First up, the Ballyfoole Hussars, also known as the Ballyfoole Light Brigade (formerly painted a sort of purple and dubbed the Heisenberg-Hasenpfeffer Hussars). Now repainted red and green and reassigned. Under the command of Colonel Flynn.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
New Troops (and old ones reassigned)
Finally managed to get a few miniatures painted.
First up, the Ballyfoole Hussars, also known as the Ballyfoole Light Brigade (formerly painted a sort of purple and dubbed the Heisenberg-Hasenpfeffer Hussars). Now repainted red and green and reassigned. Under the command of Colonel Flynn.
Next, the Woostershire Infantry of Grand Thidwick. These are veteran campaigners, commanded by Colonel Lancelot Threepwood.
A vivandiere wearing part of the uniform of the Ballyfoole Hussars. (apologies for the fuzzy picture)
And finally, a family of fallow deer from the local deer park.
These are all Foundry miniatures.
First up, the Ballyfoole Hussars, also known as the Ballyfoole Light Brigade (formerly painted a sort of purple and dubbed the Heisenberg-Hasenpfeffer Hussars). Now repainted red and green and reassigned. Under the command of Colonel Flynn.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Random Flora
Following on from my Random Fauna post here is the plant life side of things.
1. For plants, first determine what type of plant:
table 1 - roll 1d10
1 herb
2 spice
3 vine
4 fern
5 bromeliad
6-10 flower
table 1a - flower type - roll 1d20
1-4 orchid
5-6 rose
7 primrose
8 daisy
9 lily
10 tulip
11 lupine
12 crocus
13 geranium
14 nasturtium
15 thistle
16 peony
17 pansy
18 jasmine
19 carnation
20 other (snapdragon, sunflower, lavender, etc.)
2. Determine relative general size
table 2 - size - roll 1d10
1 dwarf/pygmy/pocket
2-3 small
4-7 average
8-9 large
10 giant
3. For flowers determine color
table 3 - roll 1d12
1 black
2 brown
3 green
4 blue
5 purple
6-7 red
8-9 orange
10-11 yellow
12 white
4. Determine descriptives
table 4 - roll 1d32? (or whatever it takes. ha ha. I've been adding to this list as I think of additional adjectives.)
1 creeping
2 wandering
3 weeping
4 shrinking
5-6 poison (by touch or by ingestion)
7 carnivorous
8 clinging
9 tangle(r)
10 strangle(r)
11 fuzzy
12 prickly
13 thorny
14 stinging
15 day
16 night(blooming)
18 afternoon
19 morning
20 evening
21 dawn
22 sun
23 moon
24 sweet
25 spicy/spice
26 sour
27 pungent
28-30 medicinal
31 animal (specify type - dragon, tiger, elephant, etc.)
32 pseudo
33
table 5 - terrain-based descriptive - roll 1d6 and choose from column that corresponds to terrain; if following a river, roll 1d6, 1-4 use terrain, 5-6 use water column
1 jungle grassland mountain desert water
2 jungle grassland mountain desert river
3 jungle field rock sand(y) river
4 swamp savannah stone sand(y) brook
5 forest savannah cliff dune lake
6 tree veldt cave dune pond
Results are open to interpretation and don't necessarily have to be taken literally.
Examples rolled up for the Ballyfoole expeditions:
small morning grassland fern (maybe it opens up in the morning to catch any dew and then folds back up to retain moisture as the day wears on)
average sized strangler mountain geranium with "black" flowers (maybe it has tendrils or something that tend to catch on passersby, and since your average geranium is not that big the "strangling" is probably not serious or life-threatening)
thorny dwarf mountain bromeliad
1. For plants, first determine what type of plant:
table 1 - roll 1d10
1 herb
2 spice
3 vine
4 fern
5 bromeliad
6-10 flower
table 1a - flower type - roll 1d20
1-4 orchid
5-6 rose
7 primrose
8 daisy
9 lily
10 tulip
11 lupine
12 crocus
13 geranium
14 nasturtium
15 thistle
16 peony
17 pansy
18 jasmine
19 carnation
20 other (snapdragon, sunflower, lavender, etc.)
2. Determine relative general size
table 2 - size - roll 1d10
1 dwarf/pygmy/pocket
2-3 small
4-7 average
8-9 large
10 giant
3. For flowers determine color
table 3 - roll 1d12
1 black
2 brown
3 green
4 blue
5 purple
6-7 red
8-9 orange
10-11 yellow
12 white
4. Determine descriptives
table 4 - roll 1d32? (or whatever it takes. ha ha. I've been adding to this list as I think of additional adjectives.)
