Black Scorpion Old West Terrors 03

Following on from my last post here are the last five figures from the Tombstone Undead faction produced by Black Scorpion. These zombie figures are all 32mm scale and are sculpted in resin.

At the far left is the Undead Deputy, who is a zombie 7th Cavalry Officer who is armed with a .45 Colt Cavalry revolver and a cavalry sabre. He is sold separately from the others.
Next in line is a female townsfolk who at a distance could pass as a normal human. She still holds on to her shopping bag but in her right hand is a .32 Smith and Wesson revolver.
In the centre of the group is a zombie preacher. He is armed with a .44 Winchester rifle. Note his exceptionally long pointed tongue sticking out of his mouth. Creepy!

Second from the right is a Mexican bandido and hanging victim. He is armed with a .45 Colt Army revolver. The crow feasting on his neck is a gruesome but so cool touch. Note that he also has a long pointed tongue.
Finally is a zombie plains warrior. Although he has a skeleton face I'm assuming the flesh was stripped off by zombies before he died or scavenging animals or birds. He is armed with a .45 Colt Army revolver and tomahawk. He also has a bow and quiver of arrows on his back.
These are a great bunch of figures and are very varied. The detail on them is very crisp, making them a joy to paint. Having more zombies is never a bad thing in my opinion. The zombie deputy costs £4.50 and the other four come as a set costing £9.60.

Black Scorpion Old West Terrors 02

When Black Scorpion ran their Tombstone Kickstarter, I was pleased to see that one of the seven factions was the Undead faction. As you should know I'm a sucker for Undead figures. The faction included the four Tombstone Terrors that I reviewed here . In this post and the next I'm going to review the new figures for this faction, starting with the skeleton gunfighters.

I start with the leader of the faction, a gunfighter armed with a .45 Colt Army revolver and a double-barrelled sawn-off shotgun.

There is also a mounted version of him, which I received as part of my Kickstarter package. I thought he might be riding an Undead horse but he isn't.

The next set of skeleton gunfighters has four figures who are similarly dressed and armed with a pair of .45 Colt Army revolvers. The exception is the one second from the right who has replaced his Stetson with a bowler hat and who is armed with a double-barrelled shotgun.

I think these are terrific figures. It is very rare to see skeleton gunfighters. Zombie gunfighters are much more common. The Tombstone rulebook does have stats for skeletons and zombies but I'm not a big fan of the rulebook. My two preferred Weird West rules are High Moon by Two Hour Wargames and Shadows of Brimstone by Flying Frog Productions. I will most likely just use their rules for zombies when I use these figures in a game.
The leader figure costs £4.50 for the foot figure and £9.60 for the mounted version. The four gunfighters cost £9.60 for all four.

Schleich Watering Hole

My brother is a very generous person and he bought me a very impressive 2018 Christmas present. He asked me what I'd like and I replied anything from my Amazon wish list. He then asked me to choose the one item I'd most want and I had no hesitation in nominating the Schleich Watering Hole set. I'd already bought two Schleich River sections and the Waterfall set, all of which were compatible with one another. Schleich are a German firm who specialise in highly detailed large scale animals, dinosaurs and fantasy creatures. I have some of their dinosaurs and I'm very impressed with them.

Here are all of my sets including my small Scorpion's Nest. Note how the river seamlessly fits in with the waterfall and watering hole sets. I should mention that these sets are not sold as 28mm scale scenery pieces but they fit in perfectly with figures of that scale. I've included my Copplestone Castings figure of Vampifan in many of the photos to give you a sense of scale. The main reason that I wanted these sets was to use them in my Wild West games plus others like, for example, the Cursed Earth from Judge Dredd.

For the rocky outcrop of the waterfall, I gave it a Citadel Agrax Earthshade wash then dry-brushed it with Foundry Arctic Grey Shade 33A and Foundry Base Sand Light 10C. The waterfall was heavily dry-brushed with Foundry Arctic Grey Light 33C (White). For the sandy base I gave it a Citadel Seraphim Sepia wash followed by a dry-brushing with Foundry Base Sand Light 10C. Note that there is a cave hidden behind the waterfall, which is useful for hiding in.

Vampifan has climbed to the top of the rocky outcrop. I'm glad I took the time to paint my scenery items as it makes them look much more realistic. The sculpting of this set is most impressive

The two river sections were the first items that I bought from this range because I always wanted a river section to use in my games. A major criticism I have of many commercial or scratch-built rivers is that the water does not look very realistic. In the old days I just used blue mounting board to represent my river sections. They worked but were hardly realistic. One look at the Schleich River section and I was immediately taken at just how realistic the water looked. What they have done is use a piece of coloured paper for the river bed and fixed a piece of clear perspex on top of it, which is textured with the ripples of the river.

A very small item I bought was the Scorpion's Nest. It comes with one plastic scorpion. My second scorpion came with the Watering Hole set. Using the scorpions with 28mm scale figures places them in the giant mutant category - ideal for a Cursed Earth or Weird West setting.

