Ithoriel’s Strength & Honour DIY

[Mike Headden]

Initially sceptical, the more I saw of Strength & Honour the more intrigued I became. Eventually the TFL Youtube videos of the game being played sold me on the idea.

Of course, I wouldn’t be me if I went with the suggestions in the rules!

So, 50mm squares, 80mm x 40mm bases, Irregular miniatures rather than the bases designed for the game, Setback and Disaster cards knocked up in Open Office and home printed then sleeved in card sleeves I already had with an old CCG card as stiffener.

Taking to the one corner of my dining table that isn’t either emulating a builder’s merchant or a food bank I played a small game using empty bases marked up to show what they were. Which confirmed my thought that this could easily have been a board game. Though it wouldn’t have looked half so pretty as the stuff currently being produced by players.

I have half a suspicion that I am going derive at least as much pleasure from producing 2mm scenery as I do from playing the game!

One thing that irked me was that the card command board kept getting “shoogled” with dice gently creeping around the board.

So, I decided to create something more solid.

Off to Warbases for a kosher S&H Roman Camp and Wagon Laager and, while I was at it, a pile of MDF. Figure bases, terrain bases and … components for a Command Board …. or two.

Et, voila! One 150mm square, 2mm MDF round cornered base (a custom size), two 90mmx10mm rectangular bases, one 70mm x 10mm rectangular base, six 25mmx10mm rectangular bases, six Quad 10mm dice frames and two of their MDF mini-token 1-10 sets.

Which became this

And then, with the addition of paint and home printed labels, this

and finally, as it might be in action

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Tony S]

That’s rather nice!   I think you should get a +1 modifier on your Consulting The Auguries roll.

[Cyrus]

Nice DIY command board! I think Warbases sell a mdf version of these. They’re a fun set of rules.

 

[Mike Headden]

Thanks for that Tony. I suspect my opponents may not agree 🙂

Thanks, Cyrus, The Warbases one is a chunky 2mm thick card version with some MDF coins to indicate the options chosen and numbers to indicate break point.

I wanted a version with a little less space given over to the allocated points plus a holder for the cards as the sleeves make them rather slippery. Good when shuffling but not for stacking safely.

Since you can only have a maximum of four points in a category the quad dice frames are ideal.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[ian pillay]

That’s really nicely done Mike. I do need to see more S&H before diving in. The “masses” does appeal somewhat.
Top stuff

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Mark Backhouse]

Very creative Mike. I’m using some of the Warbases printed ancient coins now – which have the advantage that I can’t roll them by accident during the game!
The suggested base and grid sizes are only suggestions so it really makes no difference as long as it’s consistent. You might lose a bit of the ‘epic’ battles feel with the smaller bases but it won’t require a huge space.
Have fun playing!

Mark

[Mike Headden]

Thanks, Ian, as I said I was dubious myself but the more I saw the more I liked. Relatively quick to play, relatively cheap to build an army, lots of options for interesting home made terrain, seems to me to capture the “stopping an oil tanker” nature of manouevre in ancient battles without making things dull and all coupled with the spectacle of lots of figures. What’s not to like? 🙂

Thanks, Mark, I’m using 10mm cubes from the prototype of a board game I designed for the same “you can’t roll these” reason!

I do like the Warbases coins, I have to say, just as well they don’t do a set of one of each or I’d be working out how to use them to identify boards with a specific army.

So far, I have only made one test base to work out how to paint them effectively. My Roman legion may only have cohorts the size of real world centuries but I reckon 620 men isn’t bad going on 80x40mm.

Over the course of the Covid pandemic the little group I used to do tabletop gaming with has scattered to the four winds so I’m going to have to collect at least two armies. If I do wind up playing someone else my 80×40’s will fit on a standard grid no problem.

Finally, Mark, thanks for coming up with this. Even if I never play a game I’m having so much fun with this I owe you one!

Mike

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Tony S]

“stopping an oil tanker” – that’s a great analogy.  The inertia of a half million tons of metal is probably equivalent to maneuvering a Gallic warband!

I’ve only played a couple of games, but have really enjoyed them.  Certainly “feels” right to me.  And, as the Hellenistic era is one of my favourite periods, I really hope to see that proposed supplement!  You’ve got a least one sale here Mark!

By the way, my opponent – who is the “terrain guy” – started making forests from a bathmat, like suggested in the TFL videos, but then tried something different, and requires no time to construct!  For forests, we just opened a bag of clump foliage, and spread handfuls out on the wooded squares.  Not only did it look really good with 2mm figures, but rather then having stands balancing atop premade forests, we would just clear a small spot for our stands.

