Anyone for Tennis?

Karl Frederick has recovered sufficently to practice once more upon the tennis court.Watched by Duchess Liv and the Court, he manges a game or two. Midsommer passed quietly with the potentiality of Skogsmork not materialising - in fact it has been rather too quiet on that front of late...

Vonn Bergmann remains fully occupied in Scotland and will be shortly be joined there by the Duc de Padirac. Generaloffizer MacKay is currently giving his knowledge and expertise to the Duchy of Beerstein.

Summer continues in the Duchy in fits and starts - the sun an infrequent ,yet sought visitor. News is expected from Ny Tradgardland and other Duchy outposts any day now as the respective boats are overdue. Meanwhile the tennis comes to an end with the delivery of a sealed letter bearing the Skogsmork seal. Deja Vu observes the Duke as he opens the letter and begins to read its lenghty contents...

Recent days and plans

Last night I completed another part of the Skogsmork army. On the go I have a unit of militia and a jaeger unit. The figures look pretty good - flock covers a multitude of sins! I hope to post pictures soon. It is a year ago , almost to the day , since I got my copy of BAR and this autumn I look forward to getting some more games in as my regular opponent starts the Prussians. Over the summer I hope to get my 15th Century Germans nearly finished and then the SYW awaits ....

Today...

Some sun but lots of rain! I spent much of the day painting units for the Duchy of Skogsmork and painting a flag or two. Figs look ok and hope there might be an encounter of a small nature betwixt the two duchies in the not too distant future...

Skogsmork meets Tony Bath...

Today was Midsommer- beautiful a.m and very rainy tonight. I decided , whilst cutting the grass , to work out the characters of Duke Otto's widow Ulrika and her son Wolfgang - as illustrated left ...

The wonderful campaign book by Tony Bath provided a superb methodology. Dice were thrown and the results came up as following:

Ulrika is,vicious,open handed,loyal, striking in looks, much loved by the people, of average intelligence and active with initiative!

Wolfgang is open and sunny,totally depraved,has a thrifty tendency, is bribable,striking of appearance, much liked by the people ,very intelligent and active!

Two interesting characters to portray upon the wargames table and to interact on the Blog here. I hope to post further details about the Duchy of Skogsmork soon and perhaps an entry will appear in Brother James' book in due course.

The Duchy of Skogsmork will raise some forces as time ,money and energy ( not necessarily in that order ) will allow. A good Midsommer to you one and all!

Midsommer Preparations

In the Duchy of Tradgardland preparations are underway to celebrate Midsommer...

The pavilions are raised against the blue of heaven and a canvas town has emerged upon the heath.

This year Karl Frederick directs all from the bed upon which he is lain. He is still recovering from the wound incurred upon the duelling ground.

In between organising and directing the myriad servants , each laden for the coming feast, he frets about what will become of relations between Tradgardland and Skogsmork. He settles upon the thought that this is Midsommer - what possibly could go wrong?

Sorrow and Surprise...

Wolfgang , of the Duchy of Skogsmork, upon hearing of the untimely death of his father Duke Otto...

Post Duel...

The coach stops at the first friendly dwelling upon the Tradgardland side of the border. The Duke and Duchess still are dazed by the outcome of their recent trip to Skogsmork...

Duke Karl Frederick was wounded by a sword thrust which has left him with wounds which have finally been staunched by the Duchess. After the duel the Ducal couple were hurried to a waiting coach ( by friends unknown to them ) whilst chaos erupted all around. Duke Otto lay upon the floor, the rapier still protruding from his chest, his mouth silently moving through the bloody foam...

Meanwhile at that very moment ,when Duke Frederick reaches safety, Duke Otto is being laid out in the Palace Chapel - a thousand purple tapers burning around him. His bereft son pacing the chapel corridors with vengeance upon his mind...