The Watering Hole set has a large footprint and is very cleverly designed with a cool surprise, which I'll reveal below. It came with about half a dozen animals you'd find if on a safari but they are all massive and totally unusable for 28mm scale gaming. That didn't bother me at all as I wanted this set for the scenery not the animals.

That said, the scorpion and the giant centipede shown above emerging from a cave, are very useful as mutated insects. Just look how the light is reflected on the water in a very realistic manner.

There is a small island in the centre of the watering hole. How do you reach the island if you can't swim? The tree splits in half to form two bridges. Perhaps it got struck by a bolt of lightning which rent it in half. What a cool surprise!

The large rocky outcrop shown above forms another cave which is big enough to stand a 28mm scale figure inside.

Yet again, just look at how realistic the water effects are. I am mightily impressed with these sets. I'm already thinking up scenarios based around the watering hole for a few of my games.
The river section costs £11.99, the waterfall costs £17.98 and the watering hole currently costs £58.00 but when my brother bought it, it only cost £39.99. I'm not sure why it has had such a massive price hike. The scorpion nest cost £3.99 but is currently unavailable on Amazon UK.

Shadows of Brimstone Undead Outlaws

As soon as I saw that Flying Frog Productions were bringing out a new boxed set of figures called Undead Outlaws for Shadows of Brimstone I knew I wanted them. I bought my set from an eBay seller for a much cheaper price than buying them direct from the Flying Frog webstore. Plus postage was free and I had no customs charges to worry about. A win-win deal!
These are actually smart zombies, in that they have retained the memory of how to fire a gun, much like the Smartie Zombies in High Moon.

Outlaws are a common occurrence throughout the region around the ruins of Brimstone. Even before the town blew up and the portals began to open, the gold rush and Dark Stone rush that grew the town out of control also lured in outlaws and bandits by the thousands. Once the devastation occurred and the Darkness came, countless number of these outlaws fell into shadow. Some became mutants, others fell to the curse of the Lycan or began meddling in dark Magiks, and many more began to rise from the grave as Undead. It wasn't long before the Undead Outlaws fell back into their old ways of robbing, rustling and mayhem. Perhaps it was just faint memories of their old lives seeping back in, or maybe they have a cold purpose, with a mind for revenge on the land of the living.
The most famous of all is a dark, rotting figure known only as the Undead Gunslinger. Whoever he was in life, no one can say for sure. But in death, he has become the most cold killer in the land, earning the nickname of the "Fastest Dead in the West". He travels the roads and shadows, challenging any who cross his path to a duel. Few survive to tell the tale. Feared for his quick draw, his cold silence and his sinister stare, the Undead Gunslinger is an unstoppable force, back from Hell and hungry for revenge. As a Legendary Enemy, the Undead Gunslinger is a dangerous foe to face. He is capable of dealing out horrendous amounts of damage with his six-shooters, using special Deadman's Shots bullets to terrorise his opponents.
I think it's safe to say, he is clearly based on Clint Eastwood's "The Man With No Name" from the Dollar trilogy of films. He is a superb sculpt in a very dramatic pose, with his ragged poncho flowing in the wind behind him. With his cheroot clamped in his mouth he just exudes menace as he fires away with both guns blazing.

The other three Undead Outlaws are all the same sculpt. However, they came with separate left arms, so by gluing them on in different positions I was able to make each one look unique. Varied paint jobs helped to differentiate them even further.

Thieves, rustlers and robbers in life, these Undead Outlaws have returned from the grave to bring death to the world of the living. Memories of their past lives have lead them to continue the life of the outlaw, robbing banks and trains, and gunning down any who would stand in their way. Undead Outlaws are predominantly Ranged Enemies that have the Shootout Standard Ability to guide how they move and attack each turn. As Undead, they also have high Defence and are fearsome Enemies to engage in a firefight.

These three figures were all identical one-piece sculpts. The one at the far left is the original sculpt. For the other two, I cut off their left arms and repositioned them so that each outlaw looks unique. I don't like having multiple figures all in exactly the same pose.
Although designed for use in Shadows of Brimstone, I will most certainly be using this set in my High Moon games as well. I am absolutely delighted with this set. The Undead Outlaws boxed set of seven 32mm scale figures costs $39.95 from the Flying Frog webstore plus a minimum $24.00 postage and whatever charges Customs and Excise want to extort you for and you can see why I opted for eBay. There is currently a set on eBay for sale at £34.86 plus free post and packing if any one is interested. It's dearer than what I paid, but still a good price. Better still, Amazon UK have 12 sets in stock for sale at £33.72.

