Woe betide the butterfly effect

Well another prolonged absence and whilst I may claim overwork it is only partially true. I was due to retire but they keep enticing me with new projects, that leads to more money and that leads to more wargames projects. So what's been happening? Writing the background for Scotia Albion has continued unabated, characters are fleshed out, a little more history has developed, and some strong minicampaigns prepared, just haven't painted the figures (well a few)

I just find my mind wandering and I end up with six or seven different projects on the painting table, I have drifted back into fantasy (blame my son), drifted into ancients (blame me), drifted into VBCW blame Robert at the club.

A sample of what I have been doing is below;-

These are pic of my Magnesia project, always loved pike and elephants. Guess I've painted a couple of hundred of these chaps so far!

This is Lord Guisboro and his body guard from my just started Very British Civil War project!!!

Here is Phillip d'Olley Minister of War, see I have done some Scotia Albion!!

Finally Richard Stark, assassin and spy extrodinaire. If I had painted nothing but my 18th Century there would be a full scale war going on, but that is life.
I have two regiments completed and after my Holiday in September my next Scotia Regiment hits the painting desk.

I think in the mean time I will use the blog to report my progress on all matters gaming in this mad world of mine.

Partizan and so much for a New Resolution

Well don't make promises you can't keep and what started out as a positive affirmation certainly hasn't held true!! The painting plods on but I do hope for an upturn soon and Sunday saw a colleague and I travel to Partizan to put on a demo game (ppor pics shown). The show as usual was v.nice with lots of good games and a nice selection of traders. This year the catering was abysmal, not enough staff and no draft beer!!
Our game was next to Grand Manner and Dave Bodley has been soooo busy, so although I didn't intend to but much I ended up with a load of resin and excitement about what he's bringing out soon.
As to the game an AWI bash, however with on;y two of us we had loads of people wanting to talk which meant we only got 5 bounds played!! The high point being my freshly painted Hessians firing two devasting vollets at close range and crippling the Continental Regulars.

Rules used, as usual, JohnBull/Patriots by The Perfect Captain - a jolly good set of rules.
Hols are in two weeks but I do try and promise myself to keep updating. I have eventually got enough people ready to play the AWI campaign I had mooted in January and we will be starting upon my retrun.

A New Year, a new resolution?

Like many, the best prepared plans went more than slightly off target towards the end of last year. The painting schedule almost ground to a halt due to work commitments but the enthusiasm continued unabated.

So its a Happy New Year to every one. The resolution is to update the blog on a fairly regular basis and if its not with painting progress at least with my thoughts or with reports on my other 18th century diversion of the AWI.

I have attached a few photos from a recent game I staged at my local club in an attempt to drum up some new recruits. Rules used are from the Perfect Captain and I have to say I feel they play very well and give good feel for the period.

This particular action was a Guilford Courthouse type game with the British trying to stop their opponents loading supplies into wagons and exiting off the board. Random arrival etc made for a very exciting game. Unlike most of the my previous games with these rules the British managed to avoid taking heavy casualties and the British Generals managed to defy all averages delivering some extremely crippling volleys at the most oportune moment.

In this particular case a British victory, whilst I'm painting my other armies I'm planning on running an AWI southern campaign in the New Year to see if the British luck holds.

All the best for 2010

Its not a lot but its progress

Well although work has been getting in the way I did manage to make a bit of a push and get the first 12 figures of my Regiment de Nuilley completed, even with enough motivation left to undercoat the next 12. I would like to think that I can get two regiments of foot for each army, together with some lights and artillery completed by Christmas.

For me that may be a tall order but if I aim high enough we may get somewhere. The figures are Minden miniatures French and once the painting style was sorted I have to admit compared to the English they are a breeze to paint and thats why I'm fairly confident of getting the Grand Duchy troops completed fairly quickly.

Further more detailed work on the maps and characters are under way so at least when the troops start marching a lot of the background will be completed.

Onwards and upwards.

That's life

Well where did September go. I had an excellent weeks 'bunker busting' in Normandy at the end of August and since then time has evaporated. Business demands has called me away from home on average 2 - 3 days per week this month which isn't the norm. Hence things have slowed down.
I have my first 12 'French'/ Duchy of Comyn infantry almost complete and hope to have them on the blog in the next few days.
Hopefully October will be kinder and I can pick up speed on the project.

Talisker Foot almost finished

It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks, came back from the 'Peak District' on Sunday having had a bit of a walking hol with my lovely wife and then tomorrow off to France with some of my colleagues on a 'bunker busting' week. We're based in Arromanche having rented Colin Rumfords bungalow (details on the Rapid Fire web site).

Also I signed up to help with Towton 2011, the aim to refight Towton with 25000 6mm figs http://towton-2011.blogspot.com/ the link tells it all. However in the mean time I've managed to press on with the Talisker boys and am almost there.

Finishing touches on the Colonel and the bases of half the Regiment, I've also printed off the Standards and now need to paint over them! but its progress and I didn't want to remain silent for too long.

Bits and Bobs

For those that have asked please find above a very simple map of Scotia Albion, detailed areas will follow as the story develops and hopefully armies come to play. But at least it starts to indicate the areas of this land and its enemies. In terms of armies all Regiments are based on those outlined by Charles Grant i.e infantry will be 48 ORs with 3 Officers, 3 drummers, standards and a Mtd Colonel. Its also my intention to use the rules published in the Wargame with one or two minor revisions along the way.

As to progress the Talisker Foot command is on the bench and under way.