The McSewer Wappinshaw

Hello again.

A week or so ago, the doughty Scobie McSewer appeared on his errand to raise the clans to battle, venturing over hills and down valleys, his burning cross a beacon in the night calling all fit and armed souls to the cause of Strath Clota.

Following their brother's lead, the remaining McSewers have come out of croft and glen to make merry, raise hell and generally be as troublesome as possible to those poor, unsuspecting, weak at the knees southerners in Northymbra. After all, why would you not? They have more money, they have more food, they have more comfortable and warm places to live and envy is a powerful motivation. Just look at the ravings of the SNP and Corbyn's Labour for proof of that!

Politics aside, for this is just a game you know, the more murderous elements of Strath Clotan society like a good scrap and like it even more if there is a prize at the end of it and a few tails to tell, the taller said tales are the better. So, Scobie's three brothers are here, Shughie, Sorley and young Struan, all keen to partake in any mayhem and drink for free for as long as possible afterwards with tales of their exploits.



All ready fir the off, with Sorley to the left of shot, Shughie at the back with the standard and Struan ready to engage his target with a well-placed sling stone.

Shughie McSewer

The white thistle of Dun Ringill has been the badge of the Lairds of Dun Ringill for as long as anyone can remember (which is usually about as far as the last drinking session, but all agree they have used this badge for far longer than that...)

 

Unusually for the Strath Clotan rank and file, Shughie sports some armour, in the form of a studded leather breastplate. I had intended the standard to sit lower in his hand, but the superglue I used to fix it cured rather too quickly!

 

Sorley is the angriest of the McSewers, always eager to take offence and to have satisfaction via of quick bout of fisticuffs or something a little deadlier! That is not a smile he is showing, but his customary angry grimace. Sorley is named in honour of Mrs McSorley, the Scottish Headmistress of the local primary school, who had the dubious honour of teaching at least two of my children. I always remember her smiling, however, not at all angry and scowling like her almost-namesake in the photo!

A sneaky dagger is always handy when things get REALLY up close and personal!

Sorley is also fond of a quick "Glasgow kiss" when even the dagger has not done the trick, so wears a helmet to make that kiss that bit more affectionate.

Struan is the baby of the bunch and his brothers try to keep him out of the worst of any trouble, if only so they can have a bigger share of that trouble for themselves! Handing him a sling and reminding him profusely of what a wonderful, manly weapon it is is a major part of keeping him out of trouble.

Struan is not completely stupid, however, and, being not only Strath Clotan but a McSewer, has acquired a shortsword and a sneaky dagger to follow in his brothers' murderous footsteps whether they like it or not.

He does, however, practice with his sling as they can just as easily turn their attentions on him if suitably roused!

This is the first time in my on-going "Burrows & Badgers" project that I have steeped outside of the Oathsworn Miniatures range of figures to fulfil my needs. These are (almost) pure Games Workshop Skaven in origin, using parts from a box a Night Runner I bought many years ago when building a Skaven army. Both Shughie and Sorley, however, have undergone some minor conversion work.

Shughie - his arms are moulded holding a sword, so that was simply and easily removed, his hand drilled through and the banner made in my customary way, by attaching some calico to a length of stiff, brass wire.

Sorley - the simple addition of a whitemetal shield left over from my Dark Age Irish (see posts around the "SAGA" rules for them) makes him more of the melee monster I hope he will become in future games.

So that leaves young Struan, who is unique among the McSewers in that he has undergone no conversion work at all and has a missile weapon.

I reckon I now have enough Strath Clotans for a warband and, whilst they might lack the heavy hitters in the "Burrows & Badgers" game, such as wildcats, badgers, large hounds and the like, they should at least have a couple of extra figures to start with. I know Oathsworn have some more Strath Clotan types on the horizon (including "Mad Morag", a very dangerous looking highland wildcat with an axe and an attitude!), so I will surely return to the wilds of the north in due course. In any case, I hope to get a couple more games in shortly, so will perhaps see how the current crop of Strath Clotans from the wilds of Dun Ringill get on. They cannot do any worse than the Witch Hunters have recently...

See you soon.

G