A reminder of what seems ages ago.

 Found these the other day. They are a 28mm DBA Swedish army l sent to a friend during Covid to participate in the games we played by Zoom then. The letter l sent in the box was there too. I am not sure whether to keep them intact in their postal box ( in the end they came back in person when we could meet again) as a memory or rebase and redeploy. Hmmm 🤔 

More Reivers

 Another enjoyable game yesterday. Here is the battlefield through the eyes of a passing crow-

We are getting to know the rules better and carrying much of them in our head. Again l umpired, made coffee, kept the players in check and added in a pun or two to proceedings.  This time we pitted a smaller force of better quality Reivers against a larger force of townsfolk with a unit of Warden’s men to give backbone. Reivers were to steal the cattle and pigs and the opposition was to stop them.

The reivers entering the farm complex and going to get some fine sausage material…

The Warden, his men and the townsfolk advancing to stop them thieving taking place.

A reiver makes off with cattle. There are rules for driving off cattle, controlling them and potentially losing control of them. Cattle may bolt if they hear gunfire and do so away from the noise. They may also bolt in a random direction at other times, same applying to the pigs.

That crow passing over the battlefield again seeing the ebb and flow of ascendancy during the fight. The reivers have been partially successful.

All in all terrific fun, not too taxing rules wise and full of tactical decisions. Looking forward to the next game…

Armies in Plastic or Fifty Four mm Fun

 Been working on these-

They are Armies in Plastic WW1 late war Germans. I am painting them grey and using them in two ways. Firstly as Austro Hungarian troops and secondly as Volkswehr of the new Austrian republic after WW1.

Here are the figures gloss varnished and nearly ready to go . They have turned out nicely and should look the part on the table. Notice 3d printed gun( thanks Doug) crewed by converted Airfix Japanese.

A very useful book with uniform ideas and campaign outlines. I will use it for ideas for games around the break up of the Austro Hungarian Empire. Rules thoughts are currently One hour Wargames, FLW and perhaps a more skirmish based set.

Finally was in the shed briefly and came upon an unopened box of Strelets , no idea when I got them,which will come in handy at some point in my Portable Wargame battles. A new Russian inspired interventionist force …

Passport to Pimlico or film as scenario or faction inspiration

 This is one of my favourite films. Some brief notes here-

https://bfidatadigipres.github.io/member%20picks/2024/03/30/passport-to-pimlico/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passport_to_Pimlico

I was musing on 15th century mounted English Archers in Burgundian service when I was giving another of Tidders kind gifts a strong tone wash and found this standard lying about, a photo opportunity ensued. Perhaps the Bren carrier and crew is the “modern” equivalent of those  Ordonnance Archers…

A couple of posters from the time , which look great.

So off to have think en route to volunteering this morning whist on the bus. Tanks as heavily armoured gendarmes? We shall see where this goes, one at least for the back burner if nothing more at present.

Have a good day planning your hobby wherever you are and whatever you are doing.

Ta Tidders! And a wee challenge for you readers…

 An exciting box of figures arrived in the Duchy last week from Tidders . They were surplus to requirements and passed on to me. A box full of delights indeed, thanks Tidders ! Here are some -

Enough to make a section for the VBCW . They were painted by Tidders.

In order to make them fit seamlessly with my figures l gave them a strong tone wash, gloss varnished them and painted the bases green. The scouts were converted a bit by the addition of rifles and the metal scout master had his arm removed my me and replaced by a Perry plastic arm with a Tommy gun. He looks rather pleased with himself ! I was pleased too as this conversion worked very well indeed.

A splendid command group of Top Brass with resplendent staff car and helpful ARP chap pointing the way to the lost . Utterly charming and so useful for VBCW and 1940! 

More Tidders Treasures as I work on them and integrate them into to my games.

Finally something l have been working on briefly for VBCW or even 1940…

A movie related standard bearer. Any guesses where he is from and what faction might he serve? TTFN.

The Imperium it is then.

 I am indebted to Neil Patterson , newly appointed as chief librarian ( honorary ) for the Duchy of Tradgardland and Head of Archives for The Imperium for bringing the below  to my attention 

https://tradgardland.blogspot.com/2017/07/interwar-imaginations-revisited-gaming.html?m=0

In this photo from the 1930s we see  Bibliotheksdirektor Patterson and his illustrious staff in action -

And so Herr Patterson has reminded us that the army unamed  in the previous post will henceforth be know as the Army of the Imperium.

Finally thanks  to all who suggested alternative names, most helpful but the Imperium it is!

The army of …

 

Inspite of not being able to decide on a name for these Germanic looking troops ( even with your splendid ideas)  l decided to post their army list in order to potentially use them in a game this week. They are done with only a little finishing off to be completed. I still can’t make up my mind if I see them as a sort of 20th century Reichsarmee made up of contingents from all over the shop as as something more professional with a Prussian inheritance of esprit de corps mixed with the inheritance of a stormtrooper vibe. Hmmm, name and vibe, lots to ponder on. Anyway here they are ready for action to the world of A Portable Wargame.

The engineer units are depicted as crawling through mud to cut barded wire or blow it asunder. This makes them stand out on the tabletop and doesn’t jar too much against the other green based ones. Notice the 3d printed anti tank guns ( courtesy of Doug M, much indebted again) ready to tackle those tankettes…

So here we are 4 units of engineers, 1 machine gun unit, 1 with flamethrowers- not sure how to use them in the Portable Wargame , 10 infantry units, 1 command, 2 tankettes and 2 scouts/light infantry / dismounted cavalry. 

