Over the past ten months, I’ve been continuing to work on our rules for “...with Flashing Blades”, and also have been exploring a quite different version of those rules which is set in Tokugawa Japan. The rules are tentatively called “When the Last Sword is Drawn” - maybe a bit of a mouthful, but based on a wonderful Japanese movie from 2002.
Whatever the rules end up finally being called, the core theme of the skirmish wargame is gaining honour by faithfully serving a Daimyo, Lord or Lady through a series of skirmishes and other conflicts. Other themes have also appeared during the games we have played: deceptive appearances, family obligations, imagined slights and vicious revenge.
I’ve really enjoyed the journey so far of creating another small-scale game which is a really interesting counterpoint to “...with Flashing Blades”. Certain common rules mechanisms appear in both sets of rules, but the themes are quite distinct and the two games play differently. For example, the swordplay in the Japanese version game is deadlier than “...with Flashing Blades”, which I feel fits the environment in which protagonists are fighting with razor-sharp katanas at close quarters.
I’ve also enjoyed rekindling a fascination and love for wargames with a historical and legendary Japanese background. It’s been fifteen years since I last painted up figures for this theme, and returning to paint noble samurai, disgraced ronin and wandering rikishi has been a sheer delight.
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I hope to share more images of “When the Last Sword is Drawn” here, on the Blog, in the next few weeks. This blog has been neglected for the last year and a half, mainly as I’ve been been working on “...with Flashing Blades” and “When the Last Sword is Drawn” - painting figures, creating terrain, and also taking the games around to friends’ houses, various games days and smaller wargames shows. However, I have very much missed blogging and sharing ideas here. Although I think Twitter is a useful social media for keeping in touch with wargaming (and other) friends, I do struggle to keep track of older postings. Blogging seems a lot easier in that regard.
So, with the New Year around the corner, I’ll leave you all with some images of the figures I've painted and games of “When the Last Sword is Drawn” we enjoyed in 2022.
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Welcome back. An interesting project alright
ReplyDeleteThanks Dave! Good to be back!
DeleteIt's nice to have you back, Sidney. Your blog has inspired me to start many a new project. I anxiously await the arrival of either -- or both -- rulesets.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much! I'm pleased to be helping to contribute to those projects - thank you!!
DeleteFantastic looking figures and scenery and the game itself sounds quite interesting - something I can see myself being tempted to try when the rules are released!
ReplyDeleteThank you - that's very kind. More details to come, here, in due course, I hope!
DeleteIt's good to have news here on the blog and a chance to say thank you for the Advent calendar. Of the three sets - cowboy, flashing blade and samurai - I am looking forward to flashing blades most - but all are tempting. I look forward to more posts and wish you a Happy and Productive New Year
ReplyDeleteStephen
Thanks, your Grace! And thanks for the kind words on the TooFatLardies advent calendar! I should add (and apologies for not mentioning on the blog post above), that "...with Flashing Blades" is a lot more advanced than the Japanese version. And "What a Cowboy" is about to be published (I think Richard mentioned in February or March, 2023). Thanks for your best wishes for the New Year - and the very same to you!
DeleteSuperb and VERY immersive!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much, Phil !
DeleteWhatever the title these rules sound amazing. The Japanese Shogunate makes for a superb setting. Can't wait to see what comes next.
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, Ashley! More to come in due course, but yes - I thought the Tokugawa Shogunate in the Edo period was a really good time period to set the game. Thanks again!
DeleteI'm really looking forward to this. Cant wait to see more, painting up figures and building a board. Keep blogging. I've dropped out of the habit as well, new years resolution for more blogging?
ReplyDeleteThanks Col - New Year's resolution to blog more, for sure!! It's far too easy to drop out of the habit.
DeleteBeautifully painted toys Sidney…
ReplyDeleteAnd… for me… a real blast from the past, because some of your Samurai were the first figures I ever made for Citadel Miniatures… well over thirty years ago 😱.
All the best. Aly
Thank you so much for commenting on the blog, Aly!! I have loved painting these figures so much. They're a real blast from the past, for sure, but they're really characterful. Every one of them looks like they have strolled out of a woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, Kunichika or Utamaro. Just wonderful sculptures - thank you! I've got a few more to work through and paint, so...more blasts from the past coming soon.
DeleteI'm not sure your conclusions about deadlyness are accurate-i seem to recall something about duels in 17th century France having a greater than 50% mortality rate! That said, it doesn't in Dumas!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much!! I shall definitely investigate further! Dumas is such fun - but, as you say, not sure how historical the novels are. There's definitely a blog post to be written about the role and lethality of duelling in early 17th Century France - another resolution for 2023, I think! Thanks again!
DeleteI got very excited by this after viewing the game on Facebook (lardies one?) from a convention, and now you’ve given us more. It looks so pretty, I have to admit the premise for flashing blades doesn’t do it for me. I have a few figures and scenery, for the edo period finding I didn’t like “test of honour” bleurgh, after doing my usual of not sampling first and going ooh I like the look of it, quick buy loads of stuff! :) I should be able to sell this to my pals, it being a lardie game (synonymous with quality). Roll on Babycart and monkey :)
ReplyDeleteThanks very much, indeed!! I've taken the game around to various shows and games days during 2022 - so the photos might have been from Lard Workshop/ Britcon in August or Antwerp in November. There's a fair way to go with development, but I'll keep this blog updated more frequently going forward - both regarding the Japanese & Samurai, and the Musketeer versions. Thanks again for the kind comments!
DeleteOoooh, very interesting project. I've just started to get into Test of Honour so I'll look forward to seeing how this develops.
ReplyDeleteGood to see your endeavours on WTLSID reach your blog!
ReplyDelete