If you think a Battalion of British Line Infantry armed with Brown Bess’ had a lot of fire power have a look at these guys, who literally have “fire” power:

There is something quite impressive about a line of Elite troops in red uniforms!

ELDAR FIRE DRAGONS

About ten years ago I started collecting on ebay 3 units of each of the “old school” Eldar Aspect Warriors (except Shining Spears) including their relevant Exarchs and Phoenix Lords. I am now getting around to getting some of these finished. As I already have a unit of Fire Dragons completed I decided it would be best to finish them first.

Fuegan and Exarch Maubas’ unit of Fire Dragons already completed.

Exarch Kalkon’s unit of Fire Dragons.

I had this extra “Fuegan” model missing its Fire Axe so rather than add a suitable axe from the bits box I decided to field him as Fuegan’s brother – the Exarch Kalkon with a “fancy” fire pike. Haven’t heard of him? Neither had I until I just used the Eldar Name Generator!

Unit of Fire dragons without Exarch

Although I will probably never play 40k again I love many of the “old school” metal figures, especially the Imperial Guard and Eldar models.

“The Fire Dragons are Craftworld Aeldari Aspect Warriors who seek to embody the writhing, sinewy dragons of Aeldari Mythology. No Aeldari Aspect Warriors revel more in destruction than those who serve the Aspect Shrine of the Fire Dragons. Taking as their totem the fierce, fire-breathing creatures of Aeldari mythology, they epitomise the brutal, wanton destruction of war.

When called to arms their goal is the total annihilation of their foes, to the exclusion of all else. Fire Dragons are aggressive and warlike close combat fighters who utilise heat-based weaponry to destroy enemy armoured vehicles and drive the foe from his fortified strongpoints.

They have an unsurpassed mastery of their chosen and highly dangerous weapons, and take savage delight in the devastation they create. For this reason, the Asuryani believe that the Fire Dragons are the embodiment of the Aeldari war god Kaela Mensha Khaine’s penchant for pure destruction. It is said that Fire Dragon Exarchs generate a corona of lambent flame around themselves when the battle lust is upon them”. Thanks to 40k Fandom

FUEGAN

Fuegan and his Exarch bodyguards Fantyr and Idravor

“Fuegan established the shrine of the Fire Dragons when the Asurya spread across the galaxy to teach the Eldar the Path of the Warrior. It was his hope that the Eldar could bring harmony through selective destruction rather then oblivion as a force that could only bring discord. He is respected as a hero across many Craftworlds, often depicted holding the cosmic serpents of wisdom and entropy in his grasp. In many ways Fuegan most embodies the Aspect Warriors obsession with their deadly craft, devoting himself completely to the systematic and total destruction of the Eldar’s enemies. Pitilessly destroying the enemies of the Eldar in an unbroken chain across the Galaxy, the Eldar believe that, with this chain, Fuegan intends to bind the Dragon at the end of days, mastering destruction itself. It is said that Fuegan will call together the Phoenix Lords for the Rhana Dandra, the final conflict, and that he will be the last to die.

He refused to flee when the Shrine of Asur was destroyed by Arhra, the Fallen Phoenix. He was thought dead for centuries, but reappeared to fight alongside Eldrad Ulthran at the Haranshemash (“World of Blood and Tears”). There, he scoured a score of Daemon lords from the planet with the Fire Pike from which he later takes his name, and claimed a dozen more with his Fire Axe. Once the battle was done, Fuegan vanished into the Webway and has travelled its ancient tunnels ever since. He emerges only when it serves a noble cause”. Thanks to 40k Lexicanim.

I have just purchased two more Fire Dragon Warriors and Three Exarchs figures with Fire pike to match, which will give me all of the options I should ever need – 3 units with or without Exarch and three Exarchs to join the “Court of the Young King”. I know the current version of the “Court” rules treats this as a Stratagem Card, but I like the “old school” method of fielding 3 to 5 Exarchs with the Avatar as a single HQ unit. Not that effective but it looks cool.

