Hi All
Just a quick 'heads up' that a mahoosive (14 page!!!!) article of the Pine Wood of Tevar game, written by James Morris and featuring gazillions of lovely pics of our armies, should be appearing in the May issue of Wargames Illustrated. I have seen the proofs of the article...it's really rather mega!!!!
In other news, painting has stopped in the Guitarheroandy household. I just can't get up any enthusiasm for it. This is largely due to work pressures, family stuff, band stuff and the fact that I am regularly attending wargames club for the first time in over a year. We are mostly playing the dark Age skirmish rule set called 'Pig Wars', which is fast, frantic, bloody and great fun - about as far removed from WAB as one can get in mechanics, but just as much fun. However, contrary to many of the WABbers out there, I am not stopping playing WAB in the light of all the new ancient sets coming out, or as a result of ForgeWorld's apparent lack of desire to bring out new supplements. In fact, I am attending an event in April (Fall of the West/Age of Arthur) and my wargames club is about to start a Late Roman Republic/early Empire campaign, so all is well and WABbing here in Peterborough at any rate!
I do hope to pick up a paintbrush again soon, but need some inspiration! I keep looking at my colonials, but it feels like a mountain to climb...and I still have more Arthurians I want to do, but somehow...well...can't be bothered!! At least my repetitive strain injury has massively improved, which means that I am physically able to paint should the muse decide to return!!
I hope to post some pics from the WAB Spring Open (if I remember to take a camera!) and will keep you posted on developments with painting should any occur!!
Thank you all for your patience and for continuing to look me up on here occasionally...
Cheers
Andy
Showing posts with label El Cid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label El Cid. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 March 2011
Friday, 10 September 2010
Pine Wood of Tevar new pics
Courtesy of Chris Payne, here are 3 rather cool pics from last weekend at Partizan.
First, a close-up of James' marvellous new banner for El Cid...
Here's a close-up of the camp...
And a really good shot of the whole battle...really good lighting on this one (something of a miracle in the Kelham Hall!!!) so you can see the whole table in all its glory...
Enjoy...
First, a close-up of James' marvellous new banner for El Cid...
Here's a close-up of the camp...
And a really good shot of the whole battle...really good lighting on this one (something of a miracle in the Kelham Hall!!!) so you can see the whole table in all its glory...
Enjoy...
Andy
Monday, 6 September 2010
The Pine Wood of Tevar demo game, Partizan 5th Sept 2010
Here are the pics I took during James Morris' demo game 'The Pine Wood of Tevar' at Partizan yesterday. Apologies for the quality of some of the pics, but I was struggling to find a few moments to snap away in between chatting to the myriad of interested gamers (so many that in fact we only played the game once all day!!!!) and rolling some dice. So, if you nclick on a pic and it's a wee bit blurred, I'm sorry. Also, these humble pics don't really do the game justice. James' magnificent terrain and brilliant eye for how to arrange it (note the way the wooded slopes pull the eye onto the rockty outcrop and the perfect position of the camp on the other side...brilliant!!) simply loked stunning, as it was a table of about 10 x 6 feet!!
The pics tell the story of the game as we played it until I lost the will to take any more pics!
Below, view down the Catalan battleline just before my Andalusian allied cavalry failed the first of 3 failed allies tests (yup...three ones in a a row!!!)
El Cid's force mooch out of the camp to meet the onslaught...little suspecting the Count of Barcelona's devious ruse...
View from the Catalan right flank - Christian Jinetes, led by a newly-painted hero...
The Count of Barcelona and his personal retinue and army standard...
The other half of the Catalan panzer division!!!!
Close-up of El Cid's personal retinue (yes...a Copplestone Charlton Heston...note the faberoony banner. (BTW...El Cid...WS7!!! 4 attacks...veteran...ugh...!!! We later agreed that WS7 was too much and that he should be WS6 instead, with all other stats remaining as usual.) This unit is veteran too...sigh...
El Cid's Andalusian allies...no failed allies tests here, no siree...
El Cid's Christian jinetes...led by a veteran character (all El Cid's characters were veterans)
El Cid's camp...just look at those brilliantly painted tents and the myriad of 'stuff' to make the camp look mega cool!!
