'Free' Modelling Materials

Seil Harbour, Argyll

Following a 'Day oot' with the current good weather, me and the guid wife found ourselves at the Island of Seil, just south of Oban. A beautiful drive but the usual west of Scotland single track roads and more English folk than in London, over the 'bridge over the atlantic' we found ourselves at the harbour and did the usual sitting about eating, drinking, enjoying the sunshine etc.

Having mentioned on the drive up that I needed to return to my local haunt (Loch Lubhnaig) to replenish my stock of slate and grit  for modelling purposes, my wife pointed out while we were sitting on the harbour jetty that Seil harbour was once (1881 when the place closed) was a slate quarry, and looking down I noticed that the whole jetty and indeed the whole quay was made from slate.

Finding a suitable receptacle, I duly filled it up and now have a life-times supply of slate chippings of all grades.

'Slate chippings of all grades'

Looking at what I had picked up after a very nice day out, I figure if I'd bought this at a modelling shop I'd have paid something in the region of £28 for a similar amount. Even if you decide to go the cheaper route of picking this kind of thing up at your garden centre or similar it's still going to cost you a few quid.

I've always tried to source my terrain materials, where possible, naturally and therefore free. Admittadly this time I had travelled a reasonable distance but I was going there anyway. Bark from fallen trees, sand and grit from the beach, twigs etc, recycling packaging for card and polystyrene, the list can go on and on, you get the idea I'm sure. Interesting what you can pick up if you keep a weather eye open for opportunities which will save you a fair bit of cash.

Welcome to MiniMike

A warm welcome to MiniMike who's blog is well worth checking out, with lot's of current eye candy for ACW fans.

April WIP

Sometime since I did a WIP post, maybe because there hasn't been a whole lot of progress on my various projects but recently as reported with the new Mordheim campaign at the club I have started putting together my new warband, the Gunnery School cadets;

The Magnificent Seven

Three, "the Cap'n", and the two Marksmen are slightly further on (ie undercoated) and the other four for the Instructor, the Senior Classman "the Old Boy", and the two Under Classmen "the New Boys" are now assembled and ready to rock. With a couple of pennies to spend from their first outing ther might be someone to add soon.

The "Old Boy" and the Cap'n behind him

The Instructor and "the new Boys"

Pleased with the results, now to get them painted.


Also on the painting table after purchasing via ebay are some Grey Knight terminators suitably paint stripped, re-assembled and based.

Grey Knight "Battlesuits"

These are going towards my Witch Hunter army that I have been collecting slowly over the years. They will also double up as Oni Class Battlesuits when playing Urban War.


Speaking of Urban War, I've just last night, (very late last night - yawn) had an experimental game with my mate JTM using the Urban War rules for a near future western hemisphere civil war clash. With similar army stats and even points the game was toe to toe, blow for blow right to the end with me with three grunts defending their corner of a forgotten street from a veteran sergeant and and his corporal where upon JTM chickened out and didn't charge in to face the guns of the grunts, (maybe it was because it was four in the morning and the brandy had run out?). Great game and anybody's right up to the end. Try more of that soon.

Alba World Maps

The World of Alba

The next update on ALBAtwo has finally been done with the Alba Map project finally getting underway. Principally this is the digital recording of all the geographical and political maps of Alba that I have done over the years (mainly some time ago) and get them available on ALBAtwo.


I also aim to update the older maps which are looking a bit jaded and now I have the technology to do this digitally along with detailing previousl;y uncharted areas too.


This is going to be a long term project but one I have been planning for some time and am looking forward to the creative process. You can check out the progress so far here.


Also, a welcome is overdue to Caliban, Pauls Bod's and The Angry Lurker who are now popping into the Warblog. Check out their blogs for lot's of interesting stuff. Hope you continue to find things of interest here.

The Flood Plain Wash Out

Start of the battle on the Flood Plain

This weeks club night saw the start of an occasional Mordheim Campaign with the 'Flood Plain' scenario from the Nemisis Crown supplement.


The protagonists were my Gunnery School cadets, Dave's Scottish flavour Middenheimers, Iain's Skaven, Ken's Mercenaries, and Kev's Reiklander's, fighting over a flooded battlefield which slowed down movement and if you fell knocked down or stunned meant you might drown as an added hazard.


An interesting start to the campaign, albeit a bit slow, as we needed to refresh our memories for the rules, but we soon got into the swing of things. My Cadets took an early bath and after a hefty tussle between the humans, Kev's Reiklander's took the honours.


A new warband to paint up for next time and some interesting modelling opportunities so maybe a bit of spit and polish on the cadets uniforms might mean a better showing next outing.

Caught Napping!

Dawn Raid Deployment with the Empire packed on the Left Flank

Once again the Empire troops of Baron Sidle rode out to do battle in the Clubs on going Campaign. Since the last outing against the Dark Elves was a defeat (ie didn't Capture/keep the Watchtower) the Empire was at a disadvantage for our next outing and Kev decided on 'Dawn Raid' scenario with only the Empire on the random deployment.


Ended up the Empires deployment wasn't too bad but certainly not ideal. The game started off promising enough with an exchange of fire from the two Fast Cavalry units the the Shades with the Pistoliers doing a bit of damage. the plan went well enough until the Empire Greatswords met the enemy general with his large complement of Corsairs and though they were expected to die bravely prooved not even to be the speed bump they were ment to be and the corsairs defeated , broke, pursued caught, and over-ran into my knights and making a mess of them.


Up shot of it all was the the shear number of attacks, combat and missle was over-whelming for the empire and although the flaggellants made a considerable mess of the Dark Elf Witches the most anyone has done to date, the empire was were completely defeated. Only some handgunners and the general and a couple of knights made it off the table.


One new rule that the implications of hadn't been noted before was that a Battle Standard Bearer in a unit that breaks, stands and dies on the spot so in breaking you lose an additional model, a character and his standard so even if the unit rallies, it is minus that character. Ouch!


The next outing is the Empire rallying back to the village of Almsburg tp defend it from the raiding Dark Elves. So far the Empire has not done well, so an uphill challenge.

End Game - End of Rd 4 and no Empire troops to be seen!

Invasion!

Starting positions on 8' x 6' table for Invasion Scenario

With the WHFBs Campaign gathering momentum my Empire forces under Baron Sidle had their next outing close on the heels of the last against Ians' dread Ogres. This time the Invasion scenario from the 8th Ed rule book with my empire stoutly defending their homeland against the invading horde of Ogres.


With Ian recycling his destroyed core troops I thought it was going to be an uphill struggle and it proved to be a pretty much that. Not helped by some very cowardly Swordsmen, a totally ineffectual Cannon and Greatswords. Once again the mighty Handgunners, Pistoliers and Flaggellants managed to save the day (or at least save face) and in the closing turn managed to grab a table quarter and deny a fortified position to clinch a 2 all draw, before the clock beat us once again.


A very enjoyable game with lots of ups and downs, and it now means the next game against the Ogres will be on an even footing.....which is nice.

Final setup with more Ogres piling on and the Empire just standing and no more.

Next up against the Baron is the next rematch against the Dark Elves in a Dawn Raid scenario.


Other forces joining the campaign are a force of High Elves commanded by Dave B, Chaos horde from Dave K, another Choas horde from Al, and Ians Orciness with more to follow. Should be pretty messy all in all.


If you want to read the full story of the Barons stalwart defence of the northern borders of Averland, check out the ongoing story here.