Well this is a bit different! In order to have a game at the club I needed to have an army to go up against an Early Imperial Roman one, I've got plenty of historical armies but not one that works for that( my Early Imperial Roman army is not finished and based for Impetus/ To the Strongest!) So I figured I'd be able to scrape a stand in army using my pagan Saxons/Picts and Irish , I remembered I'd picked up Boudicca/ Boadicea ( you choose, I don't mind!) A warlord model from Orcs nest which is one of the only bricks and mortar shops left in central London that sells wargames figures and I try and find something to buy when I go in there and the last time I was in there ( some time ago!) This is what I got as a long term build an opposing army for my Romans, I didn't think I would need her quite so soon ! One chariot is clearly not enough so, as I am a cheapskate, I ordered three mdf chariots from warbase for £9 , I already had some 25mm horses that I'd got to mount my English civil war dragoons on, so I press ganged them in , then I decided three wasn't really enough so I scratch built three more out of balsa, irregular wheels,wire, 1/72 wicker panels and three spare mdf poles left over from my great Italian wars wagons( see Stew, never ever throw anything away!) I also felt the warbase chariots were a little chunky so I wanted to go slightly thinner but I still needed to fit figures based on 1p coins on them.
Monday, 27 June 2022
Boudicca/ Boadicea and six chariots Ancient Briton 1
You will I hope, excuse the paint job, essentially in the week leading up to the game my wife got covid which meant no spare time in the evening during the week, she was meant to be taking our daughter to Cambridge to see the Rocky Horror musical for the day on Saturday leaving me with eight clear hours of painting, instead of which I had barely two hours, up till midnight to paint seven chariots including herself and driver and an old GW druid that I rebased onto a penny, he just seems slightly portly! I've chucked some flock at least on their bases after the game which was great fun, fast and brutal, I was in it up until the last go when it all collapsed and I didn't really use my chariots well but, first game great fun and we've agreed on a rematch next month and I've got to join with the cool chariot kids! At least I've managed to squeeze a post into June! The infantry and cavalry are on temporary bases I've got a cunning plan to economically replace them with ancient Britons down the line but for now they'll do! Next up we return to our normal programing ,Napoleonic probably Austrian ?
All the best Iain
For a quick job Iain they look very effective, sounds like you had fun in the game, and look forward to seeing how this force develops.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about Covid rearing it's head, and hope all are safe and recovering well
Thanks Dave, they'll do and finally ( day 10) on the mend!
DeleteBest Iain
Great quick job...so lovely - and impressive - chariots!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Phil!
DeleteBest Iain
Great bit of scratchbuilding there Iain. You might have won the game if you’d just thought to mount a Vickers machine gun on them!
ReplyDeleteYou see, I knew I missed a trick, quick let's add a maxim and I've got a tchanka or something like it, always fancied doing the Russian revolution, of course warbase do one in mdf!
DeleteBest Iain
Looking great sir!!
ReplyDeleteLove the chariots a lot!
Best regards
Thanks very much Michal!
DeleteBest Iain
Can't beat a chariot, especially those Ancient British designs can you.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely not Lee!
DeleteBest Iain
Getting an army from scratch, with conversions and scratchbuilds along the way is no mean feat. It may be a bit of a rushed job from your pov but It looks more than adequate to me.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joe kick, bollock and scramble, we aim for adequate and sometimes we achieve it!
DeleteBest Iain
Great work there Iain....Ancient Britons us an army I have considered, based mainly on the fact it would give me an excuse to have Boudicca (not to mention her daughters!) leading the charge! Your home made chariots look pretty good to me...
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith, funny you should say that, I'm planning on adding the Bad Squiddo Cartemdua
Delete( two versions) and adding my footsore Guinivere to a trio of chariots to stand in as her daughters, pretty happy with my home made chariots, certainly the price!
Best Iain
Lol, you won't be surprised to hear I have looked at most of the Bad Squiddo figures on multiple occasions, Matt! And apologies for calling you Iain back in June...don't know why that happened!
