Battlescale - an unashamedly enthusiastic overview

I've made no bones about the fact that if there's one part of the wargaming hobby that I do not enjoy it is scenery and terrain. 

I freely admit that I lack the skills to scratch build my own pieces - and indeed I have no inclination or desire to learn these skills - so what is a wargamer like me to do?

Of course, for 28mm there are plenty of MDF options that provide a cost effective solution for the sceneryphobe... but what about scenery to go with smaller metal peeps? 

My favoured size for non-skirmish gaming is 10mm thanks to the large and varied ranges at places like Pendraken coupled with the ease of storage for forces.  But unless we want to wage war on Planet Bowling Ball we still have that scenery problem don't we?

Well, no... thanks to Battlescale there is a superlative option for 10mm (and 6mm, and 3mm etc.) buildings and scenics.  I first found them when I was looking for some suitable buildings for my Tyrone's Rebellion project (see my previous post for more pics)

I'm sure you'll agree that even with my ham-fisted painting the detail and texture in these pieces makes them really look the part!

I was hooked.  I have since added Timber-Framed and Clapboard buildings for various projects - as well as some Adobe buildings for my Operation Compass games and various pieces for general WW2 games set across North and East Europe.

Battlescale are the first, and so far only, company where I have seen some scenery and then looked to find a project to suit! Let that sink in...as a sceneryphobe I'm not sure I can give higher praise than that! (It's an imagi-nations project making use of the Battlescale Mediterranean buildings by the way).

The buildings, hedges, walls and more that I have from Battlescale - regardless of what era or theatre they are for - are all wonderfully detailed and made with care (honestly, no resin product from anyone in any scale comes anywhere near - and I've had a fair few in my years of wargaming!). 

If you have a need for some scenery at smaller sizes please do consider Battlescale -  I strongly feel that as wargamers and hobbyists we need to offer our support and custom to those smaller companies putting out top-quality products for our wonderful shared hobby, and I can think of no higher quality than Battlescale.

NB I'm not on the payroll of Battlescale - I'm just a very very happy customer that felt like waxing lyrical and putting some positivity out there!

Introducing The Great Scone Wars

Long ago, in lands to the South of here, there were two duchies, alike in beauty and bounty. The people of both were happy and friendly which each other, sharing bonds of trade, culture and friendship as long as anyone could remember.

However there began to form a rift between the Grand Duchy of Cournailles and the Great Duchy of Dumnoni - the scholars of modern times have tried hard to find the reason for the growing tensions between the once peaceful neighbours, but have only found evidence of a great disagreement in some fundamental belief that was unique to the two Duchies.

The Duc of Cournailles, Duc Confiture-Crème was apparently the first to issue a proclamation of war - he could stand the affront of the Dumnonians anymore it seemed.  Duca Panna-Marmaleta would not back down and rallied his troops to his banner.  With both sides prepared to wage bitter war the Great Scone Wars were about to begin.

I felt like doing a little silly Imagi-Nations stuff and ended up going for Lion Rampant (rather than more popular periods for Imagi-Nations).  I quickly determined that I could make up a couple of standard sized LR armies from just a few packs of miniatures from Pendraken's Medieval and TB Line ranges.  I've prepped them for priming and painting, but thought I'd show here the kind of miniatures I'm using.  I've only shown one of each unit type (except the Dukes) as in the bare metal there's no difference between the two Duchies so it wouldn't make the most interesting post!

First the generals - well, the two Dukes in the case of The Great Scone Wars.  These are the Mounted Generals from the Medieval Late European range and seem suitably grandiose!

Both sides feature a unit of Mounted Men-At-Arms (led by their respective Dukes).  Couldn't have this project without some knights!

These are the 14th Century Knights from the Late European range.  The Dukes will bring the number up to the required 6 miniatures of course.

I also got the TB Line European Knights on Foot, which form units of Foot Men-at-Arms in LR.  I've given Cournailles two such units, and Dumnoni gets one:

I added some Peasant Archers from the Late European range.  These I intend to use as units of Bidowers (Cournailles gets one, Dumnoni gets two - which could be combined to form a regular unit of Archers 🤔).

Finally I got some spearmen to function as Foot Serjeants.  These are Spearmen in Padded Jackets and Foot Command both from the Mid European range. I've based these on squares so they can form the Schiltron as per their special rules.

Cournailles gets one of these units, Dumnoni has two.

That brings both side up to the 'standard' 24 points for Lion Rampant, all from four 'full size' packs, one small pack and one tiny pack from Pendraken. Great value for both sides of a game I think!

Really this is just an excuse to have some colourful knights and the like in the collection - I'm planning a more serious take on Lion Rampant using my newly acquired Crusader States expansion book (possibly in 6mm just because 🤔)