Manda’s (Amachan) Samurai Warband

I pre-ordered this game or got it directly at launch, which by now has been some time ago. I really didn’t enjoy building these miniatures and thus it was laid to the side. I have every now and then slowly been trying to work on it, but not really motivated to do so.

So now I started to do some more work on this game again and managed to build 7 more miniatures for this game today.

Slowly but surely I’m going to put a bit more focus on building these. However, other projects have priority over this. Since I’m slowly running out of miniatures to paint, building these will help me to keep busy and painting.

I painted and then simply glued some grass on to the 3 model bases for Test of Honour.

I build a couple more ashigaru last night. Most of them are in quite relaxed poses.

During the Hobby Night Live of the 6th of July I got the last 8 models for my Test of Honour starter pack finally built. I was struggling a little bit with finding poses I haven’t used at the end, but they cam together. I have to say that these miniatures are by far not the easiest to assemble.

I have the whole starter set built finally. These are them split in the two clans I will be painting them as. The project will now be on hold until I get to painting them, which will most likely be this year and then I will start with each clan and then take a break before I do the second.

Since I have this set for Test of Honour and until now have still not played the game and have absolutely no one to play with I’m repurposing the starter box for Warlords of Erehwon. I may still be able to use it for Test of Honour, but I’m not focussing on it any more.

So the biggest change is that I’m painting them all as one clan instead of two. This allows me to use it as a warband that looks like they belong together. The clan I’ve chosen is the Shimazu clan to base things off. I will not add any iconography so it will not be bound to being that clan, it’s just the inspiration for the colours. A plan with a colour scheme and what colours I will use will follow shortly.

The base colour for the armour plates will be Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862) where the lacing on the armour (where visible) will be for the majority Vallejo Model Color Deep Green (70.970) with some accents of Vallejo Model Color Vermillion (70.909) on the Samurai to make them stand out a bit. Any decorative bits will be painted with Vallejo Game Color Polished Gold (72.055). The armour has all been issued by their lord so should look similar between models. I will not add any iconography to the armour, this is a personal choice.

For the Sashimomo (banner/flag) I’m going to use Vallejo Model Color Golden Olive (70.857) for the main bit and Vallejo Model Air White Grey (71.119) for the bits attaching it to the wooden frame. I will not add any iconography to the Sashimomo, this is a personal choice.

For the fabrics the Ashigaru are wearing I will use the following chart and roll a D10 for the upper and lower clothes. So they will all look unique since they didn’t particularly have uniforms. For the Samurai I will hand pick the colours I want and they may not necessarily from this chart.

1. Vallejo Model Color Golden Olive (70.857)
2. Vallejo Model Color Pale Blue (70.906)
3. Vallejo Panzer Aces Light Mud (70.315)
4. Vallejo Model Color Medium Sea Grey (70.870)
5. Vallejo Model Color Beige (70.917)
6. Vallejo Game Color Goblin Green (72.030)
7. Vallejo Model Color Desert Yellow (70.977)
8. Vallejo Model Color Azure (70.902)
9. Vallejo Game Color Beasty Brown (72.043)
10. Vallejo Model Air USN Sea Blue (71.295)

For the Hachimaki (headband), Uwa-obi (sash/belt) and the white cloth hanging from the Jingasa (hat/light helmet) will be painted with Vallejo Model Air White Grey (71.119)

The Tabi (socks) I will paint with Vallejo Model Air Aged White (71.132) and the Waraji (sandals) with Vallejo Panzer Aces Old Wood (70.310).

For the metal bits on the weapons I will use a base coat of Vallejo Metal Color Burnt Iron (77.721) with a drybrush of Vallejo Model Air Steel (71.065). Any decorative bits will be painted with Vallejo Game Color Polished Gold (72.055).

The main body for the Yumi (bow) is lacquered wood and I will paint it Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862) and the binding or straw bits on it will be painted Vallejo Panzer Aces Old Wood (70.310).

For the rest of the lacquered wood I will use a combination of Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862) & Vallejo Model Color Flat Red (70.957) in different situations to add some variety.

Non-lacquered wood I will paint with Vallejo Model Color Mahogany Brown (70.846).

For the grips of the Katana (and all other bladed weapons with a similar grip) I will again use a random table, this time based on a D6. For the Samurai I may hand pick the colours like I would with the fabrics.

1. Vallejo Model Color Deep Green (70.970)
2. Vallejo Model Color Vermillion (70.909)
3. Vallejo Model Color Dark Blue (70.930)
4. Vallejo Model Color Black Grey (70.862)
5. Vallejo Model Color Sand Yellow (70.916)
6. Vallejo Model Color Golden Olive (70.857)

For the basing I will use a base coat of Vallejo Panzer Aces Dark Mud (70.316) and than add a coat of Vallejo Earth Texture Dark Earth (26.218) on the top. While this last coat is still wet I add a couple of tufts, maybe a log or a rock and then lightly sprinkle some static grass over it. This will make a bit of a worn summer/spring like battlefield look.

My sources for this colour scheme is a combination of the Ashigaru 1467-1649 book from Osprey Publishing and some screenshots for the Shimazu clan from Total War: Shogun 2 with the Alternative Clan Colours mod installed. Links in the list to the mod and the book below. And further down are the screenshots I used for reference.

I made a start on some of the samurai from the Test of Honour plastic starter set originally produced by Warlord Games.

I made more progress on some of the samurai from the Test of Honour plastic starter set originally produced by Warlord Games. I’m really not happy with their faces and not sure what to do to fix it. The sculpts aren’t that good in my opinion.

I made a start on 3 more samurai from the Test of Honour starter set originally produced by Warlord Games. I have decided to leave the other 3 where they are as I think they’re fine for tabletop and I don’t want to repaint faces hundreds of times to get them perfect.

I made more progress on these 3 samurai from the Test of Honour starter set originally produced by Warlord Games.

I made more progress on these 3 samurai from the Test of Honour starter set originally produced by Warlord Games, just a varnish & some finishing touches left.

I made a start on 3 Yumi Ashigaru.

All the plastic samurai are finished. These are from the Test of Honour plastic starter set originally produced by Warlord Games.

This unarmoured samurai which was released as a pre-order/launchday order exclusive for the original Test of Honour starter set produced by Warlord Games is now finished.

More progress on these 3 Yumi Ashigaru, just waiting until things dry and then it’s just basing and varnishes left.

3 more Yumi Ashigaru drying and waiting to get their bases done.

All 6 Yumi Ashigaru are finished and they have obviously stopped by their local Red Rocket Truck Stop because I don’t have any fantasy scenery yet.

That is 3 Teppou Ashigaru ready for basing when dry.

I made a start on 3 more Teppou Ashigaru.