What's this??!! Sneaky catalans on the ridge behind the Cid's lines...Crossbows and archers, no less! We also had spearmen attacking out of the wood on El Cid's right flank...(cue evil laughter...)
El Cid's army from above...
The crossbowmens' view of the battlefield..."Hey, amigos...El Cid has NO IDEA that we are here...!!!"
View from behind the Catalan lines...look at that panorama towards the ridge...stunning!!
Another of El Cid's nasty characters...
El Cid's best mate, Alvar Fanez...he had a rough time of it later on...shame!!!
Another view of that brilliant El Cid retinue...awesome painting!!
Turn 1: General Catalan advance (we got first turn automatically...) My allies top left are still debating whether to join in. On my right flank, I attempt to draw El Cid's Andalusian nobles into a charge...This continued with charges and feigned flights over a few turns...
Turn 4: After messing about for 3 turns (actually, we were 'jockeying for position' with our caballeros), James caved and advanced into range (Andy Mctaggart had told me earlier that he would if I waited long enough...it's true..he did!! ;-) ) So I charged my 'panzer division' into El Cid's 'Tiger division'...
Close up of the main event. The Cid challenges the Count...he stoopidly accepts and, despite charging and going first, causes no wounds and receives one! Overall, it's a drawn combat, even with the muso roll-off!
In this combat, Alvar Fanez challenged my character and slaughtered him despite going second!! Killed outright!! However, this incensed the Catalan caballeros, who kicked major arese and ran the El Cid unit down, capturing Fanez in the process!! Hoorah!!! Yes, we were using the 'Ransom' rules from the El Cid book...
The end of turn 5: The Count is wounded a second time and his caballeros seem to be armed with rubber swords!!! We flee, but get away! We decide that, new rules notwithstanding, army standards are NOT captured unless the bearer is killed (or captured)
Those pesky Andalusian nobles use their special move to get on my flank...so I charged them..and bounced, reduced to 5 or less...bye bye jinetes....even with a flippin' character in there...sigh...
The Count has rallied and been caught in a charge. He declines the inevitable challenge and flees twice more before eventually being caught and captured. His army standard who accepted the challenge was killed outright...
This is better!!! On my left, a combination of bowfire, crossbows and (eventually) Andalusian jinetes causes the El Cid jineters to be in a spot of bother!! We slaughtered them with caballeros and the character fled only to be peppered with about 4000 crossbow bolts...ouch...
So, game over! A Winning draw for El Cid, as he had fulfilled the main objective - kill or capture the opposing general - difficult for the catalans with El Cid being as hard as he was, hence the decision to tone him down a notch!! However, the Cid had actually lost more men than the Count and had lost his camp with all its accumulated loot, so no shame in that at all!!
The pics tell the story of the game as we played it until I lost the will to take any more pics!
Below, view down the Catalan battleline just before my Andalusian allied cavalry failed the first of 3 failed allies tests (yup...three ones in a a row!!!)
El Cid's force mooch out of the camp to meet the onslaught...little suspecting the Count of Barcelona's devious ruse...
View from the Catalan right flank - Christian Jinetes, led by a newly-painted hero...
The Count of Barcelona and his personal retinue and army standard...
The other half of the Catalan panzer division!!!!
Close-up of El Cid's personal retinue (yes...a Copplestone Charlton Heston...note the faberoony banner. (BTW...El Cid...WS7!!! 4 attacks...veteran...ugh...!!! We later agreed that WS7 was too much and that he should be WS6 instead, with all other stats remaining as usual.) This unit is veteran too...sigh...
El Cid's Andalusian allies...no failed allies tests here, no siree...
El Cid's Christian jinetes...led by a veteran character (all El Cid's characters were veterans)
El Cid's camp...just look at those brilliantly painted tents and the myriad of 'stuff' to make the camp look mega cool!!
What's this??!! Sneaky catalans on the ridge behind the Cid's lines...Crossbows and archers, no less! We also had spearmen attacking out of the wood on El Cid's right flank...(cue evil laughter...)
