ConQuest Sacramento change...a good one!

The fine folks who run the ConQuest Sacramento convention have decided to waive the "small fee" for this game that they'd plan to have in place.  Still a very good idea to register in advance for those of you planning to attend to ensure yourself a spot in the game.  And for those of you too far away to attend, stay tuned.

Should be more exciting stuff up on the blog in the next few days - you know, the kind of stuff that has photographs with it.  And I haven't forgotten the updated map, I just haven't had time to work on it as I've been working on other elements of the game.  But it will get done and posted at some point.  Now off to "real life" for a bit and then back to the project later today.

A link to a Kapiti Fusilier's pirate setup

If you are not familiar with the Kapiti Fusiliers it's time you became so.  Surprising how much talent comes out of those two islands that make up the bulk of New Zealand.  This is from Roly and it looks like a lot of fun - what pirates, and games, should be all about:

http://arteis.wordpress.com/2010/02/24/a-pirates-life-for-me/

Enjoy it - and if you know of other blogs I should include, leave a comment and I'll take a look and see about posting it here.

And one more set of teaser photos of a native village plus

Yeah, they are only primed but just to give a sense of what's coming.  These will be painted by yours truly.  Most of the figures are from Irregular's Colonial range, their new African figures.  The 'command' stand is Blue Moon, and there are a half dozen figures in one 'unit' from Rebel Minis.    The other village, not seen here, is all Blue Moon but there is a contingent of natives from Peter Pig, smaller group, in the offing and another contingent to be held back from revelation.  And, if I can find some, I'll probably add one more group - though much smaller than what you see here.

One photo taken pointing towards the sun, the other away - that's why the dramatic difference in 'coloration' of the photos.

Now, I have work to do.  Enjoy the photos and be patient awaiting the next installment.

And now for something a little greener...again

Here are some photos of a product I found at a local craft store (Michael's) in the silk flower department (I didn't get the memo about silk flowers now being made out of plastic but apparently it is now the case) that I will be using for grass tufts, tropical and elephant.  The big stem sells for about $5 but I bought most of mine on sale.  As you can see in the photos, one stem yields a lot of tufts, I think I counted 98 - and I bought at least 6, maybe 8 stems.  The young lady in the photo is The Boss and you are instructed to say "Yes, ma'am" to all of her requests - or suffer the consequences!  : )

The stem as bought above and spread apart below.

The label so you can identify the SKU:

And being pulled apart and arranged:

And here are the tufts from a single stem:

Since it was late I didn't pull out a stand of figures for scale comparison but The Boss' hands should give some sense - she's 5'2" but no eyes of blue.  Large grass for 15 mm, tall as some figures, taller than most - that's why Elephant grass.  For those of you with "Large Figure Disease" they'll make really nice grass tufts.  -- oh, calm down, I'm just kidding about the large figure disease; by the way, how is your back from all that heavy lifting?--  Careful observers will have noted that the tufts come in various tones and shades of green, not the normal plastic monotone, which makes it just that more appealing.

And then there is the reprise - so it's no surprise---(rimshot, ba dum)

These are the Black crew posted before but suffering from the slideshow effect.  Hopefully now you can enlarge for a better view (have seen these in person and they are looking quite good

If by some twist of fate this 'slideshows' again, I might repost it in groups of two but I think it will be okay.

And then there were the Blues, but Don't Worry, Be Happy...argh!

Laddy sings the blues (sic):

And then there is the Red Crew

'Nuf said.

Working Backwards...?

Well, I'm going to post a bunch of photos but to try and avoid the slideshow effect I'm going to post them a couple at a time and see how that works.  So, first up, here are a couple of shots of one of the pirate crews in process.  They are Blue Moon, though many other crews will be from a variety of other suppliers.  Here is the Yellow Crew.

Where are those photos?

Okay, so I didn't get the finished figures or the finished town buildings quite yet - not proper to annoy people happily painting, you know - so I thought I'd post a link to a nice little 15 mm collection with some photos, inspired by Gary Chalk's fine articles in Wargames Illustrated (154, I think, for the town):

http://ljshobbyspot.blogspot.com/2010/05/blue-moon-15mm-pirates.html

Not quite the direction we're going with our project but fun for those of you who haven't seen it before - and in the right scale for our project.

Real life gets in the way of gaming.  What miscreant created that unfortunate bit of reality?  And what should we do to him - or her?  Start with a keel hauling, no doubt, and go on from there.

Rum, wench, a full tankard!

The Blogger Beast Strikes Again! Arrgh!

So, normally when I post a photo you can click on it and it enlarges.  Apparently, this time - for no known reason, though maybe it just does it automatically at some photo count (8 in last post) - it turned the photos into a slide show without the click and enlarge option.  I'm hoping for photos of the finished figures soon - if not the actual figures themselves, along with the entire Spanish town.  Once I have those, I will get photos of them posted and endeavor to have them so you can enlarge the photos for better views.

Much good progress on our project.  Pirates are fun, pirates are fun - keep reminding me of this as the this project snowballs.  (shh, actually, I'm having fun - just that nerve thing as some things go right and some things go wrong.  but that's part of the fun, right?)

Now I have to go work in the yard or the Chief Wench of the Household will not be happy.

First photo of figures - in process - and some more buildings

These photos are of one of the pirate crews, in process of being painted by the very talented Joe Riddle, our clubs go to painter of choice and a fine member of the club (though he seems to favor strange beasty sort of things for his own games, but man he paints them well; no doubt doing complete 'historical' research.).  I'm reasonably certain most, if not all, of these figures come from the fine folks at Blue Moon Manufacturing.

