COOL STUFF: Talk Like a Pirate Day 2008!

Top: Cap'n Rackham's colurs...

Ahoy Mateys,

Avast me hearties...

Ye best be rememberin that 19 September is thee annual Talk Like a Pirate Day!

So's wherever ye are--at port, or out ta sea, or in the dungeon, don't ferget ta use yer best pirate voice at all times, or ye may end up tied to the yard arm, or in Davie Jone's locker at the bottum of da briney sea.

Aaarrrrr... ye scurvy dogs, ye best folla da Pirate's code, or suffer yer fate.

Avast scum!!!

Here be the link to the Talk Like a Pirate Web Site:
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

TOP: And it wouldn't be a proper Pirate Day without......a gratuitous wench or two! Yaarrggghhh!

Aaargh...Remember, those that go there during ye work time will have to waaaalk the plaaaank!!!

Yo ho ho...

Shalom,
Cap'n Maksim "Peg-leg" Smelchak.

P.S.
A hearty greet'ins to me mate, the right honurable Commander "Tas" of da Ozzie Navy!

P.S.S.
One more hearty greet'ins to me mate, Cap'n Stephan "Poopdeck" LeFeb... whatever! Ahoy, mate!

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: "Barbary Pirates Are Back!" (23 June 2008)

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TOP: The workbench is cluttered as usual!

Hi All,

Well, any weekend I get to work on the hobby is a good one and I was able to spend a good amount of this past weekend working on miniatures projects.

The above photo is of a 1'x1' project board loaded up with models. On the far right is a Flagship Games resin ship loaded up with some of my 28mm undead pirate crew. To the upper left of the photo are some armored orcs that I picked up cheaply awhile back. And most of the rest of that project board is covered with orcs that I am converting to become a 28mm fantasy pirate crew.

As a side note, I picked up the "project board" practice from an old gamer buddy of mine named Kris. He would buy a cheap sheet of chipboard and have it cut up into rough 1'x1' sheets. The typical 2' x4' sheet yields eight "project boards" They're sort of like building puzzles on a flat piece of card board. By working on the "project boards" I save my tabletops and they make it easy to move projects around. At any rate, I found it a good idea years ago and am still using them to the present day. Thanks, Kris!

I've also been saving spare plastic 20mmx20mm mini bases for my fellow blogger and gamer, Drunken Samurai. If you've never checked out his blog, I highly recommend you do so. He does some pretty neat work.

Drunken Samurai URL located here:

http://dspaintingblog.blogspot.com/

Please excuse the low quality of the photos. I was having some difficulty with my digital camera and decided to go with low-quality shots rather than have none to share.

TOP: 25mm Barbary Pirate crew - mostly RAFM Ottomans and pirates.

Well, I'm up to almost 30 Barbary pirate figures at this point divided into two crews of fifteen men each. The above unit is mostly equipped with firearms. I got a deal on some old RAFM Turk and Ottoman figures so the latest acquisition really plumped out my tiraleurs (riflemen). The last batch proved difficult to work with, but this batch was a breeze. I'll update this post later with product numbers.

I haven't found a good ship for these fellows yet, but I have an extra galley or two that might do the trick.

TOP: 28mm Barbary pirate crew: mostly old RAFM.

The above lot is mostly a close-combat crew armed with cutlasses and various small arms. The two gorilla-like corsairs had their weapon swaps repositioned to stick straight up so that they'll rank better. The RAFM figures are definitely older 25mm ones and they are puny compared to "heroic sculpts" of 28mmm or larger scale.

TOP: 28mm armored orcs ... in need of headgear!

And the last batch if figures that I worked on have been orcs for my nephew Vincent's upcoming 28mm fantasy orc army. I picked up this batch of armored orcs used somewhere... I think that they are Harlequin / Black Tree although they might also be RAFM. I have a bunch of GW Bretonnian heads with nice medieval helms in my bitz box so I'm planning to add headgear to these fellows in the near future.

Have a great Monday!

And good gaming to you!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

MINI WARGAMING: 28mm Barbary Pirates (27 April 2008)

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TOP: My work bench is as cluttered as ever!

