The Terrain Is Not The Territory (I Want)

 Quick post for now. 

Fuzzy or complex flooring on terrain, especially when layered on top of each other looks awesome but single based figures have difficulty standing on it.

I was going to post pics of my new larger multibases and setup some densely haphazard and diverse layered terrain flooring.  Welp, now I think I want to move away from single based skirmish gaming again (sigh). For one thing, larger bases will not tip over on awkwardly angled terrain. And thats the terrain I want now. And for a second thing, I had been thinking that it would be cool to have small specialist teams of 3 to 4 figures per base. So both points can work together AND I will have more amazing gaming layouts. 

I have to give this more thought. I think I did do this in the past. So here we go yet again. Big rebasing project may happen? Well here's pics of what Id like my games to look like in the future - proof of concept pics...

Tea In The Sahara With You - More Painted Haradrim

More painted Haradrim and other oddities.

The Sand People are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers.

 

Tea in the Sahara with you

My sisters and I
Have one wish before we die
And it may sound strange
As if our minds are deranged
Please don't ask us why
Beneath the sheltering sky
We have this strange obsession
You have the means in your possession

Tea in the Sahara with you
Tea in the Sahara with you

The sky turned to black
Would he ever come back?
They would climb a high dune
They would pray to the moon
But he'd never return
So the sisters would burn
As their eyes searched the land
With their cups full of sand

Tea in the Sahara with you
Tea in the Sahara with you

A Wild Mumak appears!  Hi, Im Mumak. Im blocking the path.

Oliphants like to trumpet out a thunderous roar before they trample an enemy.

 Apparently Pokemon trainers and Haradrim have the same response to monsters. Catch them. And then ride them!

Usul, it is time you become a sand rider and travel as a Fremen. Take the kiswa maker hook of our sietch and ride!

Bless the Maker and all His Water. Bless the coming and going of Him, May His passing cleanse the world.

The Naib of Sietch Jacurutu riding his Dire Jerboa and carrying a para-compass in hand. Im sure he has a sand compactor somewhere on him.

The sleeper must awaken!

Haradrim handgunners from Sietch Jacurutu are also known as Water Stealers.

A man's flesh is his own but his water belongs to the tribe. The Water Stealers also take the water of anyone who trespasses on their lands.

Here are their allies from Far Harad. The tribesmen of the Sub-Saharid desert.

They are led by a Mahdi - desert loving madmen with religious visions. Is it signs from a deity or just dehydration? 

The desert has dried up more blood than you can think of.
You will come. There is only the desert for you.

Have you seen The Preacher?
I have seen a sandworm.
What about that sandworm?
It gives us the air we breathe.
Then why do we destroy its land?
Because Shai-Hulud orders it.

Camel riders

Sure they can ride a fantastical beast from fantasy, but no self respecting desert army can travel without a trustworthy camel or three.

We've fought with many men acrost the seas,
 An' some of 'em was brave an' some was not:
The Paythan an' the Zulu an' Burmese;
 But the Fuzzy was the finest o' the lot.

   So 'ere's ~to~ you, Fuzzy-Wuzzy, at your 'ome in the Soudan;
   You're a pore benighted 'eathen but a first-class fightin' man;
   We gives you your certificate, an' if you want it signed
   We'll come an' 'ave a romp with you whenever you're inclined.

And here's a pic of all my current Haradrim. I think I only need to add some desert themed monsters and its complete.  A riddling Sphinx, and a Djinn perhaps? Maybe a Lamassu!

The Caravanserai is ready to cross the desert and invade Gondor!

Think, in this batter'd Caravanserai
Whose Portals are alternate Night and Day,
How Sultan after Sultan with his Pomp
Abode his destined Hour, and went his way.

Cheers,

Mar

Blast From The 10mm Past!

 Hiya buddies,

Just thought I would do a Throwback Thursday on a Wednesday. Im so punkrock! :p

The year was 2014.

