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Miniatures Adventure => Old West => Topic started by: Ramirez Noname on May 15, 2018, 07:33:04 PM

Title: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 15, 2018, 07:33:04 PM
"... is 'coming like a Ghost Town ..."

Boss Jenkins, having escaped the Pinkertons in McGinty, has been holed up in the ghost town of Ansell Wells, pulling together a punch or outlaws and gun hands. But the Pinkerton Detective Agency knows this old dog too well and have tracked him down to his supposed hiding place. As the Pinkertons start to scout out the area, Jenkins and his lads start to explore the eastern part of Ansell Wells, to look for anything of value left by the former occupants...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/831/41411552054_aaa10c5223_z_d.jpg)

The Pinkertons enter the deserted town ready for action ..

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/962/42131536891_d4b737b45b_z_d.jpg)

The Outlaws return, with Boss Jenkins Leading from the back ...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/907/41231006875_4c1ff3faa9_z_d.jpg)

A rifled armed Pinkerton takes up a sniping position on the edge of town, hoping to catch one of the outlaws in the open ...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/905/28259311358_45d5c16534_z_d.jpg)

Whilst another works his way round the back of the buildings.

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/979/27261254547_75e404eed8_z_d.jpg)

Although their plan is thwarted by Boss Jenkins keen young recruit, Jake, who is eager to make a name for himself ...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/977/41411556394_af402c4c22_z_d.jpg)

Meanwhile across the street the trap begins to close on the dapper caped Pinkerton, as he is drawn out of his hiding place by a the tough in the slicker calling him out ..

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/976/41231008035_17caa8eaaf_z_d.jpg)

Seeing their chance, Dusty and Shotgun Hap charge out of their hiding place and pour lead into the unsuspecting Pinkerton, who crumpled under the fusillade ...

Is this the turning point ? Will Boss Jenkins finally rid himself of these Pinkertons ?

You must be joking - suddenly the Outlaws are on the back foot as the Pinkertons turn the tide ...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/823/27261258447_d8f1ed14c9_z_d.jpg)

Eventually only Boss and Shotgun Hap manage to escape ... I think Boss will be hanging up his shooting irons and open a restaurant.

Another great game of Dead Mans Hand - we added a bit of a twist, because it was a ghost town, all characters had to pass a nerve test to enter the decaying interiors of the buildings.

Buildings from 4Ground (with a bit of a weathering job), Cacti from Shellhole Scenics, Pinkertons, painted and played by The Somnambulist and the Dead tree from the Privet hedge at the bottom of the garden.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Dr DeAth on May 15, 2018, 07:51:35 PM
Cracking stuff!
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Elk101 on May 15, 2018, 08:15:05 PM
Yeah, looking great. I like the terrain sections with the cacti.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: OSHIROmodels on May 15, 2018, 09:22:51 PM
Great little game  :)
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FifteensAway on May 16, 2018, 06:10:23 AM
Second the appreciation for the cacti terrain pieces, gives me some inspiration.  Also, really like the aged gray wood effect.  Well done.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Malamute on May 16, 2018, 12:18:08 PM
Great stuff. :)

 I like a ghost town scenario, it reminds me of the film which I think starred Richard Widmark where the climax was an Indian attack on the bad guys who are holed up in a ghost town. Can't for the life of me remember the name.

You need tumbleweeds for the full effect. ;) :D
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Vampifan on May 16, 2018, 02:40:42 PM
Great use of scenery here. I, too, was impressed with your cacti and have just placed an order for them.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Mason on May 16, 2018, 04:35:12 PM
Yeah, looking great. I like the terrain sections with the cacti.

Indeed.
A neat way to get a little higher ground on the table without adding a fully grown hill.
 8) 8)

Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Romark on May 16, 2018, 04:52:41 PM
Great looking game,love the ghost town  :-*
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on May 16, 2018, 06:02:07 PM
Looks very good and the weathered buildings are very impressive. The cacti inspire me to ask an obvious question: whereabouts in the US are cacti like this commonly found? Arizona? New Mexico? Nevada? Texas? Or are they often found further afield than these obvious locations?

Doug
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 16, 2018, 09:32:08 PM
Thanks for the thumbs up on this one, everyone.

The Cacti models from Shellhole Scenics are produced for there 20mm Mexican War miniatures and game. I'm really pleased with them and have enjoyed working on them, especially making up the small hills to break up sight lines.