Hi All,

Sorry for not having updated recently... as I might have previously mentioned, I've put most of my efforts into finding a new job and pay dirt finally hit. After going to what seemed like about a million interviews, I finally got picked up and started a new job just this past week. It's a good job and came with much better pay, a shorter commute, and a great, new boss. In other words, I'm very happy and that means I can start putting my "job search" energy back into my blog! Huzzah!

Gaming has been good and the April MWS meeting was nothing short of fantastic. We had something like six games, which I'll have to write about later. Several of the local guys have taken a keen interest in FOG (Field of Glory), Osprey's new ancients rule set. That excites me since I've put alot of energy in to building some ancients armies this year, specifically a Samurai army, a barbarian army, and an Arab army. I'm looking forward to getting those minis into action!

Among my gaming musing lately has been the 28mm pirate project I've been working on. I now have a goodly-sized 28mm undead pirate crew built to complement my historical crews. I have also got an Orc / Goblin crew planned, but only a few fellows built so far. And the latest idea to captivate me has been the idea to build a 28mm Barbary Pirates / Corsairs crew and ship. I still have now firm idea what to use for a ship since the Xebec is so distinctive and noone makes a perfect match in 28mm that I'm aware of yet; I might just have to scratch-build one...

I posted in several forums soliciting advice:

Here:

http://forum.backofbeyond.de/viewtopic.php?t=5148

And here among others:

http://theminiaturespage.com/boards/msg.mv?id=140000

But enough of my writing, please allow me share some minis photos with you:

TOP: Three RAFM Corsairs...

My find of three packs of the above minis are what inspired me to start a Barbary Pirates / Corsairs project. The package was labelled RAFM JT-10 CORSAIRS and came with three crewmen. The kneeling, be-turban'ed fellow on the left is armed with a musket. The center fellow is a truly gruesome sculpt with an oddly proportioned body (huge head, Popeye-like arms, etc.), but nevertheless I like 'im! His left hand comes with a pistol while his right has an oddly positioned knife. I think I'll be modifying him. The fellow on the right looks more properly Colonial Egyptian with a fez, baggy clothes, and a cutlass. Again, I think I'll play with some weapon swaps with this guy and perhaps reposition his head.

With the exception of the middle guy, the other two figures are decidedly old-school 25mm and wouldn't fit in perfectly the the overgrown scale-creep 28mm pirate figures made by most manufacturers these days. However, I'm not so picky so they'll do fine by me... even if some of their crew mates will have been obviously eating their Wheaties and genetically modified "Frankenfood."

TOP: A mix of motley old North-African & Arab sailors...

The above three figures have come from used bins and off trades for some time. The fellow holding a small chest of loot on the left is unidentified although he looks like an old 25mm Hinchcliff to me. The fellow in the middle is Ral Partha and he needs a new spear tip, of which I have a few waiting in my bitz box for him. And the fellow on the right who looks suspiciously like Sinbad came from a 1980's Grenadier line if I'm not mistaken.

TOP: 28mm Sudanese Spearmen...

My Arab WAB army is all but done with nearly 95% of the figures painted. I'm re-basing some off of fender washers onto some Litko 20mmx20mm's that I ordered. These 28mm Sudanese Spearmen are probably Artisan and Gripping Beast, but I'm not sure which are which. While they are meant for 28mm WAB El Cid, I'll have them double up for Crusades Saracens as well... And who knows, a few might even join the Barbary Pirates...

TOP: Another batch of old Arab warriors...

The above based lot have come from a variety of trades and flea markets. I have no idea who manufactured them except for the un-primed fellow leading the unit. He is Gripping Beast and out of a command pack if I'm not mistaken. Behind the Arab warriors, are some cheap plastic plants I based on fender washers.

TOP: The un-washed (...and un-primed) masses of undead pirate crew...

And lastly, the last photo is of some undead pirate crew along with Flagship Games ships in progress. The crew come from a variety of sources including Reaper, Black Cat Minis, Moonlight Minis and others.

May your gaming be good and...

Have a great Sunday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (...if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: "28mm Undead Pirate Crew Work" (23 March 2008)

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Top: Two Black Cat Minis skeleton captains.

One is customized with a GW militia pistol.

Hi All,

It's been awhile since I last posted... I've had alot going on. Prime among those obligations has been a job search. I feel like I've been to a thousand interviews, when in reality it's only been a few more than a dozen. With any luck, I'll hear back from one of the better options later this week and may be moving to a new position soon. My references have been checked and I've submitted work portfolios so here's hoping. Please wish me luck.

