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Saturday, January 28, 2023

Samurai Archers

Inspired by the recent Samurai battle of Mikata Ga Hara, the remaining bowmen from last year's Museum Miniatures' sale were dug up from The Lead Pile and pushed into the painting queue.  Strike while the iron is hot, right?  Whoops.  Check that.  More Museum Miniatures' Samurai came up in a follow-on dig.  In this latest tranche, there appears to be enough archers to field one more Samurai foot archer unit.  In addition to the Samurai archers, there are enough figures to field two Samurai teppo units.  I knew the teppo units were in there.  These fellows are planned to hit the painting desk later.  Perhaps inspiration will strike again after another Samurai battle?     
Off the painting desk today are 26 figures split between one unit of Samurai foot archers and two units of Samurai horse archers.  With these three bow units, there ought to be sufficient numbers to field any Samurai needed for any Samurai Battles' scenario.  I know.  Famous last words.  With Museum Miniatures' annual January sale winding down, time remains to slip in a small order if needed.
Next week on the gaming front will be a busy one.  Five games are on the week's gaming docket including my 15mm Franco-Austrian War Battle of Montebello on Monday.  Montebello is set for a six-player remote game.  I will see five games in five different periods using five different rules.

49 comments:

  1. Excellent looking mounted archers unit Jonathan!

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  2. Nice units, I like the crisp hard metal figures that Museum Miniatures do. 5 games is a big (though wonderful) commitment.

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    1. Thanks, Norm! MM figures are very hard metal (pewter?). Curiously, the bow on these figures is quite pliable. Playing five games is a big commitment but made much easier since I host only one.

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  3. edit - have you noted the Newline sale has started?

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    1. Indeed, I have. I am making a list and checking it twice.

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  4. You must have a very understanding missus Jonathan, enjoy the week.

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    1. I do. Since the majority of these remote games are with UK gamers and my start time is usually mid-to-late morning Pacific Time, I present these as long lunches with friends. Nancy accepts that since she does the same.

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  5. Pretty neat Archers, amazing how effective the hexagonal basing looks. I am also prone to the after the battle follow up unit being the next project on the painting table.

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    1. Thanks, Joe! The dual hex basing is especially useful when playing on a two-inch hex grid. Then, each unit occupies two hexes.

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  6. Montebello, ooh, gonna be a good week.

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  7. Fine looking fellows there Jonathan, all this and five games next week! You are a wargaming Juggernaut.

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    1. Thank you, Phil! Wargaming Juggernaut? Hmm. I like that!

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  8. I like the look of those Samurai. I've also been taking advantage of the January sale at Museum Miniatures. Might try and slip an extra order in

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    1. Glad you approve, Neil! Picking up figures during MM and Newline's January sales has become a tradition at this Holiday house.

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  9. I wionder whether Samurai have mor detail to paint than French Napoleonics. Very nice work Jonathan.
    Richard

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    1. With lacquered armor in abundance, I think these are much easier to paint than Napoleonics.

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  10. Very nice Samurai archers Jon and a full week of gaming ahead by the sounds if thing...you must be a pretty happy man!

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    1. Thanks, Keith! Yes, a full week of gaming. Honestly, more than three in a week is a bit much but I press on and do my duty.

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  11. Nice additions to the Samurai Jon. Last night I was digging through my German WWII box of bits, discovering purchases I'd completely forgotten about! I keep meaning to have a proper sort out, but have failed to do so for several years now.

    5 games in 5 days? Wow you are going to be a busy bee for sure! Hope you have fun with all the games and the different rulesets. I'm not sure my grey cells could cope with this these days...

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    1. Thanks, Steve! There are items in my Lead Pile that no one knows are lurking within. Always fun to mount an archaeological expedition and dig through the strata.

      Playing five games in a week is a lot. Keeping five different rulesets in mind is less work than you might think especially with a good QRS and a good GM. Do I get confused? Of course!

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  12. Splendid new toys Jonathan…
    You certainly have a busy gaming schedule.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Much appreciated, Aly! Certainly is a busy gaming schedule.

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  13. Great looking archers, I often find after a game I'm more enthusiastic to paint period appropriate figures, a virtuos circle?!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks, Iain! For me, it is a vicious circle as well.

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    2. I like to think of it as more virtuous rather than vicious!
      Best Iain

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  14. Superb figures and outstanding paintwork Jonathan. I hope you have a suitable display cabinet for them... other than being on show in a game.

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    1. Thank you! Unfortunately, my display cabinets consist of boxes of figures lining the walls and every nook and cranny of the game room.

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  15. Isn’t this like your 3rd week of 5 games like this year? Juggernaut of gaming indeed. 😀

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    1. Close! The week before last had five games scheduled but one was cancelled and rescheduled for this week. January is off to a record pace in games played for me. By time the end of month rolls around, there will be 13 games in the books. But, who is counting?

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  16. An incredible gaming routine Jonathan. We had our first game of the year yesterday and I had a nap afterwards. Lovely samurai archers. I wish now I had included more Museum Miniatures in my lead pile.

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    1. Lawrence, 2023 kicks off with a flurry of games, some with new players. Good to see you got in your first game of the year. What did you play?

      You know, there is still time to add MM figures to the Lead Pile with the January sale.

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    2. It was an Ancients game in a continuation of a campaign we started last year. Really only a loose way to connect games based upon armies of the Biblical period. Each player has an army and takes it in turns to invade other countries, the majority of which are neutral so are run by other players in an attempt to deny them victory. I am playing my early Carthaginians and they cycle around once every two months. Unfortunately I can't think of anything I need at the moment, so no excuse to add to the lead pile.

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  17. Very useful additions to your samurai armies.

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  18. More recruits for the daimyo are always useful ;)

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  19. Cheers General Jon,

    Two brief comments.
    First, it is not often that one sees the word "tranche" used in a post. Then again, I have not gone looking for the word.
    Second, five games, in five different periods, starting with a multi-player remote game set in 1859? Well, that's not really a comment, it's more me trying to wrap my head around the concept . . .
    Good luck with Montebello (sp?) and with the rest of the scenarios.
    I will close wondering if there is some way to equate you to the Flash from the comics, as you seem to be able to speed through so many wargames in small amounts of time.

    Cheers,
    Chris

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    1. Thanks for dropping in, Chris!
      The five-game run begins on Sunday with a trip back to the Reconquista. Montebello is a battle likely to be seen on my gaming table for more than one outing. I try to replay a scenario multiple times to get a better feel for both scenario and the historical event.

      I have yet to conquer the space/time continuum so I still can only be in one place at any one time. Remote gaming almost breaks those confines. England one day. USA the next. Back to England. Then off to Australia before a return to England.

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  20. Montebello looks lovely; just needs a Lannes 60 years later!

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    1. Thanks! Since the battlefield covers almost the same ground, I may refight the 1800 battle while I have this out on the table,

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  21. Now that would be wargaming efficiency! Your Samurai additions look fantastic as well, Jon!

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  22. Nicely done Jon as you know my head hurts thinking of your gaming schedule !

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  23. Love the look of the Montebello setup, Jon…and looking forward to any game report on it you may get the chance to post. Good Luck! (Buona Fortuna etc).

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    1. Thank you, Martin! Part 1 of Montebello was fought on Monday. Part 2 will reconvene next Monday to hopefully wrap it up. What looked like the makings of an historical reversal early on, has suddenly flipped mid-game to see the hard-fighting French gain important ground. Still, the Austrians are fighting a much more determined battle than did their historical counterparts.

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