Unmatched Cobble and Fog: The Invisible Man

What a great figure!

BWAH HAH HAH! Just kidding. Here is the actual figure (and how did I miss filing down the flash on his hat?)

How can you defend what you cannot see? A glint of metal amidst the gloom - but it's too late. A surprise attack before he slips away again into the rolling fog.

I love what the team that produces "Unmatched" have done with the Invisible Man. Instead of the usual wrapped bandages or the plastic see-through figure, they have sculpted a figure that looks like he is ready for action as the . . . well, the Invisible Man.

I decided to try a different, lighter color scheme for this figure. In the game "Unmatched: Cobble and Fog", the Invisible Man can deploy fog tokens on the movement spaces. To match the tokens, I went with greys and white - and I think I pulled off a unique figure (I'm not too humble).

Planning his next move.

As always, the figures from the "Unmatched" series are 28mm hard plastic.

In Her Majesty's Name, Second Edition!

British Agamemnon Class Medium Mechanized Walker circa 1895 (pp. 73).

How do you make a great game, In Her Majesty's Name, even better? Why add some pictures of my miniatures in the Second Edition of course! Just kidding! Not about having my pictures in the Second Edition of In Her Majesty's Name (though I am deeply honored that some of the miniatures I have painted were included), but the Second Edition has truly improved upon an already great game.

Charles Murton and Craig Cartmell In Her Majesty's Name, first published in 2013, hit the gaming scene with a passion allowing players to play skirmish games built around "Adventuring Companies" in an alternative Victorian Science Fiction world of 1895. The game is based in the realm of classic Victorian Science Fiction and the more modern development of "Steampunk". The genre is heavily inspired by the works of H.G Wells, Jules Verne, Bram Stoker, Rudyard Kipling, Mary Shelley, Arthur Conan Doyle, Edgar Rice Burroughs et al. Now the world famous "Consulting Detective" can rub shoulders with Lord Greystoke (Tarzan), mysterious Egyptian cults with Mystical Powers, heinous scientific experiments in central Europe, and of course all of  the wondrous new technology that the modern world of 1895 brings to the table. Yep, all of your favorite novels and adventures brought to life.

One of the Adventuring Companies I created using IHMN: The secret action group of the British Empire "Department H" (there is no Department H).

Fast forward 8 years and Charles and Craig have taken suggestions and ideas from "the community" and have streamlined and improved an already wonderful gaming system. In 2021,  the Ministry of  Gentlemanly Warfare released the Second Edition of In Her Majesty’s Name (IHMN2).  This new book is solidly based on the original IHMN but with considerable refinements and many new elements.  They have cut down on the "official Adventuring Companies" but there is still a system for creating your own. And that is the beauty of the game: it provides everything you need to create your own version of the late Victorian era with all of the great heroes and villains you want. Mechanized walkers, air ships, arc rifles, rocket rifles, mysterious Mystical individuals, and of course the heroic British Army can be brought to life exactly how you want. I am somewhat prejudiced, but this is one of my all time rule systems I have played in over 40 years of gaming.

Lady Helen Quatermain, the infamous Captain of the airship Morning Star, is the niece of Sir Allan, ward of Sir Gerald Carstairs and third cousin to Her Imperial Majesty the Queen (pp. 118).

"Some call Lady Helen reckless, it is far worse than that. She seeks Death, not to die, but to wrench from his grasp that which he took from her. She is the only woman I know who laughed in the face of Vlad Tepes and caused him to fear.” Lord Curr, Camden Lock 1895

Charles and Craig have an article on their "Ministry of Gentlemanly Warfare" blog that provides a description of the second edition of the game along with numerous supporting materials that you may download for free. In addition, further down the page you will find a description of the original IHMN game with materials for that also.

“My name is Sherlock Holmes. It is my business to know what other people do not know.”

 

The U. S. Army Mark II "Sheridan" Light Mechanized Walker

 

"It was on us before we knew it . . . we thought there were only Marines and they are tough enough . . . suddenly we heard the quick crashing movement and the mechanical man was tearing through us . . . it was so fast . . ." Intelligence debrief from the Moro attack on the outskirts of Manilla, 1895.