With the Nomad infinity army and these guys I am getting heartely sick of painting toys in red, because despite the myth they actually don’t go any faster!!! Hmmm, maybe Flash needs to change his suit colour as well.

I have two Avatars, 3 units of five Wraithguard, 3 units of five Dark Reapers, and 3 units of five Warp Spiders partly done and hopefully they will be completed in the next month.

I don’t think so! The time is not May 1942 nor is the location on a Pacific island, but rather is set in the early 2190’s located within the “Nomad” coalition of three colossal space ships whose inhabitants, dissatisfied with a society run by faceless macroeconomic interests and the AI ALEPH, decided to break away and create their own societies in space, moving between systems and trading with the locals. It is the “Infinity” game world of “Corvus Belli”.

Corregidorians are anarcho-syndicalists. Free people who have to survive in a Human Sphere that is ruled by capitalism and still maintain their ideals and lifestyles. They can defend it because they are specialised workers and have their armed forces to defend themselves against exploitation coming from greedy companies who employ them. Union power!

I have been wanting to try this gaming system for a long time, mainly because of the cool models.

I am building up a small “Nomad” force of about twenty figures which is more than enough for the standard 300 point game. First finished is a “Zondnautica Rapid Offensive Unit”, consisting of a Zondmate (the transformer like figure), a dismounted Zondnaut, and a Zondnaut on AI motorcycle.

Zondmate

Zondmate

Zondmate

Poor Teddy! At least the Zondmate didn’t crush you!

Zondmate stepping over green rubbish bag!

The zondmate is a powerful fast attack weapon system that has a chain rifle, a smoke light grenade launcher, and an electric pulse, plus of course a dirty pink Teddy Bear!

Dismounted Zondnaut

Dismounted Zondnaut

Dismounted Zondnaut

The dismouinted Zondnaught is armed with a Spitfire pistol and a knife.

AI motorcycle

AI motorcycle

AI motorcycle

AI motorcycle

The AI motocycle is also armed with a Spitfire pistol.

A few more of these should be finished in the next few days.

The last of the AW Miniatures Japanese figures – peasants with bamboo poles.

What better way to show that I am now over my meglamania, and back into the land of Wargaming sanity (notice that important clarification), than to talk about playing games in the setting of a C Grade movie!!

This is the second part of a post I wrote before Christmas of which I will only repeat some.

After falling into a lengthy coma following a freak accident involving hip gyration, a now aged Elvis Presley (Bruce Campbell) wakes up in an East Texas nursing home, where he befriends Jack (Ossie Davis), an African-American senior who claims to be President John F. Kennedy. I just love the way Elvis just accepts Jack at his word. After residents of their quiet retirement community start dying of dubiously unnatural causes, Elvis and Jack discover that the perpetrator is Bubba Ho-Tep (Bob Ivy), an Egyptian mummy with murderous intentions.

The model I was going to use for Ossie Davis is now finished and both he and Elvis are about to make their table debut in a few weeks time, when some Egyptian fantasy figures will also hopefully be completed.

Bob Murch’s Pulp Figures set PHP 06 “Masterminds” – I intend to use the wheelchair bound figure and the nurse for “Bubba Hotep” games.

The closing scenes of the movie show the two old geezers in a fight to the finish with Bubba Ho-Tep, but unlike the spate of superhero movies of late these two have no superhero powers, and are just two old codgers engaged in a fight with the obvious hilarious consequences.

At one level the movie doesn’t work. It is not a horror movie because my ninety one year old mother is scarrier than Bubba Ho-Tep (believe me), and it is far too clever for a cult movie, but on another it does. I found it hilariously funny and it has poignant moments that challenge our views of the Aged.

I cannot wait to organise a game with these guys as the heroes in the true super hero style just because I can.

