Off the painting desk - Shipwrecked!

 The Spanish Armada has been defeated! The Spanish have been vanquished!

The ships make for home but it is a long, long way.

One such ship was the San Pedro Menor .She made it all the way to Ireland but ran aground on the rocks in a tremendous storm-

Most of the crew went down with the ship but some made it to land . Exhausted, traumatised they regrouped and made for the interior of this unknown country-

The small band of survivors was led by Don Estrella, veteran of many campaigns. His wife Dona Verano and their chaplain Padre Marron , a wild unkempt  priest with a predilection for solving mysteries.

Through bog after bog they trudged, exhausted, looking for shelter.

Scouts were sent up hill and mountain , encountering no one on their way.

The banner had been torn from the ship and brought with them.

What will happen to these strangers in a strange land, only time will tell.

To be continued ..

Hopefully this will be the start of some linked games and scenarios over the coming weeks.

Excellent news!

 

Remembering

 Today would have been my 35th Wedding Anniversary. 

Anyone else take part?

 

Update

Friday saw us finishing the late medieval game-

French knights have killed their Burgundian opponents thanks to a lucky dice throw.

French archers pour a withering arrow storm into opposition Guild pikemen and then get stuck in with hand to hand.

The Burgundian Commander and his men slog it out with the Franc archers whilst an organ gun provides support 

The last of the Guild pikemen prior to their demise , demoralisation is just around the corner.

The Burgundians lose more men and become demoralised, their commander admits defeat. An enjoyable game and unusually a win for us.

I had rebased my Irish for dbm from their previous 60mm square bases. They were never out of the box so  having just finished the Reivers and opponents I decided to rebase/ repaint/ touch up the Irish to become a potential opponent. Here they are soaking off their current bases.

Mounted on 2p sized plastic bases.

The Reivers/ townsfolk etc arrayed and with banner added , ready to serve in Ireland…

Based , textured paint applied and ready for final painting prior to varnishing…

I also wondered if the Elizabethan fellows could serve in the New World and looked out this book for inspiration-

So at some point I could add some  Powhatan opponents to allow even more gaming potential. The figure basing/ finishing has gone really well. Now thinking of rules, Lion Rampant, Songs of blades variant or probably some rules like those used by Tidders, we shall see…

Off the painting table

 Finished some 28mm Border  Reivers and Towns folk/ Warden of the Marches men today.

I’ve been converting the metal figures with parts from Perry Plastics and other places.

The Reivers on the work table.

Dismounted Reivers and five foot loons- Reivers not processing a horse.

Figures based with red flower to aid identification on the games table.

Towns/Wardens folk - with green tufts to identify them. Officers and leaders have white flowers too to aid identification on the games table.

Pleased with the results. May do a few more and some highland cows and pack mules.

Local

 I always listened with a certain end to Americans and Canadians with 18th Century battlefields on their doorstep or a short ride away . Yet here I am in Fife just up the road from the scene of actions involving sloops, long boats and landings. More anon.

Yesterday saw Ronnie and I at the annual Falkirk Muir battlefield conference. As ever a fascinating mix of talks and displays . Some pictures-

A map of the Forth near the bridge at Kincardine l frequently get the bus over.

Account from during the ‘45…

The programme. Something for everyone and lots of things new to me. Every year there is something that really catches one’s interest. It is often not from a talk eagerly awaited. It is something that makes you think hmm hobby potentially or deepens interest in the period. In past years it has been a tartan expert speaking on his subject or an academic on the Irish Gaels in the 1690s conflict. This year it was amphibious warfare, redcoats in longboats, burning ships and£ the alike . Fascinating stuff and just a few miles and 280years up the road…

A grand day out indeed!