[IHMN] The Latest Version of Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company

Before our latest battle, I tweaked Doctor Cornelius' Company slightly.

The good Doctor replaced his Faraday Coat with a Brigandine and his knife with a pistol, principally because I was betting that none of the guys would field Arc weapons, and I needed to boost the Company's fire power.

 I gave Lofty the Hands Like Clubs ability, as used by the Yeti in the IHMN rulebook, as this fits his character of the massive bodyguard. In a previous encounter, he had engaged Lady Felicity, of Lord Curr's Company, in fisticuffs and, once she got over his Terrifying aspect, he discovered that he was barely able to lay a hand on her - a rather embarrassing event for a massive bodyguard.

I decided to get rid of the Minion Medic. In the last encounter he had proved ineffective. Instead, I recruited another member of the Rotten Row Drainers - Shotgun Jack - and gave him a shotgun along with the usual Drainers' Club.

The Company as fielded in the King of the Castle encounter:

	Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company
	AC	Pluck	SV	FV	Speed	Talents				Equipment	Points
Doctor Edgar Octavian Cornelius	9	2+	+1	+4	+1	Leadership+2		+2 Initiative		Brigandine	51
						Erudite Wit		-1 to enemy SV/FV within 12"		Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Martial Arts		+1 FV, +1 Speed
						Intuitive		+3 Armour 1st time shot at
Seamus O'Tipple	9	3+	+4	+4	+1	Leadership+1		+1 Initiative		Brigandine	52
						Gunslinger		Can split SV b'tween guns		2 x Pistols +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Marksman (Pistol)		Ignores Target's cover		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
Lofty	9	4+	+2	+5	+1	Tough		+1 Pluck Rolls vs SV and FV		Brigandine	52
						Terrifying		Enemy must make Pluck to attack		Hands like Clubs +1FV +0 Pluck
						Numb		Ignores 1st hit against him
Maxim Destroyevsky	9	4+	+4	+2	+0	Marksman (Rifle)		Ignores Target's Cover		Brigandine	51
						Hunter		Can select target in group		Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Fanatic		Rerolls 1st failed Pluck		Hunting Rifle +4SV 36" range Pluck-2
The Rotten Row Drainers
Coleman	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	13
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
Roger	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	13
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
Shotgun Jack	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	18
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
										Shotgun +2SV, 12" range Pluck +0/-1
											250

Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company suffered three casualties during the encounter - Coleman, Roger and Shotgun Jack - but they all made their Pluck rolls after the encounter and rejoined the Company. The Company also scored 13 Victory Points - enough to hire another Rotten Row Drainer, or add a couple of rifles, or grenadoes, to the company equipment mix, or perhaps save the VPs until I can recruit another character. Decisions, decisions.

[IHMN] King of the Castle

The stars aligned, John finished painting his Lord Curr's Company, and we convened for another game of In Her Majesty's Name.

We elected to play a King of the Castle scenario - one player's company  defends a central site while the other companies attempt to winkle him out.

We each had a 250 point company and we decided to trial Chris' Campaign Rules. In this case, taking out an enemy leader was worth 5 Victory Points, taking out one of his companions was worth 2 VP and holding the objective - in this case the keep of the derelict fort - was worth 20 VP. All casualties in one's own company would make a pluck roll after the battle, rejoining the company immediately if exceeding Pluck; being out of action for a battle if just making their Pluck Roll; and being deceased or otherwise unavailable if failing Pluck.   

Looking north from Poxly village towards the ruins of Poxly Manor

And so we see the fields outside of the little village of Poxly. Selous' Scouts (Chris) have learned that a copy of  Livingston's Concordium - an account of an ancient treasure Doctor Livingston discovered during his quest for the source of the Nile - was hidden in the ruined tower of Poxly Manor. Descending upon Poxly, the Scouts have been digging in and around the ancient fort but, unfortunately for them, their activities have been noted.

The tower and part of the walls of Poxly Manor are medieval, but the manor was heavily modified during the Civil War

The Thule Society (Jonathan) believes that Livingston's Concordium contains the location of occult artifacts and have determined to seize this book for the greater glory of Prussia. Approaching from the west, they take up position behind the wood to the left of the fort.

The Society of Thule approach the manor through the wood

Meanwhile, Lord Curr (John) and his Incorrigibles have been dispatched by the Ministry to prevent a valuable historical document from falling into foreign and/or unscrupulous hands. Approaching from the north-east, they deploy amongst the orchards on both sides of the Poxly Brook.

