Keep Your Powder Dry

Along with their new range of 'true15mm' Epic sized figures for the Wars of the Three Kingdoms/Thirty Years War, there's also a new version of the Pike and Shotte rulebook. Let's take a look inside and see what is different... The young pretender Now before I begin, what do I expect from the new rulebook? Different pictures, layout, distances (movement and ranges), the errata and some of the 'new' rules from the supplements being incorporated into the main body of the rules. What don't I expect? A major revamp of the rules. They ain't broke, they don't really need fixing. The odd tweak maybe, but nothing major.  The original, and still the best? The most obvious differences are size and price. The original rules are hardback A4-ish sized and cost £35 (supplements are an extra £25 each). The Epic version, A5-ish, softback and £22. A different cover, in keeping with the Epic box set artwork, and the photos of beautiful set pieces of 28mm sized miniatu...

Another 'freebie'* with  this month's edition of Wargames Illustrated, so I thought it was my duty to pick up a copy and  review them. Hopefully, my latest review of an Epic product won't generate the hate mail that my original posts did. Warlord's Epic Pike and Shotte is, let's be honest, a bit of a Marmite thing (you either love it, or hate it). I probably fall between the two camps: a bit disappointed with the figures, specifically the cavalry sprue; yet hopeful that other manufacturers will produce stuff to support the range; and, of course I am all for a new range of 'true 15mm'** figures that covers my favourite period (particularly from a company with the 'reach' of Warlord Games). This is, by necessity, a one sprue fits all solution, so combines, foot, artillery, dragoons and horse. Let's look at the sprue in detail. The Epic look is not for everyone, but the foot strips are crisply detailed, no strange hands on pikes this time (maybe...

I've never run a business that makes actual things to sell to real people; but if I did I would want 'samples' to be of the best quality, so that reviewers and buyers would know exactly what the finished, production item would be like. I assume that this is how the very successful Warlord Games runs their business. So, I was pleasantly surprised when Warlord got in touch about my Pike and Shotte Epic Battles cavalry sprue review . It is fair to say that there has been quite a bit of controversy concerning my review. Nobody picking me up on what my comments were, but about the pictures. I have had rather too many colourfully worded responses claiming that I am trying to disrupt the P&S Epic release, that I want it to fail etc etc Paul from Warlord contacted me: "...your post (shows) what I consider to be substandard castings that we should not be sending out" and he offered to rectify the issue. A fair comment, and of course I warmly invite them to show off the...

As a follow up to my review of Warlord's Epic P&S foot sprue  here's my thoughts on the cavalry sprue that came with the latest (April) edition of Wargames Illustrated. April's WI: the Epic cover art reminds me of the Letraset style action picture scenes of the 1970s First off, let's have a look at the sprue as a whole. An 'interesting' choice of components for a 'cavalry' sprue, but I understand that the commercial need to 'have everything on just one sprue' dictates what is and what isn't on the sprue. I've already seen quite a few people asking which figures are which, on various forums and FB groups.  So here is a 'button counter's' view of the sprue. The un-identified figures are generic 'harquebusier type' cavalry. I note that there are two figures that look a bit more officer material than the others, and a cornet who could double up for either the dragoons or the regiments of horse. The major missing elemen...

A snow day here, so a bonus post for all the new to the period people who are excited about the boxes of shiny things that they have ordered from Warlord. Having seen some beautifully painted examples of Warlord's new Epic foot figures, I have noticed that some details on the figures have been misinterpreted. So here's a guide to what all the bits of soldiers' paraphernalia are on the new Pike and Shotte Epic figures. But first a note about musketeers' hats: all the musketeers are wearing either a brimmed hat or a woolly hat (of either a Monmouth or Montero design - a Monmouth cap would now be described as a beanie, a Montero is a bit like the 1950s-1990s scratchy woollen hiking balaclavas that fold up into a peaked cap). One looks like he is wearing a cabascet helmet - it's a felt hat. Thinking about Newcastle's whitecoats? A good proportion of them wore Scottish blew bonnets - a beret like hat. The standing musketeer strip with officer A coloured scarf (often ...

Jings and crivens- another bonus post! (This isn't this week's normal Monday post, this week's normal post is scheduled for Wednesday, International Women's Day - could be a mahoosive clue to what it is is about there.) Having seen a number of 'how to paint...' tutorials on YouTube, and having painted just a few Wars of the Three Kingdoms/British Civil Wars/ English Civil War (delete as you see appropriate) I thought I'd have a crack. Once again, I need to say thank you to Warlord for sending me a preview frame of the new range. The examples that I have seen all utilise speed/contrast paints, and strange things such as zenithal priming. So here is a different style of painting to consider. Caveat: they look pretty rubbish until they are finished - some would say they still look rubbish even when finished.  I freely admit not to being a brilliant painter, at best I'm average. My painting style is firmly planted in the following routine: undercoat (if I r...