The State Of Play In Our Campaign, Mechanics of The campaign & Current Toy Soldier Projects

 I forgot to post these pics last post. Mat took these with his camera. Mat is handy that way as I often forget where I put my camera and I never use my own phone for taking pictures.

  Below can be seen Bishop Rembert (and commander) and some diminished Bogavanian units in the castle Hounding. Also shown are supply wagons with hired Fezian drivers. They will be POWS soon.

  The Bishop's horse, Sanctity, is known for his tricks, including the ability to mount battlements.

                                      Bogavanian crossbows and wizard on the North (?) wall.

                                        Beerstein's muskets and Great sword mercenaries.

As mentioned in the last post, the castle fell after a valiant defence and many previous attempts to storm it failed.

    PROJECTS

The campaign continues:

I am currently preparing the table for the siege of the Bogavanian capital. My attackers are strongly outnumbered but do have the advantage of a number of cannons and a sorcerer, who, in the past, has managed to run himself into a Mountain Dragon.

  So far Beerstein has been successful. It fought to a draw the invasion from Fritzerland and it has captured a Fezian and a Bogavanian castle. The next battle will be the last of move nine. Then there are three more map moves that might or might not involve more tabletop battles. At the end of that we roll a die to see if there are any third-party activities or unusual events. Then we roll again to see if the campaign continues and will do so each following map move with diminishing chances of it continuing (just as we do with the tabletop battles at the end of move 12).

 The occupation of enemy territory by at least two units for at least two map moves results in that territory's annexation if unchallenged and unless it is considered untenable. New land supplies half its usual credits to the occupying power. It may also be a source of rebellion.

  After that we will probably play some other wargames. When we come back to it, we roll the magic dice to determine how much time passes before the next war, which might involve Bogavania and Fezia versus Beerstein or some other country or countries fighting each other or our own nations.

DEATH TEST

Given the passage of time characters are likely to die of illness or simply of old age. Sorcerers are an exception, and they have a chance of using magic to prolong their lives, even for a hundred years.

ERAs

If sufficient time passes we will move into a more 18th century/early 19th century setting with a lot of tricornes and shakos and better cannons that fire every turn instead of every second, as a present. It is still possible to include antiquated units alongside more modern ones. Also, as t is fantasy I may mic American Revolution forces and Napoleonic ones.

FINANCES

Surviving units can be part of the next campaign or, if a long time has passed, they will be transformed into credits to spend on different forces. In addition, there will be credits from hexes plus random acquisition from mines etc. It is also possible to launch small expeditions into unknow lands to try to acquire treasure.

TOYSOLDIER PROJECTS

My most challenging project will be to tidy the garage gaming table and space as it is currently covered with unfinished projects and junk! If I can do that, we can have a choice of two available gaming tables instead of just one.

 Apart from that I have undercoated my SF tank black and aim to paint it today, probably in a camouflage of my own devising. Then I'll just have to find a spare space for it to live!

  I have also finished work on some home castings of MPC Planet of The Apes figures. I am making eight of them for my toy soldier collector friend, Tony (in exchange for lending me figures for the mold making). I melted down a pile of pewter cups to make them. The mold was not brilliant, but it is passable. I have converted some of the figures for Tony and myself and I'll try to resist showing them yet as I want to surprise Tony. I am also going to paint the figures for him. One thing I'll admit to doing is making sword scabbards on the left side instead of the right side on the original figures.

  I should also receive more figures from ElastoWit soon. These include 54mm Planet of the Apes figures and Daleks. Whoopee! I am excited! 

  My POTA figures will be used for both futuristic SF and, for those without modern firearms, a fantasy ape army. I might include my King Kong figure as 'heavy support'. They will also have muzzle loading cannons. They will live in an unexplored land, somewhere.  My ape castings will double as cavalry or infantry if based that way. The bowlegs don't look to out of place but I can squash them inwards if I choose to.

  So, I am down to my last piece of toast as I write this post in bed - Vegemite and honey toast and I have finished my honey sweetened herbal tea. Ah, luxury! It is actually going to be 24C today, not bad for the fourth day of Spring. So, I don't mind, too much, getting out of bed and leaving Chloe the cat to her own daytime slumbers. The garage where I do my painting is hopefully a little warmer than usual and I might even get outside and plant some vegetable seeds. Perhaps I'll give the swimming in the indoor pool a miss today. Hopefully, next month the outdoor pool will be open early this year as they start renovations on the indoor pool. I prefer the outdoor swimming, if the water is not too cold. Such is life and its choices.