High Moon Scenario 01 - High Moon at Stillwater

Here I present my first scenario using the High Moon rules by Two Hours Wargames, a supplement of their Six Gun Sound rules, which adds supernatural elements like vampires, werewolves, witches and zombies to the setting. For my High Moon games, I'll mostly be using the background history used in Dracula's America as I like that setting a lot. Plus, it fits in so well for this introductory scenario. This encounter takes place shortly after midnight on 13th of June 1875 in the town of Stillwater, New Mexico. This is the same town that I used in my first Six Gun Sound scenario - Gunfight at Stillwater, but it is set in an alternative dimension wherein Count Dracula has taken over the presidency of the USA. As such, there is no need for me to describe the game board set up. If you want to know more about it see here - http://vampifansworldoftheundead.blogspot.com/2018/06/six-gun-sound-scenario-01-gunfight-at.html
This batrep will be very rules heavy as it mainly concentrates on melee combat, which was not covered at all in my first Six Gun Sound batrep. I'm using a combination of the Six Gun Sound: Blaze of Glory, Six Gun Sound 2nd Edition and High Moon rules with a few house rules of my own. The main rules come from Blaze of Glory, Melee Combat and Reaction tests from 2nd Edition and the Supernatural rules from High Moon. I've also added some narrative parts to this batrep and hopefully in future the narrative parts will increase as the rules explanations decrease.

"Sheriff, get out here now!" 
The voice was loud in the quiet of the night and was spoken with the confident authority of a man who demanded instant obedience.
Sheriff Frank Bonner was 32 years old, fit, healthy and good at his job. He stepped out of his office, in no great hurry, accompanied by his young deputy, Luke Simms, who was ten years his junior and shaping up to be a reliable officer of the law.
"What the hell do you want, stranger?" Bonner demanded gruffly.
"I'm here to take over this town," the tall, pale-skinned stranger replied with an arrogant sneer. He was dressed in expensive clothing, mainly in black, apart from his crimson waistcoat. "From now on, you'll serve me."
"Like hell!" Bonner angrily fumed. "Over my dead body."
"Oh, good. I was hoping you'd say something like that," the stranger smiled cruelly as his right hand hovered over the butt of his holstered Colt .45 Cavalry revolver.

The encounter would begin with a Gunfight, just as it did in my previous Six Gun Sound batrep. The strangers in town were from left to right, Radu Cazacu, a Rep:4 Cowboy Mountain Man and a Human Bodyguard Grunt. He was armed with a Colt .44 Army Revolver and an Axe. He had the Attributes Brawler and True Grit. Next in line was Amelia, a Rep:4 Vampire Grunt who was unarmed and had the Attributes Precognition and Nerves of Steel. The stranger who had spoke to the sheriff was Tristan Duran de Cuevas Rubias, a Vampire Leader and a Rep:5 Star. He was armed with a Colt .45 Cavalry Revolver and a Sword. He had the Attributes Precognition (all Vampires receive this attribute and it allows them to roll twice for activation if they want to, and choose which result to use), Fast and Initiative. Finally, was Raoul, another Rep:4 Vampire Grunt. He was armed with a Colt .36 Navy Revolver and his Attributes were Precognition and Agile.

Facing them were from left to right, Luke Simms, a Cowboy Deputy and Rep:4 Grunt, armed with a Colt .44 Army Revolver. His two Attributes were Brawler and Marksman. In the centre was Frank Bonner, a Gunman Sheriff and a Rep:4 Grunt. He was armed with a Colt .45 Peacemaker Revolver and his Attributes were Marksman and Nerves of Steel. Joining them, was a concerned citizen, Moose Ackley, a Cowboy Homesteader and a Rep:3 Grunt. He was armed with a .58 Trapdoor Springfield Rifle and had the Attributes Brawler and Coward. God knows what he was thinking when he decided to join in!

I set up the two sides 6" apart and had everyone roll on the Flinch Test table. This was taken against a character's Sand stat with 2d6. Tristan automatically passed 2d6 because he was a Star. Raoul also passed 2d6. Radu, Bonner, Simms and Ackley all passed 1d6, so they'd suffer a -1d6 penalty on the Draw Test. I didn't roll for Amelia as she wouldn't be taking part in this Gunfight.
Next up, everyone rolled their Rep scores, with appropriate modifiers, looking for successes (usually a 1-3 per 1d6) to see in what order the Draws would take place. From highest to lowest, it went Tristan, scoring 4 successes out of 5d6.
Ramon was second with 3 successes out of 4d6.
Radu scored 2 successes out of 3d6 (he suffered a -1d6 penalty for Flinching).
Simms scored 1 success from 2d6 (he suffered a -1d6 penalty for Flinching and a -1d6 penalty for being Terrified. Vampires cause Dread in their opponents unless they are a Vampire, a Werewolf, a Zombie or have the Nerves of Steel Attribute.)
Bonner scored 1 success out of 3d6 (he also suffered a -1d6 penalty for Flinching, but because he had the Nerves of Steel Attribute he was not Terrified). He should have done better because being a Gunman, he scored successes on a 1-4 instead of  a 1-3.
Ackley scored 0 successes out of 0d6! He started with 3d6 for his Rep but suffered penalties of -1d6 for Flinching, -1d6 for being Terrified and -1d6 for drawing a Rifle. Oh dear!
I did roll for Amelia and she scored 1 success out of 4d6, but I have no idea why I rolled for her as she was unarmed!