El Cid's army from above...
The crossbowmens' view of the battlefield..."Hey, amigos...El Cid has NO IDEA that we are here...!!!"
View from behind the Catalan lines...look at that panorama towards the ridge...stunning!!
Another of El Cid's nasty characters...
El Cid's best mate, Alvar Fanez...he had a rough time of it later on...shame!!!
Another view of that brilliant El Cid retinue...awesome painting!!
Turn 1: General Catalan advance (we got first turn automatically...) My allies top left are still debating whether to join in. On my right flank, I attempt to draw El Cid's Andalusian nobles into a charge...This continued with charges and feigned flights over a few turns...
Turn 4: After messing about for 3 turns (actually, we were 'jockeying for position' with our caballeros), James caved and advanced into range (Andy Mctaggart had told me earlier that he would if I waited long enough...it's true..he did!! ;-) ) So I charged my 'panzer division' into El Cid's 'Tiger division'...
Close up of the main event. The Cid challenges the Count...he stoopidly accepts and, despite charging and going first, causes no wounds and receives one! Overall, it's a drawn combat, even with the muso roll-off!
In this combat, Alvar Fanez challenged my character and slaughtered him despite going second!! Killed outright!! However, this incensed the Catalan caballeros, who kicked major arese and ran the El Cid unit down, capturing Fanez in the process!! Hoorah!!! Yes, we were using the 'Ransom' rules from the El Cid book...
The end of turn 5: The Count is wounded a second time and his caballeros seem to be armed with rubber swords!!! We flee, but get away! We decide that, new rules notwithstanding, army standards are NOT captured unless the bearer is killed (or captured)
Those pesky Andalusian nobles use their special move to get on my flank...so I charged them..and bounced, reduced to 5 or less...bye bye jinetes....even with a flippin' character in there...sigh...
The Count has rallied and been caught in a charge. He declines the inevitable challenge and flees twice more before eventually being caught and captured. His army standard who accepted the challenge was killed outright...
This is better!!! On my left, a combination of bowfire, crossbows and (eventually) Andalusian jinetes causes the El Cid jineters to be in a spot of bother!! We slaughtered them with caballeros and the character fled only to be peppered with about 4000 crossbow bolts...ouch...
Earlier, my peones had stood off a unit of dismounted knights, chaisng and slaughtering them to a man. The gallant caballeros thenm turned and finished off El Cid's archers and crossbowmen, capturing the camp in a final glorious charge, just before the Count was captured!!
So, game over! A Winning draw for El Cid, as he had fulfilled the main objective - kill or capture the opposing general - difficult for the catalans with El Cid being as hard as he was, hence the decision to tone him down a notch!! However, the Cid had actually lost more men than the Count and had lost his camp with all its accumulated loot, so no shame in that at all!!
As I hope you can sense from this narrative, I loved every second of it! A brilliant game on the best terrain I've ever played on with a great opponent! It was my first show demo and I loved it!!
Thanks to all who came to look and to chat and to tell us how great it looked. We really appreciated the interest.
Watch out for a full article and scenario in Wargames Illustrated soon with better pics of course!!!
Now, I have to paint some more models ready for October at Warhammer World. More info about my army choice and the new models shortly...
Thanks for reading!!
Andy
Tuesday, 17 August 2010
El Cid, El Cid and MORE El Cid...
Ha! That got your attention didn't it?! :-) Sorry that there's no eye candy to go with the title...just advance warning that my El Cid army will be making an appearance at 'The Other Partizan' on Sunday September 5th at Kelham Hall, Newark. Yes, James Morris has kindly invited me to join him in putting on an El Cid demo game! We shall be doing 'The Pine Woods ofTevar', where El Cid took on the unfortunate Count of Barcelona and destroyed his army, capturing most ofthe Catalan nobility in the process!! Naturally, I shall play the Count of Barcelona and James shall play El Cid...for two reasons:
1. James wrote the El Cid supplement - who else could be El Cid?
2. El Cid needs to win!!!!!! With James playing the great man, that's significantly more likely than if I do!!
Scenario details to be revealed on the day (James and I have spoken and he is currently drafting it out) but suffice to say that it will be great and will look fab, as the terrain will be marvellous and James' army looks stunning. He's also painting new character models, which I'm looking forward to seeing!!!