Top: Two Reaper Razig characters.

One is customized with a GW militia cutlass.

On the gaming front, I've been keeping busy with the local MWS gaming club... But the majority of my effort has gone into 28mm pirates. I volunteered to host a 28mm pirate game this month at MWS and DID! I wanted to give LOTHS a whirl, but I didn't have enough time to learn the system so we went with a very simplified fast version of Pirates! from Flagship Games. The game went really well and there were six players plus myself game-mastering. I ran it as a very simple beer & pretzels historical pirate bash. And true to form for Pirates!, the fellows on the smaller ships all ganged up to try and work Greg M, in the hulk. Greg was a great sport about it and I want to give my thanks to Don, Greg, Mike O., Harry, Joe and Mike W. I also owe a hearty thanks to Nils who lent me his Asian pirate ship.

Top: Another shot of the Black Cat Minis skellie captains.

Mike O. wrote this about the game:

Maksim ran his Pirates! game using a very simplified version to try out the game at theclub. Several of us had a rousing good time shooting up Greg M.'s ship!

This weekend I've been working on my 28mm fantasy undead pirates since my game finally passed. During the weeks leading up to the Pirates! game I hosted, I exclusively worked on my historical pirate crews and let the fantasy ones sit neglected. So, this weekend I pulled out the 28mm undead pirates and went to town. About a year or two ago, I first became interested in doing a 28mm undead fantasy army and at the time, one of our local gaming shops had a huge clear out sale on Reaper's 28mm Razig undead pirate faction so I bought out the lot. While I got a great deal, I also got alot of doubles and even triples of the rank & file and character minis. That's not such a problem for rank & file, but having three of the same character running about the board always looks odd so I planned to build one stock version of each character and customize any extras. I primarily used some odd metal bitz from my collection and alot of GW plastic sprue bitz from the Vampire Counts skeleton, zombie and Empire militia sprues. A last note is that all of the undead pirates are based on resin deck basing from Black Cat Miniatures.

Top: Two Reaper Razig characters.

Top: Two more Reaper Razig characters.

Top: A back view of two Reaper Razig characters.

I also bought at least two packs of Razig's Chain Gang, which I didn't care much for, but I figured would mod up well. And they did.

Top: Two originally identical mod'ed Razig Chain Gangers.

Top: A view with a watch lantern in full view.

Top: Another two Razig Chain Gangers.

Top: The last two Razig Chain Gangers.

Good gaming to you, reader!

Have a great Sunday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (...if it is indeed an infringement).

GAMING NEWS: "LOTHS Is Here!" (27 February 2008)

TOP: LOTHS is a mighty fine tome!

Hi All,

Well, my copy of Warhammer Historical Legends of the High Seas (LOTHS) came in today and I'm very impressed with it. The production value is very high and after a few glances, I still have yet to find a typo. Another bonus is that the language is understandable and lavishly illustrated with diagrams. And for us miniature mavens, the most important detail of all is there... it is richly filled with photos of well-painted 28mm miniature pirates, pirate ships, and terrain.

After a cursory reading of it, I'm also impressed with the rules. They aren't quite as fast-play as Pirates! from Flagship Games, but they are about as quick-play as I think anyone could make a game using the Warhammer engine. The color text and character rules for heroes and the like are well-done... I can't wait to give them a good run-down at my local club. The campaign rules also look to be very entertaining. However, like most Warhammer games, LOTHS is a D6 based game. I've never liked the probability range on a D6 or even 2D6, but that's small price to pay for such a well written and produced rule set.

I ordered my copy from Black Scorpion Miniatures:

http://www.blackscorpionminiatures.com/

And took advantage of a deal to not only get LOTHS, but also two FREE minis as a promotional deal: a cabin boy and a captain! I would like to commend Black Scorpion Miniatures for excellent service.

LOTHS has its own Yahoo E-group here:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/LotHighSeas/

And I couldn't write about 28mm pirates without mentioning two of my other favorite pirate manufacturers:

http://www.flagshipgames.com/

http://www.blackcatbases.com/

I have received excellent service for many years from Flagship Games and over the last year from Black Cat Bases. Most of my ships are Flagship Games beauties and most of my newer crew will be based on resin bases from Black Cat Bases. Long live the Pirates!

