A Missing Week

Last Week - nothing to report - no wargaming activity whatsoever.  Can't say that about this week though!


Saturday 25th November 2017 - Hebden Bridge / Old Town

After spending hours in a really cold hall I tried to escape by bus.  As I got on I asked if it went to Hebden Bridge and received the curious reply 'eventually'.  The driver was true to his word as we climbed up the moors to a remote turning circle (no buildings within half a mile).  The bus came down again passing the original bus stop on the other side.  It then proceeded to wind its way around Old Town and Wadsworth taking tortuous routes through estates and very narrow roads.  When we eventually got to 'town' I started my rounds of the charity shops.

Managed to purchased another Dr Who book:

Sunday 26th November 2017 - Halifax

Luckily the snow had melted but it was drizzling (and trying to sleet).  After spending quite some time looking for a parking spot I visited the model shop.

                            http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2106

I have decided to try out this period but not to make any specific purchases - in other words if its there I will buy it.

Basically I needed to know how different the uniforms are from, later, Napoleonics (of which I have plenty).  Reasonable figure but a pain to remove from the sprue.  After much sawing , cutting and filing they have started chemical processing (and I have a blister).

I have done very little in the way of painting for maybe 5 or 6 months.  Today I gave my Aztecs a bit more covering - better a little progress than none I suppose! 


Monday 27th November 2017

Downloaded a pdf of these ancients rules.  It does not use dice (a bonus for me if ever there was one) but does employ playing cards.  I'm looking for a successor to DBM (which I think has stagnated).  So far I have tried "Triumph" and "Impetus" but neither have grabbed my attention.


WDW - 4 games going on:

Impetus - Samurai 1600
Bolt Action - US Marines v Japanese
Oregan - boardgame
DBM - Lysimachus at Ipsus v Antigonus One-Eye - I managed to throw quite good dice until it mattered.  After that the C-in-C was killed and my command crumbled. 

3 issues of Miniature Wargames turned up (413-415).  Will give them a quick perusal before returning them to the club stockpile.  Don't expect much - review in due course.

DBA v3...and all that!

Saturday 11th November 2017 - Gt.Houghton

3 games of DBA v3.0:

(1) Abbasid Arabs - 1 x Cv(g), 3 x Cv, 1 x Lh, 3 x 4 Sp, 2 x 4 Bw, 1 x Wb & 1 x 7 Hd
     Thematic Byzantines - 1 x Cv(g), 3 x 3 Cv, 3 x Lh, 2 x 6 Cv, 2 x 4 Sp & 1 x 2 Ps

Awful movement dice handed me a 5:1 victory.

(2)  Fatimid Egyptians - 1 x Cv(g), 2 x Cv, 1 x Kn, 1 x Lh, 1 x 7 Hd, 1 x 3 Bw, 3 x 4 Bd & 2 x 4 Sp.
      Early Crusader - 1 x Kn(g), 3 x Kn, 1 x Lh, 4 x 4 Sp, 2 x 4 Xb & 1 x 3 Bw

Still poor movement dice meant another win (4:1).  I managed to shoot off a double-based element then captured the enemy camp.

(3)  Pre-Islamic Arabs - 1 x Cv(g), 1 x Lh, 1 x LCm, 4 x Cm, 2 x 4 Bd, 2 x 3 Bw & 1 x Ps
      Early Imperial Roman - 1 x Cv(g), 1 x Cv, 1 x Lh, 4 x 4 Bd, 3 x 4 Ax, 1 x 4 Bw & 1 x Art

The dice gods swapped sides.  I had the enemy general sandwiched, on even terms, but Ian six-oned me followed by a 5:1 to kill another Cm.  Game over with a 1:5 Loss.

I learned a couple of lessons -
(a) Don't put your troops in a column anywhere near the enemy - if the front element is pushed back it dies.  It's in the diagram section - not the main rules.
(b)  Camels are pretty awful with a factor of 3 against foot and horse plus only a 3 BW movement. 
Note to self - take my camera next time.

Elsewhere....... Another display at Horbury library - Sci-Fi tanks - some interest shown.