Anyway, I'm doing a bit of painting for the event. I shall be increasing the number of models in one of my cablleros hidalgos units, as well as adding additional models to my Spanish and Andalusian jinetes units and my Peones unit. I shall also be adding an additional character (4 Catalans are named in the sources for this battle, so I shall field all 4!) and a small unit of Ballasteros (x-bows.) As with all this army, the models are Perry. Look out for them on the blog over the next few weeks and if you come to Partizan, do drop by and say 'hello', especially if we have thus far only corresponded online. I always like to put a face to a name whenever possible...
Following the event, I shall continue to paint El Cid stuff as I hope to go to the October Warhammer World El Cid campaign, also being run by Mr Morris and for that I need 2500pts...YIKES!!!!!! That's one more unit of caballeros and another of peones. to add to the load I already have painted...better get the painting going!!!!
Andy
1. James wrote the El Cid supplement - who else could be El Cid?
2. El Cid needs to win!!!!!! With James playing the great man, that's significantly more likely than if I do!!
Scenario details to be revealed on the day (James and I have spoken and he is currently drafting it out) but suffice to say that it will be great and will look fab, as the terrain will be marvellous and James' army looks stunning. He's also painting new character models, which I'm looking forward to seeing!!!
Anyway, I'm doing a bit of painting for the event. I shall be increasing the number of models in one of my cablleros hidalgos units, as well as adding additional models to my Spanish and Andalusian jinetes units and my Peones unit. I shall also be adding an additional character (4 Catalans are named in the sources for this battle, so I shall field all 4!) and a small unit of Ballasteros (x-bows.) As with all this army, the models are Perry. Look out for them on the blog over the next few weeks and if you come to Partizan, do drop by and say 'hello', especially if we have thus far only corresponded online. I always like to put a face to a name whenever possible...
Following the event, I shall continue to paint El Cid stuff as I hope to go to the October Warhammer World El Cid campaign, also being run by Mr Morris and for that I need 2500pts...YIKES!!!!!! That's one more unit of caballeros and another of peones. to add to the load I already have painted...better get the painting going!!!!
Andy
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Age of El Cid Event - plus, 'Why I suck at WAB!!!!'
Well, what a cracking day!! Mr Morris & Co certainly know how to put on a gaming day!!! Thanks to all the Newark Irregulars for their input into the day...brilliant stuff!!!!!
So, how did I do? Well, won one, lost two: had a stinking cold and cough so felt like sh*t anyway, but fortunately, had such fun that the malady was easily forgotten once the gaming began, although by game 3 I was beginning to falter a bit!!!!
In the end, I won a prize for 'best painted characters' (GB models) and for being in the winning faction (lovely Almoravid Priest-dude on a wooden display stand.) So that was nice!!
I had 3 great opponents and played all 3 scenarios.
In my first game, I played Chris Payne (I think that was his surname) with his Andalusians playing 'Cattle raid' from Age of Arthur.
He had a well-chosen army and got off to a flying start by destroying the attacking potential of my caballeros in turn 1. He killed half the unit with his mercenary X-bowmen, reducing my potential for overlapping and flanking and for destroying his light troops.
My infantry gained hatred for this scenario, which was great, as I simply advanced them up to take on the Andalusian spearmen while manoeuvering for the killer charge with the caballeros hidalgos. Where Chris lost the game was in moving his own mercenary knights along the road - he should have stayed in position flanking his foot and threatening my charge. As it was, I charged his archers, pursued into his knights, won the successive combat and forgot I had ferocious charge!!!! Tw*t!!!! Anyway, justice won out 2 turns later and I broke his knights, pursued and killed them. In the ensuing panic, virtually his entire army melted away, leaving me able to capture 2 out of 3 baggage bases and win a mighty victory. Had it not been for hatred on my peones, it would have been different, as they held on most of the game, even when flanked by 24 more spearmen... Lesson there: Learn your special rules!!!
