Photos from England

Some of Tamsin's 15mm Minis - Neu Swabian League, I think

Gruntz Game - NSL v. Crusties

Here come those pesky UN "Peacekeepers"

Tamsin, Dane, Zane, and Me

That's a Roman D6.

Hoth game, using X-Wing

6mm Fortified Town

Jungles of Vietnam (Weymouth)

Get the Running Dog Yellow Imperialist Lackeys!

Failed Unit. Oh no!

Some of the great Vietnamese terrain

Another nice set piece, a downed Huey

Gaming in the UK

   Well I am home safe and sound from my exploits Across the Pond. Had a great trip, saw a lot of neat things, and met a lot of really nice people. I even managed to get a few games in while overseas, attended a gaming show, UK-style, and had one or two cups of tea. I might have had a beer or two as well. Oh, and I bought a few interesting things...

   First off, the games. On our first night, Tamsin and her mate Simon hosted the boys and I (that's my son Dane and my non-biological son, Zane) to a large game of Gruntz. We all had a good time, I have a better understanding of the rules, and they introduced me to a really fun method of activation. I will give it a go myself sometime. Best of all, my corporate forces managed to damage the Crunchy outpost before those do-gooder UN types could stop me, helping my corporation lay claim to the planet (I won).

   A week later we were in Weymouth, home of Martin Goddard and Peter Pig. Martin's working on revamping his rules for Vietnam, and I played two nights with him and the boys and some of his gaming mates. My record was 1 and 1, playing the wily Viet Cong both times. I won't spill the beans on it, because I don't know what all Martin is keeping secret, but it was a lot of fun. The rules are quite easy to pickup and play, and a game can be completed in about two hours, really.

   In between games, I attended the Joy of Six show in Sheffield. The Joy of Six, as the name implies, focuses on 6mm size/scale gaming. I saw some really interesting things being done. One of the most interesting was a modification of the popular SAGA rules, using stands of multiple 6mm figures in place of the individual 28mm figures the rules expect. I don't think any other rules were changed, but I am not sure about that. What it did do was give a visually appealing game that could be played in a small area and still look like real raiding parties. I was strongly tempted to buy some Dark Ages figures - and still may.

  What did I buy? A few books - including reprints of both the Instructions for American Soldiers in Great Britain and German plans for the invasion of Britain. But as far as figures go, I picked up some Baccus 6mm Imperial French for Franco-Prussian War, destined to become Imperial French VSF troops, some Baccus Highlanders (VSF British) and Mahdists (VSF Martians). I also bought some 6mm sci-fi buildings for OGRE, some of Brigade's Small Scale buildings for Dystopian Wars. Finally, I bought a batch of Peter Pig's 15mm US Marines for some FOW, and a few packs of Peter Pig colonials that I muled back for a friend.

   Went to Scotland, wandered about the Old Town and the Castle. Drank an Irn Bru. Went to Loch Ness in the Highlands. Saw part of Hadrian's Wall at Segudunum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Had a Nucky Brown (Newcastle Brown Ale). Went to the Royal Armories in both Leeds and the Tower of London. Saw both the Scottish and British Royal Treasures (Crown Jewels). Walked across Tower Bridge. Ate a good scotch egg. Went to the IWM again (noticed their WWI exhibit's SMLE was a Mk. III* from 1944 made by Lithgow in Australia - that's not cricket at all!) Saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham in their red coats (Grenadier Guards). Explored the East End on a Jack the Ripper walking tour. Rode the London Eye in daylight. Had some really good Chinese and Indian food, some really good Thai food, some really good English food, some really good beer and cider, haggis (which is quite good, actually), more beer, a lot of bacon rolls with brown sauce, plenty of crisps, fish and chips, Mr Whippy ice cream...

   I will post pictures when I get them downloaded off the phone.

