Starting with Dux Bellorum

Last Christmas Honorable Son #1 and his lovely bride gave me a copy of Osprey's Dux Bellorum by Daniel Mersey.

All I can say is "Wow".  The Dark Age rules that I have been waiting for.  Dux Bellorum focuses on Dark Age battles in Britain from the end of the Roman era to about the year 1000 AD.  Fortunately for me I already have figures to field a Late Roman Army and Early Saxons and I plan on building a Romano-British (Arthur of course!), Late Saxons and Land/Sea Raiders (Vikings).

Dux Bellorum is element based and to set the correct atmosphere for the armies, I have started 3 Leader bases for the Late Romans, Early Saxons and the Romano-British (Arthur of course!).  For basing I am going to use a 120mm frontage with a depth of 60mm for foot, 40mm for foot skirmishers and 80mm for all horse units.

First up is my Late Roman commander with his comitatus of Huns (hey it's my army, if I want Huns in Britain I'm going to have Huns in Britain).  I painted the Huns as "Roman" as I could to reflect them personally serving my Roman general. As you can see I haven't finished the bases yet.  Late Roman officer and armored Huns from Wargames Foundry.

 Next up is the leader of the Saxon Warband that will be causing problems for the Romans and Arthur.  Figures by Wargames Foundry.

 

Last but not least is Artos, Comtes Britannia leading his companions.  Arthur is by Wargames Foundry and his "knights" are from Old Glory Miniatures.  The flag is my first attempt at making my own flag and was created using Powerpoint of all things!

Army Command for the English Civil War

Honorable Son #2 will be departing for his officer basic course with Honorable Daughter-in-Law #2 in about 5 weeks so of course he wanted to have one more game before he goes.  Since I've been working on my English Civil War project (hint, hint) we decided that Victory Without Quarter would be the perfect send off.  For the game we are going to draft Honorable Sons #1, #3, #4 and #5 to be subordinate commanders during the game.

Just in time (I will be doing no painting, repeat, no painting leading up to the wedding in 9 days) I finished the army commands for both the Royalists and Parliament.

First up is King Charles I from Warlord Games with the Royal Standard carried by a hard plastic infantry officer from the Warlord Games ECW infantry box.

Flag from the wonderful site Wargames Designs.

The foreshadowing on the back of the command stand is an accessory from GW's Bretonnian Archers hard plastic box.

For Parliament we have the Earl of Essex by Warlord Games being cheered on by a Wargames Foundry officer.

The cuirassiers providing a Lifeguard for the Earl and the mounted officer are from Perry Miniatures.

Second Lieutenant Honorable Son #2

Long time war games opponent Honorable Son #2 and his fiancee have graduated college (Roll Tide!) and will soon be married.

Over the years, Honorable Son #2 has commanded Australians in the Western Desert against Rommel, High Elves against hordes of green skins, both Union and Confederate forces, the forces of Louis XIV, star ships and forces to numerous to count.

 Honorable Son #2 commanding his Australian Flames of War Army.  You play better if you wear a hat.

I was honored when he asked me to administer the oath of office as an officer in the U. S. Army.  I was even more amazed that I could still fit into my uniform.

So here's to you my fine son and future daughter-in-law.  God has truly blessed us and I look forward to our last game before you start your life with your beautiful bride to be.

 

ECW Army Command WIP

Here are my two army command stands that are almost complete for Victory Without Quarter:

First up for Parliament is the Earl of Essex and one of his officers.  Essex is from Warlord Games and the foot officer is from Wargames Foundry. The wagon wheel is from an old Games Workshop wagon.

For the cause of King and Country is King Charles I from Warlord Games. The officer holding the Royal Standard is a hard plastic figure from the Warlord Games plastic infantry box.

The Royal Standard is available for free from Wargames Designs.

Reload markers for Victory without Quarter Finished

I have finished the reload markers for the first 6 regiments of foot.  I also finished the first Highlander clansmen marker but forgot to take a picture!  Figures are from Perry Miniatures.

Essex's Regiment, Jones' Regiment and Lord Brooke's Regiment.

Rupert's Regiment, Newcastle's Lambs and the King's Lifeguard.

Happy Socialist Workers Paradise Day!

"Communism is the death of the soul. It is the organization of total conformity - in short, of tyranny - and it is committed to making tyranny universal." Adlai E. Stevenson