1 creeping
2 wandering
3 weeping
4 shrinking
5-6 poison (by touch or by ingestion)
7 carnivorous
8 clinging
9 tangle(r)
10 strangle(r)
11 fuzzy
12 prickly
13 thorny
14 stinging
15 day
16 night(blooming)
18 afternoon
19 morning
20 evening
21 dawn
22 sun
23 moon
24 sweet
25 spicy/spice
26 sour
27 pungent
28-30 medicinal
31 animal (specify type - dragon, tiger, elephant, etc.)
32 pseudo
33
table 5 - terrain-based descriptive - roll 1d6 and choose from column that corresponds to terrain; if following a river, roll 1d6, 1-4 use terrain, 5-6 use water column
1 jungle grassland mountain desert water
2 jungle grassland mountain desert river
3 jungle field rock sand(y) river
4 swamp savannah stone sand(y) brook
5 forest savannah cliff dune lake
6 tree veldt cave dune pond
Results are open to interpretation and don't necessarily have to be taken literally.
Examples rolled up for the Ballyfoole expeditions:
small morning grassland fern (maybe it opens up in the morning to catch any dew and then folds back up to retain moisture as the day wears on)
average sized strangler mountain geranium with "black" flowers (maybe it has tendrils or something that tend to catch on passersby, and since your average geranium is not that big the "strangling" is probably not serious or life-threatening)
thorny dwarf mountain bromeliad
Sunday, June 19, 2011
Random Fauna
In the comments to a recent post --- Ballyfoole Expedition to Afrodesia --- Frank suggested providing the names and descriptions of the plants and animals discovered by the expeditions. So I've been playing around with the idea and have worked up the following tables to generate some of that. Now, I had no intention of trying to make the tables balanced based on actual percentages of various types of plants and animals in Africa or anywhere else for that matter, nor in trying to be all-inclusive or even relatively comprehensive in listing possible types or categories. Consider this a work in progress and open to revision and suggestions.
1. For animals, first determine what type of animal:
table 1 - roll 1d6
1 bird (roll on 1a)
2 mammal (roll on 1b)
3 reptile (roll on 1c)
4 amphibian (roll on 1d)
5 insect (roll on 1e)
6 other (roll on 1f)
Next, break it down further
table 1a - birds - roll 1d6
1 parrot
2 finch
3 songbird (warbler, lark, wren, cuckoo)
4 wader (crane, ibis, heron)
5 fowl (cock/hen, pheasant, pigeon)
6 other (hornbill, sunbird, bee-eater, mousebird, hawk)
table 1b - mammals - roll 1d12
1-2 monkey
3 cat
4-5 rodent
6 civet
7 genet
8 mongoose
9 bat
10 antelope/gazelle
11 hooved animal (table 1ba)
12 other (table 1bb)
table 1ba - roll 1d6
1-2 pig
3 goat/sheep
4 deer
5 bovine
6 equine
table 1bb - roll 1d8
1 fox
2 jackal
3 mole
4 shrew
5 hedgehog
6 hare
7 weasel
8 otter
table 1c - roll 1d6
1-2 lizard (gecko, chameleon, skink, agama, monitor)
3-4 snake
5 turtle
6 crocodile
table 1d - roll 1d6
1-2 frog
3-4 toad
5 newt
6 salamander
table 1e - roll 1d8
1-3 butterfly
4-6 beetle
7 moth
8 grasshopper
table 1f - roll 1d6
1 spider
2 scorpion
3-4 snail/slug
5-6 fish
2. Determine relative general size
table 2 - size - roll 1d10
1 dwarf/pygmy/pocket
2-3 small
4-7 average
8-9 large
10 giant
note: this is relative to average animals of that type. So a giant beetle might only be a few inches long, while a giant otter might be the size of a large dog. It's more of a descriptor than an actual size tied to real units of measurement.
Next determine color patterning
table 3 - roll 1d10
1-2 single solid color
3-4 lighter underneath (roll on normal color table for animal type, and then again on color table 4 and subtract 4 from the die roll. Lighter of the two colors goes underneath - belly, chin, etc.)
