Garden games

The 2/12/24  post by Mark MofT - https://manoftinblog.wordpress.com/2024/12/02/prehistoric-wargames-or-prehistoric-little-wars/ sent me scurrying to the shelves of the Ducal Library to find my copy of Tristram Shandy.The HG Wells mention of Toby and Trim sent me to try and find out more of their epic pyrotechnics filled garden games . Alas l cannot find my copy, too many books arranged chaotically everywhere, or so my middle daughter would say. Unsuccessful l withdrew to the iPad where l chanced upon this film  -https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=438vbmtHWCA

A Cock and Bull story is an enjoyable romp with Rob Bryson, Steve Coogan and lots of familiar faces. Well worth a watch wheter you like the book or not. Any way l extracted these stills from the film-

Garden gaming spectacular in anyone’s book. I must compare with the book …

In other gardening matters my Alpine pots are under constant attack from a squirrel who digs in them for nuts real or imagined. My plants are scattered patio wide in the assualt not to mention the Minifigs horseman who stands on sentry duty day in , day out.

Advent calendar 2

 Follow links to find out more-

https://www.weihnachtsmuseum.de/en/adventskalender

https://sellmer-adventskalender.com/

https://sellmer-adventskalender.com/collections

https://martinjohnes.com/2020/12/01/a-brief-history-of-advent-calendars-in-the-uk-se/

As a famous manufacturer of Advent Calendars was and is based in Stuttgart ( near where my ancestors came  from) I like to imagine Grubers buying them for their families long ago as my parents bought for me and I buy for mine…

Advent calendar

 

Adventure calendar

 Me up and painting before the sun rises.

Bought this adventure calendar some weeks back and opened door no 1 today-

Each day a wee part of the game is behind the door, today was a figure.The door is cut off to use as a dungeon door later. In each door there is a qr code which takes you to game rules and background.

Great fun, with a game scenario to look forward to next weekend..

P.s normal Adventure Calendar due to arrive in the next day or so.

Home

 I have recently been buying plastic Warhammer Empire figures, as I recently mentioned.Their condition varies from unpainted through to finished. However I am adding wee touches to bring out the slashed and puffed effect on their clothes-

Above before and below after. A wee touch that lifts them imho.

So here are the those bought so far including a bag of figures missing heads and hands and needing TLC.

On the work bench l am working on a couple of Horde elements for my late medieval German army. I decided to use a mix of figures including fantasy ones to give the impression of citizens defending their town but with minimal training or proper equipment. I shall continue to work on these-

This is the 60 by 40 base I will cram figures onto for a mob effect…

In other matters l attended The Edinburgh Prinmakers  ( https://edinburghprintmakers.co.uk/events/73/ ) open day. Jan used to be a member many years ago and I recall fondly popping into their previous premises to meet her and seeing her and other’s creativity. She enjoyed making Lino cut prints amongst other projects. When the Edinburgh Printmakers were moving to a new building l gave a wee sum of money towards the project in her memory. Yesterday was my first time in the  building and the first time I saw her name up as a contributor. It was quite moving to see.

December begins today and Advent too. The hobby will be taking a bit of a back seat probably as external and internal preparations take precedence.

Away

 Back last night from a brief visit to York- one night and with my middle daughter.

View from M and S cafe showing a panoramic view of rooftops.

The Christmas Market.

Warped, twisted and atmospheric house. York has so many.

The market again with a wide range of stalls.

Dawn from the hotel bedroom window.

The famous mirror downstairs in Bettys.

Explanation of the mirror from Bettys.

Railway museum, currently undergoing big changes.

I am a sucker for streamliner train.

You can’t beat the Mallard!

Fascinating training aid for the teaching of signalling.

A great museum, enjoyable trip , must do York again soon…

News from somewhere

 The 1470s 28mm German project moves forward. I now have almost all the figures, many are assembled and some are finished. I am looking forward to seeing these on the table after many years of planning and false starts. I decided to go down the route of an army based on a temporary alliance of some towns, the main being imaginary others real. I have commissioned banners from David ( https://nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.com/ ) has produced the stunning 1780s Tradgardland ones. 

Now for some gratuitous 15th century art-

The banners will be based on the foundation story of the , as yet unnamed town. They are currently being designed by David and I have seen some “ in progress “ artwork which look great. I will add some extra banners from allies based on period originals . Hopefully it will all move forward nicely with a little and often painting regime.

The project has already produced a spin off. ..

I had the first and second editions of Warhammer but really didn’t play them much nor collect lots of the figures. I was later interested in Mordheim but wasn’t collecting fantasy at that time. I subscribed to White Dwarf from the first issue for a couple of years when it was a rpg journal as l played quite a bit of DnD at the time. I never bought into Warhammer in the 90s apart from a copy of The Empire army book. I have always enjoyed aspects of The Empire and enjoyed the illustrations.  So on a whim l recently bought from eBay  some  Warhammer Empire plastic figures, really liked the sculpts and painting them. I have had an aversion to painting landsknechts as they never turn out right for me. These WH plastics are working out and are fun to do , so much so that l continued to paint them during the Vitual Wargames Club last night. 

I want to collect enough to do some skirmishes and One Hour Wargaming taking my unnamed city into the sixteenth century.

Knowing the weather to come yesterday l went to the shops in the rain at 80:10 in the pouring rain and was back home by 09:30 thru slush which turned to snow.

A good day of wrapping, painting and tv watching ensued, just the thing on a bitter day.