Strange fauna near the sea

 I encountered this magnificent creature on my day out this week.I thought that readers of this blog might enjoy seeing it.

Flat Friday 1

 Having been inspired by the Mad Padre’s regular posts I have decided to start Flat Fridays. Each Friday I intend to post something about what I am working on in the way of zinnfiguren and semi flat figures. Today here are two pictures of recent additions to the Duchy collection. I am still not quite sure how much work will be needed on them, the jury is still out. Anyway the pictures-

Across the Firth

 Daughter #1 needed to go to South Queensferry today so Daughter #2 and I went along for the train ride. Lovely walks , some shopping and lunch al fresco made it a splendid day out. It is a lovely village which holds many happy memories for me as well as some evocative history. Enjoy the photos-

 

A little more work...

 

 

A little work done today, basing and some painting. Been thinking of the best way to take the units in Charge and The Wargame into the twentieth century. I have decided that heavy cavalry will become tanks,  light cavalry as armoured car reconnaissance, infantry as infantry and light troops, well? My current ideas for light troops are as commandos or paratroopers Any thoughts? 

Wot! First generation Germans but no Infantry Combat Group! Ronnie

 Working on these chaps today. Added a couple of bazookas with very simple conversions. Figures based and minimal paint added followed by gloss varnish. 

Spotty Marines for sale anyone?

 I am continuing to work on my Airfix, Minitanks idea. I like the idea of painting up some Airfix 1/72 Marines in the spotty camouflage depicted in the photo from Battle ! Practical Wargaming below. Anyone got any to sell or trade?

Weekend

 Yesterday I planted out courgettes, beans and climbing beans. Today I caught up with family for coffee and made a new friend- Dorie the dog.

Favourite fictional fight?

  I was thinking about all those fictional fights in the Classic literature of Wargaming. Wells, Grant, Young and all. What is your favourite and why? I think for me it is “Action at Twin Farms” from Battle! Practical Wargames. I really like the drama of the story, the maps and the fact it is an accessible size not to mention that the cast to be assembled is small. Over the years I have played it in different scales, periods and with differing results. Do tell what is your favourite and why...

Schlager Sunday 2

 Spectacular Schlager concert footage this week and a terrific tune too, enjoy!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=daHjS6sigso

Moping about, thinking and sorting

 Not feeling 100% today so taking it easy. Listening to Henry Hyde podcasts, flipping through books , sorting stuff , dozing and thinking. I decided to see what I had in the way of Roco Minitanks. I had looked out a few for my ohw try out the other day and decided to check the rest in the box. Including some assorted made kits l have a fair bit. Later reading the Grant books I wondered about the possibility of seeing where the armies of Charles Grant and Peter Young would be in the 1930s. Also tapped into the early Airfix Germans I looked out. They are some of my favourite all time figures. So here are the pictures  from  the sorting and thinking...

Guarded!

It is 18:06 and I have just returned from receiving my second Covid jab. I am very, very grateful.

Trying out One Hour Wargames WW2 rules

 I set up a trial game using what I had available. I used the rules as in the book except for changing all inches into centimetres including base size suggestions. Perhaps next time I will stick to inches?                  

Well said Arthur & Bob !

 Well worth a read-

http://wargamingmiscellany.blogspot.com/2021/05/arthur-harmans-last-word.html 

Much wisdom there.

Garden

 Got off to a cracking start yesterday morning and tidied the plastic greenhouse plus surrounds by half nine or so. Managed to have a read in the sun prior to cutting the lawns and arrival of the rain preceded by a Prussian blue sky.

Pictures with comments

 

 

The figures below are 40mm semi flats which will need quite a bit of repair work before they can take to the table especially the lying firing pose. Eventually they will fight alongside the ones I worked on the other week. Also included were these 28mm round figures which I think were homecasts though more recent. I can’t  identify them, any thoughts?

The figures in the above photo I will add to my interwar set up. They include Schneider figures I have not seen in the metal before. Currently not sure what to do with them but I think that says more of me than them.

Street Art and reading some rules

 Here are some pictures of art locally. I saw it on my weekly trip uptown. Been reading these rules properly for the first time today having had the book on the shelf for some years now. Any comments on your experience of them most welcome.

Any requests?

  I have the table cleared almost and am wondering what to set up next. I feel a solo game played over the coming days might help with painting taking a back seat. What would you like to see?

Mind your language

 With recent events, some discouraging news and a general malaise  in the Duchy my mojo has gone awol. I am trying to get it back but finding all is a tad overwhelming. A little light painting has stalled and gardening has been a pleasant distraction. I am feeling the draw of my ancestral heimat. One thing I have been considering is to try and learn German, particularly to read it. I have zero aptitude for languages. Any suggestions how to proceed? 

Schlager Sunday in the Duchy

 Thanks to my fellow blogger I have encountered the wonderful world of Schlager music. I enjoyed his Finnish example and would like to reciprocate with this wunderbar Austrian example, enjoy!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AqlRKsS11Ps

Any comments?

 I scheduled a post for midnight last night and noticed it wasn’t there. It showed my garden and I commented on how it was becoming full of green as the year progressed. I assumed I had made a mistake in posting until I saw this email. I cannot work out why it deleted at all ! Anyone shine light on this?

At the farm , near the border

 The soldiers crossed the border by cover of the night and made their way to the farmhouse depicted on their maps. As they arrived the farmer was seen running into the woods but they couldn’t stop him. So here they wait in enemy territory until new orders come or reinforcements arrive...

The greening of things - reinstated by Blogger!

 Every year I am amazed by the way the trees visible from the house and those in the locality suddenly turn green. There have been hints but then all changes. The trees forming the beech hedges loose their dried brown leaves finally and are replaced by green. Marvellous and so often taken for granted.

This is the post that blogger didn’t like but they have reinstated it!

From the Court of Cornflower King

 Another 1914 where German Unification never happened and a Bismarck died in infancy. Where the Empire that was never holy, Roman or even an Empire trundles on..

The soldiers of the Cornflower King are on patrol near the Kingdom’s  border. Rumours have it that some enemy soldiers have crossed the border and are occupying a farmhouse nearby...

Figures are 70mm Schneider semi flats and recently arrived. Just finished painting them and varnishing them today. Rules are homegrown and brief.

 

An old calendar

 Found this old calendar I had bought around 1994. I thought readers of this blog might enjoy seeing it as much as I did. If anyone can tell me a little more about it I would be most grateful.