Sunday 29 June 2014

Beyond Midsummer

Sunday morning
Last weekend saw Midsummer and this weekend sees the start of my holidays.I am so glad to be off.My sleeping already is improved in terms of quality and quantity.
I have been really enjoying the BBC coverage of the Glastonbury Festival. Highlights for me have been Blondie on Friday and Robert Plant on Saturday. I watched Metallica last night and think they did a splendid set too.
It is good to begin to have time to read,think and just chill. Tomorrow sees my first game  for ages against my regular opponent ( albeit we seem to game less than we ever did due to work,time and energy etc) who will field his Saxons against my Picts/Scots in a  skirmish game using Valhalla.These are the  dark age  rules  we picked up at Falkirk wargames show and this will be our first game using them.I can't wait...

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Society of Ancients Medieval Warren game- anyone got it?

Has anyone got a copy of the Society of Ancient article/game about medieval warrens and rabbits.It came with a rabbit shaped template for measuring. If you do have this article I wonder if I could have a photocopy?
Thanks
Alan

Help!

I don't imagine many of you will read this as you probably won't know I've posted here!
I always start the day with coffee and a wee read of your blogs having been informed on new postings by the Blogger Reading list.It is a good way to begin,however over the last day problems have occurred.Firstly my Reading List showed only one Blog updated and now it has gone altogether.I hope normal service resumes soon...

Sunday 22 June 2014

In the garden room/shed

Finally set up my first game in the garden room /shed-
I started the Silures/Celts when off ill last autumn and finished them yesterday-
The view from the Roman lines above.

Captured trophies and a druid...
Cavalry clash.The rules are working just fine too.

Saturday 21 June 2014

Midsummer

A Happy Midsummer to everyone from all at the Duchy of Tradgardland!

Can you help?

I found these Glorantha skirmish rules here-
http://winterof79.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/ruinquest.html#comment-form

To play I need-
"The only stat is RuneFight which is the figures original RQ best weapon skill divided by 10."
I don't have the RQ rules so could anyone give me the RQ best weapon skills so I could have a go?
Thanks!

Sunday 15 June 2014

Fathers Day in the Duchy


After Church  we came home to some splendid cinnamon buns and coffee accompanied by a beautifully made card and gifts. I was told which one to leave until last. It was heavy and hard and I  had no idea what it was. To my delight I encountered a wonderful frost proof ceramic plaque painted,researched and created by my daughters. They had gone onto my blog ,unknown to me, and done some research-
http://tradgardland.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12/building-plans.html

and http://tradgardland.blogspot.co.uk/2008/10/true-colours-shining-2.html

before coming  up with this-
Here seen with a Ducal standard bearer.
It will be fixed to outside of the the garden room/shed /yurt by Jan & the girls this week.Until them here is a preview of the plaque's position and the delighted owner of it.
Thanks my daughters for this- it is simply the best ever!

Friday 13 June 2014

ECW rules suggestions sought etc

My morale with regard to my Work is  three ones on three D6 in WRG 6th edition terms if you know what I mean. I have been cheering myself up by singing that old Sealed Knot favourite "Babylon has fallen..." from my days in Manus O'Cahans .
It got me thinking about all the  painted ECW 28mm lead in the garage- loads of Scots,Highlanders and Irish.
Any suggestions for good, simple "Old School" rules  for skirmishes or bigger battles?
BTW Babylon seems to be continuing,as I write, and has certainly not fallen ,much to my disappointment...

Sunday 8 June 2014

Picts etc

Been painting Picts this weekend. Prior to this Jan and I enjoyed a visit to the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh yesterday which was as inspiring as ever.It is simply glorious.We had good weather and the chance to have a good look around. Later,after we had left, torrential rain came and we headed home after lunch out ,with the moving sound of Orthodox chant on the radio courtesy of Radio Three.With the rain pelting down outside I moved my Picts forward on the painting table for my forthcoming Valhalla Dark age skirmish game against Saxons. In a previous post I mentioned buying the rules at Carronade.The above pic is of my Pictish Chieftain/Warlord,his Bard and a spearman.  Also managed a couple of  civilians- a priest/bishop of the Celtic Church and his acolyte visiting one of the flock-
Always liked Picts,fascinating enigmatic chaps indeed.

Thursday 5 June 2014

Amazing Tolkien inspired art in medieval russian style...

http://www.liveinternet.ru/community/2281209/post116167073
Click the above to see some incredible LOTR illustrations in a Russian Medieval /Icon style.Let me know what you think.As for me I was blown away by them...

Monday 2 June 2014

The look of the thing...

http://broadswordsandbeasts.blogspot.co.uk/ is filled with some super photos of Fantasy games of some years ago,do pop by for a look...
Any how ( this evening, a tad tired and melancholy, and wallowing in rosy tinted memories of my youth) it got me recalling my Mythical Earth Minifigs games circa 1976- badly painted figures transported in one of my father's cardboard shirt boxes to play on a piece of hardboard on my friend's house floor. A few bits of  terrain (including a bridge which got totally blocked in one game when the trolls turned to stone stopping everyone/thing else crossing the river) and loads and loads of fun.
I recall vaguely some Mythical Earth games played at the South East of Scotland Wargames Club with lovely figures and terrain- have you got any photos of the games at all Jim Duncan, if so I'd love to see them...
Sadly I never took photos of my games but I would love to see photos from magazines of the mid 70s showing Mythical Earth figures in a game.I don't even know if any articles were written let alone published. Can anyone cast a light on all this?