More AW Miniatures – Japanese peasants with farm implements:

Last week during our game we were talking about my Dwarf army and the subject of the old WFB Chaos Dwarfs came up. I thought for a minute and said I think I have some of those in one of the deep dark recesses of Aladdin’s cave; and sure enough:

This was a great codex written by Rick Priestly, back in the day when the were also good value. There is a battle report (of course showing how unbeatable they are), and all of the unit flags to photo copy! I am glad I still kept it. But wait there is more:

Astragoth (the oldest living dwarf and 4th level sorcerer).

Given that we use Dragon Rampart Astrogath will do as an Elite Foot magic user costing 10 points.

Chaos Dwarf leader Flying Great Taurus

This little fellow will be classed as Elite Rider with flying capacity at 8 points.

There are seven Bull Centaurs that will make up two units of Greater Warbeasts for four points each.

A unit of twelve warriors counting as Bellicose foot for four points.

12 Blunderbusses that will count as Heavy Shooters for 4 points.

There was a set of three command figures and three axemen left over that I will use as Elite foot for six points.

Last but no least the Chaos Dwarf rocket launcher that I can use as an artillery piece that has the “boom” and “reload” rules for another four points.

This gives me an army of forty eight points!!

I have mixed feelings about finding these. On the one hand they have been sitting there waiting for the High priest Astragoth to breathe life into them once again and will look great on the shelf. On the other they are just another bl**dy project to add to the list. I seem to have finished so much this year but the project list still remains far too long!

More “AW Miniatures” villagers. This time it is the Shogun’s porters.

Tomorrow we will travel to the plain of Zharr.

Today’s post is a bit late but hopefully worth it! Over the next few days I should be able to finish my 28mm villagers for “Test of Honour” games. Today it is the village women.

The knitting circle……

or coven circle?

I have included these AW Miniatures Ronin figures in my Japasnese collection as I don’t like the Warlord plastic Samurai being also used Ronin.

These look more like an “out of work”, “down on their luck”, pauper Samurai and give the feel I was after.

I have some more AW Miniatures peasants and village women waiting to be based and these will appear in the next few days for the Ronin to defend against the “bad guys” hmmm……. might make a good moview script!

Tonight I hope to finish reading the Osprey “Revenge of the 47 Ronin” and should have a book review ready for tomorrow.

The Path of the 47 Ronin at the Ako Oishi Shrine.

Like many, my knowledge of the 47 Ronin comes mainly from Hollywood, and that Master of History, Keanu Reeves! Not surprisingly the actual events are quite different from the Hollywood versions, the Japanese Kabuki plays, and the Buinraku puppet shows, which all portray different versions of the myth that has been created around them.

The many near contemporary wood block prints also show a fictionalized account portraying them as heroes of Samurai values.

I was not surprised upon reading the “Osprey Raid 23” account of the 47 Ronin that the actual events were quite different and demonstrated that learned scholars cannot always agree. As an aside my Classics Professor, Godfrey Tanner, once said to me “when learned scholars differ one cannot afford to be dogmatic”. I profess to only sometimes being learned, often I “differ”, but I am nearly always dogmatic!

Basically the story goes that in 1701, the emperor Higashiyama sent imperial envoys from his seat at Kyoto to the shogun’s court at Edo (Tokyo). A high shogunate official, Kira Yoshinaka, served as master of ceremonies for the visit. Two young daimyos, Asano Naganori of Ako and Kamei Sama of Tsumano, were in the capital performing their alternate attendance duties, so the shogunate gave them the task of looking after the emperor’s envoys.

Kira was assigned to train the daimyo in court etiquette. Asano and Kamei offered gifts to Kira, but the official considered them totally inadequate and was furious. He began to treat the two daimyos with contempt.

Kamei was so angry about the humiliating treatment he wanted to kill Kira, but Asano preached patience. Fearful for their lord, Kamei’s retainers secretly paid Kira a large sum of money, and the official began to treat Kamei better. He continued to torment Asano, however, until the young daimyo could not endure it.

