[15mm Fantasy] Enter, the Bugbear

As those who follow my Modeling Log will be aware, for the last couple of months I've been working on 25mm Science Fiction figures for my Traveller game. This little diversion was born out of a desire to have some suitable figures to hand for use when my players get themselves into the sort of trouble that requires a tactical map. Needless to say, with close to 50 figures now painted, I think that this little project is getting close to its end.

The 6mm Traveller campaign is still ticking over - I have been working out the Order of Battle for both the defenders and the attackers on the colony world of Auru, which has meant that I have had to look at Imperial and Geithurian Republic Star Fleets.The background design work is almost complete, and gives me the option to fight out fleet encounters as well as dirtside operations. I'm even looking at possibly using the Classic Traveller High Guard combat rules with the Trillion Credit Squadron updates for this side of the campaign.

Bugbear Shaman or Spellcaster

One of the members of the Facebook 15mm Fantasy Wargames Group posted some photos of a recent battle using the Kings of War rules from Mantic Games, but with 15mm figures. It looked like fun, the core rules are free, I have some Medieval/Renaissance 15mm armies that have been sitting in a box for too long, and a friend who is up for a game.

Bugbears and Human Warrior (also from Splintered Light)

The game is set for next weekend but, as it was a long weekend here this weekend, I cracked on with a party pack of Bugbears I bought from Splintered Light about a year ago. While 20mm scale from Splintered Light's small 20mm Fantasy range, the figures work well as large goblinoids in 15mm (I have not seen the current Bugbear pack in the Dungeon Crawl: Warbands range to compare sizes, but the 20mm figures definitely look large and chunky in comparison).

The 20mm Bugbears appear to have been on-sold to CP Models in the UK.

The players trialing Kings of War in 15mm are using WRG style basing (40mm x 20mm for Infantry, 40mm x 30mm for Cavalry) so they can use either historical figures, or figures based up for Hordes of the Things (WRG's Fantasy rules). With that in mind, I based up my 12 Bugbear warriors as four elements (3 figures to the element) of Infantry - the first basing I've done in this style for many years - and I was pleasantly pleased with the result.

Bugbear Warband with Shaman/Spell Caster

As the Shaman/Spellcaster is a Specialist, I decided to leave him on his round base.

The Kings of War rules look pretty straight forward, after one read through - the people using them say that there are a lot of tactical subtleties which, I guess, will come out in play.

The Army Lists have a very Warhammerish feel about them which makes me go slightly "meh", but them seem reasonably easy to customize. Currently, I'm thinking of a sort of Evil Alliance, led by a Sorcerer, with Dark Elves and Orcs. Support being provided by allies or mercenaries, such as the Bugbears, a band of Gnolls I still have to paint, some trolls and some Ogres. As I have more than enough single mounted figures for Dungeons and Dragons or Skirmish Gaming, I will quite enjoy basing up the rest on element bases.