5 spotted (large spots like a cheetah or rosettes like a leopard, or other similar large spot-like marks)
6 speckled (small spots)
7 striped across (like a zebra or tiger)
8 striped lengthwise (like a skunk or one stripe on each side like some antelopes)
9 banded (a few wide bands of color)
10 two-toned (like a giant panda or tapir or other)
For 5-10 roll once for primary color and then roll again for the secondary color
Colors
table 4 - mammals - roll 1d10, subtracting 4 in desert terrain
-3 white
-2 light tan
-1 light gray
0 pale yellow
1 yellow (like a leopard)
2 orange/tawny (like a tiger or like a lion)
3 red (like a fox)
4 medium tan
5 medium gray
6 medium brown
7 dark gray
8 dark brown
9 black-brown
10 black
Suggestions are just that, suggestions. Interpret color how you like.
table 5 - colors for other animals - for reptiles roll 1d4 for main color; all others roll 1d10
1 black
2 gray
3 brown
4 green
5 blue
6 purple
7 red
8 orange
9 yellow
10 white
Determine tail length
table 6 - tail length - roll 1d6
1 long
2-4 medium (relative to animal type)
5 long
6 none
Determine descriptives based on features and/or terrain
table 7 - distinctive feature - roll 1d20
1 spiny
2 scaled
3 bushy-tailed
4 maned
5 flying (as in gliders)
6 ring-necked
7 tufted (ears)
8 crested
9 bearded/mustached
10 masked
11 ringtailed
12 snubnosed (short-nose for animal type)
13 spectacled
14 webfooted
15-20 distinctively colored feature, roll on table 7a for feature and on color tables 4/5 for color)
table 7a - distinctively colored feature - roll 1d10, subtract 1 for flyers, add 1 for monkeys
0 -wing
1 -breast
2 -belly
3 -footed
4 -tailed
5 -faced
6 -cheek
7 -throat
8 -nose
9 -eared
10 -tongued
11 -handed
table 8 - terrain-based descriptive - roll 1d6 and choose from column that corresponds to terrain; if following a river, roll 1d6, 1-4 use terrain, 5-6 use water column
1 jungle grass mountain desert water
2 jungle grass mountain desert river
3 jungle field rock sand(y) river
4 swamp savannah stone sand(y) brook
5 forest savannah cliff dune lake
6 tree veldt cave dune pond
This might be over-complicating what is just some "fluff". But for fun I rolled up a few recently discovered animals. These are:
A small flying forest snake, with green and brown stripes running down its length.
A large red-throated swamp crocodile, two-toned in green and yellow.
1. For animals, first determine what type of animal:
table 1 - roll 1d6
1 bird (roll on 1a)
2 mammal (roll on 1b)
3 reptile (roll on 1c)
4 amphibian (roll on 1d)
5 insect (roll on 1e)
6 other (roll on 1f)
Next, break it down further
table 1a - birds - roll 1d6
1 parrot
2 finch
3 songbird (warbler, lark, wren, cuckoo)
4 wader (crane, ibis, heron)
5 fowl (cock/hen, pheasant, pigeon)
6 other (hornbill, sunbird, bee-eater, mousebird, hawk)
table 1b - mammals - roll 1d12
1-2 monkey
3 cat
4-5 rodent
6 civet
7 genet
8 mongoose
9 bat
10 antelope/gazelle
11 hooved animal (table 1ba)
12 other (table 1bb)
table 1ba - roll 1d6
1-2 pig
3 goat/sheep
4 deer
5 bovine
6 equine
table 1bb - roll 1d8
1 fox
2 jackal
3 mole
4 shrew
5 hedgehog
6 hare
7 weasel
8 otter
table 1c - roll 1d6
1-2 lizard (gecko, chameleon, skink, agama, monitor)
3-4 snake
5 turtle
6 crocodile
table 1d - roll 1d6
1-2 frog
3-4 toad
5 newt
6 salamander
table 1e - roll 1d8
1-3 butterfly
4-6 beetle
7 moth
8 grasshopper
table 1f - roll 1d6
1 spider
2 scorpion
3-4 snail/slug
5-6 fish
2. Determine relative general size
table 2 - size - roll 1d10
1 dwarf/pygmy/pocket
2-3 small
4-7 average
8-9 large
10 giant
note: this is relative to average animals of that type. So a giant beetle might only be a few inches long, while a giant otter might be the size of a large dog. It's more of a descriptor than an actual size tied to real units of measurement.
Next determine color patterning
table 3 - roll 1d10
1-2 single solid color
3-4 lighter underneath (roll on normal color table for animal type, and then again on color table 4 and subtract 4 from the die roll. Lighter of the two colors goes underneath - belly, chin, etc.)
