Rolling in a Big Pile of Quar!

 

Don't kink shame me!

The cause of the Quarish baccanale is a Big Box of Quar arriving from Don.

In addition to some utilitarian hit/shock dials (because shock piles up very fast in TQW), there are bits to add to the Coftyrans, Crusaders, Toulmorese, and the PPCLI.

This little recoilless rifle is cute AF, and in my mind looks too modern for the Tollyn Maeryn. I'm issuing one to the Toulmorese (as shown) and a second to the Crusaders to replace the German infantry gun they currently have. That will go to the Tollyn Maeryn. The gunner bodies however are going to get used with different heads for the PPCLI and some 8" howitzers (see below)

Moth Cake Chef. A Tribe membership reward. Got two. Pink hat and he'll be at the Tea Wagon for the PPCLI. Khaki hat and he'll be at the Field Kitchen for the Crusaders.

I liked how the PPCLI Squirrel Handler turned out so well I had Don print me another running body and more squirrel baskets. So now the Coftyrans have a Squirrel Handler too!

Paerydyn Heavy Gun Tractor for the Coftyrans. Big gun, heavy armour. Something to counter the Baeliogs. Got two. Because. Don't judge me.

A troop of Squeedles because the PPCLI need some armour. They're lightly armoured and fast(ish?), so I hope five is enough when encountering Baeliogs or Chyweethls. 

But wait! There's more!

Not one, but two, count 'em! TWO new armies!

The swamp dwelling Gloam-Hyyn have arrived.  I can organize them into 4x squads of seven, plus a Scout group, and HQ elements. Their camouflage helmets and functional sandals will make them a fine opponent for the Toulmorese. 

As I was sorting figures I noticed some broken gun barrels and hit on some conversion ideas.

Broken carbine? No problem!

Add some left over Crusader packs and I've got a Medic!

Scouts and Trackers with their barely tame Sarf-Cyn attack beasts.

HQ Group. Squirrel Handler, Master-Yawdryl, more than enough officers. In the fluff the officers are on attached duty from the Royal army, so they look more regular and are wearing hip waders! But I've got enough extra to try some conversions on. I might even attempt doing a leg swap to make one who's gone "native."

Four squads: each with 5 rhyflers, 1 cryfen LMG, 1 Yawdryl with Doru. Single piece figures, but different packs to give some variety.

Extra Cryfen and Yawdryl, plus another broken carbine, who will be wrangling the Ganga pack animal.

Painting them will be Phase 6, I guess.

Phase 6B will be making some jungle terrain. I cant borrow Pasha Dan's all the time.

Then there's Phase 7. The Tollyn-Maeryn in spiked helmets and older style uniforms. They will be First World War German analogs. And provide the 12-16 gun crew I need for Brequar Manor. Or any Verdun style games I want to set up. 

Not one piece prints. So many arms. But I'm going to ask Don to mirror some of the enpty handed left arms so I can make gun crew.

They're pretty simple. Big squads of bolt action rhyflers. So I'm going to give them some metal Vickers HMGs to put in their trenches. 

Eek! Don printed four of the Faelvor Armoured Wagon, but (at least) two burst and covered everything with uncured resin. So I'll have to wash them in isopropyl and see what can be done. Maybe I can make a nice wreck for No Quar's Land.

Phase 7B will be making, or buying, three more gun pits to accommodate the four 8" howitzers Don printed for me. And making some kind of fort-bunker thingy, because the forts at Verdun have grabbed my imagination somewhat. 

8" howitzers that have been waiting patiently for enough crew.

Yes, in the fluff (I hate "Lore"), they're Crusader aligned, but I'm going to use them as enemies for both my "British" Crusaders and "French" Coftyrans. 

The new fluff coming out is depicting a lot of political chaos and strained alliances, so I think Zombiesmith is positioning the game so that anyone can fight anyone else. 

I imagine a Royalist Public Affairs Officer would say the "Crusaders" are whoever was shooting at them today. And anyone fighting the Crusaders on any given day become by default a "Royalist." Rather like the various groups opposing the Bolsheviks in the Russian Civil War. They're all "White" but not all are fighting to restore the Tsar and Imperial Russia.

So now to get back to painting the Toulmorese, so I can dig in to the Gloam-Hyyn!

A Coftyran Miscellany

Here are some random bits I finished off last week at the same time as the Toulmorese tractor and the Ensign for the PPCLI.
 

First a pair of medium to heavy tractors for the Royalists. These are Aerfen tractors. Offically for Gwynt. But I like the tea pot shaped Squeedles better for the P'tryshas. These are big caemate style self-propelled guns, like all the other Coftyran tractors, and the slab sides are nice for the Modernist camouflage.

To both I have added a pile of stowage behind the hatch. This one also got a metal roll of camouflage netting to hang along the side. Some of the last of my metal stowage.

There is also a lantern that broke off one of the giant beetles. Waste not, want not. You haven't seen my beetles yet because I'm stuck on painting the shells.

