The Grumpy Gnome‘s fantasy figures for Middle Earth (converted Orcs pg 32)

[Rick W.]

So much to do, so little time!

[Mister Frau Blucher]

I am still working out how to add large “monsters” to SP. So for example I am thinking of one campaign being a South America “Lost World” type campaign with GW Seraphon/Lizardmen as “ancient alien remnants“ with dinosaur pets locked in a thousands of years long struggle with giant spiders. The steampunk aspect is perhaps for example a construct built by a very short engineer to help in this titanic struggle.

My thought on the “Monsters” is to give each one the stats of a SP cavalry unit but with each fatality suffered by a cavalry unit being treated instead as a wound, ie treat a triceratops as a unit of impact cavalry with 8 hitpoints. Treat shock management and morale the same. Using an attached leader as a “handler”. So the same with the large steampunk construct with perhaps the engineer as a level 1 leader. Perhaps also use the Prominent Leader unit trait.

What I want to capture is a “science” versus “supernatural” narrative.

Part of my design thought is a Napoleonic “Star Trek Style” exploration adventure with various different locations and enemies. From Native Americans and Sasquatch to Germanic forests with angry “trees”. Mummies and Tuareg in the Sahara. Vampires and angry peasants in Eastern Europe. Djinn with Barbary Corsairs off the coast of North Africa. Oni and renegade Samurai in the Far East.

Think..... Napoleonic  French Johnny Quest.

That sounds like the coolest game of all time!

[Rick W.]

Seems like others have had similar ideas before me, ie the rumored Silver Bayonet game coming out next year.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55623317-the-silver-bayonet

[Wilgut Spleens]

Hi Rick,

I am glad to see you've been gaming, will give me something to read. I had Covid, proper bite you in the arse,kill you dead Covid, ended up in ITU for a week. It made me diabetic and gave me some hypoxic brain damage too, so I am lucky and happy to be alive. Its gonna be a while before I am gaming I think so I will just sit and happily read your accounts

[Rick W.]

Oh no! That is terrible! I had been wondering why we had not heard from you lately. I am glad to hear it was not even worse though. Seems you dodged the bullet, at least partially. I hope you make a quick recovery, I enjoy reading of your exploits!

[Wilgut Spleens]

yeh man , I nearly bought it!
I am due to retire from work at Christmas so will have plenty of time for gaming. I have  a great idea for finishing my Battle Companies campaign in two battles, as soon as I am well enough I will do the first one, so watch this space

[BeneathALeadMountain]

Wilgut I hope you are feeling somewhat better and I’m sorry to hear what happened to you. I hope the hobby helps to keep you positive and distracted (I have a long term serious health condition/s caused by a virus I got from sand in a playground when I was 4 - I ripped open my throat as I went off the side of a helter-skelter, fell 30ft and landed in the sand - I missed the concrete wall though!). I understand how the love of gaming and obsessing about your next project can keep you focussed and happy. Luckily Rick is so prolific there’s always something new to read and if you’re like me you can slipstream off of his productivity to give you your hobby fix. Stay safe and look after yourself - BALM

Rick that tree base is excellent and much more aesthetically pleasing now. Silver bayonet looks interesting and whilst it’s a different scale or focus to Sharp Practice it looks like it may be useful for smaller actions in your intended setting.

Keep up the good work
BALM

[Rick W.]

When I was four I broke my foot jumping off a dresser playing paratrooper and I had thought I had things bad.... good thing you missed the concrete wall though, eh?

Thanks for the kind words. You guys help motivate me to keep up the pace.

I know my Napoleonic Gothic Horror ideas probably suit something a bit smaller than Sharp Practice but from what I have seen of the game the mechanics really appeal to me. The focus on leader driven narrative mixed with some linear black powder tactics just scratches a certain itch for me.

[Wilgut Spleens]

yup, Sharpe Practice is an excellent game.The campaign rules are outstanding.

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I’ve always been lucky and now you know why in the 80’s they stopped using sand in playgrounds. Sorry wasn’t trying steal focus just wanted to assure Wilgut that nothing is a certainty, mainly as my doctor thinks I’m still alive due to my stoic nature and dark sense of humour (I hear that as sheer bloody mindedness  ). It may be hard to stay positive but it will help if you can manage it.

The good thing about not being stuck to one rule set or company means you can switch and change to suit your needs. I’m also about to play Sharp Practice again for the first time since 1st Ed when I buy some AWI as my Christmas present to myself! I also think that it may be an era that I can finally get my wife to play with me.

BALM

[Rick W.]

It is good I think for us to all commiserate together. But then compared to my youth I am a big softy.

AWI is a fascinating period to game. I am originally from Upstate New York. I was raised on FIW and AWI stories with much time spent at Fort William Henry and Fort Ticonderoga.

My Napoleonic Gothic Horror project will likely have an alternative timeline to allow my wife to use Native American tribes in a sort of second FIW. I also want to have an element of counter AWI with loyalist proto-Confederate Rebels called “the Sons of King George” who are unhappy that slavery has been abolished.

Yes, my alternative timeline is a way to mix up themes from several conflicts at once.

I am thinking Mexico is the seat of the exiled Spanish Crown, as Brazil is for the Portuguese, and also the seat of the Papacy.... having fled Republican French forces before he could be arrested as per our real timeline.

What elements of the AWI appeal to you and your wife?

[BeneathALeadMountain]

I don’t think any of it “appeals” to my wife  (she doesn’t know I’m going to try and get her to play yet) but being Kurdish and having been in Somalia during Op.Hope she has no interest in modern conflict, with muskets and tricornes/bicornes there’s at least a separation from recent or family related conflict (and I don’t intend to be too historic but rather use it as a setting - more Revolting People than anything else).

I personally want to get into Sharp Practice (I only played it a few times in v1) and as a distinct change from my WW2 projects. I’m also really into Peter Pigs AWI line and I’m actually looking forwards to painting them (I’m sure this won’t last!). I considered ACW but the variance in uniforms of the AWI holds appeal as the slog of painting variants of green and mud for WW2 is starting to get to me.

BALM

[Rick W.]

I very much get that, in both regards.

It has lead to some interesting conversations between me and my wife as we try tried to determine what conflicts we could wargame without either of us having baggage regarding them.

And the joy of painting various things largely influences these discussions as well! I have learned so much already researching the Napoleonic French Army and its uniforms.

[Rick W.]

I managed to get a few things done this week despite a great deal of temptation from tv shows and debates on this forum.... one of which got deleted in the end...

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/2020/12/04/things-finished-on-hold-and-just-beginning/

[CookAndrewB]

Terrain pieces look good.

When you say you aren't happy with some 3d prints, are you referring to the quality of a particular print, the quality of 3d printers overall, or...? Just curious.