Long ago on a blogpost far far away.... the Moria Reclamation Project was in 10mm. And I had forgotten that it was even back then already on a diet of parody and memes, multi-versal IP dimension hopping, over the top dramatic fluff combined with outright silliness. So of course, this blog got to be what it is now.

So yeah, I switched scales to 28mm and deleted the old 10mm posts. I regret that. But some of it still exists on the Specialist Games Forum, a forum which surprisingly still functions today. And before anything happens to it I have dl'ed those pics and some fluff and will post them on this blog... again! Everything returns eventually. Its all a cycle of life. Gaming life. But there are missing things. Like a Mindflayer that I sculpted myself. Like Not-Conan and the Fellowship fighting Orcs and a Dragon. That adventure will have to live on in my imagination now.

Here is the actual forum: https://www.specialist-arms.com/forum/index.php?topic=6878.0

But for safety purposes of this blog, we will duplicate parts of it below...

Look at those tiny dwarfs! And those Total Battles buildings. They were indeed lovely.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,. But I have promises to keep,. And miles to go before I sleep,. And miles to go before I sleep.

 

~~~~~~~~~~ TIME TRAVEL SOUNDBITE ~~~~~~~~~~

My new and humble LOTR-Warmaster blog

Hi there, 
 
  Im Mar, and I just started 10mm with Copplestone, some GW Warmaster, some Pendraken, and just ebayed a BOFA box set (new and still wrapped in plastic!)  So Ive started documenting my "adventures in 10mm".  I am very happy to have found this place, lots for me to read and catch up on.  Im also thankful to have found Copplestone minis whose sculpts drove me to take the plunge back into warmaster.

 

 Forth, and fear no darkness! Arise! Arise, Riders of Theoden! Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered! A sword day… a red day… ere the sun rises!

Hey there folks. Its me again, Mar, your host, with a great post filled with pics of 10mm goodness!

What have I got today? Copplestone 10mm of course! Some "not" Riders of Rohan and some Rohan style buildings from Total Battle Minis. My Rohirrim force consists of 3 units of cavalry, 2 units of light horse archers, and 1 veteran guard unit. For commanders, I have Theoden, Eomer, Grimbold, and Lady Eowyn. Below are not only the pics of the minis and the buildings, but also a faux battle report between Rohan and an invading army of Orcs across the Fords Of Isen.

 Here is the overview of the mustering

 Lady Eowyn commands some horse archer units

Eomer prepares to defend a village

From left to right, Eomer, Theoden King, Eowyn, and Grimbold

And now, the faux battle report...  an overview from the Rohan commander.  On the left is Eowyn with her light horse archers.  In the center reserve near the town is the King and his royal guard.  In front of him is Eomer with 2 units of cavalry.  And to the right doughty Grimbold holds the flank with cavalry and some light horse

 The Uruks are disordered from the river crossing and are vulnerable to attack

 "Ride to ruin and the world's ending!"  Eomer and his cavalry charge forward taking advantage of the disorganized orc columns.

 Theoden takes a gamble and charges across the river, to strike at the head of the Orc commanders.  Against his orders, Eowyn also charges across the river with orc arrows raining down upon her brave troops.

 Rohirrim! TO THE KING!


Preview of the next post:

Next up on the docket, I will take a break from 10mm Middle-Earth, to build up an army for 10mm Dungeons & Dragons! I hope to someday use AD&D 2e Birthright and mesh it with Warmaster for a D&D style mass combat hybrid.

So whats my first 10mm D&D army, you ask?  You remember my little Mindflayer, dont you?  My Magister Militum order arrived and its got alot of minions for him.  Some Quaggoths - bears with spears, axes and rock-throwing units.  Some Githyanki - dagger wielding light infantry with psionic powers.  And some Bullywugs - frogs with crossbows, and some riding on dinosaurs too!  The Illithids are down to get ill in a major incursion on this very blog.  Stay tuned my friends, until next time!

Respect,
Mar 

