Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => Medieval Adventures => Topic started by: FifteensAway on February 15, 2024, 01:44:31 AM
-
First point, I already have the miniatures via Splintered Lights delightful 15 mm range of figures - with some supplements (not yet painted). So no need to discuss figures in this thread. Rules very likely to be Fistful of Lead though I am willing to entertain other options - if adequately justified by your reasoning.
What I want to know is the approach to the game itself. What do you need on the table - a forest of course but what else. Feel free to reference movies since this is more a "cinematic adventure" than anything else.
And, for 15 mm, sources for the "bits and bobs" that make a table come to life - like arrow targets (butts?), and other scatter terrain.
Also, ideas for scenarios with some detail, not just "rob from the rich" but The Shire Reeve moves to the town and requires payment of taxes, and then must exit via one of two routes, etc. Some detail, please. Not overwhelming minutia, just enough detail to flesh out.
When I search LAF for Robin Hood it seems to come up with one thread in 2021. There must be more than that so links to other threads would be great. Or maybe I'm not searching properly.
I know there are other ranges out there so your answers may serve others as well.
Look forward to hearing what you all have to contribute.
Thanks!
-
You would need a village full of the peasants the Sheriff is ripping off. Maybe a castle that Robin Hood can storm or escape from.
Wagons for the people travelling on the rode for Robin to steal from.
-
Interesting that you posted this as I have just finished painti g up Robin and his Sherwood forest brethern and I am finishing painting up some mercenaries hired by Guy of Gisbourne and/or the Sheriff of Nottingham. One scenario that I was thinking of was Robin et al rescuing a loyal knight to King Richard from a prison wagon and its escort travelling through Sherwood Forest. I still need to paint the wagon, oxen and seated drover.
I am still looking for a really good set of rules but may end up using Lion Rampant or tailoring Pulp Alley if that is possible...
Good luck and keep me posted as I too am looking for lots of ideas.
Regards,
Hitman
😎
-
I acquired this from Forged in Battle: https://www.forgedinbattle.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=86_162&product_id=1051 (https://www.forgedinbattle.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=86_162&product_id=1051) for my castle and I also got their Saxon and Viking buildings and the associated villagers for both. I have a plentitude of villagers.
Not sure yet on wagons - I have plenty but perhaps not suitable. Best wagons in 15 mm that suit the period? I am eyeing some wicker wagons but not sure if appropriate, also spoked or solid wheels fit the period? Need to do some research on this aspect.
For Hitman, what are you using for the Prison Wagon, please?
-
I am still looking for a really good set of rules but may end up using Lion Rampant or tailoring Pulp Alley if that is possible...
Pulp Alley strikes me as perfect for Robin Hood. You wouldn't need to do much tailoring either: with the Animal rule (which you could rename as the rules suggest - Man-at-Arms, perhaps?), you can create plenty of non-shooting characters (Guy of Gisborne and the Sheriff of Nottingham, for example). And most of the Merry Men should be able to shoot anyway.
For scenario ideas, I'd suggest having a look at that staple of 1980s childhoods, Robin of Sherwood (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_of_Sherwood). It had all kinds of interesting plots that would be easily adapted for skirmish games. It also threw in lots of supernatural elements, from Herne the Hunter to the Swords of Weyland. Because it was an episodic series, I suspect it offers more scenario ideas than any one of the movies.
There's an RPGNet review here (https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/9/9648.phtml).
-
Hobgoblin beat me on Robin of Sherwood, I've used a couple of episode ideas for Lion Rampant games.
-
I have written a Robin Hood campaign, a series of linked scenarios for my skirmish game Ruckus. The first scenario is the Tax Collector, can Robin foil the tax collectors plans and restore the money to the villagers? The second is Ambush. Robin and his men waylay a mule train deep in the forest. The third is Retribution. The Sherrif raids the outlaws camp. Fourth is the Golden Arrow, an archery competition. Five is Stop the Drop. The Sherrif has caught an outlaw and plans to hang him in the market square. Six is Rescue yon Maiden. Robin and his band must rescue his beautiful lady from the clutches of the Sherrif.
Ruckus is the perfect game for these sort of engagements,
-
Wilgut, thanks for the input - are your scenarios/rules available somewhere and do they need any other rules to work?
Pulp Alley is a no go for me - I don't see it handling what I have in mind.
Please keep the scenario concepts flowing.
Another question: just how far out in "left field" would it be if I combined Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Vikings into one game? I know the Vikings are a bit earlier than some of the Robin Hood inspirational bits and that King Arthur - the potentially historical version - is quite a bit earlier but this is more of a cinematic sort of game than historical which, of course, doesn't apply here since both Arthur and Robin Hood are, at least, as much legend as anything else.
Being based in USA, I don't recall any exposure to the Robin of Sherwood series but I'll do some checking online to see if I can get a peak at it.
Again, keep the ideas flowing. Everything is appreciated even the stuff I might not use.
Thanks!
-
There is quite a time difference between them. King Arthur would be 400s and then Vikings 1000s and finally Robin in the late 1100s to early 1200s.
But, hey, it is your game. Whatever makes you happy playing.
-
My scenarios are written for my game Ruckus which is due to be published by Wargames Illustrated in May. Initially it will be given away as a freebie with the magazine with plans to publish the full version at a later date. You can read about some of the wily outlaws adventures on my blog at wilgut.blogspot.com
-
For rules, there’s Howard Whitehouse’s Outlaws of Sherwood, a fun and simple set of rules that covers all the bases of gaming Robin Hood. Available as a pdf from Wargames vault
https://www.wargamevault.com/m/product/125299
-
Another question: just how far out in "left field" would it be if I combined Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Vikings into one game? I know the Vikings are a bit earlier than some of the Robin Hood inspirational bits and that King Arthur - the potentially historical version - is quite a bit earlier but this is more of a cinematic sort of game than historical which, of course, doesn't apply here since both Arthur and Robin Hood are, at least, as much legend as anything else.
The way I'd do this is start with Malory's high-medieval Arthur and build out. That gives you a high-medieval milieu, with "paynims" (Turks and Saracens) as the default foes, which gets you to a Crusades-ish place. That in turn allows you to add in Crusades-era outlaws. And then you can up the foreign threat with Saxon paynims as well as Muslim ones - and the Saxons might as well be Viking in appearance; Dan Mersey's Song of Arthur and Merlin calls for horned helmets and all for Saxons in the ahistorical settings!
Also, TH White sneaks Robin Hood into The Sword and the Stone (https://gutenberg.ca/ebooks/whiteth-onceandfutureking/whiteth-onceandfutureking-00-h.html) (as "Robin Wood" - see Chapter X). So there's a classic, cast-iron precedent for Arthur + Robin (a slash-fiction trope if ever there was one ...).
Being based in USA, I don't recall any exposure to the Robin of Sherwood series but I'll do some checking online to see if I can get a peak at it.
It all seems to be on YouTube, though with Polish dubbing. It's also free on Prime Video (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=robin+of+sherwood&crid=CV5ALGZ1FDRP&sprefix=Robin+of+SHer%2Caps%2C172&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_13) in the US.
Pulp Alley is a no go for me - I don't see it handling what I have in mind.
Oddly, the mention of Arthur made me think of Pulp Alley all the more, for two reasons. First, the Arthurian tales are full of significant objects and obligations (plot points!): the Grail, Excalibur, the deal with the Green Knight, etc. And second, Pulp Alley's emphasis on wounded/winded/downed heroes being able to recover for further feats of strength, arms or derring-do fits very well into an Arthurian context (think of the end of Excalibur, for example). I've got a slow-burning Arthurian skirmish project on the go, and the two rulesets I have in mind for it are Song of Arthur and Merlin and Pulp Alley. For the latter, I like the idea of a few knights fighting against endless Saxon hordes (using the Gangs rule).
But I put this here just to acknowledge you comment about justifying reasons at the start; obviously, you have a much better idea of what you want from your game!
-
Irregular Miniatures have all sorts of bits and bobs in their ranges. Always worth a check. Shipping to the US is fast.
For rules I have thought about using Flashing Steel from Ganesha Games for a very swashbuckling Erol Flynn style Robin Hood. 15MM Splintered Light range is what caught my eye. Curious where else you have sourced figures from.
For scenarios I shamelessly crib from all sorts of games, adjusting settings, etc as needed. Movies and tv are also great sources of ideas.
One scenario idea, cribbed from the More Drums and Shakos Napoleonic supplement, is a wagon escort. A road crosses the center of the table along which the sheriff is escorting a tax wagon. The four corners of the table are forest. Robin and his Merry Men deploy hidden in two of the four corner woodlands. Half the sheriffs men start on table, the other half off table. It can be a nail biter with no visible outlaws until they move or attack!
I think Vikings (with horned helmets!), High Medieval Artrhurian knights, and Robin Hood and his Merry Men would make a fun classic Hollywood style game setting.
-
For missions/terrain, also consider the following:
1. A town/village - see Disney's Robin Hood with the Sheriff pounding on the old dog's cast. Using FFoL as a reference, each house has a set difficulty, either easy or hard. The Sheriff's men must successfully extort taxes from say 2/3rds of the houses, and then get the money off the table. The Merry Men have to get in and break up the tax collection, or stop it being moved off table. Failing a task roll they can try again. You could add a bonus to the roll if more than one man tries to collect and a negative if the Merry Men are within some proximity.
2. A Church/Monetary - Preferable to have removable roofs, but church building, cloister, refectory, infirmary, etc. One of the band was taken ill, or perhaps Friar Tuck is in meeting with the Prior. The Sheriff has heard about it and come to try and arrest the member. The Merry Men have to get in and get their man off the board. No one knows which room the man is in, and they have to search to find them. The monks could even be a third party player or NPCs who generally try and muck it up for both sides. Use a random placement to put the target man into one of the rooms along with two monks.
3. Castle - Prince of Thieves/Errol Flynn/Disney/etc - Similar to the above, rescuing a captive prisoner. Alternatively, take straight out of the Errol Flynn movie. Robin has to negotiate his way (avoid combat) into the banquet hall. Spend time antagonizing the guests (while the Merry Men move up in support), and then fight his way to freedom. As an added bonus, he has to secure a kiss from Marian, who the Sheriff's side wants to move into her quarters and keep her under lock and key there.
To antagonize the nobility, he can have an easy task roll that increases in difficulty each turn. So using FFoL again, he starts off on easy task roll, but gets a +1 or something on the first turn. Each turn he gets -1 to task roll. Essentially the crowd starts off amused, and it gets harder and harder to avoid them getting angry and attacking Robin. Robin will want to push his luck as long as he can, but should he fail a task vs choose to start himself he gets penalized in some fashion (again using FFoL, perhaps the Sheriff's men get the +1 to CC Jack and Robin's side treats anything over a 10 as a 10 or less)
4. Tournament grounds - look up the rules Steed and Steel. Robin and his men are one side in the tourney structure which caps off with the archery contest.
-
I'm also a fan of the Robin Hood mythos, particularly as depicted in the excellent Robin of Sherwood series as mentioned up thread. I'm also US based, but I find that show pairs well with Boorman's Excalibur, but also...wait for it... Hawk the Slayer. hehehe
Additionally, I've also got a Robin Hood project lined up for this year, where I hope to use the above three influences. I've got the Footsore "Death and Taxes" range for my table. I'm looking to use Lion Rampant not because I think it best fits the theme, but I just like playing that ruleset. Plus, I've got enough models on both sides for "Sheriff Raids the Merry Men" type scenarios. I plan to have a full 24 pt warband of each side using strictly the "historic" unit types from LR, but I'm also going to do two fantasy units for each side that could be swapped in for a bit more fantastical games. The Dragon Rampant options will slot in perfectly for those.
-
Glad to see my 'left field' concept not entirely implausible - it is just a game after all!
Irregular Miniautres is a good thought, will have to check them out again. I actually have an order from them in transit - though for something else entirely. Customer service from them has always been stellar.
Maniac, I love your #1 scenario concept - that is the sort of thing I was hoping for from my OP. And #2 is good for me - I have plenty of appropriate figures for both a monastery as well as a convent. Oh, and unrelated, I have figures with dogs (Prince of Thieves). For #3 I have the castle linked to above and another much larger one I can put together - but almost all stone cast so some concerns about durability. #4 is one of the reasons I asked about detail bits - though I'm certain some things will have to be scratch built.
A wagon being escorted and taken, prisoners being rescued are good scenario thoughts. Hmm, maybe Robin and company out redistributing wealth get interrupted and have fight their way out and still protect the "innocents"?
I guess what I am working through is trying to decide how many figures I want to use for this - I have CONSIDERABLY more than enough. As to where have they come from - well, some from Splintered Light (primary source), I think some from Essex, maybe some from Irregular, QRF Freikorps probably, maybe some Minifigs. Really too long ago to remember them all. Museum Miniaures for some.
As constituted some years ago - without ever getting near a paint brush - I had groups of three "leaders" with one of them being a Named Character and then 12 henchmen per group. So, Robin Hood gets 12 archers + 2 (Maid Marian and Azim), Little John gets 12 men with staffs, etc. I also have at least a quartet of 12 mounted men matched up (as best possible) with 12 dismounts. And, of course, Maid Marian - riding side saddle even!
I am thinking to reduce the henchmen to groups of 6. Thoughts?
Similarly, I have literally dozens of figures, many dozens, to use as villagers, laborers, some higher born sorts, etc. What do you folk think is a reasonable number of civilian NPC figures? My natural penchant has always been "too many" but I am hoping to reduce the painting total to something more reasonable.
For carts and wagons - spoked wheels or solid wood wheels?
[Flying in the face of wanting to reduce total figures for this project is a nagging desire to buy into some of Splintered Lights figures to add in a touch of The 13th Warrior: http://www.splinteredlightminis.com/bearclan1.html (http://www.splinteredlightminis.com/bearclan1.html). But not the bear rider type stuff, just the people wearing bear sourced hats including riding on horses - just more 'shenanigans' to spice up scenario options.]
Thanks for all the good input - and feel free to keep it coming.
It is all appreciated.
Off to look again at Irregular and search the 3D print world - who knows, might be stuff out there.
edit: did a tally of the Robin Hood figures: 474! Of course, that is people, horses, dogs, dismounts, and dead figures, 334 "individuals" (62 horses, 52 dismounts, 8 dogs, 20 dead), 96 are villagers with some being "mobs" and 4 dog handlers. Fairly easy to reduce to about 180 "individuals"
-
I got the prison wagon from Etsy. It is 28mm heroic. I also picked up a nobleman's wagon as well. I don't recall if it was available in 15mm. Sorry.
Regards
Hitman
😎
-
As to,rules, I agree that Fistful of Lead is probably perfect. I do think though that Pulp Alley would be fine as well. I’ve played lost of medieval games with both.
-
Spiked wheels for sure
-
Great thread with lots of interesting views and ideas.
Wagons for that period would, especially at the poorer end of society have been solid. Even the better heeled are likely to use solid wheels due to the weight of the carriages.
-
I have another thread going for Three Musketeers and I'm copying and pasting something from that thread about how FFOL can be used to really enhance Robin Hood games just as much as musketeer games:
"And on the rules front, with FFOL and the task roll, I will be including significant Victory Points for players who engage in Cinematic/Dramatic actions with extra credit for those who really get into the character. And 'might' let players vote on whether or not those VP points need to be awarded and how many but reserve the final decision to the GM.
Oh, and for those who fail their task roll, I will be coming up with possible consequences - with mostly nothing bad but when the roll is failed really badly, then unpleasant to bad things might happen."
I'm not sure of the history but I lean towards the solid wheels, perhaps more influenced by cinema than history - but I could go either way and see no reason can't have both side by side.
-
As to,rules, I agree that Fistful of Lead is probably perfect. I do think though that Pulp Alley would be fine as well. I’ve played lost of medieval games with both.
Another vote for Dragon Rampant. Allowed me to use some of the mystical elements from "Robin of Sherwood".
Also, gave me a "Prince of Thieves" feel too as I had a 'reduced model unit' of Robin Hood, Little John & Friar Tuck taking on a dozen Norman soldiers. Looked very Hollywood on the table.
If you need some scenarios, just ask ChatGPT :)
-
King Arthur and Vikings don't really fit with Robin Hood, but if you went down a Hollywood route to King Arthur you could take all sorts of liberties.
