Latest Celtic warband

For this unit I've painted 9 bases to give a 27 man unit rather than my normal 24 figure unit.

This means I can combine 2 units to make a 48 figure warband without having two command groups. Warbands tend to be impulsive; the command group here seems to be having trouble holding the unit back - those warriors are really champing at the bit...

I've now got a reasonably diverse range of figures available including some swordsmen.

Command group - officer is converted from the standard bearer and includes a dismounted cavalry figure.

The use of paint pens really makes a difference when painting colourful cloaks...

... and shields.

Playing with AI. A Lovecraftian tale

 I asked Google AI 'write a 490 to 510 word Lovecraftian story based on a researcher as Miskatonic University'

The result:

'The parchment did not crack; it groaned. As a junior archivist at

Miskatonic University’s Orne Library, I was accustomed to the musk of decaying history, but the "Cyllenius Fragment" emitted a scent of ozone and stagnant seawater that defied the dry Arkham air. My mentor, Dr. Armitage, had warned me against uncurating the acquisitions from the Innsmouth raid, yet the thirst for forbidden lineage is a draught that once tasted, never satisfies.

By the light of a guttering lamp, I traced the ink. It was not black, but a bruised, iridescent purple that seemed to pulse beneath the surface of the vellum. The script was a frantic hybrid of Latin and glyphs that resembled the rhythmic twitching of a crustacean’s limbs. As I translated, the stone walls of the sub-basement began to lose their solidity. The familiar dampness of the library basement shifted into the crushing pressure of an abyssal trench.

"The stars are not positions," I whispered, my voice sounding hollow, as if echoing through a vast, leaden bell. "They are apertures."

The text spoke of the Great Weaving, a time when the sky would peel back like a cauterised wound to reveal the gelatinous void beyond. I felt a rhythmic thumping—not my heart, but something beneath the floorboards, a heavy, wet percussion that vibrated in my marrow. The shadows in the corner of the room detached themselves from the stonework. They did not move like shadows; they flowed like spilled oil, possessing a hateful, sentient geometry.

I reached for my spectacles, but my hands were slick with a cold, translucent ichor. Panic, sharp and metallic, tasted of copper on my tongue. I looked at the window, expecting the familiar silhouette of the Miskatonic campus, but the glass revealed only a swirling, cyclopean vista of emerald suns and towers built of calcified bone.

A sound began then—a piping, dissonant flute melody that bypassed the ears and vibrated directly against the brain stem. It was the idiot music of the vacuum, the soundtrack to the mindless churning at the centre of infinity. I realised then that the Fragment wasn't a record of the past; it was a beacon. My reading had provided the final, psychic resonance required to bridge the threshold.

"Ia! Ia!" The words bubbled up unbidden from my throat, no longer my own. My skin felt tight, itching with the phantom sensation of scales.

I looked down at the desk. The ink from the parchment was crawling onto my sleeves, etching the same rhythmic glyphs into my very flesh. I tried to scream, but my jaw unhinged with a wet, sickening pop, stretching to accommodate a language no human throat was ever meant to shape. As the lamp finally flickered out, I wasn't in the dark. I saw everything—the crawling chaos, the blind dreamer, and the terrible, shimmering truth that humanity was but a brief, accidental flicker in a universe of ancient, hungry gods.'

It then said 'Would you like to explore another archival discovery from the Miskatonic vaults, or perhaps focus on the biological transformation of the researcher?'

Now, a lot of people hate AI and go on about how it can kill creativity and art and all that. Personally, I'm the sort that can (and have) build a computer or upgrade a laptop and have been around computers since abot 1973-4. So I'm quite happy with AI bearing in mind how careful you have to be when asking AI to do something - I use it a lot on the likes of Quora but make sure I'm using it to put things I already know in order - AI can make some ridiculous mistakes - I have been known to ask it to correct a statement several times. Having said that I can think of a lot of uses for AI in writing scenarios, etc - might look into this further.

Incidentally, that 'Cyllenius Fragment'...

 'Based on the provided search results, there is no single, widely recognized "Cyllenius Fragment" in classical literature. However, the term "Cyllenius" relates to Hermes (derived from Mount Cyllene). 

Search results show potential connections:

Archaeological Finding: A fragment bearing the legend "[th]" and referring to a wooden phallus of Hermes Cyllenius is mentioned in a Cambridge University Press archaeology article.

• Literary/Author Reference: "Cyllenius" appears as a name in lists of authors or editors, sometimes associated with Bernardo Cyllenio (Bernardinus Cyllenius).
• Poetic Reference: The Travels of Cyllenius. a Poem. in Sixty-Six Cantos is listed as a non-fiction work from 1796. 

