Meandering Fantasy Wargaming Post

It's , at times, odd to be playing Warhammer. I think it's fair to say that players of this game have a slightly 'funny'  idea of this 'thing of ours'. Where wargaming is a hobby that has long-standing origins and spans a variety of genres and approaches, many players of GW games seem to happily (and unironically) speak of 'The Hobby'. As in 'The Warhammer Hobby'. I note this as context for the next bit: there seems to be quite a bit of doom and gloom about 'The Hobby' (ie not this 'thing of ours', the GW one) due to the recent financial reports of that company. I don't know if anyone genuinely believes the company itself is going anywhere soon (except possibly, gasp, to be snapped up by Hasbro) but I think the feeling is that the relentless focus on return on investment will lead them to narrow their offerings to focus on the bigger sellers.... Will Bretonians  (ie French Arthurians) get the axe? Will Beastmen (ie Broo)? Will the entire Warhammer game go in favour of 40k?

Who knows, but if so it won't be the first GW game I've played that got dropped from under me... I know that when support for WOTR began to go I pointed out to other players that it doesn't seem to have killed Epic, Bloodbowl or BFG. Fan support has rescued all of those. If only WOTR could be so lucky.

Anyway, I've been using the fan-made DOW list the last few games of Warhammer, vs Jason. It's a great list but lacks a certain something. That something is a War-Alter. I know something has gone seriously wrong with the little project when I've lost interest in painting the cool Perry Caroccio because, in my heart, I know I'll never field it. 

As a digressions: anyone remember me raving about the Out-Rim Smuggler and Tycho (for values of 'raving' that equal 'noting they might have been under-rated')? Well if a model is 'ok' then surely combining two of them in the one list is a good idea? I know, looks as stupid as it is when I type it out. Here is my Tycho getting an early bit of hull-damage (ie stealth device and all shields gone) vs Jason. I got nailed that game. Just not enough attack dice. Tycho is a keeper but needs some shootier friends. 

Diversion aside, now that I need to field a force with a Caroccio in it, I have been thinking of the Warhammer Empire list once more. It's a cool list and the sole flaw that put me off it was the distinct lack of Pike. Back to spearmen for them. It also has a Steam-Tank in the list. 

The fantasy tank is apparently the invention of Leonard da (not Vinci), continuing their trend of taking real world things and changing the name slightly. CF also 'Broo', 'French Arthurians', etc etc. Then it is their sole creation and IP to be defended to the death lol. I considered making a Da Vinci tank but the shape is all wrong, and it looks boring.

In my hunt to find something cooler, I discovered that Leonardo was hardly the first. Well obviously Archimedes, I meant hardly the first in post-classical times. Above is the wind-powered car by Guido Da Vigevano. Unfortunately he did that before they invented perspective, so I find it a bit hard to visualise from the drawing.

Here is his hand-cranked war-wagon. He did all this for Philip III of France as part of a manual on Crusading.

Taccola (he does know perspective, as he even interviewed the inventor) would be the bridge to Leonardo. I think he has some cool ideas but I am not getting 'Fantasy Tank' out of them. He is too practical and has too many ideas that are useful in the everyday sense. there is a surprising dearth of Fantasy warmachines out there and most amount to a simple wooden structure with a cannon. So I may have to stare at the internet for a longer time and see if something occurs to me. Or, you know, buy the GW Steam Tank as it is probably the best Fantasy Warmachine out there (yes but warjacks are also no good.)

 One thing I can get good miniatures of is Knights. These are the Perry Men at Arms that I have been obsessing over since I saw the greens. Here are the ones that will be elite knights (or Reiksguard). Yes knights actually had plumes like that. Cut Warhammer some slack, their stuff may be silly looking, in places, but remember they are copying actual history; and actual history can be pretty outlandish.

 It took me a few hours to get these assembled. Cool kits with lots of detail but lining up that barding was a challenge to my thick fingers. I have sort of achieved it. I just have to think of a paint scheme. I have several ideas.

I'm not sure if I will include this golden one though. Probably too historical for the fantasy army. I need to decide soon as I've got another dozen knights on the way from Caliver books. Or maybe that war-alter needs some attention?

Even if WHFB goes the way of WOTR I'm sure I can get a lot of fun out of the Fantasy army, regardless. So if anyone knows some good Fantasy warmachines that could be a tank, I would be keen to know. Mantic does a sweet goblin mincher but I am not running goblins. Old Glory has a thing. There are a few Da Vinci tanks out there, but I think we can do better?

If you made it to the bottom of this meandering thought stream then, congratulations and thanks for reading.