I Was A Teenage Visigoth

Airacobra, Snakes of a Plane

2012-02-11T12:36:00.002-07:00

The fumes of Testor's plastic cement made me the guy I am today.

Before I was agonizing about leather shades for caligae and getting whacked out on Dullcote, I was slapping down badass camouflage on plastic airplane kits and contending with little red tubes of Testor's Super Freakout Model glue.

It was my father's fault. One of the first things I remember in my room was a mobile he made of pre-WWII biplanes. Resplendent in their US high-vis colour schemes. To this day indeed the sight of a Boeing F4B takes me to a happy place.

I've been re-entering world of plastic model kits now the pre-Teen Visigoth is growing an interest in the hobby. So we've built some Hondas, a Phantom is on the block and we've had a blast with silly Japanese robot kits.

Thinking of the similarities and differences between the plastic model building hobby and the miniature wargaming gig (which I will expound upon much to everyone's edification) and has got me reminiscing the kits I build way back when...

One big difference is the package. Plastic model kits rock. The golden age kits of Revell, Monogram and Airfix knew the basic truth, you don't sell the kit, you sell the story. Fine art? Pulp art? Yes to both. And there are some fine boxes out there.

In comparison, miniature packaging is rubbish. Mostly cause it's done on the cheap and mostly cause it doesn't really matter. Miniature guys will hold the little blister up to their faces and make sure the Kar98's are just the right length or the proper sabretache matches the correct shako. Fancy illos have little or no impact.

Of course, mine have long wound up discarded and demolished, but thanks to never sleeping teams of plane kit nerds on the web, there are no shortages.

So allow me introduce Box Top number one...

P-39 AIRACOBRA

Oh, were to begin. The little snake charmer dude. Yeah, he's top notch. Cobra? Right I get it dude. Shehnai packing fakirs with snakes in basket might have brought down more Zeros than the P-39s did. (Zing!)

OK, no more P-39 vs Zero jokes. The P-39 is a most unfairly castigated airplane. The United States at the outbreak of their involvement in WW2 seemed insistent on using the wrong warplane for the wrong application. Marauders as torpedo bombers, Airacobras as high altitude dogfighters and Brewster Buffaloes as....well let's say it took the genius of the Finns to figure out what to do with that thing.

I digress, look at that brilliant box top painting...

The ground crew are busy readying the P-39 for another patrol over New Guinea or more likely Guadalcanal if I remember my camo patterns. Palm trees, sunrise and sandbags...it's the Pacific War pastiche come to life. Any moment a group of singing sailors and seebees will march around the corner.

It's hard for me to be properly disassociative about the fantasy and reality of the pacific war. On one side you have Hell in the Pacific and other side, South Pacific. Both are grand and even more fun if you mix them together.

What this little awesome scene doesn't show you is the pilot of featured Airacobra doubled over in dysenteric pain and the piles of shot up hulks of 'Cobras that barely made it back to base. Not a musical. Today's patrol will find the stalwarts of the 67th Fighter Squadron facing down the elite of the IJN, straight outta Rabaul; Sakai, Nishizawa and the rest of the best. Better pray for a low cloud cover and the timely intervention of Marine Wildcats.

I love the Airacobra. It's a goofy sort of bird. Mid-engine, tricycle gear and a dubious 37mm cannon. I remember this kit well. I didn't like it. It was a display masterpiece, lots of interior detail for engines, guns and the like. But the panels would come off super easy when I peeled off down the hallway to strafe the cat. Hey, I was 10.

-TV

Who-ja-whatchi...

2012-01-27T16:16:00.001-07:00

Well, this last month has been crazy. I've got a half written 2011 in retrospect and some more pix.

In the meantime, here is a picture of Ludmilla Pavlichenko for you.

No doubt smiling cause she just perforated another nazi.

Sentry Box Documentary

2011-12-12T10:38:00.002-07:00

Here's a bit of fun.

I've worked at the Sentry Box on and off for the last 11 years. Even managed the thing and the wonderous inhabitants therein for a few years.

Watch this sweet little documentary. The young person who did it did a fine job for a school project.

You can see me and the pre-Teen Visigoth in a few bits in the middle against the mighty wall of Reaper figs. My good friends Cory and Uncle Mike make appearances as well.

-tv

ps: promise to get some pix up soon, no more vidoes...

Wizardcore for the 'Win'

2011-12-03T10:26:00.001-07:00

Stuff like this makes Baby Uther Pendragon cry.

Like I said in a previous post, I love all incarnations of the Arthurian myths.

I just might make an exception with this.

OK, that's a little mean, obviously this was done as a labour of love by enthusiastic sorts. Let's join their fun time.

-tv

Tachanka!

2011-12-02T15:08:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, a bit of stirring Revolutionary Tunes for the weekend.

Take 5 and watch this gem. Now even if you don't like vintage commie art and bombastic vocal chorus (me? I love both) this is worth your time and has more schmaltz than Disney.

Animation nerds will also appreciated how this stilted style of animation is returning with the use of Flash software.

I need to paint my Copplestone Russian Civil War guys. Time, I need more time...

-tv

When Bithynians Attack!

2011-11-14T11:51:00.001-07:00


	Thanks to the Pre-Teen Visigoth in making this poster.

Well, here they are finally. The Bithynians. DBA Book II Army 6. I painted this army back in 2004, yet only have gotten around to posting them now. Not sure why so slow, mostly I am easily distracted and forget about what I really need to do sometimes. So for those of you who feel you are wasting your time looking at stuff painted a long time ago, move on. I think somebody has painted some Romans somewhere...Still here? Awesome. Let's talk Bithynia.

