Irregular Wars Wargaming

Having finished up 1,000 points worth of 28mm halfling burghers for Fantastic Battles , I felt it was time to bring them all together in an army showcase.  As I have painted up this army, the faction's backstory has started to emerge. Inspired as something of a ménage à trois between 15th-16th century Low Countries mercantile cities, War of the Roses unit types and nostalgia for early 1990s Games Workshop halflings, these lads (and lassies) hail from Beerenburg, a coastal mercantile city-state with an active foreign policy and an army ready to enforce aggressive negotiation techniques.  Considering the militia racial trope (which reduces each unit's melee capability therefore their points value), this is a relatively small 1000 point army with a breakpoint of just 9. It does, however, have plenty of characters to aid in command and control, and most units a pretty resolute. The army's characters. From left to right: the plague doctor/apothecary (being used here as a rogue...

Riding at the head of the Beerenberg Expeditionary Force is the Burgher-meister, a leader elected by the burghers, from among the burgers to oversee external trade negotiations and hostile take-overs. Outside of the city walls, the Burgher-meister's word is final as he (or she) executes all business in the name of the city.  Custom dictates that they manifest, as far as possible, the Three Pints standard of the city. Here the commander rides a black stallion representing the flag's field, and wears tankard-bronze armour. Like all Beereburgers, his helmet is topped with a plume of beer-foam white.

The final unit of Beerenberg's (initial 1,000 point) expeditionary force are the Burghers-at-Arms. These halflings represent the elite plutocracy of the city - merchants whose established wealth and power allow them the free time to train at arms. The three-company unit is based on the elite company profile with the militia racial trope and the doughty and heavy melee weapons traits. Although they will hit no harder than regular units of larger folk, their impressive Resolve will serve as a bulwark for the guild units to fight around. Apart from the single Anvil Industries rat hidden among the long grass, all miniatures are from The Assault Group (TAG). The unit leader (purple bonnet) is from command pack, and the mounted musician is from the knight command pack. All the other figures use bodies from TAG's dwarvern foot knights, with halfling heads. I have to mention the excellent service from TAG who were really helpful when placing special orders like this. The standard is bu...

The next unit for my Fantastic Battles halfling burgher army are hard-bitten swordsmen from Beerenburg's Honourable Company of Cutlers. This two-company unit is based on the formed company profile with the militia racial trope and the fast trait. Dressed in the guild's green and yellow livery, the Cutlers may not hit hard, but they are reletively mobile and will serve as a ready reserve or to protect the flanks of their bow-armed colleagues. As with my other guild units, this unit is predominantly composed of TAG halflings with a couple of Duncan Shadow 3D printed female halflings add variety.

This week saw a 1250 point game of Fantastic Battles  take place down in Lisburn. My Classical Macedonians (pre-Philippic reforms) took on Rogers Early Imperial Romans. But for those of you who shudder with such blatant ahistoricality, fear not - we also had mythical units. So it was all totally legit. 😇 The armies deployed before mishaps: the Romans are deployed along the top, fielding a four-company legion and three-company units of praetorians and spear-armed auxiliaries, along with archers, scorpions and onagers for main line missile support. A two-company unit of slingers were sheltering in the woods to the Roman left (top right), some German cavalry were behind the woods on the opposite flank, and an ambush of Numidian light cavalry lead by a rogue were sitting on the Macedonian left flank (bottom left). Aside from the warlord, the army was led by three captains, three magic-users (one prophet and two summoners) and a rogue. The Macedonians were led by their king supported b...

Having now played a few games of Burrows & Badgers , I wanted to pick up another couple of rogueish beasts to round out the Dirty Paws . I already had 10 miniatures painted up - the maximum warband size - but there's no accounting for casualties in a campaign, and this will allow more variety for pick up games too. Hugo Hairtrigger, the black rat Brother Malachy the Mad Monk, a stoat (I love his little tonsure!)

Continuing on his quest , which is both brilliant and bizarre in equal measure, my lad has now completed his third sculpt - another Zoidberg! This time its a Decapodian Royal Guard.  It would be awesome if he kept this up and created a warband for use in a game ( TNT perhaps?), but I'm not sure that's his priority. 👀

After the tussle by the temple, the Dirty Paws stepped up their game and hounded the Special Animal Service through the wilds, eventually catching them for another open engagement. This time the Dirty Paws were aiming to assassinate the royalist leader and also bring down their toughest beast - conveniently, both of those paths led to Lady Briar. The SAS were looking to break the rogues by devistating their numbers. Osgood the otter and Knut the squirrel, both skilled as melting into the shadows were delpoyed forward in ambush, and as the two parties advanced, they started shooting their bows from their hidden position at the base of a tree. Basil the beaver led the charge for the SAS, soaking up arrows and acting as something of a meat-shield for his leader. who dashed past to try to get in an early kill against Sgian Dubh. However, by leading from the front, Briar was quickly surrounded. While her armour and innate toughness kept her standing, wounds started to mount up. The wounded ...