Narx'ylix the Mad, scion of the Illithid Empire, surveyed the battlefield before him.  The mindflayer raised his staff and gave it a slow circle to the left.  Instantly, at his command, 2 regiments of Bullywugs began circling the dwarf village on the left flank.  The Bullywugs were Underdark mutations and not the typical coloration of the overworld variety of the frog-peoples. Their sickly blue hides gave an impression of plagued bruises given form and intelligence.  The mindflayer was pleased to have enthralled them, as they made excellent scouts.  He watched them leaping and skittering around towards the dwarf lines.  At once, within range they stopped and began firing volley after volley of crossbow fire into the defended village.  He hoped the dwarves would be lured out, but no, they would not.  The stubborn dwarves stood resolute behind their shield walls.  So be it, thought Narx'ylix, he looked towards his right and gave a signal for an attack on the right flank.  The ground trembled as regiments of Quaggoths rushed forwards.  The bear-like creatures were ferocious to behold when unleashed. With paw, and spear, and rock, they bounded into the dwarf lines… and smashed into them, driving wedges all across the once clean dwarven battle lines.  With the dwarves in disarray, the mindflayer gave a final command.  Forward the Giths!  The progeny of the Illithid empire's breeding program, the Gith was created to be their most dedicated soldier.  Fast, lithe, deadly, and most importantly trained to use psionic powers, Gith regiments marched forward to sweep away and pursue the last of the dwarven defense.  Another victory for the empire, thought Narx'ylix, but more importantly… more dwarves to enslave to his will!
 
  Greetings, dear readers!  Here is the thrall army of the mindflayer Nax'ylix in pictoral form.   Took awhile to paint, since it comprises 3 smaller armies in composition.  Nearly all figures are from Magister Militum.  Oh and a sneak peak of my "Weathertop" hill, with Battle Of 5 Armies plastic ruins atop it.

See full post with more pics:

Thrall factions, from left to right, Bullywug, Gith, Quaggoth

The Bullywugs comprise 5 regiments of crossbows and 2 regiments of dino-riders, under the command of a lizard king.

The Giths comprise 5 regiments under the command of the mindflayer himself.

The Quaggoths comprise 4 regiments of spear bears, and 2 regiments of rock hurlers.

Bullywug cavalry, after filling up at the local watering hole.

"And yet I saw them in a limitless stream – flopping, hopping, croaking, bleating – urging inhumanly through the spectral moonlight in a grotesque, malignant saraband of fantastic nightmare."

 An army of assassins with super fast reflexes and psionic jedi powers?  Yes, please.


And within a day or two, a faux battle report to match the fluff piece at the start of this post.  Wherein you will also see much more of the "Weathertop" hill… so stay tuned!

Yeah, its for my own world/setting Im creating.  But it wont stop them from invading Middle Earth, once in a while.  Historical wargamers have their "Imagi-Nations" version of alternate history. So I dont mind some Imagi-Dimensions style games, where Conan and Gandalf team up to fight D&D style villains.  At some point I also want to make armies for GRR Martins Game Of Thrones.  I would like to campaign a world war between the 7 Kingdoms of Westeros and the allied forces of Middle Earth.  Thats in the far future, I have a long way to go before Im done painting Middle Earth forces.

 

~~~~~~~~~~ TIME TRAVEL SOUNDBITE ~~~~~~~~~~

Ok back to the present day!

My sign off used to be Respect, Mar. I think Cheers is friendlier. And there was a plan in motion to have a war between Westeros and the nations of Middle Earth! And yes even back then, I did love putting up book and movie quotes.

So, for oldtimes sake...

Respect,

Mar

 

 

Haradrim Handgunners

At the end of the 3rd Age, Gondor and the West won. The War of the Ring had ended, but a Cold War had begun. The Haradrim retreated back to their own lands, not to be heard from... until now.

The Haradrim have not been idle all this time, they have also completed research on gunpowder upgrades for their troops. So the arms race escalates in Middle Earth.

And while the Easterlings seem to have given up their wars with Gondor (or have they?), the Southrons will not give up their zealous war with the West. So who are the Haradrim? (at least from this blog's point of view)

A column of smoke by day, a pillar of fire by night.

Desert power!

