Thursday, 23 February 2017
F*$£*&^ B!$*&!£ Windows
Thursday 16th February 2017 - Microsoft
That kind, considerate and ever thoughtful company Microsoft forcibly installed its Anniversary Update on my computer late on Thursday evening. On Friday morning I came down to find the machine still on.
Getting onto the Internet, sending passwords, etc has now become a nightmare. The whole system is completely slugged. It feels like I am back on dial-up. There is, of course, no news as to when this American Giant will sort out its own mess.
Saturday 18th February 2017 - WDW
I didn't go and nobody has told what went on. As there is no meeting on Monday (20th) I will have to wait until next Monday (27th) to find out.
Monday 20th February 2017
Luckily for me I have another computer with Linux (Ubuntu 16.10) as the primary operating system. I am migrating everything I can to this machine even though it is only 32 bit. It might be possible to dual boot my 64 bit computer if I can get Windows 10 make some room (another nasty Windows trick). Meanwhile I will struggle on in the Microsoft midden.
Thursday 23rd February 2017
My other hobby - Folk Dancing - has been taking up my time this week - Monday at Great Preston (nr Castleford); Tuesday calling at Sherburn in Elmet and Wednesday at Barnsley. Will be sharing the calling on Friday at Wrenthorpe (Wakefield) as well.
No commitments next week so maybe, just maybe, I can fit in some wargaming! I can only hope.
Thursday, 16 February 2017
Just One of Those Weeks!
Monday 13th February 2017 - WDW
King of the Battlefield - French v French (7YW)
Baroque (Impetus) - Montrose v Covenanters - Auldearn 1645
DBMM - Later Achaemenid Persian v Chiang & Ti
DBM - NW American v Anglo-Norman - setup by 18.30 hrs - finish at 19.58 hrs. The Welsh ally threw a '1' at the start so it sat back and watched proceedings. The flank march came on first round and its general promptly threw another '1'. On paper this should have been a walk-over for the Anglo-Normans. Good dice on the NWA side and sluggish response on ours meant that we lost one command and then the Welsh changed sides. I cannot disclose which individual threw both poor dice!!!
Footnote: didn't know if I would attend WDW this evening after attending the funeral of a close friend. Really brings home human mortality.
Tuesday 14th February 2017
Having been loaned a copy of "Lion Rampant" I could compare it to "The Pikeman's Lament" (which I purchased at Vapnartak). The two rule sets are pretty similar - same mechanisms with some period-specific fine tuning. With LR in my hot stickies I could check out the references in QR (see last posting) and make sense of them.
I have no doubt that a 'primary' set plus supplements could have been produced but applaud Osprey for not going down that particular road with the 'Mersey' books.
Wednesday 15th February 2017
Managed to slap some basic colours on my Incas & Vikings before it got too cold and my fingers turned white. Not fooled by the sun streaming through the window either.
Thursday 16th February 2017 - HS2
Going to a traveling show of HS2. Don't quite know what to expect - it could just be all propaganda. Strongly opposed to a vanity project which will only benefit London (AGAIN).
Another footnote: struggling to log out after posting. Since Microsoft forced the 'Anniversary Update' upon me my internet connection has been slugged. Will have to resurrect my old 32 bit machine so that I can use Linux again.....or spend yet more time trying to figure out how to get Windows to share......sigh!!!!!
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Quetzalcoatl Rampant
........I couldn't resist an unpronounceable title.
Sunday 5th February 2017 - Vapnartak, York
Well it took me less than an hour to reach the venue and parking was straightforward (if muddy). Entry was free for an old codger (£5 for the working aged). As usual there were plenty of stalls including a number of 15mm manufacturers. It was also pretty crowded.
My haul included "The Pikeman's Lament" skirmish rules (Osprey) plus 44 Viking blades (Magister Militum & Museum Miniatures). The only 'plastics' I found were the expensive Perry models plus odd items on the selling tables.
So what were my impressions of the show? Retrenchment was my feeling. Ranges seem to have shrunk and continue to do so (this applies to all the shows that I have been to in the past year). Perhaps this is a reflection of Britain's current economic malaise!
Still probably the best show in the North but.....they really need to sort out the 'Bring & Buy" (throughput is awful).
Monday 6th February - WDW
"The Men Who Would Be Kings" - Colonial bash between Mahdists and Egyptian/Brits. As expected the Egyptians got a pasting (including the Sudanese) but the Brits also suffered a bloody nose.
"Cry Havoc" - Ian had discovered some (long forgotten) sets in his loft. A 3-handed scenario was played out to the pleasure of all.
DBM - Later Carthaginian v Polybian Roman. Another drawn game but the Roman left and centre were in trouble.