As for rules thoughts I want to represent their stormtrooper inheritance/ attacking mentality tactically so perhaps a plus one on the dice when they advance to initiate combat for infantry units? 

Any rules suggestions welcome for this .

Now for a name hmmmmmm🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Something completely different - Border Reivers in 28mm

 This has been brewing on and off for years. Some figures were done years ago put aside and then forgotten about. However with my regular gaming opponent getting some impressive buildings  ( a bastle house and Pele tower) https://thistleandtime.scot/fortresses-of-survival-tower-houses-peels-and-bastles-of-the-scottish-borders/

and my enthusiasm for the manufacturer Vendel Miniatures, now Bloody Day, in the form of some good eBay finds, things came together. The figures were finished some time back as part of a stalled renaissance Irish project in 28mm . All was painted but my enthusiasm to game it disappeared but will return soon l am sure. Anyway l hosted here and tried out a game set in the Borders between England and Scotland in the late sixteenth century. Here is a link to a wee background article if the period is new to you-

https://romanarmymuseum.com/about/border-reivers/

I painted two forces for the period, my opponent has lots painted too btw, one represents the border reivers themselves and the other representing the forces of law and order in the form of The March Warden, his men and townspeople. A lot of figures , especially the reivers were converted by adding different weapons and equipment, much of which were gleaned from Perry plastic kits, to add interest and equipment for for fun. The rules were those which had once been free on the internet which I have had knocking around for years. So finally, with the addition of cattle and pigs to steal not to mention some buildings and fences , we had a crack at the game yesterday.

The rules and figures ready for their first outing yesterday plus d10 , only dice needed.

The terrain set up on the dining room table. Note animals in fields. The rules have a section on herding animals btw.

Trying to get a balance of not too much terrain but not to little either. Enough to prevent it being too easy for either side to steal the cattle and pigs as well as engaging the enemy.

The Reivers , identified by red flowers on their bases, move with intent towards the cattle as well as the enemy.

Blurry photo of the townsfolk about to do the same…

Herders attempt to control the herd and bring it away. The cattle are spooked by arquebus fire and prove hard to manage…

Cattle bolting away from the frustrated herders and the sounds of gunshots.

A herder driving some pigs with greater success just as we had to call time on the game. Verdict, great fun full of gaming possibilities including some scenario and campaign ideas contained in the rules. We will read the rules with greater attention and give the game a go again next week, can’t wait!

Moving on or scenes from the work bench

The latest Strelets figures are coming along nicely. Some off the figures are incredibly well attached to the sprue and can be hard to remove, especially for one who doesn’t trust himself with a sharp modelling knife. Note arrival in the background of a couple of tankettes purchased from Etsy or maybe EBay. Figures on sprue, painted , strong tone applied then varnish, gloss of course! That was earlier yesterday.

Post basing. I will explain a little more later about what each base represents. Note 3.7  cm TAK 1918 printed anti tank guns. A big thanks to DM of the VWC who printed these for me in three scales! Note too 28mm cattle being got ready for a game later today. This was the state of play yesterday evening.

Closer look at the figures prior to completing the basing and touching up to add fine detail or flaked paint due to taking off the sprue.

All in all coming along nicely…

 

Wind and wuthering or the Perils of Penedredfel

 

The wild winds and rain yesterday blew the station over not to mention those working there . At least the rain cleaned things up a bit 

The sorry state of Penedredfel Station resulting from my daughter’s splendid efforts to scrub the slabs.

In other news the engine remains out of action due to fibrous plant material on the line now jammed in the cogs linking the locomotive power to the wheels.

And the next box

 Inspite of feeling yucky l have begun the next box-

Here they are in all their plastic glory. Sadly no random Strelsi figures in this box.

Inspiration off my bookshelves to help choose a colour scheme…

Am going to paint the helmet and jacket green, do equipment, weapons and flesh, leaving the trousers the grey plastic. Then the wash…

Possible anti tank gun to be utilised by the force…

Here they are the first sprue finished last night prior to varnishing. Green not showing as much as I would like , perhaps a thinner wash…

Now thinking of a name for the army of these chaps from a former empire…

Matters diverse

 Having avoided bad flu/colds over the winter l came down with a stinker on Thursday, the eve of my birthday.

My middle daughter has worked hard recently on the garden and on my birthday l decided to give the train the first outing of the year. Unfortunately almost immediately the train took some fibrous plant material into the gear wheel where the motor connects with the wheel and stopped immediately. So far l have been unable to get it out.

Two thirds of the family came round for a meal on my birthday , the others being down with a bug.

Daughter number one made a Schwartzwald cake as the birthday cake, it was excellent.

I now am officially a State Pension recipient.

Earlier in the day I had been out briefly to see a local art exhibition and have lunch. Note Barbour padded jacket  which was my present from the family. 

Also got this from them, should come in handy with Bolt Action etc.

One of the paintings l saw at the exhibition.

Much of Thursday was sitting around miserably listening to the cricket.

My daughter working hard in the garden this week.

Jan would have been 64 today, kept thinking  of the Beatles song…

Did little as feeling a tad vile . Did make the VWC which was as enjoyable and stimulating as ever. Some work was done on the third and latest box of Strelets. 

We have been enjoying my Christmas present of late especially with the clear nights and full moon.

 

The Angelica is coming out and will be six feet later in the season.

The Rhubarb too has returned with the promise of good eating ahead.