Some time ago I was very very generously gifted an 18mm ACW Wofun collection by Bob Cordery. It was more or less complete and ready to go aside from some mounted command and dismounted cavalry which an acquired latterly from WoFun themselves. Fast forward to just before Salute this year I had the good fortune to acquire at no cost a complete set of the Time Life Books Old West collection and then of course at Salute itself I picked up the latest version of Pony Wars: ‘B’ Troop Ain’t Coming Back - the revised and hardback version of the 1980s classic rules.
Pony Wars Redux acquired from Baccus, the 6mm people
I then had the idea of using the cavalry from the ACW collection for a Pony Wars style game but needed some opposition. Reasoning that it would be cheaper to get some WoFun Native American Tribesmen rather than two lots of figures that would also require painting, I placed an order for some foot and mounted types, along with, you’ve guessed it, some gunfighters also both on foot and mounted.
So, armed with this lot I will be able to game Pony Wars style as well as some western gunfights - along of course, with the ACW and all in 18mm WoFun. I even have a quick play set of western gunfight rules to use.
The important thing with this ‘distraction’ is that it will take very little work to set up and use. I would want to ‘edge’ the figures and would prefer to do something with the bases but other than that there would be little else to do other than acquire a few sticks of scenery. To be honest I have enough raw material in stock to knock up a few clapboard buildings or the odd ranch house so this could be quite a self contained and easy to bring to the table kind of project.
Something else to think about then….;-)
8 comments:
The post title made me chuckle David and I'm still smiling as I type! You certainly have lots on the go at present which is good to see:).
Hi Steve J,
Although it was panned at the time I rather enjoyed the film The Wild, Wild West with Will Smith - silly but entertaining. I also remember the TV series from way back when - again entertaining hokum!
Variety is the side of life and from my perspective it is always handy to have a few things in reserve project wise - the problem is that eventually one gets spoilt for choice and so end up not tackling anything in a meaningful way.
I may be ever so slightly approching that tipping point…. ;-)
All the best,
DC
My Dad had the complete Time Life collection of the Old West, what great books they were.
Hello there Raymondo,
It is a cracking series with plenty of inspirational pictures of all manner of stuff. I still can’t believe I got this for free! I am now on a mission to get the complete ACW series published by the same people. If I do in one fell swoop I will have pretty much all I am likely to need for the period….he says, tongue firmly in cheek (and with his fingers crossed!).
All the best,
DC
Interesting project and you have everything you need to get it up and running without to much hassle. I really like the Wofun stuff as it can scratch an itch and get troops on the table without the painting etc. You are certainly a busy man with plenty of really interesting projects on the go.
Hi Donnie,
The big advantage with all this stuff is exactly that - I could get it all to the table really quickly if needed. I will need a few bits and pieces of terrain but nothing major and luckily most of it for this period would be easy enough to make from scratch - I certainly have enough raw material to do so!
The one thing I don’t have much of though, is time!
All the best,
DC
That is some collection of books David…
The figures do have a certain simplistic appeal to them… and as you say a quick fix for the wargames butterfly.
All the best. Aly
Hi Aly,
I was delighted to get them - especially for free! - and there is an awful lot of inspiration contained in the pages. I really want to get the ACW set as well at some point.
The WoFun set up is something that can be gotten to the table quite quickly if required. For my part though it will need a little work beforehand but that is just a personal thing. I would want to edge the figures and do something with the bases and certainly the ACW part, replace the artillery with models rather than using the MDF versions.
Certainly the butterfly is happy having this in the back pocket so to speak!
All the best,
DC
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