Category: 28mm

A “Box of Hope”

~ anthony ~ 1 Comment

I’ve mentioned in the last two posts that my job has seen me take a contracted position in India, or more specifically Mumbai, and as part of my shipping allowance I collated a single box of bits, that I now refer to as my “box of hope”. Thrown into this box were half finished projects, project expansions, terrain, figures, paints, and all the accompanying “bits and bobs” that a modeller needs to call himself a “War-Gamer”.

And while I was not successful in remembering to pack everything I would need, I have had to only buy small pieces (think skewers, glue, etc…) while here and the only large purchases have been spray paint which by their very nature are difficult to include in shipping.

The idea was, and remains, that by creating a “box of hope” from a “pile of shame” I might actually get a few things done and feel that I had made some progress in my collections given that opportunities to game in this part of the world are basically zero.

My “hope”…

  • ACW – 15mm – Mainly CSA, but also some USA infantry (paint & base)
  • ACW – 15mm – Seven Pines, Twin Houses (paint)
  • ACW – 15mm – Wilderness Tavern (paint)
  • ACW – 15mm – Generic wooden house (paint)
  • WW2 (Europe) – 20mm – Ruined buildings for Normandy. (build, wreck & paint)
  • WW2 (All) – 20mm – Wooden telegraph/power poles
  • WW2 (Far East) – 20mm – Japanese and Australians (rebase)
  • WW2 (Far East) – 20mm – Jungle scatter terrain. (build)
  • WW2 (Far East) – 20mm – Lanchester Armoured Car x3, (build & paint)
  • Dark Ages – 28mm – Woven fences

…if I can get through all this I will be quite happy, and depending on my progress I might have to swap the finished works into my collection in Singapore for something else to keep me busy.

A Gaming Catchup

~ anthony ~ 9 Comments

For nearly my entire expat experience of 2 plus decades I have managed a yearly catchup with a good mate: a few beers, some nibbles and a game or two in his gaming room*. After a two year COVID forced hiatus, he and I were able to once again resume my run of bad-luck as a victory turned into a defeat just as a battle concluded and my 1’s were trumped by his 6’s.

So two quick games, the first Romans on Romans using Hail Caesar, a failure to charge home by my cavalry saw the battle turn against me very early on as I defended a ridge. Then an American War of Independence game using Black Powder, where a straight slog saw some initial lucky rolls turn in the later part of the battle as a near run thing came down to the last turn…and the dice do not like me. It was the second game that has me reflecting more and more on the rules I use especially given the popularity of Black Powder for many of my favourite periods, but… (And those but’s probably need a musing all to themselves)

Apologies for the poor quality of the photos, full blame for this goes to me.

Thanks to Greg for the great game and hospitality.

Cavalry tries to break a flank
Failing to break through
The contested centre
Forward lads
The enemy arrayed
Deploying in depth

* This gaming room has served as the benchmark since the first time I ever stepped into it; part library, part gentleman’s club, part bar, part military museum with a wargaming table, it is quite simply, inspirational. And something I have always aspired too.

Reading (still): Welker, David A., The Cornfield, Antietam’s bloody turning point. (2020) ISBN: 978-1-61200-832-5

Dark Ages II

~ anthony ~ 8 Comments

Following on from Dark Ages-I, I managed to get far more done in the last two weeks even with work pressure and COVID restrictions than I thought I would be able to, and while I still need to finalise the design and do the flags for both forces, they are all ready to be fight over the outcome of rolled dice.

Also while scrapping the bases clean of the 80’s flock, a number of the figures clearly had Essex inscribed on the bottom, so it stands to reason that they are probably all (or mostly) Essex Miniatures, and knowing the person who gifted them to me nearly two decades ago they were probably purchased from The Tin Soldier, when it existed in the Dymocks Building (Sydney, Australia) during the 80’s, sadly the store has gone the way of many bricks and mortar stores, and has been closed for at least the last 10 years.

Two Viking/Saxon warbands, and a small Norman or Saxon Huscarl force, all grouped for Ravenfeast.

Now onto some 28mm terrain, a Dark Ages hut (or two), some low stone walls, and maybe some church/abbey ruins.