Aerfen Number 2. I suppose I should give them identifier numbers?

These bring the Coftyran Tractor Corps up to 11 assorted AFVs.

A special character from the Tribe. Because of his soft cap and sword I'm using them as a Support Team for my Trench Raider Group. Hence the camouflaged snouts. 

Finally a couple of Baenyrs, or Officer Cadets. Youngsters trying to earn their Commissions. One clutches his sword, possibly a heritage piece from his clan. The other confidently waves a pistol. In This Quar's War you can detach rhyflers from your squads to form an extra squad lead by a Baenyr. These are both one piece prints.

As you can see the print of the one holding the sword is the basis for my PPCLI Ensign.

Assembly of the 30 plus figures for my Toulmorese force continues. I had a brain wave last night for another headswap, to add another character to the force, and fortunately I have some extra Toulmore heads to do it with.

I am impatiently waiting for another shipment from Don, which will have a whole troop of Squeedles, plus the Gloam-Hynn and other bits to hopefully finish off the PPCLI, and Toulmorese, and Crusaders.

Starting Quar Army #5! Toulmore

Okay, here's the FIFTH Quar "army" started. Granted, Quar army number 3, the Partisans, is only 5 figures (for now!). But with the Crusaders, Coftyrans, and PPCLI pretty much done (there are a few pieces I want to add, but waiting for the Tribe, printing and sourcing alternative stls to get what i desire), its time to start on the next lot. Although I doubt I'll get them done before the next box arrives from Don.

Perversely, I'm starting this army with their tractor before I even finish assembling the infantry. I didn't particularly like this tractor at first, but it's rather grown on me. Which seems to be a common theme with Quar.

The Twaenhyr is the "official" tractor for the Crusader aligned Toulmorese. Another 3d print from the MyMiniFactory Tribe and Don's resin printer. 

Because I'm planning on building the Toulmorese and Gloam-Hyyn as bayou/mangrove swamp/jungle fighting opponents I went with a more "jungle" feel to the camouflage. It's certainly inspired by Japanese tanks anyway.

Fighting in jungle, the Toulmorese troops only need one tractor. But they can borrow an Alithean if needed too.

I added some metal packs, because all tanks need stowage.

So, it's done, I just need to assemble and paint the infantry.

H11 LMG gunners with assistants, and officers behind 

Squirrel Handler giving his squirrel it's assignment, and a Medic ready to dispense tea and sympathy 

Light mortar operator with a No.2 carrying more ammunition 

I've only got 10 or 11 plastic bodies, so I'm making sure I get all the special figures built first before the rhyflers. 

I'll have 20 or so when I'm done. 

A nice little background video for Toulmore is here.

Presentation of Colours

Flags have been part of Quar since the beginning. When I started out I didn't get the Company HQ Squads because they contained standard bearers and musicians, figures I didn't really want and would just negate the bulk discount for buying a whole unit. Since I was reaching for an alternative First World War, flags didn't really fit.

But the thing about Quar, the more you're around them, the more you get sucked into their goofy little Seussian world of over-sized bugs, and weird ways of doing things.

An army that is going to insist on wearing pink coats with purple facings on the same battlefield with tractors and machine guns is probably still going to be carrying it's regimental colours into battle too.

Quar are going to Quar.

In This Quar's War flags give a benefit in break tests to troops within a certain range.

He started out as a Coftyran Baenyr, or officer cadet, nervously holding his sword up. But the blade snapped off in transit. I decided to drill out his hands and insert a metal spear from my bits box. I then decided to transfer him from the Coftyrans to the PPCLI and snipped off his head and added a spare Gwynt bicorne. Being an Ensign, he doesn't get the big plume worn by the Is-Caertens and Caertens.

The flag is inspired by 18th Century Prussian infantry colours. If I switched the Squirrel with an eagle and added Frederick the Great's monogram, it could probably be a Fusilier regiment's flag.

He's smaller than the other figures, being a youth. So I made his spots smaller.

It's his first battle, but he's nervously determined to do his best for his Princess.
 

Praefect Carolianus Silex

I was commenting on Bluesky about the fact that my 3rd century Roman force was going to make a tidy army for Midgard, I just needed a mounted commander to be suitably heroic.

A message slid into my DMs from Carole Flint (read her blog here). "What's your address? I've got extra Victrix Roman Generals."

So after quizzing me on head and horse options, she very kindly sent me the parts to make this fellow. Who arrived last month after being delayed by the Canada Post strike.

He didn't take me long to assemble or to paint really. Honestly he was done so fast during a Friday night Zoom paint-and-chat session (yes, a friend still organizes one every week), I set him aside for a few days before basing, just in case I'd forgotten something.

As a nod to my benefactor in Bristol, I've named him Carolianus Silex. Hopefully he'll do better than Shakespeare's tragic hero.

