ncc1717

Pig Wars – Sherwood vs Nottingham

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Pig Wars. This time there were two sides instead of the usual free-for-all. The scene is Nottingham Castle, with a group of Sherwood Forest men about to be executed. The Sheriff watches from the top of the keep, accompanied by the captive Maid Marian.

Will Scarlet and his band awaiting execution.

A Sherwood band waiting to be let into the castle.

Little John and a band of Sherwood men on the wall.

The Sherwood band outside is let in by Robin himself.

Nottingham guards clear some rebels away from the Keep door.

Sherwood men fighting to get into the Keep.

When we had to call the game due to the time, the castle courtyard had been cleared of the Sheriff’s men, but they still had the Keep well defended. The Nottingham side was ahead by one victory point.

Klingon Dreadnought Model Comparison

Amarillo Design Bureau is selling versions of their Star Trek miniatures via Shapeways. Two 1:3788 Scale Klingon C8B Dreadnoughts made with the cheapest and the most expensive available material are shown in these photos.

Cheapest: White Strong & Flexible Polished
Most expensive: Black Hi-Def Acrylate

White Strong & Flexible Polished on the left, Black Hi-Def Acrylate on the right.

Two metal ADB models are in the foreground.

Many layers of paint and clear coat were applied to the White Strong & Flexible Polished model, and sanding was tried. The result was still not smooth, so decals were not attempted and the markings are hand-painted. Decals on the Black Hi-Def Acrylate are from Mark’s Models and Toys.

UPDATE as of 31 October 2024:

With the demise of Shapeways, the availability of these models is uncertain.

Pig Wars – Another Village, Another Sacking

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a game of Pig Wars. Five bands of Viking, Saxon and Welsh warriors descended on a village market while one band of Normans attempted to defend it.

The village market, with the village idiot sitting on the left.

To the north, the Norman crossbowmen (foreground) shoot at an attacking band in the woods.

To the south, careful negotiations keep peace among the plunder-hungry Saxons, Vikings and Welsh.

Vikings plunder the church and find…. a pig!

The Normans are now in a three-way shooting match.

The Welsh are holding an archery contest. Unfortunately, some arrows miss and hit Normans in the back. The village idiot is still sitting.

Viking and Welsh cooperate to systematically loot the town.

…and then receive a charge.

The last Normans are shot down by Welsh bowmen.

The Welsh just edged out a Viking band in loot (they had to count the geese and pigs) to win the game. No other bands came close, although the Normans will be honored for dying to a man to defend this squalid little village.

Star Fleet Battles – Federation vs Klingon

Members of the local miniatures group got together this Friday afternoon for an impromptu game of Star Fleet Battles. A Federation heavy cruiser and frigate faced a Klingon battlecruiser and two frigates.

The Klingons crippled the Federation heavy cruiser, the Federation destroyed one Klingon frigate and crippled the other. Both sides disengaged, calling it a marginal Federation victory.

This close range exchange guts the Klingon frigate and severely damages the Federation cruiser.

Sewers of Stalingrad

This weekend the local HMGS-South group played a WWII game set in the underground sewers of Stalingrad. The command activation and weapon fire rules from Bolt Action were combined with the movement system from Space Hulk. Three German squads and a heavy weapon team were tasked with clearing four Russian squads and a heavy weapon team from the sewers. They were also to locate and destroy a munitions cache. The result was a bloodbath, with only five surviving Germans and no Russians.

Here is a reference sheet for the rules (with some post-game modifications) :Skirmish Test revised