You can see how the figures will be based and the basic minimum size of any players contingent of figures.  Some players may have an extra stand or two as befits their lofty status (or delusions of grandeur!)

And here are a couple of more buildings from Mike for the Spanish town.  Hope to have the whole town photographed as a group and posted some time next week.  I really like how he did the red and black striping on the doors of the one building.  The church was just a dollar store find or maybe even a swap meet.  The other building I'm unsure of but it might be from JR Miniatures, maybe Hovels, just don't remember.

As to some of those things in the background on Mike's painting table - you'll just have to ask him - not part of our game!  Now just who has that fat little padre in their painting contingent?  And why is he afraid of the Epee-Kureans, one of the local native tribes?  That would be the friar's fear, not our gallant painters - heros every one.

Remember, if you click on the photo you should get a larger view and be able to see more detail.   Enjoy - and don't be afraid of the pirate crew, unless you happen to see them in your neighborhood...

Game Now Up at ConQuest Sacramento web site

We are now really official, the game is now listed in the online program.  Keep an eye open for a way to pre-register for this event.  See the link to the left of this posting for the convention and go exploring.

Musical Inspiration - Or at least some lyrics

Below are the lyrics from Emerson, Lake and Palmer's Pirates, an early inspiration for wanting to do a pirate game someday that has lead to what you see on this blog.  Will knowing some of these lyrics be of any benefit in the game?  If you'd like an answer to that question, you've first to have a conversation with a cat, the one with nine tails!


PIRATES
Who'll make his mark 
The captain cried 
To the devil drink a toast 
We'll glut the hold 
With cups of gold 
And we'll feed the sea with ghosts 
I see your hunger for a fortune 
Could be better 
Served beneath my flag 
If you've the stomach 
For a broadside 
Come aboard my pretty boys 
I will take you and make you 
Everything you've ever dreamed 

Make fast the guns tonight we sail 
When the high tide floods the bay 
Cut free the lines 
And square the yards 
Get the black flag stowed away 
The turk the arab and the spaniard 
Will soon have pennies on their eyes 
And any other laden fancy 
We will take her by surprise 
I will take you and make you 
Everything you've ever dreamed 

Six days off the cuban coast 
When a sail ahead they spied 
A galleon of the treasure fleet 
The mizzen lookout cried 
Closer to the wind my boys 
The mad eyed captain roared 
For every man that's alive tonight 
Will be hauling gold aboard 

Spare us the galleon begged 
But mercy's face had fled 
Blood ran from the screaming souls 
The cutlass harvested 
Driven to the quarter deck 
The last survivor fell 
She's ours my boys 
The captain grinned 
And no one left to tell 

The captain rose from a silk divan 
With a pistol in his fist 
And shot the lock from an iron box 
And a blood red ruby kissed 
I give you jewelry of turquoise 
A crucifix of solid gold 
One hundred thousand silver pieces 
It is just as I foretold 
You, you see there before you 
Everything you've ever dreamed 
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/e/emerson+lake+palmer/pirates_20049800.html ] 
Anchored in an indigo moonlit bay 
Gold eyed 'round fires 
The sea thieves lay 
Morning, white shells 
And a pipe of clay 
As the wind filled their footprints 
They were far, far away 

Our sails swell full 
As we brave all seas 
On a westward wind 
To live as we please 
With the wicked wild eyed woman 
Of portobello town 
Where we've been told 
That a purse of gold 
Buys any man a crown 
They will serve you and cloth you 
Exchange your rags 
For the velvet coats of kings 

Who'll drink a toast with me 
I give you liberty 
This town is ours - tonight 

Landlord wine 
And make it the finest 
Make it a cup for a sea dogs thirst 
Two long years of bones and beaches 
Fever and leaches did their worst 
So fill the night with paradise 
Bring me peach and peacock 
'till I burst 
But first, I want a soft touch 
In the right place 
I want to feel like a king tonight 
Ten on the black 
To beat the frenchman 
Back you dogs 
Give them room to turn 
Now open wide sweet heavens gate 
Tonight were gonna 
See if heaven burns 
I want an angel on a gold chain 
And I'll ride her to the stars 
It's the last time 
For a long, long time 
Come the daybreak we embark 
On the flood of the morning tide 
Once more the ocean cried 

This company will return one day 
Though we feel your tears 
It's the price we pay 
For there's prizes to be taken 
And glory to be found 
Cut free the chains 
Make fast your souls 
We are eldorado bound 
I will take you 
For always, forever, together 
Until hell calls our names 

Who'll drink a toast with me 
To the devil and the deep blue sea 
Gold drives a man to dream

Pirate Haberdashery

So, to give it a bit more prominence: players in this game can win prizes and the number one prize will be for the BEST PIRATE COSTUME.  I do have to clear this bit with the convention, but I hope to include the assisting game masters in this prize to encourage them to get into the act - though I don't know that they need convincing.  I will, of course, exempt myself and the other game masters won't be eligible for any of the other prizes.

And a reminder to all who are planning to attend the game - it's Halloween season and the costume stores have lots of pirate costumes and items right now.  That is a really, really big hint.  And, by the way, this is a game that men and women will enjoy so put those various ladies costumes to good use and show up on the day, wenchery optional.  Kids, too, though since it is pirates think in terms of a PG13 rather than a G rated movie (game?).

Haul in the main braces, men, there's a prize on the horizon!