You are my one and only..... OGRE!

When I think about Fantasy, I want my games to be populated with everything - humans, elfs, dwarfs, daemons, orks, goblins, ogres....
But untill recenty I had no ogres to use.
Then, I got an occasion to exchange one of my whitchers (or if you want GW 40K Dark Eldar Mandragors) for an Ogre.
And here it is, my ogre mercenary/gladiator/monster, finally painted:

 

Games that define me

Following posts from other blogs, I also asked myself which games define me the best. And here are the possible answers:

1. Mythic Game Master Emulator. Something that touched both my gaming and storytelling nerve so many times. A tool that can take you through RPG session in a blink, game with which you never know what to expect. Pure gold.
2. Microscope RPG by Lame Mage. Again combined with Mythic and Risus Monkey’s principle of multiple personalities, this game helped me create worlds I would never think on my own.
3. Song of Drums and Shakos. My favorite game for skirmishers in Napoleonic period. Easily adapted for solo gaming, with engine that can always throw a twist on you based on dice allocation principle…
4. Mmmmm, Dice allocation games. Well I just love dice allocation games of any kind, be it expensive commercial hit like Elder Sign, free one pager game from experimental playground or something in the middle like the games produced for BGG Solo P’n’P contest. I just love them. Period.
5. When you say “Dice allocation”, it will be a sin to omit great minigames from 2 Hour Wargames. Their gladiator combat games, racing games or game of Jousting in Middle Ages represent dice allocation in their best and deserve entry of their own.
6. Chronicles of Blood. Everything that a solo gamer can wish for. Fast, interesting, simple, open to house rules. And most of all, FREE! Go get it.
7. Napoleonic period: Muskets and Mohawks with Napoleonic special rules, Field Commander Napoleon, and why not Flintloque, Sharp Practice and Black Powder Battles. Last two games I actually never played since I still do not have enough painted miniatures to do so, but I read these rules so often, and take ideas from them, that they definitely join the group of games that define me.
8. Paper terrain production. I do not create terrain; I just love cutting and gluing stuff from producers like Worldworks games, Fat Dragon, lord Zsese or Dave’s Games, so this is definitely a game. The one with strange rules, maybe, but a game never the less.
9. Painting miniatures. As above. Great time and extremely stress reliving :)

And that is it. That is me.

Red Sand Arena

Red Sand Black Moon, the game of Fantasy gladiator combat by 2HW is definitely new hit among the miniature wargaming bloggers, getting some excellent  AAR's on places like this one, or this one.
I was also one of those who grabbed the game as soon as it appeared, but my other projects kept me away from it for a while.
Finally, my arena for RSBM (or RSBS HOTA) is ready, and the games may begin.

For the first mach, I connected Silver Elf against Black Moon Goblin, both level 11 fighters.
In short, both gladiators exchanged some blows, but then Gobo over calculated, passed by Elf, got wounded and knocked down on his face. Elf attacked from the rear and cut Gobo to peaces.
If anyone is interested, some earlier gladiator action can be found here.

BGG Solitare contest, Round 2

Last year, Board Game Geek forum organized a contest for the best solo P'n'P game. Contest was lots of fun, and produced some great games (as can be seen here).
Well, a year has passed, and it is time for the second edition of the contest.
Unfortunately, due to heavy office hours I will not be able to participate, but I will definitely find time to read all the entries, and maybe even play the ones that seem the most interesting.
I invite all of you soloist to join me on this. Link to the BGG page with games is here:
http://boardgamegeek.com/thread/798184/2012-solitaire-print-and-play-contest

4 Chariots 4 A Race

For some time now I am planing to play a campaign game of Charioteer by 2HW, where I would take my team from the fringe of the empire to Circus Maximus.
Therefore, I purchased all chariots in 1/72 scale I could get.

Finally, I managed to paint 4 of them for the first race.

 

So I present them to you:

From far North-West comes Gallic Warrior Queen with her chariot (HaT 8140)

Egyptians were famous for their light and fast chariots (Ceasar H024)

 

 From the cradle of civilization, Sumer, comes crude built chariot driven by 4 donkeys (HaT 8130)

 

 Last but not least, Mitanni team consist of two Mariyannu nobles (Ceasar H015)

And the race is on!
But many painting still awaits me, since teams from India, Hittite Empire, Assyria, Persia and of course Rome, wait for their turn to join the circus!

On Parade 2

While Andrzej Niegolewski was visiting 9th Light, not far from their camp British captain John Peoplefolks, widely known as The Bell

performed a review of his own troops.

What he had available was a company of 1st Foot Guard (with mounted officer, NCO, drummer and standard bearer)

company of Rifles with officer, NCO and trumpeter,

and a motley crew of Spanish rebel militia with rebel leader, his second in command, and a priest (his moral influence to the company equals him to standard bearer).

 

Long live the King!

On Parade

On a way back to his unit, Captain Andrzej Niegolewski stopped for refreshment in the camp of the 9th Light (the famous "Incomperable") regiment. 

When Major Lannes got the news that the owner of the L'Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur is coming, he rushed to great his old war companion, since two men knew each other from Somosierra pass.

 Major made a parade for his guest, to show his famous light infantrymen.

His strongest men were elected into the company of Carabiniers (10 men with complete command, including officer, NCO, standard bearer and drummer)

 Most numerous are, of course, Chasseurs.

They consist of two companies (10 men each), first with complete command, while second has only NCO to keep order if things get rough.

Finally, best shots joined light infantry Voltigeurs (one company with complete command including officer, NCO, trumpeter and fanion bearer).

Vive l'Empereur!