Not A Lot To Report

Monday 28th March 2016

The DBM table was empty - I was the only available player.  So what was going on?

Churmy & Tim were 'Square Bashing' with 1914 Germans v Russians.  I would really like to get into this set of rules but don't fancy a mainstream 'European' army.  Seems that there is precious little variety available in 10mm!

Three people were playing a Franco-Prussian War scrap and two more a Fubar (Modern) tank battle.

The 'warm-up' game was "8 Minute Empire" - a resource building and space taking boardgame.  As usual I ended up being 2nd.  As the game progressed I started to remember the tactics that I should use -  but only after I had made the wrong decision.  Still a fun game!


Tuesday 29th March 2016

Upon checking my stocks I found myself severely short on the Spanish colonial / Conquistadores front. Examining DBA-RRR list 1.41 also shows that my generals should be on foot - either Bd or Sh. The creation of my 'Early' Spanish Colonial (sub list (a) - 1524-1534) was an attempt to use up the sword & buckler men over-supplied by two manufacturers. In fact only the general can be Bd.  So searching through the lists I came upon 1.4 Neapolitan Spanish which can use 2 elements for sublists (a), (b) & (c).  The dates 1495-1518 are much earlier than their plastic brothers but would fit in well with my other ruleset "Irregular Wars".  The remaining S&B will have to be converted (by arm-swaps I think).  Maybe then they can find their way into the 1.40 English or Dutch Colonial army!

The other DBA-RRR armies I can make up.


Thursday 31st March 2016

On the painting table - the aforementioned DBA-RRR elements (minus the Spanish infantry) plus 20 x Baueda Vikings.

I Have Been To.....

Another title pinched from a fellow blogger.  Oh well...imitation and all that!


Friday 18th March 2016

Did a thorough review of my DBA-RRR armies and found a number of inconsistencies - some have 12 elements and others 13.  I am going to standardise on 13 (12 rectangular bases and 1 round) to allow for use with more than one rule system.  This means building one of each - Cossacks, Dutch, Moldavians, Persians & Turks. 

In addition if I build 4 more elements (plus 1 round base) for my Early Spanish Colonials I will have a 16th army.  The only problem will be finding enough figures!!!


Saturday 19th March 2016

I went to Triples @ Sheffield.....and here's my (very) modest haul:

5 x Baueda Vikings - Vik4, Vik6, Vik8 & 2 x Vik7 = £18.35
1 x 12 Dice - from "The Works", Barnsley = £1

I now have 40 Viking figures for my DBM Welsh army.  Unfortunately my favourite supplier wasn't there so no more Welsh archers.  Next task is to look up just what other figures* I need.

1 box of HaT Zulu War British command from the 'Bring & Buy' = £2

Been looking for this box since it came out - a useful addition to my stocks.

* When I got home I checked the DBM army list that I last used - I only need 20 Irr Bd(O) Vikings.  So the 'nutters' and the Bondi swordsmen will have to go to another army.  Need to check the WoR box to see just how many bowmen I need.  The 12 Ax(O) can come from the Irish kerns.  Still looking for some suitable cavalry (4 generals & 48 others).


Sunday 20th March 2016

Finished "Price of Paradise" by Colin Brake.  A bit better than the average and managing to convey the personalities of Rose and the (David Tennant) Doctor.  Some twists and turns along the way with a few red herrings thrown in.  One of my more enjoyable Dr Who reads.  [Cover picture a few posts back].


Easter weekend is coming up and the forecast is grey and (possibly) wet - plus ca change!

Painting At Last!

My charming neighbour was contributing her musical selection to the world at large and through the adjoining wall.  I turrned on Classic FM and retaliated.  Still its an ill wind........  I actually got on with some painting (see Wednesday).


Monday 14th March 2016

DBM - Lysimachid v Later Pre-Islamic Arabs.  Al had a hard fight on the left flank but he held on tenaciously.  The central pikes actually got into contact and started loosing figures.  On the right flank I was being aggressive with my Ax(S) & Ps(O).  Nevertheless it was yet another 5:5 draw.

On the other tables - a Star Wars scenario & a (rare) DBA fight.


Wednesday 16th March 2016

Here are some pictures of my new (and 15th) DBA-RRR army:

5 x 4 Wb (Spearmen) plus 1 x Janissary Sh

4 x 3 Cv plus 2 x Lh

The boss man on his donkey / ass

Do you know what it is yet?   The Maghrebi (list 3.3) fought against the Portuguese, Spanish, English & Songhai.  I have modeled the "Algeria 1570 to 1700 ad" version. 


With only 4 Renaissance figures left  on my painting board (Transylvanians) I will have to think about what to paint up next.  There is no shortage of plastic and metal candidates ranging from WW1 to Ancients and Colonial to Fantasy.   I am also planning to go to Triples this Saturday.  Only time will tell dear viewer.

Rocket R.I.P.

On Friday night I had to have Rocket put down.  Here's a picture of him in his prime:

6 months ago he had to have 6 teeth removed.  He seemed to recover alright and I fed him on gravy slops.  Two months ago he couldn't jump up onto the bed - he lost weight - but regained it.  On Friday he was limping around the kitchen dragging his right paw.  He wouldn't eat or drink.  The vet said that nothing could be done.

After only 12.5 year his life was ended.  I miss him terribly.

Not A Lot Going On.....

Too cold to paint in my freezing garret but still reading:

Only about one-third through this one so review later.  Meanwhile back at the club:


 Monday 7th March 2016

DBM - Hunnic v Later Carthaginian - last round of the competition.  Some awful dice throwing by all concerned - failures to move and kill.  Al's left flank eventually fell as he was heavily outnumbered and outclassed - Lh(S) to (O).  On our left flank I could not restrain the Irr Kn(F) and it was only Andy's dice that kept my command intact.  The Wb centres decided to observe rather than take any part in the proceedings.

A 7:3 win for the Huns.  Andy takes the trophy with yours truly an honourable second.

Black Powder on the other table featuring an ACW scrap with 25mm figures.

More Books

Been off all week recovering from this awful virus so I hit the books again.  First there was an entirely forgettable Star Trek tome.

Second was this:

Taken from a radio play this book was a bit of a mixed bag.  It starts out like something written by Douglas Adams - that semi-surrealistic quirky logic.  After that it falls into a standard story with the Doctor & Peri being chased around a space-ship.

Now I couldn't find any reference to which incarnation of the Doctor this was - Peri as the companion (the gorgeous Nicola Bryant) meant two possibilities - Peter Davison or Colin Baker.  The characterisation does not seem to fit with either.  On-line research tells me the play featured the later Dr Who.

An unsatisfactory book as far as I'm concerned - maybe it worked better on the radio!


Monday 29th February - DBM - Scythians v Assyrians.

Tim subbed for me, partnering Al, versus Chris & Andy.  Apparently it was a good game with both sides having opportunities but the dice gods decided condemning  Andy with a  '1' near the end.  A 5:5 draw.

Only two other games were going on - Square Bashing - a board game.  No doubt further information will be forthcoming.