28mm Gallic Warband - Saga Part II

Back in early January this unit was my first entry for the 2026 Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge. It was a unit purchase from Black Tree Design that has been sitting in my pile of lead for ages. As I wrote I did not find any shields and I placed an order with Warlord Games. Both the shields and decals came in and this is the result. This was first attempt using waterslide decals in decades. I hope to improve with the next group of figures. 

WIP Ragnarok 9 Brunanbuhr - Kickstarter

 Another Kickstarter backed. This time a four point Scot's warband which consisted of 25 x 28mm white metal miniature wargames figures sculpted by Colin Patten. Since this was Ragnarok 9, I assumed that Mr. Patten has had a series of successful Kickstarter campaigns. Monday I finally got around to opening the package which has been sitting on my desk since early May.

Kickstarter figures cleaned, mounted and base-coated,
Same for the Silver Bayonet Spanish Unit

My kickstarter reward 25 miniatures supplied with separate weapons and shields

1 x warrior, 8 x hearthguard and 16 x warriors

with a bonus add on of 2 Celtic Heroes. Two or three were top heavy and kept tipping over as they were superglued to their recesssed bases. I was impressed that the four axe or sword weapons and hands easily fit into place. That has not always been my experience.

The next step will be to hand drill for the insertion of  the spears. Most of the hands seem to be a solid fist as opposed to opnen.This is my only real complaint about the figures.

TFL Infamy, Infamy WIP

 I picked up the Infamy Infamy rules by Two Fat Lardies a while ago. Last year I purchased some Gauls that were already pre-based from the Facebook Marketplace.. After playing some other game sets by TFL I thought I came up with a solution that won't require my rebasing the troops. The figures were based 6 figures to an element. I got a buddy to print up some movement trays for me. Their sole purpose will be for my Gauls using Infamy Infamy. A recess was included in the tray design for a single D6 to keep track of casulties. After some experimention I think I found a look that I like for the trays.

Above are the trays that have just been spray painted skeleton bone.  The elements were glued into a central recess large enough for the unit. 

The above photo are the six movement trays that are completed, I used a sifted Krautcover Scencis Soil of Sparta for the basing. Six completed with six to go.

LOTRs - Haradrim or Southron Easternlings 28mm Part 2

 Friday I enjoyed the weather and the yard and exercised some Army Painter rattle cans to spray coat my growing collection of movement trays. Since Sunday was a cool rainy day in Montreal it was a good time to catch up on busy work. I completed basing the Haradrim figures I received from Chris early last month. 

Half the figures. The rest were based about a month ago.

The slot-bases were covered with Vallejo Earth Texture paint, with some Battlefield Rock formations added. These formations were then coated with Mod Podge which acts as a sealant. After sitting to dry for 24 hours I added some AK Dry Grass Flock for the wasteland effect I want for these figures. This warband is destined for use with Saga Age of Magic, a rule set which I have yet to play, or Dragons Rampant.

SAGA - Greek tragedy.

Last night the Montréal Historical Wargaming Club held a monthly Saga/Age of Magic night at the Abyss. From the Age of Hannibal I choose Epirus as the city option for my Warband. I was faced with a Spartan warband from the Age of Alexander. In the words of my opponent we had a great lil brawl. Quick and brutal. At the end of the 4th round, Sparta had three saga dice remaining. Since I choose Pyrrhus I, king of Epirus as a legendary Warlord, I would still generate between four and six.

CanGames 2026 - Sunday May 17th

 11:30 AM Sunday morning. View of Ottawa from the Quebec side of the Ottawa River.

2PM Sunday afternoon I signed up for the every popular Doctor Who Skirmish game, Brian Hearnden has been hosting a Doctor Who game at Cangames since 2008. It was the first year I played. This year he was using Pulp Alley to run the game. It was my second game for this system.

The fourth Doctor and campanions.

Each league begins equidistant from the centre.

Join Doctor Who and his allies or play his enemies as they fight to control the course of time and events. Each player controls 3 figures in an interactive Pulp alley skirmish game trying to win victory by achieving plot points and foiling opponents.  As the newbie to the Doctor Who game, I was given the Doctor to play.