... whereabouts in the US are cacti like this commonly found? Arizona? New Mexico? Nevada? Texas? Or are they often found further afield than these obvious locations?

I'm not sure Doug, but I'm sure someone here will know ...

You need tumbleweeds for the full effect. ;) :D

Funnily enough I mention that to Stu at Great Escape Games last Saturday at the "Legionary" show ...

The Somnambulist and I also discussed it - may experiment with rubberised horse hair (The Somnambulist's suggestion of drying the hair balls coughed up by my cat was rapidly rejected!).

The weathering on the 4Ground buildings is some carefully selected Valejo colours dry brushed onto the pre-painted surfaces - again, enjoyed doing this and I'm glad others appreciate the work.

I've still got some two-storey buildings to paint and the dilapidated church to build ...

And plenty more games to play.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 16, 2018, 09:52:39 PM
I also ran a quick game of "Fistful of Lead" for a couple of my Model Railroad buddies - one guy played the Outlaws holed up in the Way Station, whilst the Upstanding Citizens and the 7th Cav tried to prise them out ...

(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/829/40350723870_a36778db3a_z_d.jpg)

I didn't manage to take any phots, but this is one taken by one of the guys.

The Outlaws just managed to evade capture by nightfall.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Silent Invader on May 16, 2018, 10:05:53 PM
Great stuff   8)

I think it was Overlord on here who had a great technique for making tumbleweeds.

Edit - might be useful:
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=3027.msg31429#msg31429 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=3027.msg31429#msg31429)
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FifteensAway on May 17, 2018, 03:09:31 AM
For Doug em4, I think the cacti are most likely to be found in Arizona with some bleed into southeast California (maybe) and New Mexico (more than likely) and plenty south of the border into Mexico.  I know on my travels in Arizona I saw lots of such things.  Look up the Sonoran Desert for more.  I wouldn't expect much in Nevada but maybe in the furthest south and same with Texas, maybe in the furthest southwest portion of the state.  But Arizona for certain and in large swaths of the state.

What is often surprising to those who know deserts from movies is how much greenery there is in Arizona - the place is a grand maze of cacti and other desert plant life and not much in the way of sand at all (though I'll bet there is some in places).  And lots and lots of arroyos (think dry washes - that can kill you quick in a flash flood).  Very easy to see how the Apache can disappear into that land scape - with proper march discipline and quiet, I could hide 10,000 men within a quarter mile of you and you wouldn't know they were there.

There are, of course, some areas where the vegetation gets a lot more sparse.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 17, 2018, 04:44:33 AM
@SI - thanks for the pointer on the "tumble weed" - at least I was thinking in the right direction ...

@15saway - I was hoping you would be able to provide some "first hand advice" on this one - we don't see many wild cacti in the Cotswolds  :) - the "maze of cacti" is more what I'm aiming for on our gaming table, rather than a couple of lonesome individuals.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Doug ex-em4 on May 17, 2018, 02:15:19 PM
@15saway: thanks for that input. Cacti are a classic Western “meme” (I think that’s the current word of choice) but if we think of the great cattle driving years which inspire so much of Western lore, they would be travelling through mainly cacti-less areas. Similarly the settings for gold-rush themes.

Not that it really matters, the cactus, particularly the type featured in this game, just shout “Western”!

Douglas
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Vagabond on May 17, 2018, 10:56:29 PM
You've done a fine job on the mdf. Much better than using the as supplied buildings, although I do like the 4 Ground ones. The cactus is brilliant but I really like the dead tree from your garden, it shows some imagination.
Excellent.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FifteensAway on May 18, 2018, 05:09:46 AM
Privet hedge?  Hmm.  If you have a good sized sage plant you can come up with great uses for the cuttings.  And if you grow grapes - and better yet if you come across wild grapes - they make great sources for modeling materials.  I've yet to get brave enough to cut into my Oregon wild grape out front, though!  Made a great harvest when the big old sage died and I cut it out.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 18, 2018, 05:59:55 AM
You've done a fine job on the mdf. Much better than using the as supplied buildings, although I do like the 4 Ground ones.