Alan Ladd in the Black Knight would be a prime example as that has pagan villains from Cornwall allied with Saracens facing off against Camelot's finest.
oh and the villains wear horned helmets too.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=the+black+knight+1954+trailer+alan+ladd&&mid=9D56DF24EE028B9A3E289D56DF24EE028B9A3E28&&FORM=VRDGAR
-
As for Robin Hood, the old 1950s series with Richard Greene (the Adventures of Robin Hood) is quite cliched but has lots of scenario ideas.
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=robin+hood+green&&mid=CA2C0CE3B6EB85551978CA2C0CE3B6EB85551978&&FORM=VRDGAR
Some of the plot lines were possibly influenced by the McCarthy anti-communist hearings - a lot of Hollywood exiles came across the pond and worked under assumed names as scriptwriters etc.
For terrain you'd only need a castle on table for specific scenarios, but Airfix used to have one that looks quite good with 15mm figures
https://www.bing.com/images/search?view=detailV2&ccid=1%2f7OaYQ5&id=6265BC5E824396E96CFA711B11A82EA0F8CCBE34&thid=OIP.1_7OaYQ5ad8X9E_RcQIRBgHaFj&mediaurl=https%3a%2f%2fwww.figurenschnapp.de%2fmedia%2fimage%2f59%2f02%2f7e%2fimage69673.jpg&cdnurl=https%3a%2f%2fth.bing.com%2fth%2fid%2fR.d7fece69843969df17f44fd171021106%3frik%3dNL7M%252bKAuqBEbcQ%26pid%3dImgRaw%26r%3d0&exph=1200&expw=1600&q=airfix+sherwood+castle&simid=608002979900049227&FORM=IRPRST&ck=D6F7F8B23AA821725E65D440EC7ECE8C&selectedIndex=3&itb=0&ajaxhist=0&ajaxserp=0
-
Rules well sorted for my purposes: either FFOL for smaller games or FFOL:Bigger Battles for larger games.
Inspiration will come from wherever my hyper-driven imagination takes me - so Saracen types might make an appearance, besides Azim of course, Arthurian sorts advanced a few centuries, Vikings are 'close enough' in time since 1066 had them and Robin Hood's actual time frame is loose considering it is a legend rather than history. And who knows what else. As mentioned, The 13th Warrior figures grow more tempting with each passing day so I suspect an appearance by them at some point (and the justification for their appearance, well, to paraphrase a famous movie line: "Justifications, we don't need no stinkin' justifications.").
One source I likely will skip will be the made for TV stuff. I tried watching the first episode of the first season of one and it was so slow paced I just couldn't stick with it - my nickname for the vast majority of television is 'entertainment for unfinished dead people'. So, movies, books, and mild 'insanity' for inspiration.
The "big" decision still to make - and leaning heavily on reducing - is unit sizes. Most likely will mirror what I am doing with Musketeers: five man fighting units, mounted or foot (but with dismounts for mounted), six figure unarmed civilian groups and Heroes and Villains. Individually based on thin round steel discs (lots more on order so I will not run out once they arrive, 3/4" for foot, 1" for mounted and sometimes casualties).
I'm also well sorted on castles and most buildings though may add more on that front, that's a wait and see. Plenty of trees for forests ready to hand. Will borrow in wagons and carts from various sources already owned with types mixed very likely.
After an errand I will come home to do some more sorting towards getting this collection ready for painting.
So, if I may, let's turn the conversation for essential figures - besides those most obvious to most of us. What, besides the principle characters, would you include in a collection for Robin Hood games? What foot figures, what mounted figures with dismounts, any special characters you'd bring in from other stories? Think in terms of not just small skirmishes but grand skirmishes, too. 100 fighters would not be too many - maybe even that many per side.
Keep those ideas flowing.
-
We have run a few scenarios under the banner of 'The Tales of Shedwood' using Lion Rampant...
links
https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-tales-of-shedwood-ivanhoes-rescue.html (https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-tales-of-shedwood-ivanhoes-rescue.html)
https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2015/01/tales-of-sherwood-taxing-day.html (https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2015/01/tales-of-sherwood-taxing-day.html)
https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2013/11/st-oswalds-tongue-tale-of-shedwood.html (https://shedwars.blogspot.com/2013/11/st-oswalds-tongue-tale-of-shedwood.html)
-
Eric, thanks for the links to the scenarios, they all look like they would make fun games.
I am Super Jazzed. Been sorting figures - a combination of Arthurian (with no plan in the purchase AT ALL), Vikings, and Robin Hood stuff with the goal of a considerable reduction in total number of figures to paint.
Serendipity lent a hand when a nephew sent me a photo via text message of his first painted miniatures in many years, a nephew I got started a long time ago. He is working with a couple of his nephews (my great nephews) to get them going. So, once I sort out my stuff, I will be sending enough figures to him so he can build and paint (or have his younglings do so) a half dozen small armies for Fistful of Lead gaming in the era at hand (get his dad, his brother-in-law, and eventually his youngest nephew (only 5) in to the mix).
But what really got my juices going is sorting out about 70 civilian men and boys with all but a group of three being unique sculpts - the duplicates are all small children which are few and far between as far as sculpts go so I allowed duplication, just paint with different hair colors. Not quite so many women and girls but all of them are unique sculpts - three dozen I believe. Had to pack away a little too fast to get the counts accurate. About a dozen of the men and a dozen of the women are higher borne types. There is a small sampling of mounted civilians, all unique, four men, one woman - for now (might add a few more but will be some duplication if so).
The religious men and women - separate from above, a couple of dozen of each, do have a fair amount of duplication but one group of 'monks' has 12 unique figures. And then there are a half dozen groups of dozen figure "mobs" with improvised weapons, three male mobs, three female mobs (one naked - had them, figured why not, Lady Godiva gone riot), and then one more mob of religious figures with a minor bit of duplication. And a small group of Druids, a sacrificial victim on a pyre, and some standing stones (again, very anachronistic, but what the heck, why not?).
Those groups of unarmed civilians, the religious figures, and the mobs will really enhance games.
And then?! I was able to sort out three Viking men foot units with each one having 20 unique sculpts and no duplication at all across the units - and then two female warriors on foot per unit, all unique, and the same with three mounted figures for each unit, again all nine unique (66 unique foot figures, 9 unique mounted figures). Now that is just super cool to me. (may add more mounted figures but that will require some duplication from what I have).
The Vikings on horseback hauling away captives (one in front, one on foot behind - single sculpt) and the captive draped over a separate horse and the other captive men and woman on foot as well as the wounded and dead do have some duplication in each group but easy to live with, one set for each of the three units. Might add in an overall command group for the Vikings but that might require buying new figures - but only one pack.
All of the above will allow some pretty cool games.
Next up are sorting a Saxon "army" and a Norman "army" to 'defend' the civilians - so they can oppress them without interference no doubt. Will be less focused on unique figures for the Normans in particular, more uniform, and less so with the Saxons but as much variation as I can achieve, at least for the Saxons.
And I will still be keeping the Robin Hood figures in the mix, both sides getting some units of their own. What little Arthurian stuff I have may get adapted (though anachronistic) to more of the Robin Hood 'era'. But I may still give the unique figures Arthurian names, especially names of Knights of the Round Table. Just move them into my Robin Hood / Viking adventures with interruptions by Saxons and Normans.
And maybe a "strange brew" Pict "army" from leftovers, this too may need some added figures.
Imagine a game with Vikings raiding civilians with 150 or more unique figure sculpts on the table. Well, at least until the local "defensive" forces arrive. Just love having gotten to this point. :D
Oh, and not to forget (though almost did), I have at least 10 figures mounted on caparisoned horses with 4 more without riders that I can use to have jousting tournaments. And I have plenty of appropriate tents.
And best of all, is accomplishing all of this will leave me with several hundreds of figures to dispose of to others, after nephew is sorted I will offer the balance gratis to the local gamers who might be able to create some DBA armies or otherwise make use of them.
-
Wilgut, thanks for the input - are your scenarios/rules available somewhere and do they need any other rules to work?
Pulp Alley is a no go for me - I don't see it handling what I have in mind.
Please keep the scenario concepts flowing.
Another question: just how far out in "left field" would it be if I combined Robin Hood, King Arthur, and Vikings into one game? I know the Vikings are a bit earlier than some of the Robin Hood inspirational bits and that King Arthur - the potentially historical version - is quite a bit earlier but this is more of a cinematic sort of game than historical which, of course, doesn't apply here since both Arthur and Robin Hood are, at least, as much legend as anything else.
Being based in USA, I don't recall any exposure to the Robin of Sherwood series but I'll do some checking online to see if I can get a peak at it.
Again, keep the ideas flowing. Everything is appreciated even the stuff I might not use.
Thanks!
Since the Victorians and later often had little concern with historical depictions and Arthur depicted in 15th or 16th century garb, and these are all archetypes or tropes for a ‘Romantic’ game, play on! 9c Vikings are just reskinned 5c Saxons, and a guerilla band of outlaw socialists protecting the peasants could occur anytime and in any culture.
-
In terms of knights/Arthur, you have two options.
Robin wasn't anti-norman. In some of the older ballads there are Normans he fights alongside (I cannot remember their names now). So you can easily put a couple of knights into his battle force, or as parts of one side.
In terms of Arthur, Robin is loosely associated with the Green Man, and Arthur is but asleep after all in the fay realm. Band of Robin's men hide out in a strange forest glen, and wake up in the fay realm where Arthur needs something done?
Oh, another scenario came to mind. When Robin dies, he shoots an arrow through a window out into the woods. His men are supposed to burry him there. So:
Robin/well known member of the Merry Men is dying. They start the game with a small retinue in a building of some sort. The dying member shoots an arrow, between 4-6 moves away (randomize distance) and use an artillery dice for scatter once the point is chosen (2D6 inches in the direction of the scatter dice). While still a powerful bowman, they are loosing their sight, and just sort of shot randomly out the window into the forest. The rest of the Merry Men have to carry the body (some sort of encumbrance penalty for the carrying model(s), such as -1 inch per move). Meanwhile, the current Sheriff's men have learned of the plan, and currently have parties out in the woods looking to ambush the Merry Men.
Prior to shooting the bow, they use a hidden deployment (mark on a piece of paper, use power chips with 2-3 extra that are decoys, etc) to set their forces out. They are only revealed when within charging distance or if they shoot. Otherwise they stay hidden.
Merry Men win if they can get the body to the grave site and dig the grave (say 3 actions at an easy task roll for FFoL, such that you can have multiple models dig faster, or one model dig slower over several turns). The Sheriff wins if they can steal the body, and get off a pre-determined exit point. They can get a minor win if they cut off the head and get that off the board (they want to put him up in a gibbet, but head on a pike outside Nottingham will do).
-
Another curious scenario there Maniac, thanks.
I have finished almost all of my sorting - save some of the Arthurian stuff, bought from Forged in Battle with no plan in mind as mentioned.
Ended up staying with 12 figure units and for cavalry I skipped the dismounted element. Did, however, greatly reduce numbers of figures to paint, a lot going to my nephew and more will be offered gratis to local folk, maybe some kept to paint up as prizes for Jousting games (different thread here).
I now have a Robin Hood force, a Sheriff force, a group of civilians with men, women, and a few children plus religious sorts with a small group of Druids in the mix (anachronistic perhaps but why not?) and then groups of religious figures, monks and nuns, and then mobs of figures with improvised weapons, and finally a group of mounted civilians - don't recall the total but enough to populate a couple of towns or villages if I want. Then I have four more forces that can be used for Robin Hood or for Viking raiding games - and using those civilians: Vikings - three groups of 36 foot figures and 4 mounted figures and then a higher command group, Normans, Saxons, and Picts/Celts (a bit of a miss-mash for the latter).
And, of course, there are Heroic/Villainous folk in the mix. Still debating how much to base single and how much to base with multiple figures per base. A few things on order - the last few Vikings I need and the 13th Warrior figures, just a small set for that. Other stuff on order that might be useful, at least some of it, but mostly figures to build up my Jousting game.
On the "Arthurian" figures, almost all mounted but for three - two can be/are Viking/Saxon types with the third of foot being William, at least one of the mounted figures will be used as a mounted Azeem (not Azim?). Looks like some of the figures are rather late quilted caparisoned Sarmatians so not quite sure how to fit them in - maybe make them a special escort for Maid Marian in some scenarios, 3 command and 12 line mounted for that grouping. That still leaves about 20 mounted men to assign a use, maybe some for the Jousting and some for the Robin Hood scenarios. Or! Maybe use some of them as not great matches but mounted versions for the main named characters - that is probably going to be it!
-
On the "Arthurian" figures, almost all mounted but for three - two can be/are Viking/Saxon types with the third of foot being William, at least one of the mounted figures will be used as a mounted Azeem (not Azim?).
It's perhaps worth noting that Azeem in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves seems to be based on Nasir in Robin of Sherwood. I don't think there was any precedent for a Saracen Merry Man beforehand, and the mooted Robin of Sherwood film kind of bled into the two 1991 Robin Hood films, from what I remember.
Your 13th Warrior bear-men are very Robin of Sherwood, as the series dabbles quite a lot in atavism and ancient survivals.
-
This fan-made trailer for the Swords of Wayland episode of Robin of Sherwood just drips with scenario ideas!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcCdhegvjew
-
That video immediately took me here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOWjX4BpC24 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOWjX4BpC24)
Yeah, not Robin Hood at all, but that's where it took me! :o
Now just need to adapt it to a scenario. lol
-
Yeah, not Robin Hood at all, but that's where it took me! :o
Welll, outlaws .... :D
Now just need to adapt it to a scenario. lol
It occurred to me that the eerie Swords of Wayland riders ("the Hounds of Lucifer"?) could be replaced by the Splintered Light bear-skinned riders. Now, of course, "Arthur" means "the Bear" ...
Also, if you want another Arthur/Robin connection besides TH White's, Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising sequence involves both Arthur (though unnamed, I think) and Herne the Hunter - and the latter links to Robin of Sherwood ...
-
I like that idea about the bear skinned riders for the "Ghost Riders in the Sky". Gives me further thought on how to use them, especially since I didn't order hordes of them, just enough figures for two foot units and only one pack of the riders.
-
Was able to acquire a copy of the Prince Valiant movie and watched it again - probably last seen 60+ years ago. Pretty silly movie in many ways but at least there was some jousting scenes.
And those cow horned Viking helmets should be used in a Saturday Night Live skit! Perhaps the most absurd props I've ever seen.
Despite that, might inspire some scenario ideas. Still hoping to find a copy of Ivanhoe - and hoping for a better movie given its cast.
-
I recall the 90s BBC version of Ivanhoe (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118354/) being pretty good - Christopher Lee and all. I haven't seen it since it aired, but my flatmates and I watched it religiously at the time, and I recall that there was some pretty gripping jousting. Online reviewers seem to like it, so I presume it holds up quite well. It appears to be free in the US with Amazon Prime (https://www.amazon.com/Episode-4/dp/B07C1FWDHN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3ULKS50T2MHVI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3CgyqQCG1IijbIEROKfSoGi2rd0sw_GKrtnkNZliDs3juTsuiVBWmfmqVfMzmA6UcGJyM_KQUjRgnuU9jYRWxn8S9nhXk3SzCW3iqk8HnX6W6GIGcHgsXb57tV7WFFNY58keY1v7KrS6M4jvEaG85Q.0qdXV8StAGN3ioO138kEICWeqSAjSc8ZNEbZHCD50p4&dib_tag=se&keywords=ivanhoe+bbc&qid=1709337308&sprefix=ivanhoe+bbc%2Caps%2C157&sr=8-1) (or a trial ...).
A "meta" Hood/Arthur connection for you: Robert Addie plays Mordred in Excalibur and Guy of Gisborne in Robin of Sherwood.
-
Well, I've sorted out my Robin Hood miniatures collection including resolving my Arthurian figures conundrum. All those figures have now been incorporated into the lists below of the final tally of designated Robin Hood gaming figures - including 22 named characters with both a mounted and dismounted version and 4 more just on foot.
While the four on foot retain Arthurian names they shall be used in a different capacity, Merlin as a counselor to King Richard, Guinevere as his mistress, Bishop of Black Canons aligned with Prince John, Morgana as some sort of harridan - perhaps a mistress to Prince John (also have a Mortiana with the Sheriff).
