ANOTHER NEW RECRUIT FOR THE LEAGUE - INSPECTOR HAROLD EASTWOOD

"I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a Hurricane, the most powerful barker in the world, and would blow your crust clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, cocker?"


Inspector Harold "Dirty Harry" Eastwood of Scotland Yard, newly transferred to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
The figure is by Hasslefree.

NEW RECRUIT FOR THE LEAGUE - BIG BEN

Big Ben, another member of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
A repainted Heroclix Riddler figure.

A repainted Heroclix Riddler figure, very loosely based on (perhaps "inspired by" would be a better description) the character Big Ben from the Alan Moore Marvel Man universe featured in Warrior magazine a long time ago. I was attracted by the fact that his walking stick features the question mark League of Extraordinary Gentlemen logo, but my efforts to straighten the soft plastic stick proved fruitless.
Maybe I'll replace it with a piece of hard plastic if it begins to bother me too much..

French Lancers Advance

Some French Lancers, using Wargames Foundry French Napoleonic Dragoons with Games Workshop Beastmen spears, and mounted on old Games Workshop Bretonnian warhorses.

I also have an officer, but I need to swap his sword, so I'll probably post another picture of this unit when he's finished

Steamtank and Walker on Manoeuvres...

Well, actually its just a picture of the steamtank HMLS Elizabeth and my as yet un-named Walker taken outside as the weather was quite pleasant today, and some people recommend taking photographs in daylight
.
My basic photography skills can do with all the help they can get, so I thought I'd give it a go.
I suppose the daylight helps, but maybe I should have done it a bit earlier in the day when it was a little brighter.

Mrs Lipton's PMT

The first murky sighting of Mrs Lipton's patented
Permanent Maker of Tea

The British Empire has high hopes for the morale of the armed forces if tests prove successful.
Further reports to follow.

Support for the Queen's Electrical Rifles

The first of my steam walkers. A GW Imperial Guard Sentinel

The Horror...

Colonel Marlon Kurtz, who I expect the explorers will one day meet in the heart of the jungle.
Once I have assembled a band of a suitable band of villainous dregs, slavers and thugs to accompany him that is.

The figure is a Heroclix Kingpin repainted.

New Recruits for the League - Bramble & Son: Vampire Hunters

The title pretty much says it all. These figures are from the Artizan Thrilling Tales range, and I'm using them to represent the Bramble & Son characters from the wonderful Jack Staff comic. They will be joining my League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Darkest Africa Scenery

I've also been knocking together some Darkest Africa scenery stuff, initially for Adventures in Jimland, but it'll have other uses too. Mainly jungle, ruins etc. based on CDs, which I'll photograph eventually, but for now, here's some shots of the explorers camp, with a Foundry figure and some Renedra tents.

And some Masai figures, also from Wargames Foundry via ebay

Wargames Foundry Bearers

Here are some bearers I've been painting up for some Adventures In Jimland games.

As with Willie, the bases still need doing.
The figures are Wargames Foundry picked up on ebay.

The donkeys are from The Assault Group.
I still have some more to paint, and they will eventually be accompanying Effing and sundry other explorers "up country" into the jungle in search of fame and fortune

Big Willie (almost) finished

Well, he's painted, but I still need to do the base.
Big Willie is from Warlord Games
(sorry the picture is a bit fuzzy)

H.M.L.S. Elizabeth

I have some catching up to do as far as posting photos is concerned, so here is the H.M.L.S. Elizabeth, the steamtank attached to the Queen's Electrical Rifles, but this time painted.

Of course, its a (mildly) converted GW Chimera.

OBELISK CHINATOWN FIGURES + 20% discount at Black Cat Bases

Black Cat Bases have Obelisk Miniatures Chinatown figures in the UK, and they are offering a 20% discount on all orders till 16th May 2011. I have 1 of these packs which I ordered from Miniaturicum in Germany a while ago (alright, 2 years ago), and I have just placed an order for the other 2 while this offer is on. These Obelisk figures are beautifully sculpted and full of character. Perfect for Victorian London.
Check out the full range HERE

MY FAVORITE GURKHAS

I have finally managed to track down the elusive Pontoonier Gurkhas sculpted by Paul Hicks, and previously seemingly only available at shows in the US. They are now available from Newline Designs.

5 packs are available, and I like them very much. I have these 2 packs, and may well pick up the other 3 in the future. I have primed them, and hopefully wont leave it too long before I paint them and post pictures here.

ADVENTURES IN JIMLAND GAME

Here's another ruleset I became aware of through members the Lead Adventure Forum.
Despite its silly name, ADVENTURES IN JIMLAND is a great little game which can be played with a small group of players, or, rather pleasingly, solo.
Its an exploration game with a miniature game element, and a campaign game element should you wish. Sort of like Necromunda in Darkest Africa.
You outfit your expedition with Explorers, Soldiers, less reliable Askari and, of course native bearers.
You explore, with or without a rough map, and certain encounters can result in the opportunity to trade, discover new animals and plants or ancient ruins.
Not all the natives are friendly, and this is where the miniatures come in. There is a simple and fun combat system to resolve battles on the tabletop on a 30" x 30" board, with random animals joining in the fun. You can tailor the animal encounter tables to accomodate the miniatures you have in your collection.

Eventually, your expedition must make its way back to civilisation. Hopefully with a profit.

You can check out the basic rules HERE

You can buy the full rules from Minden Games HERE

Thoroughly Recommended.

I've made some jungle scenery and an explorers camp, and painted some explorers and bearers for this game which I'll hopefully put pictures of up here once I get around to it, plus the pygmies and natives once I get those painted. Maybe even the cheap toy dinosaurs and Zanzibari slavers.
For a taste of Adventures in Jimland in action visit the Soweiter League blog HERE and HERE.
Jolly entertaining stuff.

New G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T COMPENDIUM

“The Standard by Which Other
Victorian Science Fiction
Rules are Measured”

Its been a while, but I can't think of a more suitable reason for me to resume posting on this blog than the imminent release of the G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T COMPENDIUM.

(Full details HERE)

 

This is the old rulebook I currently have, (which was quite difficult to track down) and I have been building up my forces for.

(and when I say "building up my forces", I mean buying the figures, prepping them, gluing them to bases, doing a little conversion or two occasionally, undercoating them, and slowly, very, very slowly painting them. Why is everything accomplished faster and easier than painting, which is excrutiatingly slow?*)

Anyway, the rules above are just about 1/4 of the new GASLIGHT COMPENDIUM, which will also feature updated material from the "Battles By Gaslight", "Adventures and Expeditions By Gaslight", and "To Be Continued By Gaslight" books.

I am really looking forward to this book, and hope someday that I will get some gaming use out of the Hinterland Female Hussars, Pontoonier Gurkhas, Games Workshop Praetorians, Ironclad British Infantry, Empress Zulu War Infantry, Renegade Prussian Infantry, Renegade French Infantry and Marines, Hasslefree Kindred, Copplestone Sailors, numerous Wargames Foundry Darkest Africa figures, and not forgetting the myriad of character figures from various companies that I am working on.

*To answer my own question, I think its because all the other tasks can be accomplished without my full attention, e.g. while watching TV, chatting with the kids etc., while painting requires my full attention.