Auction: Arkham Intrepid Investigators from Crucible Crush.com

I'm clearing out some figures as I am moving into some new projects so grab these while you have a chance. The auction is on eBay (Click on eBay to go to the auction site).

Auction: 28mm Wargames Foundry Darkest Africa Askari Unit

 I really forgot how much fun Wargames Foundry figures are to paint. Since I have enough African figures and explorers and these were laying around, I painted them and they are know currently on eBay. (Click on eBay to go to the auction!) There are 12 figures in all mounted individually on Litko wooden bases and sealed with a clear matte finish.

IHMN: The War of the Witches Season 5 Update, Part 3

The Martial Monks of Justice

Previously in Part 2: Whoops. We missed an episode in Part 2! We are going to pretend it took place at the same time as the Tintin adventure!

China is in turmoil in 1895; Western and Japanese Encroachment, diminished Imperial power, Warlords, ancient evils and bandits have all contributed to the chaos. Some are trying to maintain order, in their own way, and that man is General Ronglu of the Imperial Chinese Army. Unfortunately, Ronglu is a ruthless man and he has been ordered to destroy a village that will not recognize the authority of the Dowager Empress. Standing in his way is Kwai Chang Caine and the Martial Monks of Justice.

 General Ronglu and the Imperial Chinese Army. Yes, they have yetis in the army.

 A brutal battle where only one side would survive.

Yu Niu ponders, "Was it worth it?"

 "BWAH HAH HAH! It was worth it and all goes according to my plans!"

The Adventure of the Secret Lair: From the Secret diaries of Dr. John Watson, MD: "Of course! That's the solution," exclaimed Mr. Sherlock Holmes.
"What's the solution?" I inquired.

 "Who is behind it all! When Lord Ridgewell Hawkes Bickford-Smith was strangled in Berkshire (pp. 30, Sleeping Tiger, Rising Sun), he was strangled with a silk yellow rumal. This silk comes from China - but this was not just ordinary silk! It was silk produced by the larva of a silkmoth fed exclusively Osage orange. It is highly dependent on humans for reproduction, as a result of millennia of selective breeding conducting by the Chinese tong known as the Si-Fan. ONLY one man controls the Si-Fan, and based on the clay soil fragment found at Bickford-Smith manor it only matches the clay of the original Underground Station built in 1868 that is no longer in use and partially caved in.

The murderer must have gotten the silk rumal at this location, and this location is the Secret Lair of Fu Manchu!!!
"Hunh?" I said.
"Come Watson! The games afoot! 

 Holmes enters the Secret Lair . . . 

Danger is everywhere - including the insidious Sonic Gong!

 Unfortunately, Sherlock Holmes is trapped and now a prisoner of Fu Manchu!

Evil versus Sinister: The Witch King versus Fu Manchu. "Master! Fu Manchu has captured the famous English Investigator who you said is the only one that can lead you to the sword of Gengis Khan to replace the Sword of Curses that was broken by the King of the Beasts."

"My loyal Captain of the Ruga-ruga guard, Fu Manchu is the most dangerous opponent (Curse that Cowardly Lion!) that we have ever faced."

"What shall we do oh Great Master of Evil?"

"Based on the powers of Page 34 of the ancient tome of IHMN, granted to me by Craig Cartmell and Charles Marton, I'm increasing you to  a pluck of 3+, a Fighting Value of +5 and a Shooting Value of +3. In addition, I grant you the privilege of carrying a Military Rifle and I will teach you how to use a bayonet. Now summon the rest of the Guard and the Troglodytes and lets go capture Sherlock Holmes from Fu Manchu for our own evil purposes.

 The forces of Fu Manchu. Each mechanical arachnid has been equipped with an Electrostatic Burst Generator.

The Witch King of Sokar (BWAH HAH HAH!) and his minions. There are 6 more troglodytes being held off board as reinforcements.

Someone has penetrated the secret lair! Activate the Robot and mechanical arachnids!

 

The Mechanical Robot Man of Fu Manchu reaches out with his steam claws and easily crushes the Destroyer. The Witch King (BWAH HAH HAH) starts to sweat.

 A bayonet pierces Fu Manchu and comes out the other side. Is this the end of the greatest evil genius of our time?

 With fire bolts, the Witch King (BWAH HAH HAH) destroys the robot and then captures Sherlock Holmes!

"So Mr. Holmes, I win again and you are now compelled to do my bidding and help me find the sword of Genghis Khan. BWAH WAH HAH!

Epilogue:

 "Lo Pan, your plan worked perfectly. They never noticed that my double had no powers and now the double is dead and this 'Witch King' will use the English detective to lead us to the Sword of Genghis Khan." 

Coming Soon:

A new Professor joins the fight with Tintin and Teddy Roosevelt.

Traveling across India among Thugs and Mad Gurus.

The Old Ones are not amused.

Miskatonic University makes their move.  

The Shadow makes his move.

