Sengoku Japanese: Yumi Ashigaru

 Since completing the first set of test models the other week I've been working to flesh out my first full unit of infantry. As I got a box each of the Ashigaru and Samurai shooters I started with the more straight forwards peasant infantry.

In line with my aim of keeping these chaps to a fairly simple scheme these are mostly in black armour with the odd red/brown variant thrown in and the under clothes of simple earthy tones.

Whilst building up the next batch to paint I noticed that each sprue (of 4 in the box) had 9 sets of legs and 6 bodies as well as 24 of each set of weapon arms. This means it would be possible to make an extra 12 men per box if I can get some bodies. I'm having a look around for 3D files as it feels like this would be an excellent job for 3D printing.

In other gaming news we visited our chums in the South Oxfordshire wargames club over the weekend for their Deadzone tournament. Despite some rough handling in game 2 I managed to wrack up 3 wins and came in third, adding to my trophy collection!

An Eastern Adventure

Since watching Shogun last year (if you've not watched it then make it a top priority) the embers of playing a wargame set in Japan have been smouldering away with me looking around for a game system to use. I had wanted to do something a bit more mass-battle than Test of Honour / Ronin and if Studio Tomahawk had released a Samurai universe book, that would have been perfect. I then came across Never Mind the Billhooks which is due to have a new book out next year with a Japanese conversion, Never Mind the Naginatas. The rules are for around 100 models a side with blocks of units being moved around and seem tailored towards more of a fun game than a strict simulation, which is what we prefer.

This was then coupled with announcement from Fireforge Games of a Kickstarter for warrior monks, as they already have a good range of other troops I then had the means to match the motivation.

Whilst I wait for the Kickstarter to complete and be produced I had a couple of boxes of ranged troops picked up from a show and located the buildings I backed last year on Kickstarter. I've also been having a look around for 3D files I can print off to add some flavour to the table.

The Fireforge models have plenty of detail on them so I've made up one of each type I currently have to try out painting techniques and colour schemes. Wish me luck!

We've also been building up towards a Deadzone event so my Nameless hit the table on Friday to kick sand in the eyes of the Forgefathers. It was a convincing win in the end to the followers of the Old Gods.

Firefight project

 My first dip into Mantic's Sci-Fi universe sees me trying to work out colour schemes for Firefight/Deadzone Nightstalkers - surely it shouldn't be this hard.

I think I'll go with these schemes, give or take, for the Scarecrows and Spectres but there's plenty of room for technical improvements.

I started a Reaper but got completely disillusioned so he(it) is marinating in Dettol so I can start again - #TorturedArtist

Giant Sumo Lizards, in Spaaaaaceeeee!

Over the last few weeks I've been busy working on some Matsudan reinforcements for my Firefight/Deadzone Asterian forces. Mantic recently released a hard plastic kit containing three ranged and one melee option. This kit can be used to build up the bulk of your Matsudan forces and the rest can be fleshed out with either resin models or some Asterians.

Your average Matsudan being a giant sumo lizard is pretty tough being more in line with an elite option, they aren't the best shots but they are tough with plenty of hit points.

Firefight Squad

Deadzone Options

I wanted to paint up enough extra models to take my Matsudan Firefight army up to 1500 points, this meant painting around 30 Matsudan and an extra robot to make up the points.

Firefight List

As a result of that I ended up with more than enough options to make some lists from the new Matsudan choices in Deadzone.

Deadzone List

Fluffy Deadzone list

Here you can see a closer picture of the 4-legged Diadarabotchi war-bot in it's support configuration. I'm thinking it will be a hard boy to shift as it has plenty of armour and wounds.

Kitchen Tables for Battlefields

As the building work continues we once again went old school with some kitchen table gaming. Fortunately Deadzone is perfect for playing in a restricted space as the playing area is only 2" square.

With an even coming up very soon Mr T and myself are still working on exactly what lists to take so things are a little experimental. 