Game 2: Lee McColl and Christian Spanish. This was where it all went wrong. he had a superior, but smaller force - 2 units of caballeros hidalgos, 2 of caballeros, 1 unit of X bow and some slingers gained in the bonus card round. I gained Sudanese spearmen in the bonus card round.
I basically attempted a mass outflank on his right and he was right to be worried, as it seemed to be working. However, he cunningly countered my audacious move with caballeros on his left flank by charging them with foot archers. I slaughtered those, but, in the pursuit, hit his general's unit in the flank. I lost the combat and the caballeros fled, leaving me in trouble! What followed was typical me: he destroyed both units of foot with his knights (despite arming them with throwing spears) - the Sudanese FBIGO'd but panicked when the peones were destroyed and the pursuit of the peones hit the running sudanese by HALF an inch!!!!! My general failed his panic test by throwing double 6 so my best unit ran - it rallied, but failed another panic in the very last turn again on double 6- can't recall why... but they panicked anyway and handed about 600VPs to Lee to give him a 1450 to 91 pt mighty victory!!! He was embarassed and I was gutted! However, I know where I went wrong! I should not have pursued those archers, but got behind his knights... Different story then, I feel!!
Game 3: Against Chris Stone and his Almoravids. Now, his was an example of a brilliantly chosen army list!! It was designed to play well and to win without being beardy. He fielded 2 stubborn units of mixed spear and bow, each with 2 drummers and a Sheik (massive close-combat monster - 3 attacks each!!) One unit had a priest so gained hatred. He fielded his ASB and a Christian captain in a unit of mercenary knights, then fielded 9 Ghuzz horse archers (basically nomad cav -BS4, parthian shite...err...shot, etc) and 3 units of foot skirmishers. No general - as he said, why throw points away? He didn't need one!!!!!! Stubborn, hatred, ld 8 on the knights anyway....
We played apilledo and I defended (with nearly all cavalry!!!). It was a predictable mess. The Ghuzz shot me to bits. I did eventually kill them in combat, but my caballeros and jinetes were all but gone, so were easily panicked by javelin fire. My caballeros hidalgos charged his and killed 1 model!!!! He killed 4 back - I threw 4 save throws on 3+ and got 4 ones-like most of my dice on the day - couldn't hit, couldn't wound, couldn't save and couldn't pass LD tests!!!!! Luckily, they were not caught in pursuit and managed to inflict a slaughter in turn a couple of turns later - Chris suffered similar saving-throw hell and I ran the unit down. But it was all academic. I held onto one booty base, but almoravid spear with a sheik will eat peones for breakfast, so the other two got captured. Close-run victory to Chris, but another 50 VPs and he'd have won a mighty victory.
So, why was it all so bad? Well, more than my usual BIG share of ill luck - 2 failed panic tests on LD9 with throws of 12 against Lee ... Unbelievably bad save throws against both Lee and Chris S with my caballeros hidalgos, but more than anything, bad army choice. I only had 1 decent combat unit. I should have fielded 2 units of caballeros hidalgos and not taken the 3rd character. The foot were useless in 2 out of 3 games. The archers and slingers killed nowt in any of my games really and it was only 'hatred' that made the peones useful in game 1.
However, despite taking a tw*tting, I enjoyed the day immensely as it was such great relaxed gaming fun. I maintained my current average of about 30% victories in WAB. I am beginning to realise that the only wins I get these days is against those with less experience of the game - and even then I often lose. Against good players, I usually get utterly mauled because I never maintain a decent battle-line, I don't manage to support my units properly, I'm reactive rather than proactive and I don't think ahead enough. I also play with armies I like rather than with armies I might use effectively (assuming one of those actually exists!!) Also, I hadn't played with this army for about 5 years and then I only used it about twice in its unpainted state, so I didn't really know what I was doing!! Still, events like this need players like me...every event needs its 'cannon fodder' players.
I certainly won't stop gaming with WAB. I'd be just as crap with any ruleset. However, I will think more about my army lists in future!!! I got it about right at Hot Lead with a really good AoA Welsh army that was mis-matched against Shieldwall opponents in 2 games - against other AoA armies, I am convinced it would work well (assuming I used it well, of course!!) so at least I am beginning to think better about it!!
