September Project #3 Saloon

I've built and painted my first "Tri-City Laser" Wild West Buildings,  the Saloon.

At first I was only going to paint the facade, but found that the "Board" and "Nail" effects weren't printed on the wood, but rather lasered into them, so you can see them even if painted.   I therefore painted all 4 sides of the building:

The kit makes for a first rate product, but there are a couple of difficulties.  I was afraid I was going to have to sit for hours holding one corner together while the white glue dried, but I found another way to keep it in line.

More seriously, there aren't any instructions or even a decent, clear picture anywhere for reference.   So, the trim is all guess work, but I was completely unable to figure out how to put the Saloon Bar together for the interior.  Not a clue.   I see how the tables should be put together, but they don't fit, so I'm waiting.

Therefore, the roof does come off and miniatures can be placed inside, but as of yet, no furnishings in there.

September Project #2: American Church

I've had this boxed on my shelf for at least 2 years, maybe 3-4.  A 28mm American Church from Renedra, which I bought at the Comic Store West.   I put together the matching barn a year or two ago and we've used it in game.  The church will make a nice building for the Wild West shoot-out town.

Assembled and Primed:

Painted:

It was actually a tough assemble since it is model airplane type plastic and doesn't have any serious helpful guide holes.   The roof isn't snug and the steeple's crooked, but it will serve.  

I finally threw away my 15 year old bottle of cheap Wal-mart white craft paint.   There was still some left, but it just didn't cover nicely.   I had to give it a second coat of another brand of white paint.

I shouldn't have used black primer.   White or even gray would have made life easier.

Worst Youtube Video Title Ever

How to Make Water on an HO model train Layout

Pulled off the band-aid.

I just ordered a second batch of stuff from Knuckleduster miniatures.  I got 8 mounted cowboys, an old prospector and mule, 6 shopkeepers, a Bank, Jail and General Store.


I resisted the Stage Coach, since that comes from Old Glory.   If we do more Wild West sometime, I'll likely get it then. 


We are definitely doing Wild West shoot-out day.   It depends on when they actually ship all my stuff and how long it takes to assemble and paint the buildings whether it will be in 2 weeks or 4 weeks,

Those Train Guys really do have the best toys.

Sometimes I do wish that gaming miniatures had gone to the HO scale (18-20mm) and we therefore could seamlessly use all of the model railroad stuff that's out there.   Those train jerks really have an awesomely staggering range of toys to play with.   I guess it's mainly 20th century stuff, of course, but still it's awesome. 


Take a look at Hobbylinc to see what I mean.

Shopping FEVER

I want a bank


I really, really want the Old Glory $40 STAGECOACH


I want some shopkeepers


I want some mounted Banditos


I want some mounted Cowboys (maybe the Old Glory Cavalry Advancing, but painted as Cowboys, somewhat less expensive per figure)


I don't want to spend more than my wife made working overtime this past weekend, that just seems wrong.


I want it all, I want it now.


I'm not even planning a long campaign, I just want TOYS, NOW, ALL OF THEM

Ditherer is Dead--Slap Iron, Varmits

I really want to do a Wild West skirmish miniatures game, but have been severely dithering about Scale --54mm plastic, big and cheap,  HO plastic--super cheap, super abundant, lots of cheap accessories, but super small and cheesy, or go with 25-28mm metal--more expensive but plays well with all the other stuff I already have..


I woke up this morning and all dithering is gone.


I intend to run a series of skirmish gunfights on the session after Andrew leaves us for Oz and leaves off Blades in the Dark.


Rules:   Fistfull of Lead (simple, fast, initiative ripped off from Savage Worlds)


Scale:  25mm metal.  It's just better if all my stuff can play together.


New Figures:  I've ordered 6 more Banditos and 7 more Gunslingers (4 with rifles).  With what I already have, should be more than enough.


New Terrain:  I've ordered a Saloon in 28mm, which has a fully detailed interior.   I already have a barn which I have assembled, and a church, which I haven't.


Prospective Purchases:   maybe some mounted figures, since I don't have any of those, maybe a Bank, General Store or Sheriff's Office building.    I do recommend Knuckleduster Miniatures for selection, I hope the ordered materials are good, but price and offerings were good.


Saloon:

September Project Number 1-A: Brown Game Mat

Using the same process as the green mat, only using a darker brown spray paint, I (much more quickly this time) created a brown game mat of the same dimensions: 

September Project #1---Game Mat, Green

Following suggestions from "Anton's Blog" via The Miniatures Page,  I purchased 2 "Ecorugs" from Lowe's to make into gaming mats.