Thanks Vagabond - i do enjoying using the pre painted Wild West MDF buildings as a starting point. Painting up the raw edges improves them straightaway and weathering brings them to life. I also paint the window and door frames, as well as the roof brackets, etc - sometimes in different colours to make the building a bit more individual. I've also started looking at adapting existing kits for greater variation, but only if I can get hold of pre-owned ones. New pre-painted MDF is not the cheapest material for kit bashing. Glad you like the dead tree - it's actually had a bit of very light grey drybrush so it matches the buildings.

Privet hedge?  Hmm.  If you have a good sized sage plant you can come up with great uses for the cuttings.  And if you grow grapes - and better yet if you come across wild grapes - they make great sources for modeling materials.  I've yet to get brave enough to cut into my Oregon wild grape out front, though!  Made a great harvest when the big old sage died and I cut it out.
.

Thanks for the thoughts on the tree - unfortunately, our sage bush is not a great example of the species, but Privet hedge aplenty, both in our garden and on the estate I live on in general - when the housing estate was built in the early 1920's every garden was divide by said hedge - there's still miles of it, nearly 100 years later. As for grapes, I've not seen wild ones, but we do have a local wine producer here in sunny Gloucestershire ...

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on May 18, 2018, 06:40:04 AM

 I like a ghost town scenario, it reminds me of the film which I think starred Richard Widmark where the climax was an Indian attack on the bad guys who are holed up in a ghost town. Can't for the life of me remember the name.


You tease !  lol
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FifteensAway on May 19, 2018, 02:26:15 PM
The Law and Jake Wade - shot on the east side of the Sierras so a rather 'barren' desert area, probably mostly tumble weeds and stunted trees.  It's what we call high desert out here in the west.  And, trust me, it gets bloody damned cold in the high desert - at least in southern California.  A bit north of where this was shot is the famed ghost town of Bodie, California.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: NurgleHH on July 26, 2018, 08:30:50 PM
Missed this link, great work. Hope for more of this. Now I need to watch some Wild West movies from the old times...

Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on July 31, 2018, 09:23:51 AM
Thanks Dirk,

Plenty to see and inspire you ...

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: mweaver on August 02, 2018, 04:07:10 PM
You can find that kind of cacti here, too (South Texas).

-Michael
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on August 20, 2018, 11:07:03 AM
A quick couple of photos of the completed "Cursed Church" -

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1894/44102996692_b0ff4b48ee_z_d.jpg)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1859/44151007661_b93616c5b3_z_d.jpg)

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Elbows on August 20, 2018, 06:12:44 PM
I would post pictures, but my hard drive crashed and I lost all of the pictures I took in Arizona when I worked in the desert for four years (and I mean...in the desert, lol).

The famous cactus you see in your pics and others (while small by real scales) is the saguaro cactus and more or less only grows in the Sonoran Desert which spans a large portion of Mexico and Southern Arizona for the most part.

However while iconic, the desert is loaded with cactus of tons of other varieties (and guess what, they ALL SUCK).  This includes paddle cactus, and friggin' the god awful cholla cactus, etc.  You'll also see a ton of mesquite trees which are short but supremely tough (read: break your vehicle) small trees.

While the Old West didn't just occur in Arizona, the "iconic" Old West is saguaro cactii, etc.  If you google the Sonoran Desert you'll more or less see where I used to work.

(https://www.rei.com/adventures/assets/adventures/images/trip/core/northamerica/tuh_hero)

(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Saguaro_National_Park_-_Flickr_-_Joe_Parks.jpg/1200px-Saguaro_National_Park_-_Flickr_-_Joe_Parks.jpg)

(https://rimtours.com/wp-content/gallery/sonoran/D2-Dixie-Mine-Out-Sun-Sag-Bec-Jean-HDR.jpg)

Rocky, barren ground in some spots, and then thick with brush and cactus everywhere else.  Mountains are sporadic and generally stand out.  One huge feature which i haven't ever probably done or seen in Old West tables was the prevalance of "washes" or dried creek beds which are anywhere from 3'-9' deep and run through the entire area.  When its the monsoon (rainy) season for about 4-5 weeks in late August the water runs down from nearby mountains and cuts deep gorges all around the place.

The washes are kinda/sorta like this, but of often with much more defined sidewalls.

