Away Days!

 As I mentioned in my last post, Sue and I have been away for a shortened week's break on the Lancashire-Cumbria border, near the South Lakes area of the Lake District. It's an area like Downderry in Cornwall which we have come to think of as a favourite place to spend a few days away. Without rushing about we've enjoyed a recharge of the batteries and as a bonus the weather has been very kind to us.

As usual we rented an appartment at Tewitfield Marina, just north of Carnforth on the Lancashire canal. It's a peaceful location at this time of year with the added bonus of a fine pub for dinning a short stroll away.

We stopped off in Morecambe on the way up to have lunch in the Midland Hotel, an Art Deco building from the Golden Age of railways, very Agatha Christie and Poirot! The Promenade is Morecambe's best (only?) feature of note. A sculpture of the Lake District which looks across Morecambe Bay 

A  back view of the statue of Eric Bartholomew, aka Eric Morecambe of Morecambe and Wise fame. 

The view across the Bay towards the peaks of the Lake District. A short stroll along the Promenade aids the digestion and leads to an interesting Second Hand Book Shop, though no books were sniffed this year!

A short drive further inland brings you to Kirkby Lonsdale, a small market town with interesting buildings and quaint shops. The Church of St Mary is worth a visit if you've time. 

The Altar at the eastern end of the chancel.

The town endured a tragic overnight fire just before Christmas last year. Many buildings and businesses were devastated and sadly one life was lost. Much rebuilding was going on to bring this lovely town back to it's best. One unexpected bonus for the visitor was...

Free Parking! While another was a 'small' Full English in The Bakery...

A pleasant 30 minute drive away through the Cumbrian countryside brings you to Bowness on Windermere. We drove over early the next day in time for a lighter breakfast before embarking on a cruise on Lake Windermere.

As you can see the weather in mid March was being very kind to us, partly anyway...dry, sunny but very chilly.

Hillend, home to the children's author Beatrix Potter, sadly though not open to visitors so early in the year.

A view towards the northern end of the lake and the sunlight fells and peaks of the Lake District. Very Wainwright if you are younger and fitter than me!

One of the many C18th & C19th century grand houses dotted around the lakeside, many now repurposed into hotels!

There was even snow on the highest peaks when we arrived, but you'd need to squint to see it in the photo!

The view towards the southern end of the Lake it has to be said is far less dramatic!

Back on land we popped into the church of St Martin to see the C16th wall paintings 'restored' in the Victorian period and collection of antique bibles and religious books.

The altar at the east end of the chancel and it's associated stained glass window.

The wall paintings featured illustrated explanations of the Christian sacraments.

As well as C19th added depictions of scenes from the life of Christ; here the preparation of his earthly body for burial.

The small collection of C16th Bibles and other religious writings was well worth seeing too.

It's often forgotten that before the iconoclastic effects of the Reformation in the C16th churches were often highly colourful and decorated with walls painted with biblical and instructional scenes as well as having beautiful stained glass windows. The medieval font at the nave's west end framed by modern etched glass and more 'restored' wall images.

On the way back to base a short detour took us to call in on chum George for a catch up and a tour of his wargames room. Jealous, me? I certainly am!!!!! 

A trip into Lancaster by bus, an education in itself, to visit Lancaster Castle. A much expanded medieval castle serving as a prison until as recently as 2011.

The Inner Courtyard with impressive fencing separating the men's from the women's cell blocks.

The medieval keep towers above the prison buildings giving a sense of the power castles emanated.

The castle also houses the County Police Museum. You have a chance to tour the exhibitions in cells on two floors. The custody suite was really interesting...

...for some ner' do wells at least.

While more respectable members of society enjoyed a quiet cuppa in the welcome Spring sunshine.

Best remember though that prisons were/are not all Norman Stanley Fletcher, despite appearances. All this is free too, though a guided tour which we'd done on a previous visit was £8.00!

