Miltary Cycling links

Here's a link to some early military cycling pages-
http://www.25thlondon.com/cycling.htm

http://www.25thlondon.com/formation.htm

Well worth a look...

Wee wants list

Thanks to those who gave me ideas for my 1/72 side project-
I'm after  6 Airfix curassier, some slouch hat confederates,some ww1 German inf ( Airfix to convert to Brit inf) , 3 RAF airfix cyclistsand some Airfix Guards. I am open to ideas too.If anyone can help I would be delighted and more than willing to pay for figures and postage.

Military cycling- 26th Middlesex cyclists

For some time now I have been fascinated by the early day of military cycling especially the 26th Middlesex cyclists as pictured above. Here are some more pictures-

I have become interested in the arguements pro and con their useage in the warfare of the time and such manouvers as those held in Sussex  August 1900. I fancy giving the arguements a go using The 19th Century Square Brigadier rules and some 1/72 figures.Anyone got ideas/available  figures for me to form a few cycle units?

Great War viewing

For a variety of reasons I have not watched much of the BBC's programming relating to the Great War.I have however watched the drama The Crimson Fields. I have found it worth watching and will continue to do so.I wondered what others made of it...

Sorting out

Today being the last day of my hols I sorted out the hobby mountain at the top of the stairs,moved some drawers into the sunroom/hut/yurt and filled them with excess hobby stuff which were lying around under the coats in the top hall.When ensconced in the shed I got on with the following-

Unpacked Army Red/White (Swiss) circa 1900 after their trip to and from the H G Wells Centenary games at Sandhurst last year.They have lain for a year in my bedroom hardly opened.

One of the drawers filled with 54mm Funny Little Wars projects...

The Swiss cyclists did not survive the trip too well but are easily repaired with glue...

Army Red/White unpacked and ready to be sorted.Let's hope for a summer of good weather enabling outdoor gaming...
P.S Unit on far left in photos are Army White (Austrians) just out of winter quarters /box...

Easter

Happy Easter to you and yours from all in the Duchy of Tradgardland.

A day out...

I went by train with my eldest daughter to Edinburgh today .We saw a splendid exhibition at the Queen's Gallery at Holyrood Palace  ( http://www.royalcollection.org.uk/exhibitions/in-fine-style-the-art-of-tudor-and-stuart-fashion ) on Tudor and Stuart fashion. On the way in I couldn't resist this photo opportunity

If in Edinburgh do pop in and see the exhibition it is fantastic...

Everyone's (well some) are talking about...

There has been some discussion over at Emperor v Elector recently about 18th Century imaginations interacting -
http://emperor-elector.blogspot.co.uk
When I began blogging around 7/8 years ago this blog was solely concerned with 18th century imagineering and gaming.Involvement with a Jacobite invasion amongst other conceits were splendid fun.The blog changed course  a little as  I have strayed off into all types of gaming here and don't regret t one little bit.I have had great fun and "met" so many splendid chaps in the Ether- it has been a ball!

It has left me with a desire to interact once more with other imaginations in the 18th century (and other periods too I might add) with increased vigour. Exchange of ambassadors,generals,map  campaigns etc seem to be a fun idea- so who wants to take part?I already have some "guests" who need to be located in the lead mountain,dusted off and brought into play...
Let me know what you think...

Frozen Herring Wars 2 - A 19th C Square Brigadier game...

A lone elk stands in the forests of Norroway unaware of what is about to happen...

The Academy Sharpshooters (from Lurland) find the snow a little taxing for their bicycles ...

The Lurland postion- note General on hilltop and Foot Life Guards to the right.

The Norroway troops advance and the aforementioned elk slips away into hiding...

Conversions and Maneuvers

Painting up some Airfix Guards ( Thanks Ross)as Lurland/Danish foot guard  for my winter scenario last night combined with the images from my last post reminded me of an idea I had wanted to do for ages...
to game something with the feel of Little Wars and Edwardian field  maneuvers.This I feel I could do with Ross's Square Brigadier Rules and some Airfix/plastic chaps on a card table. I want to field Guards,Household Cavalry as well as units like the as well as Yeomanry and Territorial chaps including cyclists.An Edwardian Splendour indeed - Britains in 1/72 and plastic is the look I am after.Any suggestions for figures/conversions?

Farewell Winter Quarters

A Spring day in the garden and a chance for the cavalry to exercise their  horses.
The cavalry anticipate a glorious year ahead..

Gardening

Visitors to this blog may have noted that this was the state of the Ducal gardens in February-

Here is a picture of how they are now-as a result of much work by Jan & and myself over the intervening weeks-

Raised beds added,stones laid down to form a path and our Oak tree placed in a basket at the centre.The next photo is looking the opposite way-

Next steps are to buy the vegetable seeds,plant them,watch them grow,tend them and wait for the harvest...

Froundian thoughts

I was given this book as a present by friends in 1986.-

It has been on my shelves in all my houses since.I have always liked the art of Brian Froud and his whimsical drawings. Recently I started a thread re this on Lead Adventures-

http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=65076.0

which some of you might enjoy...

Here is an example of Brian Froud's style from the above book-

I hope to do some skirmish gaming with such a whimsical feel soon. The idea (so far) is to take a band of goblins (who have been made redundant by some evil sorcerer and have lost their job as dungeon/maze/labyrinth guards) and follow their adventures in the world at large.I imagine them to be rather demoralised and not really too nasty.Let's see where this gets us...

A frozen herring war...

I've been working towards a 19th Century Square Brigadier game. As I was involved in the Herring War campaign in Padre Paul's Funny Little Wars Campaign book it was natural to do something with a Scandinavian vibe.So I have begun to gather figures (thanks to Conrad Kinch for the great majority so far) for the Kingdom of Lurland aand it's arch rival the Kingdom of Norroway.

I got a sheet of A1 card from my daughter,drew2.5 inch squares on it and added a river& road with coloured pencils. Trees were set down to see the effect and a couple of wee wooden houses ( with white painted roofs) added.I was relatively pleased with the results.

Some Norroway Guard running down the road. Hope to get more painted tomorrow. I am looking forward to a frozen herring war.

18th Century television...

Here's a link to a splendid new BBC 4 programme about 18th Century music and culture in Britain-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04097wg/Rule_Britannia!_Music_Mischief_and_Morals_in_the_18th_Century_Episode_1/

Well worth a watch.Here is a still from the programme featuring a splendid instrument.

Lurland needs you!

The King of Lurland is busy raising his forces for a game of The 19th Century Square Brigadier.His army is well advanced upon the painting table.All that is required are five 1/72 marching Airfix Guardsmen to form his Guard regiment? Can anyone help? He is more than willing to pay Lurland Kroner for them...