I Think We Would Have Got On Well

An image that is currently circulating on social media. A Union Officer in a less than period pose of staring at the camera in a serious fashion.

He is on the right side and goofing around. 

We would have been friends I think!

 

Merry Christmas 2024

 Just a few lines to say Merry Christmas to you all.

May you all have a peaceful break shared with family and friends.

A box of toys is always a bonus.

Has Blogger Learned To Travel Back In Time?

 Suddenly, my reading list now only shows posts from 4 or 5 years ago. Has Blogger perfected time travel or is something wrong? Have I pressed the wrong button again? Fat Finger Syndrome (FFS) or is it not my fault this time?

11/12/2024 UPDATE

And just like that it started showing new posts from this morning onwards! 

Merry Christmas And Wishing You All A Happy New Year

 Sending a big thank you to all the bloggers whose work has kept me entertained through the last year and to those who have taken time to drop on and view my little corner of the Blogger Universe.

This year I give you a Niels Simonsen painting from the Second Schleswig-Holstein War. A conflict which may very possibly appear in a 2023 project.

Season's Greetings one and all.

Marching Boldly Into 2022

With 2021 now officially history it is time to look forward to my plans for the next twelve months. Firstly one project sitting on the backburner is a collection of classic 25mm figures I have been amassing for a few years now. Here is the first unit, all figures are Tradition of London 25mm with flags printed off of the Warflag website.

This collection is intended as a replacement for the Airfix Waterloo Project which I have decided is a stretch too far and really not achieveable. To be honest all collecting will be governed by two overrding factors. Firstly I returned to the working world in November meaning the seven day weekends are a thing of the past (my daughter's decision to go to University this year was the major factor in this!). Secondly it is a matter of eyesight. Since the operations it is safe to say my eyes are not what they were but I am experimenting on ways to make it easier. For now though I leave you with my best wishes and hope 2022 will be one to remember - for all the right reasons.

Merry Christmas To One And All

Broadside, Saturday 4th December 2021

Yesterday I attended my first wargames show since 2019 with my club, the South East Essex Military Society (SEEMS), at the Broadside show in Kent. I must say it was a most fun and friendly event which reminded me of the shows of yore. We put on a Peninsular Napoleonic game (using Neil's toys) playing two linked scenarios. I did not take pictures of the other games as we were very busy chatting at the table.

The French had decided to make a nuisance of themselves and sent a not inconsiderable force to investigate the strength of a local fort. In scenario one the British occupied a a hill overlooking the plain and sent news of the French deployment. The French simply had to push the British off the hill to win Day One. Numerical superiority and British reinforcements arriving in dribs and drabs made for an easy French victory.

Two units of skirmishers ready to take on the pesky French.

However the British had a secret weapon. I was the French C in C.  

My advance was a muddled affair with the dice gods leaving me with units failing their activation rolls meaning the units arrived piecemeal. Also my "great idea", to post a battery just out of range of the British in an attempt to tie down two British was folly. At the end of the scenario I discovered my heavier guns outranged the British by 12".

It's a shame the Voltigeurs are being shot to pieces, Pierre. But we are safe!

The farce continued as my advancing columns took fire from that blasted hill.. At least my second battery did some damage.

Incidentally, those Dragoons are some of the best painted Hinchliffe figures I have ever seen.

By the end of the day the hill was still stubbornly occupied, the disordered advance units created a log jam for those behind. All I, as C in C, had was a headache and a burning desire for red wine, baguettes and onion soup!

Merde!

Day Two  was based upon the British retiring overnight to their village stronghold. I did not take any pictures and the matter was inconclusive as by then we were pretty much chatting away to all and sundry in the best atmosphere I can remember for many a year.

The lull before the storm(ing).

The rules were "Rebels and Patriots" with an on-line unofficial extension for the Napoleonic period, "Flags and Eagles". I thoroughly enjoyed it; so much so that I bought a few boxes of Perry Austrians to pit against the French juggernaut. The infantry figures are glued up and the undercoat is on. First results next weekend!

In Defeat, Unbeatable: In Victory, Unbearable

Winston Churchill's description of Bernard Law Montgomery in 1945 sums him up perfectly* 

My choice is probably not the most popular one, but despite expressing  outdated and controversial views in later life during the Second World War Montgomery was exactly what the British and Commonwealth forces needed.

As a child I remember Montgomery appearing on the news or in the papers quite regularly after saying something particularly ill thought out, The films "Patton" and "A Bridge Too Far" are not exactly pro Montgomery and so by the time we get to "Saving Private Ryan" it is established Hollywood fact that Montgomery is "overrated". Unfortunately it is these post-war antics that have blighted his record.

For a far more balanced view I thoroughly recommend this fantastically researched and written book:

So what is it about this prickly egotist that I admire?

Montgomery learnt in the First World War to value his troops lives and was a vocal critic of those prepared to accept high casualties. His criticisms hindered his inter-war career but he did learn to curb some of his excesses and was determined to be the most professional soldier he could be.

His singlemindedness paid dividends during the opening stages of WW2. He handled his troops well in France and eventually was given the desert command for which he will be eternally famed for. He was the master of the pitched battle. His attention to detail meant that nothing was left to chance. He kept his troops informed, he visited them and in return he was seen as a soldier-general they could trust.

The D-Day landings were his plan. His success.

He has been roundly criticised for Market Garden. However, having effectively destroyed the bulk of the effective German Army at Falaise Pocket his plan was approved. Clearly others believed it could work too.

