Goodbye January, hello York Wargames Show.

Well here we are January 2017 nearly gone, with only one post to show for the month which is very bad form. I must admit I seem to be no different than most wargaming bloggers I follow, given their dearth of posts. I was beginning to think that wargamers had found another way to communicate their projects and thoughts, I hope I am wrong.
                                     
Anyway I have been working away at my small ACW project, but I have also been busy painting some more 54mm plastic medievals' and also some 28mm Perry Napoleonic generals which I have been putting on E Bay.  I have also noticed that wargamers on E Bay have also been very quiet, I suppose Christmas and the daily bulletins about post Brexit financial meltdown have understandably scared a few people to rein back on their spending.

Again I must admit I have been tempted to slip in a couple of post truth items concerning post brexit and the collapse of wargaming just for sheer devilment, but then somebody somewhere would have passed the items off as truth and God knows what would have happened. Mind I see that the price of metal used in the production of soldiers is forecast to rise by 150% due to the collapse of Sterling, those Brexit Bas***ds, if that had been known I wouldn't have voted as I did. I want a second referendum and I want it now.
 There are only a few certainties in life, Sunderland football club to be relegated regularly,me to throw one's when I need sixes, taxes and death. Everything else is only happenstance and fate, so fretting about how our country will end up is frankly a waste of oxygen.

So back to reality. I have definitely painted these figures, and enjoyed the experience thoroughly.

A 6pdr horse artillery unit. I purchased some ACW artillery pieces from Hinds Figures in their currents sale. Frank Hinchliffe was a dab hand at modelling artillery.

 I am pleased to see the back of Redoubt Miniatures Garibaldi Guard, simply because they took some painting, heavens knows why. They were carrying a bit of heavy flash, but I like them now they have some paint on them.

                                        Another Perry unit, some more Iron Brigade chaps.
Its the York Show this weekend, so it means that the wargaming season has started. I think York is now my favourite show, especially with the sad demise of Sheffield Triples. Hopefully I will bump into a few wargamers I see only at shows for a bit of a chat.

Up and Running.

Well my painting schedule is underway for 2017, actually I think calling it a schedule is pushing it a bit far, as it implies a plan and a target. I have neither. I think I basically will paint up some more ACW units until I feel I can field a decent games worth. However I have just taken receipt of a unit of Steel Fists Gendarmes, so they will be included in the mix, and not forgetting my Saxon's for the AMG weekend later this year. Plus I am still painting 1/32 Airfix medievals.

The commander represents Mckellen,who would never have a rating of 11 as shown on his base. I think a wavering 7 would be more in character.

John and I fought our first battle of the New Year last week, and he kindly set up an ACW scenario which was classed as a very closely fought victory for me. It was a great game to start the year with.

Below is a 'spare' unit of Redoubt rebels donated by Jim Sweeney. Whoever said Yorkshiremen were mean, they were carrying a lot of flash, but have come up okay eventually.

That Programme.

Just a final observation regarding THAT programme, Time Commanders before I finally shut up about it.
 Last year I watched a BBC television programme called The Great Pottery Throw Down, which was basically a competition regarding members of the public being challenged to create ceramic items, hosted by Sara Cox and  judged by experts, including a very strange chap, who while very knowledgeable tended to break down in tears when he was impressed by some wonderful ceramic creation. So quite often really.He was however a skilled ceramicist.
   I began to watch the programme fully expecting to switch it off almost immediately. I didn't and instead found myself captivated by the skills needed and the wonderful things made. In fact by the end of the series, I wanted to try ceramics?

   Over the New Year I was talking to a lady who actually teaches Ceramics to retired people and she said that due to the programme she had been inundated with people wanting to try the hobby and had to set up new classes.
 My point is, will anyone in the United Kingdom have been motivated enough to dabble in wargames of any genre and type after that shambles that was Time Commanders. No I thought not.
 I am now wondering if its viable to make ceramic toy soldiers?

Time's winged chariot.

  Having now pulled myself around from a long long night setting the world to rights I thought it would be a good idea to review the intentions I posted at the start of 2016.
 Every New Year millions of people must think about re positioning themselves, whether it is physically, socially or whatever. Needless to say the vast majority fail in whatever they set out to do, and having re read my short list for 2016 I am no different.
   I have increased my blog readership, albeit by one new follower. So no success there.
 My avowed intention to have less armies but several smaller armies linked to my main periods also failed spectacularly, although I have sold my Malburian armies and my World War Two armies. Unfortunately I started two new unrelated periods in the interim, and am committed to both. So another failure.
 I did play a lot of wargames, but I would need the diaries of my mate John to provide exact numbers. I do know I won more than I lost, and some of the battles were very interesting affairs. So that would be viewed as a relative success, except I only used my purpose built wargames room twice in the entire year which is definitely a huge failure. What is the point of having large wargames armies and a large table if they are unused.
 So in brief, my short list of intentions for 2016 was a complete failure.
 
 I'm very mindful that New Years' seem to arrive far faster as one gets older and the opportunities for fulfilling some of my wargaming ambitions start to look like dreams that will never be achieved.
  So 2017 has to be a year when I tick off a few of my remaining wargaming ambitions with a clear intention as to what I want to achieve.
 I think Andrew Marvell encapsulated exactly what a lot of veteran wargamers must think from time to time;
                            But at my back I always hear
                             Time's winged chariot hurrying near
                               And yonder all before us lie
                                Deserts of vast eternity.

  So I can only apologise for my downbeat review and promise that I will try harder to achieve some of the goals that I have subconsciously set myself for this New Year.


Something to always lift my spirits. An image of a wonderfully constructed wargames table with masses of figures on it. What better incentive is there, to actually want to be a wargamer.
 Happy New Year to one and all.