My Bithynians. I love them, but by Sabazios they're a sorry lot when it comes to battle. On paper they're a challenge, 1 x Cavalry General, 1 x Light Horse, 2 x Psiloi, 8 x Auxilia and the option of 1 x warband in place of one of the Auxilia. An arable army with low aggression, the Bithynians can set a reasonably messy board to confound some of their historical opponents, but nowhere as nasty as a hilly army could. Fighting in the open these guys must rely on speed and maneuver lacking any 'killer' elements short of the one warband. The warband in my experience moves slowly and often like so many Scythed chariots, expends itself in futile rampage against the enemy pikes.

Enemies? First off the Persians both Early and Later. Alex and his Macedonian Goon Squad, Antigonos grasping for his share of planet plus wacky, paranoid ol' Lysimachus as well. Other Asia Minor B-Stringers like the Kappadokinas, Galatians and Pergamenes. Last but not least, those over-rated militarists from Lakedaemonia, the Spartans. Pretty sweet list of opponents. One of the reasons I picked these guys in the first place. Lots of legit, popular and interesting enemies.

Notable Bithynian Accomplishments in History.

1. Hired has-been Hannibal, suggests throwing snakes in enemy boats, actually works.

2. Scythed chariots used successfully...on them!

3. Pestered big-head Xenophon and the rest of the 10 000.

4. King dies, gives Kingdom to Rome in 74 BCE.

5.Never completely conquered by the Persians or the Macedonians.

6. Invited the Galatians into Asia Minor.

7. Ran away from Mithridiates, repeatedly.

Mighty Spanikopites and bodyguard.

Have rhomphia, will fight.

I used Minifigs 'New' Alexandrian line. Not so new anymore and very 'True 15' in scale. They look like children next to Xyston and other latter day giants. The sculpting is very simple, spare, almost zen and requires the painter to relish the flat surface and give some brush love. It remains a favourite line of mine.

The Galatian Warband were some big wacky ol' Falcon US figures I've had since the days of 1.0.

Given the Bithyians were a Thracian sub-set you could use the traditional Thracian Hill Folk costume for an earlier look. Those fox skin boots never go out of style (or maybe they should). I went with the 'Hellenistic Thracian' look. Mostly cause I like it, it's an established (via steles and such) Bithynian 'look' and the figures were right in my hands at the time. Which is one of the Teenage Visigoth's rules for happy wargaming, use what you've got, rather than dreaming about what you could have.

The arrayed auxilia.

As per the DBM lists, El Barko states that the rhomphia was not used by the Bithynians. Which may be correct, but it is such a freaking cool thing, why would you not include it? The DBM lists say lots of shit. Very little of which I pay attention to and suggest all good-hearted DBA players do the same.

Hairy and scary naked men, Galatian Mercenaries.

Size comparison. Puny wee Bithynians (Minifigs) next to mighty Galatians (Falcon US)

Light Horse, my game winner. That is when I do win with these guys.

The joy of a limited pallette.

In the interest of speed and a unified look I kept the palette limited and variation between figure at zero. I wanted the look of a unified army that would be different. Would I do the same again? I'm not sure.

The most effective part of the army, the camp followers.

I've played over 30 matches with these guys. I'm pretty sure their record it 5-25 or something like that. I've been hammered by Republican Rome, Alexander, The Persians, Mithradiates, endless hoplites and those lousy Kappadokians.

Now before you write me a well meaning missive suggesting I need to play auxilia armies different than other sorts of forces, thanks, but don't bother. I am the auxilia king in our parts. Flying columns, offset deployment, jerky toe-holding tactics...you name it I do it and I win.

I've been figuring out ways for auxilia armies to win since 1.0 back when my beloved Welsh were mostly all Ax. My Scots-Irish are terrors of their times. My Early Samurai have a record well better than they should.
I could go on...

I win with Ax, just never with the Bithynians.

What's up Bithynia? Is it me? I love you guys. I made a special camp with an angry rock throwing woman for you. Why do you always fold in the clinch?

I'm willing to work on this relationship.

-tv

Bonnie Light Horseman, Kate Rusby 11/11/11

2011-11-11T12:30:00.001-07:00

When Boney he commanded his army to stand
He levelled his cannon all over the land
He levelled his cannon his victory to claim
And he slew my light Horseman on his way going haim

So broken-heated I will wander, broken-heated I'll remain
For the loss of my lover, in the wars he was slain
Broken-hearted I will wander, broken-heated I'll remain
He is my Bonnie Light Horseman, in the wars he was slain

The dame she laments for her man she will fly
Oh where, tell me where is my darling she cries
And where in this wide world is there one to compare
To my Bonnie Light Horseman who was lost in the war

So broken-hearted I will wander, broken-hearted I'll remain
For the loss of my lover, in the wars he was slain
Broken-hearted I will wander, broken-heated I'll remain
He is my Bonnie Light Horseman, in the wars he was slain

Oh and if I were a small bird and had wings to fly
I would fly o'er the salt seas to where my love doth lie
And with my fond wings I'll beat over the grave
And I'd kiss the pale lips laying cold in the clay

So broken-hearted I will wander, broken-hearted I'll remain
For the loss of my lover, in the wars he was slain
Broken-hearted I will wander, broken-hearted I'll remain
He was my Bonnie Light Horseman, in the wars he was slain

edit: It is important that you collect everything Kate Rusby has ever done. Go here.

Dog-Romans in 10.