I've been calling him a Tribune, but I guess he's actually a Praefectus Cohortis. My Romans are modeling a Cohortes Equitata, a mixed infantry and cavalry auxiliary cohort. These units did a lot of the hard work on the frontiers, while the legions were further back building roads and plotting rebellions.

Now I really must get my thumb out and make some 120mm movement bases and finish my Goth/Rohirrim heroes so I can play some Midgard!

Wargaming in Time of War

 

Well, Felon47 and his gangster syndicate that have taken over in Washington has really thrown a spanner in the works with malicious talk of invasion and annexation, and then starting a trade war. So much for alliances, open borders and Free Trade.

I don't buy much wargaming stuff from the US, because it often seems cheaper to get mail order form the UK than the US. But I had been rather looking forward to some of the new plastic Quar releases coming from Wargames Atlantic. I was really looking forward to seeing what was in the Command sets. I had hoped that my Coftyrans would finally get a Messenger Squirrel Handler and the Crusaders would get a cook. The PPCLI could get a cook and a standard bearer. 

But needs must. Recent political events have prompted me to think laterally. I own stls. I quite liked how my PPCLI squirrel handler turned out, I'll do the same for the Coftyran Headquarters. I've also asked Don to print me Squirrel packs for the Gloam-Hyyn and Tolly Maeryn.

This fellow was just released as a 9 month reward.

Moth cake chef

Purple pants and pink cap he can be the cook for the PPCLI standing beside the Tea Wagon. Khaki pants and cap and he can be the cook for my Crusaders.

There are also Baenyrs, or Officer Cadets, who are smaller, being youngsters. One is holding a rather large sword up in an anxious two-handed grip. On one print the sword broke off, so I drilled out the hands and inserted a spear/flag pole.

Then, after priming and undercoating, I decided to give him a head swap. Cut off the Coftyran officer head, drilled out the neck a bit and glued in a spare Gwynt head.

A flag fits the whimsical PPCLI better anyway.

Improvise, adapt, overcome.

The next few months are going to suck hard, and I'm really really hoping economic recession doesn't torpedo my retirement savings.

Königlich Mantovisch Luftwaffe Takes to the Skies!

Centralia, Canada (Reuters)- A small ceremony today in this small town in southern Ontario as the first class of pilots for the new Royal Mantovian Airforce were presented with their wings. As part of ongoing efforts by NATO to aid the heroic Mantovian Defense Forces, the Royal Mantovian Airforce (KML) has been resurrected, and the World War Two British Commonwealth Air Training Program that trained so many aircrew for the fight against Nazi Germany has been reactivated in this sleepy small town north of London, Ontario. Aircrew candidates for the new KML are being sent to RCAF Centralia in Southern Ontario for Flight Training.

From there, some are sent to RCAF Trenton for training on multi-engined cargo aircraft, while the best pilots go to RCAF Bagotville in Quebec for advanced combat training on the F86 Sabre jet as Canada's contribution to the NATO mission and to keep American aid at arm's length. 

Newly winged Colonel and Crown Princess Gretchen, on her way to Bagotville said in an interview, "No longer will Tartarian bombers strike with impunity! We are all very eager to keep the skies over our beloved country free from danger. We're very grateful to our Canadian friends for their hospitality."

Meanwhile ground crew technicians have been secretly sent to Sweden for training on the SAAB J29 Tunnan. Similar in performance to the Sabre, the "Flying Barrel" was selected because of it's immediate availability, good performance, and it's Swedish origins would make the CIA funding less obvious to Soviet observers. 

Originally the KML was formed in 1922 and consisted of three Sopwith Snipes and a two-seater Fokker bomber, but was shut down when the small alpine country was annexed by Nazi Germany in 1936. The five pilots and seven mechanics were transferred to the Luftwaffe. Three were killed in the Battle of Britain. Two died during the American daylight bombing campaign. Two mechanics survived the war to return home.

Hunting for Tartarian armoured columns!

It's obviously stormy grey skies 

I had to get my electric drill out to put the holes in the bottoms to take the rod, so there's some variation in the angles.

MiGs-Eye view

I almost went with the classic, iconic F86. But the J29 is just too cute to turn down. And I found a free .stl. I guess worry about the delicate control surfaces misprinting prompted Don to print me three. Naturally all three printed fine. So I had freedom to experiment.

Since they will be mostly appearing as ground support, I painted two in a green and grey camouflage reminiscent of RAF/RCAF aircraft and only one in the classic 50s shiny aluminum. The roughness of the painted on gesso primer made the finish on the silver rougher than I would like, but the camouflage turned out fine.

I used a circle template and pencil to draw the rondels directly onto the primer and then painted around them very carefully. I put a blob of pink in the center of each to help with the yellow and then painted the blue outer ring first, then the yellow center. I suppose I should add some identifying numbers to the vertical stabilizers.

The BCATP and RCAF Centralia is a nod to my step-father who worked there as a young man, making training aids for the Flight School. The base was shut down in the mid-60s and is now a weedy municipal airfield that my air cadets go to for gliding.