The US Army Mark II "Sheridan" Light Mechanized Walker is the world's first mechanized walker to successfully combine steam technology with hydraulics to give it the flexibility to move quicker, is more agile and essentially uncannily mimics the movements of the steersman. In the US Army the steersman is a commissioned officer, usually from the Corps of Engineers.

The Mark II "Sheridan" Light Mechanized Walker.

Currently the Sheridan is armed with Steam Fists, a Machine Gun and a Carbide Lamp, but the Mark III will replace the machine gun with an arc rifle as an Arc Cannon is too heavy for the current design.

US Marines conducting mop-up operations supported by a Sheridan.

 

The Sheridan is a Warbot from Hydra Miniatures and is approximately 2 1/2" (65mm) tall and is supplied in four parts: body, two arms and head. I added a Fallschirmjager jump container to the back to make a steam pipe and added some limber hooks to the pipe that were left over from one of my (unknown) artillery pieces. Always keep those bits! The steam coming from the pipe is merely cotton with very watered down white glue to keep it stiff.

 

1st Lieutenant Samuel Johnson, US Corps of Engineers, standing next to his Sheridan "Miranda".

Name: U. S. Army Mark II "Sheridan" Light Mechanized Walker

Move: 12"

Basic Equipment: Steam Fist, Machine Gun, Carbide Lamp

Armor: 11
Points: 51

Rules for Mechanized Walkers can be found on page 29 of In Her Majesty's Name. (Paid Link) Of course the stats or rules can be modified for other popular rule sets.

  The Sheridan "Miranda" was instrumental in the freeing of Eden Pedecaris and her children, William and Jennifer from a band of Berber insurrectionists led by Mulai Ahmed er Raisuli. 

 

Another successful mission.

 

The Egyptian Adventure and Gaming on a Budget: Free Downloadable Buildings from Rory Crabb Games

"Wow", stated Sgt. Archibald Cutter,"We've never had realistic buildings to game with before!"

During the Covid-19 pandemic The Chief of Staff and Minister of Finance and myself have been very careful with our money and spending. As I continue to work on my "The Egyptian Adventure" I suddenly realized that I needed a village for one or more of the scenarios. Surprise! I don't have any buildings in 25/28 mm scale to fit the build. Fortunately I asked Mr. Google and he directed me to Rory Crabb Games which have 4 different buildings and 2 sets of walls  for download as PDF files for FREE. They are scaled for 1/72 but I think they will do just nicely for what I have planned.

Picture of Large Building Number 1 from Rory Crabb Games website.

Above is my "Large Building Number 1" with two 28mm Copplestone figures to give you an idea of the scale. Not exactly up to building codes; but, it will do the trick. Eventually I'm going to go back and fill in the seams. You may have noticed I gave it Vallejo Buff and Dark Flesh in various places to give it a weathered look - in reality, I started to do that to hide the fans and air conditioner units since the downloads are designed as modern buildings. I'm sure my construction and modelling techniques will improve with each building.

 "My fedora is gutting dusty." "Enough quips Sam, we are walking on burlap."

The buildings are perfect for just about any scenario in North Africa, the Middle East or India from about the 15th Century to Modern Conflicts.

 Waiting for the train next to "Large Building Number 2". Figures are left to right, Copplestone, Pulp Alley, Pulp Alley, and Copplestone.

I kept on messing up the roof of "Small Building Number 1"; either I was not following the simple instructions correctly or the roof is too big and needs to be adjusted. But I'm not complaining because it is free!  About half of the buildings had the downloads glued to cereal boxes and I need to go back and fix the edges (again, not up to code!). Half I did without and they are pretty sturdy with stock printer paper I'm going to go back and just add a bottom base of cereal box to help prevent any disasters on the gaming table.

I knocked out 7 buildings spending only a couple hours each night over a 3 day period. Notice the building in the upper right hand corner; yep, I did not notice that the roof was not in the right position when I left it to dry. I'm assuming there was an earthquake and that's the story I am sticking with. Going forward it will be Perilous or Dangerous terrain depending on the rules. The tower is an old GW cardstock building with a gold spray painted wooden knob on the roof. Here are some more pictures as I was fooling around rearranging the buildings based on 19th and early 20th Century photographs of Egyptian villages.