And here is a call to those folk who are good at organising gaming days...we want more El Cid!!!! It's a great period, especially if you don't allow the later lists with lances and sh*t... Now, who else around here can I persuade to buy a load of Almoravid or Andalusian models so that I'm not always forced to fight Carl's Christian knights when playing this period???
So, how did I do? Well, won one, lost two: had a stinking cold and cough so felt like sh*t anyway, but fortunately, had such fun that the malady was easily forgotten once the gaming began, although by game 3 I was beginning to falter a bit!!!!
In the end, I won a prize for 'best painted characters' (GB models) and for being in the winning faction (lovely Almoravid Priest-dude on a wooden display stand.) So that was nice!!
I had 3 great opponents and played all 3 scenarios.
In my first game, I played Chris Payne (I think that was his surname) with his Andalusians playing 'Cattle raid' from Age of Arthur.
He had a well-chosen army and got off to a flying start by destroying the attacking potential of my caballeros in turn 1. He killed half the unit with his mercenary X-bowmen, reducing my potential for overlapping and flanking and for destroying his light troops.
My infantry gained hatred for this scenario, which was great, as I simply advanced them up to take on the Andalusian spearmen while manoeuvering for the killer charge with the caballeros hidalgos. Where Chris lost the game was in moving his own mercenary knights along the road - he should have stayed in position flanking his foot and threatening my charge. As it was, I charged his archers, pursued into his knights, won the successive combat and forgot I had ferocious charge!!!! Tw*t!!!! Anyway, justice won out 2 turns later and I broke his knights, pursued and killed them. In the ensuing panic, virtually his entire army melted away, leaving me able to capture 2 out of 3 baggage bases and win a mighty victory. Had it not been for hatred on my peones, it would have been different, as they held on most of the game, even when flanked by 24 more spearmen... Lesson there: Learn your special rules!!!
Game 2: Lee McColl and Christian Spanish. This was where it all went wrong. he had a superior, but smaller force - 2 units of caballeros hidalgos, 2 of caballeros, 1 unit of X bow and some slingers gained in the bonus card round. I gained Sudanese spearmen in the bonus card round.
I basically attempted a mass outflank on his right and he was right to be worried, as it seemed to be working. However, he cunningly countered my audacious move with caballeros on his left flank by charging them with foot archers. I slaughtered those, but, in the pursuit, hit his general's unit in the flank. I lost the combat and the caballeros fled, leaving me in trouble! What followed was typical me: he destroyed both units of foot with his knights (despite arming them with throwing spears) - the Sudanese FBIGO'd but panicked when the peones were destroyed and the pursuit of the peones hit the running sudanese by HALF an inch!!!!! My general failed his panic test by throwing double 6 so my best unit ran - it rallied, but failed another panic in the very last turn again on double 6- can't recall why... but they panicked anyway and handed about 600VPs to Lee to give him a 1450 to 91 pt mighty victory!!! He was embarassed and I was gutted! However, I know where I went wrong! I should not have pursued those archers, but got behind his knights... Different story then, I feel!!
Game 3: Against Chris Stone and his Almoravids. Now, his was an example of a brilliantly chosen army list!! It was designed to play well and to win without being beardy. He fielded 2 stubborn units of mixed spear and bow, each with 2 drummers and a Sheik (massive close-combat monster - 3 attacks each!!) One unit had a priest so gained hatred. He fielded his ASB and a Christian captain in a unit of mercenary knights, then fielded 9 Ghuzz horse archers (basically nomad cav -BS4, parthian shite...err...shot, etc) and 3 units of foot skirmishers. No general - as he said, why throw points away? He didn't need one!!!!!! Stubborn, hatred, ld 8 on the knights anyway....
