I'm delighted to see this blog has reached 15,000 visitors in its short life. With luck everyone who popped in finds something of interest here.
At the moment I'm mostly busy making more stuff to sell online, but I am also working on a smallish vehicle for the upcoming GASLIGHT game. Quite when I'll get the chance to play is currently open to circumstances. Hopefully I'll get a window of opportunity later this week.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Space: 1889
We've had a quiet few weeks lately, taking care of mom-in-law during her illness. Everything wargame-related will resume sometime later this month. In the meantime, my wife has expressed an interest in the Space: 1889 rpg...
Created by Frank Chadwick and published by GDW in 1988, it's enjoyed something of a revival lately, perhaps due to the upsurge of interest in Steampunk. The game was revived in the last decade through the good offices of Heliograph, and a number of novels set in the 1889 universe have been released recently. One of the authors is Andy Frankham-Allen, who has set up a site devoted to Space: 1889. Useful materials can be found on their site and Frank's blog.
My old role-playing group toyed with the game for a little while back in the '90's, but never really took to it, being more enamored of AD&D and Shadowrun. Regretfully, I had to let it drop at the time.
I've not played it myself, but the game mechanisms seem good, and I've heard praise for the mass combat and Sky Galleons rules. At the moment I've only ever rolled a number of experimental characters, and read through a few scenarios, some of which appeared in Challenge magazine back in the day.
One thing the old published scenarios became notorious for - they relied upon the player characters being captured by various enemies. Everything that happened after that depended upon their efforts to escape. Tiresome and rather off-putting in a campaign context, to say the least! I aim to do better in creating scenarios.
Some months ago I did raise the prospect of beginning a new blog devoted to role-playing Traveller. Since that's unlikely to fly, I might begin a general RPG blog instead.
Created by Frank Chadwick and published by GDW in 1988, it's enjoyed something of a revival lately, perhaps due to the upsurge of interest in Steampunk. The game was revived in the last decade through the good offices of Heliograph, and a number of novels set in the 1889 universe have been released recently. One of the authors is Andy Frankham-Allen, who has set up a site devoted to Space: 1889. Useful materials can be found on their site and Frank's blog.
My old role-playing group toyed with the game for a little while back in the '90's, but never really took to it, being more enamored of AD&D and Shadowrun. Regretfully, I had to let it drop at the time.
I've not played it myself, but the game mechanisms seem good, and I've heard praise for the mass combat and Sky Galleons rules. At the moment I've only ever rolled a number of experimental characters, and read through a few scenarios, some of which appeared in Challenge magazine back in the day.
One thing the old published scenarios became notorious for - they relied upon the player characters being captured by various enemies. Everything that happened after that depended upon their efforts to escape. Tiresome and rather off-putting in a campaign context, to say the least! I aim to do better in creating scenarios.
Some months ago I did raise the prospect of beginning a new blog devoted to role-playing Traveller. Since that's unlikely to fly, I might begin a general RPG blog instead.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
GASLIGHT scenario development
A stinking cold isn't exactly helping me at the moment. With inflamed sinuses and my right eye streaming like Niagara Falls, it's a task and a half trying to do anything. Still, I've managed to make a start on preparing the upcoming GASLIGHT scenario.
I've had these rules for some time, but this is the first occasion I've decided to play them. They do require a modicum of pre-game preparation, in the shape of character development. A good and useful tutorial can be found at Dr. Vesuvius' Axis of Naughtiness blog.
GASLIGHT allows for the creation of Main Characters (MCs). These have four basic types, in ascending order of potency:- Veteran, Leader, Adventurer, Hero. By rolling a d20 and consulting the chart, the player assigns numbers to the attributes of Shoot, Scuffle, and Save. The higher the number the better, as these will be rolled against in the course of the game, and various modifiers come into play according to circumstances.
MCs also get Skills, again rolled randomly. Heroes, being the most accomplished, get two; every other MC type gets one. Most of these skills are advantageous in some way - skill at shooting, using melee weapons, observation, etc. A few are detrimental, such as Drunk, Yellow, Clumsy, and so on. MCs can lead units, or be unattached. Only MCs have the Save attribute, allowing a figure to roll to avoid potentially damaging or deadly results from an encounter. All other figures are treated as Extras, having just Shoot and Scuffle attributes. When hit - they die.
In my case, I rolled the following attributes for Willoughby Pond, Merchant Adventurer. Shoot: 12 Scuffle: 15 Save: 14 Skill: Tough. The rascal has an average shooting ability, but he's quite tasty in hand-to-hand combat. Useful with his fists, no doubt. In game terms his Tough characteristic means he won't die the first time he fails a Save roll, and he ignores the effects of disease - useful if trekking through the African bush.
