The Amber War: An idea for a scenario
Posted: July 31, 2014 Filed under: Imagi-world, Late 19th Century 6 CommentsScenario: The Amber War between Opeland and Upsland
Both Opeland and Upsland have small professional armies and navies that are equipped with the most modern weapons their respective governments can afford to buy for them. The economies of Opeland and Upsland depend upon the exploitation of their natural resources (mainly wood and metal ores) and the small-scale manufacturing of weapons, ships, and furniture. They are also important suppliers of amber to the rest of the world.
A recent storm in the straits between the Britannic Sea and the Sea of Opeland has exposed a large deposit of amber on the beach of the small uninhibited island of Litenoy. The island is approximately halfway between the northernmost tip of the Jutaland Peninsular and the coast of Opeland. The amber was discovered by fishermen from both Opeland and Upsland who use the island as a safe anchorage during storms. The only problem is that the island is claimed by both Opeland and Upsland.
The potential area of operations should war break out over the island of Litenoy.
Both nations wish to be able to enforce their claim of sovereignty over Litenoy should the need arise, and to ensure this they have put their respective armed forces onto the highest state of preparedness short of war.
Having sketched out a scenario, all I need to do now is the raise the necessary wargame forces from what I have to hand … and then the campaign may commence!
Out of the Shed: My 1:300th-scale Spanish Civil War armies … and an unexpected bonus
Posted: July 30, 2014 Filed under: Chaco War, Early 20th Century, MIscellaneous musings, Modelling, Spanish Civil War 6 CommentsThe Nationalists
The Nationalist forces were made up of two ‘battalions’ of infantry (actually a Bandera of the Spanish Foreign Legion and a Tabor of Moroccan Regulares), a battery of field artillery, and a tank company.
The Republicans
The Republicans were made up of both regular and militia forces.
The regulars consisted of a battalion of Peninsulares (Spanish conscripts who served on the Spanish mainland and not in North Africa), two companies of Assault Guards (para-military police), a Grupo of field artillery, a battery of anti-tank guns, and a tank company.
The militia consisted of three ‘battalions’ of Trade Unionist and members of political movements. These were the PCE (Partido Comunista de España [Communist Party of Spain]), the UGT (Unión General de Trabajadores [General Union of Workers]), and the FAI (Federación Anarquista Ibérica [Iberian Anarchist Federation]).
An added bonus was the fact that the box these armies were stored in contained three scratch-built 15mm-scale model Vickers six-ton tanks.
These were built many years ago for my Chaco War project … and I can certainly find a use for them today!
Why I wargame: Ross Macfarlane’s statement is spot on
Posted: July 29, 2014 Filed under: MIscellaneous musings 4 CommentsIn a very recent blog entry he wrote about his current interest in wargaming the early stages of the First World War. Included in the text of this particular blog entry was the following statement:
The real point is that, while preparing an old Crescent 18pdr for repainting in grey, it occurred to me that my recent enthusiasm for WWI figures and books and plan for a Centenary Homage game may have unintentionally given the impression that I might be on the cusp of reverting to being a bona fide historical miniature wargamer. Let me assure everyone that this is not the case; I remain a proponent of the Little Wars approach. Not the specific bit about shooting toy cannons but the general approach of studying history but playing a game with fictional armies of toy soldiers.
I have emboldened the last two sentences because Ross’s statement encapsulates my approach to my solo wargaming. I still fight historical wargames with the other members of Wargame Developments and the Jockey’s Field Irregulars, but when I am at home fighting my solo wargames I am always happier using the armies of historically and fictionally-based imagi-nations.
In his most recent blog entry, Ross Macfarlane mentions that he owns a tinplate castle that is very similar to the one I found during the recent sort out of my shed. I have now done some research and it would appear that the castle was made by Crescent Toys and was sold in at least three boxed versions:
- Gatehouse, small square towers, and walls
- Gatehouse, large round towers, small square towers, and walls
- Gatehouse, large round towers, small square towers, walls, and a selection of Knights
Mine appears to be the second of these versions, although the small square towers – which I remember owning – seem to have been lost at some point.
Little Wars: My ‘Danish’ Royal Life Guards
Posted: July 28, 2014 Filed under: Little Wars, MIscellaneous musings, Painting 4 CommentsThe real Danish Royal Life Guards look like this:
My toy soldier versions look like this:
Not 100% accurate … but good enough for my wargaming needs!
Les Higgins Miniatures: Seeing them in the flesh
Posted: July 27, 2014 Filed under: 18th Century, Early 19th Century, Late 19th Century, MIscellaneous musings 10 Comments
The links are:
The detail on the Les Higgins Miniatures is quite phenomenal when you consider that they are 20mm-scale. They are also more anatomically ‘correct’ that some more modern figure ranges.
