Moving

 Whilst I was off volunteering this morning a neighbour, who is moving soon, dropped off some box files of figures surplus to his needs for me. He is a fellow wargamer. This was all unexpected so l opened the boxes with mounting expectations. Here they are, comments please re gaming system they are based for etc. I am out of my comfort zone-

First box WW2 ships ? Scale ? Rules? Plus lots of dice…

Box number two- 28mm American infantry and tanks etc.

There were also 1/200 scale ? Shermans and infantry.

Box three 1/300 scale vehicles and infantry etc based on square bases.

The bases close up and beside a cm ruler for scale. Rules?

Finally 15mm French Napoleonic troops.

Not sure what to do with this all, might keep or not , hmmmmm.

Elizabethan English v Old Irish

 Yesterday friends came over and I laid on a renaissance game- 28mm, sixteenth century using DBR rules. I umpired, made coffee and generally supported whilst they played. Here are the armies set out for their respective commanders-

Firstly the English with lots of bows and shot. They are commanded by one general.

Secondly the Old Irish, lots of skirmishing kern ,warband bonnachts and mail clad gallowglasses amongst others. They had two generals representing two allied chieftains. 

Although there were a variety of figures from various manufacturers , some I have had for years, the majority were from Hoka Hey Wargaming- https://timelineminiatures.uk/product-category/28mm-figures/border-reivers/

They produce border reivers too. The figures are full of character and have a pleasing solidity to them. Any way a few pictures of the game-

The initial set up by the two commanders, with bogs and woods separating the armies.

Kern, bonnacht and gallowglass advance. I like the way these rules allow skirmisher marksmen to shoot.

English pike with kern ahead traversing the bog.

Wild boar are frightened off by advancing Irish troops, just a bit of set dressing btw.

A view of one of the Irish Chieftains with his chaplain and piper accompanying him on the same base.

Bonnacht warband advancing through the woods.

Gallowglass with murderous axes advance only to be cut down by withering musket fire.

All it all it was an interesting and fun game. The players enjoyed using armies new to them, l enjoyed umpiring the game and the figures seemed  pleased to be out on the table for the first time since rebasing and for their first time being used in a non solo game. One could almost imagine sounds of carousing emanating from their box file camps…

Gone West

 I was in Glasgow yesterday for the first of this term’s art history lectures. Very near where my class took place I saw these interesting buildings -

What a wonderful way to decorate a maths building!

Interesting 18th century figure commemorated in this excellent plaque.

Fifteenth Century camouflage

 I was interested to find this 15th century artwork online. It is the oldest depiction of camouflage I have seen, albeit in a hunting scene-

Thia  would make an excellent subject for a conversion ( scouting figure) of a figure for an army in 28mm…

Style and Society, dressing the Georgians

 Managed to get to the final day of this splendid exhibition in The King’s Gallery, Edinburgh. I took lots of photos of this fascinating collection of paintings and artefacts. Lots to interest the fan of both civilian and military clothing. Great inspiration for painting figures…