The reason I had been urgently dithering over table size was the new mats would have to fit whatever table size I decided upon,   However, last night I came up with a solution, cut the mats to 6'x5', which would cover either 5x5 or 6x4 with a 6 inch overhang on 2 sides of either configuration.

Next step, cutting green mat to size:

This, as is, would be fine if battles were fought on a football field, and in any case would be and improvement over the nasty old green sheet I've been using.  But, the advice was to dry brush or spray paint some brownish color overtop in order to make it look more natural.    Anton said that the dry brushing process in this case was brutal, so I decided on the spray paint.

I did some test runs on the left-over piece:

I asked Katie, who is really into art (but is smart enough to study Chemistry in order to find real work) whether the light areas or dark areas (shown above) looked better.  She deemed the lighter areas better, so I proceeded on to the actual spray.

The final green game mat. The rug was $20 and I had all the other supplies.

stop 1 on the End -Dithering Express

I have made up my mind.  The table stays as it is.  It really isn't worth the effort for the minimal gain.

Deciding Stuff

Decision #1:   Do I update the Table?
Do we switch from 5x5  to 6x4?


Pro:
Makes table "regulation size" for a lot of games and game mats/accessories
Gets us more room to move around the sides.


Con:
Got to find a way to attach a chunk of plywood to a table base.
Is the whole thing effort for very little advantage


Urgency:
I have some plans to make some game mats.   I need to know my table size before I do so.


Decision #2:  What happens after Andrew leaves us and we're done with Blades in the Dark?


I enjoy playing the game, but don't really want to GM it.


Choice 1:  Back to D&D Wilderlands:
      Pro:  Can easily use pre-made modules and Random-rolls to play game without much prep.
      Con:  We've played a lot of D&D lately, might be time for something else


Choice 2:  Miniatures Games
       Pro:  something different, plan for 2-sided games so if its just are 3 super-regulars (Dave, Jason, Tim) we can play regardless of who else shows.   I'm getting into project mode.  We can change week-to-week, until we decide on a campaign in a month or 2.  I have enough stuff that I don't need to buy or make anything unless I want to.
     Con:  definitely planning and set-up, but right now I can handle that.


I could also set up a series of miniature battles in a mini-campaign (2-4 games) where the first few help determine the set up for the climax battle.


Choice 3:  New Campaign
       Pro:  campaigns are what we do.   I have some back-burner ideas, mostly Savage Worlds based.
       Con:   Got to get set up in about 3 weeks.


Decision #3:  How To Get Numbers Up
I'd really like to see one more regular guy.  Since Andrew's out from October to January, if I understood him correctly, and Marlon is about 50/50 lately, I feel we're really a man short.  I'd like to have a reliable GM and 3 players.   Do we try to press Robert (see if someone can give him a ride?) or Chuck?   Do we try to get Bob fired from his job?   Do we try to recruit online or at the Comic Store bulletin board?  Anybody know anyone (preferably ornery old men)?
If we do some miniatures or board games, I can probably get my brother and/or Chuck for 1-2 games.


We'll need to talk some of this out, but it helps me to get my thoughts straight by writing it out.

Of Course, When Worlds Collide

Of course, there turns out to be HO wild west equivalent of the merchant block, with a sheriff's office and everything.

I suppose I could rustle up some cowboy figures in HO scale.   Of course we did use the 25mm figures with the HO buildings in Mutants and Muskets and that worked out OK.   I suppose I could just use the cowboys I've already got with HO buildings.  


What is a boy to do?

More Future Thoughts

Another thought, I had bought some H/O scale (18-20mm) plastic 1920's cops, gangsters and WWII guys 2-4 years ago.   They actually match the bulk of model railroad buildings in size.    I have some rail-road buildings from my teenage years that we used in the Mutants and Muskets campaign, if they were cleaned up a bit, combined with my Road Template mat we used for the first Wilderlands game, and any new purchases, it might make for a good gangster or pulp-hero throw down.


Here's a "Merchant's Row" building set that would be kind of awesome and is not outrageously expensive:

Maybe shoot for a pulp miniatures game or two, maybe a new savage worlds campaign.

The Road Ahead

Since it appears that we've got one more Blades in the Dark session before Andrew returns to the realm theatrical until New Years, we've got to think about what we're going to do next.  I've got a strange desire to branch out miniatures-wise.  I'm thinking of doing some Wild West figures in 54mm scale (i.e., green army man size).   Then maybe doing a short RPG campaign or just some miniatures battles.   I know its kind of stupid to wander away from my 25mm size, which has the advantage of making the figures useable in all sorts of other games.  Maybe I'll talk myself out of it.  Luckily I can't seem to find cheap and awesome Wild West buildings in 54mm right now, or I'd be unstoppable.

Marx Reissue of Cowboys, Trappers and Miners in 54mm