Lion Rampant in Middle Earth

Finally got Lion Rampant on the table.  I have been reading the rules for months, and finally knocked out enough Wargames Factory Vikings to get a game on.

My opponent was my long suffering wife, Jozi, who is a HUGE Tolkien fan.  Naturally, she played Rohan while I fielded a dispicable goblin raiding party.  We played on a small 4 x 4 table with the following troops:

Rohan

• 1 x Mounted Men At Arms with Bows (Elite Riders of Rohan)
• 2 x Foot Sergeants
• 1 x Bidowers with bows

Goblins

• 2 x Goblins (Foot Yeomen)
• 1 x Warg Riders (Mounter Sergeants)
• 1 x Pair of Trolls (Foot Men at Arms, each takes 3 hits)

The game was a hoot and we'll be getting it on the table more often.  She really enjoyed it.  I cannot wait for Dragon Rampant to come out in December!

Here are some pictures, enjoy! (apologies for the quality, was using our smaller camera)

This is what my wife thinks every time I teach her a new set of rules, she wanted me to make sure the wargaming community got this message

I opened by moving my Trolls forward with the intention of softening up the Riders and finishing them off with my Wargs.  Did not work out that way, here is her roll for her attack activation.

I plot my next move in the service of the Dark Lord.

After a few turns of combat, the initial clash left 1 troll dead and the other one fleeing off the table, also half of the riders were down.  I moved my warg riders up anticipating finishing ff the riders.

Meanwhile, she easily eats one of my goblin units, softening it up with the bidowers and charging with her infantry.

Things are looking bleak for me as soem fo my goblins flee.  I quiver at the thought of delivering bad news to Mordor.

And here we see where she has cleaned up my other Goblin unit, and gutted my Warg Riders.  She did keep only 2 Riders of Rohan in action, but they never lost their courage.

Next game, I plan on bringing Mordor Orcs, who will act as Fierce foot.  I did think of a few modifications, that are probably already slated for Dragon Rampant, such as flipping the combat values for goblins.  Just does not feel right for them to be better on the defense than offence.

Happy gaming!

Bug Hunting with Tom

Still playing catch up on the blog, but I managed to get a game in with Tom at Borderlands about 4 weeks ago. He set up the whole things, with a really good looking cavern for the players to try to make their way through.

There was a really neat fog of war with the covered tunnel areas, and we were forced to explore most of it because we had to find the energy crystal left y a previously wiped out recon team to power the commo unit to call the retrieval boat.

He used a modified set of rules called Swatters by Ganesha Games.  It was a great set and the game played really well.  I think if I ever do a bug hunt game again, I will use these.  You maneuver fire teams and it really gives a good feel of pouring on massive firepower in a desperate attempt to stop the bugs.

Here are a few pictures, enjoy!

Hirst Arts Molds... Brilliant!

I have rediscovered what must be the most amazing terrain product in this or any other universe... Hirst Arts molds!  Check out the website then come back...

Ok, maybe 10 years ago I had one of his molds, but lost it in a move.  Recent, I used the proceeds of one of my figures sales to buy 5 molds in the field-stone line and a 15 pound bag of Merlin's Magic grey colored dental plaster.

I must say the results are amazing!  I did not build a vibrating table or anything fancy, just poured the plaster into the molds and viola! I can now build just about any terrain I want for Frostgrave, Lion Rampant, etc.  He has a huge selection, including Egyptian themed and SCi-Fi molds.

I cannot recommend this product enough, below are some pictures of my first building, I just went with the Wizard's tower instructions from the web site.  Since taking these, I have built 4 ruins and a stone cottage of my own design in no time flat.  Just cast the molds 2-3 times a day and you soon have a nice stack of bricks to build over the weekend.

Enjoy and GO OUT AND BUY THESE!  (click on pictures to enlarge)

Here are the molds I bought.  They may seem expensive, but given how many buildings I have churned out already, well worth the investment.

My first set of bricks.

Here is my tower in progress.  I built a full version and a ruin at the same time.

Further in progress with a 28mm D&D figure for scale.

Done, with the roof lifted off.

The final product, ready to be fought in and over!

Historicon at last!

Ok, only 2 months late, but here are actual pictures from Historicon!  It was a blast, I have never been to one before, so only have smaller regional conventions to compare it to, but I really enjoyed it.

Here are some random shots of some of the games I played in and what I saw.  Click on the photos to enlarge.

Peter Pig's outstanding looking game of PBI.  I had the chance to sit and chat with Martin for a bit, and I must say he is a real class act.  I was a big overawed to meet a wargaming celebrity!

Preparing for Pirate Game, this was Thursday night.

Prepare for boarders!

A Beautiful Celtic hill fort.

Modern figures in the dealer area, nicely displayed.

The guys from Pico Armor.  Another great set of gents, they had their full inventory with them.

Pico Napoleonics, get realistic looking formations!

Howard Whitehouse, one of my favorite rule writers, demonstrating his new "Flint and Feather" rules. 

Eben and I took a Hobby University painting class, this is a great addition to the convention.

Teddy Bears and Gnomes... on ship!

A really nice looking modern counter insurgency game, really gives you the feel of the "3 block war"

A nice Pacific Theater assault on an atool.  This is a subject I think very underrepresented.

I think this was an espionage game, I loved the terrain!

The infamous "Sound of Music" game, wish I could have gotten in, looked like everyone had a great time. 

Some sharp looking Sci-Fi terrain.

Saturday, Eben and I played in the Battle of Camden put on by All the King's Men.  The hosts did everything right for a convention game as far as I was concerned.  Great looking figures and terrain, they were set up well in advance, were highly organized, and very friendly.  It was one of the best convention games I have every played in!

It has special significance for me, as I grew up in Camden and my dad lives about 5 miles from the Battlefield.

Draco Malfoy's dad, errr, I mean Banastre Tarleton ready to lead the British Legion.

Great looking 40mm figures!

Eben and I commanded a Patriot Brigade of 3 units of Militia, one of Continental Regulars, and une unit of Riflemen.

The organizers helping some of the participants. 

The action is joined!

A closeup of some of the British.

All in all, one of the best games I have ever played in at a convention!  I really enjoyed the entire experience, and will plan to go next year if we can.

Now trying to catch up on the rest of the gaming things I have been doing, stay tuned. 

Pre-Historicon: A Visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center (Air and Space Museum Annex)

Still playing catch up, here are some snaps from our all day visit to the Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.  It is a huge facility where they keep the big stuff that won't fit in the building on the mall and is packed with amazing aircraft,

I HIGHLY recommend this, in fact if you have to choose between the main museum on the mall and this one, I recommend skipping the mall.  The Udvar-Hazy Center is less crowded and has many more aircraft.  We spent the entire day there and could have stayed longer.

Here is a small sample of what you can see: (Click to enlarge)

A Sparrowhak that flew from US Navy Dirigibles

A Stearman Trainer used by the Tuskegee Airmen

A Gyrocopter for you Pulp fan out there.

A Hawker Hurricane

The original Enola Gay

P-47 Thunderbolt

A Do-17 Jet Bomber (I think).  They have an amazing collection of German WW2 Jet and Rocket planes

You can look down into the hanger wheer they do restorations

And of course the Space Shuttle Discovery

The SR-71!

Mrs. Tin Man and I enjoying ourselves

This is just a tiny sample of what they have. Ok, next time I will finally get my actual Historicon pictures up. Until then, good gaming!