Thursday 28 May 2020

Dux Bellorum 7 Irish skirmishing slingers and some additions to the board

Here are 16 slingers for my Irish army for Dux Bellorum.  Four units of four, I need to come up with a sabot base for them that is 120mm wide but I think that might get delayed, anyway they're done now,six unknown metal figures from the big dark age Ebay splurge (all used up by Dux Bellorum bar one!) and ten plastic Hat  figures which are nominaly 28mm but are very slight and the detail is pretty soft,however I'm happy enough using them here and have some more that will be skirmishers in some other Dux Bellorum armies while some might be press ganged into a shieldwall!They do have the benefit of being really cheap, which I like!







Not much to say, various earth colours and they won't last long on the table in this game system, skirmishers in Dux Bellorum are particularly weak which some have called into question, Dan Mersey does say that this is deliberate as in this particular period and area skirmishers were the weak, young and old, so he didn't want them to be used as a skirmish screen, just hang around the edge and kick the enemy when it was down, survival being a  really good achievement!
In other news I've been working on gaming boards in my shed  and not really painting figures.








I now  have 2 6' x 4' boards, which I decided I didn't like just being green,although I did base out the new board in the same green masonry paint that I based the first one with. I wanted an arid finish, more like the basing on my Italian wars figures and actually quite a lot like the meads currently look,which is a bit of common ground near me where the New Model Army used to camp, so good for ECW too!
I went over both boards with the paint I use on my figure bases in a squigly pattern, then I  mixed up a wash and  stuck on some blended turf, I usually use woodland scenic but I added some Jarvis stuff that I had knocking around, I figure it's close enough for a base board, I've got to touch up the grid on the original board and add one to the new one.
What I also did was build 4 new trestles which now are a little higher to match my workbench which means my boards can but up against the bench and I  can incorporate it as a further 2' wide playing area,  it's also a better height for my aging back.
 In the picture is an old flush door ( painted grey) that I have kept to use as a workbench in the garden, which if used on top of my original trestles gives me a further 6' x  2' of space and happen to be the right height!
I can cover the bench or the other board with an OD blanket that my dad brought back from the Normandy beaches in 1944 and now lives in my shed,which I'm sure I've mentioned before.
I could do with getting another bit of material, although that would mean I would have           6' x  12' of playing area, I guess I'd better get back to painting figures to fill it up!
Oh and there is a  small Italian wars French force trying out the board, I think it works alright as arid land?

All the best Iain

47 comments:

  1. You are keeping yourself quite busy, Iain! A 120mm frontage for your skirmishers is perfect for Impetvs or TtS! A 6’ x 12’ gaming is a proper size for a gaming table. That matches the size of mine and I find it very versatile. Looking forward to seeing you fill the table space up with a large Italian Wars battle.

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    1. Thanks Jonathan! At the moment I've got a game on one of the 6' x 4' boards playing TtS! The plan is to have a big game with my nephews and possibly grand nephews after lockdown, I guess that's where the impetus to sort the boards out came from!
      Best Iain

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  2. Nice group of skirmishers, and impressive gaming boards, Iain.

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  3. Great looking skirmishers Iain, and the boards look great as well and gives you a very respectable playing area

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    1. Thanks Dave! The skirmishers will do and I'm happy with the boards!
      Best Iain

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  4. Lovely slingers...and table!

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  5. Grest looking skirmishers Iain. The boards look great too.

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    1. Thanks Ray! I think they'll both be alright!
      Best Iain

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  6. The skirmishers look like a right scary bunch of fe..rocious beggars. As for the gaming boards, I’m green with envy Iain 😉

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    1. Thanks for that! I am happy a out the boards, but more of an arid broken up colour!
      Best Iain

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  7. Slingers are handy as support in combat with DB but you still loses a command point when they're gone! Nice boards and a good size for smaller and large games.

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    1. Thanks Cyrus! I think they'll come in handy,as will the boards!
      Best Iain

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  8. Nice work on both the gaming boards and the skirmishers Iain. Surely the weren't all old and infirm, and there must have been a few specialists amongst them?