PSYCHOTROID

[Leader / +36 / 4VP] Psychotroid 

 - - Brain Freeze 

 - - Mind Control 

 - - Hyperkinesis 

INKER

[Troop / +8 / 1VP] Inker 

 - - Teeth 

SCUTTLER

[Troop / +7 / 1VP] Scuttler 

 - - Pincers 

GUNSLINGER

[Troop / +13 / 1VP] Gunslinger 

 - - Twin Crystal Pistols 

RIFLEMAN * 2

[Troop / +15 / 1VP] Rifleman 

 - - Crystal Rifle 

CARATID * 3

[Specialist / +17 / 2VP] Caratid 

 - - Razor Claws 

BATHOMITE

[Support / +35 / 4VP] Bathomite 

 - - Massive Claws 

 - - Crystal Cannon 

THORGARIM HUSCARL

[Leader / +28 / 2VP] Thorgarim Huscarl 

 - - Hailstorm Pistol 

 - - Heavy Forge Hammer 

STEEL WARRIOR

[Troop / +17 / 2VP] Steel Warrior 

 - - Mk2 Hailstorm Rifle 

[Specialist / +19 / 3VP] Brakkarim 

 - - Hailstorm Autocannon 

BROKKR

[Troop / +16 / 1VP] Brokkr 

 - - Burst Pistol 

 - - Forge Hammer 

 - - [+2] Ammo [one-use] 

BOMB BOT

[Troop / +6 / 0VP] Bomb Bot 

 - - Bomb Bot 

FORGE GUARD

[Specialist / +30 / 3VP] Forge Guard Issilgarim 

 - - Forge Hammer 

 - - Magma Cannon 

THORGARIM *2

[Troop / +17 / 2VP] Thorgarim 

 - - Heavy Forge Hammer 

HAMMERFIST DROP TROOPER

[Specialist / +30 / 2VP] Hammerfist Drop Trooper 

 - - Forge Hammer 

 - - Inferno Drill 

We played the Deepstrike mission that sees ranges restricted on turn 1 and deeper than normal  deployment zones in opposite corners. For the Nameless the Caratid's have been working really well for me and they have so far been more than able to hold their own in melee against the best the Forge Fathers have to offer. The Psychotroid has been less impressive and the ability you seem to take it for (Hyperkinesis, removes activation marker from target) is unreliable as you need two 5+'s on 3D8. I think that taking the more reliable melee abilities of The Blight is the way I will go for the event.

The second game of the weekend was Armada which is a bit more of a squeeze on the table I have available but still perfectly playable.

We played the Smugglers run scenario which sees the two sides distribute loot tokens across their fleets and then they need to time their run to a endzone to end up with the loot carry ships in the zone after 6 turns.

KTHORLAQ'S SHIELD (Main Battle Ship) [103]

Regular Crew

Red Hot Shot, Firebrand, Brew of Strength

TYRANT (Main Battle Ship) [64]

Regular Crew

Boarding Nets, Ogre Mercenaries

J'KOOR'UK (Main Battle Ship) [28]

Regular Crew

J'KOOR'UK (Main Battle Ship) [28]

Regular Crew

HERALD (Support Ship) [20]

Regular Crew

WARDEN SQUADRON (Support Ship Sq) [7]

Regular Crew

RIPPER HULK (Main Battle Ship) [129]

Veteran Crew

Grappling Hooks, Morax, Morguns, Yinn Greythunder, War Drum of Spite

SMASHER (Main Battle Ship) [65]

Regular Crew

Grappling Hooks, Morax

BLOOD RUNNER (Support Ship) [16]

Regular Crew

BLOOD RUNNER (Support Ship) [16]

Regular Crew

BOMBBOAT (Support Ship) [19]

Regular Crew

Boarding Nets

RABBLE SQUADRON (Support Ship Sq) [5]

Inexperienced Crew

This means that you don't want your loot carries to arrive into the endzone too early which gives you a chance to try and disrupt the enemy ships trying to do the same. It also means you can't really avoid the enemy as you are all heading towards the same zone.

The game saw the two XL ships trading some early blows with the Orcs short range being balanced by the Salamanders poor gunnery skills.

The Orc XL did manage to dispatch the Salamander Tyrant but it proved to be carrying to bluff tokens rather than actual loot.

On the last turn of the game the one of the Orc's tokens was stuck outside the endzone but with a last gasp it managed to deliver a fatal broadside to a Salamander ship carrying 1 token to eek out a draw.