Have a great Wednesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
I also wanted to mention the awesome new 28mm pirate ship that my fellow 6mm miniatures fan, Kieran made. Link here:
http://6mm.wargaming.info/page1010.shtml

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (...if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: "Added Lanterns & Doors to The 28mm Ship" (22 January 2008)

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TOP: The Fore Castle & Front Mast Socket of my 28mm pirate ship.

Hi All,

I've still been toiling away on my 28mm pirate ship project... and have finished the following:

- Added three pairs of conventional lanterns custom-made from card and beads.
- Finished two of the three sockets with railings for the eventual masts.
- Added two "skull lanterns" to the aft castle.
- Added three pairs of doors to the fore and aft castle cabins:
(A pair to rear aft castle cabin wall, and a pair each to the front and back of the fore castle cabin bulkhead)
- Almost finished drilling out the ship's grates.
- Added balsa wood trim across various parts of the ship.

TOP: The Aft Castle Deck with new "skull lanterns"...

...placed to the sides of the central lantern.

TOP: The Fore Castle cabin with new doors...

...and conventional lanterns added.

The project is coming along, but there's still plenty to do.

Among those chores are:

- Adding ladders between the central deck and the raised fore and aft decks.
- Adding the railing to the central deck mast socket.
- Building the three masts along with crow's nests.
- Creating three sails.
- Building the rigging.
- Adding balsa trim to much of the rest of the ship.
- Adding magnetic stripping to the aft and fore castle cabins.
- Adding steel paper to the bottoms of the aft and fore castle decks.
- Detailing.
- Basing the entire waterline ship on a piece of plasticard.
- Priming.
- Painting.

And being that real sailing ships required far more labor and skilled construction hands than my simple resin miniature, I can only imagine how much labor went into their construction. The rigging alone is tough to imagine putting together. I'm gaining new respect for the sailors of yesteryear.

A link to all of the photos I took here:
http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/Maksim-Smelchak/28mm_Pirates/28mm-Pirate-Ship_1-12-2008/

Good gaming to all and...

Have a great Tuesday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (...if it is indeed an infringement).

MINI WARGAMING: "28mm Pirate Ship Coming Together" (26 December 2007)

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TOP: Master Necromancer Maksimok's shipyards.

Hi Everyone,

One of the projects I have been enjoying the most lately has been a 28mm pirate ship.

I was browsing E-bay one day and found it for considerably under a C-spot ($100.00 USD) and decided to lowball the bid and miraculously I WON! So, the next thing I know, the pirate ship arrives and my work bench is covered in the undead, which effectively meant that the pirate ship project was forced to wait.

TOP: A dark PIRATE SHIP appears out of the foggy night!

So then a work colleague and friend, Cheri, calls me and, knowing I speak Spanish, asks me to tutor her daughter, Keri, in Spanish language studies so I came and started working with her. After a tutoring lesson one day, Keri chats me up a bit and asks how I liked the most recent "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. I mentioned that I enjoyed it and was even building a pirate ship model. This intrigued them and Cheri offered to lend me her corner table so I could build it with them... so I did. The next thing I know I started assembling a pirate ship at my friend's apartment with a teenage assistant who wanted to learn the craft. I started learning the parts of the ship, teaching my assistant nautical terminology, and, at the same time, teaching hobby skills.

And it's slowly coming together...

TOP: The aft castle has adornment made out of cheap jewelry charms.
TOP: Shaping the fore castle railing took some work...

The white tubes sticking up are mountings for masts.

The ship itself is an out-of-production 28mm model from Merrimack Miniatures / Old Glory called the adventure galley. I have slowly been cleaning it up and customizing it. I plan to use it with the excellent Pirates! rule set from my friends at Flagship Games, so I've built the masts to be removable. The masts are made from 3/8" dowels that fit snugly into 7/16" hollow plastic tubing.

TOP: The ship is coming together as seen from the side.
Both the fore and aft castles are removable...
With cabins accessible underneath them.
TOP: From this angle, you can see...
The cabin under the fore castle...
Has a custom bulkhead installed.

There is also custom railing, a hand-made front bulkhead and more.