 Sunday 12th November 2017

Finished another Dr Who book:

A good yarn about degenerates fighting over a ball of metal.  Just goes to show what blind obedience to a religion can do.


Monday 13th November 2017 - WDW

Sparsely attended night. 

Impetus - Wars of the Roses
Honours of War - more 7YW action - Austrians & Russians v Revolutionary French
DBA v2.1 & HotT - players swapped between tables.  Byzantines fought Crusaders and the pseudo-Samurai were up against the pseudo-Medieval.

Getting Out

Monday 6th November 2017 - WDW

Got a lift tonight (thanks Tim) so I know, first hand, what went on.

Quebec 1759 - boardgame - convincingly won by John Smith
Impetus - Normans v Saxons - the Norman left came charging forward and got stuck.  After that it seemed to be a bit of a grind.
Honours of War - Prussians v Russians - the DBM group playing 7YW for a change.  I took part but it was such a slow battle.  Don't know if it was the rules (Osprey) or just the period.  Think that I would rather watch paint dry.
DBA v3.0 - Medieval clash of knights - neither player was enamored with the rules.



Tuesday 7th November 2017

My copy of Slingshot arrived.

The contents include:

"Speed in Action" - Paionian Cavalry - quite interesting
"Maths, Musings and Mistakes" - casualty calculations
"Arsuf Battle Day" - short report
"Fearsome Weapons" - early firearms and bows
"The Second (Plastic) Punic War - Part 2" - 28mm figures
"China's Defences"

Only had time to read the first article so I will reserve judgement.


Thursday 9th November 2017

PSR has reviewed the Caesar H029 box - Ancient Chinese Shang vs Zhou Dynasty Troopers - http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/review.aspx?id=1373
(that I purchased last week).

The initial trawl through my books and the internet revealed very little information other than this box covers a very long time period.  As is often the case where manufacturers produce figures that appeal to the eye of young buyers these models are of the elite warriors.  The rank and file would have been much more poorly armed and armoured but are unrepresented. 

Not sure what I am going to do with these latest recruits - most likely they will just gather dust.

Back from 'Foreign Parts' (almost Lancashire)

Friday 27th October 2017

DB Colonial - played out two trial games making many mistakes along the way.  Didn't really need the DBN rules - attrition is optional (shaken status) and the terrain section is pure Barkereese (so I used DBA v3.0).  Discovered that Camels and Irregular cavalry are useless.  Will, maybe, give it another go when I find the time (and the enthusiasm).


Saturday 28th October 2017 - Halifax

After leaving home at 09.45 I eventually arrived at Mytholmroyd at approx 13.30 hrs.  A non-existant bus at the start meant a diversion to Wakefield (and 40 min wasted)  After that two trains - changing at Leeds.  Before taking the last leg (by bus) I stopped off at the Halifax Model Shop where I purchased two boxes:

Caesar H029 - Ancient Chinese Shang vs Zhou Dynasty Troopers BC 1050
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/FirstLook.aspx?id=1373  [Awaiting Review]
When I figure out which is which I will decide where to employ these figures.

 

HaT 8271 - Dervish Warriors
http://www.plasticsoldierreview.com/Review.aspx?id=2016

Yet more 'canon-fodder' for my Imperials.  They are a trifle petite compared to other manufacturers.


Sunday 29th October 2017 - Mytholmroyd

All this travel meant that I demolished yet another Dr Who book:

 

Featuring Smith & Pond - better than I expected. A stealthy invasion.

Monday 30th October 2017 - WDW

6mm Sci-Fi (hover tank commander)
DBM - Later Crusaders v Fatimid Egyptian - another draw
Impetus - Wars of the Roses in 15mm
Colonial - Sikh wars 28mm (rules unknown)

Thanks to Deany & Chris for info.

Tuesday 31st October 2017

The return journey was much easier - catching the bus to Halifax at 09.35 I was home by 11.30 hrs.  The King's Cross train was pretty fast and let me off at Wakefield Kirkgate.  The final bus was only 10 minutes late!

I picked up another Dr Who book (Smith & Pond again) in Halifax and started on it during the journey (more on that later).