On the painting table

 

I recently bought some resin figures, 18th century and WW2 in 28mm . I haven’t started the 18th century ones as they require heads to be attached having removed them from their scaffolding. The WW2 ones came complete and are charming figures in some interesting poses, such as running holding helmet on head for example.. A trial paint job went well and I haven’t started the started on the rest. I have allowed myself an indulgence and painted a section of Chasseurs de pied in their 30s period uniform rather than 1940.

Secondly Eric sent me this splendid armoured car which survived its journey really well through the post. A lovely resin vehicle it is . It will probably, when painted serve with Mark’s Little Soldiers or on the North West Frontier or maybe somewhere else…

Thanks Eric, most appreciated.

Yesterday’s Game- VBCW using Bolt Action 2nd Edition

 The Opposing Forces-

My theme is ex British army regulars.

HQ with Captain, Standard bearer and medic in staff car
7 sections of infantry- all rifles and one lmg
Boys anti tank rifle and crew
2 medium mortars and crew
Vickers Med Mk II tank as used on Friday
Vickers Light tank MkVI B as used on Friday
Carden Lloyd carrier with mmg 
ALL points paid for as REGULARS 
Comes in at just under 1500 pts.

The Free State Recruitment Committee have opted for a much more inexperienced/green force, coming in at 1493 and comprising:

HQ section,, with Captain Standard, NCO, and Medic
All five sections of Liverpool Irish Militia
Two sections of Communist Party Militia
One section of Labour Party Assault Column
One section of Veteran International Brigaders
Two T26 Light Tanks
One armoured car, with turret MMG
One M/C Combo, MMG
Two armoured trucks

Victory Conditions- points for holding two important road junctions and the hill with the church at the end of the game.

The photos-

The Liverpudlian troops gathering and awaiting deployment. Also notice one of the important road junctions.

My chaps gathered prior to deploying. Deployment was facilitated by the umpire  drawing dice from the bag and each side deployed accordingly, one unit after another.

My tank deployed waiting to enter the fray, infantry in front moving towards start postion.

The aforementioned tank firing at infantry as they move through the village. They had better watch out as a T26 is deployed in the field at the top of the picture…

The Gurkhas sheltering in the lee of a building. It is the first time this section has fought in a VBCW game . They are normally deployed in North West Frontier gaming duties abroad.

Out of focus Scottish infantry take cover behind a hedge fearful of incurring the attention of the T26 across the table from them.

The Assualt column advances armed with smgs or shotguns. They advance needing to get closer to optimise firing as they are armed with shorter range weapons. 

One my sections advances cautiously into the village. The  Orleikon anti tank crew have taken casualties and are pinned. In the bottom right hand corner a mortar waits patiently for a target. In the middle of the picture notice a spotter looking for potential targets. It is his first VBCW encounter too as he is just back from deployment in the North West Frontier.

My tank has succumbed to enemy fire and will play no more part in the game. 

Coffee preceded the game and lunch part of the way through. It was fun to play yesterday as I have been umpire quite often of late. Nice to see the Dinky tanks on the table as well as my men and equipment from the NWF . We will conclude the game next week sometime. A grand day out in terms of gaming, company and hospitality.

Friday’s game and a mini arms race

 

I hosted a wee VBCW game here on Friday but didn’t remember to take many photos.

The commanders chatting and setting up.

The old gun deployed and waiting for a target…

The regulars advancing..

The next game is on Wednesday and at the weekend I decided to add to my troops and have a big painting marathon ( well big for me anyway) and mini arms race. First task was to stick together the Wargames Atlantic figures and base them prior to painting . 

A busy hobby weekend ensued fuelled by the Virtual Wargames Club, podcasts and coffee.

The results were l painted three sections of nine men, an Orleikon light anti tank gun, a heavy mortar , crews, a natty Staff Car( thanks Brian) and a command group.

Opps forgot to mention the spotter for the mortar and that I scratch built the mortar from scraps.

All in all pleased with the weekend’s out put and looking forward to seeing them grace my opponents table…

All the leaves are brown, except for those a little reddish.

 

It is not merely leaves on the line that the station staff have to contend with…

Bear necessities

 

A rather frightening encounter today on the Penedredfel Light Railway…

Eventually the bear got fed up and went off in search of other food.

Update

 Things have been quiet here. I am pleased to say the cellulitis has sorted itself with the help of antibiotics and resting. I have reflected a lot on how fortunate we are to have antibiotics. 

A visit from the Black Dog , who popped by , has ended and I am feeling a lot better and more like myself.

Today I will be hosting a VBCW game to continue our familiarisation with the Bolt Action vehicle rules. We will be using these as part of ir-

Both Dinky toys, the bigger was a recent eBay purchase, the smaller came from eBay a while back.

The tank had lost its gun and metal bit to help the turret rotate , easy repairs to make. At the side is an obsolete 19th century gun which was actually used in small numbers in 1940 . I will be using it in today’s game having been painted and a crew found. It will serve as a low velocity anti tank gun.

I noticed a previous owner had scratched a name on the wee tank “ Onward” and that l shall use for it.

It appeals greatly to me using toys from the period in my game , albeit they are more 1/72 than 1/56. The scale doesn’t matter to me. Another appealing aspect is they are the same kind of toy my father had in his youth and which l enjoyed playing with as a boy. On high days he would get the Dinkys out for me in their slightly  tattered boxes and the Dinky/ Skybird figures wrapped in old tissue paper. I really liked them.

