"How do you handle your "bad guys" in your "imagi-nation."" Topic

This question refers ONLY to Imagi-nations and does not wish to deal into philosophical questions of morality in war or out of it or in the matter of international relations. That is, it is not concerned with "The Just War" or "Justice in War." I have restricted it ONLY to the formulations players make in constructing their Imagi-Nation Armies.

Second it refers in NO sense to the abilities and powers of the armies themselves on the table top.

In any scheme, there will be a "good guy" who you like to command and which is "the apple of your eye" in your imagi-nation world, and their opponents,-- the "bad guys."

1. How do you handle painting the units of the "bad guys?" Do you paint the units of the "good guys first" and leave the bad guys for last?

I find if I do this the bad guys don't get painted too much or as much detail so I paint the bad guys first.

2. Do you ever switch units between the armies? That is move units from the bad guys to the good guys or vice versa depending on what you think works better from time to time.

I do this as I can and whim moves me, but I put a lot of codification and structure to my forces, and as "the good guys" are in pink coats, I can't move them to the bad guys force who are in blue. But I do switch around as needed.

3. Do you ever "draft" units from other armies and periods to do duty with your Imagi-Nation Army.

I do this all the time. For example, I use my Empire of Ikea Army (Turkish, 16th century) to do double duty with my Turkish 18th century army as needed. A Spahi is a Spahi and a Bashi Bazook is a soak off whatever century it is.

4. Do you "appropriate" miniatures from other periods whole hog.

I do this all the time. I have a unit of Chevalier Guards in my 18th Century Imagi-Nation of Gulagia (it's capitol is Gullagin's Island) and itsa a conversion of Early 18th century Cuirrassiers with the enormous wings of Polish Winged Hussars. Chasseur a cheval of the Napoleonic period serve well as busbied hussars, and so forth.

5. Do you make certain rules and procedures for your armies. That is, common standards and colors for your units etc.

6. How "bad" do you make "the bad guys" in the set up. That is, how evil do you allow them to get.

For me such things usually wind up in high satire or low burlesque- evil is lampooned and if for example, I had an Imagi-Nation which represented the Third Reich, the result would be more similar to Mel Brooks than William Shirer. That is, it would look ore like "the Three Stooges" in "I'll never heil again." For example my Turkish Army never goes beyond the bellowings of Osmin in "Abduction from the Seraglio" or the absurd leerings of The Bey of Algiers in "L' Italiana I Algherie."

7.How do you compose your scenarios for the use of your Imagi-nation Army. Are you more like Peter Young or Charles Grant? That is do you make it straight historical, or do you play with it like Grant did in his Elector and Emperor games (tales of abducted princess etc.,)

For me it's always the latter. I scour comic operas for the best and most silly plots to pitch a game on.

8. In your rules do you allow for dramatics. That is give rewards for a witty bon-mot or epigram that cracks up the crowd, or some part of over the top buffoonery enacted in the play of the game? For example, at one game one of the players had his officer figure killed. He then launched into this absolutely over-the-top impromptu death scene were he carried on with every last dying word he could muster, slowly sinking to the floor and festooned with all the hyperbole and carpet chewing you could imagine (and all done in an outrageous accent) such that he had the whole crowd in stitches. I ruled as the umpire that the only thing that was worthy of such a death scene was his glorious resurrection! As he had been hit by a load of double canister it was glorious indeed!

9. Do you ever make parody units? That is units that parody their real life counterparts?

To take a Real World™ analogy, I take much more care painting my British and Hessians than my Continentals.