Some British Tanks Finished

 4th Indian Division Sikhs manning a captured Italian gun

 

   I have finally finished a few miniatures this year. Yes, these are the first truly start-to-finish items I have managed to paint so far this year. Nine 15mm tanks for my Flames of War British 8th Army collection. These will support my 4th Indian Division infantry company.

The Lot

Matilda II, Valentine VIII, Crusader II

Another Crusader - with commander.

7th Armoured Division marking

Yep, turret markings are done too.

Valentine III

Matilda II/CS

A not-quite-complete India Pattern Carrier

   This brings my total British tank force to seventeen, I believe: 3x Grants, 3x Crusader II, 5x "Honey" Stuarts, 2x Matilda II, 1x Matilda II CS, 2x Valentine III, and 1 x Valentine VIII. I can't field any sort of Armoured Squadron or Company, but I have a variety of support choices for the infantry. Finishing the two India Pattern Carriers puts me at eight total: two carrier scout patrols and a spare pair for observers or company command.

Brexit: How does it affect gamers?

   Brexit has passed the UK's voters. As a result, they will be leaving the European Union sometime in the next few years (I understand there's some provision for a period of time to be used making necessary policy adjustments, etc.).

   While I want to remain out of the politics of it, I'm curious as to how people think it will affect that most vital demographic: the gamers. Will it help gamers in the UK? What about gamers in the rest of Europe? Or in the US?

   As of this moment, it seems a plus for the US because of the effect Brexit seems to be having on the pound sterling. It's dropped a good bit against the dollar, meaning this is a good time to buy British products. Does that substantially harm the British manufacturers? I hope not, as I am on good terms with more than one of them (yeah, Martin, I mean you!).

   Anyway, I'm interested in what you all think. Please spread this around - I'll be mentioning it on TMP as well. Please comment below. And please, no vitriolic rhetoric. I know some people are quite incensed and others are jubilated by the results of the vote, but I'm interested only in the specific sense here.

Back to the Table

   I have returned to the painting table in a limited fashion over the past week or so, after months of being away from it. As you can see in the sidebar, I have a goodly number of things in the works. I haven't any photos as the only operable camera I have is my phone and the light wasn't good enough to get a decent snap. I'll try to add piccies later this week, alright?

   The nine tanks are for Flames of War, my British 8th Army forces. Almost finished with them, actually - just a bit of weathering to do on the decals and they are done. With these finished, I will have an additional three platoons of tanks to go with my existing Grant and Honey platoons. About seventeen tanks in all, essentially all support for my infantry company.

   The two India Pattern Carriers are nearly done as well, and are also for my Indian Infantry Company. I've misplaced their pintle-mounted Brens, but I was planning on using them as command vehicles or observer vehicles anyway. I think they need a whip antenna instead. Just need to add the antenna, paint up a couple of crew for each, and paint the attached bases, flock them a bit, that sort of thing.

   The force-field pylons come from the Macragge box set for W40k. I will buy them if you have more. Zach found these at a game store we rarely frequent, in their random bits for sale box. He snapped them up for me. I use them for sci fi and VSF both: anti-dinosaur energy fences are a must have for the well-heeled safari on Venus.

   The Flea is an old mini I have had banging around for years. Nothing new there! It's the FLE-15 Ral Partha sculpt 20-805. So far, it's primed black. I have to go back and check which color scheme I was using on the light mech lance some years ago.

   The 15mm sci-fi trader and the vending bots are mostly just scatter designed for my Gruntz table. The trader may become a faction commander if I ever get there with him. The bots are headed towards opposite ends - one Coke red and one Pepsi blue. I may repaint the yellow one I did a year or so back to be a taco vendor or something. Maybe go with a red, white, and green scheme? Or just paint TACOS on the signage. That would be easier. These minis are from The Ion Age.

   Anyway, a quick update on what I have been doing. It feels good to be getting something done again. Also, I have a game weekend this week, playing the North African FOW campaign again this Saturday. Last time I went 1-1. This week I want two Allied victories. Now if I can just keep the DAK from rolling up a Tiger as a Firestorm unit...