He'll have a coterie of troops with him in the shape of Sunny N'Sher's mercenary tribal warriors. Sunny himself is rated as a Leader, with the following attributes:- Shoot: 13 Scuffle: 13 Save: 11 Skill: Natural Leader. He will lead his men, all with Shoot 8 and Scuffle 9, and, because of his charisma, all prepared to go to the wire for him.
The Kumyonda tribe has expressed an interest in providing Pond with a site for his trading post. All he has to do is reach the area and build it. The Kumyonda chief has assigned a couple of warbands to patrol the area against the rival Ukrazi tribe's interference and to escort Pond's expedition to safety if necessary. Unfortunately, the chief selected the local equivalent of Harry Flashman to lead them...
Kumalonga is a strapping fellow, with Shoot 14, Scuffle 12, a Save 15. Unfortunately his Skill rolled up as Yellow. To quote the phrase used in the GASLIGHT rulebook, "he wouldn't walk up to an angry baby with a rattle."
Pond has a history of bad blood with the local Ukrazi tribe. They have gotten word of his plans to establish a trading post in the territory of their bitter rivals, the Kumyonda tribe, and are prepared to voice their displeasure. Ukrazi tribal warbands have set out to catch and punish Pond and all who help him. Their attributes are Shoot: 6, Scuffle: 10.
I'm planning to make a vehicle for Pond's expedition in the shape of a Spottiswoode-Gallant Steam vehicle of some kind. Perhaps one of these...
Vehicles have their own capabilities under the GASLIGHT rules. These are rolled on a chart, or can be selected by the umpire to fit game requirements. The capabilities are Save (the vehicle's armor protection), Speed (whether Sailing, Steaming, or Swimming), Start (to get the blessed thing rolling in the first place) Sustain (to keep the thing moving), and Spin (its maneuverability - or otherwise).
The little vehicle above has the following capabilities, all randomly rolled. Save: 14, Steam: 10, Start: 14, Sustain: 19, Spin: 45 degrees. On the whole, it's a fast, reliable vehicle, but about as maneuverable as the average barn.
The Ukrazi tribe lack any steamy conveyances of their own, but that's not to say they're without resources. I have a few ideas for an equalizing unit, but will say no more for now.
I've had these rules for some time, but this is the first occasion I've decided to play them. They do require a modicum of pre-game preparation, in the shape of character development. A good and useful tutorial can be found at Dr. Vesuvius' Axis of Naughtiness blog.
GASLIGHT allows for the creation of Main Characters (MCs). These have four basic types, in ascending order of potency:- Veteran, Leader, Adventurer, Hero. By rolling a d20 and consulting the chart, the player assigns numbers to the attributes of Shoot, Scuffle, and Save. The higher the number the better, as these will be rolled against in the course of the game, and various modifiers come into play according to circumstances.
MCs also get Skills, again rolled randomly. Heroes, being the most accomplished, get two; every other MC type gets one. Most of these skills are advantageous in some way - skill at shooting, using melee weapons, observation, etc. A few are detrimental, such as Drunk, Yellow, Clumsy, and so on. MCs can lead units, or be unattached. Only MCs have the Save attribute, allowing a figure to roll to avoid potentially damaging or deadly results from an encounter. All other figures are treated as Extras, having just Shoot and Scuffle attributes. When hit - they die.
In my case, I rolled the following attributes for Willoughby Pond, Merchant Adventurer. Shoot: 12 Scuffle: 15 Save: 14 Skill: Tough. The rascal has an average shooting ability, but he's quite tasty in hand-to-hand combat. Useful with his fists, no doubt. In game terms his Tough characteristic means he won't die the first time he fails a Save roll, and he ignores the effects of disease - useful if trekking through the African bush.
He'll have a coterie of troops with him in the shape of Sunny N'Sher's mercenary tribal warriors. Sunny himself is rated as a Leader, with the following attributes:- Shoot: 13 Scuffle: 13 Save: 11 Skill: Natural Leader. He will lead his men, all with Shoot 8 and Scuffle 9, and, because of his charisma, all prepared to go to the wire for him.
The Kumyonda tribe has expressed an interest in providing Pond with a site for his trading post. All he has to do is reach the area and build it. The Kumyonda chief has assigned a couple of warbands to patrol the area against the rival Ukrazi tribe's interference and to escort Pond's expedition to safety if necessary. Unfortunately, the chief selected the local equivalent of Harry Flashman to lead them...