DeleteI thought you would! I don't mind you calling me Iain, it's my name after all!
DeleteBest Iain
Bloody hell - I must have been having a real "senior moment" a couple of weeks back - maybe I need to have a doctor test me for early onset dementia?! :)
DeleteWhat a fun article! Daring conversions, medical drama ( I do hope your wife has fully recovered) time constraints, figure substitute ploys and made the cool kids chariot circle .
ReplyDeleteI agree with Joe! This was a fun article to read, Iain. Well, excluding the COVID hit to your wife. Great job on getting this army ready for combat in record time AND getting in a game at the local club.
DeleteThanks Joe, yes on the mend finally, glad you found it entertaining!
DeleteBest Iain
Thanks Jonathan, yes good to get a game, even if prep time was a bit tight! Glad to have joined the cool chariots club too!
DeleteBest Iain
I find it fantastic that you found a way to build three additional chariots, they all look great! I hope your wife recovers soon!
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun doing a bit of scratch building, glad you liked them and yes my better half is now recovering!
DeleteBest Iain
Unbelievably quick work Iain, and very effective. They look great. I hope your wife wasn't hit too hard and is on the road to recovery.
ReplyDeleteThanks Lawrence, nothing like a deadline to push one on! Or maybe that's just me? Nasty case of covid but beginning to get better now!
DeleteBest Iain
Sorry to hear the missus was taken ill, I do hope she recovers soon. Chariots look the business, and are all the more impressive for being scratch-built / kit-bashed. Nice work!
ReplyDeleteThanks Markus, yes my wife is on the road to recovery thankfully, glad you liked the knocked out chariots!
DeleteBest Iain
Excellent work! Gotta love some ancient Celts and chariots, and Boudicca herself!
ReplyDeleteThanks very much Fitz and of course she's the first name down on the army list!
DeleteBest Iain
They're lovely models, Iain, and funny that you and I are both doing chariots at the same time, though in different scales. I played in a game of Infamy, Infamy, recently, where the British chariots mostly seemed to be battle taxis, rather than the shock weapons I had hoped they would be. I hope your wife is feeling better. Cheers, Michael
ReplyDeleteThanks Michael, my wife is getting better, they're a bit more shock like in kings of war, it's a bit simplified and generic compared to Infamy Infamy but still a fun game!
DeleteBest Iain
This darn covid is all over the place again! GWS to the wife.
ReplyDeleteGreat chariot models and scratchbuilding skills Iain. Well done!!!
Thanks Mike, all better now!
DeleteBest Iain
Yes the point is proven; never throw anything away. 😀😀. Nice job on the chariots. I’d would never of thought to make them do they could accommodate a base. 6 seems like a lot to me though I have no chariots.
ReplyDeleteGlad to read the wife is getting better. Sorry for the slow response to your post. I was off and away from the internet. 😀
Thanks Stew, alright just being silly you can't keep everything just most things!
DeleteBest Iain
I just love these Iain. They are so much the better and more individual for the conversions/scratch-building; one of the best parts of the hobby for mine.
ReplyDeleteRegards, James
Thanks James, yes , realistically if I look at my hourly rate , I should just buy them new, it's just much more satisfying to scratch build them!
DeleteBest Iain
Awesome work Iain! I love the chariots. I have scratch built two to round out my Celtic/Gaul army as well. Like you I used left over parts, balsa and card. I never throw anything away either! 😉
ReplyDeleteThanks Vol! I'm sure your scratch building is another level , judging by your ships and dioramas! Of course never throw anything away!
DeleteBest Iain
Oh, nice! These are fantastic!
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot Tim!
DeleteBest Iain
Nicely done Iain, needs must and all that. Proper modelling skills... and I bet the chariots will perform even better next time too.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Jason
Thanks Jason, absolutely needs must, to be honest they've consistently underperformed but there is still hope!
DeleteBest Iain