Lord Curr and some of his men in the orchard beyond the Poxly Brook

Representing the aforementioned unscrupulous hands, Doctor Cornelius and his Most Excellent Company (your humble correspondent) approach from the south-west, amidst the old maze and folly of the manor house (and beside the village water tower which seems to contain a rather flavorsome red).

Cornelius' Most Excellent Company approach the Manor through the old Maze

Selous' men took up positions within the manor ruin, attempting to cover the approaches, and soon came under a withering fire from both the woods to the west, and from the orchards.

Selous' Scouts prepare to defend Poxly Manor

As the firing grew heavier, and casualties began to mount, one of Selous' marksmen and his medic managed to break out through the south gate and take cover near Poxly Village to the south-east. Cornelius' Company, while approaching the manor from the south-west, lacked the long-range fire power to prevent Selous' withdrawal.

As the Scouts fell back, the Society of Thule burst into the ruined manor through the north gate, even as Doctor Cornelius' men were sprinting towards the south gate. When one of the Jaeger climbed the old tower, Maxim Destroyevsky brought him down with a well-aimed shot. To his alarm, the dead Jaeger lurched into life as a todh-truppen and rushed to block the south gate.

Plucky Coleman, one of the Rotten Row Drainers, attacked the todh-truppen while the not so plucky Seamus O'Tipple ran away, screaming like a little girl.

Cornelius' Company assault the south gate, defended by a todh-truppen. Seamus O'Tipple flees to the left.

Seamus was able to redeem himself by sneaking up the west side of the Manor and gunning down a Jaeger defending the north gate, and the Society's leader, Von Stroheim. As Doctor Kobalt leapt to Von Stroheim's aid, Maxim Destroyevsky nailed him with a superb long range shot.

The demise of Von Stroheim removed his force field projecktor. This meant that Selous' marksman, firing from the trees near Poxly, was able to fell the todh-truppen guarding the south gate. Sprinting across the court yard, Lofty scaled the tower where he was soon engaged with Lord Curr and another todh-truppen. The todh-truppen was swiftly dispatched and the tower remained contested between Lofty and Lord Curr as time ran out and the authorities arrived.

A tense end-of-battle, but as the objective was in contention at the end of turn 12, no one side could claim the Victory Points for it. A fun game, and Doctor Cornelius' Company performed a lot better this time. After all ganging up on Chris, we all turned on Jonathan as the Society of Thule looked set to take the game. That left John and myself to contest the tower at the end.

In Which the Blogger Plays a Second Game of 'In Her Majesty's Name" Part 2

Last Saturday night, Jonathan, Chris and I got together for a second game of In Her Majesty's Name. John, in spite of being stricken by the lurgy, managed to join us as well.

Chris fielded Selous' Scouts, while Jonathan fielded a modified Society of Thule Company. John deployed Lord Curr's Company while I used a modified version of Cornelius' Most Excellent Company - as posted in my previous post.

After some brainstorming, the following scenario for our encounter emerged:

Mr Singh waiting outside his house on Water Tower Hill.

Mister Amadeus Singh, renowned amateur astronomer, has detected something most singular in the heavens. To fund further research, he has indicated that he is willing to impart this information in return for a suitable gratuity and four Adventuring Companies are striving to gain the Professor's information.

Looking north from the canal towards Mr Singh's house.

Selous' Scouts entered the field from the south-west, docking their river boat beside the Boras Warehouse,

The Society of Thule emerge from the mists by the canal.

while the Society of Thule came out of the canal to the east of the crane.

Looking south towards the canal.

Lord Curr's Company near the north-west house.

Meanwhile, Lord Curr's Company entered the field by the north-west house, near the Park.

Cornelius' Company cross the Old Barrow.

While Cornelius' Company came on behind the old barrow to the north-east, beside the Old Abbey.

Selous' Scouts advance across the rail lines.

Selous' Scouts pushed forward across the railway line, while their machine gunner kept watch from the roof of the Boras Warehouse.

The Society of Thule advance on the Striker Building.

East of the Scouts, the Society of Thule moved up around the Striker Building.

While Curr's Company advanced into the Park beside the Linus Building.

Doctor Cornelius and his Company close in on Mr Singh.

Two of the velocepedes (random steam-powered vehicles) nearly collide outside Mr Singh's house.

Coleman and Roger, the Two Rotten Row Drainers, take up position beside the water tower.

Maxim Destroyanevsky, the Anarchist Marksman, slips into the copse beside the water tower. From there, he downs one of the Society of Thule's Jaegers beside the Striker building, only for the corpse to be re-animated as a todh-truppen.