Feel free to - gently - take issue with any of the names below if you can support the name being inappropriate and you have a constructive reason to replace the name as well as the justified replacement name.
Not all of the figures for mounted/dismounted are great matches but most are close enough for my purposes - except perhaps Malcolm of Locksley (perhaps an unknown brother of Robin rather than his father???) and his retainers (all with Anglo-Saxon names but purely imaginative inventions otherwise) - a couple of those mounted figures were meant to be Arthur himself.
The two 'escort' figures with each of the named mounted/dismounted are there to keep the heroes - and, dang it, the villains, too - living longer by taking wounds instead of the character - though none for Malcom and his entourage, though his retainers might perform the same function. The third figure with the Sheriff is the Tax Collector. For now, the four named foot figures don't get their 'extras' but I reserve the right to add them in. edit: just realized I didn't give Richard or John their 'extra' figures - hmm, maybe, maybe not - likely to only have cameo appearances. How say you LAF members?
The mounted Malcolm contingent is there to give Robin a distinct edge - games don't have to be entirely fair and a hero like Robin should get an edge up! :o. Of course, the dice can render that moot - or the scenario design. They also offer a bit of a counter balance to the Sheriff having cross bow men.
The seven 12 figure foot units for Robin Hood and the seven 12 figure foot units for the Sheriff will each be under one of the named characters and might be allowed to reduce to three groups of four figures. A few players might get larger contingents than others but generally one named character and a unit - or just the characters. Should work fine with Fistful of Lead: Bigger Battles with units and Heroes and Villains.
Do take note of the handlers and dogs - shades of Prince of Thieves.
I think of the woman with Robin as someone he rescued from certain death who has pledged her life to him - haven't picked her name yet.
The two groups of mounted escorts are probably out of period but it works for my sense of putting on a fun game, they have either front half quilted barding or full quilted barding (Forged in Battle figures).
I have allocated the individual round bases for all the figures, mounted and foot figures - though I'd need to pull eight more bases from the 'reserve' for the named foot figures 'extras' if added.
Now its down to prepping the figures, glueing to bases, priming, and painting.
Here is the list:
ROBIN HOOD PRIMARY COLLECTION
edit: deleted to save space, see 'new and improved' list below
These latter figures from the two paragraphs above will be on the thinner, cheaper steel bases - all the others on the nicer and slightly thicker bases. All we be stored on magnetic sheets for transport and storage.
Of course, for small skirmish games, only need a fraction of the total - so may focus on getting that level of figures painted first. Not quite yet - have some other painting projects on the table to get cleared away / finished first. But soon. Hopefully.
-
Interesting.
On the names: Malcolm is Scots Gaelic - Maol Chaluim and associated with the Scottish royal family (see Macbeth). Malcom IV was on the Scottish throne during the lifetime of Richard I (though before the latter's coronation). So it seems an extremely unlikely name for an English nobleman without a connection to the Scottish royal family (Malcolm IV was also Earl of Huntingdon and Earl of Northumbria). The Earl of Huntingdon during Richard I's reign was David (prince of Scotland and Malcolm IV's younger brother).
There is a strand of Robin Hood lore that makes Robin the son of the Earl of Huntingdon (a sixteenth-century play by Anthony Munday), but that dates from long after the Scottish connection with the title ceased. The earldom was created again subsequently, more than once. So the name Malcolm strikes a false note.
Obviously, you're "printing the legend" here, but I think an English name for Robin's father would make much more sense - Robert of Locksley, perhaps?
-
Hobgoblin, thanks for the input. The only reason I used Malcolm is because when I did an internet search for the name of Robin Hood's father, that is what came up. Will have a cogitation on this before making a final decision.
Taking a short break then out to paint the undersides of all the dedicated Robin Hood bases - including adding the last 12 foot bases left, two men for Prince John, two men for Malcolm (or whoever he turns out to be) but none for his retainers, and 8 or 9 foot and 4 mounted (unarmed, two ladies) for King Richard's retinue with some of them unarmed (the 9th foot base for KR is because I think I had an overcount of one base for one group); that gives the King lots of protection in a game if they all need to be 'used up' before he can go down. Added six additional mounted bases for six horses without riders - table decoration.
Color for the underside of the bases? Why, green, of course! ;)
Hope to also work on the thinner bases for the civilians - which I may paint the undersides a different color - or the same, as the mood strikes me.
Break over and...
...braving cold, wet, windy weather - that I wouldn't prime figures in but okay for just the base - and staying under the eaves of the garage, all the bases for Robin Hood figures are now primed:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIwE7wkwzF-waBBXaejNlPavupn34fl4_xXLiX2Uqa9MiB2TB-WAKVlczNCpM24kpbCfa9fzZZ2IkzEU-chttZsYeXyjced4pJwAp410Z-GNfTbHb6Y0G6gxuedphR5lK7KNN_M6waqP5p1hcM090-_QkbNnuT4oaVI2AZEzKHC6bsxD8eCLwz-YQ8g/w480-h640/IMG_2891.jpg)
Yup, that there be a few bases, yessir. The bigger ones are 1" across, the smaller ones 3/4" across.
Not even going to dream of priming today the thinner bases for the unarmed civilians - they'd fly away in the wind! But I did get them all sorted out including plenty of extras in case of miscounts, they are cheap enough to do that - and can be repainted if I need them another color anyway.
Progress moving forward, if not very exciting to look at.
Almost forgot, got my Splintered Light order today - the bear clan figures and some additional Viking figures to round out that collection, including a dozen Shield Maidens, historical or not they're going to get used! Prompt service.
-
Tossing about before rising this morning, I realized a solution to a minor issue - wanting to have a leader for each of the seven 12 figure forces per side for games. No problem for the Robin Hood faction since there are eight already including Marian - who does not get a force. But I only have six for the Sheriff's faction.
However, if I drop one figure from Malcolm's group that gives me a a figure to become a Named Character both mounted and foot and then I can reduce the King's entourage by two foot figures and that gives me the two companions. I kind of like Malcolm having an even four companions, too. I didn't want to use Prince John because of his mostly cameo roles.
So, I cast about for who to use and first settled on Bertrand de Nivelles from the Robin of Sherwood series who was a mercenary tasked with destroying Robin and his men. But then I remembered Sir Godfrey - the French name and all of Bertrand - from the Russell Crowe version and I rather liked that portrayal so decided to go with him. It doesn't hurt that he, too, is out to destroy Robin and his men plus his potential turncoat nature vis-a-vis the French, gives an easy entree for my Normans as an invading force. And then Robin can rally the local Saxons to come out in force and use those figures.
That means I can have fourteen sets of Named Characters with two sidekicks and a force of 12 armed men each. And thus I can have up to 14 players in a game - and perhaps a few more by adding the Prince and the King and Malcom. And Marian, of course - but without a force. Perhaps a few others without forces but important within a scenario. But a normal 'full load' will be 14 players. Can always go with fewer players with each player having two or three Characters and their forces. Or just smaller games without the whole collection on table.
So, Sir Godfrey has joined "the cast". Just need to sort the figures a bit at some point.
If it all works out to have 14 players, then most of the players will only need to maneuver 15 figures.
----
The "new and improved" listing:
ROBIN HOOD PRIMARY COLLECTION
Robin Hood, mounted and dismounted 1 man, 1 woman (Joan Rye)
Azeem, mounted and dismounted 2 young men as foot escort
Little John, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Friar Tuck, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Will Scarlet, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Much the miller’s son, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Alan-a-Dale, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Lady Marian Lancaster, mounted and dismounted 2 women foot escort
—
Longbowmen 12 foot - Robin Hood
Longbowmen 12 foot - Will Scarlet
Longbowmen 12 foot - Much the miller’s son
Swordsmen 12 foot - Alan-a-Dale
Spearmen 12 foot - Azeem
Staffmen 12 foot - Little John
Staff and Macemen 12 foot - Friar Tuck
—
Montgomery Longstride, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
(Brother of Robin Hood) Entourage: 4 mtd and 4 dismtd (Larcwide, Slean, Baldice, Norian)
—
Merlin, King's counselor - foot only, no escort
Guinevere, King's mistress - foot only, no escort
—
King Richard, mounted and dismounted 6 (or 7) men and women foot
2 and 2 mounted men and women
Half barded mounted escort, 12 mounted (can also use as Prince John’s mounted escort)
Fully barded mounted escort, 12 mounted
— —
Sheriff of Nottingham, Robert de Rainault, mtd and dismtd 2 men, 1 woman (Mortiana)
Guy of Gisborne, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Bishop of Hereford, William de Vere, mtd and dismtd 2 men as foot escort
Drefan - Naedre de Mort, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Prior Vincent of Emmet, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Captain Ralph of Huntingdon, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
Sir Godfrey, mounted and dismounted 2 men as foot escort
—
Crossbowmen 12 foot - Sheriff of Nottingham
Longbowmen 12 foot - Captain Ralph of Huntingdon
Swordsmen 12 foot - Guy of Gisborne
Sword and Spearmen 12 foot - Drefan - Naedre de Mort
Axeman 12 foot - Sir Godfrey
Spearmen 12 foot - Bishop of Hereford
Spearmen 12 foot - Prior Vincent of Emmet
—
Prince John, mounted and foot 2 men as foot escort
—
Bishop Montague of Black Canons - foot only, no escort (Prince's counselor)
Morgana, Prince's mistress - foot only, no escort
List above does not include unarmed civilians to populate villages, castles, etc., which are multi-purpose for Robin Hood, Jousting, Picts, Viking raiding games, and some for Three Musketeers if workable. Extra figure with Sheriff is the Tax Collector. Many additional figures may be named over time but the Named Characters are principles in this "Table Top Variation of Robin Hood".
Additional figures for Normans, Saxon, Picts - and Vikings for raiding games.
possible additional named characters to add at some point: Will Stutley - Robin’s Friend, Sir Richard of Lea
-
Hobgoblin, thanks for the input. The only reason I used Malcolm is because when I did an internet search for the name of Robin Hood's father, that is what came up. Will have a cogitation on this before making a final decision.
That seems to come from a BBC TV series in the 2000s. There's no established tradition of Robin Hood having a father with a Gaelic name.
I suspect what happened is that the BBC scriptwriters followed the Earl of Huntingdon strand and noticed that an Earl of Huntingdon in the 12th century called Malcolm - but failed to twig that he was an absentee earl who had been obliged to swap fiefs on the Scottish border for Huntingdon. Really poor scriptwriting, I think - the name is just so jarringly Scottish in a medieval context.
There are plenty of personal names that were common to both Scottish and English aristocrats at that time, but those chiefly came from Norman French (Robert, William, Nigel, Henry etc.) or the Bible (James, David, John, etc.). An English nobleman with a Gaelic name seems incredibly unlikely; I'd guess that Malcolm only really became established as a common (or at least not unusual) given name in England in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
The 'Earl of Huntingdon' strand to the Robin Hood legend hinges on the eighteenth-century invention of a rival claim to the earldom (i.e. not the Scots) and builds on the sixteenth-century play that cooked up the Huntingdon story. In this strand, the English line contains two Earl Roberts, with Robert FitzOoth (= Robin Hood) the third rightful Robert of Huntingdon. So I'd say that "Robert" is a more "authentic" name for Robin Hood's father (albeit in an entirely confected narrative).
Robert is also satisfying as a name for the father of the outlaw because "Robin" is a diminutive form of "Robert" - so "Robin" could very well be "Young Robert".
Both Ivanhoe (the novel or any adaptation) and Robin of Sherwood are rich sources of authentic-sounding names. The latter shares with the Dragon Warriors RPG a rare ability to distill the essence of British history and folklore into evocative entertainment.
-
Hobgoblin - and others, note I have revisited the list above and made some additional edits, one of which is I've changed the name to Montgomery Longstride (no longer Malcolm) and have him being some previously unknown brother of Robin Hood, brother instead of father because his father is too often killed early in the stories/movies, when he exists. Also adjusted the spelling of Naedre de Mort, an invention to match a snake wielding figure - an evil sorcerer sort of figure, with a first name of Drefan, Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'trouble'; and corrected his name for the unit he controls. Also named Sheriff's female escort as Mortiana. I've also named the woman escort with Robin Hood as Joan Rye - taking Joan from Joan Rice, an actress in one of the portrayals, and rye as a native English grain. Oh, and made it Lady Marian Lancaster rather than Maid Marian.
Perhaps by the time I get it all painted I will have settled all the names! :o lol
edit: Bishop of Black Canons to be Montague - after actor who portrayed, changed in above list
-
Also adjusted the spelling of Naedre de Mort, an invention to match a snake wielding figure - an evil sorcerer sort of figure, with a first name of Drefan, Anglo-Saxon name meaning 'trouble'.
Great stuff! It's a famous example of an N being dropped from Old English words, isn't it? Naedre to adder, right?
-
Latest "debate with myself" is whether or not to add some foot figures for Richard, say a dozen crossbow and a dozen swordsmen. Which will lead to another debate about adding foot for John - and moving the half barded cavalry for sure to his command. 36 more figures won't break the bank - or the painting budget (painting time, not paying to paint). If I make the add, Richard automatically gets to outnumber John. That just seems right. And if it isn't, well, oh, well.
-
I 'think' I resolved my dilemma. I can just use figures from my Normans to give Richard a couple of foot units and one for John - heck, I even have a cavalry unit I can give John - and three of the four units that will fit what I want are already painted! Might have to do some rebasing, though.
-
Been back tinkering on this collection and this evening I sorted the Robin Hood side of the collection as in matching existing figures to the plan. Still working on the Sheriff side of the collection - and just might be a little short of the non-combatant figures I'm hoping to include. Probably live without but we shall see, still a good deal of 'exploring' to do in the existing in-house figures before deciding.
I now have 30 named warriors and another 36 unnamed warriors, 12 named women and another 12 unnamed women, 6 named servants and/or counselors and another 6 unnamed same, and 6 named clerics and 6 unnamed clerics.
Was hoping to add another 36 unarmed villagers with 24 of them being women and children but that is where I might be light on figures, can probably get together 36 villagers but might be more men than women. I really want to get more women to balance out the ratio of men to women a bit; I want the local village(s?) to look properly lived in. I might get there with what I have but if not then I need to decide if I want to order some more figures which I'm trying hard to avoid.
If I get the 36 unnamed villagers sorted out to my satisfaction that would yield 150 people plus 14 horses and dismounts for the 14 mounted figures included above.
All of the unnamed figures will be 3 to a base on round 1 1/4" bases, all the named get individually based on 3/4" round bases or 1" bases for the mounted versions.
One big step forward.
Quick edit: while hunting for options in case short, I was reminded I have an excess of Peter Pig's AWI civilians and some others that I can adapt to my medieval groupings - might not be a perfect fit but with the right paint jobs and maybe some minor modification I think they will work.
