The Coming of the Tong!

Last week my eagerly-awaited Tong arrived, painted by the inimitable Matt of Glenbrook Games. And now the kids are back at school I've finally had a chance to take a few pics!

I think Matt has done a really outstanding job on these! The figures are IHMN Black Dragon Tong minus the Yeti which I replaced with two Copplestone Castings Yeti (I wasn't too keen on the Black Dragon Tong one) and Westwind Tong along with Westwind's Inscrutable Tong. I asked Matt for a blue/green colour scheme to tie them together and his addition of the purple sash was inspired. I think I shall call them The Purple Lotus Tong!

In Her Majesty's Name Bestiary - Lost World Creatures

I made a Lost World Bestiary for our most recent game, here it is...

Animal	Move/Run	Pluck	FV	SV	Armour	Weapon Bonus	Pluck Penalty	Cost	Talents
Ape, Giant	9”/+4	4+	+5	+2	8	+1	-1	43	Beserker Terrifying
Boa, Giant	6”/+0	5+	+3	0	7	+2	0	31	Constriction1 Swimming Terrifying
Crocodile, Giant	6”/+0	4+	+3	0	9	+2	-2	32	Numb Swimming Tough
Tyrannosaurus Rex	9”/+4	3+	+5	0	10	+2	-3	62	Fearless Terrifying Tough
Velociraptor	9”/+4	4+	+4	0	8	+1	-1	23	Tough

1Constriction – see HVF p. 10, note 1

Note: All of the above are territorial predators that will attack the first creature that comes within reach of their normal move.

Here is a link to an easier-to-read Dropbox PDF version.

Creatures for a Lost World game

Over the last couple of weeks I've been picking up some beasties for a Lost World game and I thought I'd share some pics.

They have, of course, evolved entirely separately to their species elsewhere on the planet...all seeming to have grown to enormous proportions, particularly the fearsome Tyrannosaurus Rex! 

They are all Schleich figures and readily available from UK toy shops. 

Captain Harry Nelson and the Lost Tomb of Alexander! Part Two - Comic Battle Report - IHMN AAR

We have, at last, finished the Comic Book Battle Report of our last game. You can find the Set-Up and Companies in our earlier post. Enjoy!

Here's a Dropbox link to a PDF version which is a bit easier to read!

All miniatures were painted by the inimitable Matt Slade! The scenery is mostly a mixed bag of aquarium decorations with the exception of the crates which are from Pegasus Hobbies.

10,000 Views

Just noticed that the blog has had over 10,000 page views.

WOW!

When I started this blog a couple of months ago I didn't think I'd get many people visiting at all...mainly because, though I love playing the games, I'm not much for the hobby side of things and so wouldn't have a constant stream of well-painted figures to show off (at least, not ones I have done...thanks, Matt!). But I was about to introduce my 8 year-old son to the world of gaming and I figured the blog could be a kind of diary of our adventures together...a place for me and my boy to save our creative efforts...the companies and their backgrounds,  the scenarios, battle reports and (more recently) comic style AARs.

Well, thankfully, the wargaming bug seems to have well and truly bitten my boy...not only has he easily grasped the rules (he has so far won every game) but he spends hours in his room coming up with his own  stuff and playing solo games with his toy soldiers and Star Wars figures! And long may it last!

Anyway...10,000...wow! Thank you...from both of us...for sharing our adventures. Hopefully, there shall be many more to come!

And yet more aquarium decorations for IHMN!

I'm still putting together the comic book battle report for Captain Harry Nelson in...The Lost Tomb of Alexander! So in the meantime I thought I'd share a few pics of my latest acquisitions!

First up, this very cool looking skull rock...perfect for Lost World/Darkest Africa scenarios!

Which I thought would go really well with an altar I picked up from Fenris Games.

That should end up looking something like this.

In preparation for some Darkest Africa/Lost World type games I also picked up some tents for the intrepid Victorian explorers.

And, finally, I picked up another couple of things for my soon-to-arrive Tong.

Not a bad little haul!

