Tales From GHQ

My computer is away to be mended, again! I hate computers! This entry comes via my wife's old laptop, its slightly younger than me and not so spry, which should tell you its knackered too! Anyway,down to business. I played six games in November, I lost them all. They were: two SYW games using the Rank & File rules from Crusader Publishing; an RF2 WW II game on the Eastern Front; a Crimean War game, the scenario from Blackpowder rules but using R & F again; a Pah'Doc Patrols Vietnam War game ~ more anon;and, last night, an ACW game with Jon, BUrnside's Bridge from Scott Mingus' Antietam Scenarios in 'Undying Courage'. Back to Vietnam: a three way game with me as Ho Bic Li taking on Jon and Phil as the USofA's armed might. Results? Phil 270 pts; Jon 240 pts; Ho Bic Li 40 pts. About as sharp as a blunt knife. Looking ahead, December wil see our annual'Pig Whooey!' game [set in Wodehouse World at Blandings Castle, near Market Blandings in Shropshire and featuring the Earl of Emsworth, the 'Empress of Blandings' herself, Jeeves, Wooster, Constance and myriads of other wonderful characters....]

Painting wise I managed 66 figures, mostly SYW Foundry types but including four Pulp Figures gangster Phil passed on to me. The SYW types were Husards de Crisse, mounted and dismounted; British Infantry whoring; the 33rd Foot; a light gun and crew; a French command base for the Guards; and finally, the 2e Regiment of Light Cavalry, the Mestre de Camp General. The latter seem to me to be really poor figures, a real effort to get them done and I have to buy another pack on Friday to finish the unit off!

I've bought a few bits this month and recieved 'Blackpowder' as an early Christmas present ~ thank you, Matt! ~ including three cans of Testors Dulcote, some early fall Silflor tufts; 12 gabbions from Ironclad; a General Service Wagon from Reboubt; the Roman Lists for Crusader's Ancient rules; Battlegames 20; some Empress Miniatures Zulu War figures with really lovely horses. Oh, and a Flames of War rule book so I can follow what's happening in my games with Jon! Well, at least I can try....

Just one visit, a flying one to Warfare in Reading. Always one of my favourites down the years, but getting tired I think based on this year's experience. As to the large Malburian game; well, looks good but could it ever be played I wonder? It seems part of a trend in display games towards size rather than anything else. Not a move I favour. Indeed, I liked the much more compact Vietnam game more, but my favourite by miles was the 'Lego' Star Wars game, pure whimsey and a belter to look at. Well Done chaps!

My other experience at Warfare which set me thinking was the subject of Discounts. Some traders offer them as a matter of course, to get future business I expect, while others seem almost offended by the idea of letting their 'precious' go at anything less than a premium price. There should surely be room for a little give and take between customer and supplier/manufacturer. So hats off to Dave Thomas for a nice, unasked for discount, and a big 'Boo' to "anothr well known show character" who simply thinks his products are too nice to be discounted.

Toodle Pip until next month!

Its been a bit hit and miss here in GHQ lately, disruption caused by a viral infection, then a tooth infection ~ leading to a root filling next week ~ and Phil popping of to Malta for a week's well earned holiday. So, only three games played, but two won! We have managed a Pulp game, in which the baldinis beat the heck out of my mad Doctor and his Metal Menaces, still great fun we thought. I played a second Flames of War game with Jon, the Cauldron, which I managed to win. Good fun, but still not convinced by the rules and game philosophy. This week Phil and I played out an AWI game using Rank and File rules, which I won ~ aided by poor decisions from Phil and unbelieveably poor dice from him as well.

I've only been on one visit this month, to the Derby Show. The 'new' venue is light and airy  and has ample free parking, but the games I found a bit 'hit and miss'. I did like the 40mm Napoleonic game, shame the figures are by Old Glory though. The Derby club's Crimean War game is a welcome  'old friend' by now, but I feel that the terrain needs freshening up, a bit dark for my tastes, though the figures and vignettes are still super to look at. The Raid on St Nazaire by Leeds Wargames Club is impressive, but I think I'd seen it earlier in the year somewhere. There were a number of pointless 6/10mm games on show. Why? Buy a board game if you don't want to game in a scale where the figures can be seen. Not for me.

I did buy a few things though. I added to the lead pimple with the new Perry Miniatures Indian Lancers for my Sudan War project. I bought the Sikhs, but found the command pack has a Muslim trumpeter. Cheap! Perrys come on now, make two sets for two different formation please! I also got the Musketeer Miniatures Lewis gunners for my 2010 Great War project with Phil. A few odds, like four oxen from Dixon, some Grenadiers and Automatons from Ironclad. I also picked up some brushes from Coritani, but sad to say they've been loosing hairs with every dip in the paint. First time they've been less than wonderful, but still irritating. Away from the show I've bought several meeters of various green dyed toweling for new terrain in GHQ next year. Also two nice books, The First Boer War and Legends of King Arthur and his Warriors, for the lovely colour plates.