-
I now have all the bases prepared and labelled - either with names where appropriate or a description of some sort. Also decided to name the unarmed civilian mounted men [8] and women (4) which adds 12 to the number of named folk, counting named horses (10, pack horses and 'empty' horses only) and named dogs (13) that yields a nice round 160 named figures. The following "paste" may not translate as well here as it does in my word processing program with its color coding but I will do some adjusting that might help. Figures in bold have both a mounted and dismounted version. Named figures are one to a base, unnamed figures are three to a base. So, here is the Final Plan for figures with all the Named Figures shown - less some vignettes like people cooking or blacksmithing which will be multiple period use as will most of the civilians listed below:
ROBIN HOOD CONTINGENT
Named figures individually based, unnamed warriors/others are 3 to a base:
6.0 Robin Hood, Will ‘Billy’ Stutley, Ulric + 3 more longbowmen (6)
0.3 Lady Marian (Robin’s lady), Maerwynn, Wren (her two ladies-in-waiting)
4.2 Slean, Offa (Robin), Duncan (Robin) + 3 more spearmen (4)
0.6 Joan Rye (pledged to give her life for Robin), Alice (Little John’s woman), Elga + 3 women
6.0 Akeem, Hamza, Jabir + 3 more swordsmen (6)
0.6 Yasmina (Azeem’s love interest), Zenith, Najma (her companions) + 3 women //33
16.17
16 warriors (3 mtd), 15 women (1 mtd), 1 counselor, 0 clerics, 1 servant=16 figures +17=33
—————
6.0 Little John, Ox, Bull + 3 more staff-men (6)
4.5 Friar Tuck, Francis, Dominic + 3 clerics + 3 staff-men (4)
6.0 Will Scarlet, Wulf, Alden + 3 more swordsmen (6)
6.0 Much the Miller’s son, Cedric, Egbert + 3 more swordsmen (6)
6.0 Alan-a-Dale, Grindan, Hollis + 3 more longbowmen (1* + 5)
0.6 Caedmon, Benwock, Orvynn + 3 clerics //39
28.11
28 warriors (5 mtd), 0 women, 0 counselors, 11 clerics (1 mtd) 0 servants=28 figures +11=39
—————
6.3 King Richard, Philip (his son), Baldwin + 3 servants + 3 more swordsman (6)
4.2 Scrydan, Merlin (the King), Skar (the King) + 3 mace-men (1 sword-3 mace)
0.9 Berengaria (King John’s wife), Odelia (her lady-in-waiting) Guinevere (the king’s mistress)
+ 3 women and + 3 women
6.0 Larcwide, Kenric, Bearn + 3 crossbowmen (6)
6.3 Montgomery Longstride (Robin’s half-brother), Grimbold, Andwearde + 3 servants
+ 3 more warriors (1 sword-5 bow)
4.2 Dreogan, Pendragon (Montgomery), Tobrecan (Montgomery) + 3 spearmen (6)//39
26.19
16+28+26=70 17+11+19=47. 117
26 warriors (5 mtd), 9 women, 10 counselors, 0 clerics, 0 servants=26+19=45
70 warriors total (31 named), 24 women (12), 23 unarmed men (12) (Friar Tuck counts as armed -staff)
(54 of 117 named) — 12 servants, counselors / 11 clerics (6 named / 6 named-Tuck as warrior)
117 people, 14 horses, 14 dismounts = 145 pieces (70 warriors, 47 unarmed)
All 14 mounted figures (underscored) have a ‘matching’ dismounted figure
SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM CONTINGENT:
Named figures individually based, unnamed warriors/others are 3 to a base:
6.0 Robert de Rainault the Sheriff of Nottingham, Wybert, Wido (enforcer) +3 swords (6)
0.3 Louvel, Perceval, Oswald the tax collector (3 servants, counselors)
0.6 Mortiana (witch), Macey (evil mistress), Adeline +3 women
6.0 Sir Guy of Gisborne, Talbot, Slade + 3 spears (6)
6.0 Sir Godfrey, Giles, Haveron. + 1 sword, 2 crossbow (6.5 crossbow) //
18.9
18 warrirors (3 mtd), 6 women, 3 counselors, 0 clerics, 0 servants=18+9=27
—————
0.6 William de Vere the Bishop of Hereford, Leotold, Tanchelm +3 clerics
0.6 Prior Vincent of Emmet, Pietro, Jacopo + 3 clerics
6.0 Captain Ralph of Huntington, Pridbor, Rene +1 club, 2 staff (6. 3 mace)
0.6 Stefan the Niedre de Mort, Tadg, Fedelma (female) +3 more druids
6.0 Einar, Bjorn, Harald +3 bow (6) //
12.18
12 warriors, 1 woman, 0 counselors, 12 clerics, 0 servants, 2 druids*=12+18=30
————
6.3 Prince John, Arlotto (henchman), Baynard +3 swords (6)
+3 servants, counselors
0.6 Morgana (prince’s mistress), Isabella (prince’s wife), Simone +3 women
6.0 Baldice, Wandrille, Polydor +3 spear (6)
6.0 Tancred, Laud, Henri +1 sword, 2 bow (6. 5 bow)
0.6 Nora de l’Aigle (infamous courtesan), Everill, Veronica +3 women
18.15
18+12+18=48 9+18+15=42. 90
18 warriors, 12 women, 3 counselors, 0 clerics, 0 servants=18=33
48 warriors (24 named), 19 women (10), 23 unarmed men (11) =48+42=90 (45 named of 90)
— 6 servants, counselors / 12 clerics / 5 druids (+1 woman druid)
90 people + 12 horses + 12 dismounts = 114 pieces (48 warriors, 42 unarmed)
All 12 mounted figures (underscored) have a ‘matching’ dismounted figure
COMBINED CONTINGENTS:
70+48= 118 warriors 31 named, 24 named..55
24+19= 43 women 12 named, 10 named..22
20+23 = 43 unarmed men 12, named, 11 named..23 — 55 named, 45 named = 100
204 people + 26 horses + 26 dismounts = 256 pieces
ROBIN HOOD CONTINGENT:
31 named warriors, 39 unnamed warriors (3 to a base)
12 named women, 12 unnamed women (3 to a base)
6 named servants/counselors, 6 unnamed servants/counselors (3 to a base)
6 named clerics, 6 unnamed clerics (3 to a base)
14 horses, 14 dismounts
Named figures (54) on individual bases
Unnamed figures (63) are three figures to a base (21 bases)
All fourteen mounted figures have a dismounted figure as well (all on individual bases)
SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM CONTINGENT:
24 named warriors, 24 unnamed warriors (3 to a base)
10 named women, 9 unnamed women (3 to a base)
3 named servants/counselors, 3 unnamed servants/counselors (3 to a base)
6 named clerics, 6 unnamed clerics (3 to a base)
3 named druids, 3 unnamed druids (1 named druid is a woman) (3 to a base)
12 horses, 12 dismounts
Named figures (45) on individual bases
Unnamed figures (45) are three figures to a base (15 bases)
All twelve mounted figures have a dismounted figure as well (all on individual bases)
CIVILIANS:
Monastery:
Cormac, Dara, Fergal, Killian, Niall, Senan + 6 unnamed (6 + 2 bases)
Convent:
Beatrice, Celestine, Clotilda, Genevieve, Gisela, Mathilda + 6 unnamed (6 + 2 bases)
Villagers:
Pack horse handlers and pack horses:
Bardi: Aksel / Dagbjart: Bo / Fanal: Erva / Svartur: Helve (4 + 4 bases)
Dog keeper names and dog names (2 per handler):
Alaric: Ake, Astrid / Bahram: Baldur, Bein / Drogo: Freya, Frode
Gerold: Holdfast, Loki / Lothar: Hagan, Nosewise / Osric: Olaf, Revna
Lorcan: Ulf (dog attacking master) (7 + 12 bases)
24 women - Robin
19 women - Sheriff
12 nuns
34 women - 23 children
46 (89) + 23 = 69 (112) women and children + 4 mounted women/4 horses (116 total)
6 Druids (12 standing stones - includes sacrificial victim)
12 clerics
18 middle level men
18 workmen
18 workmen
72 + 8 mounted men/8 horses / 6 extra horses without riders (80 total)
46 women + 23 children + 72 unarmed men + 4 mounted women + 8 mounted men (+4 +8 horses)
153 + 11 pack (4 horses) men and dog handlers = 164 people Civilians, 16 horses, 13 dogs
Mounted unarmed civilians: Adriana, Isold, Odilia, Trie; Dagmar, Henryk, Knut, Ludolf, Norbert, Saxbert, Tiago, Wago
57 women and children
12 nuns
12 clerics
6 druids
11 men - 4 horse handlers/4 pack horses // 9 men/13 dogs
54 men
152 + 12 mounted/12 horses unarmed mounted civilians unnamed , 4 pack horses, 13 dogs
= 176 pieces
Horse names: Baucent-white socks, Carbonel-coal black, Fauvel-tawny
Girsart-gray, Marchegai-proud walker, Sombra-shadow (for the six ‘empty’ horses)
—————
Additional Warriors (based 3 to a base except heros at 1 to a base):
12 longbowmen 6 Robin 6 Sheriff
6 swordsmen 6 Sheriff
6 spears 6 Sheriff
6 leaders (2 staff, 2 standards, 2 horns) 3 Robin 3 Sheriff
3 heros (2 ax, 1 sword) (2 heros & 1 anti-hero) 1 (ax - Roland) 2 (ax, sword)
10 23 (Hengist, Medraut)
33 total (10 + 3 individual stands)
“CAVALRY” individually based, half to Robin (King), half to Sheriff (Prince)
12 mounted men, 12 horses: fully barded
12 mounted men, 12 horses: half-barded or no barding
33 foot, 24 mounted, 24 horses = 81 pieces
70+10=80. 48+23=71. 80+12=92. 71+12=83. …175 Warriors, foot and mounted.
—————
80 (32 named) versus 71 (26 named) / Robin versus Sheriff warriors plus additional warriors on foot or 92 versus 83 counting the mounted additional warriors (1+2 heroes)
Approximations:
Robin 145 pieces (117) [14+14=28] [horse and dismount]
Sheriff 114 pieces (90) [12+12=24] “ “
Civilians 199 pieces (164) [4+13+12+6=35] [pack+dog+horse+horse]
Added Warriors 81 pieces (57) [24] [horses, added warriors mounted]
539 (428 people) 111
539 total pieces to paint men (316), women (89), children (23), horses (72), dogs (13), dismounts (26)
(includes babes and children in arm as single casting with mother)
126 named men and women, 10 named horses, 13 named dogs = 149 named total
Does not include wagons and carts and draft animals or farm animals or additional herders, etc.
All of the civilians have triple use: Robin Hood, Jousting, or Three Musketeers
-----------
I hear some of you asking, "Who the heck needs 428 people for a Robin Hood game?!" Perfectly fine question. No good reason but I have them so I'm going to use them - though I've knocked out A LOT of figures, mostly armed, that were in place previously. So not as bad as it might have been as far as excessive - but still, clearly, a bit excessive. The three figures to a base will help a lot with managing that many figures and generally no one player will have to handle more than about 35-40 bases in total (games with 6 players).
What about those 0.0 numbers? That is warriors versus non-warriors for each line of the Robin and Sheriff contingents.
It might reveal an oddity in my personality but I had fun sourcing all those names - and trying hard to keep them more or less appropriate for the period - a job made so much easier by the internet.
Need to look through my period appropriate casualties and decide if I want to add some in - if so I'll need to ready some additional bases, have plenty on hand if needed.
There seems to be something about this period/collection that reaches deep into my hobby joy. No idea why. Just does.
edit: Many of the civilians will have quadruple use - also use for Vikings!
-
I have been painting medieval peasants. Old Glory have a pack of Revolting Women and Children. 30 figures in a pack. Although the brooms and other household tools are raised, they are easy to convert to sweeping and cutting grain, etc. Not the greatest figures but they will work for what you might need. I bought several packs ages ago but have been painting them up this month for my medieval, viking and LOTR games. Your thoughts going into this game is impressive. Good luck.
Regards
Hitman
😎
-
Hitman, thanks for the information on the Old Glory civilians. Fortunately, I found enough figures in my own collection to build the list above and with 24, 19, and 34 women and 23 children, plus the 12 nuns and 4 mounted unarmed women providing 116 total women and children out of 428 people, or just over 27% of the people, I am pleased with the balance. Then there are those unarmed men, the clerics, servants, and counselors with Robin or the Sheriff, and then the male villagers as well, and I am set and 'looking pretty' as far as people go. Might add a vignette item here or there above what I already have if I find something really cool plus those leading carts and wagons (or driving them) but I don't really need any more people.
Might add some more buildings - like a convent and a monastery (see thread here) but I have most of what I need on that front.
In point of fact, except for some much hoped for new species for my East Africa setup, I don't need to buy a single figure for any of my too many periods. For all intents and purposes, I am done collecting except for the - perhaps - new figures that come along that enhance what I already have. And even then I will give second and third thought to it. I am actively reducing many of my over-sized collections to more reasonable numbers; granted it is my version of 'reasonable' but reducing nonetheless.
Just not here with Robin Hood as listed - but that list is already greatly reduced as mentioned above in this thread.
-
Tiny little update - a goodly portion of the Robin Hood and Sheriff contingents are now ready for priming and perhaps later today they may get primed and perhaps more bits readied for same. No paint until end of May or later though, other matters prevent.
-
Some additions: This all started when I pulled out a bunch of solid two wheel carts I’ve had for years and prepped them for painting, turned out they had a total of 14 carters to go with the eight carts, some pulled by bullocks, others by horses. Sadly, all 14 carters are the same pose. Then I decided I wanted to add some wagons, four wheel variety, for certain scenarios I have in mind and I settled on Museum Miniatures as my choice. Then, when ordering, I noticed a few other items of interest. Certainly, the ‘clutter’ items were a great find, make a nice addition. Then there were the additional women, both mounted and on foot, 2 packs, ordered.. Then there were some workmen in varied poses, ordered those, too. The extra carters in yet another pack were a minor disappointment since they only have two poses and they are the same poses as what came with the six wagons I ordered, only one pulled by oxen. I named most of the new figures since I am basing them individually except for a half dozen women who are going to join King Richard or Prince John forces, one stand each, and then two sets of two workmen plus a wheelbarrow with one going to the convent and the other to the monastery, the figure groupings not named.
And here are the newly named folk, all individually based:
Four mounted women- Yvonne, Leontine, Celine, and Sulene. And two foot women- ‘Alizee’ and Daphne. So, an additional 12 women with the half dozen based three to a base.
The half dozen named workmen are- Fabien, Gilles, Matheo, Zachariah, Lyam, and Elias, carrying burdens or doing agricultural work. With the four multi-based mentioned above that is 12 (10?) more men.
Then come all those carters, perhaps excessive in number (and with the same number more assigned to my Three Musketeers but not named), in three poses- pose one: Bruno, Klaus, Fritz, Aksel, Orson, Dirch, and Quinn; pose two: Leon, Finn, Wout, Gust, and Tour; pose three: Ivo, Rye, Ash, Ira, and Mac. And the carters add 17 men to the totals. The latter two poses are from Musket Museum Miniatures, the group of seven might have been from Hallmark, too many years ago to recall but their size suggests so.
I should have more than enough, literally more, to do pretty much any scenario I can come up with. Oh, and I bought a copy of Ivanhoe, the 1952 version and it adds some ideas for scenarios.
Naturally, those carts and wagons - and most of the civilian figures, too - can be used for Three Musketeers or Jousting tournament games. Except for the wagons - need to finish gluing on wheels - everything for Robin Hood and Musketeers is primed and ready to paint, the jousting collection not yet started on.
-
Based on some of your previous efforts, I am really looking forward to seeing this project painted up!
-
Sunjester, just the wagon wheels to glue on - and skipping superglue and going on to steel reinforced two-part epoxy to help the process - and then the figures will all be ready for painting.
Also, I went a bit crazy this afternoon when taking a peek at Dungeon Artifacts, a 3D printing company. Turns out they were having a 25% off sale including a lot of very cool detail bits in 15 mm to add to this game. Sure, I bought stuff unrelated to this game and some sort of related, like a jousting structures set up, but a big chunk of the far too much money spent was focused on Robin Hood gaming. What the heck, can't take the money with us when we kick off so I splurged - to considerable excess but I decided I deserved it, especially since I've been hoping for a long time for a lot of what I ordered. Somewhere, after wallet recovery, I will be ordering some more stuff but mostly buildings, though more detail bits if more show up and/or get converted to 15 mm.
There will be a minor delay before painting kicks off in earnest, need to finish prepping a pulp game figure set but a big chunk closer today. Maybe the excess heat will drive me inside where painting will take precedence over prep and priming.
If all goes well, by years end I will have the following all ready for paint: Robin Hood (almost), Three Musketeers (done), Jousting, Pulp - Banana Wars (about two thirds or more done), and, maybe, the Stone Age figures and creatures. Pretty close on all but the jousting setup, not too many figures and the Stone Age stuff. But painting will be a nice break from all the prep work.
-
Yesterday I pulled out all of my 'suitable' casualty and prisoner figures and cleaned them up, based them, and primed them: 96 total bases, 52 dead, 20 badly wounded, (the rest all 3 to a base, counting the horses) 15 human pin cushions (arrow wounds), 5 captives tied over horse attended by a man with a crutch each, 24 male captives and 18 female captives. Multi-period use, not just Robin Hood games.
If I didn't provide it before, here is a link to my blog with some photos of all the primed figures for this set-up: http://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html (http://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html)
-
Oh, bother, a bit, not too much.
Seems that I didn't quite have all the figures primed and ready for painting. Stumbled upon an 'out of sight, out of mind' box of Battle Valor figures. There are now about 25 more figures to prep, some men, some women, a couple of bullocks to go with the 'executioner's wagon'. The cooler bits are a couple of women a bit on the 'untoward' side of things, probably use as harlots - and they will also have a place with my musketeers, most likely entertaining Porthos and his close friends. I suspect many of the figures will get assigned to the convent and monastery, agriculturally inclined or serving girls sorts, but some might be a little up the feudal ladder a bit. Oh, and one figure with a lute on his back which will be a fun addition. Not sure the executioner is 'fun' but he sure will add some scenario options!
