Crude But Effective?

During a break from painting the other day I thought that I would use the time productively, so I knocked up this "photo box". It is half of an old shoebox, some white card, a piece of grass matting, paints, kitchen foil and a piece of obligatory quack tape.

A desk light over the top and one at the front eliminates the shadows, below are some pics of figures from a current commission taken using it.
Front Rank Figurines Late 17th century Danish Guard Grenadiers and the colonel.

Next weeks game will be over at GHQ, a game set in Blandings after the German invasion of Britain I believe. Then Thursday it is off up to Scotland for a few days taking in Carronade, hurrah!

TTFN

The Unlucky Anarchist

Dave and I played the planned Spanish Civil War game today, we used Bolt Action rules straight out of the tin apart from the anarchist squads needing to pass an order test before they could change an order used the previous turn. Both forces would need to pass an order test to enter the table each time an order dice was drawn. Below is a photographic montage of the action, despite no Republican troops entering the table in the first turn the Nationalists were unable to capitalise on this. I think it worked in the Republicans favour not coming on as they were able to fire first in most cases, shooting on both sides was pretty poor, but the Nationalist fire was shocking, only causing a single casualty in six turns! I will let the pictures tell the sorry tale...................................................................................

The Field Of Battle

A Tourist Snap

The Eager Nationalist Militia Advance

The Anarchists Make An Headlong Dash, Taking Advantage Of The Nationalist Disarray

Carlist Militia Try To Be Clever Making A Flank Move, When They Should Be Lending Weight To Centre

Falange Militia Doing Likewise, They Should Leave The Clever Stuff To La Legion

Showing No Such Finesse, Anarchist Militia Supported By The International Brigade Surge Forward

The Nationalist Command Takes Refuge

Met With Sustained Fire By Two International Brigade Squads The Falange Are Eventually Sent Packing

With The Rest Of The Force Either Wiped Out Or Routing The Remaining Carlists Surrender 

I paid the price of using poor tactics and bad dice throws, leaving Dave and the Nationalists in control of the town.

Hasta La Vista

Goth Noble Cavalry

I have finished a unit of Goth Noble cavalry, this makes two cavalry and two infantry units completed for the Goths. I need to paint the same again to make an eight unit force for using Neil Thomas's Ancient and Medieval rules.
I am currently painting another unit of Roman Equites, when this is complete I just need to paint another infantry unit to have the required eight units for the Romans.

Earlier in the week I popped over to GHQ for a Very British Civil War game, it was a splendid affair, made more so by being victorious and saving the Royal couple from the clutches of the Bolshies. For some splendid pics and reportage click HERE or on the side bar, Tales From GHQ.

Next game here will be a Spanish Civil War game.

TTFN

We Are Rome!

Dave had been away visiting Matt and family so asked for a less taxing game, ideal for this sort of thing is Neil Thomas's "One Hour Wargames" so I dug the book out and chose a suitable scenario and decided to give my slowly growing Saxon and Post Roman Britons forces a run out. This would also give me a chance to get the recently painted mansio on the table too, Dave however said he fancied another run out with Lion Rampant so all change. Since the last game of LR I have painted a few more figures so was able to muster a unit of hearthguard, two units of warriors and a skirmish unit for each, this would save the need to account for casualties if we used smaller units, also it would be a quick game, to offset the small contingents I compressed the space available with buildings and a wooded area.

 It has not been a bad winter, the coming of spring should cheer us all the same, were it not for the fact that we know that it will herald a new assault by the Seax. We will be ready for them, Rome may have deserted us but we are ROMAN! and will defend our land and loved ones to the bitter end.

To be expected news as arrived about an advance by a small force of Seax, we will march to meet them with what men we can muster, we may not achieve parity but we have every confidence in our leader Rawnslious Nausious to lead us to victory.

 Our leader lead us, the skirmishers and a body of spear men between the village and the wood, sending another unit of spear men to the other side of the village to counter any flanking move. It was not long before we saw the enemy skirmishers take up position on a low rise to our front, we could hear the chant of Penda Fudd, Penda Fudd, it turned out that this was the name of their leader.

Over the other side of the village the two forces met, it was not until later when the remnants of our force returned that we knew of their success in defeating the foe, meanwhile things were not looking good for us our supporting spear men were routed after fighting off two ferocious attacks. Drastic measures were needed for we did not know how things were on the right, our brave leader challenged Penda to single combat, joy our leader got the better of it and slew Penda!

This stalled but did not stop the enemy who gathered their courage and renewed the assault, but they could not break us and both sides retired, at this time our force on the right came into view. Seeing this the Seax knew that we could not be bested and prepared to retire, we too had suffered grievous losses and were in no condition to continue the fight so let them retire. We had bloodied each others noses, we would lick our wounds gather fresh men ready to sell themselves dearly for the Seax will be back.  

  

Skirmishers Trade Arrows

The Saxon Flanking Force

Fighting On The Right, A Brief Respite For Both Sides

End Game

End Game

Baldinus In Lectum Et Lorem

AKA. Osbourne House
Photos of the completed Grand Manner Roman Travellers rest, as mentioned in my previous post this magnificent piece will also see action in my First Carlist and Spanish Civil War games. It may even make an appearance in the game Tuesday in a more northern country.

The Main Building

The Roadside View

Aerial View

Front Elevation

Side Elevation

Rear Elevation

The Courtyard

Legio II Adiutrix Completed

No game this week had to call it off due to a stonking cold AKA man flu, did not want Dave to be passing it on to the family. It did not stop me painting though, finished off a couple of commission units and the below legion.

Not the best of photos I'm afraid, just could not seem to get the exposure right, figures are all A & A Miniatures the building in the background is the rather stunning Roman travellers rest from Grand Manner, not cheap, but then quality rarely is. I have had my eye on the piece for sometime and it appeared in Dave's March sale, I had a tax refund last year and my wife said buy something you would not normally get for yourself so I took the plunge. It will also be used in my First Carlist and Spanish Civil War games too, I have to finish off the back and one side wall and add some water effect to the well and it is finished, more pics on completion if folk would like to see more of it.

TTFN