Halloween! (Art Inspiration # 1 )

Well its Halloween, believe it or not, so i thought to celebrate the mood, i'd post some art that is a bit scary or disturbing, (or at least to some people!) that i draw inspiration from for my own art, and writings, and painting. Hope you like it.

and some stuff i wish i could make terrian wise

A more practical future terrian project...

That's all for now!    I'm toying with the idea of doing a "Art Inspiration Wednesdays" sort of post, to both keep me blogging regular, and to provide tons of neat -o- content for you to gander at. Thoughts ?

-Your Favorite Madman- 

A Return to the Grim Darkness...

After some time of not having been playing or even interested in 40k, i've finally got the spark back. It happened the other evening when i put together my first cultist from the DV starter, ironically i was just going to use him for a campaign of Nuclear Rennisance, with Chris (From Sippin' on Paint Water). But the more i looked, and the more i modelled the rest of the gang, the more i developed 2 stories.  One of course being for the Campaign which they were intended for and the next being how i could fit them into the Pilgrims of Rust.   Here is a picture of the three characters which were born.

In order of what they are in the IG dex, we have Nork, Yarrick, and Straken.

            The Silent Leviathan- An Ogryn, of immense physical power, the silent leviathan has never spoken a single word or uttered one sound from his lips, weather he was too stupid to ever learn how, or some other occurrence is not certain . He was "freed" from the service of a Rouge Trader who was foolish enough to attempt to betray a detachment of the Pilgrims' Fleet to local Imperial authorities. Though, he killed two men, and wounded six more, in the combat on the Rouge Trader's bridge, he was pacified after having his left hand blown off by a grenade launcher. Rather than leave the abhuman to die with the rest of the crew, the Pilgrims opted to carry the giant back to the ships as a prize.   When he awoke, he became instantly sullen and dispondent for many months, doing nothing but eating and sleeping, and patrolling as he was told by his handlers. When the detachment regrouped with the rest of the fleet in orbit around Vallidan, the silent leviathan first saw Rust, with stunning eagerness, the Ogryn broke away from his handlers and nearly shattered the arm of the admiral who was moving to shake Rust's hand. It would not become apparent till the final days of the attack on Vallidan, at the Siege of Castel 1, that the Ogryn meant to protect Rust, regardless of risk to itself. At the height of the battle, Rust dueled with the Executioners captain  "Adronkus",   but the space marine was fast gaining the upper hand, until The Silent Leviathan (previously engaged with munching on a militia mortar crew) looked up from his dinner to see the fight. Wide eyed, he hurled himself at the marine, and threw him off the walls into the seething melee below.

            Marius Thule- The leader of the Cyrian throng, and the instigator of the uprising on Cyrus prior to Rust's arrival planetside. Thule is a charismatic individual and an uncompromising commander, sometimes to a fault, preferring suicidal tactics and  a "hold-at-all cost" doctrine to more thought out tactica. He carries a bulky antiquated refractor field, digital pulsar ring, and intricate pressure suit designed to stopper bleeding. All "liberated for the people" from the Governor, Dutchess, and Captian of The Guard on Cyrus, each of which unfortunately did not survive the revolution.

           Wulfric The Iron- Wulfric, was a key member of the Jacobite Cartels, that helped to turn that particular invasion to the Pilgrims favor. In the subseqent invasion of Vallidan, Wulfric lead the assault on the Blakenvold Gap, where he lost 65% of his body to a Space Marine Missile Launcher. Unwilling to let such a promising member of his command cadre die on the eve of victory, Rust called out a favor with his associate in the Dark Mechanicus. While Wulfric survived, he is barely the same man he once was,  now only capable of wholesale killing, or bellowing out threats or encouragements as to the same goal to his men. It is however considered to be a statement of Rust's power that a man, thought to be as good as dead, could be brought back by a mere world from the master of the Pilgrims....

Skirmish on the Border of the Dar'Scarl Empire

Hello Ladies and Gents, i bring you the first AAR for "Regimentals" the game of my own design, which you can download completely free of any sort of charge here.  

The Game is still very much in development, so check back to the site regularly, to get the newest rules updates and stay tuned.  If you notice any kind of problems while playing or would like to become a part of the group on facebook of dedicated playtesters  use the "contact me" tab on the site.

So without further ado.  Myself and JD (the commander of the French in our VSF games) sat down on Sunday, so that i could show him the new rules and let him get a feel for it. The game takes place during an Active "world event" on the outskirts of the great continental forest known as "Drakenmiend".

