The making of a weapons stash

Hello again!!

Those eagle-eyed viewers out there, will have noticed an objective marker that featured in the last battle I played and it was used it to represent a weapons stash.

It consists of two spear barrels, a crate, some shields and other weapons strewn across the floor, with the idea to use it as a point where a friendly soldier could exchange their weapons or armour provided they were close enough to it.

The main parts that you would need to construct this weapon stash are:

Crate (Made as shown in LOTR battle games in Middle Earth pack 13)
Barrels x 2 (Made as shown in LOTR battle games in Middle Earth pack 13 and 27)
Plastic weapons objective (Taken from the ruins of middle earth sprue)
60mm base
Sand
Dark brown and Black spray paints
Other GW paint colours as mentioned below


Barrel constrcution

The process for making crates and barrels is taken from LOTR battle games in Middle Earth pack 13 and detailed below.


1. Cut a piece of dowel into inch/2.5cm long sections.

2. Smooth of the top and bottom edges until suitably rounded with sandpaper.

3. Cut grooves at regular intervals around the circumference of the barrel (I did this using a knife), do not cut the grooves too deep they are only to show where the 'slats' of the barrel join each other.

4. Cut out two thin strips of card (Mine were approx. 3mm x 50mm and 1mm thick) and glue to near the top and the bottom of the barrel to represent iron banding.

5. Glue sectioned cocktail sticks to the top of the barrel, these will be painted and used to represent spears.



Crate construction

1. Crates can be made quite simply by gluing square or rectangular sections of balsa wood together into a cuboid shape, trimming with a knife where required any overhang off.

2. Use a pair of scissors or blunt pencil to score lines, to suggest planks, into the balsa wood.

3. Glue strips of thin card, like before near either end of the crate.

The finished barrels and crate with other items
to make the weapons stash.

After these have been constructed, they are glued to the
60mm base with any other suitable items that will fit.

Glue is applied to the surface and sand poured over.

Once the glue has dried the sand and other items to the
base, it is sprayed with a basecoat of black.

Once the basecoated feature is dry it is then sprayed
with a dark brown.

Although mine is a much lighter shade of brown, the aim is to
reduce the amount of hand painting required.

I also took the opportunity to coat other terrain features in brown.

And basecoat some other figures too.

Once this layer has dried, the piece can then be paint in more specific colours for each individual feature.

Progressive highlighting was used outline the top of the
barrels to show were the inside rim is compared to the
outside edge, notice how the inside remains unpainted/
unhighlighted after a Rhinox hide wash is applied.

Barrel/crate wood and spear shafts - Rhinox Hide wash, Rhinox Hide to Mournfang Brown to Steel Legion Drab:

Drybrushing (2:1:0)(1:1:0).

Highlighting between the wooden slats (1:2:0)(0:1:0)(0:2:1)(0:1:1)(0:1:2)(0:0:1).

Base/ground - Steel Legion Drab to Ushabti Bone, Drybrushing (1:0)(2:1), Light drybrushing (1:1)(0:1)


Grey stones - Dawnstone to White Scar (1:0) coat then progressive highlights at (2:1)(1:1)(1:2)






Shields - Khorne red to Evil Sunz Scarlet and Dark angels green to Warpstone Glow (1:0)(1:1)(0:1)

Shield bosses - Two coats of Gehenna's gold

Iron banding and spear/axe heads - Highlights of Dawnstone then of Iron breaker.



Thus painting the features like so makes the entire thing look like:

This has turned out much better than I had anticipated. The brown spray was much lighter than I had expected so most of the browns had to be washed darker initially before, and the iron banding colour choices were a bit of a compromise from not having enough metallic colours and thinking it might look good? 

Also I've chosen not to flock it as it looks good enough anyway. But overall I happy with the result :) .

Until then

Fish

Face-off 2013 1st round Moria Vs Theoden's Host

Well do I have a small late Christmas present for you, I hope you had a good one either-way.

Erkenbrand has a miniature legion of Rohirrim, to face off a small number of goblins and a troll. The advantages the goblins have is that they could be able to use their numbers sooner than the Rohirrim, who may end up waiting for all of their models to enter the board, and the troll will be able to outfight Erkenbrand. Once they have all entered, the goblins should be at a 33% number disadvantage, so securing the objective will be much harder even when they could be at half strength.

Moria Vs Theoden's Host (Take and Hold)

Deployment:

7 Rohirrim, 3 goblins and the troll enter the board

Four of the Rohirrim move towards the objective,
while the goblins and troll fight the others

One warrior falls to the tiny creatures

2 more Rohan warriors and all the other Goblins enter play

One is speared before he could even move

The goblins move towards the secured objective

Then Erkenbrand arrives

The Chaotic melee ensues 

And two are killed on either side

Erkenbrand tries to trap the troll, while more Rohirrim come to their aid

Yet the troll smashes the straw heads aside, and squashes two,
The goblin captain also claims one, breaking the Rohirrim

Yet the battle doesn't end to the Rohirrim's relief

The captain enters the main battle for the objective

The troll lands a blow to Erkenbrand's helm, which was left cloven,
and the veteran captain barely alive. The Goblin captain gets another,
and a single goblin is killed elsewhere breaking the Goblin force

The battle continues further!

One goblin flees

The Troll finally grinds Erkenbrand into the ground

And the battle ends

However the troll misses the 3''/8cm zone!

With two models of both sides within 3''/8cm of the objective, It's a Draw!

