Images of Alcovia - Gratuitous Art Dump of Inspiration

Adding a Little Color

Along with his decision to try to form a more regular modern army out of the various warlord bands and household units of his people, King Ullo also thought it important to do away with the traditional religious and tribal pennants, standard and ragged banners that often characterized the massed forces of Alcovia. In their place would be proper national army colors, showing that loyal regiments were willing to put the betterment of their nation ahead of any other loyalties.

Still, as Alcovia was to be a nation bound together, it was also important to maintain some of the strong, traditional images and heraldic symbols of Alcovia's past. To this end the regimental flag of Alcovia would bear the black wolf of King Ullo over the traditional sword of the majority of the tribes of the Alcovian steppes. Guard Regiments and the King's Colors would bear an Imperial crown with the Guard colors having the black wolf in the four corners.

King's Colors

Regimental Colors

Guard Colors 

King's Own Guards

These banners were made to order by the very talented Bill McHenry and I feel the end results were well worth it. He's an incredibly great guy and worked with me all the way which was no easy thing considering I am mostly ignorant about the military of the 18th C.. I'll be going back to him for all my banner needs in the future and he's currently working on some banners for some of King Ullo's family and some tribal banners.

Thanks for reading,

-Eli

Work Has Begun

Armed with a few color printed pictures, my handy, dandy, under-stocked box of paints and a few hours to myself, I set out to begin work on sorting my Eastern Ren. figures into suitable unit lots for painting. 

I've mentioned before that I am going with Eastern Ren. figures for this 18th C. project because at this period in time my imagi-nation was way behind the game. This also allows me to use minis from a period that I've wanted to play in for a long time but still get to participate in the 18th C. imagi-nation community and build up the mystique and history of my favorite imagi-nation.

I'm afraid I didn't get as far along with today's painting as I had hoped. A bit of a mishap with a loose paint cap while shaking up a bottle, resulted in time spent cleaning up instead of painting. I was also frustrated to find out that I wasted time trying to adapt to an inferior paint when I did end up having a bottle of better quality paint in the same color. I'll have to go over the poor quality paint with the better stuff and make it work. Fortunately, that discovery was made early on instead of too far down the road.

More to come as I have it!

-Eli

First Set of Rules to Try

Thanks to a friend of mine, I have been provided with a fun set of black powder era rules, "Muskets and Mohawks". I received these rules without any specific advanced information on the system. I do have some knowledge of some of Two Hour Wargames other games but only their skirmish scale rules.

Initial scans of the rules show it to be very flexible and easily customized for use in imagination settings. Though the rules are written with the FIW in mind, the rules for classifying troop capabilities through descriptive abilities such as ferocious, militia, civilian, etc.. This is easily transferred to other settings and, in fact, 2HW has even provided quick lists, special rules, and army lists for various other black powder eras. This pretty much makes these rules to imagi-nation gamers or folks who want to cover a lot of ground but don't want to learn many different systems.

I hope to get a few units on the table soon so I can take these rules out for a spin.

-Eli

Less Successful Alcovian Troop Types

I saw this picture online and immediately it struck me as one of those things too crazy to field seriously in miniatures, but just wacky enough that it might bear (yes, a pun) some merit in modelling just for fun. I even came up with an amusing little blurb about them...

In a flight of fanciful folly, the Kuzaki warlord Ignov The Bold (named not for his bravery but rather the bravado of his personal odor) experimented with bolstering his shock cavalry by using bear, normally trained as circus performers by Romani gypsies, to ride on the backs of horses. Though the bear themselves performed admirably, leaping from the backs of the horses to savage Ignov's enemies, his own forces were rendered paralyzed by laughter at such an absurd sight.

Merry Christmas From The Wilderness of Alcovia

As the festivities continue to grow out of control in Alcovia, merry-makers all gather 'round a local scribe for the traditional dictation of their holiday letters to Grandfather Frost.

Each boisterous fellow pays a few coins to have a man of words scribble down his wishes. This is a good time of year for learned men in Alcovia and much fun is had by all as the crowd gathered around the scribe jokes and jibes at one another, plying the scribe with more drinks in an attempt to make his pen flow more freely for their money.

It is also tradition that each man tries to outdo his fellows in a show of generosity, good cheer and outright bravado. Boasts are made, challenges issued, and good-natured violence and physicality often erupt from these boisterous endeavors. It is considered bad form to take any real offense or do any lasting or serious harm at these times and those that do are not only damned to ill holiday tidings but likely a good thrashing and loss of face among their peers.

These evening events often end in song and somber merriment with Kuzaki loves songs and ballads of derring do. The scribes generally pick this time to slip out, protected by a few well-payed and loyal local men who will let no harm come to a man of such good cheer.

Inspirational Music

Looking for things to listen to while modelling and painting, I came across this one that I particularly like for both the powerful sound and the collection of images. I have found many others with plenty of images but they tend to be set to rock music, which is also pretty darned cool...