David Bickley's Wargames Blog

The occasional ramblings of an average gamer, journeyman painter, indifferent modeller, games designer, sometime writer for Wargames Illustrated and host of games in GHQ.



Tuesday 13 October 2020

More Coronavirus malarky!

 So 'Ronald MacDonald Johnson' and his partners in incompetent government have once again put the boot into my hobby. I can't have friends to game face-to-face in GHQ, nor can I now go over to Phil's or Jon's for a game! I am truly Billy No Mates again for at least a month! 

So, as these new restrictions don't kick in until tomorrow, I decided to go over to Spirit Games in Burton-on-Trent today and take advantage of the closing down sale. Yes, sadly another bricks and mortar hobby store will close down on 21 November reverting to a Mail Order only business. I've had many a happy trip out there over the years as Phil actually stocked Dixon ACW figure range. Granted it was sometimes a bit sparse, but I usually managed to get what I wanted. Today proved no different, in that I got the figures I'd hoped to get to supplement the large box Matt had sent me last week. I now have six 20 figure infantry units in the Lead Pimple for next year along with some Artillery Command bases I've wanted to make up for a while now. 

I've been active on the internet purchase front too: I managed to source a copy of Neil Thomas's Ancient and Medieval Wargames as the earlier order disappeared somewhere, or perhaps never existed - only Abe Books know the truth there. The book arrived safely yesterday, so that saga comes to a happy end. I also took the decision to add the 14th Brooklyn to my Union army in their distinctive Chasseur uniforms. Sadly Dixon have no really suitable figures so I took the plunge and ordered some Sash and Sabre figures from Old Glory UK. Hopefully they will be with me this week, Royal Mail permitting of course!

On the painting front I'm more than half way through my third 20 figure unit of Hanibal's Veterans, using Aventine Miniatures Imitation Legionaries in mail and linothorax. I've also got a few Eureka Miniatures figures underway for one of my ACW terrain projects. I hope I will have finished at least one of these this month to share with you. I'm also in the early stages of preparing two articles for Wargames Illustrated for their May edition, number 400. I'm looking forward to working on both of these, though the deadline is tight for me at the end of December, mainly because I'm trying to also complete my Punic Wars project by the year's end. Well, better get back to it then!

Take Care and Keep Safe all of you!

16 comments:

  1. A mighty fine haul there, that will keep you busy for a month ;~)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I think more than a month if I'm honest, I'm slowing down.

      Delete
  2. Sorry about those restrictions David 6 x 20 man units! that feels like a lot ! Do you have a specific brigade/ Division in mind ?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have Pandemic Fatigue I guess, I'm just sick of it interfering with what's left of my life. I've been careful what I do, I avoid risks and I even wear the mask. Seems not to make any difference though, the lunatics in charge have lost the plot.

      Delete
    2. Sadly I think many of us are in the fatigue position. However, we must focus on the positive and seek sanctuary in the parts of our hobby and lives which give us pleasure 😀

      Delete
    3. You may well be correct, but for each one of us it is what it is. I may just start another project to give the virus the finger!🖕

      Delete
  3. It looks like you have plenty things to keep you busy David...
    I look forward to seeing Hannibal’s veterans...

    You won’t hear me disagreeing with you about our ‘glorious’ leadership...
    I don’t think that they had a plot in the first place...🙄

    All the best. Aly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am on the final 4 rankers in the Veterans, so should finish them tomorrow or Friday, depending on grandparenting bubble commitments, leaving just the 4 command figures to finish off the unit. As to Boris & Co...🖕🖕🖕🖕

      Delete
  4. Agree on all fronts David, sick of the government interfering and ruining the joy of being human and alive. I have the 14th Brooklyn/84th New York in 15mm.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sadly looks like there will be more, not less, from the clowns in charge! I'd like to see you're ACW out for a game sometime.

      Delete
    2. I was just about to set up a small campaign when the Northern farce meant I could not get someone here to game.

      Delete
  5. Yes it will be very nice when this Covid situation is mostly in the rear view morror!

    Christopher

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mirror that is....darn thick fingers!

      Christopher

      Delete
    2. The sooner the better for we old folk Christopher! Never mind the fat finger syndrome, it strikes us all...

      Delete
  6. Looking forward to your Hannibal veterans! I think a certain amount of fatigue has inevitably crept in, not helped by a less than competent leadership!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 'Less than competent'? Now that is being more than charitable in my book. No progress with the Veterans yesterday, not a good day for me.

      Delete