Sadly the small collection got lost during some move or storage occasion. The above tanks bring the past and present together for me…

For me l am so pleased to seeing these old toys being used again and not just on a shelf being looked at.

Finally thanks to you all for your kind words and concern, they were greatly appreciated.

Home and not away

 We had a VBCW game adding vehicles to try out the vehicle rules-

The Village people transport- van for the Automobile Association section and a rather splendid car for the command group. I also had a steam lorry and some armoured cars etc.

G, my ally takes out an improvised armoured car wjth his first shot from the Boys anti tank rifle!

The Automobile Association disembark from the van, lets hope that they cut the mustard !

My improvised tank on the right brews up a Liverpool People’s front T26. All fun and a useful learning experience.

In other news l have managed to succumb to cellulitis again and have been given antibiotics and told to rest . I have had to cancel my forthcoming retreat near Grange over Sands this weekend. I will have to content my here. A tad fed up but grateful for modern medicine being the main emotion.

Interesting link. On Copenhagen and its fortifications… Followed by some navel gazing…

 https://elisharesearch.com/2020/09/25/the-old-fortifications-of-copenhagen-and-how-it-shaped-the-city-today/

Yesterday the books came out-

I’ve been trying on and off for thirty years to bring the Danish Napoleonic experience to the table. Only success was a 15mm Battle of Koge demonstration game at the Kirriemuir Wargames show we put on around 27 years ago. Other than that there are lots of bits n bobs around pertaining to failed attempts to do Koge 1807 or skirmishes around the Seige of Copenhagen of the same year. A Sharpe Practice one, a battalion level game idea based on the wee booklet of rules etc on the Peninsula War by Barry Edwards and a Trangen inspired skirmish. Not to mention Trangen .

There was much less info around thirty years ago and a big file of cuttings and articles was built up , now superseded by such printed sources as above. I am spoiled for information.So the question is , filled with the recent holiday enthusiasm ringing in my ears , do I try to take something Danish and Napoleonic forward..

Cons:

Lots of failed projects in this period, lots of half completed other work on the work bench from recently- Craigshire, VBCW Welsh Nationalists, Hawaiians etc etc, lack of energy and enthusiasm at times, a need to downsize my collections to spare my daughters later.

Pros: thirty years of being fascinated by the Napoleonic period in Denmark, bits and bobs which could be take forward, a now or never feeling, winters quarters are coming with indoor hobby rather than outdoor hobby work to the fore, ld like to have a go.

Currently wondering if my 25mm British/ Hanoverian civil war collection ( based for the Portable Wargame on 60mm square bases) and old school Minifigs/ Hincliffe  and painted would provide the attackers and l could cobble together, adapt, possibly buy some Danish defenders. One base as a battalion. Portable Wargame or Volley and Bayonet as possible rules

Hmmm much to muse on. Any suggestions or advice?

Back 3 or the third day in Copenhagen

 Again in reverse order , evening to morning 

Daughter number two with a scary denizen of Tivoli!

The magic of after dark in Tivoli , a magical place.

Pumpkins predominant in the decorative scheme. 

Some posters seen at the interesting Danish Design museum.

Lur Horn statue outside the town hall in the square.

Carvings just outside the Town Hall. 

A lovely church in Vesterbro near where the hotel Jan’s and I first stayed in over thirty years ago. As we were passing I sought out the hotel and was pleased to see it still going strong.

Wonderful painted illusion in the meat packaging district, a revitalised industrial area now full of trendy places to eat , drink and shop.  

Another view of the above.

Daughter number two had researched this place as a must see . We had a splendid beer and meet lunch here.

Lovely building en route to Warpigs. 

As was this…

Prior to leaving the hotel in the morning we checked a website and discovered the water quality had changed for the better and so we returned to the swimming site of yesterday where an excellent swim was had .

Another mermaid seen . The sun was out for my daughter’s swim and she was delighted after yesterday’s disappointment. Many locals were availing themselves os the swimming venue too. All was preceded by an excellent breakfast in the hotel.

Back 2 or the second day in Copenhagen

 The day in reverse cause Blogger uploads like that , very odd.

Evening meal at a Taco concession alfresco. Daughter number two is a bit of a foodie so had researched places to eat, this was the food market. Very nice too.

She went up the round tower where Jan and I went on our first visit. A ramp not stairs to the top btw.

View from coffee concession in  Ulim Bolighus, I went out but came in quickly as I don’t do heights!

A different way to see the city , by water on canal tour, absolutely fascinating and a new perspective completely. First time doing this. Would recommend.

 

Great to see the sheds where the Danes kept their gun boats in the napoleonic wars. There were lots of shed. A big gunboat fan I really enjoyed seeing these.

It was fun going under the bridges. Not a lot of clearance.

Interesting sign above the door, wonder what lay behind it…

As we had Copenhagen Cards I took my daughter in to see the beloved Lur horns as well as the Bronze Age and Iron Age exhibits.

A lovely court yard just off the street.

Anna is a keen wild swimmer and we went to do this first thing. A notice advised against swimming due to poor water quality. Disappointing in a way but excellent in another.

The splendid swimming area decked out so well by the Danes. There are quite a few places like this.

After breakfast we walked to the swimming place past this wonderful bridge just crying out to be modelled and used in another context like as a space outpost on a planet…

Great day but walked more than we intended. Copenhagen does that to you 😀