Sergeant's Bunker: April 2020

INTO THE OLD WEST!

Been wanting to expand my figs to allow me to game some 'Old West' action. Our gaming group uses the Baron's rules set 'Fist Full of Lead' (FFOL), and several of his follow-on expansion sets to FFOL, which are quick and fun, and good sets for skirmish gaming. I personally enjoy the original FFOL for the Old West scenarios as it's totally straight forward without adding a lot of extra dynamics, conditions, special abilities, and other stuff. In five minutes you can be starting a game and easy enough for all to easily absorb and get into.

During one of the local KC gaming conventions, RECRUITS, I bought around 12 Figs and some game pieces the Baron was selling at his vendors table along with his rules sets. Most of the figs were from Knuckleduster Miniatures (Knuckleduster.com) Gunfighters Ball line. It has a really nice line of Old West figs that are nicely made with clean lines and really good detail, and look good. You'll see some figs and poses in their line that might look a bit familiar, as if they were modeled straight from characters from some of your favorite silver screen movies. I love this. The price is really nice too, and even cheaper if bought in the 'Faction Packs', consisting of around six figs for about $18. I'm definitely going to be getting more of this line.

I got Wyatt, Morgan an Virgil Earp, Doc Holiday, Bat Masterson, Curley Bill Brocius, Frank McLaury, Johnny Ringo, Calamity Jane, The Dame With No Name, Sally Sureshot (not from Knuckelduster), and the Peg-leg Jailer. Been spending some weeks (months?) intermittently painting on these, as well as another project (1870s-1880s British Colonial... which I'll post on when their done). Hardest part it seems is coming up with a paint scheme on how I want these to look. The old west wasn't exactly known for a lot of style. Lots of earth tones, denim, dust, buckskin, muted colors, etc.

The Earp's are always depicted in all Black, but I wanted to have them stand out a bit, so went with a dark Blue with black washes which gives it the dark look with blue highlights. I'm happy with them. The Bad guys got a bit more of the cowboy look, denim, reds, leathery dirty chaps, but each with a dash of bright color, like red sashes or bandanas. Bat Masterson and Doc were a bit more well dressed, suits in gray and splash of color for Doc. Peg-Leg I figured was older guy, conservative, subdued. The gals all seemed to have their share of buckskin, especially Calamity. Sally needed a shot of feminine pink... don't get lulled into thinking she's cute and innocent, she's Deadly with her scoped rifle... Bam! You'll be DRT (Dead Right There)! And lastly the Dame... a sexy feel, but what do about that serape she's wearing? Solid color, easy to paint? Nope, figured a bit of time in Mexico might give her a southwestern multi-colored flare. Just have to finish basing them now.

I also had several figs, my confederate vets and southern sympathizers, I'd painted before. These boys don't like no northern authority, or actually any authority at all. They'll follow the Captain to hell and back.