EDIT - the day after posting…
Well honestly. What are the odds that the miniature decides to buy a random Lego mini figure with her pocket money today, then finds this when she opens it?
More bystanders, this time from Hasslefree Miniatures - bartender and dwarf patron.
Just finished a nice couple of medieval bystanders. A joy to paint and I’m really pleased with how they’ve turned out.
These two are from Studio Miniatures Medieval Mayhem range (none of which seem to be listed on their website at the moment). Resin bases are from Fenris Games.
After painting Maid Marian, I didn’t fancy doing white robes again so
far. Instead I was inspired by the daft blue robes worn by prefects
when I was at school it was a grammar school with more history than it
sometimes knew what to do with in the late 20th century).
If they look familiar in shape (if not colour), that’s because they look to be based on Michael Palin and Terry Jones from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
A really lovely sculpt, nice folds in the cloth but not fussy. Stylistically the Footsore models are a more ‘realistic’ take on the subject than the Studio Miniature Robin and Tuck; neither the Hollywood romance of Flynn and de Havilland, nor the mysticism of the ‘80s ‘Robin of Sherwood’ - my two favourite takes on the stories. And she’s not a fox either, like the Miniature would prefer.
The (now not so little) miniature was involved in colour choices, as they are sort of to get her interested in gaming ;-)
She was adamant she wanted the dress to be white, which is not my favourite colour to paint, but challenge accepted. I suggested that she should then have a cloak in brown or green to allow her to hide in the forest when needed, which she was enthusiastic about, fortunately.
Luckily I had a trick up my sleeve to try out for the white…
This model actually proved to be an interesting exercise. Aside from a little GW ‘Ogryn Flesh’ wash on the face and hands, I didn’t use my normal washed for shading, this was all brush shading and highlighting through multiple shades. While I wouldn’t say it’s my best work by a long shot, I am really pleased with the result.
Continuing my efforts to put together Robin Hood and his merry band. Here's a version of Will Scarlett from Footsore Miniatures 'Baron's War' range.
He will also be joining my Five Leagues from the Borderland Heroes.
You may recall that after the last encounter, our heroes were joined by a new character, who was rolled up as a 'Wildlands Ranger'. On reflection, I couldn't think of a character and model for that fitted the description, that didn't just feel like a poor copy of Thomas, one of the existing heroes.
So I re-rolled (it's my solo campaign, so why feel guilty about it?), The re-roll felt much better, adding a very different type of character to my existing ones, but who I can see fitting into the dynamic, and one who's background explains quite neatly how he came to be rescued from the fanatics.
So welcome our new hero, Giacomo the Witch Slayer. Hailing from the warmer southern lands on the coast of the inland sea, he has chosen to dedicate his life to exposing the sorcerous and corrupt. It was his chasing of the cult of the Lady that led him to Winterbourne but, on his own, he was soon overwhelmed and taken captive. Seeing how the party are taking on the evils in the area, he has decided that working with them will be more effective than working on his own. However time will tell if he is a genuine team player, or will attempt to manipulate the others to achieve his own ends
The model is a lightly converted Foundry Conquistador, the original helmeted head swapped for one with a soft cap (the helmet is hanging from his belt behind him).
A wandering scholar passed through the village this turn, but had nothing to offer the party other than a riveting description of his thesis on the symbolic role of root vegetable in borderland balads. I had to pay a gold mark for upkeep this turn, the party having now grown above 8 individuals. Nothing else happened in town, except for Gregory visiting the village priest, who forgot to bless anyone, but did suggest that the part may want to retrieve a relic that had been left with a hermit in some caves to the north, and who had not been heard from for a while.
This turn's encounter would be against the 'Taken', and would occur in a cave complex. The party would need to search a particular 'room' (a difficulty 4 challenge). For battle 'oddities' I rolled up 'Gloom' (no missile attacks beyond 6") which seemed entirely appropriate! I decided that normal shooting rules would apply outside the caves, and then Gloom rules would apply once they entered the caves.
The first problem I faced was how to represent the cave complex. As luck would have it, I'd been looking in to this very issue while contemplating how I might run one of Five Leagues scenarios packs, 'The Goblin Hills', and had come across some very nice floor plans published by Heroic Maps, and available through Wargames Vault. I downloaded the 'Foxtail Hills: The Goblin Caves' map, printed it out and based it on a large sheet of 5mm foamcore I had hanging around. More 2D than my usual scenery approach, but it would work.
The first turn's shooting was rubbish, with Jocelyn rolling he first 1, but Will soon had his eye in an dropped the sentry outside the cave. The Taken were alerted to the party's presence though and started to move towards them. A second Taken appeared in the cave entrance and engaged our Gregory unsuccessfully but was in turn cut down by Giacomo - he and Robert both had fast actions; normally it would have been Robert charging in first, but with Giacomo's recent captivity likely giving him a thirst for revenge, I diced off between the two of them - I feel a bit of a clash of egos may be coming on...