My Imaginations armies are for a campaign with the various countries commanded by guys from the local gaming club, so not too much emphasis on the "bad guys" – I guess the most logical candidate would be the Imagination of Brandenburg, which is a Prussian-style country that started the war by invading a small neighbour – that army is essentially my historical SYW Prussian and Hessian armies together, and I must admit I take a lot of pride in how I paint them

I do plan, however, on using a lot of dramatics

I also have freely lifted units from other periods for the Imaginations – for example, the Ancien Regime (French) have Napoleonic cuirassiers while the Electorate of Hanover (Brits) have Thirty Years War cavalry

Greetings

1. Painting – same effort (not done much yet)
2. Switching – not unless they are troops whose contract has expired
3. Drafting – yes will do in due course
4. Appropriating – some AWI jaegers for mid-late 750s
5. Common features – based on historical armies so yes
6. Bad guys – I may hanker after one side but it is all politics – there may be bigger bad guys 'off screen'
7. Scenarios – I would intend to use reworked CS Grant generic scenarios
8. Drama – for generals or key characters
9. Parody – no

Regards

Edward

Neither of my imagi-nations armies are the bad guys, they are just two minor countries trying to survive. One is a French-speaking principality and the other is a German-speaking nation, but they both have the same place in my hierarchy of interests.

This is war sir, not pantomime!

My Imagi-Nation is the protagonist, Spain is the primary antagonist. They will both get equal treatment. As will the New World jungle tribes and dinosaurs…

My Imaginations stuff is set in roughly 1960s-70s Africa involving a dictator and a communist revolutionary element. I use figs from WWII through the Cold War to represent various unit types and abilities. I generally put the same effort into all of my painting.

I have thought about Napoleonic era Imaginations using whatever 54mm plastics strike my fancy, but I have not done anything with it. I envision two minor states fighting over something silly, like the exclusive control of a cheese recipe or the long ago theft of The Great Wheel of Cheese. I would probably paint these in a simple toy soldier style.

I retired a couple of years ago, I have been painting a number units based on "Charge" for inspiration. At the moment, no good or bad guys and the units will be on either side of my Little War. Units so far – Garrison SYW Prussian inafntry, Dixon FWI British infantry and rangers, Revell SYW Austrian dragoons, infantry and artillery (with Lancer French cannons), Zvezda GNW Swedish artillery, Minifigs Napoleonic Spanish infantry, Hinchliffe AWI infantry. I have just finished a squadron of League of Augsburg Enthusiastic Cavalry Troopers as freebooters. I am to start Perry AWI Hessians with amusettes, colours as yet undecided. I want to do Ottomans. I love the freedon that inagi-nation armies have given me.

I painted my SYW Russians as the Grand Duchy of Litharus. A blending of Lithuania and Belarus. They carry their own flags but fight Prussia (Germania) as distant allies of Franch (Gallia) and others. Locally I have attempted to recruit someone to paint up their own army to fight me and develop a storyline for blogging and such. Thus far there has been talk but somehow Imagi-Nation stuff gets easily pushed aside by more mainstream pursuits. So it will happen in the full goodness of time and we really won't worry about who is good or bad.

It would seem to me that parody would be the all pervasive aspect of Imagi-Nations. If you're not doing it for humor, why then? Every unit in the army has a parody name and every leader one as well. So do the states.

Even the units are parodies. Like my "Turkish" Army (that of the Empire of Ikea with its leader Sha Na-Na has it's Bennenjerries (Janissaries) in the colors of sherbert and each has a specially converted one-man band (carrying drum, triangles cymbals between his knees, trompone, trumpet, xylophone, accordian, tuba clarinet, and vuvuzela horn.

The Personal Guard of the Princess of Saxe Burlap und Schleswig Beerstein is a regiment of female figures called "The Winged Hussars" (their nickname is "Hell's Belles" and they areclad entirely in white with pink lacing, and the "wings" are in the form of stuffed parrots on the pelisse on their shoulders. If I ever raise a second unit I'll put them in pink with white trim and the bird will be a toucan on top of a perch on a pole with a cross-arm on the mirliton.