More to paint. Happy to paint. Will add some extra 'character' to it all.
-
Turns out there were a few more than 25 figures to add in under the Robin Hood umbrella:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTw5DrLjn-huhy12uGn-D_0O97BvkHs8iATKFw5_RbEaV9u2pSLBxLUhWpfXPSeejryHn6HmU3TdqqaF4_A-U0aJnsQ-U6FtysMUISZQ8c_vfmw3cgdaAutzvMrzcPFa7d9Lyui4BnlExfDTDzjUXGUKolf-r0m-O1MMhcEjxvE_Sz1i-yhP2SuljFTw/w480-h640/IMG_8267.jpg)
-
That should keep you out of trouble for a little while lol
-
Just a quick note: those six stands on the left towards the top in the last photo above have been removed from the Robin Hood setup, moved to Banana Wars since not really appropriate for my variation of the myth. But they may prove fun in that other setting. ;)
-
I have now added names for all of the individually based figures in the photo above for July 5th, see above.
There are 15 women: Bia, Carlotta, Catalina, Eira, Fia with Sif (a girl baby on her back), Fiora, Gilma, Gunnora, Hawise, Iolanda, Odelgarde, Revna, Yrsa, and Irene (at the stake).
And another 43 men: Crispin, Drago, Elric, Hawk, Njal, Orvyn, Piers, Svend, Torsten, Wilkin, Bertolf, Bernt, Gelfrid, Jorgl, Heinz, Jodokus, Lodwig, Nenker, Ramwold, Vasold, and Wolferam. Also: Alardus, Bertolf, Dirske, Eckel, and Gotfridus - special characters if a bit 'unusual', the conceit is that they are dressed up for an event (perhaps an execution?). Peter and Colin, dog handlers. Then: Bazzu, Cabi, Durr, Galib, Hamdun, Ishraq, Jalid, Maymun, and Sumayl. (Those last are joined by 39 unnamed men on 13 groups of 3 to a base). Finally: Jack Kanketchum - the executioner, Eli - the evil priest, Wyglo - the torturer, and Harry - the somewhat dimwitted assistant who is strong as two oxen.
The dogs with Peter and Colin are: Jangelor, Mouse, Knave, and Trusty. The eight WarDogs are: Sturdy, Whitefoot, Clenche, Grisly, Thunder, Ballsbiter, Jenny, and Simone. When these canines make an appearance on the table I can just use the existing dog handlers.
I do believe that is all the figures I will be naming. That adds 58 (43 male, 15 female) named figures and 39 unnamed men plus 12 named dogs. I will have to review this thread and my blog postings to ensure I've recorded all the names - and that spellcheck hasn't screwed them up! I have all the names recorded, just need to verify they show either here or on the blog or both.
Why all the named figures? Well, as games make it to the table for this collection, each iteration can focus on a particular figure or small number of figures to keep driving the narrative without being excessively repetitive. Or such is the hope. The main characters may, mostly, be the drivers of the narrative but all the other figures can spice up scenarios. Also, the names just might help in inspiring the painting; hope so.
-
And a wee bit more. Already listed some of the mounted civilians in posts above but there are four additional mounted females: Yvonne, Sulena, Celine, and Leontina. Also, the one listed as Torie should be Toric. For my own benefit, I really need to make 'box' lists for what goes in each of the now eight containers of figures. Perhaps I will work on that as I put all of the figures into color coordinated boxes - that will help when hunting for items to run a game.
-
I finally pulled out my old JR Miniatures castle with some additional components that was going to be a 'much bigger' castle but I've decided to reduce it some.
Here are some images:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqg2Xr3zOrBKbhZSMZrMhLElppz9EZ0ouTqhqFtEdSUcIyMpXntEQaas9Jk4A54ykxcfi2YkBF2p_WqROpnVdwWiCx-Iua0E2ya-bfS8z4mOYbRf7hWfM9g8VgctBwxUdZm19EHc2EROaEjhOgxnTrRzYs8K7X8h40zuTrqJR-V05Lz0jGAVh0Sk2T8tk/w640-h480/IMG_8400.jpg)
An overall view of the components. No idea where the keep came from, long forgotten if I ever knew. Same with the white pieces I cut to fit the larger castle but find they work for this arrangement, too. Might make some minor tweaks.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqAXloCOZk9866wOevdSqJzN6k8lOt94JUbApFW3Aft7-S-Q-ZYap4sDabZUgi6mrs4Hb8JlXTu7Ai-AkIx3XOomUxur_VoWxaKPv2ij2pTa83YyAr3d1tY37ffjOlKxD9Iz0Q7792rrRG_mp6cW4SdOoJ_COrko2yesC8pi1QBrPgCbVqdsLr5tyx0wY/w640-h480/IMG_8402.jpg)
Just a view from a different angle.
And two closer views of the keep from different angles:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-SuD5GVsbhARgsMzeOmQn3-7XdjwZHRvi8fBgsgVh6gFxeG2rz4znNJi02WMeiAQk_QYTDgrq_ruxkazFcQ_OTiErILhQvN4a3bN9O4lIcKRQ9Y9R1HfXD0gE8CHBe98_i87nA2dfVhclYaBQiT52gRp3NTH49W3JaJKpmZEFYV75cEUgvihiSSW8_g/w480-h640/IMG_8403.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhac_BQ4ZOG5B9nOvoM5ik-Y6j-bMMU9qMrluEfCMjKEwquiyeL0HSHeo7CNZ91ohwsbkCPBu-ruiihbj9hSH1BIeTk_1o1Dq5hmOeELe42aj-Iu23z4Sd9Q9M8RMBSETZIPaHATiSeL4AibZKMF12dWh3eJvXOASn-2NIFbcfrzcFpNjqALpsl8tQTbc0/w480-h640/IMG_8404.jpg)
And last image, some additional components which I think I will use to build wing walls out to either side of the castle to 'sort of' enclose the town nearby - will need it to be removable if I don't want to use them. Idea might not work if I include a moat around the castle which is pretty likely.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjff-PxJCWHEyxGVTdPH60fVbiK2ibPmcIckwis1FnIqd2vvVebC4hSmnqy-At-MHhlaI4kXiSnpXSleAmVBnTVn0adf-bebg-lPLdc7jDu6e3KPItjDzdcpivz2v-wQELNsQbfdLNGlR6vz3BU5L1JcRIN6No1ttGZ3JF4ICeUMt3ElRWCAJBQJAmlxDM/w640-h480/IMG_8401.jpg)
Does anyone know of any company that makes Hoardings designed to work with the 15 mm JR Miniature castles? Or something readily adaptable? I think it would be cool to include at least some hoardings. Thanks to anyone who knows of anything?
-
Those castle pieces are impressive, looking forward to seeing the final product.
-
Going to spend some time thinking about how I want to base the castle to include a moat. I will probably use a product from Chooch Enterprises (now owned by Walthers - a model railroad supply company) similar to this:
(https://www.walthers.com/media/catalog/product/cache/944635636b347bd2be13fbc42a882726/f/l/flexible_cut_stone_wall_with_self-adhesive_backing_214-8260.gif)
Maybe not that specifically. These come in about a 4" x 12" highly flexible foam-like form. The biggest challenge I foresee is the edging. I figure to have both sides of the moat lined with this but not the bottom of the moat. Probably make the moat pretty shallow in reality and let whatever water effect I use represent the depth of the moat.
And I figure it will take three full turns to cross the moat leaving any figures in the process highly vulnerable to the castle garrison - as they should be.
-
Castle looks beautiful so far- love the ruling on the moat too.
-
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUMHFzNtruIS3NJOTxICcosIZOlDlfw6BBKBtdPNOxCD5HvsrIliSJcGV6O7YTNr61R_bLXshvQri94xuUOph_CeIZJ0vMlCI7ehNjCg3e2nOQMdeG5wnrZ-U9PmLDLEbxqnirGMI-FW4Jk-1PjLPbcAuDmKXgeuSak71tRjyYwslyq9gWHHP_2Z2wwo/w480-h640/IMG_8513.jpg)
Just a photo of eighteen plus one trees which will be the principal trees of my Sherwood Forest (or maybe Sliverwood Forest?). The eighteen are from JTT, 4-5" Dark, Waterside, and Sunkissed, 6 each. After pulling these out of their packaging the first thing was to spray them with a flat sealer to reduce loss of greenery over time - and experience says may need a bit more than that, perhaps a spray on adhesive. The plus one tree is from a model railroad shop I bought for super cheap that will be the druidic center when I want to add that in or maybe sometimes the "ancient oak". So, the forest "in training". I do have a bunch of additional deciduous trees, mostly smaller, to round out the forest or make it bigger. Just these shown here will get some special attention when getting based.
-
In keeping with my latest 'thing', I am looking at painting a sub-set of all the above, mostly the 'main characters' on single bases to reduce what needs to get painted to put this collection on the table. What is left unpainted may still, eventually, get painted, but a smaller total will paint faster and get the game on the table.
While I've always known I was collecting more figures than really needed - and really needed to reduce at some point - it was brought home rather starkly that my excessive collections all need considerable reductions to make them more playable. And to get them playable sooner than later, paint fewer. Only collection, so far, that isn't getting reduced is the AWI.
Robin Hood, if all goes well, will make it to the table in 2025, just in much more modest numbers. Just makes too much sense to do otherwise.
-
An AWI game to get through this coming Saturday, the 19th, and then Robin and company shall sneak out of storage and to the painting table! Huzzah!
Progress will be slow as I also focus on non-miniature priorities, some of fun flavors and others of the necessary variety.
-
(https://www.forgedinbattle.com/image/cache/catalog/War_And_Empire_III/WE3/WE-F-49-Arthurian-Warlords--stronghold-800x600.jpg)
(https://www.forgedinbattle.com/image/cache/catalog/War_And_Empire_III/WE3/WE-F60-NORMAN-MOTT-BAILEY-800x600.jpg)
Was looking at the old stone cast JR Miniatures castle shown earlier in this thread and once again I'm worried at both its weight and fragility - and its overall size on the table. I'm thinking I might, instead, go with these two Forged in Battle models shown above. One to be Nottingham Castle and the other to be the ancestral home of the Robin Hood lineage, or something like that.
Probably keep the Keep though:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-SuD5GVsbhARgsMzeOmQn3-7XdjwZHRvi8fBgsgVh6gFxeG2rz4znNJi02WMeiAQk_QYTDgrq_ruxkazFcQ_OTiErILhQvN4a3bN9O4lIcKRQ9Y9R1HfXD0gE8CHBe98_i87nA2dfVhclYaBQiT52gRp3NTH49W3JaJKpmZEFYV75cEUgvihiSSW8_g/w480-h640/IMG_8403.jpg)
Thoughts?
-
I suppose it all depends on what you want.
To be honest, none of them look like a castle from the 'Robin Hood period' (I'm assuming late 12th century, since he's often named alongside Richard I).
I suppose that Arthurian stronghold could pass muster as a fortified manor house.
All that said, though, Robin Hood is fictional and so you could use any of them. The deciding factor is whether you are going for setting him in a historical period (in which case none of them are suitable) or whether you prefer a more Hollywood Robin Hood, in which case any of them are a goer.
-
Thanks Dice Roller. However, my reading shows that the motte and bailey castle was still common - and still being built, including by him (perhaps pre-King) - at the time of Richard I but they were converting more to stone castles at that time and a pretty rapid conversion after that. But I think the common conception is that it was mostly stone castles at that time - certainly Hollywood thinks so!
I did some hunting for a more 'traditional' castle via 3D prints in 15 mm and really didn't find anything that appealed to me. Thus my question here in part because I own both of them (though not yet assembled and painted).
But welcome further input - and especially any options for a 15 mm castle that is affordable and less fragile than stonecast.
-
I'd go with the lovely pink walls you have already! It's a bit more Hollywood, but it's immediately recognisable as a medieval castle. Your 'keep' model though looks more wizard's tower to me, most keeps were big boxy structures.
There's not loads left of Nottingham castle, but there are some good reconstruction images, might also be worth looking at Lincoln castle which is just down the road, and was extensively built up in the post Norman era (and later too).
The two you have linked both look too early. I assume the Arthurian one is meant to be a repurposed Roman way fort or similar ?
-
Those 'pink' walls are nice but also heavy and fragile - and the footprint is quite large comparative to table size. As stated. Might still use but definitely exploring options.
One option might be to use the motte and bailey castle but with some clear construction going on to covert towards a stone castle.
Another option is to push the legend a bit earlier into the reign of Henry II and the aftermath of civil war (Revolt of 1173) and develop the story of young Robin and young Richard developing a relationship during this time. Richard can still be in France and John can still be involved as a young and impressionable younger brother - jealous of his elders. Apparently it was during Henry II's reign that Nottingham converted from motte and bailey to stone.
Or I can push the conversion to stone to a later date and keep it all during Richard's reign. At least one source has a motte and bailey castle in England in use as late as 1202 at which time it was abandoned.
Or I can use 'modeler's license' and just go full Hollywood and dispense with history and just go with fun and what I have available! After all, why go to the expense of building a full new movie set when you can reuse one from a recent production with a few tweaks here and there? The audience, mostly, doesn't care anyway; they just want a fun tale to entertain them. ;)
It is just 'a legend' so who can really argue for historical accuracy? :o
-
Found this and working with supplier on adding some extra walls:
(https://tabletopterrain.com/cdn/shop/products/tabletop-terrain-walls-norman-fort-walls-ruined-fort-walls-country-king-fantasy-historical-walls-38235768357091.jpg?v=1663184133&width=640)
And this to go inside (and why the extra walls):
(https://tabletopterrain.com/cdn/shop/files/tabletop-terrain-building-norman-stone-fort-country-king-fantasy-historical-building-40529475010787.png?v=1740759665&width=1214)
The keep can be used on its own for some scenarios. And, yes, in 15 mm. Please ignore the fantasy/sci-fi whatevers in the photo!
Sort of reminds me of the castle, the keep anyway, in the movie Ironclad. Better options?
-
I looked at that keep in 28mm. Good choice.
-
And the Norman castle and keep ordered - with extra walls to be included! Yee-haw.
And the first two batches of figures pulled from the closet to a table out in the garage and next move is to the painting table to get at least enough figures painted for a preliminary skirmish or seven. Alas, there will be interruptions, still need to get some units painted for Bunker Hill in June. And I also hope to get Musketeers on the gaming table this year. But Robin and friends, and the less friendly sorts, too, are a priority for this year.
-
Last evening I pulled out some primed figures and got started painting and this morning I pulled out more so "a beginning has been made":
Robin, Marian, Little John, Azeem (in my version) and Yasmina along with 'companions' to each of the characters joined today by the Sheriff - and a few counselors, Guy, Mortiana, again with 'companions' and a couple of dog handlers and dogs, 66 in total to paint counting horses, dogs, and a falcon in this first batch.
And even received notice that my castle is already on its way and I only ordered it yesterday, maybe pre-printed or maybe just cranked out by the banks of 3D printers the company has at work. Tabletop Terrain take their business seriously it seems. Good service in all my orders so far with any errors corrected straight away.
The biggest 'challenge' before me now is perhaps withdrawals. Why? I have literally nothing in mind to buy for my miniatures hobby that isn't already owned or in transit, no plans, no desires. The hard part is not looking forward - beyond the order on its way - to something new arriving. Might miss that 'let's check out what's in the box' moment.
I must now resolve to hold fast and focus on either completing what I have or parting with the excess and there is a lot of excess.
-
'Companions' conjures up all sorts of illicit images in my head...
I find that a rummage in the lead pile often provides those 'let's check what's in the box' moments there is enough there that I can be surprised at what I already have acquired, shocked at how much is stashed away, or pleased to find something that I had already completed but kind of forgotten about.
-
fred, not to worry, they are but sidekicks and reinforcements to the Hero, or Villain. And likely absorb damage prior to any damage accruing to the heros and villains themselves. But using Fistful of Lead I can just give certain figures additional wounds beyond what the rules suggest to keep them going longer - or, and perhaps better, allow the Hero or Villain to be taken out in an individual game but 'guarantee' they return to the fray at a later date and, generally, none the worse for wear.