It was obvious that Tristan would target the sheriff, and so he fired his Pistol twice, rolling a 5 and a 2. Adding his Rep of 5 gave him results of 10 and 7 - a hit and a miss. Rolling 2d6 on the Shooting Damage table he scored a 3 - target is hit in the Head and must roll on the I'm Hit table. Bonner rolled 2d6 against his Toughness of 4 and passed 1d6, which caused him to go Out Of Fight. First blood to the Vampires.

Raoul fired twice at Deputy Simms rolling a 6 and a 5, which when added to his Rep of 4 gave him results of 10 and 9 - both hits. He rolled twice on the Shooting Damage table and got results of a 9, hit in the Gut and OOF, and a 4, hit in the Leg and I'm Hit. There was no point rolling on the Recovery From I'm Hit table for his Leg wound because he was already OOF.

With only one target left standing, Radu fired twice at Ackley but with poor rolls of 2 and 1, giving him results of 6 and 5, he missed with both shots. It looked like it might be Moose's lucky day.
Or maybe not! He could only fire his Rifle once. He had to target Radu but he rolled a 1 and because he was using a one-shot weapon, he was out of ammo! The darned fool brought his Rifle to the gunfight but forgot to load it! Well, I never saw that one coming!

With all the shooting being done, it was time for Reaction Tests. Only Ackley had to roll and he had to roll 2d6 verses his Sand of 3 on both the Being Shot At and Man Down tables. He only rolled once but applied whatever was the worst result. Rolling a 4 and a 1, he passed 1d6. For being Shot At, this counted as Duck Back because he couldn't return fire. However, the result for Man Down was if twice more friends are Out Of Fight or Obviously Dead he must Leave the Table. He was doomed to Leave the Table because by having the Coward Attribute, all results of Duck Back counted as Leave the Table instead. Bye bye, Moose!

Tristan, Amelia and Raoul advanced on the fallen bodies of Bonner and Simms in anticipation of feeding on their blood. However, they were stopped in their tracks when a female voice cried out from behind them.
"Halt now! Turn around and step away from those bodies. You will not feed on innocent blood this night."
Two strangers, an elderly, white-haired man and a beautiful young woman with long, lustrous black hair approached them, clearly unafraid.
"Who dares command Tristan Duran de Cuevas Rubias?" the cruelly handsome Vampire leader demanded indignantly.
"Allow me to introduce ourselves," the elderly gentleman spoke softly and calmly, "I am Mordecai Pendragon and this charming young lady is my assistant, Miss Ella Normandy. I strongly urge you to do as she says... if you value your lives!"
"You presumptuous fool!" Tristan's eyes flashed red and he bared his fangs. "I will make you suffer in ways you cannot imagine!"
"No! It is you and your lackeys who will suffer this night!" Ella spoke with a voice dripping with menace. 
Then she charged at all three Vampires.

Who are this pair of strangers? If you know who Pendragon is, you can probably guess the true identity of "Ella". I rolled for Initiative for both sides. I first rolled a 2 for Ella's side and a 4 for Tristan's but Ella used her Precognition Attribute to roll again and scored a 6. Tristan believed that Ella would fail to activate with that score, as a 6 usually means a failed Activation, so he chose not to roll again with his Precognition Attribute. It would have made no difference what he rolled. He could never beat a 6, and yes, Ella did Activate with a 6! At this point, Tristan and his followers had no idea they were facing another Vampire.
Ella automatically passed 2d6 verses her Sand of 6 on the Charge Into Melee table. Tristan also passed 2d6 and so could fire once at Ella before she reached him but it would count as a Rush Shot. He rolled a 4 for a result of 9 by adding his Rep of 5. Normally this would have been a hit but because it was a Rush Shot it counted as a miss. Raoul also passed 2d6 and like Tristan he could shoot once but it would count as a Rush Shot. He rolled a 2 for a result of 6 - a clear miss. Amelia only passed 1d6 and because she was unarmed, she couldn't fire. She just had to take the charge.

When fighting multiple opponents, the outnumbered person fights each opponent once in turn. The fights can take place in any order but usually the player controlling the multiple fighters decides who goes first. I decided to go from least powerful to most powerful against Ella, hoping to wear her down before she faced Tristan.
Amelia rolled 7d6 in the Melee Combat, looking for successes on dice rolls of 1-3. She received 4d6 for her Rep, +2d6 for being a Vampire and +1d6 for Outnumbering Ella. She scored 4 successes. Not bad!
However, Ella rolled 9d6 - 7d6 for her Rep (gulp!) and +2d6 for being a Vampire. She scored 5 successes. She rolled 1d6 on the Melee Damage table, and added her success of 1 over Amelia to her roll of 4 for a total score of 5. This was more than Amelia's Rep but was not a 6+ so Amelia was Out Of Fight. However, Vampires count OOF results as -1 to Rep instead. Note this is only a temporary loss of Rep. It is fully restored once the Melee is over.
So they carried on fighting but this time Ella rolled 9d6 to Amelia's 6d6. Ella rolled well with 6 successes and Amelia rolled bad with just 2 successes. Ella added +4 to her roll of 3 on the Melee Damage table for a score of 7. Any roll of 6+ counted as Obviously Dead if it can cause lethal damage, otherwise it counted as Out Of Fight.
According to High Moon, Vampires can only be killed by silver weapons, and any other Obviously Dead result is classed as -1 to Rep, but I disagreed and used my house rule which allowed other Vampires, Werewolves or a Witch's Damage spell to cause lethal damage to a Vampire. I've seen this happen so often in fiction, film and TV not to want to use it. Note that this Encounter is a very rare occasion in which Vampires are fighting one another. Usually, the weaker one will back down when they meet. Vampires of equal Rep would roll off with 1d6 to see who is the more dominant. But Ella is not an ordinary Vampire by any means! She doesn't follow the normal rules for Vampires.
Ella grabbed hold of Amelia's head, gave it a twist and ripped it off her body with consummate ease, killing her instantly.
"I told you that you'd suffer!" she snarled. 
She threw the head at Tristan but he batted it aside with his sword.

