James and Mike be in touch please with your contact details so l can send you the figures .
The adventures of an 18th century imagination, located in Northern Europe formerly ruled over by joint rulers Duke Karl Frederick and Duchess Liv.Not to mention the American colony of Ny Tradgardland the 17th century Colony of New Tradgardstadt and the newly restored territory of the Shetland Isles. Featuring a supporting bill of gaming in a diversity of times,places and scales.Hopefully something to interest all who pop by...
Sunday, 25 October 2026
Thursday, 22 October 2026
Downsizing Two
Yours for the cost of posting and a donation to a charity of your choice. Part of my downsizing process.
Contact me if interested. If more than one person is interested I will dice to see who gets it, to be fair.
54mm/60mm figures . I have quite a few more of 1812 American troops and Native Americans , painted when I can find them.1/32 or 54mm ACW figures.
Box of 1/32 or 54mm Celtic cavalry, unpainted. Tub of assorted same scale Celts.
A lovely surprise
Yesterday the postman brought me parcel all the way from Canada. It was from Ross Mc of https://gameofmonth.blogspot.com/
He had promised me Picts but what l got was even better. Ross’s blogs are some of my favourites and my particular favourite is his fantasy one https://gatheringofhosts.blogspot.com/
Here he shares battles from the setting he created with wonderful old school miniatures to the fore. Knights, beasts and wildfolk and many many more.
In the parcel were some of the Wildfolk including characters! As they say in football interviews, I was over the moon.
After and before pictures of repairs and additional bases carried out this morning.I looked out rules and am really looking forward to a game
Splendid old school cavalry that certainly look like they mean business.
Well wrapped , they had traveled far from their homes ready to meet new opponents and to ally themselves with my Wildfolk. Further introductions to the army and its opponents in the coming days…
Down sizing two Expeditionary figures located
Found them ! War of 1812 Expeditionary Forces figures , American militia an£ Native American. These are the ones referred to in the previous post.
Wednesday, 21 October 2026
Making some kits etc
Life has been very busy here and has absorbed a great deal of my time as well as my energy . I have however done other stuff.
Thirty Victrix Picts assembled. Instructions were clear and the figures went together nicely.I had to pop into Edinburgh yesterday for a meeting and went to the National Museum of Scotland for inspiration.
The hobby desk cleared to make way for the sprues and figures. Plastic cement is so much more pleasant to deal with than superglue, no stuck fingers.
Seen on a fence when out walking the other day.
Victrix sprue ready to start. The instructions are colour coded .
That hedgehog notice again.
Frost on the garden some days ago. Frosty, cold weather has given way to rain, rain, rain.
So a brief round up of Duchy life. Yesterday afternoon saw the arrival of a sample pack from Weave of War containing some cloaks . I look forward to trialing them soon.
Sunday, 18 October 2026
Re downsizing one
If l haven’t been in touch with you by now then you have not been successful this time. Thanks everyone for your interest. More very soon.
Friday, 16 October 2026
Downsizing One
Yours for the cost of posting and a donation to a charity of your choice. Part of my downsizing process.
Contact me if interested. If more than one person is interested I will dice to see who gets it, to be fair.
40mm scale carts and horses40mm scale cart loads , other carts and horses
20mm Airfix and some 20 mm metal ACW figures
ACW 20mm metal and plastic Airfix
ACW 20mm Airfix Cavalry.
More metal and plastic 20mm Airfix.
Tuesday, 13 October 2026
Off the painting table
The mounted knights were finished and felt like an outing on the battlefield, l was happy to oblige.
Using these rules with distances halved for the game.
Monday, 12 October 2026
Michaelmas Fayre 2 : towards the rules
There are hazards to be met sometimes in the ball game. Here we see a local troll who has been distributed by the noise or a ball kicked into his cave. Perhaps the troll just wants to borrow the ball for a game of golf using his big wooden club or perhaps he sees the ball game player as potential lunch? In any case it is time to run , run as fast as you can.
The players can throw the ball to each other the length of a coffee stirrer. In this example the throw is half a coffee stirrer away and so the player needs to throw anything but a one for success. Coffee stirrers also show how far a player may move.
There are hazards on the battlefield and this player has kicked the ball into the pond, let’s hope it not too deep or has disrupted any residents of the pool. When kicking a scatter dice is use for direction and a d6 for distance in half coffee stirrer increments. A ball gamer who is a designated kicked may add a certain number to the dice score and hence kick a greater distance.
Saturday, 10 October 2026
Michaelmas Fayre
It is the season of the Michaelmas Fayre in the Northlands and beyond. As ever the highlight is the ball game between the Reds and the Greens.
Here are the Greens assembly outside the inn which is the goal they defend.The reds outside their respective inn and goal to defend.
As ever King Noggin will oversee proceeding in his role as referee. Both time have their enthusiastic supporters.
The “pitch” over which the game will take place. As well as the all rounders, each team has a fast runner, a talented kicker , a strong man and a goal defender. More on the rules soon.
Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Moving on …
Many , many thanks for your supportive and thoughtful comments to my last post as well as your personal emails. The Black Dog has wandered off leaving me tired but able to move on. I have done so on a number of fronts:
Many thanks to Bob C via Neil for the heads up regarding this new book . I purchased it the other day and am finding it fascinating reading.I have been spending time in the garden planting out and tidying as well as ensuring we have some pleasing pots to view over the winter. This morning saw a heavy frost overnight which has now melted under the autumn sun shining today under clear blue skies.
Currently working on some 28mm knights l was given undercoated as well as two finished. This is proving engaging and not extremely taxing.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVTD5p8VNk
The garden is giving up its seasonal produce which is always a joy. Harvesting and pottering resulted in the above and below.
So trying to make some positive steps and succeeding I feel.
Saturday, 3 October 2026
Still here
Still here. Black Dog and lethargy marked the week. The 1848;SH figures turned out badly , again. I persevered for a bit then put them away. Maybe try another time or pass them on.
An enjoyable meal at my eldest’s yesterday evening and a chance to bond with the splendid Brian the Cat.🐈⬛ . He is an engaging , independent fellow.Picked up the Steel Fist 15th C Swiss, Assembled them and started painting. They are lovely sculpts.
Diverting myself with some hobby related reading.
Solo game never happened, even though l tried to mix things up a tad.
First game for ages against real life opponents was a disaster yesterday. Naively l had quipped to my daughter that l was sure that the old argumentative spectre would not return. How wrong l was , it was just rules quibbling one after another with the low point being a 45 minute “discussion “ around moving one unit! All joy was squeezed from the game and a husk of lead, felt and plastic was all that remained.
Apologies for this diatribe, not what one needs over breakfast. I will pick myself up, dust myself off and soldier on…



















