Selous' Scouts had to scramble quickly across the open ground around the twin railway tracks.

The Scouts then had to dash up the ridge to the Linus Building, even as Lord Curr's Company managed to scramble onto the roof, ahead of them.

Eventually, Selous' Scouts managed to force their way around the western end of the Linus Building, and picked off Curr's men on the roof.

The unofficial truce between Lord Curr's Company and Doctor Cornelius' Company came to an end when Lord Curr attempted to abscond with Mr Singh.

Moving rapidly to Mr Singh's assistance, Doctor Cornelius and Lofty, his Man, confronted Curr, Two-Gun Tess and one of Curr's Minions.

Cornelius' Company were also coming under heavy fire from the Society of Thule around the Striker Building. Both Maxim Destroyanevsky and Seamus O'Tipple where swiftly brought down, even though Maxim was able to pin Von Stroeheim, himself, briefly.

The Society of Thule began to push forward, crossing the road as another velocepede rattled towards them. One of Cornelius' Rotten Row Drainers moved to engage them. Doctor Kobalt, the Society of Thule's Occult and Technical engineer, used the Eye of Odin to peer through the water tower and fire on the other Drainer with his Arc pistol.

A brief battle raged around Mr Singh's house. Lofty Terrified Two-gun Tess, causing her to flee. But he was too quick for her. As he attempted to seize her, Lord Curr and Doctor Cornelius exchanged blows. Their confrontation was quickly cut short by a burst of fire from the Society of Thule's machine gunner, firing from the railway yard. Curr, Cornelius and Mr Singh were cut down by the deadly volley.

Singh's demise pretty much ended the battle - a victory for the Society of Thule on points - with the survivors of Curr's and Cornelius' Companies slipping away into the night.

Here's another photo on the water tower - made by Chris from cardboard. A truly impressive model.

All photos taken by me on my tablet under available light.

In Which the Blogger Plays a Second Game of "In Her Majesty's Name" Part 1

As mentioned in last Sunday's post (which, rather confusingly, was written on the Saturday and referred to events of that evening), we got together for a second game of In Her Majesty's Name. This time, along with Chris and Jonathan, John was able to join us and fielded Lord Curr's Company. Chris fielded the victorious Selous' Scouts, while Jonathan fielded a modified Society of Thule company.

I took Cornelius' Most Excellent Company for a second outing though, this time, with some changes to the roster. Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe was absent, while the deadly Russian Anarchist, Maxim Destroyanevsky responded to Doctor Cornelius' call.

	Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company
	AC	Pluck	SV	FV	Speed	Talents				Equipment	Points
Doctor Edgar Octavian Cornelius	8(11)/11(14)	2+	+1	+4	+1	Leadership+2		+2 Iniative		Faraday Coat (AC11 vs Arc Weapons	54
						Erudite Wit		-1 to enemy SV/FV within 12"		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
						Martial Arts		+1 FV, +1 Speed
						Intuitive		+3 Armour 1st time shot at
Seamus O'Tipple	9	3+	+4	+4	+1	Leadership+1		+1 Initiative		Brigandine	52
						Gunslinger		Can split SV b'tween guns		2 x Pistols +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Marksman (Pistol)		Ignores Target's cover		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
Lofty	9	4+	+2	+5	+1	Tough		+1 Pluck Rolls vs SV and FV		Brigandine	50
						Terrifying		Enemy must make Pluck to attack
						Numb		Ignores 1st hit against him
Maxim Destroyanevsky	9	4+	+4	+2	+0	Marksman (Rifle)		Ignores Target's Cover		Brigandine	51
						Hunter		Can select target in group		Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Fanatic		Rerolls 1st failed Pluck		Hunting Rifle +4SV 36" range Pluck-2
A Minion	9	5+	+3	+0	+0	Medic				Brigandine	16
										Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
The Rotten Row Drainers
Coleman	8	5+	+3	+3	+1					Jack	16
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
Roger	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	13
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
											250

More to come.

In Which the Blogger Recruits Some Selenites

Scott is a prolific painter, and rules writer - being part of the creative team behind The Department and the developer of the GoalSystem rules. His blog, Four Color Figures, is well worth following for painting ideas.

As a sideline, Scott also runs Aegis Figures, a boutique figure production company. Recently, he mentioned that he had more Bug Warriors in stock. I took one look at them and thought "Selenites!"

