Consumer Alert: EOE Orbis, Inc (Blacktree Design Miniatures)

Over the years that I have gamed, I have been about 99.99% satisfied with the manufacturers, online retail outlets and eBay partners I have used to purchase my miniatures. Any misunderstandings or delays in delivery have been quickly worked out or I have received prompt notification with sometimes a freebie thrown in for my trouble.

 Blacktree Design Miniature WW II Germans

This is a real shame, because I really like their figures, by unfortunately I can no longer recommend EOE Orbis, Inc (Blacktree Design Miniatures) as a retailer through their United States distribution.  I have had an order with them since November 26, 2018 and have had minimum response to my inquiries as to when my order will be delivered.  After checking various forums recently, I have discovered I am not alone in my difficulties and have requested, through PayPal a full refund for an order that was made 4 months ago.

Reaper Miniatures Troll

I am a great fan of Reaper Miniatures and their Customer Service is excellent. The kind folks at Reaper Miniatures sent me a free hard plastic troll with my relatively small purchase. Unfortunately this troll is no longer available from Reaper - but they have about a gazillion others. It was easy to paint and will find itself on the battlefields of Dragon Rampant and In Her Majesty's Name.  I decided it would be a fire troll and did a very quick paint job by priming it with red, painting some body highlights with GW Flaming Orange and then doing the claws and teeth with GW Ratskin Flesh.

The flash of the camera hides the orange highlights - but trust me; they are there.

Troll with plastic Gripping beast 28mm Vikings to give you an idea of the scale. To bad it is no longer available, the face alone would be worth whatever the price was - it exudes character!

IHMN: A New Recruit

"Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men? The Shadow knows!"

The Shadow is a mysterious American of contradictory origins. No one is quite sure who he is though he is branded a vicious vigilante by some and a hero by others.  His past and identity are ambiguous. Mr. Sherlock Holmes does not approve of his methods but when asked if they had met he did not answer.

 He moves without being seen by men.

The Shadow is characterized as having "the power to cloud men's minds so they cannot see him". The Shadow does not have the literal ability to become invisible. Clad in black, The Shadow operates mainly after dark as a vigilante in the name of justice, and terrifying criminals into vulnerability.  A petty thug claims to have seen the Shadow's face, and thought he saw "a piece of white that looked like a bandage." Other villains claim they have seen The Shadow's true face and remark that The Shadow is a man of many faces with no face of his own. 

 The Professor's minions are no match for The Shadow.

The Shadow has complete control over his vocal cords and can throw his voice (producing a chilling laugh that can paralyze opponents) and accurately mimic anyone. He has an nearly photographic memory and is also a master of disguise and slight of hand. The Shadow is a world class intellect and a extremely dangerous opponent to those he deems evil.

  The meeting of Mr. Randolph Carter (who wields the Silver Key) and The Shadow. Carter relays secret information to The Shadow that recruits him to be a soldier in the ongoing secret War of the Witches

Name: The Shadow
Pluck: 2+

Leadership: +2

Speed: 2

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +6

Talents: Terrifying, Fearless, Lightning Draw, Gunslinger, Iron Will (Optional: Master of Disguise; if used add 10 points)
Mystical Powers: Clouding Men's Minds, The Path of Shadows, Zone of Shadows

Basic Equipment: Two pistols

Armor: 9

Cost: 93

  "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit! Crime does not pay... The Shadow knows!"

IHMN: The US Marshal Service Reinforced

You want law and order?  We've got law and order. It is the oldest American federal law enforcement agency and was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 during the presidency of George Washington. During the settlement of the American Frontier, marshals served as the main source of day-to-day law enforcement in areas that had no local government of their own. U.S. Marshals are instrumental in keeping law and order.  It has become apparent that the Wild West has become a major theater of the "War of the Witches" - though rumors of other events happening in the Eastern US are causing unease. With that in mind, the Marshall service has brought some new men on and have brought others out of retirement.