Next up was Raoul. He rolled 7d6 on the Melee Combat table, exactly as Amelia had. He scored 4 successes, just like Amelia had. But this time Ella rolled 6 successes. She added her 2 extra successes to her 1d6 roll of 4 on the Melee Damage table for a score of 6, which counted as Obviously Dead.
Ella's punch was so powerful it went right through Raoul's body to emerge between his shoulder blades. As she withdrew her hand, she pulled out his heart and licked it before throwing it away in disgust.

At this point, Tristan realised that Ella was far more dangerous than she looked and a brief flicker of doubt entered his brain that she might be even more powerful than he was. He shook his head and instantly dismissed the thought. She'd just got lucky, that was all. He was the master here and he'd prove it.
Ella and Tristan were evenly matched with 9d6 each. Tristan's 9d6 came from his Rep of 5, +2d6 for being a Vampire, +1d6 for Outnumbering Ella (Ella was still classed as being Outnumbered at this point) and +1d6 for attacking with a Sword. Both combatants scored 5 successes so they both suffered a temporary -1 to their Reps. 

The fight continued with both Vampires rolling 8d6 for Melee Combat. This time Ella scored 5 successes whilst Tristan rolled 4 successes. She rolled a 5 on the Melee Damage table and adding +1 for her 1 success margin scored a total of 6. This was an Obviously Dead result. Under my house rules this would have killed Tristan but remember he is a Star. He rolled 5d6 for his Star Power Advantage to try and reduce the damage. Any roll of 1-3 would be a success and reduce the damage by one level, rolls of 4-5 would be a failure and a roll of 6 would be a failure and reduce his Star Power dice pool by -1. Tristan rolled 1, 3, 4, 6 and 6. The two successes reduced his damage to OOF, then to -1 to Rep, giving him Rep:3, but the two 6's would reduce his Star Power dice pool to 3d6. He was still in the fight but Ella now had the upper hand. Could she capitalise on it?

The third round of Melee Combat began with Ella rolling 8d6 and Tristan reduced to 6d6 (3d6 for his reduced Rep, +2d6 for being a Vampire and +1d6 for his Sword. By now, he no longer Outnumbered Ella so he lost that advantage). Ella scored 4 successes, whilst Tristan scored 2 successes. Rolling on the Melee Damage table, Ella rolled a 3 and added +2 for her margin of success. This gave her an OOF result which was reduced to -1 to Rep for Tristan's vampiric Advantage.

In round 4 of the fight, Ella rolled 8d6 and Tristan rolled 5d6. Ella scored an impressive 6 successes to Tristan's 3 successes. She rolled a 4 on the Melee Damage table and adding +3 for her margin of success gave her a total of 7 - another Obviously Dead result. Tristan used his 3d6 Star Power dice to reduce this damage and rolled 1, 2 and 6. This reduced the damage to -1 to his Rep (now he was just Rep:2) and his Star Power dice pool to 2d6.

The fight moved on to its fifth round with Ella still on 8d6 and Tristan reduced to 4d6. The result was never in any doubt. Ella scored 5 successes to Tristan's 2 successes. Adding +3 to her die roll of 5 on the Melee damage table gave Ella a result of 8 for Obviously Dead again. Tristan only had 2 Star Power dice left. Could he survive again? Not this time. He rolled 4 and 5. The Obviously Dead result would stand.

However, Stars have another Advantage, called Cheating Death. A Star can be killed by anyone with an equal or higher Reputation. When this occurs, the Star may declare that he is Cheating Death. He is immediately removed from the table and whisked to safety. However, his Rep is automatically reduced by one level until he is eligible for a Rep increase.

Tristan fled Stillwater to live again but now he was a Rep:4 Star. Ella Normandy had not only defeated him but humiliated him and wiped out his coterie. He had to get to Washington DC as swiftly as possible to inform Count Dracula of this new threat.