There is the Regiment Alt McDonald with various farm animals in wreaths on the standard, the Royal Marines (Regiment Floatsam und Jetzam, with an NCo Pushing a washing tub converted to a wheel barrow with a seal in it (the regimental mascot)

And the characters… The Princess of Saxe-Burlap und Schleswig beerstein is an 18th century valley girl interested only in boys,clothes, shoes, boys, dresses, jewelry, boys, and boy toys. The Shah of Ikea is a morose, complaining, despairing, pessimist who never sees the bright side, and drives everyone nuts with his constantly despariing rant of hopelessness such that everyone in the court goes looking for the Mutes with bowstrings, except his faithful wife Hazerei, who is deaf. There's the Empress of Gulagia, the Russian style of country, who's a perky chipper, happy little dumpling who bakes cookies and cakes and tuna noodle hot-dishes and all sorts of comfort food so they can face the next day and not despair. Of course they're all quite overweight… And there's the Grand Duke of the Grand Duchy of Gorgonzola who'se mad as a hatter, (in fact I envision him AS the Mad hatter with the voice of Jerry Collona who "collects" titles and crowns, and styles himself Grand Doge of Venice King of the Three Sicillies, Duke of Athens, Pharoh of Egypt, Emperor China, Grand Shofet of Carthage, and Grand Oyah of Atlantis.

Imagi-nations seems to mandate pantomime and mummery.

My Villains are just as important- even more so sometimes in terms of detail. I spent equal if not a bit more time on Baron Bomburst's Evil robot army as I did the British "old Brassers" grenadiers.

This is the thing I love about imagination- you really find your inner child and just run with it!
Great topic, cheers
Thomas
skullandcrown.blogspot.com

Dear Skull and Crown.

Checked out your blog. Fell off my chair laughing at why ships are always called "she".

By the way I could not help noticing your ships seem to be homebuilt. We have a guy in our group who makes all his shisp the same way for his 18th Century "Jingoes of the Sea" game which he's won several "Off the table modelling Awards for at out "The Weekend" Convention! Would you mind if I passed on your blog to him?

He also makes his won space ships out of wood, wire, straw and so forth, and modern ships as well.

I agree with your inner child and have run away to never never land with it!

Of course in that never-never-land Wendy dearest is a little more curvy…

People ask me why I make everything ridiculous in my Imagi-Nztions. The reason is simple. It's a ridiculoous hobby, war is ridiculous, and ridiculous are much more interesting that straight laced ones, and in the end, I am ridiculous.

My dear Mr. Ottoathome,
By all means, my blog is for sharing! Please to send me his blog or pics of your and his work as well.

We have a saying in my Wooden Wars games when a unit gets particularly clobbered by a bounding rubber ball. " Oh the Woodemanity!"

Always glad to find kindred spirits,many of whom are found dancing about here in the Sanctums of the TMP forums.

Cheers!
Thomas

Dear Thomas.

Thanks! I have posted the blog on my list "Society of Daisy: a group devoted to promoting humor and whimsy in the game."

I was amazed to see your blog. You do EXACTLY what one of our members does, which is make big ship models out of home built materials. Gary Richards, the guy I refer to lives in Wisconsin and he has won several awards at our conventions, "the Weekend" held in Lancaster PA in June, and also at Cold Wars and Fall in a few years ago. The contests are the "Off the Table Modelling Contest" and the "Off the table painting contest." These are not for fine painted dioramas or presentation models or figures, but for models, figures, terrain and the like that is USED in games and has presence. We don't care if a bayonet is missing here or there, or it has a ding or a dimple, but if they just look "Cool."

As I said I was astounded that you, independently, have done the same thing.

I also compliment you on the use of the "Wooden" Napoleonics. I use "wooden" soldiers in my Civil War Battles, the old Woodens from Windcatcher Graphics. I'm also making my own figures out of wood by laminating artwork onto them. Still working on that.

Anyway, good job and many compliments on your fine work.

Otto

In English water-borne vessels have been assigned the feminine pronoun (she); in Russian the masculine (he). Still, a boat is so much like a woman – the riggin' cost more 'n the hull. 8-)
Down to cases . . .