2011-10-28T16:22:00.000-06:00

So I have this insane idea to make matched Polybian Romans and Later Carthaginian armies.

In 10mm.

Based for 25mm, that is 60mm frontage. Glory.

Am I getting distracted here? Likely.

These guys above are from AIM's Punic War line. I quite like them.

Here is a shot of the 'pilot' fig.

I'm surprised how many people when embarking on a mass paint don't start off with a pilot fig to figure out their colour scheme and painting method. Perhaps I over-think, but it works for me.

I really like the Polybian Roman DBA list. It was the first DBA army I painted back in the days of one point aught. I won lots with it. Success got me so bored I retired the army and went off in search of other hardluck projects, you know Bithynians and the like.

I love Velites. It is a quite Roman idea of taking the poorer members of your society and giving them crap fabricae weapons and telling them,

'Hey! It's cool, you guys are the skirmishers! You've got an awesome job as skirmishers. You get to protect the important part of army, the legionaries. You also get to fight some of the best light infantry ever, the Libyans, the Greeks, the Spanish, and hey, even those Thracians. And if you survive, you might get to wear a dog's head on your helmet. Did I say this was an awesome job or what?'

Romans, what a load of wankers...

I do love the look of these troops nonetheless. And frankly the Polybian list has the best enemies. Spanish of many flavours, Carthaginians (of course), Macedonians, Gauls, and those wacky Syracusans to name a few. The 'Punic' era is the Ancients All-Stars period. You're going to find one army you like and it will kick ass.

Dog-Romans? The pre-Teen Visigoth was enamoured with them as well, finding the dog headed-ness puzzling as a 5 year old. Dubbing them 'Dog-Romans' and painting many of them from those wonderful HaT 1/72nd boxes I bought in excess.

These won't be the only 10's you'll see on the bloggo. I've taken another commission, this time for the wonderful Brent Lloyd. A 'Scots Common' army is awaiting a prime job. But first I needs plow through the boat load Vikings that sit on my desk. They're not 10mm, and like the proverbial Dane with Dane-geld...they just don't seem to go anyplace.

-tv

Adventus Saxonum: yet another FallCon report.

2011-10-24T16:08:00.000-06:00

Dark Age grudge match! Cymric warriors and archers menace Saxon Dogs. No dogs were hurt, but lots of Saxons were.

Adventus Saxonum, that is in the vernacular 'Coming of the Saxons'.

What a grand little tourney we played Saturday afternoon at FallCon. The Alberta skies were blue, a cool breeze was coming in from the freshly snow-covered mountains. What a grand day to bathe the failed Roman province of Brittania with blood!

This period, the 'Arthurian' period, the 'Celtic Twilight', the British Heroic Age or whatever you'd call it is probably my favourite in DBA, if not in all history. The drama, the peoples, the landscape and the misty lack of details appeal my senses. Yes, I have a beaten copy of John Morris's The Age of Arthur next to my bed, complete with scribbles next to the really dodgy parts. Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Lantern Bearers and The Sword at Sunset top my desert island list. I do indeed know all the lines to a certain movie concerning swallows, both African and European, but in furthering the cause of good manners, I do not recite it in public. I also have a fun collection books of pseudo-mystical-history that claim things like the Jutes actually came from just outside of Baltimore and that Arthur was a Space Alien Love God sent to complete the Irish Kama Sutra (those missing pages from the Book of Kells? Now you know, and knowing is half the battle).

So it's about time I put on an 'Arthurian Game' dontcha think? Put down the katana and pick up the spatha! But it's all Arthur this and Arthur that...so I decided on a different tack. How about those Saxons? The Early Saxon Army as you may know are the eponymous TOTAL WANKERS in the NAGS/CCF/EDBAG compendium maintained by the sauve Paul Hannah and the indefatigable Andy Hooper. Regardless who they play against, it's not the army for the faint hearted.

Yet, they won. Historically they trounced their opponents in battle. How to make that a little more 'fair'. I thought of lots of ideas, most of them not very good. Maybe we can have all the Sub-Roman British players fight each other first and then have the Saxons play the already depleted winner? Hmmm, thematically correct, but not that much fun for the massacre-ed.

Constructed scenarios offered the best solution. I designed three specific battles which I thought evocative of the conflicts (as much as we understand it). I eliminated aggression ratings and each player diced 1d6.

The Beach: Aggressor goes the Full Overlord and tries to take field, with naught but Mannanan Mac Lir's cold waves at their back.

The Forest: If you come into the woods today you're going to lose you head...a thick dirty terrain filled board, with points for killing each others general. Nasty.

The Ford: Probably the most challenging and poorly designed scenario. I rewrote the river rules for the game, so as to simplify and keep things moving. Defender got points for eliminating enemy stands, attacker got points for getting across the river. Unbalanced and really deadly. Most players really liked it. Go figure.

We had a good, keen handful playing that day. The Pre-Teen Visigoth returned under the guise of Liam Pendragon, leading the Sub-Roman British c list. Quixotically he chose the Cv General option. I think he was a little shy of using a knight general after his debacle last year playing the Lombards.

Liam Pendragon deploys his ~~Sub Human~~ Sub-Roman British

Mark of Edmonton joined in again. He fielded my Pictish army. Which was morphed from my Caledonians. The addition of some Pict-i-fied Numidian light horse and some top quality Trey Corbies Warrior Women as psiloi updated things just dandy.

David also of Edmonton, took up the guise of Lord of Isles and fielded a force of Dalriadan Scots-Irish. Crap. David got an Ax army...again.