JD's Regiments were all of the "Dar'Scarl" race which is a species of Maggot-men, that will be avaliable on 15mm.co.uk  before too long, due to the majestic sculpting talents of one Chris Hollowell.

JD named the entire Battlehost of regiments "The Wyrmfolk" which are a border security army that has been created, due to the massive crusade wars occurring on the outskirts of their Empire.

10 Infantry w/ Halberds, Cloth Armor, and 10 shields.
   - lead by a Level 3 Inspirator w/  Novice of Haggling

10 Infantry w/ Swords, Cloth Armor, and 4 Shields.
   - lead by a Level 5 Fighter, w/ Rally!  &  Remember the Fallen!

5 Cavalry w/ Lances and 4 shields.
   - lead by a Level 5 Tactician.

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I used a slightly modified version of my normal "Crusade Force of Balance" which normally operates in a different front of the religious holy war event, but i made an exception for this occasion. ( you will, i hope forgive the excessive amount of detail)

Crusaders of Yeris

This battlehost, has been tasked to the ongoing fight in Illida, it is designed with a form of “Hammer and Anvil” tactic in mind, engaging with Halberds and then counter charging with powerful Orc shock troops and cavalry. Its prime directive is to drive towards the Anabarian Beachhead in South Illida, gain the support of the peoples there and surround the heretics.

Thorns of Equilibrium.

The Thorns of Equilibrium, are a regiment that has just answered the call to arms, after being relieved of duty in the Helosian War. They are hard bitten combatants and saw action at Fort Balis. The regiments commander Mortijal, is said to be unshakeable in his religious conviction, and his mettle in battle is second to none.

 10 Human Crusaders of Balance, with Spears and Cloth armor and 10 shields 

Inspirator Mortijal Lvl 5.

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Brage’s Guardians

Brage’s Guardians, are an Orc regiment, that hails from Illida itself. While many of its members are relatively inexperienced in combat (and therefore stupid) the hierarchy is well versed in combating Centaurs for territory for their burgeoning oligarchy of Orcs. They have knownledge of the local terrain and peoples which could prove useful for the battlehost’s mission.

10 Orc Crusaders of Balance, with Claymores, Enchanted Weapons upgrade.   

  Shayman (Priest): Fleif , 5th level 

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Knights of Manoir

The Knights of Manoir, are specialist scout cavalry from an Elven colony in the free states of Uie, that rely on approaching from ambush and firing into enemy units, circumnavigating their cover, giving them no ability to retreat so they can only advance to their deaths at the hands of the Thorns and Guardians.

5 Elven Cavalry Crusaders of Balance, with Shortbows and Poisoned Arrows.

Tactician Khai : 5th level

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A shot of the Deployment,  my men started closest to the camera. 

The main bodies stomp forwards, while outflankers arrive, and skirmish elements engage in a very devastating series of hit and run engagements.  1/2 of Brage's Guardians come in on my left nearer the center, with the rest of the Knights of Manoir to back them up. They are then heavily engaged by Wyrmfolk cavalry 

A shot of my main body as it advanced past the hill. 

The Wyrmfolk Cavalry, kill and rout the outflankers from The Knights of Manoir, Brage's Guardians return the favor to the Dar'Scarl outflankers.

With main bodies closing fast on one another, the flank combat is growing in my favor, though at a heavy toll, with most of Brage's Guardians losing chunks of leg, eyes, or other vitals. 

The Main Bodies slam together, but the grave losses on my part during the skirmishing, has severely weakened me. I fight for a few turns, before deciding to withdraw to keep the regiments intact. 

Dar'Scarl Losses. 

4 Cavalry (including the Tactician)  K.I.A.

Crusade Losses. 

2 K.I.A.,  1 Captured from Brage's Guardians

1 K.I.A from The Knights of Manoir

hope you enjoyed the opening stages, and seeing a few shots of the game at play. 

-Your Favorite Madman-

Battle of the Short and Burly.

Hey all, this here's a fantasy batrep between myself and my buddy Soloman.

We decided for 1850, and went to work.

I brought my undefeated Orcs and Goblins army.

3x Night Gobbo Hordes,
     1 w/ Bows
     2 w/ Spears and Nets

19 Savage Orcs

 Boar Chariot

3 Trolls

Spear Chukka

Doom Diver

Orc Big Boss on Boar

Orc Big Boss (BSB)

Night Goblin Shaman - Level 1

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Soloman brought an Ogre Kingdoms force.(Im not sure of all the exact names so, apologies if i screw these up)

Butcher

Gnoblars

2x Ogre Bull units

Leadbelchers

2 of the Rhinox Riders. (scary beasties these things, and super cool minis)



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Deployment

I deployed my forces in a concave, with the general and "bsb" in the center to keep down all those pesky animosity rolls in line and too support against the scary Ogre combat superiority.

