The Blackwoods and the Warrior Monks, new Company using Warmachine figs

[oabee]

A while back our group got into Warmachine (temporarily, as it turned out). I was going through my small Cygnar force, looking to sell them on eBay, when an intriguing possibility occurred to me. Using the figures from the Black 13th Gun Mage Strike Team and Cylena Raefyll & Nyss Hunters, I came up with a new team for IHMN.

The story I came up with is convoluted, as mine tend to be (!), but involves the fascinating subject of Tibetan arms and Buddhist culture, and is underlain by a burning desire by the Company for vengeance and justice.

I at first thought the Nyss Hunters were on the large side, but compared to my Artizan figures just back from being painted at Pictors Studio, they are not too different (if slightly larger) while actually the Gun Mage team is slightly undersized. I don't see why that should cause any problems.

I would appreciate advice about whether to repaint Tenzin and her warriors with authentic flesh colors rather than Nyss Hunter Blue, and whether to include their irises in their eyes. Perhaps their five years of monastical study deep in the Himalayas has had the effect of turning their skin blue, and whiting out their iris. Or not.

I am not a big fan of Warmachine, it turns out: it is everything that IHMN is not: the blogs are totally dedicated to producing the perfect force for tournament play, and story elements are ignored. Privateer churns out figure after figure, so the eager player can perfect his "unbeatable force." Indeed, the force I own was put together after reading the blogs for the ideal units, Warjacks, Warcasters, mercenaries, and Solos. No room for imagination or creativity. Plus the figures, while quite nice, are truly a pain to put together.

Anyway, here's the finished pdf:

http://wrgmr.com/blackwood.pdf

The figures:


Barnabas, Tenzin, Benjamin, Bethany


The Archers ('phong skyen pa)


The Soldiers (dmag rgod po) [I could find no Tibetan words for Swordsman]

The general information about Tibetan arms and armor terminology, including the Likir Monastery and the guardian deities, was from the excellent Warriors of the Himalayas, Donald J. LaRocca, published by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It contains wonderful photos of Tibetan arms and armor from collections all over the world. I obtained it via inter-library loan.

[oabee]

Oh what the heck, here's page two of the PDF. This part tells the story, to save you some downloading. Enjoy.

[oabee]

OK, just one more thing and then I'll shut up. Really.

I have done my best to be accurate with all things Tibetan. If I have erred in my usage of the language, whether places, names, or terminology, I would appreciate any corrections.

I am a compulsive researcher (the big cats that Bernadette would have studied would include the snow leopard (Uncia uncia), the clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa), and the tiger (Panthera tigris): the study of animal behavior she helped pioneer became the field of Ethology in the 20th Century: help, help! I can't stop....) and absolutely hate getting something wrong, so feel free to help me out if something is not quite right.

Mike O

[Irishrover13]

"I am not a big fan of Warmachine, it turns out: it is everything that IHMN is not: the blogs are totally dedicated to producing the perfect force for tournament play, and story elements are ignored. Privateer churns out figure after figure, so the eager player can perfect his "unbeatable force." Indeed, the force I own was put together after reading the blogs for the ideal units, Warjacks, Warcasters, mercenaries, and Solos. No room for imagination or creativity. Plus the figures, while quite nice, are truly a pain to put together."

Mike I agree with the above statement. Warmachines has a rich background and great story but the way it is now it is all about building the best list to win, it drove me away from it as well. I now use my Cygnar Trenchers and gunmages for a evil list I though together based on the Committee of 300. I love the list by the way and I have those figures so I am going to give it a whirl against my buddies Russians (Khadorians one and all).

[Craig]

One of the best thought through and fascinating forces I have seen in many a long year - top marks!

A couple of thoughts:
1. The Totenkopf are usually led by Oberst Klimt, a pitiless butcher who may fit the part better in your narrative.
2. The Teleforce Pistol, does it ignore armour like an arc pistol or is it, as described, a one-handed carbine?
3. What is a 'rouge' Yeti? 

[oabee]

Irishrover:
Your point is well taken: the Privateer people have provided an interesting world, but it is all but ignored in the playing of the game! I was looking through some of the other Cygnar figures, and they do have possibilities for IHMN----I'll have to watch for sales!

Craig:

The Totenkopf are usually led by Oberst Klimt, a pitiless butcher who may fit the part better in your narrative.