An Unearthly beauty makes her appearance . . .

 . . . and will the Sword of Genghis Khan change everything?

IHMN: The War of the Witches Season 5 Update, Part 2

Previously in Part 1:

President Cleveland has ordered Task Force Tombstone, consisting of US Marshals including the famous Earp brothers to get the Wicked Witch of the West dead or alive in retaliation for attacks on The Smithsonian Institute and the Gale Farm in Kansas. Thomas Edison has modified the gyroscope controls Professor Nightengale and Tesla's alternating-current (AC) system with his direct-current (DC) electric power on the only known American Tesla gate out in the wild, wild west. To quote the President in order to activate and put the posse right in WWW's castle. Operation Looking Glass successfully "gates" to the castle.

 It's the United States Branch of the Knights Templars! 

 Looks like we got here in the nick of time!

Deputy Marshall Rooster Cogburn, using pretty bold talk for a one-eyed fat man, captures the Wicked Witch of the West. She is now locked safely away behind Niagara Falls.

There are foolish and evil men who attempt to tampered with the Divine laws of the Universe in order to advance their nefarious schemes of world domination and personal illegal accumulation of wealth - no matter the threat to innocents throughout our fair creation. The Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!) is a group of international terrorists dedicated to hastening the return of the Great Old Ones. The Brotherhood is made up of people from all ethnicities and ways of life, and, believing that the Old Ones will awaken soon, conduct covert operations, such as attempted political assassinations. Few of its members are taken alive for interrogation, however, as most die shortly after carrying out their operations.

 The Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!)

Teddy Roosevelt, Tintin and Snowy - plus some friends, are not going to put up with this nonsense and discover that their secret headquarters are the ruins of the Tamblin-Goggin manor house, next to Piddle (snicker) Brook and the British Railway line to North Piddle, England. The Knights Templar have also discovered that the Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!) is also attempting to wake up one of the "Old Ones"; the evil, inter-dimensional aliens that want to rule the Earth. Oh, and by the way, Ann Darrow is a hostage of the
Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!)

 Ann Darrow and the Great Pooh Bah of the Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!)

 "Good shot", exclaims Ntando. Teddy replies, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.”

"Miss Darrow, it's me. Snowy the Talking Dog!"

"What the . . . ?" 

"I am the gathering storm, I bring darkness and death to monsters."

"Grand Master, don't attack Snowy!" 

In a bizarre twist, the Knights seize Ann Darrow and make their escape. Tintin, Teddy Roosevelt and friends are baffled. Even thought The Black Brotherhood AKA The Cult of Doom(!) was destroyed, are heroes do not understand why the Knights betrayed them.

 "Mr. Roosevelt, why did they do it? asks Tintin.

"I don't know. If given the choice between Righteousness and Peace, I choose Righteousness and I will hunt them down and save Ann."

Epilogue: 

 Miskatonic University investigates and comes to the conclusion that this is not good!

A VILLAIN REVEALED!

 "Once again the world is at my mercy and they are now fighting against themselves. I have conquered not only the mysteries of all of the continents but now of the oceans too. In the tropical waters of the south Atlantic my hand stretches out to turn water into ice - and to transform safety into the deadliest peril. Soon the proof of my mastery will be complete."

More recaps to come!

HRH Princess Bonneville Elizabeth

Her Royal Highness Bonneville Elizabeth. Bonnie for short.

The latest addition to our family is HRH Princess Elizabeth. She is a German Shepherd and this is an earlier picture when she first came home. She is currently 4 months old.

Sheriff Roscoe Bumpee Thumperton "Danger Dog" says"What the hell?"

The Danger Dog has been tasked with training Princess Bonnie on what an Alpha Male is, why you shouldn't bite my tail, and other important War Poodle information. The Sheriff is putting her through basic training and her progress, in his words, is adequate. The Sheriff, as a certified War Poodle, has high standards.

"AH TEN SHUN! TUCK IN THAT RIGHT LEG!"

As the Colonel overseeing training, at 4 months, Princess Bonnie is making excellent progress in her training and I'm sure when she turns one year old, she will be named a Colonel of her own regiment and granted the status of War Poodle . . . as long as she stops biting Danger Dog's tail.

In the meantime, as Co-Drill Sergeant my Beautiful Bride (Chief of Staff and Minister of Finance) of 33 years has pointed out that I have only painted 3 figures since Bonnie arrived in August. Yep. Now that she is a little older, but has not graduated Basic yet, I think I'll be able to get back to a semi-schedule and finish the first of the Barsoom project. Also in the pipeline is a certain professor to join Tintin, more Sky Pirates, more problems in Africa and a culmination in the Current War of the Witches involving The Sword of Genghis Khan, ancient inter-dimensional aliens, The Witch King (BWAH HAH HAH) and everyone's favorite Evil Genuis, Fu Manchu. And did I mention Miskatonic University and the 14th Sikhs are getting into the fight?