Not exact, there are some differences, but generally each Key Character Figure has a mounted and dismounted version, two similarly armed single based figures and then a base of three figures also similarly armed. Thus Robin Hood has a foot version, a mounted version, two 'side kicks', and a stand of three more archers. Female figures, mostly, don't get a mounted version, though Marian, of course (and side saddle even!) and at least one of the villainous sorts. Just not that many mounted female figures to be found - though I have some additional but just meant as 'additional' civilian women. I even have some mounted unarmed civilian men that will fit the period.
Smaller games can just be the key figures, medium sized games can bring in the side kicks, and the multi-based figures for use in large sized games.
-
That makes more sense!
I find with FFoL that with some of the key characters I want them to avoid being taken out of action by a lucky roll of a 10 on the first hit or shot they take. Being able to pass this off to a minion sounds thematic and useful. We've also sometimes played that for key characters an out of action is 2 wounds rather than death.
Feels these are going to be some impressively large games.
Despite hailing from just up the road from Lincoln (i.e. Lincoln Green) I don't think I've ever played a Robin Hood miniatures game - we did play a RH RPG I think using the Pendgragon rules which started well, but I don't think we got many games in.
-
Well, fred, as a nearby resident of the area, what would you say is a good color scheme for painting my Robin Hood castle? I've seen photos of Nottingham castle which seems a whitish-yellow color and a peek at local traditional stone says pinkish-yellow. Any easy to post here photos you may have from the area that fit the bill? Appreciate if you can enlighten a little. Anyone else welcome to chime in if you have 'local' knowledge.
Thanks!
-
Worth a google of Lincoln Castle and Lincoln cathedral
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Lincoln_Castle%2C_Lincoln_-_geograph.org.uk_-_689665.jpg)
Which is a pale yellowish stone - and parts are Norman (and some parts earlier) and quite a bit later!
Nottingham castle is a later rebuild - but still likely of the same type of local stone .
-
Thanks, fred, that is a much more reasonable color scheme - for me - than the photos I've seen of Nottingham Castle.
-
u cant go wrong with the printable scenery stuff, have a couple bits myself and its lovely
(got the King and country set and getting the new Throne and Ash set)
-
Too late for a photo but early tomorrow. Got my castle today and I am oh so glad I requested the extra wall sections! Very much needed to use the keep within the walls. At least for me. Simple but effective.
#Edit:
And while many hours later and not enough sleep in between here are the threatened - or was that promised - photos of the castle as received:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk3yfTXdxs7b2HCco7NToLqTQ2nhT2QdESLj8SZ0othiYEXNLRV-cBacbODMDfzZtHucumu76eWe5Wv-TT91gbCeRzRIXY37bl3Kocao0nKBqpN2P6U0sYIrw_1S1HeyGcnM0DPCBNgoz3YepWWtibxwDzgnNKRfXdVPiSsm1uiHgUpRcjGaxEYzlEZg/w480-h640/IMG_9715.jpg)
Just an overall shot - with Robin Hood from Splintered Light, not yet fully painted, just a start.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcCrpQN5o1ny417V_V6Kvey9VI4lxhoKAZ8X3JmrULr7t3KElUzTEeRWdCSdgjLW6YZBETRZ95MS2TfsC1XGoTCBl0KDVYgR5JGA5WFZh7oMnQJYwkTJQ6V4nm12oFny1nJgB7B5yAkxQfPXPITy_-yA5NXloavmsRTrSDVDaglSp-JvHfk1mrmApQpQ/w480-h640/IMG_9716.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn73jQlaEwKtS1ghz10hvwVzBfpyKy6mM5Y3ewt1VNKE-DCjSH59rAggeLfwZ6bLs1A5XdgH5dJVDABOXxrlQFcvarAFU_xqKzuWbjYqyjsjZtzTSKv4LfmBrAPfpmwVFmJ8_S0t21wcE7h_afI-pCttUMpO7mfwwEBqsL-uysGzYQDPoH6GKgRC5T-w/w480-h640/IMG_9717.jpg)
An overhead view.
More on my blog here: https://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html (https://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html)
Only element I don't like is it didn't come with wooden doors for the two gates but those should be easy enough to make. Two elements I really like: the roofed towers give a sense of hoardings without getting fiddly and there is none of that later frippery from fortresses being converted to fancy houses.
Size is roughly 12" x 12" so a great size to fit within a larger game and not overwhelm the board. That "pink" castle above in this thread would take up closer to 24" x 24" though, of course, it could be assembled smaller. So now I have my Nottingham Castle - or whatever I may end up calling it.
Hmm, this one just popped into my imagination: The Sheriff of Rottingham??? Have to think on that one but it sounds fun.
And before putting it away for the moment I decided to experiment a bit with alternate layouts:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKGgkaIy5m-oEeMP4KzuRji8_BXO-darhvzlk20HlIMRl79H30qkWP6tRo50l1eSbeU2FcsMN6fd_q0zYxZvrueoGPwqxBPq0y-LS8THirWzu0Djs9nS0VsqOHv1-aCyOV6elg1DoqjRCTugZ7zoNpupXJQHRlAx7oFeAgWDanV0xmptAzTfwcd4X2lQ/w480-h640/IMG_9722.jpg)
Rectangular - don't like so much.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh4VFPZVGt0SDoh5tVN76tcMBAZKqf5gcu8G0AsL_csvx5W02sK8V1207Y6RzXo1T0bsq0AV66F1QxgI70iiTq5HT8tD4PTl2uoUkRXjVZ4BtWUNTiCz55J8AQG8NLZEFQcCA9ige8hT-bWBNReIBWzjf-NHP8kIdNkbKPPP2UxfgzYbG-HjjcEckeUw/w480-h640/IMG_9723.jpg)
Going back to square but offsetting the gates from center. Better.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMA2joM8_wHz2sum0hu6zK8ZpaRFFXgRJ9XCP5D_Q-TfhfwjMeamvuQEDHMdmo_3LLv78a04D7vy6m9ABAVTQNrEsuOVQMHwlx-qQmU3ftbet0AJ7-40Sz4vCkJub7Dm1549VXpImRnon9_CMkG1bsS6upYf63XUadxcQJSQosOZgzS_ilPVmLIc-SFA/w640-h480/IMG_9725.jpg)
Still square, still have gates offset - but now with towers rearranged. I kind of like this - and leave as is on the far side. Castles were rarely symmetrical so maybe a bit more "realistic".
Note that once built it will all be glued in place on a base - or perhaps two bases for ease of storage - so it won't be rearrangeable, pieces are just too light. So I need to finalize how I want it.
Thoughts?
-
A lovely castle set. Looking forward for the action report of the ongoings there ;)
-
It is rather lovely, but wouldn't make more sense for a tower in each corner? or at least for the two front towers to flank either side of the main gate?
Keep us posted or castled lol
-
Storm Wolf, yes, towers at the corners would be better but this is, now, what I have. And I'm ahead of you on the towers flanking the gates, already decided that would work better from reviewing the image I posted.
I think I may have come up with a sub-castle basing solution: a sandwich of acrylic flat remnants in larger sizes that provide the based overall, a higher base for the castle itself and the far side of the boat and then the top of the lowest base the 'surface' of the moat. Some experimenting to do before I get there.
-
Looks good - suitable in period too, I think
I too would go with a tower each side of the gate.
Are the wall walkways and the roofs of the towers wood? This is quite uncommon in the castles I have visited. And I assume that no one would have cut dressed stone at the top of the walls, and then laid wood over the top, that has rotted away over time.
-
Also I am definitely a non-expert, but I believe it was common for a wood screen of some sort to be between each crenulation around the castle walls to help defend the castles own archers from enemy archers. This is not a modelling idea, but simply to illustrate that many wooden structures would have been made to add shelter for guards and overhead archery attacks that wouldn't have survived into the present day.
So in short anything wooden goes ;) :D, maybe?
Also I thought the towers wouldn't go into the corners because of the design, so either side of the gate would be they way that I would do it.
Interested to see how it turns out at any rate, good luck with it. :D
-
Storm Wolf, a few posts back I used the word "hoardings" - that is the word for those wooden constructions you are referring to I believe. And it would be nice to have them but a lot of work.
And fred, yes, I think the walkways are wood but I will just live with that. Perhaps back in the day they did put down wood. Stone when wet can get really slippery, even rough stone, so maybe. Can't say I really know.
-
Storm Wolf, a few posts back I used the word "hoardings" - that is the word for those wooden constructions you are referring to I believe. And it would be nice to have them but a lot of work.
And fred, yes, I think the walkways are wood but I will just live with that. Perhaps back in the day they did put down wood. Stone when wet can get really slippery, even rough stone, so maybe. Can't say I really know.
My apologies (I forget ;)), however, it was more to illustrate as you have put above, I bet in reality there was much more wood used in stone castles than we see now in the 21st century when they are no longer used for their intended purpose, even if just for comfort and ergonomics. I for one know that a Greek marble pavement is fine until it gets wet, then its like an ice rink :-[ lol
Also you would think that even medieval H&S would have wooden hand rails up on the insides of the drops to stop the unfortunate loss of trained soldiers forgetting where they are and taking a step baaaack, thud!
So sorry, if I forgot that you mentioned the same thing in the past (and probably better :D)
-
No worries, Storm Wolf. It was just a brief 'in passing' mention and not everyone knows the name.
Now, if you are a top notch modeler and want to build some hoardings to match my castle and send them to me for the cost of shipping, have at it, sirrah! lol
-
That’s a great purchase and I agree the extra sections were an essential add on. There is enough room now for you to scratch model some lean-to huttage and covered workshops for the inner walls which would really elevate it and make it looked lived in. Maybe even the classic executioners stand so you can repeatedly enact Robins rescue of his men from Johns filthy clutches!
-
Digits, thanks for that input! And a great idea - and a bit of a stable for the knights mounts. Oh, and I have a perfect 3D print for the executioner's stand - almost as if it was taken from the Kevin Costner movie version. So, yes, a little scratch building is in order; can't cheat everything with 3D prints. ;)
-
Yes some prints may be too elaborate or big…scratching them would be easy and look cool.
-
Well, now that I've got Bunker Hill's 250th anniversary game behind me, I can turn back to my Robin Hood project. In a few moments I shall 'clean' the painting table and put Robin and company back on and hope to have enough of them done to be able to field a game around the end of June or maybe a wee bit into July. Alas, I also have a pulp game I want ready by November that shall be competing - hard - for my attention as well.
But, for the nonce, Robin and friends and fiends it is.
Not a fopdoodle I, but I shall sparple onwards with the Greenwood folk. ;)
-
Hooray! First figures painted, bases textured, and seal coated - ready to hit the table.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpCPZDpXxgY-lAaaF-_-wkGR1VLDJwuinsF72K2tc7v4aFOLDwV0DGgFO4SnF6H_YSs5uc9kVeP5j_3GyXJ_JUEu_O7LhIGuOUI6L54-sJz7_Rk2LTVtxJ3EREbIgJJk7h427axH4dzoTnhkoXC8cadZtgCwisitj5AayZO18CBU_qFOBGrujmRsi1Q/s600/IMG_0136.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpn2MEy4ksotWWRYv9HeLDZJWmmg1Qp5at1ndUGDjgRWO8AK4aMt2PUbBWAvhfMR3JWVFoLOna_-jIm6TzPXSri2OWaubPw5QXZ7HZYEEbhCFLyQyf72ZiM8QfLOBVgDxhcJ3o4VRZliepAR35DgViA2RJ2HUqhnwRiikP-c6dVyC6wX1mSojiUrpWTg/s600/IMG_0137.jpg)
That is Robin Hood, on foot on the left and then mounted, with Will 'Billy' Stutley and Ulric, sidekicks (search not the folklore for Ulric, just an 'invention' of my own), and three Merry Men armed with long bows.
Already in process are Little John and Akeem. Soon Will Scarlet, Much the Miler's Son, and Alan-a-dale will be on the painting table. All five of those are organized same as Robin's contingent. Friar Tuck just moved onto the painting table but not yet started - he gets an extra stand of three clerics. Lady Marian Claire is already on the table (last name from the 1948 movie Prince of Thieves) but she only gets two ladies-in-waiting. Yasmina, Akeem's love interest, on the other hand, gets two 'sidekicks' and a stand of three additional women; for now, she lives in my Robin Hood Myth.
The sheriff and Guy of Gisborne, same as Robin's organization again, but the sheriff gets three of his counsellors/assistants as a separate group are also in process. Mortiana is as Yasmina, and then two dog handlers and their four dogs round out those being worked on. That is Robin's opposition currently on the table. Nearby are many more - as there are many more of Robin's allies in close proximity of the painting table.
I expect almost as soon as I get one group of Robin's enemies ready I will 'rush' to a table and have a game - using Fistful of Lead rules.
Feels good to get to this point. More to do, lads (and ladies), more to do.
-
You may have already seen this but this castle gallows would be perfect for Robin Hood. Can just see him and his men rescuing Will Scarlett from the rope!
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395548774939?chn=ps&_ul=GB&var=664285827879&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1zvNHXXIwRgyzJhd1HrQiZA26&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=710-134428-41853-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=664285827879_395548774939&targetid=2405654676673&device=m&mktype=pla&googleloc=9212434&poi=&campaignid=21697391927&mkgroupid=177203736618&rlsatarget=pla-2405654676673&abcId=10027104&merchantid=662072488&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21697391927&gbraid=0AAAAAD_Lr1f7gB4HaEU8Z4Sve59ADpFU6&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1a-FrM6YjgMVApNQBh0GIDPZEAQYAyABEgKAF_D_BwE
-
Digits, thanks for that link - I have something quite similar to paint, will have to dig it out and take a photo and post. Have a considerable amount of scatter bits for this period - stocks, pillories (some with occupants), torture devices, various market stalls - heck, even a rum distillery (not sure if that is period appropriate - might be better for Three Musketeers). And a cornucopia of crates and boxes, sacks and barrels. Not all of this is from the 3D world but a considerable amount is - bee keepers even (must be working for Friar Tuck!).
My Robin Hood games, once fully developed, shall look quite lived in, indeed.
-
So, went hunting about for the history of distilleries and found encouraging and discouraging tidbits. One, Wiliam Wallace hung out at the Abbey most associated with the first production of whiskey. Alas, the dating of the first distillery is near the end of the 1400s. Does make for some interesting conjectures:
Perhaps there were early experiments in producing what would become whiskey and perhaps Mr. Wallace sampled, liked it - a lot, and it, in part, fueled his raging career? Perhaps there should be a brand called Aqua Vitae William Wallace? Ain't pseudo-history fun?! ;)
Hmm, a little further reading and amongst the many liquids distilled was human blood - now that opens up some even more 'unique' ways to put that little distillery to use. Or not. But someone is going to love that tidbit and game it - if not already.
-
Turns out, Digits, that is the one I have - had to double check. Here it is with some figures for scale:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAh36gwdToGDkWY2rEhZObhyphenhyphen9jm1QhPSkz1Yi60L8sq-Gxksrt6fHMcI658HOs_z0yZp5HcunGBEvqlJxIiQ4KRTxm_v6ai8Inuu4CXOjBy6B2VH4yhPIKGrByo9IBUSPFPVvqZx4C6GqnhhNp68tb7T4WLrlW_LDlzeWa-3gpfbnx-jkJUlQa3cQcDmY/s600/IMG_0138.jpg)
I also have this one, a bit more western in style but could be earlier:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5riPgMQ1oIfG6BLqaMQuTNF4TJ8b_g2u1fUQZjFpSYvIc-f8gLQcgUCBsd4jFXsbl4HAh8xErN0_mw29X7EZs-rMzVG3vT7EyFSZ5PmkhYpSYiCNjM2mKjlJ9SfOBuCkqPrgYJTPEmmceXLL6LSryM1D0h6jAyAkaS4DKfKZ6tpA21vp95N6J51jIVt4/s600/IMG_0142.jpg)
I also have two of these:
(https://tabletopterrain.com/cdn/shop/files/tabletop-terrain-terrain-gallows-old-wild-western-rush-41781798863075.png?v=1717598097&width=1214)
And then a couple of the Bluemoon Old West gallows as well:
(https://i0.wp.com/oldglory25s.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/OW106.jpg?w=468&ssl=1)
You might say I'm well stocked for verdicts of, "Hung by the neck until, dead, dead, dead." And perhaps having so many will help you understand why I had to check which one I had. There are more options out there but I think I'm good for some time to come!