Meanwhile, Pendragon revealed that he was more than just an elderly citizen. He was also a Warlock and he attempted to cast a Damage spell on Radu Cazacu. He rolled 2d6 against his Rep of 3 and added +1 to his Rep for using a casting tool (his wand). He scored 1 success, which meant the spell was cast but it could only target one person (half his Rep, rounded down). This was immaterial as he only wanted to target one person. He rolled 2d6 on the Shooting Damage table and scored a 6 for a result of a hit in the Gut and I'm Hit. Radu rolled 2d6 on the Recovery From I'm Hit table to determine the extent of his wound and scored 1 success. He was Out of Fight.

With the bad guys defeated, Ella and Pendragon helped Bonner and Simms recover.
"Your town is safe now, Sheriff," Ella informed Bonner. "I suggest you get in contact with the Twilight Order to let them know what happened here. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to take your prisoner away with them."
She turned to indicate the unconscious form of Radu who still lay where he'd fell.
"I'm mighty obliged, ma'am," Bonner said sincerely. "Say, I didn't catch your names?"
"Mordecai Pendragon and Miss Ella Normandy, at your service, sir," Pendragon proffered.
"But you can call me Vampirella," Ella added with a warm smile.

CONCLUSION
I can't even begin to tell you how much fun that was! Ever since I began blogging way back in 2009 I have wanted to run an adventure that starred Vampirella. I certainly could never have imagined that her debut would be in a Weird West scenario, but it all made sense to me. I designed this scenario with her in mind. As a Rep:7 Star, Vampirella is the most powerful character I've created for a THW game. She has all of the Advantages of being a Vampire but none of the Disadvantages because she is truly unique.
Regarding her alias of Ella Normandy, that is canon. Way back in September 1972, Vampirella appeared in a story in Vampirella Magazine #19 by Warren Publications called The Shadow of Dracula, in which she went back in time to the 19th Century to accompany Abraham Van Helsing, Jonathan Harker and Mina Harker on a quest against Count Dracula. This was the first time that she used the name, Ella Normandy. Note that this story took place after the events told in Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula.
She still used this alias in further stories, which is why I adopted it for this tale. The beauty of being a gamer is that we can play games of "what if?" limited only by our imaginations. So I decided wouldn't it be fun if I sent Vampirella back in time to the world of Dracula's America to throw a spanner in the works of this Count Dracula?
Congratulations if you guessed the true identity of Ella Normandy early on. The clues were there but I know not everyone will have picked up on them.
I have shown the figure of Pendragon on my blog before but this is the first time that Ella Normandy has been seen. She is a conversion of the Black Tree Design Doctor Who assistant DW219 Victoria Waterfield. I lengthened her hair to match that of Vampirella's. She is true 28mm scale, so looks a bit small against some of my other Wild West figures, but I don't mind that at all, as it appears she is far less of a threat than she actually is. At the time of writing BTD have her on sale for £2.25.

I hope you enjoyed reading this batrep as much as I enjoyed playing it. Thanks, folks.

Shadows of Brimstone - Old West Allies 02

I recently paced an order with Flying Frog Productions for four more Old West Allies to use with their Shadows of Brimstone game and my other Wild West games. Allies are not as fully developed as the Heroes but the two human figures shown here could be upgraded to Hero status if you so wanted.

At the far left is another saloon girl sculpt, and seeing as the saloon girl is a Hero archetype, you could definitely use her as a Hero or an Ally. She is armed with a two-shot Derringer pistol. I must admit that I do love saloon girl figures, whether they are armed or not. As is now the norm with the Shadows of Brimstone figures, she is cast in resin. She was a two part sculpt with the joint at her waist. To help reinforce the join, I drilled holes into both parts and used a short length of a paper clip to pin the two halves in place after applying a small amount of superglue. I stuck her to one of my 25mm diameter MDF bases, which I much prefer to the wide brimmed 30mm diameter plastic bases that these figures come supplied with.
Next up is the Indian Brave ally. So often, the native Americans are seen as the bad guys so I do appreciate the fact that Flying Frog have made this plains warrior an ally. He too, was a two-piece casting, with his hands and tomahawk being a separate piece that very easily slotted into place at his waist. I haven't decided which tribe he'll belong to or what his name will be. His name will very much depend upon his tribe. The Fantasy Name Generator website has a section for naming native Americans, which I'll certainly be using. See here - https://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/native_american_names.php#.WxvQYYoo-Ul
However, Flying Frog have recently released a new mission pack expansion called The Black Fang Tribe, which finally introduces Native Americans to the game, so there's a good chance that I'll make him a member of that tribe. I've just checked up on Amazon UK and they have 12 copies of this supplement in stock, so I'm placing an order for a set immediately.

Finally, the two dogs were sold as a pair and they are classed as Man's Best Friend and Stray Dog. Man's Best Friend has been painted up as a Doberman breed. He looks big and intimidating and is clearly alert. Google Images helped me get his colouration just right. The Stray Dog, in comparison, looks very pitiful and forlorn. If you look closely, you can actually see his ribcage, which reinforces the fact that he is most likely a stray.
These are all fantastic sculpts. The two humans could appear in any of my Wild West and Weird West games. The dogs, however, are so generic that they could appear in almost any game or setting. All four figures are still available for sale in the Flying Frog webstore. The saloon girl costs $8.00. The Indian Brave costs $10.00 and the dogs cost $12.00 for the pair.