Liam Pendragon(Left Back) lulls David of the Isles into confidence (Right Back) whilst Don the Goth(Front Left) is locked into a full-on slaughter fest Mark mac Mark the Pict (Front Right)

Cory finally put down the metaphorical musket and joined in the DBA games and bravely took up the Sea Wolves. It's a brave man to play an all Wb army in tourney crawling with Ax and Cv. Cory knows the undying rule of warbands, play for the glory, not the victory!

The Later Visigoths, which I had written into the milieu were claimed by Don. Don too likes mobility. It's a pretty tough army with extra Bw firepower.

Marco, fiendish to the core claimed the other Scots-Irish army. It was back dated from my Norse-Irish with addition of some Pre-Feudal Scottish spear standing in for the Ax. Marco is a complete fiend with the first turn Ps rush. He will sack your camp. There will be blood.

I had the opportunity to join in as well while Don tutored a new player. Strangely all that was left was my killer Welsh. So I picked them up and waded into the fray.

It turned out I supplied all the armies in this game. Whew... I had two left Saxons and Franks. It was a total pleasure seeing my work (both high and lowly) used by so many people.

Backs against the sea, the fierce Cymry charge the Saeson devils.

I was lucky enough to play three games. First I was able match with Cory and the Saxon dogs.
I had the honour of playing the invader on the beach scenario. Fair turnabout there, take that Saxons! And took it the Saxons did. From the start of the game nothing went Cory's way, from PIPs to outcomes. We did have some wonderfully hinky battlelines resulting from the warband's impetuous follow up. In the end the Cymry held the field, and the pasty Saeson were driven away.

Next battle I defended in the forest against David of the Isles and his unsavoury Irish. Not a great match up for Welsh. The mostly all Ax Irish are faster and better than the Welsh warbands in the woods. My strategy was to hold the gap between the woods with my Cv general and move the rest of the troops out into the open. Could I roll better than a 2 for PIPs? Nope. The shining heroes on the Cymry were blundering around in the woods playing blind man's bluff when the howling Irish hit them. I rolled OK for the combat, but none were to my advantage and slowly David took me apart. The only moment of epic glory was when matched against the perfidious Irish chieftain my General had his Carmina Burana moment and blew through him in a 6-1 split. Alas, too little, too late.

While I had more luck with the pictures this day, I still lack lots of representational shots, so bear with what I have.

Mark's Picts demonstrates how to stop Gothic cavalry with light horse and skirmishers. How'd that go Mark?

Visigoth nation of the move...again.

Duel on the Dubglas. Saxons spill Marco's Scotti blood.

We're over the river! Howling Welsh warbands boldly challenge the uppity Sub-Romans and their hated Saxon Feodorati.

My third game was pitted against the young and treacherous Liam Pendragon. I had to heave my ponderous columns of warriors over the river. I hit his spear hard. Repeatedly, and they shoved me back, repeatedly. Then his horse troops showed up. My general and my hopes died in the mud.

Egads, again with Visigoths.

Marco's Irish prepare for the Goths.

Pictish Warrior women try to turn Cory's Saxon flanks

On the whole I was happy with the game. Everybody had a kick and there were tense, tense matches. Which is what counts. Next time...I suspect if I was to reformat this tourney I might make all the games fixed by terrain and army, having the players rotate through set-piece battles. This would give players a chance to command warbandy sorts, auxilia forces and Romano-British cavalry all in one tourney.
But I do think having a momentary attachment to an army (Grrrrrr, I'm a Pict!) adds a lot to the game, especially with this milieu.

I really want to thank all who participated, you guys were brilliant and a blast to play with. Anytime.

-tv

Probably may favourite picture of the game. Two women and a dog take on the Visigoth charge. A forgone conclusion? Yes, but no dogs were hurt.

EDIT OCTOBER 31st.
I see that all the text I wrote did not make into this post. Interested in who won and how? Read on...

In the end, David of the Isles and his Irish badass army took the prize. I awarded him 'Foamhenge' which I picked up off eBay for cheap. The stones were carved out of some dense foam and glued to a mini-CD. It was pretty basic, painted black and green. I tarted it up substantially with paint, flock and glued a figure in the middle (actually the fellow in my banner) for a trophy. (David if you have a pic of that, send it down to me so can throw it up on the blog.)

As the cellar dweller, Don Ray was offered my consolation prize, the 'Sad Sack of Saxons'. However Don 'won' them last time in the ' I Was a Teenage Visigoth' tourney. So he was offered future options from the new releases by Trey Corbies (more on those later...).

Scoring on the whole was pretty close despite the scoring on the Fords tourney being totally broken.
Liam stoked to have finished third, thanks in part to his patricide. The Irish armies were the most successful, and the Picts under Mark's generalship made a good show as well. He quite liked the composition, I suspect he may be making one soon. Marco, Cory, Mark and myself made up the middle.

-tv

Greeks Behaving Badly, a FallCon retrospective.

2011-10-21T19:18:00.001-06:00

The Skinny.
It was good. Zeus smiled upon us and Eris bestowed her fickleness in appropriate ways. An evening of DBA among old friends and new friends is never a bad thing.

I'll recap later, but those of you interested in the new venue and didn't make it, it was way better. A little farther than Marlborough Hall ( smelly, stinkly ol' Marlborough..sigh...John Churchill himself would compare Marlborough to a Hessian whorehouse) but the Commonwealth Centre was worth the trip. More on that later.