Captain Harry Nelson and The Lost Tomb of Alexander! Part One - Companies and Set-up - IHMN AAR

My son and I managed to get another game of In Her Majesty's Name in a couple of weeks ago. This time my son played Captain Harry Nelson and the crew of HMS Nautilus whilst I played Princess Augusta and her Valkyries. This time the game was much closer...but I still lost.

This post will detail the Companies and Set-Up.

Captain Harry Nelson and the crew of HMS Nautilus

	Pluck	FV	SV	Speed	Cost	Talents	Equipment
Captain Harry Nelson	3+	+4	+4	0	64	Leadership +2 Fearless Duelist (Sabre +2 FV)	Submariner's Plate Armour (11) Sabre (-1 Pluck, +2 FV) Pistol (+1 SV)
Petty Officer Jack Hardy	3+	+3	+3	0	41	Leadership +1 Duelist (Sabre +2 FV)	Submariner's Plate Armour (11) Sabre (-1 Pluck, +2 FV) Pistol (+1 SV)
Leading Seaman (x4)	4+	+1	+3	0	27		Submariner's Plate Armour (11) Military Rifle (-1 Pluck, +2 SV)
Leading Seaman (x4)	4+	+2	+2	0	24		Submariner's Plate Armour (11) Sabre (-1 Pluck, +2 FV) Pistol (+1 SV)

Total Cost: 309

My son loved playing these guys. Captain Harry Nelson is lethal with his sabre and not half bad with a pistol either. The same goes for Jack Hardy. Whilst the seamen are equally divided between long-range riflemen and up-close-and-dirty swordsmen! In other words, they are great all rounders.

Princess Augusta and her Valkyries

	Pluck	FV	SV	Speed	Cost	Talents	Equipment
Princess Augusta	3+	+3	+3	+1	65	Leadership +3 Duellist (+2 SV Pistol) Inspirational (+1 Pluck 12”)	SRC Breastplate (12) Pistol (+1 SV) Sabre (-1 Pluck, +2 FV)
Brunnhilde (Hauptmann)	4+	+2	+3	+1	31	Leadership +1	Steel Breastplate (11) Pistol (+1 SV) Sabre (-1 Pluck, +2 SV)
Gerhilde (Feldwebel)	4+	+2	+2	0	42	Strongman	Brigandine (9) Heavy Machine Gun (-2 Pluck, +5 SV)
Valkyries (x2) (Machine Gunners)	5+	+1	+2	0	20		Light Machine Gun (-1 Pluck, +3 SV)
Valkyries (x6) (Grenadiers)	5+	+1	+2	0	20		Military Rifle (-1 Pluck, +3 SV) Grenade x1 (-1 Pluck)

Total Cost: 311

Light Machine Gun	+3	24”	2	-1	15	Attacks can be split between multiple targets. If fired into a group attacks all targets equally (see 3.3.3 and 3.3.6.2)
Heavy Machine Gun	+5	30”	4	-2	26	Attacks can be split between multiple targets. If fired into a group attacks all targets equally (see 3.3.3 and 3.3.6.2)

I thought that with Princess Augusta and her Valkyries I was in with a good chance of winning this game. They are pretty formidable opponents. Princess Augusta herself is pretty handy with both pistol and sabre as is Brunnhilde. She also has the fearsome Gerhilde and her heavy machine gun and a couple of Valkyries with light machine guns to lay down some serious firepower. The remainder of the company is made up of riflewomen each with a grenade thrown in for good measure.

The Scenario

We decided that the scenario would have Captain Harry Nelson defending a central position and Princess Augusta attacking. The Valkyries would have 4 turns to kill or push Captain Harry Nelson and crew away from the position. If not, then victory would go to the defenders. Even though the scenario favoured the defenders I still fancied my chances...the machine gunners and grenades would surely even things up a bit!

The crew of HMS Nautilus set up anywhere within centre of the table, using the plentiful cover. The Valkyries had to start within two inches of either table edge. The Valkyries would, however, automatically win the first initiative.  

My next post will cover the battle itself in comic book form! So tune in soon for...

Captain Harry Nelson in...The Lost Tomb of Alexander!

All miniatures were painted by the inimitable Matt Slade! The scenery is mostly a mixed bag of aquarium decorations with the exception of the crates which are from Pegasus Hobbies.