Friday, July 6, 2012

Year Three

Scruby French Grenadier from the 25mm (ie 1/72nd) Napoleon in Egypt range.

Even though not being serious about it, I still feel somewhat pretentious as well as definitely silly, numbering my remaining years from July 4th 2010, the date of my heart attack. (I almost said first but no need to be suggestive), but there we are. To be honest, it's only recently that I've come to realize that my "little incident"  had deeper and more lasting physical and psychological effects than I originally thought.

I'm not going to bother redoing months and days but this seemed like a suitable time to  paint up the sample Scruby Revolutionary French Grenadier that I got last year. I rather like him but he is old Warrior/Rose etc sized "25mm" and not a good match for my home-made Turks. For now at least he will remain an orphan while I ponder.

 It may be obvious by now that I didn't really have anything to post about but its been a week which is a long time between posts for me. Having arrived home last night from my internet free trip, I find myself somewhat dismayed that I felt no burning desire to jump into anything hobby-wise. Maybe its the usual summer heat and humidity plus being a bit tired? However, vague plans are under way to get painting again, to play some historically based scenarios to give Hoft a bit of a work out, and for a new mini-campaign. Last but not least,  I have started planning a long over due Prince Michael game using my Elastolin Prince Valiant figures. It was also July of 2010 when they were last on the table!

21 comments:

  1. Sounds good, Ross. The Elastolins are great, look forward to seeing your Prince Valiant figures back in action.

    Regards,
    Steve

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  2. Dear Battle,
    Spunk up old lad! It's not about how you feel,
    it's about giving us reading pleasure!

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  3. Study the collection ... they will whisper to you who it is that must return to the tabletop soonest.

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    1. They're nearly all mercenaries at heart, this regiment wants a new Colour before they fight again, that ones wants a colonel and 2 more rank and file, this brigade wants new basing. But I'll indulge them.

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  4. Welcome back Ross, hope you don't feel you have to maintain a particular rate of posting because of reader expectations. Always happy to read the posts as and when.

    Thanks for the picture; reminds me I must get my act together to investigate the Scruby ranges in more detail. There was a useful size comparison on http://inthegrandmanner.blogspot.co.uk/ recently.

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    1. Steve, I blog for my own enjoyment but a large part of that enjoyment comes from comments, discussions and other contact so its a 2 way thing.

      I haven't seen a lot of the smaller Scruby figures, I love his 30's and 40's and just try not to think about what if I'd checked out the 30mm Colonials before committing to the 40's.

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  5. Nice figure Ross looking forward to seeing those Elastolin figures!

    Best wishes

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  6. Have just started giving your blog my full attention - this really is a great example of a wargames blog. Have downloaded HofT, and look forward to giving them a read through on my hols. Will also be going through some of your old posts for inspiration and ideas - much better than most wargaming magazines!

    Best wishes, Keith.

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    Replies
    1. Keith, thank you for your kind words. Esp. appreciated from a man who writes a great blog and isn't too shy about writing honest opinions in public.

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    2. Keith,
      If you haven't already, be sure to check out Ross' "Game of the Week: Playing Scenarios for All Ages" link. I go back and read these over every now and then for inspiration. Someday I'm gonna do it...

      I enjoy your blog as well, along with those of a lot of the other commenters here.

      Regards,
      John

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  7. Ross,

    I trust you realise that if your rate of posting falls below three a week - the bomb on the bus will go off and Keanu and Sandra will die.

    I will be in touch with our demands.

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    1. If I'd known if would be that easy to get rid of those two, I'd have stopped writing months ago boyo.

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  8. Hi Ross,
    Everybody winds up in the doldrums at times. As we get older, we get more philosophical about it. (Hey, I'm older than you are, pal.) I find there's nothing like the feel of troops and dice to shake you out of it, even if it's just Memoir 44.

    Say, Ross, I know you were messing about with HOTT a while back, and my pile of 15mm orcs, Silvan elves, Men, and undead has been beckoning me lately despite my resolution to stick with WWII. Damn minis. Anyway, I don't think I've ever seen HOTT used for a table top teaser type of scenario, just one-offs and campaign battles based on the HOTT setup rules. Having never played them, just read them over, they seem to me like they might not be suitable, with their emphasis on mass formations. I was wondering if you or one of your many readers had tried such battles and how the rules worked for that kind of scenario. I also wondered if anyone is aware of any other fantasy rules that were more suitable for such actions -- preferably on the simpler side. I mean, I'm not even going to paint them if I can't use them in the kind of battles I like. Two lines of troops who collide and bash each other into submission just doesn't get it for me.

    Best regards as always,
    John

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    1. John, I've only played two actual games of HOTT, both on the same day on the same kitchen table but I have played some teasers with DBA which has the same basic engine and it can work fine. I think the key is translating the force levels and adjusting the size of the table to the movement rate used.

      I'm not sure what fantasy inclusive rules are out there but we used to play a lot of Teasers using Warhammer Ancient Battles so I see no reason why the fantasy version wouldn't work if you used the stats to make your own lists and the War of the Ring rules would also work. There were some suggestions for a fantasy version of Basic Impetus and while I haven;t tried them, we have played teasers with Basic Impetus. (and Armati for that matter though it took some out of the box thinking.)

      There is apparently a Fantasy derivative of the Battle Cry series which might be useful.

      I'm kicking myself for having based up and refurbished a small number of fantasy figures on 60mm bases last summer, and then settling on 80mm for my historical troops but I'm going to add some small fantasy optional rules to my Gathering of Hordes rules so I can blend the various armies into 1 solo campaign setting. More RE Howard than Tolkien.

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  9. My dear chap, my father had a series of heart attacks in his late 50s (10 years of service in the British Army had taught him smoking and drinking on a traditional scale!) that left him with half a heart. But the tough old bird lasted until his 81st year. It was his attitude, I suspect. And your positive attitude shines through in your blog. Long may you game, write, and give us all much enjoyment. Vive le Roi!

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  10. Thanks! My own father had his first attack in his early 40's and lived on to 83 and I expect to do no less but I need to put a little more attention on doing so. (like the dreaded E word) But yes lots of games ahead, and 1/2 dozen 89th foot newly dressed and just waiting for belts and buckles.

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