The long and the short

Since moving I haven't had a lot of time to resurrect my 3D printer.
I've had Dan ( my digital sculptor) do a little more work on the Prussian/Hessian infantry and also do a Fusilier head.
He has completed the work and it was therefore a good time to have another play.

Whilst my own range is 1/56th scale being a typical gamer I still can't resist looking at other scales so on the test prints I decided to do my standard 1/56th but also thought I'd scale down to do some 18mm pieces.
The results are below - I know it's hard to see the resin 28's but they look really good but I decided to undercoat and ink the little guys and I'm really pleased with these guys - hmm questions to be asked?

Next week going to do some 1/72 and some 40mm pieces.

So lots of questions to be asked I think!

Gettysburg part 2

Ok it was mentioned in one one of my earlier posts was that all I had to show of my trip to Gettysburg - half a dozen photos? Well the simple answer is no I have loads of photos on various devices (battery death on ipad and phone)  which I'm currently collating and putting in order.

In the meantime however here's a few more with where I can remember some notes on location etc.



This was just onto Cemetary Ridge having passed the Barn at Meade's Headquarters - the woodline in the far distance is the Confederate line.

We spent quite a bit of time here this is the area of the Union line that was to receive Pickett's charge again their jump off point was the tree line in the distance - when we walked it from the Confederate side it was noticeable that there was quite a bit of dead ground en route but also not noticeable from this side theres quite a bit of a slope for the Confederates to climb on that last 100 yards or so,

The copse - this was the group of trees on the high point behind the Union Lines that Pickett's men used as their point of reference on the advance.

Whilst we still looked fresh :) the name of the farm behind me escapes me at the moment but Pickett's men advanced either side of it and of course it was safe haven for many a wounded man.

Walking down Cemetery ridge in the far distance Big Round Top

The Union did manage to get some guns onto Little Round Top again the tree line in the distance is where the Confederates moved along before they began their attack on Devils Den etc.

Looking out over the slaughter pen

A couple of shots looking up onto first the extreme left of the Union line held by 20th Maine and then up towards Little Round Top - some interesting lectures and talks make you realise just how close this action was and that in Wargames terms the Union had quite a bit of luck with some Brigade and Divisional commanders using their initiative.

The triangular field - allegedly the most haunted part of the battlefield! and the right flank of the Confederate army. There are a couple of good talks on the NPS Gettysburg site re this location.

General Longstreet's monument at the right flank of the Confederate line did his disagreement with Lee and tardyness in attacking Little Round Top cost them the Battle???

Hopefully once I get the rest of the photos sorted I will do a part 3 :)


Finally can I commend the following - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yulcQakhRAY&t=5s

One of many great talks, this is about General Sickles and the fight for the Peach Orchard and Wheatfield.
As a minor item Sickles was allegedly the first man to successfully  use the defense of Temporary Insanity when he shot and killed his wifes lover near the Whitehouse (but there again he was a lawyer!! :)

Salute a brief review

Well last weekend saw me travel to the Excel with Gav to trade with my figure range and his Blood and Plunder stock from the shop.

As always I take my hat off the the Warlords for organising this event it's no easy task for sure.

We were almost fully set up by 4.30 on the Friday evening and I hoped that would give me some time to look around on the Saturday morning. 

I should realise by now that a significant number of gamers and traders don't arrive until the Saturday morning which means in the houir I had to move around the show not a lot was finished!!

Of those games I did manage to see these were the ones that caught my eye

Gringo 40's Tonkin rebellion was very impressive

Thirty Years war action not fully set up but it looked good

These were models on the Mierce Miniatures trade stand - not my thing but they looked impressive and the terrain board they had for their game was pretty damn good as well

28mm Command and Colours  Napoleonic - think it was Vimeiro

that was it - I know there were lots of other nice looking games but they weren't ready for photos.
Big Lee at http://www.blmablog.com/2019/04/salute-2019-photo-report-part-1.html does a really good 3 part review with lots of good photos.

Was it a good show? It's Salute and I always think it's pretty awesome and a really good way to gauge where the hobby is at.

I did think there were noticeably more younger people there ( or is that just because I'm getting older) and certainly more ladies, which all bodes well for the hobby.

I know there were complaints on TMP that there were fewer historical games - I certainly didn't get that impression if you look at the list of demo games there are a lot of historical. However as a general rule of thumb I do feel that the scifi/fantasy lobby generally put more effort into their games in terms of display etc.

Big Lee says he felt more of the historical games looked like good club/ home games which he found as a positive because it made you feel that it was achievable rather than just looking at something knowing you could never hope to replicate it - an interesting view and probably a good one.

Anyway its all over for another year - maybe next year I can find two helpers so I can have a real look around :)

Gettysburg and getting ready for Salute

Well Back home from America and as always it was  hard saying goodbye to my son.
The weekend saw us walk a big chunk of the Gettysburg battlefield 15 miles we clocked up during the best part of the day.
It was one of my 'biggies' on my bucket list and the ten hour drive each way was well worth it. The town of Gettysburg not much bigger as it was back then and we found some awesome places to eat and drink.

So as to the walk itself well as with most battlefields being there brings another dimension, you really begin to appreciate lines of sight, understand how troops can remain unseen in certain areas and in some cases how CinC's would have to rely on good intelligence as to what was happening

Lydia Leister Barn - Meade's HQ

Pickets charge from Union lines

Looking down from Little Round top to the Slaugher pen

looking up towards 20th Maine location behind low wall

Devils Den - big Dave looking not so big!

A most awesome day and the stay in Gettysburg was pretty damn good to.

Two small talks that are very interesting to listen to 

https://youtu.be/Myoj2hntbdg

So this morning it's now off to Salute!