So, finally, painting. I've done 70 figures this month. Apart from two Zulu War command sets using the new Foundry Zulu War range, some Zulu casualties, and two bases of Zulu Skirmishers with rifles, they've all been for the SYW project. I finished the 12th Foot and their Battalion gun/crew; managed seven civilian figures; the Regiment Navarre; and, finally,the King's Dragoon Guards. Now I have the mounted and dismounted Hussards de Crisse to start. Oh well, back to the painting desk.....

Have fun! Enjoy your gaming, even if it is in 6/10mm or God forbid, even smaller!

2nd October 2009

Been quite a busy month since I blogged last, with lots going on in GHQ and beyond. I've been to Partizan with Phil, and twice to Foundry, the second time to their recent Open Day. I enjoyed Partizan, some very nice games on show, met some 'northern' friends ~ Hi Kevin! Hi Dave! ~ and bought a few more Great War Miniatures BEF figures, despite the vents and flash problem of my first batch. I recall liking the Derby club's WWI French v German game and the ACW Trevellion Station Mk2 game.

Games wise its been mixed really. I've won and lost Great War games against Phil and Jon. I won a War of 1812 game against Phil and won an AE WWII game against Phil by virtue of reducing his side to one retiring unit and achieving my secondary objective. Jon staged a Flames of War game here in GHQ for Phil and myself to try. I lost in turn two, as I misunderstood the Objectives rule rather badly! Sportingly we carried on for a few turns, when I did shoot up a few 8th Army tanks even though my Italian Reserves were not keen on joining the fray. We shall try again this month I hope, when I may do better. The models, by the by, are exquisite, but too small for me to be tempted to paint up any.

I've bought a few things this last month. At Foundry I got a SYW Hussars Duelling set ~ pointless, I know, but I liked the figures. I also got more MDF bases and some paint. Also a free book, Risings and Rebellions. I got the new Empress Zulus at Partizan and from Hasselfree a 'Pulpish' Super Hero, Captain Oblivious in our games. I've also got some books this month: Crusader's Ancient Rules to try; Osprey's Colenso; Fosten's The Thin Red Line; and finally, Knight's The Zulu War Then and Now. The latter two I got in an Oxfam bookshop for £4 and £8 respectively, good buys I thought.

When we finally come to painting I've managed 83 figures this month: The mounted and dismounted Presidial Troops from Boot Hill Miniatures, sculpted by Matt; six Foundry SYW civilians; Partizan's free figure, '...and Clyde'; Captain Oblivious as mentioned; Foundry SYW Reg't de Bulkeley; 37 Empress Zulus, the mKultayne; and finally, 8 figures for the 12th Foot, Foundry SYW figures.

Well, that's all, except to say that my webstore space at Freewebs is full. So, until I figure out how to delete stuff there'll be no new pictures here. Cheers!

Well, least said about it the better. If it continues like this, then I am emigrating. Day after day of dull, damp, dreary days, and I don't even live in Manchester! I think that I have S.A.D. in a big way at the moment, or perhaps Swine Flu, or just fed up of painting endless SYW figures? Who knows or cares?

Not many games played really. A couple of Wings of War bashes with Phil, I lost one and won one, the latter when Phil flew serenely off the table edge! I won a War of 1812 Naval game with Jon, by reason of his fleet sinking just before mine, rather a Phyrric victory that one. I did win a Back of Beyond Pulp Adventure game at Phil's, the start of our winter campaign to find and exploit the Jade Skull. Mad Baron von Biklyski got off to a suitably barmy start and wipped the floor with Phil's Bolshevik scum. A week later we played a Rapid Fire game and I lost, so badly it almost hurt, in turn seven when facing my first morale check.

I'm looking forward to Partizan next weekend, and a chance to meet some friends I last saw at Claymore. I'm also off to Foundry tomorrow with Phil. We thought the Sale was worth a look. I enjoyed the new 'light' venue for Claymore and thought there were some excellent games. My favourite was the Iron Brigade's Sudan War game which grows more impressive with every outing I find. There were a host of good games on view, but you won't want mw to bang on about my favourites I'm sure. I did get in some retail therapy while I was  there, mostly some 1914 Great War British Infantry. Now, I don't usually complain, but the castings were uniformly dreadful, it took me hours to clean them up. I have to say they are not a patch on the late war Brits and Krauts I've gamed with at Phil's. Perhaps that's what happens when a labour of love becomes a mere job? I'll still paint them, as Phil has the Krauts to fight them, but I coul n't recommend them based on the cleaning up and rather stilted poses. I liked the Musketeer Miniatures ones more, and bought the Command Set. I also got some Ospreys, including The Campaign of Naseby, with Guilder's figures in, and some Games Workshop Inks, still preferred to the new anaemic washes! The latter I got in Inverurie at the local hobby shop. I also recieved recently the Presidial Lancers from the new Boot Hill Miniatures, specialising in Zorro and Alamo types in 28mm, with exquisite scupting by Matt.

