Judging a book by it's cover

Whilst looking for fantasy rules online I saw this-

and was really taken by the image. I read more and decided to buy the softback copy. It arrived today and is an interesting read. I believe it is a Neo Clone ( don't ask ,beyond me too) of the original D & D rules.

A Gentleman's War or A set of very traditional rules for battles between traditional toy soldiers by Mr H Whitehouse & Mr D Foley

Weekend approaching and I am preparing to try out the rules in the title of this post for the first time. More info and a link to email Mr Howard Whitehouse for a copy-
http://www.lead-adventure.de/index.php?topic=52968.195

Traditional toy soldiers ready for the coming fray...

A wee game I know but hopefully fun...

Shedding- the past,present and future

This time of year Jan & I ordered our vegetable seeds after chatting,planning and looking at the catalogues.Last year I set up an indoor planning area for Jan to use (in the shed) when she was not up to more. This year my heart was just not in it. I hummed and hawed over this matter.Yesterday I went for it-

Some seeds planted and other trays prepared for those I ordered by phone today.
The other half of the shed is not so good-

The idea this year is to get it a little better set up for girls to do art in and me to use as a hobby area. Future plans may or may not involve  insulation, a wood burning stove and a wee door/inside track for G scale railways- we shall see!

Bits n Bobs sources?

Anyone recommend a good source of wee  bits n bobs ( weapons,packs,pouches etc etc) to use when converting figures? I have in mind 28mm scale and Rogue Trader/ Fantasy setting.

Inspiration and a confession

Confession time- I have never played WH40K and have never been particularly attracted to the modern gaming of the 40k universe at all. However having bought the first edition of the rules- Rogue Trader I have become more and more interested in the universe portrayed and the  potentiality for small colourful skirmish games set therein.
You probably know this blog already but I would like to highlight it anyway-
http://magpieandoldlead.blogspot.co.uk/
It is filled with inspiring conversions of figures which are really well made and beautifully painted. Even if it's not your scene pop by and wonder at the artistry.
Finally what do I need to read next for background and local colour- are the novels any good?

Update

Been a little low of late.A little painting has been done on my Empress Miniatures Pathans.Otherwise little to report. We have been playing quite a bit of this-

Forbidden Island.It is a most exciting and engrossing cooperative game. On the subject of games I have ordered TSATF and it's 1920s/1930s supplement. It has shipped and I look forward to reading it soon.Hopefully they will provide a good set of rules for my Tradgardistan gaming.That's about all apart from a photo of what is on the coffee table in the way of some of my current reading-

Ooops I nearly forgot to say thanks for your fantasy rules suggestions.I am having a think...

“In sorrow we must go, but not in despair. Behold! we are not bound for ever to the circles of the world, and beyond them is more than memory.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien

Fantasy gaming a level lower than Dragon Rampant- any ideas?

I am looking for suggestions for fantasy gaming ( Middle Earth mainly) using a few figures a side. I am not too enamoured with Songs of Blades and Heroes by the way. All suggestions welcome.

A further Frostgrave dispatch

Dear Mother,
Finally back at the inn,it was a long day.

Arold got more than he bargained for with that lamp- out popped a genie and it nearly did for him!

Old Albert's marksmanship nearly killed the genie but it was finished  off by our rivals (nice if flashy folk) in the end. After carrying it away Arold has the genie's lamp as a souvenir and will bring it home to decorate the kitchen. We got ever so much treasure including  a fate stone ( don't ask) to go with that tatty ,useless grimoire of mud. Erik the enchanter is very pleased with us all and there will be rat scratchings on our gruel as a reward. We are to be joined by a ranger and a hound ( cute but deadly they say) for our next expedition. I must close now and send my love and a couple of gold coins I have sealed in this letter.

Simon

p.s hope you like the painting of the genie it was done by an out of work artist here called Rogier

This was my second game of Frostgrave,played a week ago with Richard.It was most enjoyable and I urge you to give it a go if you have not already done so.

An indulgence

This indulgence arrived today. I have added a 28mm figure for scale-

I am very pleased with it.

Sunday pm in the shed

A recent post  http://baronvonj.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/tsatf-head-em-off-at-pass.html sent me scurrying to the shed to find the hills I created a few summers ago.They were just what I needed for Tragardistan but more were needed-

The result of sawing,cutting and glue. Anything to hand was used to weigh them down-

They were dry enough to start adding the scrunched up paper that will be the outer surfaces.Hopefully I will finish them next weekend...