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    1. Thanks Lawrence! Mr Mersey says no,in the relatively narrow and specific time and location, who knows for certain?
      Best Iain

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  9. Nice looking slingers, it’s too bad no one cares about them on the battlefield; I’ve often wondered why anyone would be a slinger since they get no respect. 😀

    But even better looking boards! Awesome! It’s a cool trick you did to make the boards match the bases of the miniatures. Just ties it all together so well. Hope they serve you well. 😀

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    1. I think you get no respect because you cant afford a spear and a shield! Glad you liked the boards too!
      Best Iain

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  10. I like how those boards are turning out. And very much appreciate the comment about aging backs. Nice to know it's not just me ;)

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    1. Thanks Marcus! None of us are getting younger!
      Best Iain

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  11. Splendid stuff Iain...
    I think that massed slingers would probably be something to avoid.. used properly they could be a very effective weapon...
    I imagine that by the dark ages skirmishing slingers would be ‘showing’ support more than anything else...

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Thanks Aly! I think the slingers are there to be seen to have done something, but not that much!
      Best Iain

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  12. Iain, a fantastic gaming space and I am smiling at the relaxed approach to having 'unknown metal figures'.

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    1. Thanks Norm! I don't know who makes them, but I quite like them!
      Best Iain

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  13. Loving the slingers mate - good to see the old staff sling in the mix as well.

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    1. Thanks Mark! Yes nice to get the staff sling in !
      Best Iain

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  14. They may be few in number and fairlyineffctive on thebattlefield, but they d look good (and I approve their cheap attribute).
    6' x 8' is the ideal size fr most games, but bigger is always better imho.

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    1. Thanks Joe! I think that 6'x 8' is what will get used mostly (except 6'x 4') but as you say its nice to have the option of going large!
      Best Iain

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  15. Fresh troops! nice job lain, I envy you a little the table

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    1. Thanks Ronin! I know I'm very lucky!
      Best Iain

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  16. Very nice work on the skirmishers and on the gaming boards Iain

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    1. Thanks Keith! For both thoughts!
      Best Iain

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  17. First off I love the boards! I think you did a great job on them. I think 6 x 12 feet is about as big as you will likely ever need for a table at home. Mine is 6 x 20 feet, but I don't think I've used the extra 8 feet more than once in 30 years; mostly it just accumulates junk on it! :-) The IOtlain Wars stuff on it looks great, too.

    The skirmishers... cheap is a virtue virtue for sure, especially for "expendables". Some of the plastic ones, though - the anatomy and poses are so off (tiny heads, awkward lurching bodies) that I thought they were Undead Zombie slingers. I'd relegate them to that role myself! :-)

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    1. Thanks Peter! I'm glad you like the boards, I can't see me needing anything larger either and the Italian wars figures do seem to fit! The HaT figures aren't terrible but they are more realistic in their proportions which doesn't sit as well with most other figures which are the norm, I've got some javelin men skirmishers which I might swap their heads with some other spare plastic figures I have, we will have to see if that works and if I need zombie slingers, I know I have them!
      Best Iain

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  19. At first I was to say that the jobon the skirmishers was nice, but then I saw the boards and I have to say I'm truly impressed. Great work indeed.

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    1. Thank you very much Suber, very kind!
      Best Iain

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  20. It’s great idea to paint bases and desks the same color. I believe it will give a more consistent view of your games. As for me it’s a sort of a problem as I never know exactly the color of game desk surface.
    New slingers looks nice, good to see your army is growing:)

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    1. Thanks Dmitry! I know it's sensible to have a more neutral colour but I guess it matches most of my bases,so I hope that's okay!
      Best Iain

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  21. Slingers are just meat for the grinder in games I’ve played. A nice speed bump until the real deal can get to grips.

    Board looks great, dead on your basing style!

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    1. Thanks Dai! Disposable slingers!
      Best Iain

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  22. You have been very busy Iain and I really like the results.

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    1. Thanks very much Lee! Glad you approve!
      Best Iain

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  23. G'Day Iain, like you basing style mate.The boards are a good size for 28mm, lots of room to manoeuvre. Cheers Greg. p.s. I added Delta Coy as a follow to your blog but for some reason the picture is there but nothing to say Delta Coy?? I'll work it eventually

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    1. Hi Greg and thanks! I can't say I understand the vagaries of blogger as they keep moving the goalposts!
      Best Iain

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