Since it's a draw the sum of all points earned will be the decider, such that:

Moria = 7pts(drawing scenario) + 3pts(killing leader) + 5pts(Breaking Rohirrim) = 15
Theoden's Host = 7pts(drawing scenario) + 5pts(Breaking Goblins) = 12

Therefore Moria shall progress to the next round, Leaving the Rohirrim feeling hard done by.

Ironically if Erkenbrand had used both might points to win the fight, the troll would have been within 3''/8cm of the marker, and given the Goblins a victory.
However losing the fight made the points difference smaller, clever Erkenbrand.

Next time will be the final first round battle between The Easterlings and Isengard Raiders in Seize the Prize. 

Until then

Fish

The treasure of Gateway Bridge

Mainz paced back and forth by the camp-fire, the scout should have been back by now.
Until finally he showed. 
"And what grants your lateness?" Mainz enquired.
"Lack of food sir" he replied.
"Wouldn't that make you come back quicker?"
"The good news sir." Still Mainz had a frown which few men could withstand."The Harardrim are also out of supplies." This softened Mainz slightly.
"We are still out of food ourselves!" Mainz shouted. "Asten, what food can we get in the surrounding area?"
"Not much, and there is no doubt Rathin will be searching for some too." Asten informed.
"Rathin is not in command, he was wounded in our taking of north Harnen." Said the scout.
"So we must gather sufficient supplies and take the bridge." Grimaced Mainz, then looked angrily at his men. "Well armour up! We attack them, food or no food!" To which they hurried around the fire gathering their equipment and weapons. Mainz had turned angry recently, they hoped it was only because of the minimal food... 

General Mainz Vs Lieutenant Rathin (Treasure hunt)
Players must gather treasure counters and deploy them at the bridge. Once all have been collected, the game ends on a 1-2 on a D6. players may not steal deployed counters, but can steal un-deployed counters. Each deployed counter gains the deploy-er +1exp.

Deployment:

...........

Sanas moves to the rocks
while the ranger picks up two treasure counters

The Haradrim uncover four counters, two were deposited at the bridge
One finds a warg, the other two find one each

Failing to kill the warg it disappears

More moving

Sanas finds one treasure counter and continues to the next counter

Asten also finds one treasure counter and moves towards the hill
The ranger deposits his treasure counters

Both 

Sanas finds a warg

This man gets his second treasure counter

And the first for this one

Both sides engage

Sanas couldn't wound the beast, yet it disappears

Mainz bashes his shield against the corporal
who topples back unconscious 

Asten picking up his second and hastening back to the bridge

The Haradrim engaging Mainz and co.

This time Thuralion does the bashing

Almost all the treasure has been collected

Mainz moves over the bridge to intercept the Haradrim bearers
before they deposit their counters

Getting his third

Mainz and co. engaging to detain and evil victory
Sanas deploys his first, tie-ing the score

One Haradrim pierces Mainz' armour,
however the blow misses and flesh

And the game ends!

Giving a draw and both sides gain 100R. Mainz retreats east of the bridge, and Rathin north although he fails his scouting roll so remains at Gateway bridge.

Each plunder package deployed grants the deploy-er 1exp. and inside each package are:

1. Nothing
2. Food
3. Food
4. 100R of weapons/armour
5. Roll on the recruitment table
6. Roll on specials table (below)

Roll on 2D6

• Ring of power(+1will/might points to bearer) (4/5)
• Hardened steel sword/spear/t-h-axe (+1 to wound) (6/8)
• Mithril armour (replace armour, +3 defence) (2/12)
• Staff of awakening (one free immobilise(+3) per battle) (3/11)
• Orb of fate (free priority once per battle) (9/10)

In the Gondorian camp both other members recover, also Mainz gains +1wounds. In the packages they find plenty of food sufficient for two turns.

In the Haradrim camp Rathin recovers along with both corporals, but one gains an old battle wound and +1wounds too. In the packages they find 100R of weapons and armour(5x shields and a suit of heavy armour). 


Mainz was less bitter after the battle, although he still called it a small melee. They had retreated east, and they were wary of the defencelessness of north Harnen.
"Sir?" It was Asten back from checking the perimeter. "The Haradrim are still at the bridge."
"But we saw them retreat just as we did." Then Mainz thought for a moment."They couldn't get through the forest?"
"Yes, also they seem to have acquired some better armour, but by the looks of things they still haven't got any food."
"Curses! Our arrows will be next to useless." Mainz sunk his head, first they had failed to take the bridge, and now his enemies were growing stronger. "at least we have plenty of food" He said grimly "Ready the men, we need to move fast."

Rathin awoke resting against the bridge wall, he then raised himself to find his corporals washing in the river.
"What is this!" He ordered. they looked at each other.
"We dare not disobey the dark lord so we poisoned your soup." Replied one.
"And what of Mainz?" Rathin asked.
"We could not defeat him in combat, so we ran. He didn't pursue us, and it was for the better, we almost got lost in southern Ithilien." 
"Looks like you two earned yourselves two pints!" Rathin roared, "I hoped you would come to your senses, I had to check you both weren't spies." The corporals smiled briefly, It was a little far to go to check they were legitimate. Then they said.
"We have no food or ale for that matter, we checked in the packages by the bridge. We only found five shields and a suit of armour, which we left for you sir."
"To think I was pleased with the two of you!" Rathin had an evil look upon his face, Mainz would return and stronger than before. "Prepare the men!" He ordered "we shall either march or fight!"

Until then


Fish