5 spotted (large spots like a cheetah or rosettes like a leopard, or other similar large spot-like marks)
6 speckled (small spots)
7 striped across (like a zebra or tiger)
8 striped lengthwise (like a skunk or one stripe on each side like some antelopes)
9 banded (a few wide bands of color)
10 two-toned (like a giant panda or tapir or other)
For 5-10 roll once for primary color and then roll again for the secondary color
Colors
table 4 - mammals - roll 1d10, subtracting 4 in desert terrain
-3 white
-2 light tan
-1 light gray
0 pale yellow
1 yellow (like a leopard)
2 orange/tawny (like a tiger or like a lion)
3 red (like a fox)
4 medium tan
5 medium gray
6 medium brown
7 dark gray
8 dark brown
9 black-brown
10 black
Suggestions are just that, suggestions. Interpret color how you like.
table 5 - colors for other animals - for reptiles roll 1d4 for main color; all others roll 1d10
1 black
2 gray
3 brown
4 green
5 blue
6 purple
7 red
8 orange
9 yellow
10 white
Determine tail length
table 6 - tail length - roll 1d6
1 long
2-4 medium (relative to animal type)
5 long
6 none
Determine descriptives based on features and/or terrain
table 7 - distinctive feature - roll 1d20
1 spiny
2 scaled
3 bushy-tailed
4 maned
5 flying (as in gliders)
6 ring-necked
7 tufted (ears)
8 crested
9 bearded/mustached
10 masked
11 ringtailed
12 snubnosed (short-nose for animal type)
13 spectacled
14 webfooted
15-20 distinctively colored feature, roll on table 7a for feature and on color tables 4/5 for color)
table 7a - distinctively colored feature - roll 1d10, subtract 1 for flyers, add 1 for monkeys
0 -wing
1 -breast
2 -belly
3 -footed
4 -tailed
5 -faced
6 -cheek
7 -throat
8 -nose
9 -eared
10 -tongued
11 -handed
table 8 - terrain-based descriptive - roll 1d6 and choose from column that corresponds to terrain; if following a river, roll 1d6, 1-4 use terrain, 5-6 use water column
1 jungle grass mountain desert water
2 jungle grass mountain desert river
3 jungle field rock sand(y) river
4 swamp savannah stone sand(y) brook
5 forest savannah cliff dune lake
6 tree veldt cave dune pond
This might be over-complicating what is just some "fluff". But for fun I rolled up a few recently discovered animals. These are:
A small flying forest snake, with green and brown stripes running down its length.
A large red-throated swamp crocodile, two-toned in green and yellow.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Flags and Heavies
First, a few units have received flags. Starting with the Mongoose Infantry of Djahli.
Mounted hill tribesmen of Ollistan
And the Muttonshire (1st) Regiment of Grand Thidwick
Next, something disturbs a family of wild pigs...
Ah, it's the von Rotten Cuirassiers, the heavies of the Bossanovan cavalry. Also known as the "Black and Blues". Commanded by Colonel von Bruizer.
And finally, the Marquis Maurice l'Oeuf, ambassador from Batrachia.
Friday, May 20, 2011
The Case of the Missing Lynx
Missing Lynx Found!
This mascot of the Ballyfoole Musketeers, seen here with an officer of that regiment, has been spotted.
Meanwhile, Lord Burleigh Throckmorton (in the red coat), Duke of Cummerbund, Major General of Grand Thidwick forces, is seen here consulting with Colonel Bailey (in the green coat) of the Ballyfoole Musketeers.
While more tribesmen gather in the hills.
Tricorne officers and cat are Foundry. The Pathans are Old Glory, if I recall correctly.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Flags for Mongooses?
I finally came up with a flag design for the native Djalhian troops seen in http://soweiterleague.blogspot.com/2010/10/more-colonials.html
I don't have any references of what Indian flags of the 18th and 19th centuries look like so this is all from imagination and open to revision if anyone has any good suggestions (with pictorial examples, if possible). The unit is known as the Djalhi Mongoose Regiment to westerners, and is commanded by one Captain R.T. Tavi.