Tuesday 7th February
Whilst meandering through the Internet I discovered Quetzalcoatl Rampant:
It is a variant on Daniel Mersey's "Lion Rampant"
http://ilivewithcats.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/quetzalcoatl-rampant.html
As regular readers will know I have tried out a number of rule sets for warfare in the New World without being really taken with any of them. This 'new' set looks interesting but doesn't fit into any of the basing systems that I use. For "DBA in the New World" my 20mm figures are on 40mm x 40mm bases with 5 (warriors) or 3 (skirmishers) models on them. My 15mm figures are currently on standard DBM-type bases with a 40mm frontage and various depths. QR wants individuals with 6 or 12 to a company.
Some of the club members play "Impetus" or "Baroque" with sabot bases. Integral are small, raised, squares to house tiny dice. Casualties are not removed directly but indicated by the die. It seems to work well. Maybe I can use something similar!
Sunday 5th February 2017 - Vapnartak, York
Well it took me less than an hour to reach the venue and parking was straightforward (if muddy). Entry was free for an old codger (£5 for the working aged). As usual there were plenty of stalls including a number of 15mm manufacturers. It was also pretty crowded.
My haul included "The Pikeman's Lament" skirmish rules (Osprey) plus 44 Viking blades (Magister Militum & Museum Miniatures). The only 'plastics' I found were the expensive Perry models plus odd items on the selling tables.
So what were my impressions of the show? Retrenchment was my feeling. Ranges seem to have shrunk and continue to do so (this applies to all the shows that I have been to in the past year). Perhaps this is a reflection of Britain's current economic malaise!
Still probably the best show in the North but.....they really need to sort out the 'Bring & Buy" (throughput is awful).
Monday 6th February - WDW
"The Men Who Would Be Kings" - Colonial bash between Mahdists and Egyptian/Brits. As expected the Egyptians got a pasting (including the Sudanese) but the Brits also suffered a bloody nose.
"Cry Havoc" - Ian had discovered some (long forgotten) sets in his loft. A 3-handed scenario was played out to the pleasure of all.
DBM - Later Carthaginian v Polybian Roman. Another drawn game but the Roman left and centre were in trouble.
Tuesday 7th February
Whilst meandering through the Internet I discovered Quetzalcoatl Rampant:
http://ilivewithcats.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/quetzalcoatl-rampant.html
As regular readers will know I have tried out a number of rule sets for warfare in the New World without being really taken with any of them. This 'new' set looks interesting but doesn't fit into any of the basing systems that I use. For "DBA in the New World" my 20mm figures are on 40mm x 40mm bases with 5 (warriors) or 3 (skirmishers) models on them. My 15mm figures are currently on standard DBM-type bases with a 40mm frontage and various depths. QR wants individuals with 6 or 12 to a company.
Some of the club members play "Impetus" or "Baroque" with sabot bases. Integral are small, raised, squares to house tiny dice. Casualties are not removed directly but indicated by the die. It seems to work well. Maybe I can use something similar!
Thursday, 2 February 2017
Vapnartak on Sunday
Monday 30th January 2017 - WDW
Baroque ECW - a straight Royalists v Parliamentarians battle (the over-priviledged v the miseries)
Star Wars (Imperial Assault) on cardboard terrain.
Honshu (card game) - this is one I have played before
DBM - Serbian v Hungarian. I thought that I had broken Chris' command only to find that I had placed some of my casualties in the wrong column. The result was that one of my (Serbian) commands broke shortly followed by another. Chris was within one element of breaking. An 'early bath' at 21.10 hrs.
Thursday 2nd February - DBA in the New World
I finally got around to putting together a Tarascan army list. It's based upon the Fog lists in "Blood and Gold" plus "Cities of Gold". I compared the bases total to the DNW Aztecs then reduced it to 30% to make it comparable. Before the Spanish turned up the Tarascans were getting the better of their enemies and gaining territory on them.
TARASCAN
2 to 11 Tiacham Bd(S) 5
7 to 48 Archers Sh(O) 3
0 to 4 Slingers Sk 2
0 to 11 Archers Sk 2
Example 75 pts Armies
Tarascan Aztec:
6 x Tiacham Bd(S) @ 5 = 30 8 x Warriors Bd(S) @ 5 = 40
12 x Archers Sh(O) @ 3 = 36 10 x Warriors Bd(O) @ 3 = 30
2 x Slingers Sk @ 2 = 4 2 x Slingers Sk @ 2 = 4
2 x Archers Sk @ 2 = 4
Comparing the two combatants it would seem that the Aztecs will have a 'walk-over'! I will have to play it out and see. Maybe upgrading the archers to Sh(S) would better reflect their reputation as the supreme bowmen in the area!
Friday, 27 January 2017
Late On Parade
Saturday 21st January 2017
In the morning - I was occupied elsewhere so couldn't attend WDW. A pity as the only game was a 30YW Baroque scrap between the Swedes and the Spanish. A close-run thing with a Pyrrhic (and posthumous) victory for Gustavus.