The Maritime Museum on St George's Quay is also well worth a visit. It houses all kinds of exhibits relating to Lancaster's maritime heritage. The Fisherman's cottage exhibit captures the reality of a hard life.

While log boats from the Bronze Age are impressive reminders of our long association with the sea and rivers.

Bronze Age hoards...

...and Tudor coins in a lead wallet are on display.

Along with reminders of a time when seaside towns like Morecambe were not so run down as they appear now.

Even Eric Bartholomew's school report card - "Largely absent for the exams." - together with his child performer permit! For those who don't know he's Eric Morecambe, one half of the comic duo Morecambe and Wise. For the £2.00 admission it was a steal!

Ending our jaunt with a trip to Kendal for retail therapy on Sue's birthday!

Back home tomorrow, but not before dinner at the Longlands Hotel tonight.

More Vikings!

The second group of Matt's Footsore Vikings to endure their time under my brush have made it across the painting desk and are ready to add to the 1066 & All That collection. They come from the 'Bondi with spears' pack, being chosen from the more active poses on the whole. This has lead to me mounting them on skirmishing bases for our games, although they can be added on the flanks of the main warrior block to make a larger unit, as indeed can the base of berserkers I featured in the previous post.

The LBMS shield transfers almost fit the shields if you don't look too closely. Punching out the holes is a definite pain in the nether reasons though! The bases are Warbases 3mm MDF ones, Phil converted me to them over the 2mm ones I was using. The brass spears are from Pendraken, again though drilling out the hands to accommodate them was not fun. 

Next in the painting queue are a base of 10 Hirdmen in mail. They look like a mean and nasty set of chaps if you were facing them. So far I've painted the five in the front rank - those looking most suitable to portray shield wall types - and have another three started from the rear rank with the remaining two on their MDF hexes ready to go. 

Sue and I are off for a short break now, so no painting or gaming lined up obviously. No game report from today's meeting with Phil either as we were giving the rules I've been working on for the Saga of Bicca Biccasson project a run through or two. More on those in due course too.

Vikings!

Finally I have made a start at painting Matt's Footsore Vikings to add to my 1066 & All That collection. As you might recall I have already painted a few for the Saga of Bicca Biccasson project, mostly from the 'Heroes of Valhalla' pack. Indeed you might even have seen them featured in this month's Wargames Illustrated. I have cleaned up all the remaining figures, spray undercoated them and provisionally allocated them to their gaming bases. I even have the LBMS/Victrix shield transfers applied to all the figures which have shields, though the hour I spent punching out the holes to accommodate the shield bosses is an hour of my life I'll never get back!

I started with three of the four figures in the Berserker pack included in my Kickstarter choices. Berserkers, who may or may not have existed outside the Sagas, seems to have faded from the scene in the post pagan Christian period. It seems then that for 1066 they should be likely absent from the battlefield. The poses of the three figures though made it very difficult to accommodate them amongst the other figures given my basing schemes for the collection so, as you can see, I have opted for a narrow base for them matching the 120mm base width of the main bodies of warriors ~

These closer photos I hope will show the fine detail of the sculpting, which will enable better painters than me to render quite spectacular figures for their collections. My more modest efforts will I trust look fine at gaming distance on the tabletop battlefield here in GHQ ~

Having completed these three I have moved on to six of the spear armed Bondi, those in the more active and aggressive poses. Those six will give me two bases of skirmishing figures, which can also be fitted alongside either flank of the main base to make a larger unit. The first base of three figures is completed and the second base of three are varnished and fixed to their base ready for texturing later today. More on those in a later blog post, probably some time next week I'd hope.

Les Garde ont fini...

... et moi aussi, or so it feels! It seems that I slowed down somewhat as February marched on, at least that's how it seems from my side of the painting desk. 

But now the Chasseurs de la Garde have finally advanced across the painting desk, endured my modest efforts with the brush, and mustered into GHQ joining their fellows in a Brigade. 