After the game, we just put the foliage back in the bag.

[Mike Headden]

A first go at a unit for Strength and Honour.

I described the suggested painting style as somewhere between Impressionism and Pointilism!

Not 100% happy with the result but happy with it as a first go. It looks better from a distance … ar maybe that’s just my eyesight

620 men in 10 cohorts and a colour guard for the Eagle, so a little understrength

Compulsory units for the list I’m using are General, 3 legions and a unit of skirmishers after which I’m looking at cavalry, an allied Gallic warband or two, more legions and skirmishers, maybe even a unit of elephants.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mark Backhouse]

They are looking good to me. I wouldn’t fuss with the elephants too much as they were a very rare occurrence in the period. Instead I’d go for cavalry and skirmishers first to add to the legions. You’ll get much more use from them! That said, I guess they are a bit of fun!

[Steelonsand]

Looking great Mike – really has a feel of a whole MASS of men on the march – even with the smaller base – loving your card command board set up,  by the way – surely you should sell the licensing to Warbases so that they can produce them commercially !

[Mike Headden]

Thanks, folks.

WHAT!? But Mark, you need at least ONE decent sized elephant to invade Britannia – ask Caesar and Claudius! 🙂

I currently have 3 more legions to paint up, two units of skirmishers, one of formed bows, two of close formed cavalry and two more of skirmishing cavalry with one or possibly two Gallic warband allies.

More will be added, you can be sure. There will be blood heffalumps!

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

First piece of terrain for Strength and Honour done.

A farm with an orchard and some bushes (vines?).

Buildings are from Brigade Models’ Small Scale Scenery range, trees are the ends of bamboo stemmed cotton buds dipped in wood glue then twirled in chinchilla dust and the bushes are lengths of green pipe cleaner.

A whole Roman town is under construction! Pictures to follow.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[ian pillay]

That farm is very nicely done 👍

Tally-Ho! Check out my blog at…..
http://steelcitywargaming.wordpress.com/

[Steelonsand]

Looking great – I’ve seen the use of pipe cleaner before, but the cotton buds are a really clever way of making small scale trees – they look great – I’ll have to give it a try !

[Mike Headden]

Thank you, both!

No patent on cotton bud trees Steelonsand, fill your boots!

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Darkest Star Games]

So now I’m curious: how many chinchillas do you have?

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Mike Headden]

I have fewer chinchillas than I’ve had hot spaghetti breakfasts 🙂

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Darkest Star Games]

Mike Headden wrote:

I have fewer chinchillas than I’ve had hot spaghetti breakfasts

  If you’d gone to college in America I would then bet you have at least 1 of the fluffy suckers and would be expecting posed pictures of the critter maneuvering an opposing army on the table (as the eating habits of US college students is both legendary and horrifying, I recall myself having quesadillas, cold pizza and icecream on various occasions) but alas I am pretty sure the true answer is “none”.  It’s never too late though!

That dust is more fine than kitty liter, but is it more fine than model railroad ballast?

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Mike Headden]

Yes, zero chinchillas were harmed in the making of this terrain. 🙂

The dust is finer than the play sand I use for 6mm figures. Even my basing material has gone down a scale!

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

The town goes on apace. Wonky walls and all.

Slightly misjudged the space the thing would take up so squidged the walls to make them fit. But, hey, real town walls aren’t straight either.

The temple of Jupiter Optimus Magnus was painted in situ, other buildings are being painted separately and will be glued in place as they are completed.

 

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Steelonsand]

Oooh, nice – so the walls are home made/scratch built ?

They really look the part – should be a cracking piece once ‘populated’…..

[Mike Headden]

The town walls are from Brigade Models Small Scale Scenery range.

Specific packs were

2 x SSS-8120 Curtain Walls (pack of 4)

1 x SSS-8120a Walls with Round Bastion (pack of 2)

1 x SSS-8122s Square Towers (pack of 4)

2 x SSS-8123a Gatehouse Type-1

The enormous temple, which dwarfs the surrounding buildings as St Paul’s or York Minster do, is

SSS-8061 Roman Temple

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Steelonsand]

Ah, of course – I was thrown by the overhead view – shows off the drum like bastion towers at their best – useful list of the parts used, though – and yeah, the Temple is a monster, but as you say, in keeping with architecture of that type….. I was considering the Ancient building range by Rod Langton as a possibility too – his temples look a bit smaller, and he has some useful looking domestic buildings:

http://www.rodlangton.com/ancient/ancframe.htm

 

[Mike Headden]

The base for the town is a 150mm square custom order 2mm thick MDF base from Warbases, as used for the Command Board.

