The Moor, the major shopping area in Sheffield back then (although now, a shadow of it’s former self), which sloped down gently to the Moorfoot precinct with the imposing red brick pyramid which was the Manpower Services Commission building. I worked in that building during the early 2000s when the Home Office shared the space and it was great to look out over the city, but an absolute bugger to navigate around.    On this, our first trip into town for a month since that fateful clash with Geoff (Or ‘That Bastard’ as he had become known), Alan wanted a record from Virgin Records, which lay in the shadow of that russet monolith. Sheffield had more than its fair share of interesting architecture back then. Of particular note was ‘The Hole In The Road’ essentially pedestrian underpass that allowed several lethally busy streets to be navigated by the simple expedient of going underneath them. Built in 1967 T’ Hole In T’ Road as it became known locally was a roundabout at th...

  I am seeking as many of the following as I can get my sweaty and aged paws on:   The League SCL1 "Birlad" Type Frigate (2 figs) SCL2 "Tirgovisti" Type Destroyer SCL3 "Moinesti" Type Light Cruiser SCL4 "Sinca-Veche" Type Light Cruiser SCL5 "Nyiregyhaza" Type Pursuit Cruiser SCL6 " Rimnicu Villa" Type Cruiser   Kjunklingr SCK1 Kjunklingr War Vessel   ALSO: any of the similar looking models, later peddled as 'Tyranid Drones'     Ironically, as a youth, you'd not have been able to pay me to take these, but as I have matured, the idea of a 'bio-fleet' has sort of (no pun intended) grown on me. Rather than just have two 'hard metal' fleets, I like the idea of something really alien, with colour schemes taken straight from the Chris Foss playbook. At first glance you say 'Geiger' but then when you think back to 2000AD's Strontium Dog strip there were a few ships i...

 It's just two weeks until Partizan and then 3 weeks later, Fiasco. My plans are to go to both, but, alas, alas, the Recon show clashes with the Human League gig in December. I am mildly gutted, as I love the parochial feel of Recon and they do a really good bacon butty. I've grabed a few bargains on the bring and buy there too. I've been so busy this week, that I have sworn off from working on any of my own projects in favour of a day out yesterday and some light garden work today. I did a 12 hour day on Friday and I was frazzled at 8PM. My only real gaming news is the acquisition of a few 28mm 100YW French: And that's about it for this entry. TTFN

 Today has been a nightmare day in the studio and frankly, I need strong drink and a takeaway. Likewise, my wife who is a senior type in the civil service, has been at the grindstone since 6:30 AM and has also had a harrowing day. So, we both cheered up after I bagged a 28mm Hudson and Alan castle worth around $220 for $50, and we found the rum decanter : Here's to a better Thursday... TTFN

 Sometimes, serendipity sends rather wonderful things to me, for which I am always grateful. As you may recall, the other week, I managed to get a nice sci-fi fleet for £50, which got me hankering for some genuine old school space battles, which were one of the earlest non-historical things I got into back in 1981. Then on Monday, I managed to get hold of a nice group of Q.T and Citadel starships for a fair price, which further whetted the appetite: And then yesterday, the most wonderful and unbelievably gorgeous thing arrived in the mail, in the shape of a 1973, 1st printing of the Skytrex 'Galactic Warfare' rules: Just look at the genuine, old school magnificence. The Q.T ships will be found new homes as they are 'fighter scale' models, but the Citadel stuff will be added into 'Fleet-84'. Now, I just need the 6x4 lino starfield hex map to arrive from Tiny Wargames, and battles may commence. TTFN

 Today, we are bombarded with gamer/geek offshoot merchandise, and let's face it, much of it is crap. Why can't we have the kind of stuff we had in the 80s? There were D&D model kits and the later action figures, but also records, Viewmaster discs, and (be still my beating heart) candy figures with stat cards on the boxes. This is what the kids of today need!

 Work has been a series of 10-hour days again, this week, but I managed to squeeze in a few little things, such as replacing the flag poles on my Perry British, to accept the slightly earlier standards from GMB, I have used to identify the Leicestershire, Norfolk and Highland regiments, making up the 'English' elements of my 2nd Anglo-Afghan War army. I was pretty busy first thing on Saturday and I'm pretty washed out with a nasty cough and cold (that's all it is, but after being locked away fro 18 months, you forget the joys of the traditional seasonal pests) so it was about 1PM before I forced myself to get off my arse and go to the studio. Well, about 4 hours later, I had drybrushed, flocked and added shrubbery to the bases of over 200 models, and I'd cut, fitted and touched up the half dozen flags, bringing the Afghan War project to table ready status. I do still have about 6 British and 4 Afghan general officers to finish, but as you can see, it's a damned ...

  It's been a busy, busy week in the studio this week and I'm absolutely sgahhed out. However, it's been a good week for acquisitions, which mitigates the more negative aspects. So, what have I got to show this week?: 1. A kings ransom of classic Car Wars for £65 on eBay                                                   2. A very nice painted fleet of starships for £50        3. My British forces for the 2nd Anglo Afghan War, arrived back from the painter   And that is about the limit of gaming news and gossip for the week. I'm really looking forward to getting the British based and the flags added, and just reading the Car Wars will be a trip down memory lane, to a warm Summer afternoon, laid on the sofa at my mum ...

 Hi all, Well, you'll recall that I'd been drawn towards the Perry Miniatures, British Intervention Force and the possiblities for some 'what if' scenarios. I also rather like the Triple Alliance ranges and so, this got me thinking and mulling, and finally, after Roger and my brother Andy, made positive noises, I've been looking at combining the two ranges to have some hypothetical hijinks. The Falkland Islands became British territory in 1833 and a few years after the Falkland Islands Defence Force was formed by Lieutenant Richard Clement Moody R.E and comprised of a a cavalry and artilery corps and two platoons of infantry. The force declined in sice until the Crimean War when Governor Rennie, reformed the FIDF to defend against incursions by the Russian Empire. Yes, that's rght, there were fears that Russia might go all the way to the South Atlantic to invade the Falkland Islands. So, here we have some nice historical notes with which to have some 1860s fun. ...

 That was a hectic week at work, clocking up 41 hours at my painting desk in 4 days, whilst in a lot of pain from my trapezium, which I've somehow injured and which, is making me extremely short tempered at present as no pain relief is working.  Yesterday I received some pics of my British & Empire forces for the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War, from my painter. I should have them with me this coming week, so it's just a case of getting them varnished, based and flags added. I'll be adding a limber for the horse artilery as well as two more units of Indian lancers.  My wife's been busy in what bit of spare time she's had, creating more terrain including a really nice spinney which, will provide a rather attractive area of impassable terain for our European games. Yesteday, I also began listening to the 2nd volume of the 'Designers & Dragons' series, focussing supposedly on the 80s, but which whilst entertaining, is maybe not 'chewy' enough for the hardc...