Late afternoon - in search of the lost shop - found it! Normal resources didn't help but Yell.com showed a page and the hint that my target was down a slope. Go down North Baileygate, after junction with Spink Lane but immediately before the turning to Pontefract (Monkhill) station and find "Major's Flooring" (on the left). Between the 2 buildings there is a downwards slope. M & L Models is to the right at the bottom. A specialist in 28mm plastics.
This Week - some long awaited releases:
Osprey's Renaissance rules are out at last. Obtainable from the usual suppliers (e.g. Osprey or Amazon).
I have been reading Bob Cordery's blog for some time now. Decribed as "The Portable Wargame Rules for fast-play wargames on gridded tabletops". Now published by Ellington Books in three versions - hardback, paperback & Epub.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-cordery/the-portable-wargame/hardcover/product-23021158.html
(scroll down - on right - links to paperback & epub versions)
Personally I don't like the Epub format so used one of the online file converters (http://www.zamzar.com/convert/epub-to-pdf/).
In spite of the tank on the front the rules cover a much wider time frame. Looking forward to reading this document.
In the morning - I was occupied elsewhere so couldn't attend WDW. A pity as the only game was a 30YW Baroque scrap between the Swedes and the Spanish. A close-run thing with a Pyrrhic (and posthumous) victory for Gustavus.
Late afternoon - in search of the lost shop - found it! Normal resources didn't help but Yell.com showed a page and the hint that my target was down a slope. Go down North Baileygate, after junction with Spink Lane but immediately before the turning to Pontefract (Monkhill) station and find "Major's Flooring" (on the left). Between the 2 buildings there is a downwards slope. M & L Models is to the right at the bottom. A specialist in 28mm plastics.
This Week - some long awaited releases:
Osprey's Renaissance rules are out at last. Obtainable from the usual suppliers (e.g. Osprey or Amazon).
I have been reading Bob Cordery's blog for some time now. Decribed as "The Portable Wargame Rules for fast-play wargames on gridded tabletops". Now published by Ellington Books in three versions - hardback, paperback & Epub.
http://www.lulu.com/shop/bob-cordery/the-portable-wargame/hardcover/product-23021158.html
(scroll down - on right - links to paperback & epub versions)
Personally I don't like the Epub format so used one of the online file converters (http://www.zamzar.com/convert/epub-to-pdf/).
In spite of the tank on the front the rules cover a much wider time frame. Looking forward to reading this document.
Thursday, 19 January 2017
Seek and Ye Shall (Not) Find
Saturday 14th January 2017
I should have been helping Andrew out at our regular Horbury library session but I woke up feeling somewhat unwell.
Whilst not straying too far from the bathroom I did manage to find my Renaissance (plastics) carton. I also grabbed a file containing some of my based Aztecs. All the 'native' figures are either 3 (skirmishers) or 5 (warriors) to a 40mm x 40mm mdf base. There are no dedicated 'imperial' troops.
Going back to the 'Steven's Balagan' blog I found a recent entry on using DBA big bases for 'Ancients'. So why not for "DBA in the New World"?
Monday 16th January 2017 - WDW
I was absent again - still suffering. I am reliably informed that the following games took place:
ECW (Baroque - Impetus) in 15mm,
7YW (Osprey rules) in 15mm,
WW2 in the desert (Andrew's rules) in 6mm
Tuesday 17th January 2017
Tried to find a 'new' wargames shop in Pontefract (in the dark) and failed dismally. Did some research to find that it is off North Baileygate.
Thursday 19th January 2017
Second attempt to find the shop. No joy. More research showed me that I had gone down Northgate then turned into Spink Lane (towards the castle). I should have gone straight on. Perhaps I should mount a safari - hmm...native bearers, elephant gun, howdah.......maybe not B & Q!
I should have been helping Andrew out at our regular Horbury library session but I woke up feeling somewhat unwell.
Whilst not straying too far from the bathroom I did manage to find my Renaissance (plastics) carton. I also grabbed a file containing some of my based Aztecs. All the 'native' figures are either 3 (skirmishers) or 5 (warriors) to a 40mm x 40mm mdf base. There are no dedicated 'imperial' troops.
Going back to the 'Steven's Balagan' blog I found a recent entry on using DBA big bases for 'Ancients'. So why not for "DBA in the New World"?
Monday 16th January 2017 - WDW
I was absent again - still suffering. I am reliably informed that the following games took place:
ECW (Baroque - Impetus) in 15mm,
7YW (Osprey rules) in 15mm,
WW2 in the desert (Andrew's rules) in 6mm
Tuesday 17th January 2017
Tried to find a 'new' wargames shop in Pontefract (in the dark) and failed dismally. Did some research to find that it is off North Baileygate.
