As has been recorded in the blog in the past, I was wargaming Vietnam when it was considered a little 'off colour' and choices were limited, both of rules and minia, but of course, it was 20mm scale all the way - as is still right and proper of course. How I remember listening to Yes being played on Radio 1 ( that  long ago) as I painted my latest unit of Green Berets or SEALs, and how excited I was when I painted my first Skytrex 20mm NVA which were chunky and lovely to paint. I was thrilled and at the same time repulsed by the beautiful photographs of Tim Page, the photo journalist who, after stepping from a Huey in a hot LZ, hit a mine and ended up losing a section of his brain, the size of a fist, surviving and going back in later years, such was the effect of the country on his soul. I am now wrestling with myself over a switch up to 28mm as I return to 'Nam gaming, but this only applies to smaller actions involving platoon sized formations and a more narrative approa...

 On Sunday, we ventured to a wargames convention for the first time in 9 months, armed with a low four figure bag of spending money and the hope and expectation of having us a jamboree. I was in effervescent mood. And that was where the traditional festival of fun sort of spluttered to a rather inauspicious halt. What do I want from a show? Well, being a traditionalist of the old school, I generally want the following: 1, A proper bring and buy, or at a push a tabletop sale which is free of dealers who are getting a trade stand for a lot less than were they in the main hall. It should be located away from the main footfall routes so that the knots of people who gather there (ideally)  don't slow down entry and exit, and generally become a clot in a narrow artery, so to speak. 2. Vibrant and varied trade stands. Simply having big box resellers making up 30% of your trade stands is lazy. Build it and they will come. but get out there and tell people about why what you've built i...

 In 1985, my parents had moved to a semi rural area of Sheffield, and a large bungalow, taking with them an old neighbour and family friend who was widowed decades previously. It was a little odd, but look, I had a massive bedroom extension, newly built onto the new family manse, which I only had to share with my brother for a short while... It was massive to a 16 year old kid, measuring around 35x10 feet, meaning that I could do some serious wargaming. You can see it here, but back then it lacked the paved driveway:  5 Josselin Court Now, this meant that I was moving from the area I'd grown up in, to a wholly alien environment, where it transpired, there was one bus into town every hour, instead of every 5 minutes and the resulting journey was 45-60 minutes as opposed to 12 which, I thought was fucking barbaric on a Mad Max level - where I was living 8 feet from a Victorian cemetery.  Did I mention I have had a massive phobia around death and cemeteries since I was 4? Ad...

 My Painter contacted me last night to show me the completed 28mm Victrix Ancient British chariots he has just completed for me. I'm really excited about them. As wel las Queen Tracii of the Astespumantii tribe, (who were located it is said close to what is now Basildon and around Canvey Island) there are her tribal druids Vyxsiinex and Heddexx and 27 more local Boy Racers from the tribe. If you are offloading any nicely painted 28mm armoies at Partizan this weekend, please drop me a message as a comment with details. I have moderation turned on, so I can take your details down and delete the commant without anyone else seeing it. TTFN