1916-1918 barbed wire entanglements

 I've been prototyping modelling the dense barbed wire entanglements that were typical of the western front in the second half of WW1. I am using a technique created by Robert Dunlop, using pot scourers cut to size and based.

The Great War Spearhead rules require barbed wire to be modelled on table as 3 base width stands (3 3/4"). I am looking at creating a series of combinations to allow for flexibility on table, so I think there will be 3 3/4", 2 1/2", and 1 1/4" sections. These photos show the prototypes, with some of the late war German troops I have been working on. Progress has ben slow to non existent these past few months, a combination of Covid, and workload. There IS light at the end of the tunnel. 

Mind you, I also write free verse poetry, and this poem came to mind the other day when thinking about that idea of the light at the end of the tunnel... ooo darn!!

Anyway, here are the photos of the prototype wire entanglements, created for use in games played with 6mm figures. I think I might exaggerate the silver dry brush to bring our the 'entangled' nature a little more.. the 'scale' effect in painting miniatures.

The forces of the Undead toy with men....

 Strange things were happening in the world of men. The forces of evil were split, and so it was that two different factions had reanimated piles of ancient bones, brought forth life from dust, playing with men as with pawns, in their attempts to gain dominion over the world of men.

This was thee scene for a 48 army point game of HoT that Andy and I played last night. I took the core of my mythical Ronan army, with an allied command of Undead, while Andy took his Greek and eastern men, with their very own allied command of Undead.

My Roman command was composed of:

• 1 x hero general
• 2 x artillery
• 1 x knight
• 2 x riders
• 2 x shooters
• 3 x blades

The Undead command was composed of:

• 1 x hero general
• 1 x magician
• 1 x reanimated bone dragon
• 1 x shooter 2 x hordes
• 2 x blade
• 2 x beast

Andy's army was light on 3 and 4 point elements, but included a behemoth (4 horse chariot), a hero general in each command, and a mix of blades, spear, and shooters.

The initial deployment from the Roman side

The Romans were defending an Undead stronghold. Such were the games that the Undead played, using the humans to their own ends. The structure was scratch built ... the 'furnace of skulls'.

Undead magician backing up a blade element

Roman hero general, and the two artillery elements

Assyrian behemoth, supported by riders and shooter

Andy's own Undead...

The Roman artillery eliminate an opposing shooter base

The Roman left hits the opposition right, with the behemoth. The Roman hero general recoils from the behemoth

The Roman blade are dominant in the centre

The battle continues on the left

Action with the two Undead commands. The beasts on the right have eliminated a blade base and broken through the first line 

An Undead blade base (yes, they are 'Grim Reapers' ) is eliminated by Andy's blade

Still they battle it out on the Roman left

There's some 'argy bargy going on between the heaps of reanimated bones on both sides

The Eastern behemoth (4 horse chariot) is finally eliminated by the Roman hero general. Things are turning against the Greek/eastern forces

The Graeco eastern command is demoralised

The Greek hero general is eliminated, and with a single casualty on the Undead command the force is defeated

We have played a few 48 point (two command) battles, but not in a while. Recently we have been playing either 24 or 72 point games. The game played differently to the other force sizes, really interesting. 

This was a great game... well worth the time invested. We both need to do some work to get more variety in these commands/armies. More painting is now demanded... yay.

Andy's new Martian HotT army

 In our own post Covid journey, we are slowly getting some games underway.  This week, Andy and I played soem 24 point HoytT (Hordes of the Things) games. Andy brought over a brand new army, a  Marian army with 'War of the Worlds' inspired walkers. The Walkers are scratch-built. I used my British inspired Victorian Science Fiction army

We played three games, the first one being over in 4 die rolls.

Andy had taken a hero general. My magician ensorcelled the hero. On the very next turn Andy threw a '6' on his PIP die, the hero was unensorcelled, returned into contact with my stronghold, and won the combat. Wow...

No laborious AAR here though, just a range of photos to enjoy.

The 'industrial complex' I often use as a Stronghold. Yes, it's a little too large.

This was the combat between the Martian hero general and my stronghold