I don't have any references of what Indian flags of the 18th and 19th centuries look like so this is all from imagination and open to revision if anyone has any good suggestions (with pictorial examples, if possible). The unit is known as the Djalhi Mongoose Regiment to westerners, and is commanded by one Captain R.T. Tavi.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Ballyfoole Expedition to Afrodesia Marches Again
The Illustrated Ballyfoole Gazette
"Where we never let the facts get in the way of a good story"
Second Expedition Explores the Interior of Afrodesia
Using funds raised after their first, and very successful expedition, the Ballyfoole contingent once again set out to further explore the interior of Afrodesia. The jumping off point this time was from the edge of previously explored territory. The expedition was once again led by Captain Flynn, with O'Ryan the hunter and McGillicuddy the scout. They were joined by crack shot, Maggie O'Hara. Two soldiers from the Gunderland Highlanders, 4 askaris and 14 bearers were also present.
Day 1 they head west into the jungle and discover a new animal species. They also come across a village of friendly natives.
The column, seen here marching along near a stream.
Day 2 the terrain turns mountainous and they discover a new plant species. They encounter 8 hostile slavers. The first indication they had was a round of shots fired towards the rear of the column, killing 1 askari. The noise stirred up a huge crocodile in the nearby stream and a lion in a nearby patch of jungle. Both beasts charged towards the slavers, who were close by.
Things heat up quickly! Slavers and a lion and a crocodile!
The Highlanders fire back at the slavers, killing one of them. Meanwhile the explorers and askaris at the head of the column swing around to the rear to face their attackers.
While 1 slaver struggles against the crocodile and another fights the lion the rest of the slavers fire again. This time striking and killing one of the Highlander soldiers and narrowly missing Maggie. The expedition members, now in position, return fire. Flynn and Maggie each kill one slaver. The remaining slavers fire back, but don't hit anyone this time. Could be they're getting a bit shaken up between the beasts and the expedition's accurate fire. The expedition fires again, with the remaining Highlander soldier avenging the death of his comrade and 1 askari doing the same. The few remaining slavers decide they've had enough and make a run for it.
The expedition buries the dead soldier and askari.
The slavers are slowly whittled down
Day 3 is pleasant and uneventful, but McGillicuddy, the scout, is having difficulty finding a way through the mountainous terrain.
Day 4 while unsuccessfully searching for a way through the mountains the expedition encounters some treacherous quicksand. One askari, a trade bearer and an empty bearer are sucked under before they can be rescued.
Day 5 another quiet day while McGillicuddy still searches for a way through the seemingly impassable mountains.
Day 6 Drums in the Night. The morning reveals 3 trade bearers, 1 food bearer and 2 empty bearers have deserted. Finally McGillicuddy finds a way through the mountains, into more mountains.
Day 7 they discover a high mountain. They also encounter a village, but the natives eye them suspiciously and no trading takes place.
Day 8 monkeys get into the baggage destroying one food load. Stuck in the mountains again!
Day 9 while searching fruitlessly for a way through the mountains the expedition comes across an ancient ruined temple and gather up 5 loads of loot. All of their food has been eaten, lost or damaged, but O'Ryan the hunter manages to bag enough game to feed the party.
Day 10 they discover a new plant species
McGillicuddy finds a way through the mountains into more mountains. The party is attacked from the rear by a small band of 4 hostile tribal warriors armed with thrusting spears and clubs.
Hostile native warriors attack a reduced column!
As the hostile warriors approach the rear of the column the Highlander turns and fires a shot, killing 1 of the warriors. Meanwhile the explorers and askaris move to face the attack.
The warriors charge towards the column, but the combined fire of the explorers, soldier and askaris wipes out the remaining warriors.
Hostile native warriors dispatched
No food today. One empty bearer succumbs.
Day 11 while searching unsuccessfully for a way out of the mountains the party encounters a sinkhole, nearly losing a bearer, the Highlander soldier and Maggie, who were all saved at the last moment.
Still out of food and no game to be found. McGillicuddy succumbs to starvation. Looks like luck wasn't with him on this trip. That's the way things go in Afrodesia sometimes.
Day 12 still looking for a way through the mountains. No luck. Bad water kills 1 askari and 2 loot bearers. O'Ryan manages to bag enough game to feed the remaining party members.
Day 13 Quiet day, nothing happens. Still stuck in the mountains, but O'Ryan bags more game so the party is well-fed.
Day 14 they discover a lake and a way through the mountains and a much reduced expedition returns to their jumping off point.
This expedition spent several more days out in the field than the previous one, but only covered about half the ground, with much time taken up trying to navigate their way through torturous mountain terrain. Sadly, it was the last trip for several expedition members. They will be mourned in city and native village.
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