Friday night favourites at the Tradgardistan Officers Club

A hobby holiday in Tradgardistan

Sunday morning in the Duchy and I feel in the need of some sun and adventure,then I remembered a far flung corner of Empire.I ascended the stairs to the attic and some rummaging later produced this travel poster from the 1930s-

Originally a Danish colony, it was passed onto The Duchy of Tradgardland quickly in the 18th cenutury as it was a place of "grave mischief,wild warriors and vexing rule."
In the 19th Century it was once more passed on (rather like a hot potato) to the British Goverment and Crown.Now in the Jazz Age rebellion was once again brewing...

TSATF- where from?

I have a thought to replace my old copy of TSATF which I sadly gave away some 17 or so years ago when having a purge of the overstocked rules shelf. I can't track it down online ,can you help?
Alan

A carrier pigeon note from Felstad

Dear Mother,
I trust this finds you well. We had a fine journey from the Inn in spite of the gales and ice underfoot.
We have found some treasure and Arold has found a lovely lamp which he is cleaning as I write.
I will be home soon.All well.
Simon

New Blog

Two of my daughters have just started a blog,pop by for a look-
http://www.toastedavocado.blogspot.co.uk/
p.s The girls and I cannot work out how to get folk to follow their blog ( and how to get the followers gadget I have) can you help?

The Guild of St Sebastian - some Frostgrave fellows

Erik (Enchanter) looking pensive as ever as he contemplates the forthcoming trip from Tradgardstadt to Felstad.Behind him stands the ever deferential Olaf (Apprentice) with his head buried in a book.He dreams of grimoires,maps and lost books  to add to his newly started collection.

  Brothers Sven and Rolfe (Crossbowmen) first and second in this year's Annual Guild Shooting Contest (held upon the Feast of St Sebastian) are ready for whatever awaits amongst the frozen wastes.

Arnie and Arold (Thieves) are pot scourers,spit turners and rat catchers from the Guild kitchens. They are glad of a change of scene ( robbing opportunities) from the daily drudgery that is their lot.

Ulf and Simon (Men at Arms) by night bouncers at the "Slann's Head Inn" and by day self styled warriors. They have equipped themselves with cheap and nasty armour from Old Ma Sigrid's Armoury to the Stars. Tooled up and ready to go they can hardly contain themselves...

Now the new boys - Old Albert (winner of the Annual Guild Shooting Contest ten years in a row many,many seasons ago) has come out of retirement to wield the Magic Crossbow found on the last expedition. He,it goes without saying,is a Marksman.

Finally young Simon ( Archer) a fresh faced apprentice and enthusiastic bowman remains quietly confident about his first Felstad visit.

St Sebastian remember them...

The next day...

The next day sees the field empty.Passers by wonder if they had only imagined the placid beast that was in the field. Yet he was there until early that morning...

As dawn had broken, some pandours from the The Empire had taken the beast from the field and led him away,muskets at the ready should anyone try and stop them-

As to where or why no one knows.

Near the Grove of Poiseidon,Tradgardstadt...

A typical Sunday in the Duchy of Tradgardland-

A fencing master and his pupil improve their swordsmanship together, unaware of the then empty field that lies just beyond the grove.
Some time later two golfers pause to look at the strange creature in the field.They have never seen anything like it before.

Later on,as evening comes, an officer pauses on his way to Compline,to check the beast is well. On the Duke's orders he gives it some fruit and vegetables and bids it a peaceful night before going on his way.

Family time

My eldest offered to help repaint some of the old toy soldiers I had bought off ebay-

We had a most companionable afternoon painting and chatting together.

I brought forth the grey paint and had a go at the Cameronians whilst Zoe went for a line regiment. "Vanished Armies " by Haswell Miller is a great inspiration to us both.

First Frostgrave

Yesterday I had my first game of Frostgrave and it was most enjoyable.All figures and terrain ( apart from the fog) are Richard's excellent work.

My Enchanter and his two Men at Arms skulk amidst the ruins.

The Apprentice and two crossbowman hide behind the fog.

Beware of the fearsome Ice Toad!

Thanks go to Richard for initiating me into the game and helping me stat up a warband.

I found the game really engrossing and became involved in the action in a way that reminded me of the D&D  I played thirty or more years ago . I am off to try and get some figures together myself. Give the game a try you wont regret it!