This brings the French contingent of my Crimean War project to a conclusion, at least for now. It comprises a Line Brigade of three battalions with a command stand, a Garde Brigade of three battalions with a command stand, and an overall army command stand. Here are the Chasseurs de la Garde ~

The figures are from Great War Miniatures of course via North Star, as is their standard, while the base is from the ever dependable Warbases. The command pack does not include a figure to carry the standard and eagle but it was easy enough to adapt one of the officers into the role via a small act of surgery with knife and file on one hand.

Painting the yellow trim on the uniform jackets is difficult for me if applying the yellow ochre colour after the French Blue of the jackets. A good while ago I realised it's easier to paint the trim yellow ochre first and paint the coat French Blue afterwards. It works for me, though there is one figure where I forgot that rule, and to me it stands out! 

Finally then, here is the whole Brigade of my Garde Impériale commanded by Général De Rumforde under the ever watchful eye of Maréchal De France, Alphonse De Morrisoné ~

Attack on Fort Trumper - Afterword

Rather than risk boring my loyal reader with a second detailed annotated photomontage of the second run through for the War of 1812-15 game with Paul from last Thursday, instead I've opted to present a selection from the many photographs Paul kindly provided which loosely follow the flow of that game ~

The first Militia Brigade were encamped behind Battery Heights at the onset of the action.

The second Militia Brigade was encamped beyond Fort Trumper, which in reality was nothing more than a stockaded blockhouse.

The Last Valley fenced garden makes a colourful and useful addition to the look of the tabletop in many different periods from Ancients to VBCW.

I used these naval boats to represent the two crossing points for the Anglo-Canadian forces. They are venerable pieces once available from Redoubt Enterprises if I recall correctly.

Matt converted the oarsmen for me, what from I don't recall, while he was still at school. There are similar sets now available from Perry Miniatures, at a price of course.

Andy at The Last Valley made this small family cemetery plot piece for me based on a piece I saw on a blog. It's versatile enough to do duty from the F&IW through to the ACW which makes it very useful.

The original collection for the War of 1812-15 I began back in the midst of time when Foundry first consolidated their business in St Marks, Nottingham. They used to sell bargain blisters of 20 or so castings for £5 or £6 and I would buy a few every time I popped over. The range was sculpted by Aly Morrison of course.

The range, which is still available from Foundry, is quite extensive for both Anglo-Canadian and USA forces, encompassing Regulars, Militia and Command figures for infantry, artillery and even cavalry. For the Americans there are also choices in shako and tunic styles to add variety. Fort Trumper itself was a bargain buy years ago ready painted on a Bring & Buy for £14! I believe it to be a Grand Manner piece.

Over time of course, as any veteran wargamer will readily understand, I added to the collection. Firstly from Foundry's Napoleonic British range sculpted by the Perrys, then later from Brigade Games sculpted by Paul Hicks and from Knuckleduster. Figures from all four ranges are in the picture and I'm confident you'll agree they compliment each other nicely.

It would be remiss of me not to say anything about how the game played out. After initially struggling to deploy Paul, as Lord Gornal, soon had his Brigades across the river both before the fort and below Battery Heights.

The Americans defended both crossing points with determination. They held fast on Battery Heights despite being under heavy fire from both banks of the river.

De Watteville's Swiss regiment in British service was forced to surrender when Broken, as an alternative to plunging back into the river and drowning, no boats being available to them!

The Royal Marine Rocket Battery was constantly in action, though sadly for Paul not with overmuch accuracy or effect.

From Casting Room Miniatures these figures were meant to mark scaling points before the Fort's stockade, but as they never made their target Paul used them for scrumping!

The game ended in Turn 7 with the Anglo-Canadian army's Morale Broken by losses, despite the arrival of a third Militia Brigade to support the assault. As the American commander I had the satisfaction of seeing the backs of the enemy as they fled from American soil! A win!!! At last!!!!!

