Manöver der weißen Armee

 Army White are on manoeuvres today! 

Army White show off the latest armour and infantry joint attacks.

Note use of machine gun company supporting the assault.

The first tank in Army White’s army has been named “ Federstein” by the men after the great pioneer of warfare.

View from the church tower of the assualt.

Armour and infantry enter the village.

The village is defended by artillery and machine guns.

Army White has learned much by their manoeuvres and await the coming campaign season against Army Red White…

Follow the link below for some inspiration-

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5EYX8l-OJqE

Two in a row

 On Monday friends came round to play this Seelowe set scenario -

I umpired and we used Second Edition Bolt Action. A few game photos-

The Home Guard defend the road block. Red dice is number of pins btw.

German paratroopers move through the woods…

A Home Guard Smith gun is deployed beside the village post office.

Section number one takes heavy casualties but returns fire.

The road block has few left to defend it now.

The end of game when a German section assaulted the roadblock. All in all an enjoyable game.

Yesterday saw a return to the Continuation War when one of Monday’s gamers returned for a board game, the other chap doesn’t like them.

Game set up and a coffee break taken.

Whilst at coffee in the garden my opponent saw this chap on a neighbour’s roof. Five minutes later there was a commotion in the tree by the pond and the aforementioned bird flee by us with lunch in his talons in the form of a small bird. Quite a sight.

The game was complicated and needless to say we didn’t finish it. It is more challenging than the other game set in the same period. Activation is by drawing chits from a cup. Each chit is a command, The Russians have four whilst my Axis has fourteen! I seemed to be constantly activated with little time to think. All in all a good if challenging simulation.

During the game the postman arrived with a parcel for me…

Anyone identify these

 Can anyone tell me the make of these figures?

Thanks for your help!

P.s they look a little like Willie figures to me but the mark on the base means nothing to me.

A question

 I have a question for you all. What were the first set of pike and shot/ECW rules published and when was it? Looking forward to hearing from you…

P.s I don’t know hence the question.

Some like it hot but not l

 It’s just too hot for me personally.

I enjoyed a read in the garden having undercoated some figures but the temperature was rising. Daughter no 2 suggested a trip to Aberdour for a sea swim etc. It was a busy train that took us to a seaside idyll. The breeze keeping the temperature down pleasantly. She swam, I dozed and then had an excellent ice cream from a vendor who set up an awning near the beach.

Edinburgh was shrouded in mist, at times you would not have known it was there at all. At other times only the tip of Arthur’s Seat was visible.

The sea was out exposing a micro world of rock pools

Such a lovely spot and so nearby.

On the figure front the simple conversion work proceeds well, the figures being transformed by a simple paint job. Heads have been ordered and l must get a few more bases too. An Osprey book on the Austro Hungarian army of WW1 provided another conversion idea , simple but effective. 

Kitchen early evening yesterday, too much! Keep hydrated, safe and have fun in and out of the sun!🌞 

I believe that is called al fresco, with apologies to Lily Allen

 Heatwave here in the Duchy and took the hobby and the Test Match outdoors-

The aforementioned Airfix 1/32 Japanese found recently.

Cheap paint and big brush begins the A7’s transformation.

Garden table works well as al fresco workbench to set up vice to hold the figures still for removal of heads and drilling into body ready to fit a new head.

Thirsty work this conversion business. Having misplaced the drill l have been making the holes with shap ended pliers.

Metal heads from the spares box fitted and figures added to mdf bases. In a recently purchased Osprey there is a photo of a Hungarian in a battered scout hat. I have used this as inspiration for the conversions along with alpini type heads.

Moving the A7 forward…

Later yesterday I had occasion to go for a meal into Edinburgh-

It was lovely to see the Princes Street Bandstand full of performers singing, dancing and doing gymnastics. . I watched from the street for some time , no idea who they were but they were excellent.

One browse in Waterstones and super Italian meal later l returned home on a rather hot and busy train. Another couple of days and the heatwave is due to subside, that suits me fine.

Arrivals

 

The long anticipated parcel arrived today.

Its arrival caused great excitement amongst the toy soldiers in the Duchy.

The Army Red White General instructed his troops to send the news by means of carrier pigeon.

Various troops wander about in amazement. An officer has drawn his sword ready to tackle the sellotape.

The contents are finally unveiled, three A7 tanks.

The tanks are given an inspection inside and out.

A lick of paint and these will be ready for an alfresco battle…

Unknown Soldier

 Following the advice of Nundanket and Roger l sought out the Finnish film “ Unknown Soldier” on you tube.

The version I found was three hours long with English subtitles. It is beautifully filmed and very moving. I felt a lot of cultural references were going over my head but that did not detract from my enjoyment of the film. It has left me with a desire to read more about the Continuation War . I would thoroughly recommend the film. I was pleased to read elsewhere that the director has a new film about the Lapland War premiering in 2026, one to look out for.

On the weekend and after

 

Yesterday saw me engaging with “ The Finnish Front” a 1941-42 Continuation War game from Strategy and Tactics. 

Punching out counters and getting to grips with it prior to a proper game next week.

Enjoying reading and drinking coffee in the garden. Note magical shed in background where things emerge from hobby wise having not seen the light of day for years…

The ragged, unkempt garden look which charms me and horrifies my middle daughter. Regardless of its state the garden brings me joy and the urge at times to tame it a tad.

An old friend from 1993 recently which surfaced from the libary shelves. I remain fascinated by the background, lore and the line drawings in particular.

Sunday saw me catching up with family at Prost https://www.abbothouse.org/coffee-shop/ in the gardens of Abbots house until a sudden deluge had everyone retreating in for cover.