Kumalonga is a strapping fellow, with Shoot 14, Scuffle 12, a Save 15. Unfortunately his Skill rolled up as Yellow. To quote the phrase used in the GASLIGHT rulebook, "he wouldn't walk up to an angry baby with a rattle."
Pond has a history of bad blood with the local Ukrazi tribe. They have gotten word of his plans to establish a trading post in the territory of their bitter rivals, the Kumyonda tribe, and are prepared to voice their displeasure. Ukrazi tribal warbands have set out to catch and punish Pond and all who help him. Their attributes are Shoot: 6, Scuffle: 10.
I'm planning to make a vehicle for Pond's expedition in the shape of a Spottiswoode-Gallant Steam vehicle of some kind. Perhaps one of these...
Vehicles have their own capabilities under the GASLIGHT rules. These are rolled on a chart, or can be selected by the umpire to fit game requirements. The capabilities are Save (the vehicle's armor protection), Speed (whether Sailing, Steaming, or Swimming), Start (to get the blessed thing rolling in the first place) Sustain (to keep the thing moving), and Spin (its maneuverability - or otherwise).
The little vehicle above has the following capabilities, all randomly rolled. Save: 14, Steam: 10, Start: 14, Sustain: 19, Spin: 45 degrees. On the whole, it's a fast, reliable vehicle, but about as maneuverable as the average barn.
The Ukrazi tribe lack any steamy conveyances of their own, but that's not to say they're without resources. I have a few ideas for an equalizing unit, but will say no more for now.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Darkest Africa
The latest issue of Wargames Illustrated, #292, has a number of original articles on Darkest Africa by Chris Peers and Mark Copplestone. Only the other day I was wondering if the age of the hobby magazine was passing, since there's so much information available online. It seems there's life in them yet!
One article, In Darkest Africa, deals with gaming encounters between natives and European expeditions. I'll use this for Willoughby Pond's foray into the bush in search of a site for his new trading post. Hopefully, I'll be able to play out the game using a mix of Chris Peer's and GASLIGHT rules sometime this week.
One article, In Darkest Africa, deals with gaming encounters between natives and European expeditions. I'll use this for Willoughby Pond's foray into the bush in search of a site for his new trading post. Hopefully, I'll be able to play out the game using a mix of Chris Peer's and GASLIGHT rules sometime this week.
The latest batch of figures to clear the painting block are shown below. Africa's curse was/is slavery, with the Zanzibar Arabs being very active in the evil trade just about everywhere in the continent during the 19th century. These figures are by Eureka Miniatures.
Friday, January 27, 2012
New characters & a tembe
We've had a quiet couple of weeks, looking after my mother-in-law during her illness. My model-making, gaming and figure painting has had to take a spell on the back burner, but I found time to finish the figures I bought on eBob a while ago.
I also completed a tembe for sale on eBob right now. I'll make another one for the upcoming game once I get my gaming room/studio back. Here are a couple of photos showing the external and internal appearance.
And now, a few pics of the newcomers to Daftest Africa.
They're all Wargames Foundry. I've seen most of these in more than one collection over the years. My favorites are the red-bearded sea captain in his pea-jacket, holding a pistol behind his back, and the gentleman with the walking cane standing next to him. A few names for these folks are suggesting themselves to me already...
I did write earlier that I planned to use the linked scenario idea, as published in one of the hobby magazines. This I'll do, but a prequel suggests itself in the form of Willoughby Pond's latest scheme. For this scenario, I'll give the GASLIGHT rules a try. I hope to play it out in the next couple of weeks.
I also completed a tembe for sale on eBob right now. I'll make another one for the upcoming game once I get my gaming room/studio back. Here are a couple of photos showing the external and internal appearance.
Colonel Trollope watches Private Lewis in action.
Zanzibar warriors garrison the tembe against upset natives.
Both doors to the courtyard open. I omitted the interior doors, as this is a gaming model.
And now, a few pics of the newcomers to Daftest Africa.
They're all Wargames Foundry. I've seen most of these in more than one collection over the years. My favorites are the red-bearded sea captain in his pea-jacket, holding a pistol behind his back, and the gentleman with the walking cane standing next to him. A few names for these folks are suggesting themselves to me already...
I did write earlier that I planned to use the linked scenario idea, as published in one of the hobby magazines. This I'll do, but a prequel suggests itself in the form of Willoughby Pond's latest scheme. For this scenario, I'll give the GASLIGHT rules a try. I hope to play it out in the next couple of weeks.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
My next game
Some Darkest Africa gamers might know the article (I believe it originated in Miniature Wargames) detailing a mini-campaign against slavers. A page of the article is shown below.