The Evening
I like running the Friday event. It's a nice warm up. Perhaps I should make it a little more structured. I'm sure that would make some folks happier, but on the whole I don't care. Each game produces a winner and its own little epic. That's all that matters. FallCon demands I produce a winner for each event. So I consult the Oracle, split the metaphoric calf liver and make a call.

We had a nice turn out. The Edmonton EDBAG legion was well represented. Mark and David are two regular attendees and DBA supporters and always fun to play against. Mark brought his Meriotic Kushites and David bummed my ill-starred Bithynians. Stephane, new to this DBA thing wandered in from the steppes (ok... Saskatchewan) I put together the favourite 'round these parts, Later Hoplite Greek 'Other'. The variant with the Cv unit and extra Ps, pretty balanced for a hoplite army and fun to play. Representing the demos of High River, Rob T-S and his son Philip made it in, and put the Spartans on the field. Philip a canny player in his own right, sat out the tourney and operated as his assistant Strategos. Calgary-wise, it was the faithful few. Don Ray fielded his fiendish Kyrenean Greeks. Marco brought the challenging Aitolian Greeks (Hellenistic variant). Patrick came as well and brought another 'other'. He claimed they were Messenians. Suuuure ol' buddy. And the Pre-Teen Visigoth put his newly painted Greeks (again with the 'Other') on the field for the first time. I squeezed in one game with my Paeonian Pony Patrol ( a close run thing attempting to curb Kushite agression), but was otherwise occupied reffing and we had to leave in time to get the Boy unit into bed (it was a one hour drive home!!!) Thanks to the wonderful Don Ray for seeing it through.

Game wrapped up at 2330, with a tight victory for Mark's Kushites over David recalcitrant Bithynians. Mark was awarded game prize, a pantless horde of Early Libyans I/7a I painted up. Stephane was awarded the 'Audacious Noob Prize' ( a Friday night tradition) which consisted on a luverly bag of Greeks (II/5g AGAIN!!! Others!!!) for him to paint. Robert's Spartan goon squad was acclaimed overall as Best Greek Army overall and was awarded the 'Judgement of Zeus', a Barkermarker of the Enthroned Olympian himself, posed to consider the wargaming at hand. Or more likely, he has espied a 15mm mortal he wants to shag. (cue chickenscratch guitar porn tunes). I made some more Barkermarkers using the set up 'Spartan at Camp' or something like that from Foundry which consists of groggy Spartans waking up, scratching their butts and looking like they're all missing their morning hair-dressing session. I love giving out participant prizes. More fun for all. It also helps clean out my back log of metal sitting about the house and makes me feel like... A RIVER UNTO MY PEOPLE!!!

Love that movie.

O.K. More details? I really haven't any. So more random recollections;

Hoplites Rule
I've noticed it's more commonplace these days among the DBA cognoscenti to poo poo hoplite games. WTF you talking about? No other game in DBA has the drama, the slow, building, inevitable gripping climax as two disciplined lines of determined Greeks, clutching their spearshafts hammer each other repeatedly until one side collapses in submission.
Hmmmm, that was more homoerotic that I had planned. At least I didn't add 'whilst Thracians attempt interpenetrate your flanks'. But all lame attempts at humour aside. It's a great deal of fun. DBA that is, the game, with miniatures. Ok moving on....laughing Hippy-Goth is distracting.

Hoplite games are good. Solid heavy weight boxing match that can end precipitously. A great example was Patrick and Stephane's game. Same armies matched up on a post-apocalyptic beach. After some jousting and shuffling, Patrick's Cv routed Stephane's Cv on the flank. 'Hmmm, that's nasty', says Patrick who is coaching and advising his opponent whilst providing a strong match up (something all good DBA players seem to know how to do.) 'That looks bad, but it's not the end of the game, much can be decided here in the centre and the other flank'. Next bound, whoomp! Stephane looses 2 pairs of Sp in a succession of Eris-invoked 6-1 splits. Stephane thought the whole game was brilliant. Patrick seemed mildly embarrassed.

Loaners are Luxuries no Longer
In the CCF we have this very possessive culture regarding our armies and participation in games. Many guys won't play if they don't have something appropriate painted up. I know, I'm one of them. But the joy of trying out something for the first time is a great experience. Also it's funny to see what some players do with otherwise wanker armies, David took my under-achieving Bithynians to the final match. Wow. An Ax monotype army vs Sp monotypes, a challenge no? David loves his independent flying column attack strategy put the Bithynians to good use. But I too love flying column strategies, but the Biths just roll over and feign death in my hands. Maybe David is interested in a purchase...

Perfidious Paeonians
As I mentioned, I did one game in with Mark and his Kushite Konquistadors. I formatted the Paeonians as two LH (one of the General) and the rest all psiloi. The match produced a very fun game. The Kushite army is a slow but resilient powerhouse, the only strikers they have that can dent the Paeonians are their archers. I concentrated on killing the Elephant General which Mark had so graciously put in the middle of his battleline. After a few turns of engagement and numerous psiloi fleeing terror, I was able to draw out his chief and take him down. That should be game, right? No quite yet. As I was busy with planning Pharaoh-cide Mark's archers locked and loaded and advanced on my skirmish lines and in a hail of heavy caliber fire, dropped enough Paeonians to topple to game in his favour. Brilliant fun.

Bring on the Noobs?
I had hoped to see more new players. I'm still not sure how or if that is ever gonna happen. Stephane, new to DBA has been a long time miniatures guy with a deep fondness for horse and musket period stuff. I was going to offer a 'Best Junior Player' prize as well, however as the ONLY junior player was the Pre-Teen Visigoth... I sort of didn't. I made it up to him.

