Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Coming In 2016: The Rockies Ablaze

 Madame Padre does not trust her instincts when it comes to Christmas presents for her (inexplicably) beloved. She can be quite eccentric in her selections, and sometimes quite pointed.  One Christmas, when I was laggard in painting a few rooms as I had promised, she left me paint rollers and brushes (not the fun, little soldier kind) under the tree.   Hilarious.  This year she was kinder. Get yourself something for me, dear, she said, as she sipped coffee and I sipped my mulled wine.  

After a third mulled wine, I mulled it over and remembered I had once written some fluff for two Bob Murch Pulp figures who would be part of my Weird War Two project.   They were a Canadian couple from the high Rockies who had experience in fighting werewolves.

In my mulled state, I decided that a fine Christmas present would be some more Bob Murch figures to flesh out this exciting backstory of werewolves and how Project Alice developed the expertise to fight them.   I settled on pretty much all of Bob’s Yukon Peril line, sadly with the exception of two fine packs featuring a Mountie and a trapper in canoes.

My figures arrived on Christmas Eve, in Bob’s trademark painstaking and deluxe packaging.  

Hey, it works!

One of the reasons I am a Bob Murch fan is for his tradition of doing a special sculpt for the Movember charity for prostate cancer.   These sculpts are set aside for those who make PC donations.   I have fortunately checked out in that department, the least favourite part of my medical exams, and really really wanted this year’s sculpt, whom Bob calls Captain Krustach.

I think that if I paint his riding trousers blue and his coat red, he will look like an especially swashbuckling Mountie whose hair is just too fantastic to hide beneath the customary Stetson over.  A cousin of Lord Flashheart, perhaps, who joined the RCMP.  He will of course have to be quite blonde in the finest Rick Mayall sense.

I think Krustach will fit in well with this lot, which combines the Sergeant Prestown of the Mounted pack (standing and mounted), his intrepid husky Prince, and the Scarlet Patrol pack.  These Mounties pack a serious amount of firepower, a satisfying combination of Lee Enfields, Winchesters, and Webleys.  I think this is the only horse sculpt Bob sells, BTW.

Various tough Canuck civilians who will be aiding the Mounties. And look, a potential love interest for Prince!  ARF!  Wag wag wag.

These aren’t part of the Yukon Peril Range, but since the Rockies means mountains, then I will need some (PHP 16) Courageous Mountaineers (from the Heroies and Personalities range) to aid Sgt. Prestown.

And of course, bad guys in the form of mad and bad trappers, who will, of course, be able to turn into werewolves. 

It’s just possible that the bad guys may need some auxiliaries in the form of the Zeppelin Troops that Bob also sculpts, but that is Phase 2 or 3 or even 4 of a long project.   I may need a Zeppelin as well, but that’s another story.

So a definitely Canadian theme to my pulp gaming in the year to come.   I wonder who makes 28mm log cabin models?  And do I have enough trees?

Blessings!

MP+

31 comments:

  1. Murch's figures have so much character. Like you, I have a number of the packs which are on my To-Do List. Note, that my first version of the preceding sentence made it sound like YOU were on my To-Do List! Anyway, have fun with the figures!

    On another note, my globe-hopping package to you has returned from its side-trip to Japan and is back in Canadian Customs. Will it ever be seen?

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    1. So it's back in Canada? That's a good start. Mind you, Canada is a big country. It may need Sgt. Prestown and Prince to track it down.
      I don't even know what this is, and I'm excited!

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  2. This looks like it is going to be a huge amount of fun, can't wait for updates.

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  3. I'm sure Nazi spies could be infiltrating the Rockies to recruit Mad trappers and were wolves!
    Looks like a hoot and a half, going to be following this with glee!

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  4. I'm sure Nazi spies could be infiltrating the Rockies to recruit Mad trappers and were wolves!
    Looks like a hoot and a half, going to be following this with glee!

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    1. I am sure a Zeppelin is involved somehow, perhaps coming over the Pole from a secret Nazi base in the Arctic?
      I would love to have something ready by HotLead but that may be overly ambitious.

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  5. Also I'm pretty sure there is historical precedent for Mounties wearing buffalo coats.

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    1. Doubtless. Perhaps leant to them by their Buffalo Gal girlfriends?

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  6. I'm not a fan of non-historical gaming but these sculpts are truly outstanding
    Looking forward to see your brushes in action with these guys

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    1. Benito, I enjoy painting these figures more than any other manufacturer out there. They are so much fun to paint.

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  7. They are rather nice, I'm a convert to his figures thanks to you, my good man!

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    1. They are rather splendid, aren't they. My Santa Clause gift was cleverly calculated to spread Bob's name among the Rejects.

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  8. In Flashheart's style, wouldn't Prince say "Woof!" rather than, "arf" in reference to the furry love interest? :)

    Some super fun characters in this lot. Excited to see what you do with them. Might need a Yeti in there, or a large grizzly too? Rampaging Moose(s)?

    I need to stop, else I'll start buying the damn things for my own collection....

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    1. Woof indeed! Thanks to you I've been researching Yeti and Grizzly Bears and Mooses online. Reaper makes a fine bear and some Dire Wolves. Haven't found a moose yet.

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  9. If you make the setting 1912, the "enemy" could be some dubious types from South of the border looking to cause some Centenary mischief ;)

    I think you chose your Christmas presents from your CO very well :)

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    1. You mean like this, Tamsin? :)
      https://youtu.be/1ub9tLW5Ino

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  10. Michael

    Lovely looking figures - have fun with them. I recommend the Meese from Brigade miniatures, and they also have beavers for the mad trappers to hunt. Our Siberian neither armed nor woofed as they don't bark, only howl.
    Cheers, PD

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    1. Thank you PD. I love the beavers arguing over a dam. I must have them - take my money!

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  11. Nice ones, Padre. The Mounties arrested everyone they could find in our Group's pre-Christmas game.

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    1. Thank you Pastor. They always get their man, don't cha know?

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  12. Really looking forward to seeing these painted.

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    1. Thank you Alan. I think these chaps will put a lot of fun into the new year.

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  13. Those are very decent figures, Michael, well sculpted and finished and full of character as well. They look great even unpainted! The leading fellow does look a whole like Flashheart, don't he?

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    1. Thank you Ion. Yes, they were too good to resist. I look forward to sharing their exploits with you all.

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  14. "Get yourself something for me, dear, she said"

    'For me' or 'From me'? I read the whole post wondering why your wife would want a load of Pulp figures :)

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    1. I agree, KK, the grammar there was a tad confusing.

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  15. Michael a fantastic project, 2016 could well be the season of pulp - I too have a hankering for some thing a little different.
    Happy New Year.
    Stu

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