Thursday 22 September 2016

The Men Who Would Be Kings

True to their word Amazon delivered my copy of The Men Who Would be Kings today and although I’ve not had the opportunity to fully digest it, I have enjoyed flicking through the pages, looking at the pictures and imagining campaigns in far flung corners of the world.  I am hopeful that this set of rules will lure me back to all things Victorian, my initial jumping off point for this most wholesome of hobbies.
So to mark the day, I had prepared these fine character sculpts in advance.  Available through ‘North Star Military Figures’ this trio will be familiar to those of us that enjoyed John Huston’s 1975 film The Man Who Would Be King.  Based on Rudyard Kipling’s short story of the same name* The Man Who Would Be King charts the exploits of Peachy Carnehan and Danny Dravot as they seek fame and fortune in the wilds of Kafiristan.
*Which I have also recently thoroughly enjoyed rereading.
The trio includes a kukri wielding Rifleman Majendra Bahadur Gurung, more affectionately known as Billy Fish, with the other two characters a nod to Michael Caine and Sean Connery.  This was a pack of miniatures that proved far too difficult to resist when I first saw them and were an absolutely joy to paint. 
Although the demands of the day job continue to prove relentless, there is a sense that a calm will follow the initial storm and perhaps a chance to pick up the brush again. In the meantime I am looking forward to catching up with ‘The Dark Templar’ at the weekend for a game, or two, of Zombicide.
Billy Fish: He wants to know if you are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.

61 comments:

  1. Fabulous work sir! I must get a set of these as the film is one of my all-time favourites.

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    1. Certainly one of my favourites too and made painting the characters all the more fun. It also meant that the film got another viewing.

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  2. I can see why you went for these figures great detail and likness. Great brushwork Sir.

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    1. Thank you Dan, they were too good to pass up.

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  3. I love that movie. And those figures are stunningly well done, old boy! Makes one quite envious.

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    1. Thank you kind Sir, jolly nice of you to say so.

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  4. Great job, i have the figures, as yet unpainted. The rules are fine, but I find they lack that certain sense of daring do and eccentricity that makes us want to fight little wars

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    1. Thank you Martin. Looking forward to having a go with them myself, just need to find some quiet time to get my head around them.

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  5. They look splendid. Nicer than the official paintjobs I reckon.
    I've just finished packing away my first game of TMWWBK (pronounced Tim Wubbuk) that I played Solo against "Mt Babbage". Great fun to get the toys out and it played very easily.
    Tom

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    1. Thank you Tom, what a lovely thing to have said. I enjoyed your report, especially as Mr. Babbage will probably be my first opponent too.

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  6. Very nice sir, I love the quote at the bottom...

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    1. Thank you Sir, certainly one of my favourite lines.

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  7. Fine job, sir. Also fine painted figures, and a great movie IMHO.

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    1. Thank you Jay, it was great to watch it again recently.

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  8. Interested to see how they play, but I probably don't have enough figures at this stage. It does feel like a lots of rule sets being produced at the moment ! Lovely figures.

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    1. Thank you Matt and we certainly seem to be in a golden age of rule sets, just backed another one last night!

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  9. Lovely painting! Looking forward to a Sudan War game with these rules next week.

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    1. Thank you Cyrus, I shall be eagerly awaiting news of the battle.

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  10. Very nice figures! My copy of the rules arrived today as well. Hoping to have a good read through this weekend.

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    1. Thank you Lee, I shall interested to hear what you think.

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  11. Love the painting, love the figures, love the movie, love the story!
    I've been toying with getting TMWWBK too.
    Peter

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    1. Thank you Peter, I seem to have ticked a couple of boxes there! :) It's a reasonably priced addition and the reviews I've read around the Blogosphere seem to be positive.

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  12. Terrific stuff Michael. I own those figures (blame Gordon!!) and now know what I'll be painting as part of Mo'Vember :-)

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    1. Thank you Simon and I'm pretty sure I can blame Gordon for my purchase too. Looking forward to seeing yours later in the year.

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  13. Well done Michael, classic figures for a classic movie!

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  14. Great work! Hopefully we'll get to see some of their adventures with the new rules.

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    1. Thank you Brian and I hope you don't have to wait too long before I get a game under my belt.

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  15. One of my favorite stories! (and movies!) Beautiful work! Very cool!

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  16. Exellent Michael !!!

    Looking forward to the first AAR of theirs adventure.

    Have a greate weekend !

    Mest regards Michael

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    1. Thank you so much Michael, but I have been somewhat distracted by your wonderful slavers!

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  17. Lovely and of course being and Englishman is 2ic to god! Goes without saying really.

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    1. Thank you Clint and certainly one of my favourite lines!

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  18. Very nice good. Hopefully we will see some more Victorian warfare in the future then!

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    1. Thank you Mike, but of course I now need to get through Zomtober and Dinovember!

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  19. Very nice Michael, not a period I've ever tried, but one that looks wonderful on the tabletop.

    Looking forward to this!

    Cheers Roger.

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    1. Thank you Roger, with a bit of luck this might see a resurgence in all things Victorian on the blog.

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  20. Its nice to have your mojo back for a much loved period or setting. Your off to a great start with the trio. They are very nice sculpts and with your usual brushwork brought to life fabulously.

    Have fun playing zombicide!

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    1. Thank you so much Simon. Looking forward to the weekend, just the tonic for a busy week at work.

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  21. Lovely figures Michael, good to see you back in the Victorian era.

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    1. Thank you Dave, but it may be a brief sojourn as Zomtober is looming! ;)

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  22. Wonderful work on these figures Michael!

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  23. Marvellous figures, very evocative of the film.

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  24. Superb job on three fantastic figs!

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  25. Amazing work Michael! I really need to get myself a copy of the rules. I'd love to collect figures from the period, but painting up a whole army is something I just can't see myself doing. Skirmish on the other hand is always a rather nice option :)

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  26. Really great tribute to a great movie!

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  27. Just wonderful...and atmospheric!

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  28. I haven't seen that particular piece of '70s movie goodness yet, but looking at your excellent figures I might change that sorry state of affairs. Terrific paint job on these three fellas Michael!

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  29. Delightfully done, sir! One of my favourite films, too.

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  30. Wonderful figures indeed. And perfectly painted they are!
    I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts about The Men who would be Kings. My copy arrived a couple of days ago as well but I didn't find the time to have a closer look at it.

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  31. How is it that I never heard of the movie before? Me a fan of war movies since I was a wee lad. Silly me. Nicely painted too, sir!

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  32. I am searching for a single toy soldier "dressed" in the uniform from the time of "Peachy Carnahan"; I am helping a friend of mine in the geocaching hobby; please email me if something is available

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