 Doc Holliday, Virgil Earp, Wyatt Earp and Morgan Earp (Brigade Miniatures based on the movie Tombstone)

 Virgil and Wyatt Earp

Name: U.S. Marshal Virgil Earp

Pluck: 3+

Leadership: +2

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +4

Talents: Fearless, Lightning draw (pistol), Marksman (pistol)

Basic Equipment: 1 pistol

Armor: 9

Cost: 49

 Wyatt Earp

Name: U.S. Deputy Marshal Wyatt Earp

Pluck: 2+

Leadership: +2

Speed: 1

Fighting Value: +4

Shooting Value: +6

Talents: Fearless, Tough, Gunslinger, Lightning draw (pistols), Marksman (pistol), Duelist (pistol),  Impervious, Inspirational

Basic Equipment: 2 pistols

Armor: 9

Cost: 87

 Morgan Earp

Name: U.S. Deputy Marshal Morgan Earp
Pluck: 4+

Leadership: 0

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +2

Shooting Value: +2

Talents: Fearless

Basic Equipment: 1 pistol

Armor: 9

Cost: 25

  John Henry "Doc" Holliday

Name: U.S. Deputy Marshal Doc Holliday
Pluck: 2+

Leadership: 0

Speed: 1

Fighting Value: +4

Shooting Value: +6

Talents: Fearless, Gunslinger, Lightning draw (pistols), Marksman (pistol), Duelist (Pistol), Medic, Impervious

Basic Equipment: 2 pistols, Shotgun

Armor: 9

Cost: 62

 Grant Johnson

Name: U.S. Deputy Marshal Grant Johnson
Pluck: +4

Leadership: 0

Speed: 1

Fighting Value: +1

Shooting Value: +2

Talents: Fearless, Hunter, Stealthy, Tough

Basic Equipment: Hunting Rifle, pistol, Fighting Knife

Armor: 9

Cost: 34

Rooster Cogburn

When he’s not staggeringly drunk, Cogburn’s good at what he does, but he’s lost the calling and in fact seems to have lost respect for human life. In the Coen brothers noir Western ‘True Grit’, Jeff Bridges’ plays Rooster Cogburn as an amiable mess of a character; a flawed U.S. deputy marshal, but someone you can rely on and would want by your side in times of trouble . . . especially during the War of the Witches.

Name: U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn
Pluck: 2+

Leadership: +1 (Figure using the Leadership bonus must roll pluck)

Speed: 0

Fighting Value: +3

Shooting Value: +6

Talents: True Grit (Fearless, Tough and a Fanatic!), Gunslinger, Lightning draw (pistols), Marksman (pistol), Erudite Wit, Impervious (too drunk!)

Basic Equipment: 2 pistols, Bowie (Fighting) Knife

Armor: 9

Cost: 70

Justice, Integrity, Service

Rebels and Patriots

I've been a big fan of Daniel Mersey and Michael Leck for years: Lion Rampant, Dragon Rampant, The Men Who Would be Kings, the Pikeman's Lament,  and Dux Bellorum.

Arthur, Dux Bellorum and his mounted knights.

 Dragon Rampant Battle in progress!

With Patriots and Rebels the basic mechanisms of the Rampant series are used to bring large scale skirmishing to the battles of North America: from the French and Indian War to the Maximilian Adventure in Mexico.  For those familiar with the Rampant series, much will seem familiar - but read the rules!  There are some great and subtle differences that give this set the North American flavor. I especially enjoy the new officer rules and the use of them in a simple, but effective campaign. Well worth the price!

Regular Afghan Infantry for The Men Who Would be Kings.

Yep, you guessed it: New Project Time!  It's going to be the Battle of the Cowpens.

When Irish Eyes are Smiling

In honor of St. Patrick's Day here are some of my Irish troops:

 Manus O'Cahan's Regiment of Foot - English Civil War (28mm Warlord)

Colonel Alexander MacDonnell's Regiment of Foot - English Civil War (28mm Warlord)

Army of the Potomac Irish Brigade - American Civil War (15mm Old Glory)

164th New York Volunteer Infantry - American Civil War (15mm Essex Miniatures)

1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers - WW II (15mm Battlefront)

Dillon's Regiment of Foot in French Service - War of Spanish Succession (15mm Dixon) 

FitzJames Regiment Regiment of Horse in French Service - War of Spanish Succession                  (15 mm Dixon Miniatures) 

18th Royal Irish in the 2nd Afghan War.

