Wild West – Fistful of Lead, gallows, houses, outhouses and more

We’ve started a Wild West campaign at the club using the Fistful of Lead rules. They are really easy to learn, but not in any way simple. Two games in and we are really enjoying ourselves and the carnage that inevitably ensues.

The games inspired me to finish some figures, print some suitable stuff on the 3D-printer and go over the houses I already have and improve them somewhat.

First off is the gallows. I assembled and painted one from 4Ground a while ago, and now I dirtied it up with a wash. Nothing much but it does make it fit in with what other stuff we have at the club. Let’s say it’s a bit of a grimdark past.

I also had some unpainted crew and…customers… for the gallows, and they got a quick brush-job. Beside the gallows is a blacksmith from Shadows of Brimstone.

Next were some houses from Renedra, the American Church and a Farmhouse. They were also already painted and assembled, but got a couple of washes to look worn down.

One thing that is usually sadly missing when it comes to Western towns in 28mm scale, is outhouses. There ought to be quite a few of them and they do present some excellent cover.

I had a build but unpainted one from 4Ground (I think) that got a paintjob and a wash making it look…lived in… or well used. I think this will belong to the Saloon…

Then I printed two small shacks from Hayland Terrain. One is a sturdy shack, maybe filled with dynamite, and the other a conventional outhouse.

On top of that I also finished a couple of wagons, crates and some other small stuff.

Finally some photos of the last two games. The heroes are Killer Kim's Killers, a gang of kind-hearted desperados that love kittens and help old ladies cross the streets (preferably in cover behind them).

Killer Kim (in brown trenchcoat), and his gang - Fast Freddie, Rifle Rich, Shotgun Shaun (RIP in the first game) and Hatless Harry.

A huge shoor-out with the Castroulle Bunch. They were more or less slaughtered which was very satisfactory. For my part most of the game was a big shoot-out more or less centred around the barn in the background.

Second game - Rob the Coach. Two gangs try to rob the coach and one tries to defend it.

Jeppan manages to secure the coach in the end, and gets all the loot. But I get to shoot a lot of people and feel rather satsified.

Read of the first game here. It is of course filled with lies, but it will have to work.

Another game tonight. Should I go for a sneaky game and actually get some loot or the usual all guns blazing approach? Hmm, brawn or brains?

I think I know the answer to that…

American Church from Perry/Renedra

Another building ready for Dead Man’s Hand, this time it’s the American Church from Perry Miniatures/Renedra.

A nice little kit that gives you a really useful building.

Only the store left now of the Perry houses.

North American Cabin from Perry Miniatures/Renedra

I’m trying to finish all Old West minis and buildings to finally get a game of Dead Man’s Hand in.

This is one of three Perry/Renedra buildings that I already had assembled and at last has started to paint. Fist one finished and good enough for a piece of scenery.

It is a bit small compared to my Black Scorpion 32 mm figures, unfortunately. Nothing much to do about that, though, but I guess I have to keep it a bit separate from my 4Ground houses. 

28mm Ramshackle Barn by Renedra

This ramshackle barn in 28mm comes from Renedra. Very easy to assemble, the main house is just six pieces, and the lean-to another four. Also in the kit is two ladders, two pitch forks and a cart wheel.

A quick paint-job to get it on the table as fast as possible. It will see action in our Dead Man's Hand games, and maybe elsewhere. 

My usual wood recipe – Vallejo 843 Cork Brown, washed with Army Painter Strong Wash and drybrushed with 912 Tan Yellow.

Hinges 863 Gunmetal Grey washed with Strong Tone and ropes some tan colour also washed with strong Tone.

Adventurers’ campsite from Otherworld and some similar stuff

Another useful kit from Otherworld Miniatures - ACC5 Adventurers’ Campsite. It’s a bit pricey (£14) but rather useful. The tent is resin, and the rest metal.

I’ll skip the paints this time, except for the flames.

First time I tried to paint flames, and it turned out ok, I guess.

First a coat of Vallejo 948 Golden Yellow. I then mixed 948 with Citadel Foundation Macharius Solar Orange, and painted the raised areas progressively darker. Also darker the higher up you came.  Finally drybrushed black on the top of the flames.

I'll try a bit of white in the hottest areas next time.

When I was at it, I rummaged through my collection of unpainted stuff and found a campfire from Renedra and their tent sets, and a fire pot from Reaper and included in the pack “Vaaron, Fire Sorcerer” (02561). Finished those too.

28mm fences from Renedra

Bar fencing from Renedra. They’ve got several different types of fences, gravestones, tents, houses, bases etc. Really nice stuff.

Needed some trimming of mould lines, but that was easy with a scalpel.

Paints used:

Vallejo Panzer Aces 310 Old Wood – basecoat

Citadel Devlan Mud – wash

Vallejo 976 Buff – drybrush 

Highly recommended for fast results.

28mm gravestones from Renedra

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More Renedra stuff, this time gravestones in 28 mm. Painted with assorted beige and grey colours. Coated with Armypainter dip strong tone and a coat of matte varnish over that.
I based them on FOW-bases and sculpted mounds with filler. The usual brown sand/paint mix as earth and static grass on top. Got myself a grave yard.
The first zombie has risen, a local nun fed up with cricket (not to mention shotguns). Hero from Hasslefree and nun from Cold War Miniatures.
The solar clock, left in front, is from Black Scorpion.

28mm tents from Renedra

I visited Renedra to buy some bases, they have quite a selection at descent prices. But a few packets of bases turned into a box of stuff. They do have quite a lot of useful things…

These tents, £7 for the lot, will serve well in my D&D campaign, and they can come in handy in a lot of other 28mm games as well, both SF, fantasy and modern. Also in the kit was a small camp-fire.
I wanted to try out different colours for the tent fabric, to see what turned out the best. All were base-coated and the tent-pins were painted with Vallejo Cork Brown, everything coated with Army Painter Strong Tone varnish and given a final coat of matt varnish.

Large tent – open: Basecoat Vallejo 976 Buff
Large tent – closed: V 819 Sand
Small tent – open: Humbrol 103 Cream
Small tent – closed: V 918 Ivory
Circular tent – open: V 971 Green Grey
Circular tent – closed: V 917 Beige
Bunks: V 918 Ivory
The best? Well, I’m rather satisfied with the differences.

One small criticism is that the tents were moulded in a dark grey plastic, a lighter one would have been better to avoid so many layers of basecoat.

Ah, what a glorious morning.

All in all a very good buy.