High time...

It is high time I posted here again. The project has stalled. Last night I decided to have a read of book 2 after many years away from it. It begins so well with so many gaming possibilities in the first chapter alone.I picked up the book again as a result of a trip out on Saturday. We were having coffee and a picnic at the outdoor cafe near the West entrance and I sat and looked at the lampstands whose photo I put up two posts ago.My mind drifted to D M Cornish's books and I thought I really must give this a go again. Next steps are-

1. Need to get some Lamps for the road - any suggestions?
2. Look out current state of figures
3. Think once more about rules

For those who follow here can I ask if you are making any progress in your own projects? Perhaps we can all encourage one another forward...

On the workbench...

Working on a couple of figures.The first is a nicker.It is a Gripping Beast figure of the monster Grendel.The second is a figure I have had for years and I can't remember who made it. It is a Lamplighter in personalised bad weather kit in the form of a large oilskin cloak and putees/bindings to protect the lower legs. The books suggest that Lamplighters choose their own weapons/kit to some degree so I have taken that idea and run with it.I need to give him a weapon ,perhaps a musket slung on his back.

A trip out...

I was in the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh yesterday and took this photograph-

The moment I saw this line of lamps (used to lead people along the path at night from the gate to the Caledonian hall where meetings,events etc take place) my mind recalled the Lamplighters. I looked at this blog and could not believe how long it is since I posted here!!
A welcome to some new folk leaving comments too. I am resolved to go back to the novels and have a go at this project once more.I see others have carried on in my absence and I am fascinated to see where it has taken them.So with no more ado books,figures and rules( there's a thorny subject) and we will see where it takes us...

Wood you believe it...

Off work today and so  I thought I would have a wee skirmish...

The Lamplighter patrol sees some nickers lurking in the woods.Muskets are prepared but they miss.The nickers close and the Lamplighters flee off the table .Sadly no potions had been packed to confound and confuse the enemy by throwing . Short ,fun and played using a combination of SBH and my own simple kreigspeiling- dice throwing and diverse ideas that is!

A Welcome to Jim my latest follower here. I would be most interested to read of your ideas for this fascinating 18th century world and how to game it.

It would be good to hear here of everyones current gaming ideas /figure sources that we might all share and not have to reinvent the wheel.

Painted nickers...

I finished the nickers today and they don't look too bad...
I feel that they were well worth 90p each plus P&P . I am thinking of trying some bigger monsters soon. Now we are almost ready to have our first game using SB&H...

of bogles and nickers....

My nickers/bogles arrived from East Riding Miniatures last night.
25/28mm Beastmen for 90p each can't be bad. I will paint them up at the weekend.I feel they indeed have potential...
Anyone else made any discoveries for suitable figures?

A Quatro of Lamplighters moving forward...

Although I have done far less than I had hoped to do this weekend, I have moved my first Quatro of Lamplighters on a little. I intend to use them for skirmishing using Songs of Blades and Heroes. I am debating what figures to use as nickers and may send off for some samples today.Another plan is to read back the second novel to find out details of the blockhouses in order to build one for the tabletop...
P.S any suggestions for nickers and calendars gratefully received!

Anyone out there still?

Good Morning! It is Saturday 7.00am ...
I haven't been here for a while ( and I guess the same is true for you if you are reading this) and it is good to be back...
Over burdened by real life at present and paper-serving paper work at work. On the train I have been reading "Morheim" as a slight diversion.I have also been looking anew at Songs of Blades and Heroes too.
With little energy to paint /game I have mused and mulled-over instead as a diversion . I am keen to review this Threwdish project and take it on ,if I can, at a skirmish game level. I wondered if your projects wee continuing and where you were at .Please leave a comment here to let us know...
best wishes
Alan
p.s SBH or Mordheim any thoughts for which would work better in our setting- or do you have another suggestion?

Finished...

Well yesterday I finally finished "Factotum" yesterday morning and enjoyed it greatly. I am sad in a way to have come to the end of the three books yet filled with loads of potentialities and possibilities for gaming- skirmish,battalion level and also naval.

I will concentrate for the moment on the skirmish level gaming with a view to some games over the next few months. figures to paint and rules to adapt and decide upon. I am very much looking forward to it...

Thank again to Mr Cornish for his fascinating and ever entrancing world...

Of Fetes and Fictlers...