Not sure if this is a format, game or venue issue. I will be thinking deeply about this stuff and posting my ruminations for all to ignore.

New Camera
The wee Fuji Finepix is a brilliant little camera, for back country and outdoor. I could bludgeon a marmot with it and would still take pix. I bought it for the Hippy-Goth after we destroyed the old Canon. I love her, but like the awesome Corb Lund song, She's Hard on Equipment . So we picked up the indestructible Fuji. To bad it's crap with the macros and indoor. I took lots of pics, but 20% of them are worthy of posting, the rest have been condemned to oblivion. So here are the pics I kept:

Our cozy corner at FallCon. L-R, Mark, Pre-Teen Visigoth, Stephane, Paddy, Rob and Philip, Marco.

Don Ray's Kyrenean Greek Chariot Battlegroup thunders toward the Bithynian skirmish line.

Patrick and Stephane maneuver prior to crashing.

One minute after contact, Stephane's centre collapses completely, giving Patrick a resounding win.

The champs, Mark's Meriotic Kushites. What are Kushites doing in the Peloponnese? Historical records are sketchy.

Rob T-S deciding if he really wants to lay down that Steep Hill. Walk away Rob, walk away.

Humour in DBA is a great thing. The puns were flying fast and furious, and jibes followed mostly on how people were going to 'bailout' their troops and suggestion the camp was not worth sacking as there is no money in it.

-tv

Not dead yet...

2011-09-09T17:37:00.000-06:00

Has it been two months since my last post?

Yikes...

Well needless to say I've been busy. Mostly getting lost in the back-country in the beautiful Rockies.

It's a tradition with the Hippy and I that we bring a new Lego Minifig on what hike and take pix of it at the top and bottom of the trail. Here we have the driver at the trailhead of Westwind Pass.

But you came here to see pix of little dudes and stories of battles lost and won. Well, I ain't got too much of those. Appears I have a new full time paying gig that is taking up my attentions at the moment. Earning some $ is a good thing. Times being what they are...

On top of that, Margo and I have been busy in the studio recording. Mixing down tracks is tedious, but actually more fun than cleaning lead (gasp)...

As you may also know I am the head minion of Trey Corbies. I spent the summer getting our production moulds from our imploded contract caster and getting them set up and running again with a new crew. It's a saga, buy a bottle of nice Shiraz and we will swap tales of long distance daring-do. The good news is we are back in production and the finest pre-Christian Warrior Women of Ireland are back in the game. Wait and see what we have new...

So, have I apologized enough? Cause if my absence has made a difference in your summer, we should talk...

much love and plundered vino,

-TV

DBA at FallCon 2011

2011-07-05T14:16:00.002-06:00

The ever efficient crew at FallCon 2011 have got the registration site up.*

As it is I have volunteered to run two events, Adventus Saxonum and Greeks Behaving Badly. I will be posting the details for the rules soon.

Adventus Saxonum or 'Coming of the Saxons' will be my Arthurian wargaming apotheosis. There are three (no four, maybe five) periods that truly grip me and this is the best of all. To up the game I'm trying to design a 'stake system' that will have players secretly putting up parts of their kingdom as the prize of battle. So we're looking at Settlers of Catan with Picts. I'm expanding the time line and the legal opponents from the orthodox DBA lists. Just cause I can.
Should have room for 10 players (not 6 the site says) maybe 12. Some loaner armies will be available.

Greeks and Libyans fight for the title of 'Pantless Badass'

Greeks Behaving Badly is the classic Friday eventing tourney. We at the CCF make it a easier, beginner friendly game, saving the skullduggery and bloodletting for Saturday and Sunday (when it belongs). This is my other top favourite period, the Classical Eastern Mediterranean of Herodotus. Persians, Lydians, Egypt, Thracians, Libyans, Scythians and of course those wacky ol' Spartans, Athenians, Thessalians, and let's not forget those goofy Phocians (everyone else does). It's a semi-open tourney. Basically any DBA army from Book I or II that fits in the span of 600BCE to 300BCE is eligible. (I bumped up the top end so as to include Alex the G and Early Successors, but exclude those pesky Polybian and Marian Rome boys.) Now I realize that does encompass a lot of armies that are not specifically 'Herodotusian' but the Friday tourney is ideologically Open so if you do show up with a Spring and Autumn Chinese army we will let you play. There will be loaner armies as well. I will have some surprises finished for this...

Look at the schedule for other top quality, inspected by experts, DBA games.

More details to come.

-tv

*all the pimping I do these guys, they owe me a freaking pint.

2011-06-15T17:23:00.001-06:00

(I recovered some pix and here's some very biased AAR's from April's games, enjoy!)

Attack from North Africa! Dateline: Valencia.


Early Muslim and North Africa II/31 vs Andalusian II/33b

In a move of unprecedented savagery, seaborne raiders from North Africa descended on the peaceful Valencian coast. Raiding inland they sacked several small towns, driving the people before them. At their head, the unpredictable and avaricious warlord ibn-Yahya demanded tribute and loot.

Victorious Champion of the Andalusian peoples, our flower of the battlefield, smiter of Norse bandits and bane of Leon, Warlord of Cordoba al-Joehmar met the North African raiders.

Unprepared for such savagery as the North Africans unleashed, the Flower of Battle was driven back, his horse scattered and his camp taken. He has now retreated to his stronghold of Cordoba to rebuild his forces. He was unavailable for comment.

Market analysts suggest that slave prices will hit the roof as a result of this incident, particularly oud players and dancing girls.