Part of Alexandria in 1880

Stock photo from the Web of a 19th Century Egyptian Village.

 Lots of experimentation! I think some additional accersories are planned for the future.

I highly recommend using these buildings as an inexpensive way to make a quick village and a new gaming locale.

IHMN: So you have a low tech Army?

Note: This is a re-post from 6/23/18. Since I've been posting about my approach to IHMN, I thought it would be appropriate to relate how I tend to get defeated by low-tech Adventuring Companies in my version of 1895.

 In Her Majesty's Name is one of the most versatile and innovative rules out there in miniature gaming land. Though designed for Victorian Sci-Fi it works equally well for purely historical skrimish scenarios of the late 19th or early 20th Century.

 British Infantry company for a 2nd Afghan War scenario and not a Mystical Power in sight.

 In Her Majesty's Name was published on May 20, 2013 and I was one of the gaming geeks that pre-ordered; not only the printed version but also the electronic version for my tablet.  After 5 years of gaming and devising my own companies for In Her Majesty's Name I wanted to pass on some lesson's learned especially in fielding what may appear to the casual observer a low tech army. I'm not going to comment on the Supplement Gothic yet as we have not played enough scenarios with it but . . . look out for those cursed weapons!

At first low tech companies look like they were going to be overwhelmed by Arc Rifles, Steam Fists, modern rifles and other scientific marvels of the late 19th Century.  But a low-tech army has some unique strategies that can frustrate the most high tech and well trained company the 19th century has to offer:

1. Numbers.  Generally with a low tech army (Natives, Dervishes, Swords and Shields, etc.) the points costs for your rank and file tend to be low.  Your advantage is Fighting and there is nothing like mobbing or outnumbering that 120 point figure with 4 of your own and taking him out.  In addition, if the super character is knocked down you gain a bonus of +2 on future attacks.  Also if he tries to disengage from a fight, it is -1 for each figure he is fighting.

 Mahdists breaking into the British square at the Battle of Abu Klea on 17th January 1885.

2. Run as much as you can.  There is nothing for me more frustrating than trying to take out these sword and speared armed warriors with disciplined firing when they are running.  By virture of them running (think Kipling's Fuzzy Wuzzy and they broke a British Square) the shooting penalty is -3; and if you moved more than 3" tack on another -4 to that die rule.  Volley fire can be effective to counter, but you only hit one figure and there are a gazillion more coming at you!

 All of the figures were running and only one was killed; the rest made it to the barricade for hand to hand in the Fighting Phase.

3. Shields.  Get a shield!  It adds +1 to your armor.  That extra +1 can really make a difference.

 Shield armed, running Waziri tribesman get ready to overwhelm an Imperial Chinese soldier. He killed one but the other two made him look like a pin cushion.

German Imperial Marines are desperately trying to hold on against overwhelming numbers.

4. Talents.  Depending on the amount of points agreed to in your game the following Talents are useful for low tech companies and/or key figures in your company: Beserker, Fanatic (personal favorite), Numb, Skirmisher, Stealthy, Terrifying, Meticulous Planning and Tough.  The leadership of your force should be at least a +2 Leader though I recommend a +3 and give them as a minimum the Inspirational talent.

  Running Shield armed natives with the Stealthy Talent are attempting to overwhelm the Explorer's Club.

Terrifying and a Beserker.  Check.

5. Mystical Powers.  Whether they be a dread overlord, witch doctor or shaman, Mystical Powers can greatly enhance your low tech company.  The power that has frustrated our "modern" companies the most is Water Bullets which adds +2 to Pluck rolls against bullet hits until one of them is taken out of the game by a bullet.  Other useful Mystical Powers for low tech companies are Dragon Breath, Harden, Mesmerism, Spitfire, Strengthen and True Grit.

 The Witch Doctor uses a Mystical Power against the Explorer's Club.

Did someone say they needed Water Bullets? 

Have no fear!  A low tech Adventuring Company is here - boy are they ever!

IHMN: Some thoughts for the Beginner in Designing an Adventuring Company, Part 12a (Adventuring Companies I have created)

Professor Moriarity and his highly efficient band of criminals.

