King of the Castle

Saturday 27th May 2017 - Pontefract

 Went shopping in a steamy atmosphere.  Buying oddments and looking around the cheapo stores.  As the skies opened up I scuttled into Wilkos (formerly Wilkinsons) where I purchased a "Rosewood Aquarium Orn" for £2.95.  As I don't have a suitable 'stronghold' for my HotT armies I thought that this would do.  No building work needed at the front.

Not sure what colours weathered red bricks would be - need to do some research.

Not so good round the back.  There is a hole where the price tag links through.  It needs to be filled in or a pipe ending added - as a necessary outflow! 

On the left side is the number - this needs filing off and the rock restored.

WIP - the terracotta is far too bright and needs toning down (more dry-brushing).  Watch this space!


Monday 29th May 2017 - WDW

Bolt Action - WW2 Germans v Americans (double yawn)

DBM - Later Tang v Sung Chinese - definitley a couple of second rate armies.  This was a rare ocassion when Andy did not field masses of Warband.  Instead he relied on large numbers of Irr Bw(X),Bw(O) to ponderously roll forward.

Chris' warband eventually reached the enemy bow and it was touch and go for a while. Fortune smiled upon the Tang breaking the enemy (with only a 2 element margin).

My duties had involved covering the right flank of the warband and keeping a mass of Lh(F) from interfering.  Andy retreated the Lh until he was 6" from the table edge and I had to cautiously persue with Bw, Cav & Ps.

At end of play it was a minor victory for the Tang.


Wednesday 31st May 2017

Two boxes of soldiers arrived from Emodels:

RB72101 - 16C Italian Infantry (set 3) Pike
RB72098 - 16C Spanish Infantry (set 3) Pike

These troops are probably too old-fashioned to be employed in 17C armies (my prefered Renaissance period).  However the various colonial adventures undertaken by Europeans are another matter. There was an ethos of adaptation in the New World with metal armour being abandoned and local materials used.

Given that I now have 32 pike (which will have to be shortened) I may have to look elsewhere to employ them all.  Substitution for existing elements will free some later figures for a Spanish army at the time of the Dutch conflict.

The 16 halberdiers I am not sure how to deal with.  I guess some could become pirates but not many.

If you want pictures take a look at the 'Awaiting Review' section on PSR.  As usual with Red Box it was difficult to remove the figures from the sprue.  There was also quite a bit of flash in places.