A 160 x 160 would have been better but I’m planning on a 50mm square grid system.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

Thanks once again for the comments.

So, now I give you the Roman(-ised?) town of Numquam

My plan at the moment is to run a solo campaign set in Italy, Gaul and Spain …. so I need to stop having fun with terrain and get some troops painted.

Therefore projects currently under way for this are … err …. a Gallic Village (actually a Dark Age one from Brigade Models) and a bathmat wood. Doh!

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

A couple more items complete.

First up is a Brigade Models’ Small Scale Scenery British Dark Age village masquerading as a Gallic one. Sorry, I couldn’t find a 2mm small Gaul, large Gaul, druid and small dog. 🙂

Next up is a forest made from a chunk of bathmat

Next batch waiting to be done are actual units!! There will be blood heffalumps! 🙂

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

A few more bits and pieces finally completed.

A fortlet, mansio (Roman Travelodge for officials and VIPs) and a paddock of horses for messengers and others requiring a remount.

A small wood

A small Roman marching camp. Much larger one under construction.

In front, a unit of Siege Engines. Of course, there are no rules for siege engines in Strength and Honour but it was easy to come up with some unit stats I was happy with. With a walled, Romanised town and a Gallic village completed and a walled port underway a siege unit could not be resisted. The Baccus 6mm artillery makes excellent 2mm large engines.

 

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Jim Webster]

It’s all coming together nicely 🙂

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[Mike Headden]

Jim, thank for the nice comment.

Having failed to acquire a mat from Tiny Wargames I went online and found a site that would print fabric for me to my own design. Created a very basic green square, 50mm on a side, with a black dot in the corners, tiled a 1800mm x 1200mm fabric sheet with it and ordered the result, which arrived today. Not a patch, aesthetically, on the Tiny Wargames one but with the bonus of actually existing. Could undoubtedly do better if I ever make a second one.

That portion of my Roman army that is actually painted set on a chunk of the mat in the pic below.

Also completed a second command board so now have one each for Redforce and Blueforce.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Jim Webster]

I think the battle mat idea is clever and perfect for the system.

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[Mike Headden]

After an inordinately long time and a series of things structural, medical and legal, which I feel no great need to rake over, I finally have a dining table rather than a miniature builder’s merchant’s yard!

So, two more legions painted, the sixteen bases to cover all the permutations of two units of light infantry base coated and work on more terrain commenced.

The forces of that noble Roman, Pompous Magnus, on the march:

 

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Darkest Star Games]

Darn good looking Legion you have going there.

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Mike Headden]

Thank you.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Darkest Star Games]

One thing I do not understand about the cavalry representation, and perhaps and hopefully you can enlighten me (though I know you did not sculpt them), is the curve between the 2 groups.  Is this representing a unit forming up or some such?

"I saw this in a cartoon once, but I'm pretty sure I can do it..."

[Mike Headden]

DSG the cavalry formations are my attempt to show skirmishing cavalry peeling off from one group, riding closer to the enemy to shower them with missiles and then retiring to form a second formed group. Rinse and repeat.

I suppose, if I weren’t such a cheapskate opting for smaller bases and fewer figures, the curves could have formed Cantabrian circles and the formed bodies could  have been dotted around the rear of the base to represent some of the unit resting/ preparing. The two curves are riding in opposite directions so I’d have needed to combine two packs for two circles – at a couple of quid a pack it wouldn’t have broken the bank.

As it is, I get two units from what is sold as one and I get an identifiable formation. I like the effect too.

 

 

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Mike Headden]

Slowly getting paint on figures for Strength and Honour again.

Two units of skirmishers this time.

Infantry skirmisher units can be fielded as units or broken down into four skirmish lines or supports. It can provide a skirmish line and three supports to one unit, a skirmish line to four units, etc.

Skirmish lines boost the attached unit’s combat power but are lost on a 1D6 roll of 1-4 if the unit is in combat.

Support lines are simply reserve skirmish lines allowing an unengaged unit to replace a lost skirmish line.

As a result I have painted two complete units, eight skirmish lines and six support lines to cover all the permutations. Probably overkill but you never know.

The core units for a Roman Warlord force is a camp, a general, a veteran legion, two experienced legions and a unit of skirmishers so I can finally field the core force plus some extras.

Gauls next to provide some opposition.

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Konstantinos Travlos]

Lovely stuff!

[Jim Webster]

Yes they are nice

https://jimssfnovelsandwargamerules.wordpress.com/

[Mike Headden]

Thank you, gentlemen!

There are 100 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who can work from incomplete data

[Author]

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