I ordered a couple of packs of Bug Warriors/Selenites last week, and they arrived today. The following pictures are, literally, straight out of the packet:

Bug Warrior/Selenite bodies - two basic poses. There is quite a bit of surface detail - straps and belts.

Showing the arm holes - nice, deep holes that the arms plug into. Clean casts and will give the arms a lot of support.

Assorted arms and heads. The heads come with either mandibles open or mandibles closed. There are five right arms and four left arms, with a variety of primitive weapons as well as a grasping hand (separate torch supplied) and a closed fist. Plenty of combinations possible across the two body types.

And I picked up a pack of ganger heads - lots of goggles, a couple of breather masks, as well as a hooded head. The painted examples on Scott's blog show the detail better, but they are clean sculpts with lots of potential. The heads come with neck lugs, so will drop into a pilot hole nicely.

Drop Scott an email through his blog if you need further details. I'm looking forward to painting these up.

In Which the Blogger Finishes Some More Painting

Just in time, I have completed another four figures for my Company, and one will get his first outing tonight!

Maxim Destroyanevsky - Anarchist

During our first game of In Her Majesty's Name I discovered that Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company lacked long ranged weapons. This proved rather crucial in the rather cover-free Railway Yards. While I have some rifle-armed troops coming from Meridian Miniatures, they are part of the Kickstarter project and won't be available until September.

Fortunately, one of the two Anarchists I got from Brigade Games' own Storm in the East range is armed with a very servicable rifle, and he became the Anarchist, Maxim Destroyanevsky (and a pun on the name of a Russian broadcast engineer I worked with).

Olga Petronova - Officer of the Okhrana

The second member of the Anarchist pack looks slightly feminine to me, and her uniform looks more para-military, so I decided that she would be Olga Petronova, an Officer of the Okhrana.

Doctor Griffith Hugh - Chemist 

Doctor Griffith Hugh (or Doctor Hugh - I'm having a bit of a punny day) is a chemist, and an ally of Doctor Cornelius. Unfortunately for Doctor Hugh, a chemical compound he was working on has rendered his body completely transparent to light. Forced to cover his face in bandages to hide his affliction, if Hugh disrobes, he vanishes from view.

Prince Dekkan

Less well known than Prince Dakkar, Prince Dekkan dislikes the Imperial British presence in his homeland intensely. From a secret base in the South Sea, he roams the globe in his Zeppelin, raiding Imperial targets and taking what he needs to continue his struggle.

Both of these last two figures are from Brigade Models' Parroom Station range.

In Which the Blogger Plays His First Game of "In Her Majesty's Name" Pt1

Jonathan, Chris, and I got together on Saturday evening for our first game of In Her Majesty's Name. Jonathan fielded his Society of Thule Company, while Chris fielded his Selous' Scouts - loosely based on Lord Curr's Company. I fielded Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company.

Jonathan suggested we play the railway yard encounter. With some track, carriages and an engine borrowed from his daughter, we set up the table. The idea was that the wagons and engine would each move 1d10 inches along the track each turn, with a 10" off-table loop joining the sections of track together.

Below, is my Company list, and one of the first things I discovered as we deployed was that I had made a fatal error. While my Company was good in a close-in fight, I lacked any sort of ranged weapons. An account of the skirmish is to come.

 

	Doctor Cornelius' Most Excellent Company
	AC	Pluck	SV	FV	Speed	Talents				Equipment	Points
Doctor Edgar Octavian Cornelius	8(11)/11(14)	2+	+1	+4	+1	Leadership+2		+2 Iniative		Faraday Coat (AC11 vs Arc Weapons	54
						Erudite Wit		-1 to enemy SV/FV within 12"		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
						Martial Arts		+1 FV, +1 Speed
						Intuitive		+3 Armour 1st time shot at
Seamus O'Tipple	9	3+	+4	+4	+1	Leadership+1		+1 Initiative		Brigandine	52
						Gunslinger		Can split SV b'tween guns		2 x Pistols +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Marksman (Pistol)		Ignores Target's cover		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
Lofty	9	4+	+2	+5	+1	Tough		+1 Pluck Rolls vs SV and FV		Brigandine	50
						Terrifying		Enemy must make Pluck to attack
						Numb		Ignores 1st hit against him
Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe	9	4+	+4	+3	+1	Duellist		+2 SV vs Single Opponent		Brigandine	46
						Fearless		Ignores Terrifying Opponent		Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
						Impervious		Unaffected by Mystical Powers		Knife - +1 FV/SV, Pluck +0, 6" range
A Minion	9	5+	+3	+2	+0	Medic				Brigandine	18
										Pistol +1SV 9" range, Pluck+0
The Rotten Row Drainers
Coleman	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	16
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
										Large Knife - +1 FV, Pluck -1
Roger	8	5+	+3	+3	+0					Jack	16
										Club - +1 FV, Pluck - 1
										Large Knife - +1 FV, Pluck -1
											252

In Which the Blogger Completes Some Figures

Dr Edgar Octavian Cornelius -
Evil Genius' for a Better Tomorrow

I finally finished up a few figures for Victorian Science Fiction gaming and can now begin detailing my Company for In Her Majesty's Name.

