Transy: a Halloween post of sorts.

 There is a very pleasant area in Dunfermline called Transy. Lovely houses and gardens. I only discovered recently that it was marked differently on old maps. I consulted these on my bookshelf for further details but they seem to suggest Transylvania is far , far , away from Fife!

Anyway here is the proof, from an old map of Dunfermline-

So for years l have been walking through this area unaware of where I really was!

Just a thought

 Putting out my beloved blue coated Chasseurs a Pied for my current game l was thinking about whether designated “Light Infantry “ should be treated differently on the table top by the rules we use. I am thinking of the 1920s and 1930’s. What do you think? If they should be treated differently to ,say line  infantry , what should this look like in rules terms?

Et maintenant, un petit jeu…

 The Swiss , French border 1930s. Things have escalated…

French troops on the march , finding it hard going through the difficult terrain.

French light infantry in their blue uniform advancing.

Support comes in the form of a tank and a machine gun unit.

Chamois’s eye view from his nearby cliff vantage point.

Swiss infantry advancing

Swiss infantry advancing supported by a tank.

The title of this post is the phrase we used when teaching French and moving on from one activity to the next.

Rules used are Memories of ‘34 by the redoubtable Brian Cameron.

Figures and tanks mainly resin printed and bought via Etsy.

Downsizing four

   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.

This time it is 28mm Wo fun flat figures , mainly 17th century, some other bits.Figures are acrylic ( ?) and there are bases for most.

They deserve to March and fight

 Last night l was richly entertained by the football on the radio , my current favourite method of consumption. A terrific David v Goliath contest where Fleetwood beat Arsenal, eighty four places above them, on penalties. It was excellent to hear an interview with one of the Fleetwood players on what it meant to him and club and community. Joy.

I am currently enjoying my downsizing too. Yes l get a bit grumpy over the sticky tape end that cannot be found but all in all the process has been great. Figures that have languished in the shed for years are marching to new battlefields and new commanders. I am so pleased they will be used. I have too much stuff , not enough time or energy to do justice to it and am unearthing things l do want to use. For example l unearthed some Blacktree Picts ( l had a long wait for them l can tell you) just ideal for current interests and a good excuse for trying to build something for the table top.

All this musing leads me to the subject that has been much on my mind of late - the BIG PILE of Willie ecw /tyw figures l purchased some time ago.  I had a plan to paint them as Sealed Knot regiments, a great idea  which now I realise l will never do. Too many figures combined with not being the world’s best painter. Besides l have plenty of terrific Old School ecw/TYW for a project, painted  ( mostly not by be) for my needs and for a nod to the SK if l wish.

So what to do with the Willie figures? I would love someone to give them the TLC  they deserve as grand old men ( and women) of the Wargames world. I would love to see them getting uniforms from the quarter master  ( painted) and see service on the field of Mars ( table top ) for a General who loved their quirky charms.  All l want for them is a good home, an interested general and the chance for them to march to the sound of miniature drums into action .  Have a care! So l ask is there anyone interested or knows of anyone who might be , l hand it over to you dear readers.

Re Downsizing two

 James and Mike be in touch please with your contact details so l can send you the figures .

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.

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.

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.

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 horses

40mm 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.

Two box files of ACW figures and one box file of 40mm scale metal carts, horses etc.

Off the painting table

Daughter number two and I went to meet daughter number three’s new puppy. Rosa is a great wee soul , not to mention her alien friend.

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.

 

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.

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.

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.

I had printed off these skirmish rules which are styled as a Mordheim successor game . Most interesting. Want to find out more ? Follow the video links below.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVTD5p8VNk

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TbVTD5p8VNk

It has been possible to have coffee in the garden and I have enjoyed very much the garden as she moves into a new season. I’ve also been walking a little more too.

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.