Basically, one Major Wilkinson is in command of a column of troops detailed to march upriver to a tembe (a fortified structure used as a refuge), where a band of slavers is holed-up, and destroy them. The course of the game is controlled by the drawing of four cards, each giving a table layout with events and encounters, the results leading on to the next until the fifth and final card - the tembe - is reached.
This fits in nicely with the current state of affairs in Ukraziland. The British are ready to expand into the hinterland and establish control there. A mission to destroy a rumored slaver hideout is quite feasible. The randomness of the terrain and encounters suits solo play, too.
I've got a few more weeks until the gaming room is available again, and I'll use the time to make a tembe for the game. The scenario mentions Sikh infantry, which I don't have, but the doughty Barsetshires will do just as well.
Basically, one Major Wilkinson is in command of a column of troops detailed to march upriver to a tembe (a fortified structure used as a refuge), where a band of slavers is holed-up, and destroy them. The course of the game is controlled by the drawing of four cards, each giving a table layout with events and encounters, the results leading on to the next until the fifth and final card - the tembe - is reached.
This fits in nicely with the current state of affairs in Ukraziland. The British are ready to expand into the hinterland and establish control there. A mission to destroy a rumored slaver hideout is quite feasible. The randomness of the terrain and encounters suits solo play, too.
I've got a few more weeks until the gaming room is available again, and I'll use the time to make a tembe for the game. The scenario mentions Sikh infantry, which I don't have, but the doughty Barsetshires will do just as well.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Zulus Finished
My Zulus are now finished - painted and based. I decided to mount them in pairs to ease deployment on the tabletop, whilst still retaining enough flexibility for skirmish purposes. They look good in mass, and can serve either as hostile natives, or, with white officers, as a kind of Natal Native Contingent.
And now for a kind of Public Service Announcement. There's a chap on eBay US selling a twenty-figure lot of Copplestone Zanzibari Regulars. These are quite rare, being out of production. I'm in no position to bid for them myself, so I post the notice here for any who would like to try for it.
And now for a kind of Public Service Announcement. There's a chap on eBay US selling a twenty-figure lot of Copplestone Zanzibari Regulars. These are quite rare, being out of production. I'm in no position to bid for them myself, so I post the notice here for any who would like to try for it.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wargames Factory Zulus - almost there.
A shot of the work in progress, showing my Wargames Factory Zulu warriors. They're now glued in pairs onto thick plastic card bases using ordinary polystyrene cement. All that remains is to apply the groundwork.
On the whole, I like these figures. They were relatively easy to assemble, take paint well, and the variety of poses is good. I've varnished them with Klear/Future, which gives them a glossy shine. Since certain African tribes had/have the practice of oiling their skins to protect them from drying out in fierce heat, I intend to leave the figures glossy for the most part, applying matt varnish to the hair and loincloths.
The group of four to the right of the shot are musketmen, some of the optional poses available in the pack. I added a straw hat to one, and an animal pelt jerkin to another. The whole I've painted up in a semi-Westernized style, so they can act as native tribesmen, tribal levy, mercenary askari, or wangwana.
One of these days, I'll get around to making a model something like this...
It's a vehicle made entirely of wood, constructed around an early petrol engine by the two gentlemen seated within, sometime in the early 1900's. Although I don't like to speculate how comfortable it was, rattling over the veldt and kops with those wagon wheels and no suspension, hats off to the fellows for their enterprise!
Hare has been a soldier of good conduct to date, and the Colonel is disposed to be lenient.
On the whole, I like these figures. They were relatively easy to assemble, take paint well, and the variety of poses is good. I've varnished them with Klear/Future, which gives them a glossy shine. Since certain African tribes had/have the practice of oiling their skins to protect them from drying out in fierce heat, I intend to leave the figures glossy for the most part, applying matt varnish to the hair and loincloths.
The group of four to the right of the shot are musketmen, some of the optional poses available in the pack. I added a straw hat to one, and an animal pelt jerkin to another. The whole I've painted up in a semi-Westernized style, so they can act as native tribesmen, tribal levy, mercenary askari, or wangwana.
One of these days, I'll get around to making a model something like this...
It's a vehicle made entirely of wood, constructed around an early petrol engine by the two gentlemen seated within, sometime in the early 1900's. Although I don't like to speculate how comfortable it was, rattling over the veldt and kops with those wagon wheels and no suspension, hats off to the fellows for their enterprise!