A few from across the field as the Ogres surge forward, taking heavy fire from the Goblin war machines and archers losing several to the Spear Chukka especially.

The Gnoblars move across the field and engage the bow unit of goblins who hack them to bits and proceed to chase them into a terrifyingly precarious position directly in front of the ogre bulls on my left flank.

Combat quickly is joined in a series of charges all across the field, and dozens lose their lives, 2 hordes of goblins are sent against the Rhinox who are dragged to the ground by sheer weight of numbers.  The Ogre Bulls on my left, rout the archers, but are set upon by Trolls, a Chariot, the Savage Orcs and the Orc General.

Ogre troops take a brutal toll, massacring many of the Night Goblins in combat, but are eventually taken down, though not much is left. 

The Ogre army sounds the retreat, as they have only a handful of leadbelchers, bulls and the butcher left to fight the hard combat units of the O&G army. 

All in all, the war machines did most of the damage, had the Ogres had better luck on ANY of their charge rolls the outcome probably would have been a lot different. 

As it stands now it is an 

Average Orc and Goblin Victory.

-Your Favorite Madman- 

The Second American Civil War.

The American Civil War, was the most bloody conflict fought on US soil.  It was brought about by important ideological concerns between two groups of people in the country....



The Recent Presidential election, and growing importance on party loyalty, got me thinking about how a second american civil war might come about in a modern or near future setting. This of course spiraled into me looking at minis and my collection and seeing how i could use them to make the idea of  The Second American Civil War into a mini game. So without further ado, here is my idea on the start of the conflict that would change (future) America forever...


2065- Tensions between Democrats and Republicans reach a fever pitch, with rioting and violent protests being held at opposing political rallies and at debates.

2066- Early in the year a Democrat is elected to the Office of President of the united states, in what is considered a mockery of an election by many senators, and republicans.  Many republicans in the Senate refuse to pass any laws or even to show up to the Capital building for several weeks.  The president, makes it clear that he will not stand for this and orders a unit of marines to round up the absentee senators and have them forcefully escorted to the capital. Outrage erupts all across the country.

2068- Growing frustration turns into open rebellion with republican senators and representatives in the house fleeing into hiding across the country and encouraging radical right wing militia groups to actively assassinate Democrat senators, mayors, and judges. The president orders military forces home in an attempt to control the situation, many generals choose to ignore the order to return in the hopes that Republican loyal National Guardsmen and Militia can overrun Washington D.C. and seize power.   Other generals loyal to the president catch on, and the crisis spills over into American Military bases in Germany, England, and The Pacific Islands.

2069- Washington is taken by Republican Forces, after a 3 week siege, seeing over 2,000 dead.  The President evacuates to a secret bunker in the Northeastern United States.  All across the nation, Militia's of various political affiliations go around murdering civilians and "capturing" towns from other parties.  With communist, fascist, libertarian, anarchists, and of course republican and democrat troops cutting the former USA into dozens of smaller countries.

The Northeast, and West Coast have stayed staunchly democrat,  the South and most of the East Coast has become a bastion for Republican forces.  With the central US, becoming a no mans land of warring factions.



Hope you enjoy what you read, might paint up a couple guys here and there, unless this gets overwhelmingly positive feedback.


-Your Favorite Madman-

Regimentals!

For those of you not "in the know" so to speak, i'm writing my own blend RPG/Wargame, that is around a platoon level in scale, in a fantasy setting of my own design.  I actively involve my playtester's in building the Worlds History, via campaigns and AAR's sent to me. I hope to have a lot of coverage of the beginning of the current playtester world event called "The War of Four Flowers", and of course a lot of game tutorials and other fun information on it.  I've spent a ridiculous amount of man hours making art, rules, and background for the game, so if you'd like to give it a try i've just finalized the most recent edition of the rules with the help of my loyal playtester Chris McCollum. Its an evolving world, and you can be assured that with enough support it can and will be made into an actual book for your enjoyment and play.  

With that, i leave you with some neat pics from my site, and after that a helpful link to the site where the PDF's for the game await  FREE OF CHARGE i might add.   So if you'd like to become a playtester, contact me at impcommander@gmail.com for more details

Minis from Splintered Light, Painted by Chris Hollowell

Commander Sai, Owen Ligon's.  Uie "Creed" Commander

An Example of one of the few Wyvern's in "The Realm" these beasts are deadly

The Web Site :     http://impguard.wix.com/impcommand

-your favorite madman-