I haven't decided what sort of crew to populate her from yet... I have three in mind:

1. A traditional, historical human pirate crew.

2. A demi-human, mostly Orc pirate crew.

3. A skeleton & zombie undead pirate crew.

Keri likes the undead crew best. I'm of a mind to keep the ship flexible and allow all three crews on board... just not at the same time!

Here are some 28mm pirate links for you:

Flagship Games link:

http://www.flagshipgames.com/

Old Glory Miniatures link:

http://www.oldgloryminiatures.com/

Pirate Wargames Yahoo discussion E-group:

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/PirateWargames/

The rest of my 28mm pirate ship photos at my Photobucket image gallery:

http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f23/Maksim-Smelchak/28mm_Pirates/

Have a root'in toot'in great Wednesday!
And happy holidays!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (...if it is indeed an infringement).

COOL STUFF: Talk Like a Pirate Day 2007!

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TOP: Raise the ol' Skull & Crossbones!
It be the day!

Ahoy Mateys,

Avast me hearties...

Ye best be rememberin that 19 September is thee annual Talk Like a Pirate Day!

So's wherever ye are--at port, or out ta sea, or in the dungeon, don't ferget ta use yer best pirate voice at all times, or ye may end up tied to the yard arm, or in Davie Jone's locker at the bottum of da briney sea.

TOP: A right proper tat helps a pirate make!

Aaarrrrr... ye scurvy dogs, ye best folla da Pirate's code, or suffer yer fate.

Avast scum!!!

TOP: Skippy the Pirate Dog says CELEBRATE!

...or else!

Here be the link to the Talk Like a Pirate Web Site:

http://www.talklikeapirate.com/

TOP: And it wouldn't be a proper Pirate Day without...
...a gratuitous wench or two! Yaarrggghhh!

Aaargh...Remember, those that go there during ye work time will have to waaaalk the plaaaank!!!

Yo ho ho...

Shalom,

Cap'n Maksim "Peg-leg" Smelchak.

P.S.

A hearty greet'ins to me mate, the right honurable Commander "Tas" of da Ozzie Navy!

P.S.S.

One more hearty greet'ins to me mate, Cap'n Stephan "Poopdeck" LeFeb... whatever! Ahoy, mate!

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

PERSONAL NEWS: Happy Birthdays, Quinn & Ryan!

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TOP: Happy birthday, swabs!

Hi All,

This is a very short post to wish my nephews Quinn and Ryan some very happy birthdays.

TOP: This thar kitty wishes yah the best too!

Happy birthday, nephew mateys!

TOP: And especially frum yer stinky uncle!

They both got Lego pirate sets, which is the lastest craze in their home.

TOP: May treasure and fortune be yours!

Have a great Sunday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak AKA Uncle.

Notes regarding photos / pictures / videos: These are not all my images and videos. I am using various images and videos from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images and videos under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).

HUMOUR: Dad's a Graphic Artist...

. The Original Crazy Mean Baby!

Hi Everyone,

Leopold's done it again... sent me something that was genuinely entertaining... and funny to boot!

This is what happens when your father is a Graphic Designer...

Crazy Mean Junior G.I. Joe! Yo Joey!

Crazy Mean Pirate Baby! Yar, Matey!

Crazy Mean Sith Lord Baby! EVIL!

Crazy Mean Colonel Baby! Finger Lick'in Good!

Crazy Mean Flam'in Demon Zombie Baby! Spooky!

Crazy Mean Junior Hulkster Baby! Aaarrgggghhh!

Crazy Mean Junior Fu Man Chu Baby! Mini Crouching Tiger!

Crazy Mean KISS Fan Baby! AKA Junior Bat Boy!

Crazy Mean Green Shrek Spawn! AKA Junior David Banner!

This is hysterical...

And the even more bizarre thing is that there is a whole web site chocked full of these images:

Yes, boys and girls... it's back. Due to changes in life-circumstances, I am once again able to bring you the ONLY source for the complete collection of crazy mean babies. Read HERE for the whole story.

http://www.crazymeanbaby.net/

Have a great Thursday!

Shalom,
Maksim-Smelchak.

P.S.
One last image:

I sense the force is strong with this one!

Notes regarding photos / pictures: These are not all my images. I am using various images from around the web, mostly from public sources and/or private sources used with permission. I have tried to include only images under public domain, creative commons, or fair use. If I have inadvertently violated any copyrights, please inform me and I will remove your image/s (if it is indeed an infringement).