Believe it or not, I usually design an Adventuring Company when I am struck by the shiny new Toy Syndrome - or if I have some spare figures lying around and I think these would look cool together. Just remember to have a theme for your company and don't forget about baselines - no one wants to play against an entire Adventuring Company of Supermen.

1. Theme: My favorite Character. I'm going to try and present them in chronological order based on my faulty memory and my blog posts My first Adventuring Company was built around one figure and one figure only: Teddy Roosevelt. Thus I invented Teddy Roosevelt and Friends. Looking back, the Company is a bit of a cop-out and not "strictly" a real company. It's just who ever is a good guy that I want to put TR on an adventure. It is constantly changing as Teddy gets around a lot.

 Teddy Roosevelt and Friends.

2. Theme: 19th Century Chinese Army forces with "Hong Kong" Hollywood. Next up is the first "real" Adventuring company I did in January 2016: General Ronglu's Imperial Chinese Army. In the last quarter of 2015 I was on an extended business and found some miniatures from Copplestone and Pulp Figures. Plus if you throw in a Reaper Yeti you are all ready for mischief and mayhem. The company features firepower and mystical martial arts Hong Kong Hollywood style.

General Ronglu has begun to build the first modern infantry military force of the Manchu Empire. As a favorite of the Dowager Empress, he has access to modern technology and other exotic resources. Ronglu is not sympathetic toward the Boxers as he feels it is not time to move against the Western Powers. He is not on good relations with the leader of the Black Dragon Tong, the Dragon Lady, but cooperates with her so as not to antagonize the Dowager Empress. Though appearing to be "hefty" Ronglu is a master of armed and unarmed combat and is dedicated to free China from the influences of the foreign devils.

 The Sons of Astragard.

3. Theme: Lost Civilization. I had a bunch of Gripping Beast Vikings lying around getting out of shape while their Saxon counterparts were getting their team together. I remember watching a movie about a lost Viking Colony discovered by a scientific expedition and with the magic of Google I found the Walt Disney Movie Island at the top of the World. As you can guess, this Adventuring Company, from the mythical island of Astragard, is a close combat Company with some Nordic type mystical powers (ancient armor, bards, etc.). Fum to play and definitely different for IHMN games. If I remember correctly they win about half the time.

 Erik Niallson and Fenrir.  Erik is a metal Gripping Beast miniature and Fenrir is a Space Marine War Poodle from Games Workshop.

 On the left is Bersi Skáldtorfuson the skald or bard of Astragard.  Figure is from Wargames Foundry's Late Roman range. On the right is Gunnbjorn the Beserker.  Gunnbjorn is a hard plastic Gripping Beast figure from their Viking Box set.

 4. Theme: Lost Civilization . . . again! In 1890 the famous Professor George Nightengale accidentally discovered The Hidden Kingdom of Natagala.  Our hero journeyed up to the big curve in the Merowe river that flowed out of Batal Colony and then west into the Great Desert, where he eventually found a rich, primitive culture in a hidden valley on the other side of the Great Desert; the Kingdom of Natagala. 

The meeting of Professor Nightengale and King Mehluli.

  

Though long isolated, they are a vibrant and rich kingdom that is starting to adopt and use modern technology.  The backbone of the kingdom are it's fierce and formidable warriors - and the occasional witch doctor doesn't hurt either. I based part of this Company on the official list for Zulus and part of it on the world I was creating. In addition, I was learning to respect low tech with a bit of Mystical Powers Adventuring Companies.

(Paid Political Announcement: Have you noticed that virtually every figure is a historical figure? Don't worry, Victorian Sci-Fi and Steampunk will be coming up.)

5. Theme: A non-British Colonial Adventuring Company with a bone to pick. I did not care that much for the Society of Thule and I figured that there might be dissensions and political maneuvering about the experiments with animated flesh that are heinous to the Victorian Gentleman or Woman. Thus I designed a German Imperial Marine Infantry and Schutztruppe force led by the famous Herr Doktor Professor Kernal von Sanders. 

German Imperial Marines protecting an ancient temple and artifacts from the troglodytes of the Witch King of Sokar.

