the above will strike a chord in a manner of speaking with you, particularly those of you in the "I'm collecting ALL the armies" club! ;-)

Evils of the North

A great many evil creatures run in the wilds of Eriador, that now dwell in the lands that was once the Kingdom of Arnor.



Buhrdur, a great cave troll captain, leads trolls and orcs in battles with the Rangers of the North, and the Elves of Rivendell.



Packs of wargs also bring terror to the remaining peoples of the north, the howl of the wolf is ever heard in the wilds of Eriador. Here a great chieftain of wargs has slain a ranger and feasts on his body.



Spectres also emerge from the dank marshes and pools, that have swallowed the graves of the fallen in battle. Dread spirits sent by the Witch King of Angmar, animate and maintain these spectral rotting corpes, to lure the unwary to their doom, or waylay travelers in the wild lands.



A spectre of an elven warrior



A spectre of the armies of men under Elendil from time of the battle of the Last Alliance.



A spectre of an orc soldier.

Heroes of the North

Heroes of the Northern Lands

After the fall of the Northern Kingdon of Arnor, few remnants of the Dunedain were left to guard it.

After suffering a great loss of men, as Elendil lead their armies to battle against Sauron at the Battle of the Last Alliance, the northern Kingdom of Arnor, fell prey to more catastrophe.

As no king returned to claim lordship, the kingdom broke down into three factions; Arthedain, Cardolan and Rhurdaur. These territories fought each other in civil war to contest the right to rule.

And so it was the kingdom was further weakened... and became ripe for conquest by the armies of the Witch King of Angmar.

To finally seal their doom, a great plague swept the lands, which left virtually none left to populate the lands. The Northern Kingdom was destroyed... but for a handful of survivors, succored by Elrond of Rivendell. Here in Imladris the line of kings was maintained through the centuries...



Arathorn, actually Arathorn II, father of Aragorn. He was slain fighting trolls and orcs, with the Rangers of Arnor in Eriador, when Aragorn was only two years old.



Halbarad, Dunedain, Captain of Rangers and the Grey Company, at the time of the War of the Ring.



Halbarad, bearing the banner of Arwen Evenstar.



Elladan and Elrohir, sons of Elrond of Rivendell, and brothers to Arwen. They fought ever to defend the lands around Rivendell, and joined the Grey Company of rangers that joined with Aragorn and the forces of Rohan, arriving after the Battle of Helms Deep. They and the Grey Company traveled with Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas, through the Dimholt, and joined with the Armies of the Dead, defeated the Corsairs of Umbar and used their ships to arrive in the nick of time at the Battle of the Pelenor Field, and saved Minas Tirith from downfall.

Elves of the Wood

Elves of the Wood

The elves of King Thranduil's Woodland Realm in the north of Mirkwood, that was once known as Greenwood the Great, are ever ready to defend their kingdom against the malice of Sauron.

When Sauron's spirit returned after his defeat at the Battle of the Last Alliance, the location he chose was an ancient ruin, possibly left over from the time of Morgoth, his master. A great hill, possibly an extinct volcano, in the south west corner of the Greenwood, became known as Dol Guldor, the Hill of Sorcery. Here it was that Sauron was known as the Necromancer.

The brave wood elves of King Thranduil, father of Legolas, battle against the evil spreading through their beloved forest realm.


Three valiant companies of Wood Elves...



..armed with spear...


...glaive...


... and elven longbow.



And above is the Elven command group with Captain, Banner and 3 Sentinels.

Dragons !

Dragons!

They have enthralled mankind for centuries, and are known in one shape, form or another to most cultures on the earth.

To my mind, arguably one of the best known by name is probably Smaug, from J.R.R.Tolkien's The Hobbit. A wonderful introduction and scene setter for the later trilogy, The Lord of the Rings.

I first read The Hobbit as a young teen-ager, and haven't really ever looked back since. I for one am eagerly awaiting the cinematic release of the movie! I really hope they do the story justice and the visual effects of Smaug are second to none.

Well, here's my verison of Smaug, thanks to GW's Dragon model from their Lord of the Rings range.

A handsome beast he is too, and quite a hefty all metal kit requiring the usually drilling, pinning, gluing and puttying, before we can get onto painting him.

Here he is in all his magnificence.








And of course to complete, the title roll of the story; Bilbo Baggins. Here perhaps we see him reminiscing about his journey with the dwarves so many years ago.



"Look out for the dragon Bilbo!"

"Dragon!? Nonsense, there hasn't been a dragon in these parts for a thousand years...."



Dear old Bilbo, and his most troublesome ring!