Thursday 19th January 2017
Second attempt to find the shop. No joy. More research showed me that I had gone down Northgate then turned into Spink Lane (towards the castle). I should have gone straight on. Perhaps I should mount a safari - hmm...native bearers, elephant gun, howdah.......maybe not B & Q!
Thursday, 12 January 2017
Plastics, Plastics, Plastics
Sunday 8th January 2017 - Calder Valley
At the Halifax model shop I purchased two boxes of soldiers:
1 x HaT 8128 Assyrian Army - a 'portmanteau' box containing a mixture of horse and foot.
It will add to my collection of unpainted Assyrians.
1 x Red Box RB72024 German East Asia Brigade (Boxer Rebellion 1900) - the uniform pre-dates my WW1 in East Africa figures but is useable in SW Africa at a slightly earlier time. All I need to do now is generate some 'natives'.
At the Sue Ryder charity shop in Todmorden I picked up a boardgame:
After doing some research I found a components list on Boardgamegeek. Trouble is that it bore no relationship to the contents of my box. Further work showed that I had v2 (why can't Games Workshop mark the box or rules?). This time there was an almost complete match. The only things missing were 1d6 and 4 character miniatures. Well nothing vital then.
In time I will no doubt try the game out. The cost - £1.25
Monday 9th January 2017 - WDW
Austrians v French 7YW ('Honours of War')
Later Achaemenid Persian v Scythian (DBMM)
Sioux v US Army ('The Men Who Would Be Kings')
Tuesday 10th January 2017
Finally got around to sorting out the displaced old suitcases within my loft. A light bulb went off saying "Use them as subject dividers". So starting at one end I have used them to separate my plastic collection. I didn't take too long so I pulled out the 'AncMed' cardboard box to sort it out.
Those of you that collect plastic figures will know that the biggest problem is, probably, supply. As a consequence you tend to buy when you see it and horde until you have sufficient numbers for a given project.
I sat in my warm living room sorting out the figures, identifying those where the labels had fallen out and amalgamating into 'period' or 'theatre' larger bags. So now I have: "Crusaders & Arabs" including an unopened box of "The Knights" Italeri 6009.
"Rome & Enemies" - mainly Romans & Ancient Brits
"Biblicals" - but 2 boxes of Sumerians are missing
"Easterners" (mainly Chinese).
There was a last surprise - hidden under one of the flaps was a small bag containing 3 figures and a load of weapons. I had found the 'safe place' where I had put my Incas!
Sorting out my 'Renaissance' box will be next. Re-uniting weapons with soldiers will revive my 'DBA in the New World' project. Perhaps sleeping dogs...............
At the Halifax model shop I purchased two boxes of soldiers:
1 x HaT 8128 Assyrian Army - a 'portmanteau' box containing a mixture of horse and foot.
It will add to my collection of unpainted Assyrians.
1 x Red Box RB72024 German East Asia Brigade (Boxer Rebellion 1900) - the uniform pre-dates my WW1 in East Africa figures but is useable in SW Africa at a slightly earlier time. All I need to do now is generate some 'natives'.
At the Sue Ryder charity shop in Todmorden I picked up a boardgame:
After doing some research I found a components list on Boardgamegeek. Trouble is that it bore no relationship to the contents of my box. Further work showed that I had v2 (why can't Games Workshop mark the box or rules?). This time there was an almost complete match. The only things missing were 1d6 and 4 character miniatures. Well nothing vital then.
In time I will no doubt try the game out. The cost - £1.25
Monday 9th January 2017 - WDW
Austrians v French 7YW ('Honours of War')
Later Achaemenid Persian v Scythian (DBMM)
Sioux v US Army ('The Men Who Would Be Kings')
Tuesday 10th January 2017
Finally got around to sorting out the displaced old suitcases within my loft. A light bulb went off saying "Use them as subject dividers". So starting at one end I have used them to separate my plastic collection. I didn't take too long so I pulled out the 'AncMed' cardboard box to sort it out.
Those of you that collect plastic figures will know that the biggest problem is, probably, supply. As a consequence you tend to buy when you see it and horde until you have sufficient numbers for a given project.
I sat in my warm living room sorting out the figures, identifying those where the labels had fallen out and amalgamating into 'period' or 'theatre' larger bags. So now I have: "Crusaders & Arabs" including an unopened box of "The Knights" Italeri 6009.
"Rome & Enemies" - mainly Romans & Ancient Brits
"Biblicals" - but 2 boxes of Sumerians are missing
"Easterners" (mainly Chinese).
There was a last surprise - hidden under one of the flaps was a small bag containing 3 figures and a load of weapons. I had found the 'safe place' where I had put my Incas!
Sorting out my 'Renaissance' box will be next. Re-uniting weapons with soldiers will revive my 'DBA in the New World' project. Perhaps sleeping dogs...............
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