Wednesday 16 October 2013

Ooh, Shiney! Witches!

A Chain of Consequences

Exactly one week ago, I ordered a copy of "Songs of Blades and Heroes" from Ganesha Games.  These are a very popular set of wargame rules for  fantasy skirmishes and I had been vaguely thinking about buying them for some time.  However, it was this post on Brummie's Wargaming Blog which finally pushed me over the edge.  After all, it was only $8 (US) to download the PDF and I already have the means to print out such documents.

For the first day or so after this I flipped through the rules, becoming more and more interested as I did so.  I began to wonder which models from my collection might be suitable for a test game, when my eye came to rest on the description of the Lethal attribute.  The very first example given was for a Witch Hunter, who might know exactly how to be lethal to harmless-but-unpleasant old women (my words, not verbatim from the rules!).

Aha, I thought: I've got an old witch hunter figure!  He was part of the "Dogs of War" army from Games Workshop and came with a mad monk as a faithful sidekick.  Mind you, I think that "mad" is probably a necessary qualification for all witch hunters, isn't it?  Hmm, these are models I painted a long time ago - they're slightly too glossy and are on square bases (I prefer circular for skirmish games).  Still, it's a start.

OK, but these two aren't much of a warband on their own, are they?  Let's see - I've got a box of plastic Royalist infantry (English Civil War) lying about somewhere.  These were a freebie I got with a subscription renewal a few years ago (probably Wargames Illustrated, but I cannot remember for certain).  I'd always been planning to sell them since I don't collect ECW models, but now I'm glad I never got round to it.  I should easily be able to make a dozen soldiers with a mixture of muskets and swords or pikes.  Indeed, the command sprue might provide some better-dressed figures - perhaps the local magistrate has been roped in to the witch hunt as well!

Now for the opposition.  Firstly, I've got a few Mantic ghouls and zombies already painted up; all I had to do for these was to separate them from my more usual, modern zombies.  These came with some kind of sampler pack that Mantic sold just before Christmas a few years ago.  They'll do for shock troops.

What about the witches?!  OK, let's see: a while ago I bought a pack of West Wind Production's "GW0007: Storybook witches".  There were 4 hags in this pack, plus a cauldron containing an unfortunate child victim.  I only really wanted the one hag at the time, as the leader for my intended "Wicked Witch of the West" Hordes-of-the-Things army.  That leaves 3 classic witches that I can paint and base.  Excellent!

Hmm, the evil side still seems a bit lightweight.  Somewhere I've got a couple of Games Workshop banshees already painted, I think.  I can use one or both as ghosts or evil spirits of some kind.  Also, while rooting through my box of bases I found an old packet of plastic giant rats, again from Games Workshop.  They're not the greatest of sculpts, but I can paint these up to add some expendables to the witches' force.

So, I'm now 7 days into this new venture.  I have to locate some of my models that are in medium-deep storage and, more importantly, I have 13 humans, 3 witches and a large number of rats to paint up.  Also I'll need to print out quick reference sheets and character cards and design a scenario, preferably all before Halloween.  I really didn't need any more projects right now.  WHAT HAVE I DONE?!


22 comments:

  1. Awesome. The rules are fun and simple. I did exactly the same. Vampires from EotD (bats added in the new list), Mantic zombies also. I love the fact you can combine what you have and just play a game. Looking forward to seeing more.

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    1. Hmm, I've got some vampires too. Also some giant bats and a black coach. I'd need some Cossack guards or something like that and...

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  2. Excellent new project. Sending good painting mojo to help you push through for Halloween.

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    1. Thanks, Sean. So far it's going good (the extra mojo will help!) and the humans are 75% painted.

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  3. While I was bitten by the same bug when reading Witchfinder General I went through about the same symptoms :)

    So I can, without any compunction, advise you to use LOTR Wargs as hell hounds and Mansions of Madness loose figures as demons.

    Mwuhahahaha!

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    1. Wargs, huh? They'd make excellent hellhounds, wouldn't they? I might even have a few unpainted ones lying around somewhere.

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  4. Song of blades and hero is an excellent simple game with so many different options available for creating your own warband, there is also campaign and dungeon books which i highly recommend.

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    1. Yes, I've been eyeing up the various supplements already. Also some of the other rulesets in the same family, especially "Fear and Faith". One thing at a time, though :-) .

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  5. It all sounds like a lot of fun and hard work to get this all together quickly, but we have faith in you !
    Their must also have some ghost-like figures you can use (zombies with tissue sheets over their heads ?) and of course the witches familiars ?
    I've no doubt all will be done on time and will provide yet another outrageous writeup for our delectation.

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    1. I hadn't thought about witches' familiars. Hmm - I wonder how they would be modelled in the game?
      Must try to stay focused, though - especially when I have a (self-imposed) deadline.

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  6. An excellent start and a very characterful game setting. A setting I may also explore in the future. keep the enthusiasm and we shall all be looking forward to an AAR.

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    1. I'm looking forward to this as well :-) . Got to keep going, though...

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  7. They are fabulous. Great concept and well executed (by ducking stool ha, ha)

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    1. Thanks, Irqan. Yes, a ducking stool would be a great piece of terrain, wouldn't it :-) ?

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  8. I loke the guy in the "Pilgrim hat" (Yes I know they didn't wear them) who is doing the Josey Wales double-wield with those err.. Arquebusen??. Let's hope they're not the matchlock type eh readers - otherwise I predict one singed goatee.

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    1. It's not entirely clear from the model, but I think they're flintlock pistols. *Big* flintlock pistols.

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    2. Pistols that size just beg a catchphase:

      "Feelst thou lucky, old crone? Well dost thou?"

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    3. And they're longer than his legs...

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  9. Hmmm .... Willpower?? seem to remember posting about that recently ;)

    Glad to see it's not just me!! BUT it is good to see that you are using stuff from the mountain and not buying more toys for this new project

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  10. Yeah. I've certainly got no shortage of models that I can use for a project such as this, but that doesn't mean there's no or little work involved :-) !

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  11. Thanks to Brummie I now have a set of these rules and cant wait to set up my first game.

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    1. I'll look forward to hearing about your experiences!

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