A strong nationalist and humanitarian, von Sanders is vehemently opposed to the Society of Thule and uses his influence with the Imperial family, the court, his former military comrades (yes . . . he is that Oberst (Colonel) von Sanders) and the academic world. Schutztruppe (literally "protection force") was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century.  Similar to other colonial armies, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. Most enlisted ranks were generally recruited locally.

6. Theme: Cannibals! One of the most dangerous encounters in and around the Lost City of Opar are the cannibals of Niam-Niam. The term Niam-Niam appears to be of Dinka origin, meaning in that language “great eaters,” with reference, as is supposed, to their cannibalistic propensities.  “These beings,” remarks the German explorer Herr Doktor Professor von Sanders, on his first introduction to them, “stood out like creatures of another world . . . a people of a marked and most distinct nationality, and that in Africa and amongst Africans is saying much.” 

A cannibal war party. 

  "Eating people is wrong!" exclaimed Theodore Roosevelt as he takes aim at the dangerous cannibals of Niam-Niam.

The leader of the masked warriors (known as "The Chopper"), the king (he gets more than his fair share of food) and the witch doctor.

7. Theme: Eccentric Do-Gooders. I already went into detail about the famous (or infamous) Lady Prudence Fiona Throckwaddle and the Anti-Slavery League in a previous blog. Her Adventuring Company uses many different figures to put together a unique, and fun unit to play.

 Lady Prudence Fiona Throckwaddle - Scourge of the Zanzibari and Arab Slavers.

 British Naval Brigade on loan to Lady Poppington.

  Freed slaves that have pledged their lives and honor to Lady Poppington.

 The Fearsome Female Four (L to R): Tuppence Middleton, Eunice Montjoy, Baroness Grete Wölfflin (who also happens to be a werewolf) and Lady Imogen Campbell-Scott.

The Lady Throckwaddle Archers.

8. Theme: The Master Criminal. If you have Sherlock Holmes in your world, you have to have Professor Moriarty. Professor Moriarty is highly ruthless, shown by his steadfast vow to Sherlock Holmes that "if you are clever enough to bring destruction upon me, rest assured that I shall do as much to you".  Moriarty is categorized by Holmes as an extremely powerful criminal mastermind who is purely adept at committing any atrocity to perfection without losing any sleep over it. It is stated in The Final Problem that Moriarty does not directly participate in the activities he plans, but only orchestrates the events. As Holmes stated above, what makes Moriarty so dangerous is his extremely cunning intellect.

I wanted Moriarty's Company to be a combination of ruthless thugs and high-tech steam age technology. After collecting what I thought were some cool figures, the gang came together.

 Baron Maupertuis:
"It was some time before the health of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes recovered from the strain caused by his immense exertions in the spring of '87.  The whole question of the Netherland-Sumatra Company and of the colossal schemes of Baron Maupertuis are too recent in the minds of the public . . ."

 Colonel Sebastian Moran:
 Although there was no open scandal after his turning to crime, he was obliged to retire from the army and return to London. Outwardly respectable, with an address in Conduit Street, Mayfair, and membership of the Anglo-Indian Club, the Tankerville Club and The Bagatelle Card Club, he was nevertheless recruited by Professor Moriarty, and serves as his chief of staff. Ultimately he is used solely for assassinations that required his peculiar skill with the rifle; Holmes mentions the killing of a Mrs. Stuart in 1887 which he suspects (but cannot prove) Moran was involved.

 The Grave Digger:

There are some men (and women) that do the dirty work of the criminal underworld - and The Grave Digger is one of them. He carries no weapon except his shovel; yet, he wears the sash of an officer in Her Majesty's service. Formidable in a fight and discreet when you need a body to disappear  . . . or reappear.

Captain Cold:

 Harold Snart joined up with a group of small-time thieves and in planning out a robbery, each was issued a gun of advanced design and a visor to protect their eyes against the flashes of gunfire. As he was finishing his part of the robbery, a security guard surprised Snart. Intending to use his gun only to scare the guard, he inadvertently pulled the trigger and discovered that his weapon had been altered in a way he had never imagined. The moisture in the air around the guard froze. Intrigued by this twist of fate, Snart donned a long jacket and the aforementioned visor and declared himself to be Captain Cold - the man who mastered absolute zero.

Next: More Companies I have created . . . and maybe some more weirdness!