Para, para dice, with apologies to Coldplay.

 Set this up to play in the coming days…

https://manoftinblogtwo.wordpress.com/2024/12/31/para-shots-the-home-guard-training-game-wargame-in-a-matchbox-wip/

Tidy

 I have cleared this-

The winter backdrop and white cloth have  been popped away and l am thinking of setting up a game but what…

Homeguard helmet etc

 When watching Pathe news the other day l took this still-

It shows a Homeguardsman in a painted helmet. Never seen this before. Any one got more details?

Yesterday saw me in Falkirk yesterday for The Battle of Falkirk Conference day out. En route saw these-

Standing stones not that far out of Dunfermline and the wonderful Kelpies below.

More pictures and comments anon. Here is the esteemed author of this blog trying 18th century swords and replicas for comparative weight etc.

Thanks to Ronnie for getting the tickets , lifts , company and taking the photo just above. A grand day out indeed !

Friday

 

Cannae again but sides swopped, this time I commanded the Romans

Cavalry melee with some success for the Romans.

My Spanish had successfully crossed the river but now my flank was menaced by Numidian light cavalry.

A view of the battlefield from behind Carthaginian lines.

The Spanish crossed and advancing.

The start of the game.

The game ended when I lost the generals of both my commands in the same turn! I conceded almost gracefully.

On my return an eBay purchase was waiting for me-

I had got a job lot of post boxes and phone boxes, including two unmade for use with the Homeguard.

Here is a phone boxes with 28mm figure, doesn’t look too bad to me . Post boxes were a tad on the tall side btw.

Go West etc

 This week has seen me battling a leg infection as well more interesting things happening-

Sunday saw me in Edinburgh and appreciating this beautiful Nativity Scene.

A parcel arrived and it came with this card which was a hit with the family, not to mention a fascinating book.

My new art history course began in the West. A lovely sunny Glasgow. This term I am looking at 17th Century Dutch art.

Fascinating graffiti in the Kelvingrove area.

The Smith gun arrived on Wednesday , earlier than expected.

It is a lovely model but l struggled to put it together lacking the dexterity initially as well as covering my fingers in superglue. What a faff but got there eventually!

The completed model and crew( full of character) undercoated ready for painting…

Home

 Due to recent freezing conditions l have spent quite a bit of time at home and painting figures whilst listening to podcasts. I listen to a variety of, history, hobby , theology and sport mainly. I find it a good way of catching up with things whilst taking the figures forward. The fifteenth century Germans were laid aside and I have been working on the Homeguard figures recently purchased-

They have moved forward very nicely and hopefully will be ready to take to the table in the coming weeks.

I even have some bicycle mounted Homeguard too, which are fun.

I’ve been reading round the subject too which has been fun. I heartily recommend both books. I succumbed on Friday and ordered a Smith gun in 28mm. Found this enjoyable video on the Smith gun-

https://youtu.be/cJj4NxOrcds

Well worth a watch.

Currently my Homeguard chaps have the odd matchbox car ( VBCW  leftovers) but l am wondering if they deserve something else. Thoughts?

My German paratrooper HQ and support weapons are currently on the painting table and proceeding a pace too. I have added the suspicions look Wargames Foundry nun to their ranks as a nod to the fears of the time. Wondering if the Germans could do with a tank or some Brandenbergers. Thoughts?

A bolt from the blue.

 So yesterday we tried Bolt Action second edition. I noticed on the rules I had bought them in 2017. They had lain on the shelf , occasionally looked at ( esp the Seelowe Suplement) since then. We had felt the need to try something else for a VBCW as Went the Day Well is quirky ,popular but not quite hitting the spot for my opponents. I am a fan but can see the issues folk have it. Anyway over Christmas l looked out the order dice RC had given me yonks ago, ordered another set and read the rules. This was supplemented by very helpful videos on You Tube. The battlefield was set up and off we went.

It was just a training exercise so l won’t go on much about the game save to say it went really well. The order dice didn’t clutter the table and the red dice l used to mark pins worked fine.

We had the odd disagreement about interpretation of the rules but all in all it proceeded well. It was fun, which is half the battle in my eyes. It gave a reasonable result.

All in all it was a hit with the three of us. The playsheets l had printed off were most useful. One of our number went home and bought a set of the rules on kindle, he has been won over

All in all a good day’s gaming. We will try them again in a couple of weeks. I know that many don’t rate the rules for many reasons. I know they aren’t serious like “ Chain of Command “ etc but they delivered for us a platoon level experience that we enjoyed. That’s good enough for me , for now.