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.



Thursday 15 September 2022

Hold it! Flash, Bang, Wallop! What a Picture! What a Photograph!

 On Wednesday Dan paid his first visit to GHQ since before the onset of 'The Plague' to take photographs of my 15mm Cold War Gone Hot project, which I hope will accompany the piece I've written about it in a late autumn edition of Wargames Illustrated. As Phil was away on a short break the sky holding, terrain fiddling and figure/vehicle/aircraft moving devolved solely on yours truly! I had quite forgotten how tiring this all was! A few pictures before he arrived ~

The whole sum of our efforts over the past few months. I must say it didn't look so much in the storage boxes!
Soviet hordes rushing to their doom? Well, I am in command so it's to be expected.
More sedate Soviet advance. Do these veterans know what is in-store for them I wonder.
B.A.O.R. Forward HQ protected by infantry, a Swingfire Troop and an overflying TOW-Lynx 
For the Soviets the Hind gunship provides cover for the armoured column's advance.
The Soviets attempt to flank the Chieftain MBT line along a wooded ridge.
Bikelberg and Bikelheim have already fallen beneath the heel of the Soviet aggressors.
From Russia With Love? Somehow I think probably not...
Chieftain MBTs await the Soviet onslaught taking advantage of the cover provided along a wooded ridge.
A second defensive line of Chieftain MBTs is formed on the flank of the B.A.O.R.'s Forward HQ located in the farmyard complex.

While Dan was going about his business we chatted as usual about this and that in the hobby universe of which I am a very small part. One topic we chewed over was how many pictures Dan has taken here over the years, in both versions of GHQ, since 2004! It must run into hundreds we decided! We only get to see just a few in the physical magazine, perhaps 10 out of maybe 100 taken on the day and maybe a few more on the Wargames Illustrated web pages. I think perhaps folk fail to appreciate the work he puts in to bring the 'Illustrated' element to the magazine. All that remains for me in the process is to write captions for the pictures he selects to illustrate the article. Meanwhile on Tuesday next week hostilities in the Bikelberg area will commence in earnest.

16 comments:

  1. A very impressive layout there David. Looking forward to the units seeing action some time soon.

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    1. Thanks SteveJ! Next Tuesday all things being equal.

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  2. It has all come together …. Well done on tirelessly seeing this through, I look forward to the first outing.

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    1. Tirelessly? Not so sure it seemed that way at this end...

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  3. An impressive looking collection and it’s all come together quite quickly…
    I look forward to seeing your article and up coming game.

    All the best. Aly

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    1. Quickly? Does time move differently in the East Midlands I wonder?

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    2. As far as concerns me…building plastic kits turns a week into a decade…😁

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    3. Been there, done that, etc...

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  4. A splendid and impressive project, looking forward to the action.

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  5. Great looking collection David 👍 almost complete ?

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    1. Complete? For now at any rate, though I have four aircraft and helicopter kits unbuilt in the Plastic Blemish.

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  6. Get you, 'Dan.' Being a wargames personality must be hell David. But then some people do deserve the recognition, a beautiful set up as is to be expected.

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    1. Robbie, or should that be Mr Roddis, I'm not sure how I should take that opening remark. I doubt anyone considers me any sort of 'personality' outside my family. And I'm not even sure of that to be honest. Glad you liked the set too. I've seen the layout proofs tonight and I must say they are breathtaking. The camera may not lie, but it can exaggerate.

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