Painting this month has been exclusively SYW figures. I've managed 57 in total, made up of the Inneskilling [27th] Regiment; a Batt'n gun and crewof two; the 10th Dragoons ~ mounted and dismounted; a French heavy gun and crew of five; the Royal Dragoons ~ mounted and dismounted; a single British General base for the Infantry Brigade I've completed. I'm struggling, I have to admit, so have voted myself a break ~ I shall paint up the mounted and dismounted Presidial Lancers I mentioned and the last Zulu regiment for my Impi. Then, DV, its back to the SYW in October. Seems I've been painting them about that long now.....

Summer? Are n'tyajustsickofit? More to the point, where has it gone? I blame those bankers... Still, KBO as Churchill used to say. So, here is a brief resume of 'activity' on the GHQ Front:

Painting wise its been quiet, only Foundry SYW figures on the go this month, and I know from the Forum Boards I frequent that they are not popular with gamers. I finished 3 British Grenadiers, a command base for them; 10 British Royal Horse Guards; 2 Grenadiers Du Roi; 20 Grenadiers de France; a vignette of five figures, ' A General Dressing'; and finally I've finished the Colonel and Colours command base for the next British unit, the 27th Foot, the Inneskilling Reg't.

I've been over to Foundry twice this month, once with Phil's company. I bought very little, mainly more MDF bases, but four odd packs of SYW figures including Kettle Drummers, the General Dressing vignette, and some more Hussars. I also got three Ospreys in Waterstones in the 3 for 2 offer, unusual to find three you want I find when the offer is on! I got the Niagara 1812; Trenton & Princeton; and Petersburg from the Campaigns series.

We've played only four games this month. I have to say I won them all, which simply must be a record! Pride comes before a fall, so 'watch this space' as they say. We played a Wings of War WW I game, which was long and very close, I recall I had one damage point left when Phil 'went down in flames', so, close is probably an understatement. Then at Phil's we played a Great War game using 'Through the Mud and the Blood' from the Lardies stable. I'm the british in these 1918 games and I slogged to a bloody win, eventually, though many 'Big men' left little lead widows and orphans behind thanks to Phil's prowess with the dice for his sniper! Back in GHQ we fought out Freeman's farm from the AWI, which resulted in a very close game in which the British drove the Americans from the field with rather more casualties than in the battle itself. Still, great fun and a testimony to the excellent game design of Don Featherstone, from whose AWI Guide we took the scenario. Finally, last night, a SCW game in Darkest Rawnsley ~ no exaggeration last night! The Republicans regained their lost ascendancy and held the bridge against the Facists, so a good result for me.

 to round off a very good month's outcomes in our games. I'm sure that Phil has a different view and I think you'll be able to see the game on his site later today or tomorrow as he gallantly took photos of his discomfort!

Finally, The Great War has been in the news a good deal this last week, with the deaths of Hent Allingham and Harry Patch, the last of the RFC and the 'last fighting Tommy'. I thought I'd just end by mentioning a lad from Staffordshire who has come to light in my Family Tree research, Elias Bickley, my first cousin three times removed. I found his Army record on the web and recovered his story. Born in 1899 in Rushall, he lived in Aldridge, my home village, when war broke out in 1914, one of a family of eleven, mostly coal miners. On 26 December 1916, aged 17 years and 360 days he attested before the magistrate in Walsall and on 23 February 1917, the day after his 18th birthday he was posted to Lichfield. From there he went through training on Cannock Chase and at Brocton before being posted to the 2nd Battalion the West Yorkshire Regiment on 29 September 1917. He embarked at Folkstone on 18 January 1918 for Boulogne and was posted to his battalion in the Field on 28 January 1918. He was 'Killed in Action' on 22 February 1918, his 19th birthday. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tynecot Memorial. His personal possesions returned to his mother, Annie, were listed as 'Letters, photos, a wallet and a Christmas Card'. The army continued to pay Annie his 'Separation Allowance' of 9/8d until 9 September 1918. She also recieved his British War Medal and Victory Medal, accompanied by his Death Plaque and the Letter from George V. [Unfortunately I don't have any idea where they ended up.] Somehow this sad family story seems to sum up the total futility of war, what Harry Patch called 'legalised murder' in an interview.

Toodle pip, Goodbyeeee!