M & M etc

 First M is for matchbox. I pleased to see folk want to join Mark MofT and myself in our matchbox challenge. Great to have you on board. If you haven’t decided or started yet there is plenty time still.  In order not to burden folk with a hobby chore at this busy time of year l suggest we aim to have our match boxes ready to show Anytime In December. How does that suit people?

Secondly a picture below of a Middenheim skirmish game set up. Hope to play it in the coming days.

Finally l have been progressing the 1470s ish Germans in 28mm. Quietly, quietly catchey late gothic pikemen and friends, as the proverb puts it so eloquently. I hope to keep moving this forward with a view to getting them on the table for New Year…

Hmmm , matchbox thinking..

 Hmmm, now here’s an idea…

A slinger's career started very young, and involved some rather spartan training during their upbringing. One notable method involved placing a child's food out of reach, which left the child with two options: knock the food down with a slingstone, or go hungry. 
Later on they would graduate to sending stones through small hoops placed at various distances. 

Eoten !

 Been musing about a mythical element to my Midgard games. I have enough for two opposed seventh century Saxon armies each of around 11 units plus heroes of course. I thought it might be fun to imagine each army has mythological allies . A little low key extra fantasy elements to be bolted on or not as the mood takes. With that in mind l looked out these giants, charming old school figures from BloodyDay / Vendel. 

Looks fun to me , probably with a smaller depth base. Now what else to add…

I bought an Anglo Saxon bestiary the other day which is fascinating but not quite providing the “fantasy” element I am after. Probably ought to dig out my copy of Grendel next…

Only a wargamer

 I was in Edinburgh today to have lunch with my youngest, her boyfriend and his parents. As I was early I popped into the recently opened Christmas Market. This stall caught my eye-

All l could think about was what excellent terrain features for the wargaming table the buildings would make!

No time for swanning around!

 Mark, M of T and I are currently engaged in a fun, friendly challenge. For details see his post here-

https://manoftinblogtwo.wordpress.com/2024/11/16/wargame-in-a-wee-matchbox-challenge-accepted-1/comment-page-1/#respond

In a nutshell it is about creating a game where all necessary components fit into a matchbox, traditional not cook sized btw. I looked around the house and found these-

The top box is the current matchbox used to light candles here in the Duchy now we are approaching winter and need the cheery glow and scent of an evening. The bottom box was handed out , I think, at the Chelsea flower show this year and is a great example of what can be done with a matchbox in terms of message and content.

So thinking cap on and let the challenge continue…

 

Friday

 Up early and so started to rebase my 7th century Saxons for Midgard-

Got so caught up I nearly missed my train! Arrived at my friend’s house ready to fight on in the game we started last week…

My knights about to engage the Burgundians when I came under bombard fire…

A crow’s eye view of the hotly disputed centre of the field.

All that remained of my left wing when l conceded the game!

The right flank just prior to the annihilation of the French!

All in all an enjoyable game where the hedges added to the tactical deliberation greatly.

Arrivals

 Each year l set aside a day to go to Edinburgh with the express purpose of starting Christmas shopping. I start at the West End ( Charity Christmas Card market in St John’s, Paper Tiger etc) and go East. It is always a relaxed , enjoyable kind of day. No hurry , no worry just wander. Yesterday was this year’s day-

Day began with doing some reading towards my 15th century Project.

 Crossing the Forth on the bus on a glorious morning.

Shops l wanted to begin with opened at 10:00 so as I was early there was time for a quick coffee and army list creation to see roughly the points value of my force.

A successful morning was had and l heard/ saw the gun salute from the castle.

Later back home my pre ordered copy of Midgard arrived. On initial glance it is full of inspirational photos and excellent period flavourful art . The layout is accessible and the rules read well on my brief perusal of them. More on them later…

Today sees the finishing off of my 15th Century game from last Friday. Things are not looking good for my French Ordonnance but time will tell if they can hold out against the Burgundian enemy…

In Glasgow yesterday

 In Glasgow yesterday for my art history course, this week was DaDa and Surrealism. Saw these-

Powerful advert , sadly much needed l believe.

A building I have never noticed before. I was near Central station meeting a daughter for lunch. Former cinema?

Mural art in the back alleys. Glasgow has much of this to share with locals and visitors alike.

Scribbled away in cafe to come up with an army list for my late medieval Germans. It is coming along nicely. I have come to the conclusion that the way to tackle this army is through imagineering. I planned around the Seige of Neuss and also Frederick the Victorious, Count Palatine but now will create an imaginary German City as background which will give a flavour of the times without the need for slavish replication of an actual army.

Paton: from Dunfermline to the Royal Court

 Recently l went to this exhibition in Dunfermline Library and Museum. It tells the tale of a local chap who went on to be Queen Victoria’s artist in Scotland and was a friend of many important artists of his age. The exhibition was  most interesting, including activities for children and families, presenting the life and work of a man I knew little about. He was interested in many things amongst which was collecting old arms and armour. I will let his work speak for him now-

I was fascinated by the detail in his paintings.

Again this evocative detail when looked at close up.

Models of his house made by a modern artist.

For more info-

https://www.nationalgalleries.org/art-and-artists/artists/sir-joseph-noel-paton

https://www.onfife.com/exhibitions/josephnoelpaton/

Well worth a visit if you find yourself in these parts.

Remembering

 

Remembering in church this afternoon.

Out side the City Chambers at 11:00 am

Garden of Remembrance at the Scott Monument.

Earlier this month at Abbot’s House.

 Local antique shop window .

Battle

 Yesterday saw me at my regular opponent’s for a late medieval game. My French Ordonnance army travelled safely by train in their box files, resplendent in a Percy Pig Christmas carrier- only one big enough but it does get you strange looks at other times of the year!

French Comte de Bleu in camp at the start of the game, practicing throwing sixes.

The view from Comte de  Rouge’s camp at the beginning of the game.

Sheep scatter as the flower of chivalry passes by.

Ordonnance archers line the hedges and await the advancing Burgundian troops.

A view from the flank.

Panoramic shot of the Duke of Tradgardland thinking tactics.

The great cavalry melee on the left flank which ended in complete annihilation of the French . The flower of chivalry lies crushed on the field.

View of part of the battlefield from a passing hawk, hovering above the field.

Burgundian archers climb the hedges and attack the French artillery.

Another view of the great ( or not so great cavalry melee , if you are French) cavalry melee.

Need to get the train stopped play and we will see what happens next week. The command of the Comte de Bleu is nearly demoralised…

All in all an enjoyable and distracting diversion with good company on a well laid out table.

The week

 

                                                           Please click on image to enlarge…

                                                                             A test piece…

Midgard again

 Moving forward on the basing front-

Bases painted Sunday morning early.

Bases arrived yesterday, thanks to Warbases for their quick turnaround.

Planning the base size a few days ago with card pieces to try out different sizes. The above are skirmishers and the below are close infantry.

I decided upon a 90mm frontage and 50mm depth. It looked fine and allowed the round bases to fit .

Yesterday saw me attend this fascinating exhibition at the local library -

More on it anon. Well worth a visit imho .

Finally a shot of the creative corner as it currently looks.