The ice schooners cometh...

The ice schooner fleet is assembling in the Disputed Valley.Boats have been fixed upon runners,rafts assembled,gunpowder barrels gathered and cannon cleaned in preparation. The winter fleet will patrol the frozen lakes and wider rivers.All that is needed is the addition of masts and sails then the fleet will be ready...

I have had a good day not at work- coffee & cream scones whilst out with Jan,some work completed,the ice schooners built and helping my daughter think about her 6th form dissertation on three Gothic novels and time to read too.

Arrival in Tradgardland

I am not in work today and will be able to have a good look at these rules which arrived in the post yesterday. Thanks to my regular opponent Phil I was alerted to an unmissable offer on these rules which I snapped up. On preliminary glance they look inspirational being packed with lovely and evocative photos of the period.The rules look just what I need for an acw project also- they even have a trad style morale test too. So I will peruse them at my lesiure today and be inspired to paint my Union troops . My mind has gone in another direction too ( and that says much about me I fear) whch is thinking of an Invasion from Canada in support of the Confederacy. I don't know what Canadian uniforms of the period loked like but I could find out! Steady the line...

Winter comes to the Valley...

In the Disputed Valley preparations are afoot for the forthcoming campaign. The sleigh mounted artillery are being taken out of storage and prepared.Horses will soon pull the guns across the wintry wastes...

Snowed under...

This day,St Andrew's Eve, sees me snowed under at work with a veritable blizzard of paper-serving exercises to complete.They (along with the ever changing goalposts) have left me very tired and very disgruntled. Last weekend was busy work and family wise but some hobby work was attempted. When I have picked up batteries for the camera I will post a picture or two. In the meantime I have posted some fascinating 18th century ( the gun is Napoleonic) winter transport solutions which I feel would grace any wargames table/imagination in miniature.

Winter preparations & Happy Thanksgiving

As the first flurries of snow come to the Duchy of Tradgardland and the Umstrittental Valley ( the disputed and fought over land that lies between Tradgardland and the Imperium) the armies move into winter quarters.However it is also a time of preparation for winter raids,alarms and excursions. Equipment is being readied,skis waxed and soon all will be ready for some skirmishes...

A Happy Thanksgiving to all American readers especially- enjoy some R&R and maybe some gaming too!

A forthcoming campaign

For those interested I will be commanding Army Black in the campaign outlined at-

http://funnylittlewars-gardencampaigns.blogspot.com/
Do pop by for a look...

Reading in Tradgardland...

I sent for this book at the weekend and it has arrived. It is a detailed account of the battle and looks excellent. I have just started it and am finding it an absorbing read. It will provide background to my current mustering of an acw force.
The two BI armies I was working upon are finished and based. I am not the best painter in the world but they will certainly serve. I am already thinking about the next BI army to work on. The size of army suits me as a small but interesting project . Must finish now as I have the 6.47 train to catch to work this Wednesday morning...

Blue Sunday

My father brought this book home for me nearly 40 years ago.I have kept it ever since and it is falling apart. I took it out today to help me as I was painting my Perry acw figures. All was set up when I discovered I was out of light blue paint- so a change of plan saw me finishing my BI chaps instead.I hope to get some replacement paint at the weekend and begin to get the figures underway.

It being a milder day saw Jan and I getting the garden ready for it's winter sleep- tidying up and generally preparing for the quieter time in the gardening calendar.Yesterday's shopping trip went well and I enjoyed a quieter day today apart from infinitely tedious planning for work- a paper serving exercise in the extreme.

This week in Tradgardland

Saturday here at last. I am sitting here with my coffee prior to getting a train into Edinburgh. I am taking my mother out Christmas shopping in her wheelchair to the gyle shopping centre. She can walk around the house but needs the chair to be transported in and for any distances. She rarely gets out so I hope she enjoys this one...

Last weekend saw the Kirriemuir show and it was good to catch up with people- esp the Tulloch brothers from my uni gaming days,putting a face to Republicofalnwick (from gwp3) and Phil Olley.The show was small but a good mix of traders.Not to mention Scots pies and coffee. What caught my eye was a superb battle of Harlow game with amazing hilly terrain and a 1920's Irish scenario with wonderful street scene with innovative buildings flanking a wide street.Figures could be put at windows from the table's edge. I browsed much at the b&b and traders,resisted some things and bought only a few Impetus bases from warbases.