His later Rhine Crossing was a return to his meticulous preparations. He saved his troops lives.

Interestingly he did admit to making mistakes, like not capturing Antwerp as a major priority. I cannot think of many other Allied Commanders who did that in their memoires.

And finally for those who believe he was slow and unimaginative you only have to look at his much underplayed role during the Battle of the Bulge. It was Manteuffel himself who described Montgomery's counter attacks as follows:

"The operations of the American First Army had developed into a series of individual holding actions. Montgomery's contribution to restoring the situation was that he turned a series of isolated actions into a coherent battle fought according to a clear and definite plan. It was his refusal to engage in premature and piecemeal counter-attacks which enabled the Americans to gather their reserves and frustrate the German attempts to extend their breakthrough"

*My favourite anecdote regarding his monstrous ego however is that attributed to a conversation between Churchill and King George after VE day. 

While Montgomery was playing up to the crowd Churchill is alleged to have said "I think he's after my job". 

King George's response "Thank God for that, I thought he was after mine!"

So Who Is Your Favourite Commander?

So, we are on lockdown. As it turns out I have been given backroom duties so that I form the second wave of first responders. 

I know I have a limited following, I do not do "Social Media" much and so this will never go "viral" but what the hey! 

On Sunday evening  I will post who is my most respected C in C. I am keeping my poker face as it's not actually this chap:

So, my request is please give it some thought.

 On Sunday evening give your thoughts on who and why your favourite is on your own blog. 

Cunningly, if I ever face you on the wargames table your thoughts may give me the edge!

P.S Let me know you have done it so I can shamelessly gather the necessary intel!

Adieu 2019

There will not be any new posts this year so may I take this opportunity to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year. 

And remember that while you can never be overdressed to refight a battle, it is always better to leave your horse outside or else the beast will eat your trees. And knock over your Scotch.

Distractions: Curse of the Nine to Fiver

It has now been a full month since I started my new work posting. Regular hours, weekends off and only getting off late twice so far. So why the slow output? After all these figures were painted weeks ago and all they needed was basing up.

First 12 figure unit for "Rebels & Redcoats".

 It didn't help that I had a bout of "man-flu" and that suddenly Dad's Taxi Service is so much more convenient than any other mode of transport; but my 6 am week day alarm call is a neatly transferable skill for the weekends. I should have the time (and energy) to do more. 

Therein lies the problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hardly Pickett's charge but it is a start.

I DO have the time and energy to do things...and I'm getting carried away with it! 

The Formula1 season has started and for the first time I can watch all the races live on any given Sunday. I can also watch Saturday practice and qualifying - so I do. Then to the garden (to keep myself in her good books) for some power mowing and weeding etc. 

Yesterday, for the first time in over 30 years, I visited Brands Hatch race track and watched hours of GT Sprint racing. Didn't realise how much I liked Aston Martin's (see below):

I do need to practice my photography a little!

 And this afternoon I went up into the attic and pulled out plastic kits I bought year's ago. 

So no complaining but I am fully employed with distractions aplenty. I hope to calm down but for the moment I am cleaning off my old airbrush and compressor to see if they still work. I have a  Volkswagen in need of a paint job!

Games Night Tonight

Tonight was another first for me on my new Wednesday "Games Night". A sci-fi game called Battlefleet Gothic (or something like that). Apparently its an old Warhammer game that is no longer in production. As usual I lost. However Neil's models were great and it got me thinking.

I was given control of the two big ships in this picture-both died horribly!

All this "broadsides", "torpedoes" and flat gaming surface stuff got me thinking about naval wargames. Something else that I have never played.

The Battlefleet game itself  requires a level of thinking ahead (after all there's not a lot of stuff to hide behind in space - or at sea) with torpedoes and wreckage dictating your next few moves.

While these guys look like ducks - they turned out to be lethal!

Plus as a visual spectacle the models really come into their own. I have seen some fantastic looking naval models made up and so its certainly got me thinking about the possibilities...

Tonight I Played A Wargame

In my build up to normality in the working arena, tonight I visited a local wargames club and played a wargame. Actually two - we played the same game twice.

It looked nothing like this....I wasn't wearing a tie.

The game itself was linked to the "Terminator" movies and I was a test player for a participation game for a wargames show this Sunday. Having never played the game, which involved plenty of dice (always a good sign) I did manage to defend humanity in one game and throw it all away in the second. I have sort of signed myself up to assisting in figures for an ACW era "Rebels & Patriots" game so I obviously had a fair bit a fun. The rules are ordered and on their way and I am sure the figure orders will follow swiftly!

A Proper Version Of The Best Story Ever?

My all time favourite read has to be HG Wells "War of the Worlds". I have longed for a true cinematic adaption to come along, but alas films are always "adapted" to contemporary settings (and invariably transferred to the USA). So imagine my delight when I discovered last night about this upcoming BBC, 3-part production for 2019.

Even looks like one of my favourite illustrations from booklet inside the Jeff Wayne album.

Will we finally see "The Thunderchild" in action? The "black smoke"?

Now I know this is the BBC and the possibility exists that the Martians will be sent packing by vegan Suffragettes dissuading them from acts of violence or some such; but the blurb says it will be true to the original story. Dare to dream, but this could be a major tick on the old bucket list. 

Not Much Painting Going On

It has been a while since I have posted anything simply because I have been busy with "stuff". One of the more enjoyable bits of "stuff" is finally getting to grips with my allotment...

Very excited about my potatoes!

I am doing some painting and may even have an Airfix post for next weekend.