Hispania rises...

Here is Hispania's finest - Regiment Ibernia. It is organised in two divisions of 16 figures each. The figures are painted and only await varnish and basing.

The next regiment will be the Swiss Regt Beesler - they will be in blue coats. After this the plan will be to raise a white coated regt of Hispania.

I am attempting to move forward with the forces of Hispania . The sappers are coming along nicely and the mountain light infantry are undercoated.

I am looking at ideas for the Generals. So far I have come up with Don Estelle - nicknamed Whispering grass and Don Alonzo ( who I think was the name of a Spaniard in the fantastic 1960's Flashing Blade) - some puns are most welcome gentlemen!

These will fight with the forces of the Imperium in Italy and Gallia of the 1740's. Cardboard buildings are planned and yellow coated dragoons projected.

I am glad to be focused on a task and looking forward to the gaming ahead...

Musing

The desire to create new lands is upon me. Although,like Stokes, I am busy at the commencement of another academic year I still feel stimulated to think of lands far away and armies ( small and leaden ) marching through them in 18th century panoply.

I now realise that my attempts at very detailed map making earlier this summer was too ambitious- I floundered in a mire of my less than perfect draughtsmanship...

Often of an evening I have little energy for the hobby yet one is always thinking of new projects, new lands to explore,populate and raise forces for. Considerations of a budgeting nature too are upon all of us. Perhaps the time is right to plan, make lists and compile a plan of action...

I loved Switzerland when I first encountered it on a few family holidays. Names like Elastolin came into my sphere of vision and helped fuel the toy soldier bug. But most of all it was the landscape ...

So I am renewing my acquaintance with Swiss history, recalling scraps of military organisation,filling in quiet gaps of ignorance and having some quiet fun. Who knows where it may lead?

Oberaltdorf

Situated upon the border of the Duchy of San Bruno is the little known Swiss Canton of Oberaltdorf. It is a land of mountains,lakes and watch making ,not to mention a thirst to reclaim its ancient territory now within the Duchy of San Bruno.

Pictured are some examples of the local costumes worn by the Canton's inhabitants. They are proud of their culture,organised lifestyle and efficient,clean transport system.They also ,and rightly so, are proud of the smallish ( in number not height) Cantonal forces...

On the workbench...

Today I began to work on my first infantry regiment for Hispania- Regt Ibernia. It is an Irish regiment commanded by Col Manus O'Cahan.

Sorry about the photo quality but I am having camera probs at present. I have mounted the figs on 25mm square Foundry bases . Watch out for further recruits...

Plans ...

I have been sorting out the Austrians today and they need little other than the addition of a few command figures and aides de camp- I will major on the Spanish. As kindly suggested I intend to start with the non white uniform Spanish - Swiss , Irish etc. I had been reading up my booklet about the Spanish Army of the 1740's and had been thinking of going in that direction- great minds think alike!

What I have in mind is a force to fight using BAR the sort of battle described as " an action" in the book " The War game " by Charles Grant. Nothing too big - enough for tactical fun on my dining room table...

I have made a start with some armoured Spanish sappers/engineers and will move onto the mountain light infantry- not a whole unit but enough to skulk in woods and give the grenzers something to think about...

I have enclosed another picture to show you all what the Duchy is like.Note the rugged scenery and beautiful lake. It is Lago di San Pedro and features some settlements by the lake as well as mountain villages - good for defense...

Have good evening gentlemen- wherever you are...

The Duchy of St Bruno - an ideal and proposal...

Once more I am debating how to integrate my historical wargaming collecting with my imagination gaming. This has been on my mind of late a great deal as I return to work after the summer hols very soon...

My regular opponent has begun to paint his Prussians for B.A.R . I will oppose these with my Austrians which I will continue to collect/paint. This will be the major focus of my non solo wargaming over the winter /next year.

In the past I have used my Austrians to fight the Tradgardlanders but I fancy something else that will allow me to use the same figs for historical and imagination gaming. I also want to have an opponent for the Austrians which I can put out against my regular opponent to play B.A.R until the Prussians come on stream.

I was in a dilemma until I picked up a book from the Uni Library which I last had out years and years ago - " The wild goose and the eagle " by Christopher Duffy. It is (as I am sure many of you know) a life of Marshal Von Browne .

In it I read of the Austrian army fighting the Spanish and French in North Italy. Some exciting set pieces and inspirational reading. And so,in the words of Baldrick, I have a cunning plan. I will raise Spanish to oppose the Austrians.

The imagination element will therefor be The forces of the Imperium fighting the forces of Hispania . The games will take place in a little known North Italian state - The Duchy of San Bruno...

Here is the idea - a seamless garment of wargaming . As ever gentlemen I await your comments and ideas...

Cat in the HaT... terra incognito

Today I went into my model shop for paint alone and came out with these 1/72 figures. These are the first 20mm soft plastic figs I have bought since the early 1970's Airfix ones I loved many years ago.

I am new to these sort of figs- smaller upon the eye re painting. I wonder if you gentlemen could point me in the direction of finding out more - re what glue to use to stick them to cardboard etc . All tips ( even the most obvious to you) are most welcome.

Rose

Duchess Liv has used her contacts in Scandinavia to procure cloth for uniforms that was surplus to requirements. Ships bearing these fruits of her labour arrived yesterday in the Duchy. They will be taken to the Guild of Dyers where they will be given the Rose colour so beloved in the Duchy. Henceforth they will be taken forth and used to supply new uniforms for the Duchy Army. Watch this space for examples of the finished products...

Saturday's alright for fighting...

Saturday brought my youngest daughter's 11th Birthday, the annual BBQ at my regular opponent Phil's house en famille and a trip to Claymore - Edinburgh's wargames show.
The show is at sports stadium and runs the length of a narrow and darkish indoor running track. I caught up with friends from my University wargames club days as I reconnoitered about. The SYW was present in 6mm and 15mm form I think - games that looked fine. I spent much of the time resisting trading stands before we ran the Society of Ancients stand for about ninety minutes.
I find as I wander at shows many groups are unwilling to chat - you stand and look but the gamers are too busy it would appear to chat. When ever I put on displays at conventions I feel the interaction with the public is of supreme importance and is majored upon.
On Saturday I had some superb conversations with gamers whilst manning the stand and was really stimulated by the experience.
We returned to Phil's place and his family was joined by my family complete with Freya and her Nintendo DS Lite - her birthday present from us. I could get into the Mario Olympics very easily...
Good company ,food and wine flowed as we sat around the patio heater and BBQ. In 12 years of the same weekend it has never been rained off yet.A great day!!!