Shadows of Brimstone Heroes 05

I mentioned in my last Monthly Musings that I have been painting a lot of Weird/Wild West figures and in this post I want to show you six more Heroes that I recently finished for Flying Frog Productions' Shadows of Brimstone game. This time, I have the Cowboy, the Gambler and the Outlaw archetypes, shown from left to right respectively.

The quintessential hero of the Old West, the life of a cowboy is full of rough-riding adventure, fancy rope-work and sleeping under the stars. Out on the range, there's never a dull moment! Whether it be herding cattle, fighting off outlaws, rustlers and demons or just riding the trails on a trusty horse, the cowboys are the watchmen of the frontier, every one an American legend waiting to be made. Cowboys are rough and tumble, hearty folk that can brush off most damage, be it physical or mental. Living life on the edge, a cowboy's greatest asset is his potentially unending supply of Grit, not to mention his ability to Rope his opponents with a Lasso, keeping them tied up and under control. When you're a cowboy, you just can't help but live life on the edge.
Gamblers may not have won the West, but they had the most fun winning the war of words and wits around the card table in saloons and gambling halls across the new frontier. With nimble fingers, a cunning smile, and an elaborate plan, looking three steps ahead, a gambler was more than just a showman or performer; he was an artist. Lying, cheating and stealing was all part of the show when your reputation as a card shark and scoundrel was on the line. No gambler worth his salt would let a little thing like honesty get in the way of his next big score. The gambler is all about sleight of hand, card and dice manipulation, and gaming the system using his Gambling Tricks. He is not the toughest fighter or fastest gun around but with a bit of fortune on his side, he can pull off cunning combos and lucky manoeuvrers that other Heroes wouldn't even dream possible. This makes him a fun Hero for players who like to think outside the rules... not cheating per se (most of the time anyway), but bending and twisting them, with a wink and a smile.

The outlaw is also a quintessential part of the American West. A rogue and a scoundrel, outlaws live by their own code, stealing what they want and having a good time getting away with it! With a shot into the air and a smile, an outlaw lives life to the fullest, knowing that every breath could be his last. Whether the law catches up to him or his luck runs out, an outlaw knows his days are numbered. His only hope rests in becoming a legend before becoming a corpse. Outlaws are a bit of a wild card in that they are very versatile. They can lay down a lot of fire and are great at moving quickly in the shadows. Of course this comes at a price in that they are not very accurate with a gun and they do not gain a lot of Health over time. One of the coolest elements of being an outlaw though is the ability to rob the Outpost Bank in Town. This can give you a big influx of cash to buy cool gear and pay bribes to keep you out of jail. One important note is that outlaws may not collect on Bounties posted in Town.
These 32mm scale figures are made of resin and are all multi-part miniatures apart from the female gambler who is the only one-piece casting. They are extremely well detailed and beautifully sculpted. Flying Frogs' sculptors have really got their act together now. As is usual, each set comes with male and female versions, which I wholeheartedly approve of. The Outlaw set was one of the first expansion sets to be released but proved extremely elusive to purchase... at least at a reasonable price! I often saw this set going for nearly £100.00 on eBay, a price I refused to pay. Eventually, after years of waiting, I found an eBay seller who had a set for sale at a much lower price and I was finally able to add the pair to my collection. I also bought the Cowboy and Gambler sets from eBay, but they were much easier to acquire. It just goes to show that perseverance can pay off. At the time of writing, the only Hero set I am missing is the Wandering Samurai set. Hopefully, it'll turn up on eBay at a reasonable price.
Although these six figures are designed for play in Shadows of Brimstone, there is no reason why they couldn't be used in other Wild West games. To me, these were essential purchases.

Shadows of Brimstone Heroes 04

Still sticking with Shadows of Brimstone, here are four more Heroes to use in the game - the Frontier Doc and the Jargano Native, both with male and female versions. I recently bought these four figures from a seller on eBay for a very reasonable price. He had glued them, painted them and stuck then on two pence pieces. I don't know what he glued them with (probably polystyrene cement) but they just came apart in my hands. Also, the paintwork was sloppy and amateurish. The basing was unusual but I went along with them, although I did add my own sand and gravel to the bases. I used superglue to stick the figures back together, which is recommended for resin figures and gave them brand new paint jobs. I am very happy with how they turned out.

If there's one thing that the Old West frontier is known for, it's being deadly! Whether it comes from the barrel of a gun, the bite of a venomous snake or being crushed by the constricting grip of a slimy tentacle, death lurks around every corner. That's why frontier docs are so commonplace throughout the West. They may not be the toughest or the fastest, but the doctor is vital for patching you up and keeping the Hero posse going one bandage at a time. These are resin castings, each coming in two pieces, with the arm holding the collection jars being separate. The collection jar is a special piece of Starting Gear that helps define the character. These are superb sculpts and will no doubt, see use in other Wild West games. The standard of sculpting with the new resin figures for Shadows of Brimstone is very high. Height-wise, they are very compatible with the Tombstone figures from Black Scorpion or the Knuckleduster 32mm scale range of Wild West figures.