88th Regiment of Foot (Connaught Rangers) - Napoleonic Wars (28mm Wargames Foundry and Front Rank) 

IHMN: US Marshal Mark II Pursuit Armor

The United States Marshals the oldest American federal law enforcement agency and was created by the Judiciary Act of 1789 during the presidency of George Washington. During the settlement of the American Frontier, marshals served as the main source of day-to-day law enforcement in areas that had no local government of their own. U.S. Marshals are instrumental in keeping law and order.

 US Marshal Mark II Pursuit Armor

 Unfortunately, the Wild West is a huge territory to police, and there are never enough US Marshals to cover all contingencies. The US Marshal Mark II Pursuit Armor is based on an original design developed by the US Secret Service but modified for us by the Marshal service.

Originally designed to protect railroad shipments and key strategic points, the Mark II was lightened to allow use with posses and to be used in conjunction with the Cody Steam Horse as a real horse could not carry the weight.

The Mark II has a built in Arc generator which allows the wearer to utilize any variety of Arc weapons available. The armor is American modified steel reinforced ceramic armor giving the wearer incredible armor protection.

US Marshal Mark II Pursuit Armor
Cost: 69 points.
Weight: Heavy
Rating: 15
Notes: Built in Arc generator

US Marshal Mark I Pursuit Armor
Cost: 49 points.
Weight: Heavy
Rating: 15

We always get our man . . . or woman . . . or evil witch . . . or gargoyle . . .

IHMN: Omar the Magnificent and the League of Assassins target The Professor (Episode 5.1)

Omar the Magnificent and the League of Assassins

"It is time", the disembodied voice of the Witch King of Sokur came to Ghycni, Captain of the Ruga-Ruga guard. Though he could not see his master, Ghycni stopped and patiently listened for his command.
"I am here Master."
"Send Omar the Magnificent to England to the ancestral manor of Professor James Moriarty and have him killed."
"It will be as you say."
"Ph'glui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagle fhtagn," replied the Witch King.

The ancestral home, in need of repair, of Professor James Moriarty.

At long last, the Professor will have to directly feel the impact of the War of the Witches. A simple wipe them all out scenario pitting the Criminal Mastermind and technology against Mystical Powers and highly trained assassins who are expert shots and have poisoned blades.

The Professor and his henchmen.

 Omar gazes with evil glee as his assassins and his mystical assistant advance across the ancient bridge. Ever mindful of the Professor's skill, he is using Water Bullets to protect his men.

 The Professor watches from the second floor as Bad Jack, Baron Maupertuis, Douglas Appleby and Allan "The Brawler" Smith expose themselves to Omar's assassins.

 Colonel Sebastian Moran is position on the high ground while . . .

  . . . Captain Cold waits near the cottage ready to freeze anyone foolish enough to come into the courtyard.

BWAH HAH HAH! All goes according to my plan.

 The Apprentice Mystic uses the Cloud Men's Mind as he leads the elite assassins across the bridge.

 "What the . . . how did I end up on this bridge," wonders Omar as the Professor uses his Meticulous Planning talent to move Omar . . .

  . . . right into the sights of the second best marksmen in the British Empire, Colonel Moran.

 Exit Omar as he takes one right between the eyes (how 'bout that 1?)

 In the ensuing confusion of Omar's death, the Professor's men come to grips with the League of Assassins.

 Who is laughing now?

 Bad Jack easily cuts to ribbons the assassin.

 The Apprentice Mystic uses fire against the The Brawler to no avail as he easily dodges the fireball.

 The mysterious Watcher records the encounter.

 The two companies start to mix it up.

 Captain Cold takes aim . . .

  . . . and instantly freezes one of the assassins.

 In quick succession, Bad Jack kills another assassin, Douglas Appleby shoots another, and The Brawler beats one to death in hand to hand combat.

 The Baron states,"Watch what my arc staff can do!"

 ZAP!

 "I need information to find out who was responsible for this attack."

Wow. What a disaster for the (deceased) Omar. With his early death, the entire League was knocked off balance and the Professor's men went through them like a hot knife through butter.

Ghycni sat quietly in the darkness waiting for the voice of his Master.
"Ghycni?"
"Master, Omar failed to kill the Professor."
"Oh Ghycni. It was not the Professor I wanted dead - it was Omar. I told you to send Omar to the Professor and have him killed.  You have done well. The ancient ones will be pleased."

All is fair in "The War of the Witches."