Bushranging thoughts?

[carlos marighela]

Saw "The Proposition" the other night and must say I really enjoyed it. A Western transplanted Down Under really, but none the worse for that. Made a nice change that they didn't turn the outlaws into folk heroes or romantic rebels, as usually happens in this kind of thing. Mostly they were just scumbags.

Written by Nick Cave, arguably Australia's finest musician and (damn his eyes) a man who has shagged PJ Harvey, a notable achievement in and of itself.

[Aaron]

Don't forget the West Wind Gothic Horror range for civvies also. I have gotten a lot of milegage out of the London Thugs pack, for example. http://www.oldglory25s.com/index.php?cat_id=523&catname='Jack the Ripper'

The ondon Mob and Gentlemen are very good general purpose packs also. http://www.oldglory25s.com/index.php?cat_id=530&catname='Jekyll & Hyde'

[Helen]

I spoke to Michael Broadbent about this thread last night. I mention to pop over and read your thoughts as I know Michael is interested in this period.

Besides which, I've seen all the movies and TV series and they are just the best. I really enjoyed "The Proposition" with good old Ray. Nice import for a change.

The "Rules with No Name" were given to me by Michael and they fit the period perfectly.

Cheers,

Helen

[Iceaxe]

I actually have an old Ned and some police in civvies, or bushrangers if you like, that Mike B. did years ago. At least I bought them from him & I presume they were his.

Plus I have a few of the (now Blaze Away) aboriginals and a stagecoach (Dixons) and an open wagon. Many of the Victorian & western ranges have figures that suit, plus some colonial - the boers being the most likely.

I have gamed this period occasionally, but in 54mm using Skirmish Wargames rules. Any western ruleset would work well. One day I'll get to painting up the 28mm ones.

I did start and plan a campaign that included bushrangers, police, British troops, aboriginals, miners, settlers & squatters. Bushrangers tried to steal a wealthy squatters prize horse, then the miners refused to pay the increased license fees.......you can guess where that one was heading. The Brits had to build a bridge and the aboriginals objected and attacked. I had a system in mind of the bushrangers getting more wanted and the local population that was cheering them on would all have thier 'dollar limit', so when the reward was high enough the gang would be sold out if they met that person again - as per Ben Hall. Never got that far, though.

 

[timg]

Sounds brilliant Iceaxe, Eureka Stockade sort of thing. Be another use for Crimean British figures and perhaps some civil war types for the miners, ragged Reb types?

[carlos marighela]

Aborigine: noun.

Aborigines: noun (pl)

Aboriginal: adjective.

Sorry, pet peeve of mine.

[Plynkes]

Pet peeve or not, 'aboriginal' is both an adjective and a noun.


While I respect your immense knowledge on many varied topics, which has proved useful to LAFers on many, many occasions; I'm afraid you don't outrank the O.E.D.  

[carlos marighela]

Preferred usage and indeed common usage is aborigine as the noun form when referring to an individual or the plural form aborigines when used in reference to a group. THe OED does acknowledge its use as a noun form and the common usage in that form is as a proper noun, ie: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission, Aboriginal Tent Embassy etc etc. The common usage of aboriginal, at least in Australia, is as an adjective, ie aboriginal art, aboriginal land etc

The OED may well be right but contextually the use of the word aboriginal as a noun when referring to individuals is both archaic and rather odd sounding. You do hear it in Queensland and other parts of Australia that lack a functional education system.

[Iceaxe]

TimG, yes Eureka Stockade indeed. I have some Old glory Maori War figures for both the 1840's and 1860's. The '40's are passable as Crimea era, or vice-versa (yes I know there are differences, but at 28mm once the game is on I don't notice them) and I would extend the campaign to NZ & the Maori Wars as well. And PNG, maybe include the Germans there, have the Dutch in their East Indies, the French all over the Pacific, the threat of a Russian invasion, post-Crimea.

I tend to do fictional battles, wars, units, etc based in the real world....or sort of the real world....so moving the Eureka Stockade, Glenrowan shootout and whatever else takes your fancy to the same time & place is easy.

[Furt]

You do hear it in Queensland and other parts of Australia that lack a functional education system.

    

[Christian]

Carlos, you are a naughty boy... 

[starkadder]

TimG, yes Eureka Stockade indeed.....I tend to do fictional battles, wars, units, etc based in the real world....or sort of the real world....so moving the Eureka Stockade, Glenrowan shootout and whatever else takes your fancy to the same time & place is easy.

Never a truer word than a "fictional" Eureka stockade. A jumped-up brawl with guns. One of the more unedifying incidents in Australian colonial history and blown out of all proportion by symbol-hunters.

It'd be fun but only in a what-if of having the miners sober, awake and organised.

[carlos marighela]

Eureka, the heroic struggle for miners to reap the wealth of the land without paying taxes. It's a battle that continues to this day. Actually, based on his later political life I suspect Peter Lalor would have felt right at home with 'Twiggy' Forrest, Hugh Morgan or Lang Hangcock.

 I've oft thought that the Sovereign Hill theme park has missed a golden opportunity with their som e lumiere show. Blood on the Wattle, the story of the Eureka Stockade, proudly brought to you by BHP Billiton.

 

[Galloping Major]

I always fancied doing gunfight games based on Australian bushrangers etc., ever since watching Ben Hall, Rush etc on the telly, and the Sam Neill version of Robbery Under Arms, and more recently - The Proposition. Also the book "Wild Colonial Boys" is just brim full of scenarios. 


www.gallopingmajorwargames.com