Legend has it that the ancestors of the tribal native humans of Jargano were originally from Earth, finding their way through an ancient portal and becoming trapped on the other side. Struggling to survive for millennia against aggressive tribes of Serpentmen and all manner of vicious and primal creatures of the swamp, these native hunters of Jargano have become renowned for being perhaps the deadliest and fiercest warriors of any world. The Jargano native is a savage and primitive hunter from the murky swamp world of Jargano. Still bearing his or her tribal weapons and gladiatorial skills, learned in the savage, pre-historic lands of his home, the Jargano native is an expert tracker, hunter and hand-to-hand fighter. Though they do not understand written language or technology, their keen senses and combat reflexes make them a fierce addition to any posse. These resin cast figures came in three parts with both arms being separate pieces. The person who sold them to me had added a bow and quiver of arrows to the back of the male warrior. I thought that this was an excellent idea, as they are skilled in archery. Note that their daggers have been painted to represent flint and not metal. I have painted them with bronzed skin, so they could double as native Americans in a standard Wild West game. Another option is to use them in a pre-historic setting, where they'd fit in perfectly.

Shadows of Brimstone - Old West Allies 01

As I mentioned in my last Monthly Musings post I have been doing a lot of work on my Wild/Weird West project, including painting lots more figures. The eight figures I'm showing here are classed as Old West Allies, and whilst they were produced by Flying Frog Productions for their Shadows of Brimstone game they are generic enough to be used in any Wild West game.
When Dark Stone was first discovered in the area around Brimstone, outsiders flooded in, looking to get rich. Now, they come looking to make a name for themselves (and maybe get rich along the way too). Though many of those that arrive are true Heroes in their own right, most are common folk with dollars in their eyes, blinding them to the horrors that await. Hiring themselves out as henchmen, they join up with posses heading into the dark mines. The flood of fortune seekers and merchants have also brought with them supplies and pack mules to carry the load, blacksmiths to support the effort and forge the "black rock", and faithful dog companions to help in hunting through the dark places of the world.

At the far left is, of course, a blacksmith. With the discovery of Dark Stone and the rush to get rich, blacksmiths have become a good ally to have at your side. Between shoeing horses, forging the black rock and maintaining weaponry, there is more call than ever for a good blacksmith than ever before. A rugged and sturdy fighter, a blacksmith can hold his own in a fight, but can also work with Dark Stone in the field to enhance the rest of the posse's attacks. This is a one-piece casting made of plastic and he is my first Old West blacksmith figure. I recently bought the Sarissa MDF blacksmith's building, which I have yet to make, so he'll be right at home in there.

The next three figures are assorted henchmen. Mercenaries and hired hands, henchmen are the easiest ally to find. Everyone and their brother it seems (often literally), has come to find their fortune in the battered lands around Brimstone. But most do not realise the terrors that dwell down in the mines, and the probable gruesome fate that awaits them. These plastic figures came in three parts - one single common body and legs, a choice of two right hands (one holding a pick, the other a pistol) and a choice of three heads. I used all three heads and both hands, but rather than duplicate the the weapons, I cut the third henchman's arm off at the elbow and remodelled it with Milliput so that his hand is resting against his pouch.

Dogs are a common sight on the frontier, helping to guide cattle, protect territory, or just roaming the streets of every settlement as strays. There is no ally more loyal than the faithful dog, sniffing out valuable treasures, running ahead to scout the area for threats, or holding off hordes of creatures with their fearsome bark. This was also a one-piece plastic casting and is such a versatile figure that he could be used in so many games and genres.
Pack mules are the work horses of the Old West. Loaded down with all manner of tools, gear, supplies and loot, a pack mule can be indispensable for hauling around the extra equipment and treasures collected throughout an Adventure. Though slow and non-aggressive, a pack mule can be easily spooked, kicking wildly as it finds its way out of danger. This plastic figure came in four parts - right and left body and right and left equipment packs. It is the only pack mule I have and oddly enough, it is my favourite figure out of this set. The dog comes a close second. These are the six figures that you get in the Old West Allies boxed set.

Included in the boxed set are cards for Ally Specialities, giving them different abilities or gear and modifying their cost to hire. In addition, there are different types of henchmen you can hire. Figures for some of them are available from the Flying Frog webstore, which is where I got mine. The Mexican bandido is known only as Loco, although I gave him the surname of Lopez, as it is nicely alliterative. He is basically a lesser version of the Bandido Hero with his pistol and dynamite. He is a two piece resin casting, with his sombrero a separate piece.
Another specialist ally currently available is the mutant blacksmith. His lower face and the right side of his torso are covered in tentacles. He would most likely be found in one of the mutant towns that are cropping up around Brimstone. He is a one piece casting made of resin.
These are extremely useful figures and I am very pleased that Flying Frog are producing these generic Old West figures. Not only are they are a useful addition to Shadows of Brimstone, but they will certainly see use in my more normal Six Gun Sound campaign. I just need to give them names.