A busy time coming up in GHQ now. On Thursday Guy Bowers from Wargames, Soldiers & Strategy is due for a photoshoot to support a forthcoming article on a battle from the Wars of the French Revolution. So I hope to take a picture of two myself for my blog if the opportunity arrises. The French Garde Chasseurs are finally finis so they have to have the bases dressed before they appear for your delectation in another blog post. Then there is the small matter of Matt's Footsore Vikings which I got underway yesterday. The first base of figures is ready for dressing and more are fixed to MDF hexes ready for their moment under the brush! Today though it's off to Phil's, for a bit of Midgard I believe.

'Ommer'ead 2025

Phil and I went over to Newark Showground on Saturday to visit the Hammerhead wargames show. Although in the same venue as Partizan and The Other Partizan it has nothing to do with the Newark Irregulars, being organised by Kalistra and the Forest Outlaws Gaming Club. In common with many other similar events up and down the UK it features Trade Stands, a Painting Competition, a Table Top Sale/Bring & Buy, and games - lots of them! Where it differs of course is that all the games are Participation Games, not a Demonstration Game in sight! 

For me the main attraction of a visit to the show is a day out with Phil and a chance to chew the hobby fat during the journey, the first retail therapy of the year, the opportunity to catch up with geographically distant friends, many of them last seen in October, and take in the games on show. Of course as a deaf Wargamer, even wearing my aids, participating in games in such a noisy environment with folk whose voices I'm unfamiliar with is a no-no. That's really where the format disappoints as the games are generally physically small and let's face it not that spectacular compared to most seen at the Partizans. 

Of course that's not the point of the games on show, they are there to play if you want to join in. It does mean though that not only did I fail to take any game photos but also it shapes the time we spend in the venue. Most of our time there is divided between shopping at the Trade Stands, having a look at what's on offer at the Table Top Sales - if you can beat the scrum of course - and chatting with friends! For me the games are almost an irrelevance then. I enjoyed meeting and catching up with Kevin (down from Aberdeen!);Colin (from Middlesbrough) and his wife Kathryn; Dave Andrews; Dan from WI; Lawrence and Richard, the Partizan supremos - "Things are in the wrong place!"😂; and Jon of course. My path and Paul's failed to cross, despite being there for about two hours.

I mentioned retail therapy once or twice, so I really ought to mention my loot from the visit ~

From Wargames Foundry I got some packs of Late Medieval figures for my Wars of the Roses project. It grates somewhat with me that there seems to be no show discount to draw in punters and their hard earned from this giant of the hobby!

I replaced my Rapid Fire Reloaded booklets from Colin at Valiant Miniatures, having gifted my original copies to Matt last Autumn. Colin wouldn't let me pay for them, another example of the kindness which runs through our wonderful hobby!

From the seemingly omnipresent Dave Thomas (and Phil) I got most of the Perry Miniatures Wars of the Roses figure packs on my and Matt's list. Hopefully I'll pick up the missing packs from him at WMMS on 30th March.

From Great Escape Games - "...not in the right place!"- I got my resupply of Gamer's Grass tufts, taking advantage of the usual and appreciated 6 for 5 offer. I also got one new brush from ABC Brushes!

Overall then, what did I make of my day out? Obviously I think you would realise I enjoyed myself given most of what I've said. Downsides? Well, I find shows noisy and wearing trying to hear what folks say to me. Friends are used to my issues and make allowances, Traders and others obviously not so it can be stressful for me. The games are a real disappointment, despite knowing beforehand what to expect, for I do love the scale and drama of the Partizan games! Even the large Boondock Saynts' game disappointed me in a way! The Table Top sales are very cramped and I'd favour fewer games to give them and the punters more space to do business. I failed to get a look in on my several passes. Lastly then, my perennial show moan: lack of casual seating for we geriatric-in-waiting wargamers, though I did manage to get a seat with Colin, Kathryn and Kevin in the Bistro for 20 minutes!

What then of 'Ommer'ead 2026? Well, Phil suggests he would not go again, mainly quoting the same issues with the games which make the experience somewhat lacking from our perspective. While I agreed with his assessment yesterday, today my resolve is already weakening...