Rebs!

A quick preview of my fledgling latest collection. As mentioned in an earlier post I have joined a wargames club here. In a rush of enthusiasm on the first night I signed up to an ACW rule system that the club intend to play - "Redcoats & Rebels". I know the Union forces have already been started by other members so I have glued up and started painting some Perry Plastic 28mm Confederates first.

This game came be played to a conclusion within the 2-3 hours available on a Wednesday night. 

However I also love BIG ACW battles using "Fire & Fury" and have a separate collection going on there in 15mm. Plus, I have a small collection of vintage 20mm ACW figures (mainly Hinton Hunt) which I have been amassing over the years. 3 collections may seem a little extravagant but you only live once. And it is the American Civil War.

So, 28mm ACW is the second project for the remainder of 2019 and with the relatively low number of figures needed is the most likely to be completed. Especially as others are also now expecting a full contribution on my part. 

More Airfix Waterloo

Having reached a milestone of more games played in 2019 than 2017 & 2018 combined I have also been slowly adding to various collections. The first is this British artillery base.

Waterloo Horse Artillery - probably my favourite of all the Airfux sets

I have a few more weeks of shift work to go before I join the 9-5 set so I hope to increase output very soon. Rather than go bonkers and start painting everything I have I will probably stick with 4 main projects for 2019. Next up for the Airfix collection are those really useful marching French artillerymen. 

But for my next post are some 28mm ACW destined for some club games later in the year.

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. 

Middlesex Regiment Mobilised

Today we would laugh at the idea of some Pan-European Super State watching us from across The Channel with envious eyes, secretly making plans to impose their will, their laws and their dictatorial views upon the true democracy that is Dear Old Blighty. Ahem. 

But as the invasion of 1879 showed this was not always the case. One of the first regiments to be mobilised  to face the invading horde was the Middlesex Regiment,  lead by none other than Colonel Arthur Brown VC; "Hero of Balaclava".

Not a wobbly lip in the lot of them.

Colonel Brown (of the Newcastle Brown's) needs no introduction; his flanking attack on the Russian looters of the Royal Welch Fusilier's Balaclava camp is the stuff of legend. Not so his similar assault on Constables Barker and Reeves at the "Fusiliers Arms" Woolwich upon his return, but I digress.

Brown's batman obviously forgot to unpack the VC when this shot was taken!

Private soldier's promotions, medal awards and moustaches will be added as the great campaign unfolds, but for now the Regiment has been issued the necessary arms, ammunition and gloss varnish. For Queen, country and real ale, huzzah!

(I would have started on the first of the dastardly German invaders however I made a total arse of my first order and have had to send the heads back for the correct pickelhaube replacements to be sent. I obviously had one too many port's in the mess before going on line).