From PeteF: Sam-mew-rai Warband (30 points)

Almost 2 years ago I was introduced to Warlord's Test of Honour at a gaming convention. The game's host put in a ton of effort that added atmosphere and enjoyment to the game - flickering tealights in the buildings, coloured stones in a rice bowl for activations (instead of cardboard counters in a bag), beautiful Japanese buildings and he gifted a professionally painted samurai figure to participants.

I was hooked - and even though I had no opponent a Test of Honour box was on its way to my gaming table to my Shelf of Shame, where it resided until the beginning of Challenge IX. My cunning plan was to persuade my son to be my opponent (as I write an anguished cry of "How many rules ARE there????" emanates from the living room) by painting up a clan with a theme around something he likes. And he likes cats - this one in particular, who serves as inspurration for the colour scheme.

Anyway - here is the beginnings of an Imagi-Nation Cat Clan unknown to actual hisstory.

Their boss, a fearsome Samewrai, is armed with a deadly Catana.

Scratch Built

These purrfectly poised Ashigarmew (that's enough! Ed) are three to a base and operate as a team.

The starter warband is rounded out by a pair of bow armed Ashigaru.

Bowmen paws for a shot at their enemies

Normally I get the Osprey, ask questions online and count buttons so it was a fun departure to paint something ahistorical. I discovered that Samurai only armoured up for big battles - so in any case the idea of a skirmish between armoured Samurai clans is unrealistic - a skirmish between the Cat Clan and their yet to be painted mortal enemies (ideas for a theme welcomed) doubly so.

The "loyal spearman" are Furmidable Opponents

We'll see how the teenager's introduction to a skirmish game goes. I fear Fortnite is too much competition. I noticed that Test of Honour is on Warlord's clearance list so maybe the game didn't catch on - there is always Osprey's Ronin  to fall back on - it looks like an interesting ruleset.

In case you think painting a few cat mons is a bit eccentric then consider civil war tails - a gettysburg diorama in which the soldiers are cats.

In their first game they lost by a whisker and the leader needed the first aid kit

6 x 28mm infantry (all from Warlord/Wargames Factory) for 30 points and 1 squirrel point for Sam-mew-rai (I said ENOUGH).

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Samurai miniatures have always fascinated me, though I fear I lack the patience for all the intricate work the armor entails. Even the slashes and puffs of Landsknechts are a bit much for me. A samurai skirmish game sounds interesting, though I wonder if they lack the visual appeal you get en masse.

Speaking of crewel and unusual punnishment . . .  

Bosun, trice up the gratings, get the cat o' nine tails out of the bag, call all Challengers to the mast to witness punishment!

I said a cat o' nine tails, not a fluffy fox! Who do you think you are, Bosun? The Spanish Inquisition and their comfy chairs?  

Very well, give that man thirty points, and put your back into it!