I chose the Totenkopf because they are new and intriguing. In this case, I had von Strӧheim himself leading the assault on the Blackwood estate rather than Klimt in order to thicken the plot: it's far more dramatic for the Company to seek revenge against the very head of Thule rather than some lackey. Call it Dramatic License. Plus this attack against two world-famous scientists was far too important---and risky---to leave to Klimt. In this case, Von Strӧheim needed a surgical, covert approach so as not to call attention to the Society, and obviously believed that the sadistic brute Klimt, with his propensity for massive collateral damage, would be unable to pull it off.

The Teleforce Pistol, does it ignore armour like an arc pistol or is it, as described, a one-handed carbine?

Using Teleforce technology, Tesla has increased the bullet's muzzle velocity sufficiently to increase range and accuracy equivalent to a carbine. The pistols, however, still are using pistol ammunition, so the Pluck penalty is the same as a carbine. So, yes, it is a one-handed carbine. [The figures came with pistols with those blue Warmachine highlights, so I turned them into carbine equivalents. The figures for the entire company were armed with pistols, bows, and swords, so I thought an elite unit like this should have a little more "reach" with their weaponry. The warriors' bows look so unusual and convoluted that I increased their range as well; using the KISS principle, I just turned them into crossbow equivalents.]

What is a 'rouge' Yeti?

Well you may laugh, but obviously you are quite unaware of Bernadette Blackwood's efforts to apply her knowledge of animal behavior to bring yetis into the mainstream of Tibetan society. Occasionally, however, one of the solitary creatures would indeed "go rogue," invading the homes of hapless Tibetan villagers, demanding tea with lardy cake, or perhaps flummery pudding. Inevitably the villagers, whom, after all, were practitioners of Tibetan cuisine, would be unable to produce so much as a simple scone with cream and strawberry jam. The enraged Yeti would then respond with the most infamous verbal abuse (even calling into question the villagers' ancestry!) before storming out in a huff. All in all, a most unpleasant encounter.

[Craig]

Poor old Klimt, no wonder he's so bitter and twisted 

I think you missed the point on the Yeti. I was wondering why it would be pink 

[oabee]

A thousand apologies; I finally see your point: the yeti was indeed "rogue," not "rouge." Obviously, yetis are not pink, although one female spotted in 1894 near Mt. Makalu was of a hue reminiscent of fuscia (although that just could have been her makeup).

My error, I fear, is a symptom of advanced age and highlights an inherent fault of spell-checkers. Ah, well. The mistake has now been remedied in the published materials.

Regardless, the above description of rogue yetis terrorizing Tibetan villagers is entirely accurate, I assure you.

Mike O

[Craig]

Rogue Yetis seems reasonable, until you read Sleeping Dragon, Rising Sun and realise the truth behind the Tibetan Yeti 

[Eisenfaust]

Craig, I will say it again, you, sir, are a tease.

[oabee]

Craig, I will say it again, you, sir, are a tease.

Eisenfaust, I totally agree. First, all those months of leaks and, well, teases leading up to HVF. Now the same thing with SDRS....

To paraphrase Captain Renault: I am shocked, shocked to find Craig indulging himself in shameless plugs!

[Craig]

As one of the evil masterminds behind The Society of Thule, the Totenkopf and the Cognoscenti I am amused that you are shocked at my lack of shame 

I am thinking of having a Yeti painted fuchsia though...

[Tordenskjold]

Wonderfully imaginative company you've got there, very interesting use of tibetan terminology too 

[oabee]

What is a 'rouge' Yeti?

As a note to all budding writers out there, my blunder in typing "rouge" instead of "rogue," then not even immediately seeing the error when it was pointed out to me, is a good case for letting someone else proof read all of your work. Once the mistake is made, your mind has a marvelous propensity to see what you think you wrote rather than the actual words on the page. It is also, as previously noted, proof that over-reliance on spell checkers is folly.

I am thinking of having a Yeti painted fuchsia though...

If you would like to paint a female yeti with fuchsia-hued rouge I would suggest the following for best effect:
Apply rouge on the apples of the cheeks working the brush in a circular motion. Sweep the brush towards the temples roughly parallel with the end of her brow line. Blend the rouge up and outward so there isn't a noticeable makeup line. Spread rouge towards the ears to create the illusion of a broader face, if you prefer.

 But do be careful to not over-apply the rouge, or the poor creature may have the appearance of a brazen tart. Unless that is her intent.

[oabee]

Tordenskjold: thank you for the kind words.

Mike O