Sunday 31 January 2021

Raleigh round the flag !

 Little painting done today , instead I was helping my eldest with her new seventies Raleigh bike. Space was created in the sitting room and progress was made. I haven’t been on a bike since I was six and am as crack handed as they come. Practical things are not my forte yet I enjoyed the hours spent and the goals achieved. I surprise myself at times!




Saturday 30 January 2021

Old meets new or converting Garrison with Perry parts

 I am currently setting myself  small hobby goals which will take my gaming forward. Today I have been sticking together Perry Miniatures Afghan 28mm figures to use in my Tradgardistan games. To be honest I seem to be gluing myself to myself much of the time. Anyway progress is being made and I discovered that I had quite a few jezails left on the sprue, some with arms attached. I decided to use them to add some jezail firing figures to my Garrison figures. They come with bow, spear or sword. I removed spears and/or arms and replaced them with the Perry plastic bits. Here is a couple of photos of the conversions so far. More photos when they are painted.




Friday 29 January 2021

Fast play Jacobite rules from way bacckk

 Found these Jacobite rules on the bookshelf today, thought people might be interested in them. Small stylised game in the Portable Wargame dba style -




Using the hills in a Portable Colonial Wargame

 Set up this game today...







Thursday 28 January 2021

Return to Tradgardistan or a virtual table top trip

 I decided to set up my 1930s Tradgardistan figures combined with terrain I had been working on. The idea was from the old General Thingy Gigs wargaming page which was/ is crammed full of inspiration. I haven’t been on it for absolute ages. This was my second attempt at making these hills as I abandoned the original effort as it didn’t look right. The pictures below show what I have done.








Wednesday 27 January 2021

Big in Japan or the tiny men that distracted me

 Thanks to everyone who left such supportive comments on my blog yesterday, they were greatly appreciated. The day passed by not too badly all things considered.

Over the last few days I have been fascinated by these Japanese prints from the very end of the 19th Century. They also provided encouragement to put brush to plastic on these AIP Japanese. I enjoyed the diversion of painting these and will take them forward in the coming days






Ice Age?

 


Tuesday 26 January 2021

It was thirty years ago today...

 Today I was married thirty years ago. I am remembering the happy times, such as the trip to Copenhagen below, the sad times and all the others in between. Jan was a wonderful wife who is dearly missed.






Setting up a wee Morschauser - style Napoleonic game





 Set up a game to try the rules from here-

https://blundersonthedanube.blogspot.com/2021/01/morschauser-horse-and-musket-rules-sort.html

The Swedes are attempting to take a Norwegian village...


Monday 25 January 2021

Fangorn Forest

 




Heirs to Little Wars

 I was looking recently at these rules, perhaps longing for out door games or more probably enjoying their nostalgic content-

 
The above are available here- http://hmwrs.com/EdwardianSplendour.pdf
The FLW are such a charming read , obviously a labour of love and excellent reading for these strange days.



Sunday 24 January 2021

Finishing the town buildings

 Finished the Keranova Clever Paper buildings today. I got three packs around Christmas and have just finished making them up today. They are punched out of card and fit together very well indeed  ( the instruction sheet is very useful)with no glue just tabs. The buildings have interiors too and come pre coloured. They work well with 28mm figures but would look great with 40mm figures too as undersized terrain. Here are some pictures of the construction and the completed buildings too , with trees, paving and figures to enhance them.












Saturday 23 January 2021

Archaeology then and now

 I began my new course yesterday Archaeology of the Ancient Near East and it got off to an excellent start. Interesting lecture and engaging lecturer combined with excellent access to reading material. Not the same as face to face but not bad at all. It got me reminiscing... my father used to take me to the National Museum of Scotland as a boy, when it was in Queens Street. I was fascinated by the exhibits especially the  reconstructed full sized chariot and model of a broch. He also took me sometimes to Vindolanda and other sites on Hadrian’s Wall. While there I bought a few bits of broken pottery and nails- they seemed to be selling tons in the late sixties early seventies to supplement their funds. I made a wee museum in fablon wood effect covered shirt boxes and got a few other bits such as Roman coins. I was enthralled. I also was given the book in the photo when I was about eleven. It was my pride and joy and I poured over the illustrations. Here are some pictures below. I wanted to be an archaeologist when I grew up. It didn’t happen. I did volunteer on a dig one summer when I was around twenty and have retained my interest ( Time  Team etc)  in my reading and visiting. Enjoy the photos below-







Friday 22 January 2021

Snow Patrol

 Went out for a walk this morning and took these photos on my return. Already melting sadly with the joy of refreezing as ice to come. It was beautiful before 08:00 am today, few other people had been out and I had the new crisp snow mainly to myself.





Thursday 21 January 2021