The Haradrim are desert warriors without peer. They are strong and fierce. They do not give their loyalty easily or quickly.

We Fremen have a saying: "God created Arrakis to train the faithful." One cannot go against the word of God.

This is a Naib of Sietch Howeitat. A tribal leader riding a Dire Jerboa. The Haradrim name for these Dire Jerboas is Muad Dib. Some madman would later take the name and use it as his own to conquer the galaxy.

 

Auda abu Tayi: Does Auda abu Tayi serve?

Howeitat tribesmen: NO!

Auda abu Tayi: I carry twenty-three great wounds, all got in battle. Seventy-five men have I killed with my own hands in battle. I scatter, I burn my enemies' tents. I take away their flocks and herds. The Turks pay me a golden treasure, yet I am poor! Because I am a river to my people!

Howeitat tribesmen: *Cheering*

A Djinn Whisperer wears a yellow turban to signify his status among his people. 

Alithea Binnie: If there is fate, who can say? But I tell you this: in the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, there are sixty-two streets, and four thousand shops. And in one of those shops, there are three rooms. In the smallest of those rooms, there was a pile of things unsorted, old and new. From the bottom of that pile, I chose a memento.   *picks up a flask*

   

Look, they will not stop the Pharaoh (Nah!)
I'm comin' for the bag, pa, lock, stock, and barrel (I am!)
It was lonely on the Ave (Yeah!)
Afghan, anti-Soviet Jihad (Alhamdulillah!)
I'mma have to put another boulder in the bag (Bag!)
FDP-9, throw it in the Jag (Yo son, throw it in the back, throw it in the back!)
I got a mob that’ll kill Satan
98 shots, bump stock, and I'm still wavin' (Hahahah!)

I always root for the villain
Deep down he a hero, he don't know what he doin' (Woah!)
I always root for the villain
Even my grandmother love all them shooters and killers (Oh!)
I always root for the villain
Deep down he a hero, he don't know what he doin' (Woah!)
I always root for the villain
Even my grandmother love all them shooters and killers (Oh!)

It's hard in these streets
From Mecca to Jerusalem
All day every day

Toe flex we bout to blow like octane
You know Cannibal Ox got mad slang
Who cares what you're named
They say a man who repeats himself is insane
I mix my saliva with propane
Flame on I spit that hot fire with Dylan
And stay inside the line with crayons
My whole aura is neon, ultra violet
Come out your mouth
I might get ultra violent
Now it's so quiet
You was popping that junk
Now it's so silent
Here's another token
We are the chosen
Wolves in the coven
Blade of the Ronin

Gondorian Imperial Guard clash with the Haradrim in the Debatable Lands south of Gondor.

The Southrons fight for tribal rights against the infidel Gondorians who are on a crusade to globalize their consumeristic ideals by infecting all nations with fastfood and starbucks. So the Haradrim have drawn a line in the sand. The big mac stops here...

Now the King told the boogie man
You have to let that raga drop
The oil down the desert way
Has been shakin' to the top
The Sheik, he drove his Cadillac
He went a-cruisin' down the ville
The muezzin was a-standin'
On the radiator grille (ow!) 

By order of the Prophet
We ban that boogie sound
Degenerate the faithful
With that crazy Casbah sound
But the Bedouin, they brought out
The electric camel drum
The local guitar picker
Got his guitar-pickin' thumb
As soon as the Sharif had cleared the square
They began to wail

The King called up his jet fighters
He said you better earn your pay
Drop your bombs between the Minarets
Down the Casbah way
As soon as the Sharif was chauffeured outta there
The jet pilots tuned to the cockpit radio blare
As soon as the Sharif was outta their hair
The jet pilots wailed

Sharif don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah
Sharif don't like it
Rockin' the Casbah
Rock the Casbah

~~~

These are Haradrim from Near Harad. We still have the Sietches of Far Harad! And more than that... the tribes from the Sub-Saharad regions. So lots more Southrons still to come! More Muad Dib riders and Mumakil. Oh did I say Mumakil?

Cheers,

Mar