Thursday, February 9, 2012

Farm (and other) animals on the wargames table

    While at Historicon last July, Barry pointed out to me two sets of barnyard type animals newly introduced by Architects of War, namely one of "Pigs" and another of "Chickens and a Fox". The figures are quite nice, but I especially had to have the Fox, as our small country town has been over run by semi tame foxes in the past year... I suspect due to escaped Foxes raised in captivity being released for the hunts that take place at times in our area. Anyway, as I've previously related, we use assorted animals (generically referred to as "chickens", but including those and other feathered friends, pigs, sheep, cows, etc) as markers in our games. Why?  They look good, and they're fun. Who can resist the opportunities for bad puns, etc, that arise with using these critters in the course of the game? All that keeps the game from getting too deadly serious and tedious as well.


Her's the painted contents of the two packs inserted into a pastoral scene; three rather sizable pigs, two piglets, five hens/roosters three chicks plus...    the FOX!


Here's the piggies all snug in their stye. The rather nice small fields seen at the top of the picture were also acquired at Historicon last year, this time in the flea market, for $5 each - an excellent value!


I painted whites of the eyes of the large pigs, which gives them a bit of a crazed look, LOL, but probably suitable for "Battle Pigs". No "Flaming Pigs" need apply, however.


Here's the hens, roosters, and chicks out pecking for grain, seen from above.


Another view of the chickens; the sculpting is very well done.


More chicken pics, and another shot with those fields in it as well. Is anyone looking out for the Fox? Guys?


"I tawt I taw a pootty-tat..."


"Long pointed snout,    Bushy tail...    and Sharp TEETH!"   It's the FOX! - Quick, everybody into the Coop!

Anyway, the Fox is just the thing to mark the disorder sewn among your troops by Michelle, the lady who adds a touch of class to the games of the Piquet/FoB crowd at Historicon! Now I just have to add some dogs to my animal collection!

Good gaming, have fun, and don't take our hobby *too* seriously!

Peter

11 comments:

  1. Well I have a general on a donkey and a cow permanently attached to my windmill so thats as close as I come to politics and farm animals in my wargaming - but i guess the cow can be added to my list of objective points - also have two vignettes i need to paint up of Nappy Bavarians and SYW Prussians gathering forage for the nights supper!

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  2. Good stuff. In our club's "1812 Adventure" game using the Iron Ivan rules for F&I, we regularly have missions that include rounding up cattle and pigs as provisions. The random encounters often include rattlesnakes, skunks, bee hives, and a grumpy bear, as well as brigands, refugees, and an occasional madman. Beasties sure add colour to the table.

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  3. Great comments. I agree they add color and fun to the table. I still recall Bob W's search for some toothsome sheep to use as objectives in a Viking Raid game...

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  4. Will this be a new Piquet supplement? Barn of Brothers?

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    Replies
    1. Nah, I think rather... Furrowed Ground! :-)

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    2. Furs of Baboon 2! Blubbers on the Dolphin!

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  5. I anxiously await the flying pigs....

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    Replies
    1. Silly Wabbit, *chickens* fly, pigs *have* flies!

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  6. I had a 25mm *mouse* somebody made. Appropriately, I think I've lost it somewhere in the attic...

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    Replies
    1. 25mm mouse.. now that would be pretty tiny, but perhaps useful against 25mm pachyderms?

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