I have just read this chapter of "Factotum" over coffee this morning and really found it gripping. Like the battle in "Lamplighter" upon the causeway this cries out for depiction on the tabletop at skirmish level...
Fictlers and strawheads would make an excellent band for "Songs of Blades..." or other skirmish rules. I have seen excellent 28mm scarecrows on the internet already. There is much potential here.
Mr Cornish can evoke a world with fascinating detail and convincing characters. He can also write fantastic action too! Hopefully 2011 will see some games on the tabletop here and elsewhere...
I am still amazed that no company has taken up Mr Cornish's world for a role playing game- it would work so well.
Oh, by the way, a Happy New Year from me to all our readers here at Lamplighter's Haven!
I imagine that you,like me, await more from Mr Cornish with bated breath this year .

Boxing Day plans...

It is now boxing day and I have the time and energy to restart the third volume of the trilogy- already being drawn back into an engaging and exciting world...

My gaming thoughts are particuarly tending towards nickers of present and I would like to present this useful link to a survey of beastmen figures- many of which would serve well -
http://www.frothersunite.com/files/rob/Bmsc/Bmsc1.htm

I am still of the mind to use Song of Blades and Heroes as rules and once I settle upon figures I hope a trial skirmish can be attempted. As ever your suggestions are most welcome !

Finally a belated Merry Christmas to one and all! Not too belated actually as Christmas of course extends to Epiphany and even longer in the Middle Ages when it extended to Candlemas on the 2nd of February!

First Lamplighter being painted...

Started to paint Front Rank figure as Lamplighter today. I am reasonably pleased how things have gone so far but the photos are not too good- please bear with me. I shall try to take some better photos tomorrow...

Snow,updates and diverse plans...

Off work today due to snow- got train to school and was sent home by mobile from snowed in boss!
Due to energy levels/family commitments I have read little further into "Factotum" but hope to pick this fascinating book up again very soon. Worked a little upon the cardboard edifice which is moving forward very slowly. I hope to put paint to my Front Rank samples soonish and will attempt to do them/Lamplighters justice with my efforts...
I remain convinced "Sons of Blades..." will serve my needs well and look forward to tweeking them over Christmas. A few Lamplighters painted and a few nickers and playtesting can begin!

Last,but by no means least, I was thrilled to find Mr Cornish had left a comment upon this very blog. It is fantastic to have him here and he is more than welcome to pop back again!

Samples etc

My Front Rank samples arrived today and look like they have great lamplighter potential...

I am considering whether to give my Cothouse garrison a distinct coat colour or run with Imperial Red. I home to get paint to lead at the weekend.

I have worked a little on the Cothouse model and have decided to move the Door to the first floor which will have a set of stairs wrapped around the building leading up to it.

The cothouse model...

This weekend I broke out the cereal packet and began a cothouse...

I have begun with a basic cardboard structure which I will build upon. I have placed the figure for scale. The basic corner stones have been drawn in with pen and will be built up with card etc prior to painting adding detail...

Yesterday I sent off for Figure samples from Front Rank which I hope will come within the week...

I have fifty pages of Lamplighter to read then Factotum can be started...

I have downloaded "Songs of Blades and Heroes" which look like they can be adapted well to my purposes. I am excited about potentialities and possibilities! Any Monster figure suggestions most welcome...

Cothouses 2

Whilst many of these
are lighthouses I feel that they have something to offer inspiration -wise. If one mentally disregards the the light at the top of the tower they convey a certain solidity,baroque-ness and practicality I wish to embody in my Cothouse. In the next post I will post a model of the very basic cardboard prototype I will be running with...

I have tried to find images to inspire my modelling and have come up with the following:

Of Cothouses...

The building I hope to reproduce is a “Cothouse” a fortified building which will provide home and shelter(not to mention a defensive strongpoint) for the lamplighters and their auxiliaries( of which more anon)
The distance betwixt Cothouses is around ten to twelve miles- this is in order that the lamplighters will not ever be too far from safety as they go about their business of lamp lighting.
Cothouses come in a variety of shapes and sizes. My cothouse (yet to be named by me) will probably be an octagonal tower of stone with external steps leading to a heavy door some floors off the ground. The tower is 4 or five storeys high culminating in a tiled roof and myriad tall chimneys. The walls have loopholes on each floor for observation and for firing through. I am considering a courtyard with external walls and gates but haven’t decided yet. Construction will be of cardboard and I imagine the structure to be between 12 and 16 inches in height when completed. My next post will cover those who will live there and the auxiliaries in particular.

Welcome....

I have been greatly taken of late by the novels of D M Cornish and the fantastic imaginary 18th Century world he has created. I have been enthused by the Lamplighters and their daily defence of the lamps which light civilisation in the face of monsters...

This blog has been created to facilitate and record my adventures in 28mm skirmish gaming. I hope to raise a Quarto of lamplighters and their defended quarters which will be a model with many similarities to Wormstool. Nickers and sundry others will be added as and when. As ever your comments and advice is eagerly sought. Thanks for dropping by and do pop back soon...