The scenario is Horror at Fang Rock

The creepy-crawlies are the Rutan. 

The Rutan have taken control of the lighthouse.

They seek to use the genearator to power a beacon 

for an invasion fleet to home in on.

The Doctor soon amasses a fist full of cards

Storming the generator room

I had a great time. It was the first time I played in the Doctor Who game, I don't think it will be the last.

7PM 15mm Sunday night is the time slot reserved for the hard core gamers. The site is emptying out as fellow participates pack it in and head home. I stayed for the Art de la Guerre 100 point, 3 rounds, single list tournament. This year if was the Mesopotamian Empires and their enemies. Last year it was 200 points played over two seesions. I once again made use of a loaner army, Thank you Todd. 

I played using a Oman and Gulf States (Army List 19). First round I went up against Martin Roweland and his Sumerian List 1 force. He wiped the board with me. Second round I played against Mike Ireland and his Achaemenid Persian (Army List 64). In the final match I played against Robert Hanks who also ran with a Sumerian Army.  Both my second and third match we ran out of time but I won by points, enough so that I didn't return home with my third wooden spoon in as many years.

Art de la Guerre is not a game set we play at the Montreal club. Our focus tends towards SAGA, next year the plan is for 100 points late medieval. I have an army and I will pull it out out storage and start moving figures on my own tabletop.

CanGames 2026 - Saturday May 16th

9AM   My first game of the day was a game of Silver Bayonet hosted by Duncan Martelock. It was a six player game and I joined two fellow Montreal Gamers to play the British contingent in this archological dustup titled Raiders of the 18th century. Napoleon's troops have landed in Egypt and heard rumors of a large gold object hidden in the desert. These rumors have attracted a variety of parties to investigate. Some say it is cursed, others that is blessed and others just care it's gold.

Looking across the desert at the French ( and standing GM)

My faction is in the Southwest cornor. My rifleman is lagging behind.

I picked up some minis.

I have heard good things about the game and I was fortuate that a spot opened up. I have noticed over the past couple of years that this game system seems to be popular and always has a full table. I enjoyed the game enough to invest in the rulebook and pick up some Spanish minis. I already have a collection of North Star figures MTB06 - Spanish Irregulars (Napoleonic Wars) and figured that they will provide a backdrop for my Silver Bayonet unit.

2PM As  I wrote in my previous post I do not have the stamina to do three four hour sessions and I went back to my room for an afternoon nap. I then went for an early supper and took in two periods of the game between the Ottawa Charge and Montreal Victoire. The Montréal Victoire are the 2026 PWHL Walter Cup Champions.

7PM Saturday evening I played on the Soviet side in a Rapid Fire game hosted by Andrew Carr and Ed Burley. They drove up from Nova Scotia for the weekend. The game was titled Road to Minsk 1944 and was part of Operation Bagration on the Northern Flank. 

3rd Byelorussian Front was order to drive to the Moscow to Minsk Highway. While the German 78th Sturm Division was well dug in and support by STuG III assault guns and Nashorn self-propelled guns was order to stop the Soviet advance. 11th Guards Army was order to break thru the German line and exit the far edge of the table. 

The Germans await the coming storm.

My command with 4 T34-85s with tank riders and two supporting AT guns.

As well as  2 ISU-122 heavy tanks and their infantry.

The troops of my associate on the right side of the highway.

German smoke arrives and helps screen our advance.

I close to assault the town on the right side of the table,

The drive along the road continues to receive enemy artillery fire.

The Assault goes in. Casualities are heavy. German Infantry is destroyed.

The view from the far side of the table.

Na Berlin. 

Reaching the German line.

The Soviet Advance continued. Game declared a draw.

 I very much enjoyed the game. Andrew and Ed had everything in order and the game flowed quickly. It is almost midnight before I reach my bed. Sunday morning I will sleep in and meet up with a friend for brunch and a walk along the Ottawa River. I will miss the 9AM session.