Painting – No favoritism.

Switching – It's UGA or "WAR EAGLE!". No, I am not from Georgia.

Common Features – Musket stocks are a pretty brown on both sides.

Bad Guys – "Bad guy" is a relative term, so is "Good guy".

Scenarios – These are self-generating. I use Featherstone's "War Game Campaigns" for all such "administrative" hoo-haa.

Drama – Of course! One side has the Crown Princess Charlotte; the other, side Duke James who both take their "Colonel-in-Chief" duties a little bit tooooo seriously. She is a stuck-up little drama queen who likes to ride horses and flirt with cute young officers. He attended the Military Academy and was "allowed" to graduate but never assigned to a regiment (Ahem . . . .). You get the idea.

Parody – Seriously? 8-)

In speaking of this I have often had difficulty in creating a truly "bad" character. That is, someone who is truly evil. He always winds up being a burlesque paradoy like Baron Ochs in Die Rosenkavalier. It's hard creating a truly "evil" character .

Otto: think Harvey Korman in Blazing Saddles for your truly bad guy.

"In speaking of this I have often had difficulty in creating a truly "bad" character. That is, someone who is truly evil. He always winds up being a burlesque paradoy like Baron Ochs in Die Rosenkavalier. It's hard creating a truly "evil" character ."

Why of course sir, tis the age of reason after all. Let us be reasonable!

1. How do you handle painting the units of the "bad guys?" Do you paint the units of the "good guys first" and leave the bad guys for last?
I'm trying to switch off by unit, but may end up painting one whole army first.
I imagine they will be about equal in quality, which isn't saying much with my painting abilities

2. Do you ever switch units between the armies?
I hadn't thought of it, but would have no reservation in doing so.

3. Do you ever "draft" units from other armies and periods to do duty with your Imagi-Nation Army.
Not at this time, but again, no issue in doing so should the need/whim arise

4. Do you "appropriate" miniatures from other periods whole hog.
I'm thinking of using the wonderful perry miniatures hussars for my project.

5. Do you make certain rules and procedures for your armies. That is, common standards and colors for your units etc.
My imaginations army(s) are based off WSS French/British, but in imagination duty they will have a "theme" or "flavor" if you will.

6. How "bad" do you make "the bad guys" in the set up. That is, how evil do you allow them to get.
I suppose that there are no "bad" guys as of yet. I am using (with permission) the food parody, but if I had to guess I would say the Wineish(British) aka my army are the more bad of the two. They are all composed of upstanding knightly noblemen whom would never do the dastardly thing, as opposed to the Fromage whom are more of the literary "foreign Jonny" in action, but alas the poor Fromage were minding their own business tending their dairy farms when the Earl of Porte decided that his fermented beverages needed an accompaniment and marched off to "liberate" it…

7.How do you compose your scenarios for the use of your Imagi-nation Army. Are you more like Peter Young or Charles Grant? That is do you make it straight historical, or do you play with it like Grant did in his Elector and Emperor games (tales of abducted princess etc.,)
So far just generic scenario ideas. should I ever get enough stuff done, Grant will be the way to go for sure.

8. In your rules do you allow for dramatics. That is give rewards for a witty bon-mot or epigram that cracks up the crowd, or some part of over the top buffoonery enacted in the play of the game? For example, at one game one of the players had his officer figure killed. He then launched into this absolutely over-the-top impromptu death scene were he carried on with every last dying word he could muster, slowly sinking to the floor and festooned with all the hyperbole and carpet chewing you could imagine (and all done in an outrageous accent) such that he had the whole crowd in stitches. I ruled as the umpire that the only thing that was worthy of such a death scene was his glorious resurrection! As he had been hit by a load of double canister it was glorious indeed!
not only allowed but encouraged!

9. Do you ever make parody units? That is units that parody their real life counterparts?
I suppose that the whole army is a parody unit, as they will be doing double duty in historical games…

~Joe