Note: The results also mention "Cyllenius" in contexts of 700-600 BC (Loeb Classical Library) and within the works of John Dryden.'

So the AI engine made it up... 

George Gush

 Just read on the Ragged Soldier blog about the death of George Gush - seems he died last year.

I remember George very well - few memories of us in the 70's standing next to each other at various conventions moaning when we saw people fielding unpainted figures in competition battles! Must have spoken to him several times before I found out who he was - saw his picture in a magazine and recognised him. Don't know if he ever knew my name.

Actually, he might have done - was talking to Alan Watson, editor of Sword and Lance magazine and he mentioned he wanted to speak to George about an article George was doing. Alan didn't know what George looked like, but by coincidence George passed by as we were talking so I yelled out 'George', he stopped, I introduced him and left them to it! 

For those who don't know him, George, he was the author of a useful book and set of wargames rules... even has his own Wikipaedia page, something I'll never have!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Gush

(Sidenote - Alan published my very first paid wargames article. It was over 50 years ago!)

Next mould? - more Sarmatians

 

Still sorting it to a degree - might change a couple of things.

The cavalry figures are unarmoured horse archers, one of which is on an armoured horse.Useful for a number of  things - light cavalry, early unarmoured cavalry, etc. Going clockwise from these are a couple of conversions I did years ago - basically Fantasy Arabs. Next, Gallic standard bearer with cockerel standard to give a bit of variety. Then a couple of Sarmation standard bearers to replace the one that didn't work last time. Another Fantasy Arab - should have kept them together for the photo. Then three lancers with the bowcase removed. Apart from Sarmations that don't have bows, gluing a mace to the right side would make a useful Parthian. Or any other cataphract really. 

Update - figures posted to Pete. 

SS120 Winged Demon

 

Having realised that this figure wasn't on Lost Minis Wiki I thought I'd do one...

The 'beak' doesn't look right on the painted version photo...

Bit clearer on the unpainted version!

Beachhead 2026 - Steven

 It took me a couple of weeks to get sorted, but here a few photos from Beachhead 2026. I did four participation games, although each one was short and sweet. Didn’t buy so much this time as I have plenty in my backlog already. There is still Salute and Partizan of course. Had an interesting chat with the person manning the Model Army Ltd, who now own Baueda, stand about options for Jack Frost’s house (I need a HOTT stronghold for the Evil Christmas army I got for Christmas). Didn’t buy anything but I did promise to send him a photo of the Baueda prehistoric hut for their Facebook page. I sent that today as well, so will see if it does up on their page.

Figure 1 View of the main hall with traders and demo and participation games

Figure 2 A fun board game based around giant monsters (Kaiju) fighting over Tokyo.

Figure 3  Participation game re-enacted an aerial riad on an Italian naval base in WW2. I think it was Taranto? Would that make sense?

Figure 4 Native American buffalo hunt

Figure 5 I got three buffalo. Not too bad.

Figure 6 I manged to fit in four participation games. The final one was a demo of using some rules to build a world. I actually bought the rules for myself. The map in the photo shows the world I made using them. The rest of my haul is also shown.

Elamite Kallapani completed

 

So far I've done one four horse and two two horse Kallapani - should really be drawn by onagers but don't have any onagers.

I was originally going to do the crew in plain white skirts, but looking around red seems to be a colour associated with Elamites and tunics rather than skirts.

Good use made of paint  pens of course.

For some reason both the saddle cloth decoration and wheels didn't turn out as well on his one!

A Tardis has landed

 

So got an email from Mike saying he'd found a few more things in his garage including a load of Dr Who figures. So of course I had to say yes please... and today a Tardis arrived in a shoe box...

Apparently these are from a toy range called The Dr Who Micro Universe - which I'd never heard of!

So thanks Mike - setting up for some good scenarios when the weather gets warmer!

Gallic Noble chariots

First unit completed - should give me a good general figure if nothing else!

I admit I'm quite pleased with the result.

I'll probably do at least two more units as line rather than Noble.

I've used the GA1 Mounted General horse for these - will probably use the 'standard' cavalry horse for future 'line' chariots, as well as using bronze rather than brass for the brightwork.

Comparison between the new unit with my original test figure. Current one far superior in all ways so the original will be quietly retired.

Waste not want not - Elamite Kallapani chariots

 Having already cast a load of ship's masts (from the Garrison 1/360th scale Ancient ships range) and long spears for chariot poles and yokes, plus a load of long spears for axles, then stuck them on card as the base units for Gallic chariots ready for the sides to be added...