And here are a couple of shots of the distillery:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_BG1ml5u40AH7fmq7mttrKh2K5LBmbxiDSF41Lt8rVwMOHxF0njubIIqgPH_aHqDbKZwQ9u8sPNhzRnlatPZJ3PUnqgq_w-1vNz88i1-CmixNX_rexV8PhoLZujw4Kp8CAsMM1anRiQYKUzF8_Feb-L5JKfXluXRpRrmql5pQ5f8T6DNHrBIZYarU_p0/s600/IMG_0143.jpg)
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDAnC2NOjRr-8FXchvcALoyw3pQ9pMbx-cW7Xl5ZWT3B9w3HGmNdPIx3L3xxQtARbaMM0W4lYy_muxAaxYDrbPI-HhTnRW0ajtxbHGtT1KpYOIKeOSsXqVT3feewzaw6WC6CwK_lOq0RYPtbRvP2fTuNWeJztzZBOhjGSIDS59SvZbrr8E4wUzy-8h9mI/s600/IMG_0145.jpg)
The last is for scale with Billy Stutley. A lot of detail in a small model.
And I've washed all of those in my photos and they are drying prior to assembly, where needed, and then priming and painting. But I really need to focus on figures so I'm off to do that now.
-
That’s a lot of hanging apparatus. Have you thought you might be slightly disturbed? 🤔
-
Mr. Digits,
I must take high umbrage at your usage. For reasons unknown you inserted the word 'slightly'. How dare you! ;)
I'm quite happily far 'around the bend' - normal is just boring so I go for, well, if not disturbed, perhaps 'creatively different'. Or disturbed. I'm especially disturbed at the dramatic failure of the world to properly acknowledge my alternate title: Supreme Emperor of ALL the Universes. How dare they all. Especially those folks in that tiny little cheeky universe just to the left of the Milky Way and also that one in the Fifth Dimension - though I'm okay with some of their music. lol
-
On a more mundane note, I did finish a couple more men and four dogs:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibFYkXt732ZNNiKF6rOJtU4gUrYt-ClpH6KAi2n2pkO1pr8EJg32GuT9d_oyQcPOGsoyYA_NzatKCD4GyhvQa66mBJoy0E0FOC2VaOmo-yYXOhVBTTORHaUiOq2g6hMt5f66THv0fTwvZfnidLcArO6jVlDa7wYmKPHBLFfW5V-MnNbn4RWW5YJw2SA/s600/IMG_0146.jpg)
So progress. Interrupted by a distraction - 194 pieces for my pulp game have moved to the painting table area with 39 actually on the table. But also near the painting table is a whole bunch of 'scatter terrain' meant for medieval gaming so not all distraction. Going to try and get the pulp figures painted, the scatter terrain painted, and still make progress on Robin Hood figures in July. We shall see how it goes. Already painted the piece of terrain linked to by Digits that I already had. Looks fine but I may do a little more to it to enhance it a bit before posting a photo.
-
The painted medieval gallows. A touch up 'in process' on that too light spot. The whole looks much darker in the photo that it does in person, probably the underlying inking to get the darker tones in the crevasses of the wood. Or, and more likely, the color of the lighting, painting lights not photo lights.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBu1xZEd5DY7_H4mOqfYQbB_ShdYMU8vTFrY9fDaVb1-31pm9GYfSsy1sOEY_OVtgAGtlaTfy0ARnMQFC1BTlwqkXbU9_LHmzpGwgsVvhAfh3gLF8bI7gcJwmneRCO_CBNwOdgyhK-bV2uVVO5kf-HFDfY8bzilpfhQj_5PLo8Is0EPkz3hHM1_VN1Of0/s600/IMG_0165.jpg)
-
See here for photos (page 2): https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=149902.msg1929014#msg1929014 (https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=149902.msg1929014#msg1929014)
Finished Little John, Friar Tuck, and Will Scarlet (or Scarlock) and their contingents today. Five more Robin Hood side contingents getting close to being done including Marian and Yasmina's groups. A good start on some of the Sheriff's men and need to get busy with them for a game in just over two weeks.
Possible I might finish the Robin figures in process tomorrow which would get me to 70 finished figures. If not tomorrow, by the weekend unless some disaster strikes. Oh, and that scaffold is 'fixed' now. Hmm, maybe it will feature in that game? Or not.
-
Oh, deer, indeed. About a score of deer to add some flavor to my Robin Hood games. Deer are pretty central to many Robin Hood tales after all.
Here are some photos - a little shiny because just dull coat shortly before photo. And, no, I didn't paint these, Preiser HO models I believe - but I did do some work on the adults, an inked shadow and a little bit of dry brush, and the ruffs on the males. And the bases of course.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQfxSd0E-2jTJ0u3Yaqy6VmSR3L4JVAtvK6IxjyHltdULPGGRDuAZsLq6d2JTxJgYezb1P2KMCvhNkx5I6wpcS3vp9PtieGX6rBLQP55T8-7niVWw56f7e5OJkj1MiroBMkiSIoNx3WwRT_k7ISBEcKl5Lk3PpLUCoGfJgUB65ZlUK37vkfDy5ybWpFw/s600/IMG_0251.jpg)
The whole lot.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMHNxQ-gPmnv_2Ik2aF0RyV42WjpNyBktG_fvOmotOLqStcpk2wGXeSOYwBIEun7qAHswZJgUjeWbx6Yhre6hzYNBtqv58rDb-EhoHRktUV9PPIQx1XoJ0dd9gin2NvEK-275g7KiAWYO3ZSgBBRcwE1NJWEcgVOc398ZvwBN1_mHcb04y0Tn0ikFsQ/s600/IMG_0252.jpg)
Showing the ruffs on a couple of the males.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2cJwWa4kYTynTa7FVelydPg5jLpdDdI_iAHz_SkJYp8NRSJFyTnKVD2geDKuygywCRhtY39X7NhyphenhyphenhTELsWO1XRn_KSJB-ex4tOBeIj0k6cdI0r0Bafzol7hHmowWMMu2bGOuRs7-hOjc4jnEAxROVcjEU_5qiWakhejRjvKJEl7VY9lUboYZT7wyubw/s600/IMG_0253.jpg)
Standing does, seven total poses.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik7i7IrtQxqX2JtLyqrYx4V1MgJvMhvGVZl1aiT23Di-NHMh9wVzFMHHpDlm7aiHMOcQDXmrHfTiGI7o4WTtAtSj_VGUP8EF8oApnKEC_PMuHka7UPW79gYnnWeDhsCCTANJzKdv1diE2_WmE4Cnqg6-jmKxk9CUSswPc8xm9kbigaJdouRjqrAabn2g/s600/IMG_0254.jpg)
Does feeding.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_XI1BdKGvTGPyyHVOdp28R1ptja4ShRmQF1ysH0vcqf_veig5Cq-fu4yBQ2ryKiQZ-9OjlL6JO31SLsRT_3KVyoevVGyKzHeXQkOMsPDRiE5PY4PLsEz3ocZRGaJtUV4YNBmIhZKds2T0m5a7rr_HPY5EZaYObNCYL6MMT9skM7KhON0EIujOYo8PFg/s600/IMG_0255.jpg)
Feeding fawn. Did very little with the fawns to avoid wiping out the spots.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3gLlxCrUF2_bGv5bS-UaIgyf9qj7UZLznznoAiwAg0e6oMvH-N3aCB7wmBOm4DMi2RYDR7qK6mTkQls-DZBCye82IjG6s6B7nfUzrosSquTmm6uh9TFsw5_MJxMzMwmktSja8pcC3P5jkpyunZ8ztaQsu3SIhbrQTXZ-LavLEO4W8eii2jusHCcHlNA/s600/IMG_0256.jpg)
Lying down and standing fawns.
I decided to work on these as a 'just in case'. If I don't get enough of the sheriff's figures done in time for the game two weeks from tomorrow, I can extemporize a deer hunting game. And if I do get enough painted, the deer will still play an integral part in the scenario planned.
-
Who killed Bambi?
-
Nice work, fifteensaway - as you point out deer, or hunting the kings deer, was what turned many of the 'merry men' into outlaws. That lot will be very interesting to have in a game - bonus points for the outlaws to grab some venison in any game! lol
-
Thanks. And now I've turned my imagination to dead deer. I have a bunch of others but a good deal bigger that I am thinking to sacrifice to become dead deer, there is a leaping pose that I think would work well. I suspect workable because the ones above are a bit small next to my Robin Hood figure, workable - but a bit small.
I'm thinking the defunct critters can be both 'victory points' and 'oh, no, caught with contraband' useful within games.
If anyone knows of any in 15 mm, please let me know.
-
Hmm - now there's a challenge. Apart from the ho/oo railway models I've been unable to find any, which is odd as I've been able to find all sorts of other animals; bison, ostriches, llama's and so forth, but no deer. The closest I've found so far are an antelope from Irregular mini's and an Elk from Splintered Light.
-
Rick, deer are relatively easy - if not too particular, toy departments at places like Michaels and Hobby Lobby here in the states (big craft stores). It is a dead deer that is more of a challenge. That Irregular pronghorn antelope was a request I made many years ago - along with the rhino, hippo, ostrich, and the "tree monkey", that last not quite what I was hoping for but still a fun option. They subsequently added some additional animals for Africa. Not sure if the hyena was one of my requests, might have been. Like I said, a long time ago.
-
I know, I was just searching to see if anyone did such a thing, or a metal deer that be converted.
-
For the upcoming game, I have all of the Robin Hood forces table ready with the latest completions:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnBcNMvHQbKxV5wJlw5Oa2rVqw1qHVKaykqoBOJYmaFO6SCKP89bdjOLuNhxHilOz63rQPeWnzEepBcMi7ymtQl4QCQbZ4hmrHm8BILSHG_0ZOfFZnb7EKx3RwHgouK0XkIamZucNM1X_1lJ43uFU5YXazH_GCr1G6x-I_3IIhHqxHqnO7K1yYff7Psw/s600/IMG_0276.jpg)
The five new contingents.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7EKT2bW2SfCQq3rYfn8XRs92UoJAVaYSg4sKPyaVDursbEC97QOISfRJnb5kCDuMbeAKaeawtaK3kU6Xq_m1vqN0z04G_mgeIcb_dXrCOb7uGIjq0Uav1_EljyrT7DiwVu4wT1nArAw2KI8mOIO31Q-94oIxhZN_u4b_6wjluVQ1d93qdMcxOzuMrA/s600/IMG_0277.jpg)
Yasmina's group, Akeem's love interest. Hey, it's my game, I can have whichever characters I want - and alive if need be! lol. She is the only "principle character" in this lot without a foot and mounted version.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8GaV9de4wkxAcelhLTFoSxNiFEK_51cc36k_j6sE_rJKg2w8EdYSLi0UJJpTACD9sM22nWFpkp076BzylcWhL54Oik8Mgh9q8c03mtcY5V0E4XK6BF6CUxIXq4qVYTT8SsXvrWzxc3SAW3j7wpBuLFBZvsiXDKeL3t8igXFSsEwvEXAoAy2cjDRDGSg/s600/IMG_0278.jpg)
Akeem and his force. If I get really brave, I may go back and do more work on the sea eagle falcon the mounted version has. And, no, no idea if anyone actually used sea eagles for falconry but it sure looked like a colorful bird to paint.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHBoON26DL13YJyUc7Od3i9KcnQhQu1fFzLVCVz3aGB2me9Xhtpaj9fu5mU7DCiny6sgbaUVyAWL32gTd88oV_8sT-VpZJVbdX5cFKMVqn8HtNXJWiJUPuQQ3hqWgTm6PyNe_zDHnQK9_WWnJkXSBxex2e-ZzBbVsP8hp6iBJEcVGLIVepujxyvPuxaQ/s600/IMG_0279.jpg)
Much, the Miller's son.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSFXYNpyP_JTo7H6Xe0FVWSeUTi6WzZCc5cMQgb5V8CYmVCd8jO315IOPbK14obAfprludytL-tk3iFtfksTGkIGVqao8wO0Y-oqDL22zcEKZithZZ0PRxtA-c99Cnq5CwWQ4UJAONDVBK6JKPWc5n1GtvdXMvbYNn5aJXdECKM40zzk_uQJsDBqtBYA/s600/IMG_0280.jpg)
Alan-a-dale. And, yes, he is actually 'playing' his lute; well, the version on foot is at least.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQcymKoodgrO1igAamSXXCmYr5b8ratvmKR-bU0pgaSjO86WOVh4tkvIn90G7kKLB57jsgTC2uwBbw-HGij4I-rInG_Jxy-BlGg3A7IQNIWFfnT86vxucMXZgqe-9b8kJeXr04hegnEMrO5-K2M9DzN8gJQslbeItD2_jJs5c_n_6AbYuED9kZ9zGtHQ/s600/IMG_0281.jpg)
Last but very definitely not least is Lady Marian Fitzwalter, Robin's love interest - and normally in his company though sometimes she will be a captive to be rescued. Yes, she has both a foot and mounted version. If I decide it is necessary, I can easily add a stand with three more women for her contingent.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXkJTXmSVA2sXzTDPMxIxkFOEHr63QQsa82KHNmZuvbGsA3wARbRQQdcyEvLWUdCtfvP-oP83gyi8hyYZVO3YFuBf-N80hDMikCUqDyMLdbxQyV0083Y7vpTc1tlokPIjnPecTMjR8WEJUdAsR1z0YL_1nmYzYRg00TBEVeVFilHWRN27EPG5yba8iA/s600/IMG_0283.jpg)
The whole of Robin's force painted with him, Little John, Friar Tuck, and Will Scarlet added to the mix, left to right (except insert Marian next to Robin). The newest five groups are not in same sequence either.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw2BefvymhxWsMbmnQToomH2QFHmpgHbtzBWPAIn-hmy1SbYn4bOvnhr_OOtEe6VqWtp0dFS5Oycz_HypihYe81Z-7HgisatbTIO69lWNKGnFmD6SjccxXbMA7LE2XSUgKWDToPsyV22dE7WcQzG7Phsr2dyKsP95RFz6j3gwsPC_fzhvcNOp22nn1EQ/s600/IMG_0285.jpg)
Dead deer 'in training'. Shall remove the stands and glue to a base as tokens either as trophies or 'oh, no, I've been caught red handed' moments. But do I model blood and guts, literally? Maybe. Maybe not.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugpbOq3YteDtYFRNFFraEU_XpQatD9OKVaUgbk9T5C9lflvrGHyOqNN_LgSodTXCrdUn_Qh0e33A2qHtya-CN2zcvRFCaOirao_7ewZqDbQHCHzcjLR-0OcQIeirmxhD99AP6WpDVzZLGz8mftMC7yE_pCKRS_vh84G0bsAlEv1fnTxYYFR-H-hgMlQ/s600/IMG_0284.jpg)
Progress made, much to do, to get this lot ready for the game, the Sheriff's forces.
Many additional figures in the wings, all primed and ready for painting when needed. Shall add all sorts of scenario options.
That's it for now.
-
Very nice - should be a good game.
With the deer, I'd just sand the underside, stick them down and, if you're feeling adventurous, model a small arrow sticking out of the chest. They likely wouldn't gut them on the spot but take them somewhere out of the way to butcher them.
Very nice models though.
-
A distraction but a worthwhile one since these will be needed for the game (though I have other trees I could use):
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOxzzFqX6jHHDdrQSmDq9yl9xi5rBIfoBm-MWREHzJO_6Z5OqO15oG0mtPuFaaexrf3p75VEA3oyj5DsvFCsNlH3nvbty6rTIx7Nrj-alta7ch26k4HRS5kkFDuam2uO2U39w6xXDyIPelszS8Mv7mu2O6aGBe-XrvEjLBPmcVE7tXo_NVKkfuz2h3Xw/s600/IMG_0291.jpg)
Need to lighten the darkest trees in the batch on the right as well as rework the trunks on all of those trees. Also need to work on texturing bases on the whole lot. However, I'm pretty sure this verdure will meet, with what I already have, all of my Sherwood Forest needs (and other forest for other games as well!).
