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

More 'mythical Romans' from the recycling pile

A few more figures from the recycling pile, being prepared for the HotT (Hordes of the Things) mythical Roman army. These are still standard 2 point fighting stands.

Remember these 'Balearic slingers'? They looked like they were wielding whips.. that's three bases of 'Shooters'

And if you were 'gaming in the 70s you couldn't forget the good old ever versatile Airfix Robin Hood series.. perfect for irregular archers. Again a couple of bases of 'Shooters'

Finally, another Airfix ACW Cavalry conversion.. these were intended as Gothic Medium cavalry (not sure of they were for the SWRG 3rd Edition Romans, or the Huns which were another rand Airfix conversion project.. from Airfix Napoleonic Hussars - most likely the latter, I think). Careful application of a craft knife to remove the hats, application of a 'drawing pin shield', and a 'paint' conversion.. 

Again I have left them largely as thy once were (those artist 'primitives'), rather than try to repaint in any way. I did touch up those areas where paint had flaked off arms etc, matching colours as best I could. I think they are almost 'endearing'.

More to come.. depending on the post Covid energy levels./

Recycling those Airfix Romans Romans.. who'd have thought

 This wee project has been sitting there for a while. What you see below are some of the figures from my very first ancients army, painted etc in 1975 and 1976. Yep, Airfix Roman legionaries, and cavalry. The 'light cavalry' (as thy were classified at that time) were a conversion from the old Airfix American Civil War cavalry, with Roman head swaps. The heavier cavalry were a home conversion  done either by Russell or Kevin (can't remember which of you, sorry guys). 

Anyone reading this who played ancients WRG 3rd and 4th edition with us in Ōtautahi Christchurch in the mid 70s will remember my Romans (I wasn't a very adept player).

So, these figures, now 47 years old at the time of writing (and so older than possibly many of the 'gamers reading this) have sat around in boxes all that time, having been unceremoniously pushed into retirement by their replacements from the 80s (Minifigs) and the 90s (Foundry). I couldn't bare to part with them, but what to do with them?

The answer is simple ...  a mythical Roman HotT army,  after all, the Airfix figures themselves were historically discredited decades ago (although I'm less sure about the cavalry). The heavier cavalry are very 'Greek' in appearance too, so not really correct. Anyway all of our HotT armies are 20mm, so a perfect fit.

Being in the recovery phase of Covid, I found a little bit of energy to finish a small refurb and basing for the figures, and here they are, the first of the basic 2 point fighting stands. 

The first batch

Legionaries.. some of you will remember these well from your own armies

More legionaries - these will be Blades in the HotT army

The Roman light cavalry which will count as riders. Airfix ACW cavalry, with Airfix legionary head swaps, and shields made from plasticard 

Ahh .. love those boys ..

And the Roman heavy cavalry, most probably to be knights (although arguably this could be a hero base, we'll see).

I have left them all in their 1970s garb, some with the gloss varnish thing that we did at that time.. they might be the equivalent of what the art world classifies as 'primitives'?

There will be more, including beasts, a God, and. a few other bits and pieces.. I'll keep you posted, eh