April ends

 A wee round up of Ducal matters in the last week of April in pictures.

Coffee outside in the garden at Abbot’s House. Lovely to see the sun 🌞.

Sun streaming into my room Wednesday over breakfast, glorious.

Played a most enjoyable TYW board game with Gordon yesterday. I was Tilly ( of bright musket ragged soldier fame) and glad to command his army as it brought back memories of my 25mm TYW Imperialist army of Minifigs commanded by Tilly I painted in my teens. Long gone .

Gordon was the Danish King. We fought the battle of Lutter.

My troops and fellow Imperialist commanders. Nice counters and an accessible set of rules.

The game at the start. Sadly l forgot to take a picture at the end of my victorious army. We will play this again soon as we now know the rules. I look forward to the rematch.

Time afterwards to have a read of these rules l got from Amazon. Anyone use them or know them ? I got them to use with my SYW fellows and 1790s imagination. Interesting, different, need to read further and maybe a trial game is in order.

I had heard of these but don’t recall having seen a copy . They were a thoughtful gift from BC arriving in the post this week. Great to have these in the collection. On first glance they seem complicated . They were published in 1976 two years before Reaper and seven years before Warhammer first edition. Early fantasy rules all. 

Went to check when the Middle Earth rules l played with my Mythical Earth lead fellows came out . It was 1975 . I wonder if these and SELWG rules influenced Reaper at all ?hmm 🤔 

Self indulgence or Moleskine musings

 As ever l am thoroughly entertained by a trip to Neil’s blog. This was today’s post-

https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/search/label/ancients

It got me thinking of the notebook l have been using these past sixteen years. So self indulgently l present some pages from it. 

The first entry.

A map used in some Scottish games.

The patio and plans for it.

My 18th century imaginations

Map of country layout for my flats collection.

Initial garden railway plans.

Another garden railway plan. Both never exactly happened, just a step on the journey.

The latest page with research and initial musings for an 18th Century project .

Hope you enjoyed this wee glimpse behind the scenes at the Duchy, indoors and outdoors.

Help with housing update.

 

Settled into their new home but too many for one box, need to buy another soon.

On the way home post B&M with the , aforementioned in the previous post, box. Thanks for all advice wouldn’t have believed that they would fit so well!

Not fun with flags but help with housing

 We have just marched into the Duchy of Tradgardland and have set up camp on this plain.

The elephants are getting fidgety and the pikemen too, we need somewhere to live . Can you please recommend some good housing, sorry storage , for 15mm figures. The last time the Duke housed an army of 15mm figures was way back then and involved a flimsy plastic tool box. Please , please spare us such a fate ! Thanks in anticipation The Fifteen Fellows.

Bella and Donna

 

The underside of Bella the motorised wagon.

Internal gubbins of the same motorised wagon.

Inside of the second wagon, Donna, mistakenly l had thought it to be motorised too.

Back to the motor inside Bella .

Bella and Donna with a PLR figure for scale.

Wagons outside the station causing much interest with the locals.

Bella on the left and Donna upon the right.

Pleased with my purchase but a little disappointed l had got the wrong end of the stick. But all in all useful additions to the Penedredfel Light Railway 

Changes

 The have been lots of changes here in the Duchy, daughter number one has just got engaged, wedding plans afoot for number three and number two has taken my ragged, overgrown garden and has begun return it to the state it was in when Jan’s creativity worked in it. 

In other news this journal arrived the other day in the Duchy and was a terrific read . I particularly enjoyed the rules and scenarios written by Eric Turner. I am inspired by them to get out my VBCW Welsh Nationalists and have a wee skirmish. .

Been reading round my 15mm newly arrived figures and have actually sent for some 15mm figures to paint. They are a homage to my 25mm Salmon Pink Soldiers of my youth. More anon…

Over the years the hedge we got planted on arrival here , over 25 years ago has gone far too tall and a bit wild. I finally bit the bullet got a quote and went for it to be lowered considerably and sorted . The tree men were incredibly professional and excellent workers at a most reasonable price. Below we see before and after. They are https://www.lowlandtrees.co.uk/ and I would recommend them to anyone.

Excuse the above photo which was taken whilst l was at the compost bin and doesn’t reflect my usual dress. It was staged to send to my other daughters to show then the work completed.

I have also decided, having sorted the shed to downside my collection. I will proceed in this by posting photos in the coming weeks of what I getting rid of. They could be yours for the price of postage and a donation you think fit to a charity of your choice. Watch this space, Changes indeed, but for the better l think.

Ancients and medievals

 I haven’t really dealt with 15mm ancients for years but have been thinking about them mainly for solo games at the moment. N.Ps recent buying and renovation of  15mm figures has been most enjoyable ( https://aufklarungsabteilung.blogspot.com/search/label/15mm%20DBA%20Ancients ) and l like the way he goes down to a metaphorical Cat and Dog home , eBay, and provides a new home for the unloved ancient warrior. Not only that but be decks them out in new finery with inspiring paint jobs. Anyway l have been lazy and dived in and bought a lot already painted and based. They arrived the other day but were only unpacked yesterday afternoon after watching Dunfermline win against Falkirk on tv.

All were packed very, very carefully and survived their march across the deserts and mountains of Courier Land intact. Unfortunately l dropped one base which broke at the ankles being resin. No idea of manufacturer at all. I will attempt repairing them today.

Noticed casualties in the above picture above the ranks of archers.

If anyone recognises manufacturer l would be interested in what l bought. I do like the measuring stick and the movement trays thoughtfully added in.

They are a Successor army , charmingly painted and based. Lots of pikemen and lots of light troops etc. Looking forward to giving them an outing on my table top soon. Will probably try them eventually with ADLG not to mention DBA or DBM and Neil Thomas. Hope to pluck up courage and buy a few figures to add to this collection and paint myself over time…

Friday saw me at my Regular Opponent’s to command Swiss against WOTR . Here l am attempting to gain control of a wood but with little success.

Swiss light cavalry and skirmishers battling against heavier armed and armoured WOTR opposition, l feared a gap in my flanks was going to open up.

Duke Rene , an ally of the Swiss moves cautiously up the left flank with his knights. My troops approached the wood. This is chronologically earlier than the previous photo.

The Swiss arrayed at the start of the game. I have a fondness for Burgundian Wars Swiss and enjoy commanding them when I can. We will finished this game over the coming week.

In other news l have been researching for an 18th century project through books and illustrations, making notes and drawings in an amateurish but enjoyable manner . More of this in weeks to come…