Les Higgins Miniatures: Marlburians and other War of the Spanish Succession ranges
Posted: July 26, 2014 Filed under: 18th Century, MIscellaneous musings 13 CommentsFigures
- MP 1: Grenadier march attack
- MP 2: Grenadier at ease
- MP 3: Grenadier throwing grenade
- MP 4: Grenadier port arms
- MP 5: Grenadier standing firing
- MP 6: Grenadier advance/thrusting
- MP 7: Grenadier charging
- MP 8: Grenadier loading
- MP 9: Grenadier kneeling firing
- MP 10: Musketeer loading
- MP 11: Musketeer march attack
- MP 12: Musketeer standing firing
- MP 13: Musketeer kneeling firing
- MP 14: Musketeer advance/thrusting
- MP 15: Musketeer at ease
- MP 16: Musketeer port arms
- MP 17a: Grenadier Officer waving sword
- MP 17b: Musketeer Officer waving sword
- MP 18a: Musketeer Drummer
- MP 18b: Grenadier Drummer
- MP 19a: Officer with spontoon
- MP 19b: Senior Officer (fat)
- MP 19c: Standard Bearer
- MP 19d: NCO (same as 20c)
- MP 20a: Gunner with scoop
- MP 20b: Gunner with rammer
- MP 20c: Gunner NCO (same as 19d)
- MP 20d: Gunner with linstock
- MP 21: Dragoon tricorne mounted
- MP 22: Trooper of Horse mounted
- MP 23: General mounted
- MP 24: Mounted Grenadier
- MP 25: Imperial Grenadier at ease
- MP 26: Dismounted Dragoon cap kneeling firing
- MP 27: Dismounted Dragoon tricorne standing firing
- MP 28: Mounted Dragoon cap
- MP 29: Cuirassier lobster pot helmet, pistol
- MP 30: Hussar
- MP 31: Cuirassier in tricorne
- MP 32: Mounted Trumpeter
- MP 33: Cuirassier Officer tricorne
- MP 34: Musketeer Drummer variant, different coat
- MP 35: Musketeer no weapon, general use
- MP 36: As MP 35, musket over left shoulder
- MP 38: Musketeer charging
- MP 39: Officer on foot, ornate coat, waving sword
- MP 40: Pikeman/Standard Bearer
- MP 41: Musketeer Drummer variant
- MP 42: Charging fur fronted cap
- MP 43: Musketeer advancing
- MP 44: Grenadier charging full mitre cap
- MP 45a: Charging fur fronted cap (small)
- MP 45b: Charging fur fronted cap (medium)
- MP 45c: Charging fur fronted cap (large)
- MP 46: Officer variant of MP 19a, slightly different sword hilt
- MP 47: Officer variant of MP 19a, more ornate wig
- MP 48: Drummer variant fur cap with tassel
Horses
- Type A: Standing/walking
- Type B: Galloping
- Type C: Trot
- Type D: As Type A larger pistol holsters EP 23
- Type E: As Type C larger pistol holsters EP 24
- Type F: As Type A with food/loot bags EP 27
Artillery (Gun set consists of gun barrel, wedge, gun carriage, 2 wheels, ammo box)
- A 1: Gun barrel medium
- A 2: Gun barrel large
- A 3: Gun barrel small (ECW)
- A 5: Gun Carriage
- A 6: Wheel
- A 7: Ammo box small
- A 8: Ammo box large
- A 9: Wedges for guns
- A 10: Wheel (ECW)
I used to have a small army of these figures, but most of them were sold when I was trying to raise money for the deposit on the first house my wife and I bought. All I have left are the few that I photographed recently.
Miniature Wargames with Battlegames Issue 376
Posted: July 25, 2014 Filed under: Wargames publications 2 Comments
The articles included in this issue are:
- Briefing (i.e. the editorial) by Henry Hyde
- Forward observer by Neil Shuck
- Hollow village: The continuing tales of a wargames widow by Diane Sutherland
- Fantasy Facts: Towers, Transits and tentacles by John Treadaway
- Forgetting the point: Points systems are rubbish – so get BUSKing by Andrew Rolph
- Send three and fourpence by Conrad Kinch
- Advance on Budapest ’44: Panzergrenadier Deluxe in Ostfront action by David C R Brown
- Bridge for the taking!: Make a model of Pegasus bridge by Jeff Brown
- The Mongols in Europe 1237-1241: Part 3: the Hungarian Campaign by Mick Sayce
- Brunkeberg 1471: Militia defeat professionals outside Stockholm by Jan Kärrman
- Hex encounter by Brad Harmer
- Escaping Cromwell: The Salisbury/Banbury Mutiny, May 1649 by Graham Burke
- The business vanishes: Why is running a wargames business so hard? by Martin Stephenson
- The Secret Eye Candy Page: Battlegroup North, Elvington by Mark Phillips and Tim Waudby
- Recce
- Card games: The cheapest entry point for wargaming by Henry Hyde
- The Battlegames Combat Stress Appeal report by Henry Hyde
I particularly liked the free model of Pegasus Bridge and the surrounding buildings (which I have visited) and the article about running a wargames business. I ran my own (non-wargaming) business for twelve years, and can attest to the fact that it is not easy. I seemed to spend more time filling in forms for and making payments to the HMRC than I did running the core business. If I had tried to do that for a business that was also my hobby, I doubt that I would still be a wargamer!