Tentatively, my company is either known as Doctor Cornelius' Company, or Evil Genius' for a Better Tomorrow - a name created by Loren Wiseman but which I've always liked.

Firstly, Doctor Edgar Octavian Cornelius - also known as the Duke of Deviousness, the Midget Mastermind of Marylebone, and the Crown Prince of Crime. With twice the brain power, and half the size, of a normal man, Doctor Cornelius craves power and respect within the society that has mocked his diminutive stature and rejected his aspirations.

Lofty
- Dr Cornelius' Man

Lofty is Doctor Cornelius' Man, his faithful retainer and Majordomo. Immensely tall and strong, Lofty is a man of few words.

Seamus O'Tipple
- Master Gunslinger

Seamus O'Tipple spent time in the South African Gold Fields. While there, he discovered that working security was more lucrative than attempting to scrabble a living out of the pits. A crack shot, he is currently working as Doctor Cornelius' Head of Security.

Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe
- the Prussian Attache

Behind every Evil Genius lurks his mysterious backers. Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe, the Prussian Attache, is ever alert for opportunities to advance the interests of Prussia while hindering those of the other powers, such as Great Britain.

In Doctor Cornelius, the Prussian Imperial Ministry believes it has found a weapon to aim at the heart of Great Britain, while Doctor Cornelius sees the Prussians as useful dupes in his cunning plans.

Feodor  Sonovavich
- Agent of the Okhrana

Doctor Cornelius is not a man to keep all his eggs in one basket, even if he believes that an omelette requires the breaking of some eggs. While Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe has his uses, just recently Doctor Cornelius has been in discussions with Agent Feodor Sonavavich of the dreaded Tsarist Okhrana.

When forced together in social, and other, occasions, Count Otto and Agent Sonovavich tend to approach each other like two tomcats in an alley. Doctor Cornelius can keep them in check, but their mutual cooperation is rather reluctant.

A Minion

Another Minion

Beyond and beneath the personalities of the Company are the people who actually get the job done - the Minions. Faceless, numberless, they have the thankless task of carrying out the bidding of their betters.

Coleman and Roger
- two members of the Rotten Row Drainers

Sometimes, an Evil Genius just needs some muscle to take care of business. Fortunately for Doctor Cornelius, Mr Seamus O'Tipple is a useful person to have around when muscle needs to be recruited. The notorious Rotten Row Drainers are an East End street gang, and Coleman and Roger are two of their heavy hitters.

Doctor Cornelius and his Company

In Which the Blogger Makes Some Painting Progress

Sunday evening, and an opportunity to post an update on my painting progress. While not a huge amount done, I managed to get some fiddly bits completed, which was very satisfying. I also managed to make a start on some clean-up, as well.

The Minions are pretty much done - just need to go around and do a bit of tidy-up. I'm playing around with giving them steel-toed boots but Wikipedia tells me that this type of boot wasn't invented until after World War II.

I haven't got much further with my Okhrana Agent - Feodor Sonovavich - just small touches of colour to his webbing and kit. I need to clean up, and tone down, his moustache and mouth and tidy up the edges of his shoulder harness.

Avanak Efendi is, however, coming along nicely. I seem to have blocked in all the basic colours and I'm starting to get some fiddly bits done, as well.

Here's another angle on Avanak Efendi, this time with Mr O'Tipple. Mr O'Tipple now has a rather fetching green coat, grey trousers, and a dapper red necktie.

And here is a couple of shots of Colonel Count Otto von Horsentrappe. You can see the coloured seam on his jodhpurs, the buttons on his tunic, and his Iron Cross. He now needs a Babadab wash to bring up his eyes and detail on his face and he's pretty much done.

I have been debating slotta bases vs no slotta bases. I only have four figures with slotta bases so I am nerving myself to cutting them free of their slots and mounting all my figures on 30mm Fender washers. This is primarily for safe storage and transport, as I prefer magnetic sheet-lined boxes, but also because I think the company looks better on the same style of base.