We played apilledo and I defended (with nearly all cavalry!!!). It was a predictable mess. The Ghuzz shot me to bits. I did eventually kill them in combat, but my caballeros and jinetes were all but gone, so were easily panicked by javelin fire. My caballeros hidalgos charged his and killed 1 model!!!! He killed 4 back - I threw 4 save throws on 3+ and got 4 ones-like most of my dice on the day - couldn't hit, couldn't wound, couldn't save and couldn't pass LD tests!!!!! Luckily, they were not caught in pursuit and managed to inflict a slaughter in turn a couple of turns later - Chris suffered similar saving-throw hell and I ran the unit down. But it was all academic. I held onto one booty base, but almoravid spear with a sheik will eat peones for breakfast, so the other two got captured. Close-run victory to Chris, but another 50 VPs and he'd have won a mighty victory.
So, why was it all so bad? Well, more than my usual BIG share of ill luck - 2 failed panic tests on LD9 with throws of 12 against Lee ... Unbelievably bad save throws against both Lee and Chris S with my caballeros hidalgos, but more than anything, bad army choice. I only had 1 decent combat unit. I should have fielded 2 units of caballeros hidalgos and not taken the 3rd character. The foot were useless in 2 out of 3 games. The archers and slingers killed nowt in any of my games really and it was only 'hatred' that made the peones useful in game 1.
However, despite taking a tw*tting, I enjoyed the day immensely as it was such great relaxed gaming fun. I maintained my current average of about 30% victories in WAB. I am beginning to realise that the only wins I get these days is against those with less experience of the game - and even then I often lose. Against good players, I usually get utterly mauled because I never maintain a decent battle-line, I don't manage to support my units properly, I'm reactive rather than proactive and I don't think ahead enough. I also play with armies I like rather than with armies I might use effectively (assuming one of those actually exists!!) Also, I hadn't played with this army for about 5 years and then I only used it about twice in its unpainted state, so I didn't really know what I was doing!! Still, events like this need players like me...every event needs its 'cannon fodder' players.
I certainly won't stop gaming with WAB. I'd be just as crap with any ruleset. However, I will think more about my army lists in future!!! I got it about right at Hot Lead with a really good AoA Welsh army that was mis-matched against Shieldwall opponents in 2 games - against other AoA armies, I am convinced it would work well (assuming I used it well, of course!!) so at least I am beginning to think better about it!!
And here is a call to those folk who are good at organising gaming days...we want more El Cid!!!! It's a great period, especially if you don't allow the later lists with lances and sh*t... Now, who else around here can I persuade to buy a load of Almoravid or Andalusian models so that I'm not always forced to fight Carl's Christian knights when playing this period???
Saturday, 15 August 2009
El Cid Army Update
Tomorrow, I go to Newark for a 'Morris and Jones' event set in the Age of El Cid. Consequently, I have been painting like a maniac to finish 1600pts of Spanish!!
Here are some pics of the Andalusian allied cavalry and some foot archers...
Here are some pics of the Andalusian allied cavalry and some foot archers...
The Peones are currently on the varnishing table, with gloss varnish drying and awaiting Dullcote... If I have time I'll add them later. If not, it'll be next week!
Cheers
Andy
Saturday, 23 May 2009
Painting Update: El Cid
Hi
Just a quick post to let you know that I am still alive and kicking...still deaf after the eardrum perforating incident, but otherwise back to full health.
Managed to take a few quick snaps tonight of the Christian cavalry from my 1500pt Age of El Cid Christian army. I hope to take a few tomorrow in slightly better light - it was quite late when I took these, having spent the afternoon babysitting my son while his mum went shopping with her friend....
Basically, at 1500pts, the army is designed to be an army from the time of Sancho Ramirez of Aragon, so somewhere around 1060AD (I intend taking it to Gripping Beast's Hot Lead event and armies have to fit the 400AD - 1066 timeline).
It has an Infante General (yeah, I know he's crap, but I can't fit in a Rey with the troops I want!!) and an Armiger ASB. It has 10 Caballeros Hidalgos representing the household knights who have taken to using French styles of fighting, so they are tooled up with thrusting spears, heavy armour and warhorses. It then has 9 caballeros, representing Aragonese nobles who still fight in the traditional style, fully equipped with light armour, javelins and shield. These are supported by 9 Jinetes who are fully armed with javelins, thowing spears and shields. This is enough points for the 50% core allocation, so the remaining Christian troops consist of 20 peones with thrsuting spear and 11 arqueros (archers). These are then supported by Andalusian allies: a unit of 9 Andalusian jinetes, armed as their Christian counterparts and 10 Andalusian archers (because they are cheap as chips!!
