Tuesday 28 May 2019

May 2019 Painting Tally

1 Unit Crusader Knights - 10 models
1 Regiment Royalist ECW Cavalry - 12 models
1 Regiment Dismounted ECW Dragoons - 12 models
1 ECW Dismounted Dragoon Horse Holder - 1 model
1 Regiment ECW Parliament Shotte - 12 models

Month total - 47

Year total - 395

Wednesday 15 May 2019

Duck #1 - Wan Chai Corner

When allowed out drinking in the West End, not a common event nowadays, I have a habit of going to Chinatown and getting the same thing every time - duck on rice. This is usually after drinking and before getting on the tube/bike/shanks pony home and when a good steadying, fortifying, plate of roasted duck in sauce on rice is just the ticket.

My usual spot is downstairs at Hungs, which is a grubby place really, but always been good and reliable. Been looking at some other places, mainly for variety so I thought I'd keep a record.

Last night - Wan Chai Corner, which is an old haunt but not been in for many many years. Its had a refit since the old days


(not my pic. I didn't take any as I didn't think to record this until afterwards)


Ordered the duck. £12.50. On the expensive end. No fuckin' rice, so thats extra and a def bad start.

A militia of waiters in there. Seriously, I went in about 11pm, there was three customers inc me and 7 waiters. I counted them!

Duck came out relatively quickly, so thats all good. But it appeared from some place backstage instead of the counter. In fact, there wasn't any duck nor pork belly hanging in the window like in the picture. Hungs get the bastard and chop it in front of you before passing it over, so they win on that front.

Skin - okay. Good and crisp, but they'd slavered it in a massive puddle of sauce. Which is fine, but this thing was like an alligator in a swamp.

Flesh - giving, not bad. Not a chewing exercise.

Meat to bone ratio - fine. Plenty to go around, not too fiddly.

Overall - middle of the road. I don't think I'll bother with them again really, as the duck don't justify the price in comparison to others, the surroundings aren't that great, certainly not as good as I remember them being and being in the middle of an army of waiters pissing about with one another is a bit overbearing.

Hungs still #1

Next time I'll get photos.

Monday 13 May 2019

Ordo Sabbathi - Brethren Knights

Some knights for the Ordo. Fairly easy, and I'm a big lover of the classic black and white crusader so it was an easy choice for me.

Wanted them looking muddy and crappy looking, so I went full on with the weathering sponge. Not point going half measures, after all.










Ordo Sabbathi - Background

With the release of Warlords of Erewhon, some of us are building up new forces or pulling out old favourites to get involved and have a go.

I've had some crusades boxes kicking around for a number of years, so this seems a good time to use that stuff. Had been weighing up whether to use these as yet another line regiments army, but the appeal of larger level skirmish pushed me more into that direction.......



Ordo Sabbathi



The brethren of the Ordo Sabbathi form one of the more hardline offshoots of the various holy warriors dotted around the Empire, being anti witch and anti heresy puritans, but respected for the ferocity they display in battle.

Not a large order, by any means, but one that is highly effective in battle, honest and known to be trustworthy. The Brethren themselves may be few, but the sergeants, men at arms and retainers provide numbers when required as well as maintaining the properties and administrative duties required by the Order.

The local provinces, although glad to have the protection that comes from being relatively close to this order, keep a deliberate distance after a number of villages in the past, who had given shelter to travelling Brethren were found to be harboring witches and put to the torch, the inhabitants interrogated, killed or taken to Vinum Keep for sentence to be passed

Accordingly, the Red Road, leading from the Ordo headquarters out into the main crusade roads, contains few villages or inns situated along its length. Crusading parties are often to be found travelling backward and forward, so the populace will use this route as it offers general safety over the lesser used roads within the region, as the Brethren will mingle freely amongst the caravans and provide protection from marauders, if required.

In truth, people are not unhappy if the Order is passes through, they just don't want them hanging about too long........


Vinum Keep



The home of the order is reflective of the order itself, with its sparsely decorated, unyielding walls providing a stable, defensive, bastion in the area. Ostensibly open to passing travellers, few people choose to spend time or to do business here, but it is not unheard of for travellers to arrive in order to consult the vast libraries held within the Eastern Tower.

The Keep is famed for one reason other than its warriors - its wine, which over time has lent its name to the keep itself, a fine claret produced from the vineyards that flourish in the area and bottles of which are highly coveted by epicureans, accordingly commanding a fierce price on the market.



Initiate Rites




For a novice to be fully accepted and sworn in as a full Ordo Sabbathian, they must under take a personal crusade, leaving the Keep alone, and sworn not to return until they have sought out and destroyed The Witch. These young warriors, often the most zealous of the order, will be found in regions far from the homelands, wherever their wanders have led them.

Some return with an entourage, who are taken into the various ranks of the militia, some return with potential apprentices and novices. Others return alone. Many do not return at all.

Older members may undertake the personal crusade at a later stage in life as well, if visions, prayers and the omen indicate it is time. Some will leave with a specific purpose, others to wander seemingly at random until they feel their task is fulfilled.