Raid in Lombardy! Dateline:Pavia

Fresh from a series of successful lightning raids on the Andalusian coast, Ibn-Yahya set course for the Italian peninsula. Expecting no resistance from the timorous Italians he conducted a high risk amphibious landing.

Unfortunately for him, he was opposed by the fierce Lombards. Early reports are that the landing were stopped on the beaches and the North African marines suffered severe losses attempting to stop the heavy Lombardic knights.

Ibn-Yahya has withdrawn to his stronghold and has set about revising his amphibious landing tactics.

'Did he 'shield-wall' or run away?'

'Fear not, our tiny bows will thwart the Franj!'

'Drive them into the sea!'

Lombards and Andalusians painted by neldoreth.

Early Muslim North Africa and Sicily painted by The Teenage Visigoth

Elsewhere in Europe... battle raged. (so what else is new?...)

(I really don't remember what armies these were. I think we are looking at Don's WoR vs Mark's Medieval Morph.)

Will update as soon as the identity of the combatants is established.

Coming of the Saxons

2011-06-14T12:51:00.003-06:00

Press Release.

June 14 2011

The Teenage Visigoth is pleased to announce he will be developing and running a DBA tourney at FallCon 2011.

Adventus Saxonum or 'The Coming of the Saxons' will run Saturday afternoon October 15 2011.

The Teenage Visigoth states:
'Originally an 'Arthurian' tourney, I decided to instead focus on the Saxons (et al) and give the original 'wanker' army their moment in the spotlight. I chose the title for the countless naughty jokes and horrid puns we will be able to make. '

Details:

Time period: Saturday afternoon
Title: "Adventus Saxonum"
Host: Sean Devitt and the CCF
Rules: DBA Ancients
Scale: 15mm
Players: Up to 16

It's 410CE and the Legions of Rome have left the Province of Britannia. Rivals clash, the Wall is breached...and then the Saxons show up. 'Adventus Saxonum' or 'The Coming of the Saxons' celebrates the Saxons, Angles and Jutes, treacherous, bloodthirsty tribes who arrive in their longships, first as mercenaries, then as raiders and lastly as colonists.

Eligible armies and tourney rules will be posted on teenagevisigoth.blogspot.com

FallCon
October 14-16, 2011

Commonwealth Hall
3961 52nd Avenue NE #1177
Calgary, AB
fallcon.com

The Beginnings of Barbarism

2011-06-12T23:14:00.002-06:00

DH-228 Viking swinging Two-handed Sword.

I uncovered this fellow in a box I had hidden. Ah! treasure of the forgotten times! (the 1980's)

While not the first figure I painted, he's arguably the longest surviving figure in my collection. I had originally painted him up for D&D to portray 'Starek the Destroyer' the viking-esque fighter I played back in the early 80's. I have pretty fond memories of ol' Starek. Fought a whole tribe of Minotaurs and won, survived the Village of Homlett and was done-in in swamp by a troll or something...

Y'see kids (wheeeze), back the days, we used historical miniatures to act as our player characters and fight the monsters. Heck, most of the orcs we used were Romans with green painted faces. Not that you really needed them, big squares and hex sheets were yet to infest the realm of role playing. But they did look cool on the kitchen table with all our see-through state of the art gem dice.

The figure is a classic from Ral Partha (which I'm sure a discerning few of you knew already) and is one of the (IMHO) signature Tom Meier sculpts of period. Look at the movement implied by his pose and his tunic. Glorious. Oh, I know, somewhere one of you is saying 'but, but, but, excuse me, Early Medieval Scandinavians did not wear horns on their helmet, nor is there any suggestion that Norse warriors employed a two handed grip on a sword that is clearly 12C at best...'

And y'know, I just want to give you a hug and tell you you're gonna be OK.
Because this is singularly the

Finest Viking Miniature Ever Made

Ever.

The cool bit is you can still get this guy

More spoils of war!

2011-06-10T14:09:00.002-06:00

I've added more miniatures to the sell-pile. Go to the sale page here.

A wonderful mixed lot this time. More Scots Highlanders than you can shake a caber at, form both Essex and Minifigs. I bought them to fight in and with my 15mm HoTT pirate armies. Rob Roy vs Blackbeard. It suits my aesthetic.

Also more Essex in the form of gorgeous medieval spearmen. Plus some very funky Islemen.

As usual the prices are low. Help me find good homes for them.

-Sean

Jacobites on the block.

2011-05-27T06:53:00.002-06:00

Just a quick note, the Jacobites are available again.

2011-05-23T16:12:00.002-06:00

Well, I've made it through half of the course. If it wasn't for the Velvet Underground and pots of Oolong tea I'd have snapped.

I can't share tea with you...

So here's the Velvets.

I did add some Jacobites to the 'for sale' section. There's a conditional offer right now, but I 'll let everyone know if that changes.

Highland Clearance....I'm so witty. I also hear guttural muttering and skean dhu being sharpened in the distance. SO! time to move on.

Up soon, plans for FallCon and more damn Vikings.

-Sean

Dream Date '78

2011-04-27T10:15:00.001-06:00

Debbie Harry, Suzi Quatro and Joan Jett.

Pretty busy 'round Villa Visigoth these days. I'm getting ready for a school in May. Going to be a pretty intensive 4 weeks, so don't expect too much on the bloggo.

So in the meantime please enjoy this picture of Debbie Harry, Suzi Quatro and Joan Jett.

If you'd rather look at pictures of little lead men, we seriously need to talk.