When Kira called Asano a “country bumpkin without manners” in the main hall, Asano drew his sword and attacked the official. Kira suffered only a shallow wound to his head, but shogunate law strictly forbade anyone from drawing a sword within Edo castle and he was sentenced to commit sepukku.

After Asano’s death, the shogunate confiscated his domain, leaving his family impoverished and his samurai reduced to the status of ronin.

The counter argument to this is that Kira was doing his duty in making sure the Emperor’s envoys were treated with the correct etiquette and dignity and was correct in bringing the “country yokels” into line.

The Samurai of the Ako domain now had no work. Being disgraced because of their lord’s actions, they couldn’t find another lord to serve. Because they hadn’t revenged their lord’s death they were often treated harshly or looked down upon by other samurai. An anecdote mentions that one day Oishi, who would later be the leader of the ronin, was once drunk and fell over on the side of a street in Kyoto. He was insulted for his fall from grace, his lack of courage at avenging his master, and was spat on.

The are various versions of this with some saying that he divorced his wife so that no harm would come to her and played the part of a drunk as a ruse to make Kira fall into a a false sense of security. This may well be true as the preparations prior to the attack were extra-ordinary and included one Ronin marrying the daughter of the architect of Kira’s mansion just so that they could gain access to the floor plans.

During this time, some of the other ronin had also taken up roles as workmen and merchants and gained access to Kira’s house, studying the layout of the place.

I was also surprised that all of the diamyo were required to have a residence adjacent to Edo castle and these formed an additional buffer against any attack on the castle itself. The mansions were very close together and were surrounded by barracks which complicated any secret attack.

Nearly two years after the death of their lord, only 47 of the original 300 ronin gathered in Edo to set their plan in motion.

I will not go into the detail of the attack (buy the book) but this included bringing ladders to climb the perimeter walls and to place archers on the roof of the mansion, and securing the barracks door with clamps so they only had to deal with the guards on duty. They eventually found Kira hiding in the charcoal store, and once he was identified was requested to commit sepukku. When he refused, Oishi was forced to kill him with the same weapon that Asano Naganori used himself following his sentence.

During the trial there was much argument about the legality of their actions, with some arguing that it was a prime example of samurai virtue. Many others disagreed, as a samurai should avenge their master right after his death, with some even arguing it was cowardly to meticulously plan revenge, because waiting could also mean that if Kira died before any attack the Ronin’s delay would have denied their master of his revenge. There appeared to be little doubt about the illegality of their actions because the appropriate processes for a revenge killing were not followed. Hence the main argument was which should take precedence the law or Bushido values.

The shogunate didn’t really know what to do at this point; murder was against their imposed regulations but the ronin had acted as a samurai should by avenging their lord’s death. In the end, 46 of them were sentenced to honourably commit seppuku instead of being executed as criminals.

The arguments are complex and the three hundred and twenty years that have elapsed have only added to both the uncertainty of events and the myth.

The Kabuki plays also portray Kira as a coward and a tyrant, in contrast to the virtuous Ronin who demonstrate true Bushido virtues. Given the Kabuki plays are very similar to the morality plays of the middle ages this is not surprising.

The Sengakuji Temple

The Sengakuji Temple’s Buddhist credentials are by far overwhelmed by its fame as the resting place of the 47 Ronin.

The tomb of Asano Naganori

It was to here at Sengakuji Temple, where their master Asano Naganori is buried, that the 47 Ronin brought the head of Kira Yoshinaka, and turned themselves in. It was also here at Sengakuji Temple that the ronin were buried after also meeting the same fate as their master.

Sengakuji Temple

The well inside the Sengakuji Temple where Kira’s head was washed by the Ronin.

The graveyard of the 47 Ronin

I found the book an excellent read but it has unfortunately shattered the aura of Hollywood………….. they can actually get things wrong! Who would have thought?