A breath of fresh air … or I have been to … Severndroog Castle
Posted: July 24, 2014 Filed under: I have been to ..., MIscellaneous musings 4 CommentsSeverndroog Castle is a folly that was built by Lady James as a memorial to her husband, Commodore Sir William James. Commodore James achieved fame in April 1755 when he led a force that attacked and destroyed the Maratha fortress on the island of Suvarnadurg (which was pronounced Severndroog by the British). The island fortress was situated on the western coast of India between Bombay (Mumbai) and Goa.
The folly has a triangular floor plan and was designed in the Gothic-style. It is 63 feet (19m) high, and on its roof there are hexagonal turrets at each corner of the triangle. Its prominent position atop one of the highest points around London has meant that it has always enjoyed excellent views across London and the surrounding counties of Essex and Kent. In 1797 the castle was used by General William Roy when he made his trigonometric survey of Southern England, and again in 1848 when the Royal Engineers conducted their survey of London. The Castle is also reputed to have served as of the one stations on the Admiralty semaphore system between London and Chatham during the Napoleonic War, and was a fire-watching station during the Second World War.
The Castle was purchased by London County Council in 1922 and it was a local visitor attraction, with a ground-floor tearoom serving drinks and cakes. This closed in 1986 and the local council took over care and maintenance of the site. In 2002 the Severndroog Castle Building Preservation Trust was set up with the intention of renovating the Castle and returning it to public use. After mounting a very long and sustained campaign, the Trust received £595,000 of Heritage Lottery Funding, the necessary work was done, and the Castle was officially reopened to the public on 20th July this year.
The Castle
The views from the top
(These are quite large images. To see them in detail you are advised to click on them.)
The view from the top of Severndroog Castle looking towards the south and south-west.
The view from the top of Severndroog Castle looking westwards towards Central London.
The view from the top of Severndroog Castle looking eastwards towards Kent.
The City of London.
Some of the City’s newer landmarks: the Cheese Grater and the Gherkin.
Laid low by a bug
Posted: July 24, 2014 Filed under: MIscellaneous musings 6 CommentsDuring Tuesday afternoon my stomach felt a bit queasy. I took some antacid but this seemed to have minimal effect. By the time I ate dinner at approximately 8.00pm I felt very bloated and uncomfortable, and nothing seemed to relieve the pain and discomfort. By 10.00pm my temperature was going up and down, and I decided that the best thing that I could do was to go to bed and to try to sleep.
I had been lying down for about ten minutes … and then I had to rush to the bathroom where I was was violently ill several times. Afterwards I cleaned myself up and went back to bed … but I woke up at 3.30am and was ill again. I finally managed to sleep through until just before 10.00am. When I woke up I had no appetite, a terrible headache, ached all over, and had a raging thirst. After a long shower and a shave I felt a bit better, and my condition gradually improved as the day went. I managed to eat some dry toast for breakfast and some chicken soup for lunch, and by late afternoon – and after a very pleasant hour or so dozing in front of the TV – my headache finally disappeared.
The twenty-four hour bug was very unpleasant whilst it lasted, but after a good night’s sleep I feel almost back to normal … and now I can get back to the contents of those crates!
My Hungarian World War II army … and other ‘finds’
Posted: July 22, 2014 Filed under: Early 20th Century, Interbellum, Late 20th Century, Modelling, World War II 28 Comments
I created this army at a time when I was considering using Frank Chadwick’s COMMAND DECISION rules, and they represent a Hungarian Infantry Regiment with some supporting artillery. In the end I never used the rules, and the figures went into storage … although I have vague memories of having lent them to another wargamer for a time.
The figures were originally Spanish Civil War infantry that were sculpted by the late Dave Allsop. I modified some of them so that I could field heavy machine guns, machine gun crews, and gunners . I also scratch-built a field gun and a light anti-tank gun, which I used as masters from which I was able to create a silicon rubber mould.
The bases are looking a little ‘sad’, but I think that it will be possible to rebase the figures so that I can use them for my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project.
I have also made some other ‘finds’ during the great sort out. These include a number of 1960s/1970s-era pre-assembled and painted model British military vehicles manufactured and sold by Denzil Skinner …
… and a complete hard plastic 1920s/1930s-era wargames army created with figures from Fijumi, trucks from an unknown model railways supplier, artillery tractors scratch-built from Airfix US half-tracks, light tanks scratch-built from various bit and pieces, and artillery scratch-built from Airfix Napoleonic field guns and a Napoleonic board game.
WARGAMING MISCELLANY 