Then realised that the 25mm Gallic ABS1 chariot would do the job a lot better if I simply cut out a cross piece on the yoke, moved the yoke closer to the chariot body, and used the classic horses I had intended to use anyway... so now nearly finished three chariots.

Wasn't going to waste that work and thought 'Elamite Kallapani'... tried it, these are 2 horse types (meant to be onagers but don't have a mould for small onagers - the ones from the 28mm Sumerian range will be too big. Having said that haven't checked them out!)

Elamites easy, just my universal archer figure. Next questic, which wheels would be best? Assyrian or Rose artillery wheels? Thinking Assyrians the best option. For a four horse (onager) chariot just add a couple of extra horses - the kallapani floor is big enough to take the extra archers.

Spanish long shield cavalry

Unit of the Spanish long shield cavalry finished - Greek cavalry officer and conversions from Gallic GAC1 'Cavalryman withspear, shield and cloak, unarmoured'. I've gone with the same  'Lowland' red cloak with these, still need another unit or so and will probably give them black Highland cloaks.

Command group... I did think of rounding the edges of the shields to make them oval, decided against considering a google search suggested most people use them with round shieds! Might use this figure with a rounded off shield for Spanish infantry. The apparent yellow paint on the tunic of the standard bearer isn't visible on the figure! It's actually at the back of the shield and the shield outline is nowhere near as obvious as it is here. Which is why I didn't notice where the shield edge was!

Starting Gallic chariots

 

First three cast using the SKT Celtic chariot ABS1. Horse is the classic GA1 general's horse - I'll probably use a plainer horse for future chariots. I'm anticipating another six after these.

I'd always thought ABS1 looked huge and originally intended to scratch build. Then I cast an ABS1 to get ideas about the sides, put my half built chariot next to it, and realised that, if I simply slightly modified the chariot pole and moved the yoke closer to the cab body, ABS1 would be better! So scrubbed the scratch build.

Spanish round shield cavalry

 

Bare chested riders with trousers painted as bare legged riders with white v necked tunics edged in purple...

They look OK at a distance - fine as wargames figures just not up to close inspection.

Standard bearer is a Gaul with the cut down helmet... Boar standard, as per figure 118 of Armies of the Macedonian and Punic Wars. Though mine has the boar facing forward, not to the rear.

I've painted the hair as a linen helmet - it's too long at the back but looks OK. Red cloak - black is apparently mostly a highland thing, red often used by others. I'm just going to use either as I feel like - gives variety.

Summary: Not the most accurate figures you'll ever see, but overall they seem to work all right.

New mould -Sarmations and Dacians RY157

 

Got mould RY157 back from Pete. I've leave it a few days to post cure before I check it out. 

The mould covers all the Sarmation and Dacian infantry plus Sarmation cavalry riders, Both standard bearers are conversions. As far as I know none of the DA figures were ever issued in the past.

This is the nominal mix for the next mould. The Gauls basically cover the ones that weren't too successful before - one thing I'm not sure about is whether to add a load more Gallic figures to this mould. On the other hand, I think I have spent more on the Gallic moulds than I really wanted to. The Sarmation figures are two different one piece mouldings, three on unarmoured horses, one on an armoured horse. How well RY157 works will probably determine whether or not I add another armoured horse archer and fill out the mould with more Sarmations. The one piece casting is a medium cavalry figure so the half armoured horse is not a 'correct' figure - paint conversion! - but I can see me doing an army with lots of the other figure...

Martian Tripods

 

Originally bought two, misplaced one (habit of mine), got two more for Christmas from Steven and Sarah... so finally found the misplaced one but it's still unpainted. I'm not sure where to go with these - leave it at the four or go all out and eventually build up a force of about twelve. At about 7cms tall they can be used with just about any scale from 6mm upwards to 28mm.

There are two different models - one as a straight gunship, the other with 'grasping appendages' - either command or to collect victims for 'research' purposes...

Note for some reason I couldn't get the link to the Minifigs/Matchlock Miniatures to work! Just came up as a blank screen.

Proof of concept - Kushite and Spanish cavalry

Looking at the Roman and Gallic cavalry, naturally my first thought is 'what else can I use them for'.

Firstly, the Gallic cavalry figure wears trouser and is bare above the waist. Spanish long shield cavalry aren't like that at all.

Using paint to show tunic and boots instead of trousers seems to work OK.

The only physical change I made to the figure was to grind down the helmet crest to give a plain helmet.

The head on this figure looks very Egyptian so I'm looking at using him for Egyptian/Kushite/ Blemye cavalry.

The only modification I made to it was to grind down the raised shield pattern.

For the armour I did alternate copper and iron scales. The colour scheme is quite... well, colourful.

Conclusion - both 'conversions' worked quite well and will be very useful in the future.