Phil W ( my regular opponent and driver to the day) has given me two 24 fig Roman auxiliary eastern archer units to paint- thanks Phil,. One is Garrison and the other Greenwood and Ball- he has had them in his garage for myriad years.They will beef up my Romans excellently and enable me to deal more effectively with his ad69 revolting Germans under civilis or his Celts. Having come to the end nearly of painting my matched BI armies- Highlanders/Islesmen versus Scottish Fantasy I need to decided what to do next. I am tempted to tweak my vbcw forces for a game and need to paint only a few companies. Energy levels are low after a very demanding week at work,not to mention planning to do tomorrow so we will see.
Finally today's picture is of Jim's stout Syldavians which have set up camp here with me for the present. They are splendid fellows on parade as the photo shows and have settled well into their winter quarters here. Their days are spent drilling and their nights singing and telling tales,around the campfire, amongst the autumn leaves under the starry skies. I hope they will get an outing against the Bordurians very,very soon...

Painting pictures- camera restored...

Off to the Kirriemuir show in one and a half hours. Up on Saturday morning finishing my current novel,wondering what to read next and drinking coffee. I have fiddled with the camera and it is sort of working. If I fiddle with the buttons enough in ignorance it sometimes comes right. It has worked again-huzzah!
I am able to show what I've been painting . Some wolves to use for skirmish gaming and to pop into woodland during games just for fun. They can be used for the Syldavian forests and Tradgarland woods not to mention the Scottish Highlands. Next are the Medieval/renaissance highlanders- including the general's base complete with clan chief,bard,piper and strident cleric/domestic chaplin. Finally my Fachan. In BI terms he is as follows- Type= FP M=10 VBU=7 I=3 & VDU=3
He is the first of my mythological chaps ready although the kelpie is nearly done.
Today I must pick up some more bases from Warbases ( excellent local company who make bases,movement trays and buildings- just gogle them) to carry on with the BI work. Have an enjoyable day one and all.

Cameraless upon the weekend...

Friday night at last...
In Service this afternoon was most interesting- a look at new technology in the classroom. I was most taken with the smartboard which could be used horizontally. We looked at Google Earth on it and I could help thinking it could be used as virtual terrain to wargame upon. This observation I did not share with collegues I might add- I am deemed eccentric enough I fear!
I have finished a number of Impetus bases this week and wanted to post pictures here- four highland heavy infantry and a fantasy unit in the form of a one legged,one armed ,club equipped giant called a Fachan.
Alas the digital camera is on the blink again.I will consult the experts- my daughters later. Off tomorrow to the wargames show at Kirriemuir. Always an enjoyable drive through lovely countryside followed by a cup of coffee in the town and an excellent pie in the show's canteen. Not to mention the games and stalls to peruse. We are not going to do a display game this year just to have a look around.Anyone readers of this blog going?

BI , Islesmen and Iona

Thirty two or so summers ago I spent time during my summer holidays on the beautiful island of Iona. One year I worked as a volunteer on an archaeological dig ( to investigate the Columban Monastery) and other years I volunteered or cooked at the Youth Camp on the island. I had super times and went back sometimes for reunions betwixt Christmas and New Year. I loved the island and found it inspirational and hope to return en famille one day...
When there I often went into the small museum and gazed upon the stone effigies of medieval highland warriors. Today I was rummaging around the shed ( as part of my tidying/rationalising/rummaging for figures outings) and came upon enough figures to do a Basic Impetus Highlands and Islands army to go alongside the Scottish Mythological one I am still working on. A very pleasant time was spent touching the figures up with paint and sorting them into prospective bases/units.

Check-in...

Morning all! Just finished watching the 2nd last episode of "Downton Abbey" on i player and thought I would check-in with you all. In my class at the start of the day each child says briefly how they are feeling and why after saying good morning.This is check-in. It is a useful way of gauging where they are "at" and seeing if further conversations are required...
Little to report- too caught up at work ( very depressing paper serving times of planning and recording, redeemed by working with the children-after all what it is really about) and busy at home ( not to mention a cold I seem to have had non stop for weeks- nearly 8 I think) too.In a result over tired! I have been watching "Gettyburg" and "Ride with the devil" on dvd of late and been reading around the acw. Some plans are forming with regard to this.
I have done little painting ( and remain a tad dissatisfied with my results) except for some Sidhe and a fachan for BI. Went to the local club and enjoyed a board game based on Formula One motor racing - nice mechanism with a different dice for each gear. Also saw a superb 15mm BI refight of Magnesia whilst there.