OK then...my friend and co-conspirator Pattus Magnus did a sweet little article on HoTT dwarfses.
Excellent pics and ideas for conversion. (I know it's heresy in some parts, but you don't need to use the all the same figures from the same manufacturer...)

yours in crimson and clover,

-TV

More loot for sale

2011-04-14T14:39:00.000-06:00

Just added some Numidian Light Horse and a nifty Iberian starter army. Please see the 'for sale' page.

For Sale Section added.

2011-04-13T17:54:00.001-06:00

Villa de Visigoth is over run with warriors. The little metal sort. I'm clearing out the barracks and you can benefit. Click here and see what I have to offer. Right now I have screaming deals on some Byzantines, Woodland Indians and Dark Age Horse warriors.

-TV

Never Mind the Mountain Indians

2011-04-05T11:49:00.004-06:00

New additions to the Book II gallery.

Please have a look at my beloved Mountain Indians.

Music and painting tip for the day:

Never mind the Bhangra This collection totally got me through the work. Brilliant. Assuming the Sex Pistols and Bhangra are your cuppa Chai...

Once and Future Bling

2011-03-30T18:35:00.001-06:00

It should come as no surprise to those who read this blog (a big thanks to both of you!) and those who game with me that I'm a big, card carrying, got the t-shirt, fairly tragic King Arthur nerd.

I love all iterations of the Matter of Britain (even the truly stinky) and will indulge myself to no end.

I've finally decided it's time to do the big Arthurian DBA game for FallCon I've planned for many years. So it's time to get painting. Here's my first-off interpetation of Splintered Light's superb Sub-Roman British Warriors.

'Let's fight for Roman Civilization, or ah, at least what's left of it.'

He's the first figure for the DBA Sub-Roman British I need to complete for the game.
I don't have a clever name yet for the FallCon game, but will need to keep up the tradition 'Samurai Night Fever' and (of course) 'I Was a Teenage Visigoth'. Maybe something like 'Three Cheers for Vortigern' or 'Coming of the Saxons'. But maybe not, nobody really likes ol' Vortigern and the latter sounds a little naughty...so I'll class it up with Latin. Adventus Saxonum. Yeah, that's closer...

But alas, I digress...

I've also got a Pictish army in the buff, truly, but unpainted as well. Early Saxons, check, Scots-Irish, check, but will need another of each for a good balance. Might even be able to write in Later Visigoths as well. There is precedent...

Here's more pix. The scenery in some wonderful ruins and villas built by my friend Pattus Magnus, Architect of Kings. Yes, I've altered the colours on iPhoto, but the rest is the result of a little handheld and a couple bright lights.

Get them Saxons!

Camelot was a lot nicer last time we visited.


Production Still from 'I Was A Teenage Visigoth'.	1955

Ok, enough self indulgence. I really should cook. Tonight the Hippy-Goth and I finish watching the 'Mists of Avalon' mini-series. Which wasn't as bad as I remember it. But in the meantime I'm making cauliflower and roast squash soup. Yeah.

On to Avalon, baby!

Hero Gun of the People

2011-03-25T15:26:00.001-06:00

Keeping the green theme going, I've returned/sold-out/apostatized to World War 2. You sort of can't escape the damn thing. It's truly the 500lb gorilla of the historical miniatures cosmos.

And while I prefer my baddies wearing togas rather than jackboots, it's a break from the usual sandals and swords of my universe.

So I present to you:

HERO GUN OF THE SOVIET PEOPLE

76mm Regimental Gun 1927

So bragging time. I did this in less than 25 minutes after the primer dried. Dry brush for the gun, wet brush for crew.

I also did this model exclusively in Games Workshop Colours. That decision was to prove a simple point to a nice person. 'Exact Historical' colours produced by any manufacturer are really a luxury, not a requirement to get things on the table. OK, that stupid German Panzer Grey is hard to fake, but pretty much everything else is not. Paint your damn miniatures. No excuses*.

The model is a Soviet 1927 76mm Regimental Gun. Produced by Battlefront Miniatures for their overwhelmingly popular Flames of War game. It's a sweet little gun.

Why this model? Allow me short digression. It has to do with the classic computer game Steel Panthers. Now I consider computer gaming in my life the same as daily meth use. I stopped smoking, that was hard. Stopping playing Civilization and scrubbing it from my hard drive, that was VERY HARD. So needless to say, I don't really do too much these days.

But...Steel Panthers...I sneak that once in a while.
[Rimmer] I was playing Soviet defenders in a Barbarossa scenario. The Panzers had cut my valiant BT-7s and T-28's to bits and had overwhelmed my centre. Two Panzer III's had over-ran my guns and the crews had fled or were dead. Except one. These heroic dudes rallied, spun their guns around and shot both tanks in the rear point blank. One brewed up and the other bailed. The Soviet centre was saved! I built this model in honour of the wee pixels and electrons that stopped the cyber-Fascists cold.
[/Rimmer]

Since I don't play FoW, I'll probably keep them kicking around for another occasion. Unless anyone wants to buy them...

*OK, time, family, food, earthquakes..these are important obstacles and acceptable excuses.

Blatant Cross Promotion.

2011-03-21T12:53:00.000-06:00

There's a new link on the sidebar.

My beautiful partner/girlfriend/ significant Margo has finally started getting her music on line.

I hope her brand of improvised neo-roots folk gets the attention it deserves. As well since I'm the guy doing the engineering...it sorts of makes it a little mercenary on my end.

Drop by the Reverbnation site and have a listen. We only have one song so far, but there are more to come.

-Sean