I have no idea how it'll perform in the scenarios on the day, especially as I have to create a 1000pt version as well....
Anyway, I have posted pics of knights before, but here is what I took tonight and they are now arrayed as they will be in the units in the army. I'll try to do a couple of pics of the arqueros tomorrow if I get them based tonight.
First, the Infante and armiger with the Caballeros Hidalgos:
Next, a couple of pics of the Caballeros Hidalgos. Note that I used only models with couched spears in this unit to differentiate them from the Caballeros who are all 'overarm' spear models.
Next, the Caballeros, who, as I mentioned above, are all 'spear overam':
Next, the Jinetes. No standard with these guys, as they always operate in skirmish formation... I also tried to keep the shields very simple and also kept tunic decoration to a minimum to suggest less wealth with these guys.
Now, a rather poor shot of all the Christian cavalry - should have put the flash on!!!
I'm about to start painting the Andalusian archers. Hopefully, they'll take me no more than a week, leaving me about 6 weeks to paint the Andalusian jinetes and then the peones. It'll be tight, but it's do-able!!! If not, I'll have to sub some Arthurian spearmen as the peones for the event!!!
Bretwalda round 4 update coming very soon...
Cheers
Andy
Just a quick post to let you know that I am still alive and kicking...still deaf after the eardrum perforating incident, but otherwise back to full health.
Managed to take a few quick snaps tonight of the Christian cavalry from my 1500pt Age of El Cid Christian army. I hope to take a few tomorrow in slightly better light - it was quite late when I took these, having spent the afternoon babysitting my son while his mum went shopping with her friend....
Basically, at 1500pts, the army is designed to be an army from the time of Sancho Ramirez of Aragon, so somewhere around 1060AD (I intend taking it to Gripping Beast's Hot Lead event and armies have to fit the 400AD - 1066 timeline).
It has an Infante General (yeah, I know he's crap, but I can't fit in a Rey with the troops I want!!) and an Armiger ASB. It has 10 Caballeros Hidalgos representing the household knights who have taken to using French styles of fighting, so they are tooled up with thrusting spears, heavy armour and warhorses. It then has 9 caballeros, representing Aragonese nobles who still fight in the traditional style, fully equipped with light armour, javelins and shield. These are supported by 9 Jinetes who are fully armed with javelins, thowing spears and shields. This is enough points for the 50% core allocation, so the remaining Christian troops consist of 20 peones with thrsuting spear and 11 arqueros (archers). These are then supported by Andalusian allies: a unit of 9 Andalusian jinetes, armed as their Christian counterparts and 10 Andalusian archers (because they are cheap as chips!!
I have no idea how it'll perform in the scenarios on the day, especially as I have to create a 1000pt version as well....
Anyway, I have posted pics of knights before, but here is what I took tonight and they are now arrayed as they will be in the units in the army. I'll try to do a couple of pics of the arqueros tomorrow if I get them based tonight.
First, the Infante and armiger with the Caballeros Hidalgos:
Next, a couple of pics of the Caballeros Hidalgos. Note that I used only models with couched spears in this unit to differentiate them from the Caballeros who are all 'overarm' spear models.
Next, the Caballeros, who, as I mentioned above, are all 'spear overam':
Next, the Jinetes. No standard with these guys, as they always operate in skirmish formation... I also tried to keep the shields very simple and also kept tunic decoration to a minimum to suggest less wealth with these guys.
Now, a rather poor shot of all the Christian cavalry - should have put the flash on!!!
I'm about to start painting the Andalusian archers. Hopefully, they'll take me no more than a week, leaving me about 6 weeks to paint the Andalusian jinetes and then the peones. It'll be tight, but it's do-able!!! If not, I'll have to sub some Arthurian spearmen as the peones for the event!!!
Bretwalda round 4 update coming very soon...
Cheers
Andy
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