* * *
On to the fate of Private Hare. Colonel Trollope has decided circumstances are such that a full Court Martial is unwarranted. After giving the matter due consideration, he has ordered Pvt. Hare to be subject to a month of kitchen patrol, followed by a transfer elsewhere as his punishment for fleeing from the enemy.Hare has been a soldier of good conduct to date, and the Colonel is disposed to be lenient.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Old Year - New Year
So. Another New Year dawns. Personally, I hope it's a bloody sight better than 2011. Last year certainly had its ups and downs. As for 2012, for a number of reasons which I won't go into here, I sense interesting times ahead...
Wargaming does help deflect a lot of cares and woes. It gives me - and others, I'm sure - the chance to escape the pressures of life and work and delve into our own, highly-controllable worlds. Being a wargamer on a (very) tight budget has its moments, though. I'm not so much a gamer with 'champagne tastes on a beer budget' - more like 'beer tastes on a tap-water budget!'
On the gaming front, I did manage to get my Daftest African campaign started. Three games made it to the tabletop, and were duly recorded here. Figures-wise, I managed also to pick up a few more odds and ends to expand the forces involved. One find was the Wargames Factory hard plastic Zulu figures for $9.99 via eBay.
Love 'em or hate 'em, the plastics do offer a useful way of expanding armies for less than the cost of white metal figures. Wargames Factory are compatible with Eureka Miniatures, and a shade larger than Wargames Foundry. They fit my collection nicely.
I began painting my Zulus over the holidays, and an experiment conducted with the cheap and cheerful Craft Smart acrylics had a happy outcome. These figures take the paint with no trouble whatsoever. Craft Smart are available in just about every hobby store in the US. Since an 8 ounce bottle costs about the same as a 17ml bottle of model paint, economically, it's well worth it!
That louche character Willoughby Pond will also resurface, somewhere along the line. Then there's the arrival of an adventurous Dutch damsel, one Callida van Wert. What does she seek in Ukraziland? Time will reveal all...
I'm also contemplating a VSF foray into the area, using the GASLIGHT rules. One of the most appealing aspects of Major-General Rederring's site was/is its prolific use of landships, airships and sundry VSF goodness. Since these are things I can make without breaking the bank, it'll be full steam ahead - once I get my workshop back.
So, there it is. A Happy New Year to all. May your dice roll the way you want, when you want them to in gaming - and in life!
On the gaming front, I did manage to get my Daftest African campaign started. Three games made it to the tabletop, and were duly recorded here. Figures-wise, I managed also to pick up a few more odds and ends to expand the forces involved. One find was the Wargames Factory hard plastic Zulu figures for $9.99 via eBay.
Love 'em or hate 'em, the plastics do offer a useful way of expanding armies for less than the cost of white metal figures. Wargames Factory are compatible with Eureka Miniatures, and a shade larger than Wargames Foundry. They fit my collection nicely.
I began painting my Zulus over the holidays, and an experiment conducted with the cheap and cheerful Craft Smart acrylics had a happy outcome. These figures take the paint with no trouble whatsoever. Craft Smart are available in just about every hobby store in the US. Since an 8 ounce bottle costs about the same as a 17ml bottle of model paint, economically, it's well worth it!
*
As No. 1 Stepdaughter is residing in our spare room (my studio/game room) for another four weeks, I won't be able to play out any encounters in Daftest Africa for a while. Still, there's nothing to stop me planning out further encounters in and around the troubled areas of Yabhouti and Ulraziland.
One such idea concerns the arrival in Yabhouti of a chap from the Colonial Office. Now Great Britain has secured her hold on the town, it becomes necessary to expand her power into Ukraziland itself, which will require diplomacy. The Colonial Office will be at the forefront in dealing with the tribes encountered. Inevitably, not everything will go peacefully, but the diplomat has the comfort of being backed up by the military might of the Barsetshire Regiment.
That louche character Willoughby Pond will also resurface, somewhere along the line. Then there's the arrival of an adventurous Dutch damsel, one Callida van Wert. What does she seek in Ukraziland? Time will reveal all...
I'm also contemplating a VSF foray into the area, using the GASLIGHT rules. One of the most appealing aspects of Major-General Rederring's site was/is its prolific use of landships, airships and sundry VSF goodness. Since these are things I can make without breaking the bank, it'll be full steam ahead - once I get my workshop back.
So, there it is. A Happy New Year to all. May your dice roll the way you want, when you want them to in gaming - and in life!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
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