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh8qfnhuIDwuN-NxAuaYYK-YjuVOcNuc1sa3rMzYJCDpHtgJA0c4026sH099o8Dl57Sbqvi5SIYTWOiHB9Otf1D_xN-TwKzIIiGrno4eQ6VAWXZJ4Y0yRkt0QEuf59XioSnu0SrOniunrGYvOBWlONt52v1uffD9Yf7SOWehVQPVMe-yXfKnuek8kIxg/s600/IMG_0292-2.jpg)
Darker trees already made lighter - and a couple of dead trees made brown but with more work to go. Just another step along the process.
-
Did a practice setup of the terrain today - and only, roughly, 30" x 40"; that is minuscule by my normal standards:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz-tMxdqz2XIKm96vQr03o3y6a47_3CQG03yGWznO9v040CduzAUUxIwEUAvsnZRgKY4A9Imsv4PkVnZuDZ89Et3of139-7GslhAYiGb4jekqlFBxnLQc7oNyBGMtt5OZ0rAZgkKiiFHnLbIkRo0SqhuhQjUHtbsI5QbA6XzVCnIJcPbgjI972a8Bu3A/s600/IMG_0294-2.jpg)
That is a 'reasonable facsimile' of what the table will look like. I did hold back a few items just in case any players are haunting this thread. And I reserve the right to make adjustments. If time permits, hope to have tree bases textured, at least for this lot.
Oh, and I did this in my garage while it was 105 Fahrenheit outside! Yikes.
-
The sheriff's contingent now painted and most still await bases getting textured but will get done in time for Sunday's game. Not so sure on the tree bases getting textured but I think in good enough status to put in a game - still going to try and get them textured if I can. Photos later.
Edit: Photos later than expected, email provider system having 'connectivity' issues.
However, 65 figures (counting horses) newly painted with bases textured and all sealed so ready to join the game. Likely less than half of both Robin and Sheriff figures will be used in the game on Sunday - but they are at hand if needed. Perhaps if a second game happens more will get used. Photos when email decides to cooperate. Also got 45 trees with bases textured and trunks colored.
-
You'll likely need a lot more trees. Sherwood Forest was a very big, ancient, forest in the medieval period. It would have some open areas and trackways through it but it would be very dense in a lot of places - this was the whole idea; the outlaws would retreat where the cavalry couldn't get them and the infantry were at a severe disadvantage in the dense growth. You'll need, at least, a few really dense patches where the outlaws will have all the advantages.
-
Up at an unreasonable hour and able to get the photos sorted out.
And, Rick, you are correct and I do have a large number of trees to still get table ready but for the purposes of the pending game, these should do well enough along with some additional trees also ready - but some of them, not all, might need texturing which goes quite fast. However, there is also the matter of playability within the forest so it cannot be too dense, though I will greatly enhance that self-same density with as much lichen as the table can support and still maintain a playable board.
Here is a shot of the 65 figures for the Sheriff's forces, all now table ready:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikmc4kNJvzYTG5yoaa92f03Xm6AEK7u2fpgn3FMpti5dzxfhQhvvZoCgi834idmZPdW5UAoQruGJ6zI8jiXUEEC86x8O1fQeDKATbn3TEeNkSI9pBUpkBooWtk1cY9kO3_18gSSstcLaarUmzldaaX4prcrPgJjCCvBeSNnBzBCNr4d8rxa8fu-pM6dw/s600/IMG_0297.jpg)
The Sheriff himself, foot and mounted, and his sidekicks and stand of three, the 'standard' contingent. He also gets three single based counselors/tax collectors to use in some scenarios, probably not the one upcoming.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlYJMTcMre-MYDjddF5tYk5Wa8b4i1yAoOWXvUXiG0L7Slv2Ubh-fOwu7WOj1QERW3DgrAeyGHHtuiNEvIKTXiQ4fODKgeJp3vBZULaMpnGRvhY1jEwlh8vtvgda-t20tpXECmOmXXxGMk4r-tqRVfM9gyUU8_4nMMYRam1NqvVHURgwO6gym1k6j0ag/s600/IMG_0298.jpg)
Mortiana, the one character that does not get a mounted version in this grouping. Again, for varied scenarios.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7YyD8kmmFwcgMpOHEbeq_tko70hfGc78IaHHR8RHOiTc8G_N36h2s9IKmtq81hy1tW74aQd67ftNrD_mH5W0ZqAIDWd77RedGD2aGo5JRJiudwg_x4WUMJIGmkGXtFVfrR3JN4JTUfuKtMFC_SAFOjMG4Jae1Ii1WChXPPfNjj7OhYFEs2w7sLSK9g/s600/IMG_0299.jpg)
The rest can be found here: https://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html (https://steeplechasingzebras.blogspot.com/p/robin-hood.html)
At such an early hour, I need more sleep!
-
Rick, you will be pleased to know that there are a total of 70 trees ready for the game - and maybe four added to meet your concern, or maybe to get to a round 70! ;)
-
Photos later but here is the note I placed in the local club I/O site about the game today:
Well, seems there was enough interest to fill all four spots in the Robin Hood game. My thanks to the players:
Dennis (Robin Hood, Robin's contingent, Lady Marian's contingent, and Little John's contingent)
Dave (Friar Tuck's contingent and Much the Miller's Son's contingent)
Glenn(Sheriff of Nottingham, Sheriff's contingent, Einar's contingent (who?), and Mortiana's contingent)
Aaron (Guy of Gisborne's contingent and Captain Ralph of Huntingdon's contingent)
Robin and the Sheriff could act on their own, the rest were 'contingents' that acted together (Bigger Battles after all) which usually was the "Principle" character (foot or mounted), his (or her) two sidekicks (or ladies-in-waiting), and a stand of three figures which counted as one figure (or die's worth)(to get more figures on the table but not overdo it). There were some differences, especially with the female contingents and Friar Tuck got an extra stand of three clerics (who fought as normal). What that means, at basic, is that generally no player needed more than four dice at any one time (Friar Tuck excepted initially).
Technically, Robin Hood's side won the game by not letting Marian get captured and taking a bunch of deer (not quite half of what was potentially possible) but as a practical matter the Sheriff ultimately ended in a better situation with a stronger force still on the table. Robin's side was reduced to Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck, Lady Marian (one lady-in-waiting?), and Will "Billy" Stutley. The Sheriff survived as did, I think, all - or most - of Einar's force (he is a character of my creation to represent the heritage of the Danelaw in England; easy to add lots of Robin related named characters, a bit more challenging on the Sheriff's side).
Alas, poor Sir Guy not only lost his entire contingent but he himself was taken out and the end-of-game dicing told us he was as dead as one of the Merry Men's deer. Much the Miller's son also went down but the end-of-game dicing indicated he was but temporarily knocked senseless but will be good as new come the dawn.
There was, literally, much merriment (laughter) throughout the game. And the piece-de-resistance was when Dennis, in dire straights, decided to send Marian and her tiny contingent of just two ladies-in-waiting into the fiercest of the fray's in the game and with the hilarious comment (in context) "When you want it done right, send a woman to do the job." And they did a job on the Sheriff's forces they faced (Aaron's forces). Part of what made that such a bold decision was that if the Sheriff's forces captured Marian they gained an instant victory (until a follow on scenario that just might have tried to rescue her). What was that about Robin's Band of Merry Lasses or something to that effect?
I think in the next game of Adventures of Robin Hood I will endeavor to ensure that each player has both melee forces and bow armed forces, not necessarily in equal measure.
Any missteps or mistakes made during the course of the game lie at the foot of yours truly. I did make a few minor tweaks to the rules but I think it worked out okay. But it seems fun was had by all including me who indulged in a good deal of that laughter.
The player's are again given my thanks and an invitation to provide their "own side of the story". Whether their story shall bear on the truth or not is immaterial, what matters is how did their force provide them fun in the game!
Edit: I was not witness to a lot of what happened at the far end of the table but Mortiana and her contingent apparently got swept from the forest during the course of the day.
-
Afraid got too distracted to take as many photos as I'd hoped for but here are some to get a visual impact of the game:
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0kl8jvZcLD5jq8Jp8EIzim7K5-SB909aogFfdE9-z4p-xSG8fmYOHhiAd6KvMLYKSHK4hAk7yo_uVzrrEsiXCs8zW0Ny5d4Oi-hjGeOQlgWlJ5kyBA6cIlVKptLEw4rByXx7TKuq9W3Wy2HYPbfGQqJLvz8AsGsd4Blpwp5GCLh4DYbHbZ4ZAAJ5CRw/s600/IMG_0312.jpg)
The table at set up, not quite all in place but almost everything, mostly a few GM adjustments to where the players put the terrain in assistance of setting up. And, yes, I know weeping willows were not native to England, arrived much later, but I like the trees and they suggest a moist environment so I used them along the river.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTRnLbNcyr8KU4oWSJMvPugJrwic-TUFxhzOuYRaMb6V6hI8MAUMRhD2OEI0cLy85boITZ0IOLYbJ65lvM6QQMhGGO_K6lMSlzi9bRAu_DEGBXpCv893r-HQkKMuAuRkspOkmNcEjmrKpgg1L0vBtTS1SxmgOKd5HBYZbqKZmkhDyBoXayqRtBQvWNvQ/s600/IMG_0313.jpg)
A closer shot of the river.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVOJronwOT5nUWZa3tNQm_1OBkMQBkQyV6TqRERvU0ngh1pg4dVzPoaB7A5Nw8IL8tHKZzR9D_zSnQE4xXJJFZ8hfRt9NlQ5huqX665Wl3-qG-MG90W1kI-1ZGXZI_98EFzWoQOVDJ0F5cWcuw2bIdrd4oVQhbZdWKbQEOhVHR0nC94liFbsfNKfOoXg/s600/IMG_0314.jpg)
The "Hanging Oak", a twisted wire tree I bought with a lot of 'snow' on it that I recolored. Wasn't actually used as a landmark in this game, just the tallest tree in the forest.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilDiUwPwB8DPinjx7zC_op4CpvvNpZdJ72mfGU2ZpOCzMZTnN8vHhjvIvVnS_76sa3dB4R8XsSoa_k7Z2R2mgqxoCr1HvU9bGdTsAJKx-UkttC7aySawqu_YdVWnBzAfyfhCprEY0YCYqLgAmsWZ4j05JWCH5kziwCWWYPcJ5B7GYrd7i2gWT3MKL5sQ/s600/IMG_0316.jpg)
Lots of deer on the table - and lots of deer taken by the Merry Men before battle was joined. Probably need to make it a bit harder for the deer to be taken.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjITBuCOKbhffe3ivc93v89XuSo7tztHH1sHbve9F7Uv9cdZoiSgvG8ak-odz0dBOurTOGdQX_W_TikBH-OkQLDK7t8hnUwTKu0VcFf1XmF0O00jFUxMCXCtq9ugFnnkN2U3fRcP9JxeRLAaKTF_egunY8woUrRbqpW24ub3pNJRoPMLNQW1E4CLYczAw/s600/IMG_0317.jpg)
Ralph of Huntingdon and his contingent - players took a turn or two to get used to the foot versus mounted for the 'princple' characters, this shows Ralph both mounted and on foot but only one to be on the table at a time. That is Einar's force behind the dead tree.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikda8st8oNeUmeFy5c8OsU0CGZMVL6f-r_bc-FZf2XNlEezgzoXbA7EAoyvbmgvXMblQSmwS6fWd0i25NTO04BDOQccu4VlUMIcaBltkzNT6OOVrDKfgvp480uVUmwUfmLvJH2NqPbV50iWBSNH23C4o9RrNL5glq3ow8Rjkuk9q-DtCEQukJnts8hjg/s600/IMG_0318.jpg)
Just a view into the forest from atop a rocky outcropping.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgElIrJyS7AsVm2JZD9DDl0lDV-pvubBOJgyiLvEEBJvFn3Bz6AzRFSs-JDzEDCVYkxq9HjVaAf_zwrh2MwKpcaDypq7558BZvYpH8ypr-wn6oIUST6i3zr-0kq6M0XMXldHD1y7s-zp4oQo7bZS3GvtCcZxsus3-DhuZ4ag98wt5YcIN2DVmRAJJhOKg/s600/IMG_0319.jpg)
Where a great deal of the action occurred, lots of melees - Robin was at this end of the action, the Sheriff at the farther end of the table. As it turned out, Einar with his long bows was at the farther end and Robin with his bows here at this nearer end. Something to change going forward is a better balance of melee and bow armed forces within each contingent.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtU2jl60CUWY7CVfsVjUtbqgQ3E-VuUH4q4pMT7Ss_YNmkJc86jsWiZa61WURrvd8pIp9GE_oZWkxoTboY0XrlnLDSOW5BeWWOts3tpLnElNgLQAdqtTeS1feu1sVtkho5uoq1giFEt7kC6vvjwvU1sUbruai9_sY7QQFdstyhz5dkcavj41orGkHChw/s600/IMG_0324.jpg)
A number of random events were possible and this was one of them, a couple of wild boars 'rampaging' across the table. Several forces dodged out of their way! The other event that got drawn for (Jokers) was a couple of dog handlers and four attack dogs - more dodging (Guy of Gisborne's dogs). Alas, no photo of the dogs in the game.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPAgjTkS5sey6Sx6_p0sagUBkN8pxeM1mLJbYAy-3R9Oj74nbIDzgGZKP-O_rDMxTh63iJWl3Kg9ovSmrM9CVuARXYZgRyT23GVS1kbStE64_4mPy2wGjIAekWGkAiEMx_IzpNEvLCOYBtPWaOKJUwnIyX6T-8sD0CZ76F9O2eu4tnhBO6bdmN-8DbA/s600/IMG_0327.jpg)
Little John protecting Lady Marian and friends.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_HhR-mQ5UlBY1lm46AlrAngxU4EQ3sCTsHi1ymxkTOyGDW1vLI90wlOLAdj8hotDOgM0c2zZEiUySeEhcExJZ8D9P3r1AEqsPfRp0jKZj2hDALKRNnN5SXsosTsB_KGm8tIatZYwouoV2WUZooExjZnSl0ODXG4ZU9wJlNfxRZaPAjUJMHqtlIjSJg/s600/IMG_0328.jpg)
Little John 'cowering' behind the ladies. Actually, just moved behind them to clear for a melee but the action resulted in lots of merry making comments at his expense.
(https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5uxtUQR4j_j1t_IR2itWVooC4fD0aKc8fy9mBwPYzkwJDtlQKltp-K9OYcP2XXp_mlfO_82byFyEJd4AjvIcKhw6zI-vhbOKK5oBS9GHgQRVMwOawchwJ8AmwS4Mdx7qL2QvFwkq0HXsjvvhKK7wxGA6Om2A4DYnZnzaZ1rfxVX2mUSTwwqOLjupog/s600/IMG_0331.jpg)
Robin, Little John, Friar Tuck, and Maid Marian and her ladies-in-waiting survived the game.
Lots of fun. Lots of laughter. Lots of trees (70 in total).
-
nice, I especially like the rock outcrops, are they homemade?
(now needs to check when Willows were introduced)
-
Rock outcrops acquired at a swap meet at a local hobby shop last year (?), pretty sure a commercial product from way constructed and felt on bottom. These are 'desert hills' but work just fine in this setting as far as I am concerned.
-
Did some post-game analysis and decided to add quite a few additional archers, mostly long bow but some crossbow. So, now each Principle Character will, mostly, have a mounted and dismounted version and will, usually, be higher quality. And then all will have two individually based sidekicks and two three man bases one of which will be archer or crossbow. So all forces will have some long range capabilities.
Certain key figures will get a bit more, Robin Hood getting three additional individually based archers and King Richard and Prince John get some additional three figure bases plus a couple of 'bodyguard' individually based and half a dozen individual figure bases, the latter split evenly between longbow and crossbow. The Sheriff gets a little extra and so does Longstride (see above earlier in thread).
And added four stands of archers to the Saracens - a spoiler force to toss into games when I want something different. They may - or may not - be allied to Akeem. Heck, they might be around specifically to get him!
Another significant change will be the ladies getting much lower ratings than in this first game.
Oh, and I added eleven more trees - big and tall including two Really Tall trees.
Just awaiting a couple of already placed orders for other projects and I do believe I will have all that I need - unless something spectacular comes along to fill a need or interest. But I can stay busy for a decade or two with what I already have on hand.
Much painting to do. After progress on a hardscaping project!