(https://askabiologist.asu.edu/sites/default/files/resources/articles/hiking_south_mountain_park/desert_wash_2_1280.jpg)

Lots of variety out there.   
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on August 20, 2018, 07:17:43 PM
Thanks Elbows,

Your pics are excellent - especially the dry wash (a staple in any Western novel)

And Yeap, I know the cacti are on the small size - I'll have to think about how to make larger ones, rather than buying the Shellhole Scenics ones.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Dr DeAth on August 20, 2018, 11:39:57 PM
A quick couple of photos of the completed "Cursed Church" -

RMZ

That looks rather good
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Elbows on August 21, 2018, 12:41:07 AM
Yep, I've held off (several occasions) buying an entire dead town...because...why don't I need one? :D
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Malamute on August 21, 2018, 07:14:20 AM
Nice one Harvey, not a fan of the MDF kit myself, but you have made it look rather splendid. :)
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on August 21, 2018, 08:58:09 AM
That looks rather good

Thanks Mark, the camera has bleached out some of the more subtle weathering unfortunately.

Yep, I've held off (several occasions) buying an entire dead town...because...why don't I need one? :D

I didn't realise I needed one until strange critters and dead things started to appear in our games ... :)

Nice one Harvey, not a fan of the MDF kit myself, but you have made it look rather splendid. :)

Thanks Nick, funnily enough it's only the Wild West buildings that I like in MDF - the 4Ground ones are pretty good as they come, but with a bit of extra painting they can be made to look better.

Here's another shot of the church in its component parts -

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1894/43451563004_369030bd3e_z_d.jpg)

I've built it for a fellow LAFer; the kit doesn't come with a plinth (unlike most of the other buildings in the range) so I put together a strip timber plinth and added a cellar access. The base was finished with my usual colour scheme and a couple of cacti.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Nightpaw on August 22, 2018, 06:26:37 PM
Very nice gaming table! I love your cacti!
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on September 21, 2018, 12:41:50 PM
Thanks Nightpaw, the cacti are resin castings from Shellhole Scenics.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on September 21, 2018, 12:47:46 PM
A few more useful items for a "Ghost Town" ...

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1880/44101573194_53e193bb01_z_d.jpg)

Some casualty markers (with "John Bridges in the background) from Great Escape Games "Dead Mans Hand" range.

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on September 21, 2018, 12:48:39 PM
And a close-up of John Bridges

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1908/30950114478_601a0b9079_z_d.jpg)

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FifteensAway on September 22, 2018, 01:35:33 AM
Nice to see progress that I'm sure the undertaker will appreciate.   o_o
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Mason on September 22, 2018, 09:07:42 AM
Nice additions, mate.
 8)

Now you just need some zombie gunslingers painted to match...
 ;)

Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Ramirez Noname on October 14, 2018, 07:08:46 PM
Nice additions, mate.
 8)

Now you just need some zombie gunslingers painted to match...
 ;)

Thanks, I have the originally Foundry ones painted already, which must be a first for me !

Nice to see progress that I'm sure the undertaker will appreciate.   o_o

Thank you, good Sir.

And a quick "in game" shot of one of the destroyed buildings and debris

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1975/45317988221_ebca414cd5_z_d.jpg)

RMZ
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Romark on October 14, 2018, 07:35:39 PM
Looks great  :-*
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Malamute on October 15, 2018, 07:46:00 AM
Mucho splendido Senor :-*
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Dr DeAth on October 15, 2018, 08:49:28 AM
Looking forward to seeing this next weekend.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Malamute on October 22, 2018, 11:46:29 AM
Looking forward to seeing this next weekend.

And a great game it was too. A really good scenario, a lot more than the usual shoot the other players! :)
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Dr DeAth on October 24, 2018, 04:23:33 PM
And a great game it was too. A really good scenario, a lot more than the usual shoot the other players! :)

I'll second that. Really enjoyed the game and the terrain was excellent.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: FierceKitty on October 25, 2018, 01:34:00 AM
A few more useful items for a "Ghost Town" ...

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/2/1880/44101573194_53e193bb01_z_d.jpg)

Some casualty markers (with "John Bridges in the background) from Great Escape Games "Dead Mans Hand" range.

RMZ

He's certainly doing his bit to turn it into a ghost town.
Title: Re: This Town ...
Post by: Elk101 on October 25, 2018, 05:51:39 PM
And a great game it was too. A really good scenario, a lot more than the usual shoot the other players! :)

I'll second that. Really enjoyed the game and the terrain was excellent.

Thirded, I had a great time on this. Obviously the company was good too!