HO, HO, HOOOOOO! Firstly, I'd like to wish my readers, followers and subscribers a very festive Festive Period, however you observe, celebrate or avoid it. Just be happy... Today, has been a busy day for me as usual on 24th December, cooking pork and beef for Christmas Day. I have also being busy with preparations for hosting what has to be the 'must have' ticket of 2021, the Christmas game here on Monday the 27th: The game is a 28mm 7 Years War bash with Russians and Prussians pasting every shade of what's good for the roses out of each other. To speed things up, I deployed the two sides and prepared quick briefs for each commander, to be chosen at random on the day. A basically symmetrical layout with a few quirks of the terrain and of the forces involved.  Before I could start to lay out the troops, I first had to install a heater which I found to be surprisingly effective in the Rumpus Room. All players have been requested to take a lateral flow test on the day bef...

 Gosh... I am 9 days into my holiday and I have not stopped working in one way or another. I wobbled over to a local garden centre today, to get a young Nordman Spruce tree for the patio. With some tender care and feeding, it should be large enough by next Christmas to be lit, thereby shedding elfen lights upon the gaming room. I did however find a rather nice bargain in the sahpe of Lemax winter pine trees. Lemax are best known for the rather kitsch illuminated and animated Christmas models, which, when in the official store display, have the same draw as one of those toy shop window Hornby layouts which led to the bankruptcy of many a parent, and unnatural urgings involving locomotives in many a youth. They do however make a bag of 21 snow covered fir trees:       They are priced at a very attractive £12.99 for 21 assorted trees. The quality is great and the snow effect solid bases are great. You can unbag them and get them straight on the table in minutes. I bough...

 It's been a busy first week of my holidays. Apart from the odd day trip or restaurant booking, and despite some serious bouts of insomnia, it's been a case of unboxing the 7YW collection and installing it on a shelf large enough to take it. Then I've had to set up the table  in the Rumpus Room, which on its own is a job and half. The figures did not arrive until Tuesday, and due to the kindness of Brian, the seller, they were sent up to Sheffield from Luton in a taxi, keeping them undamaged apart from 4 'popped' flags. The sorting and display of the 94 units was made a doddle by Brian's really organised packing.

 Well, Christmas is a time of giving, and with that in mind, I've bought a Christmas gift to myself, in the shape of a 28mm Seven Years War collection. I've bought the collection of veteran Luton wargamer, Brian Webb. It's around 2200 figure equvalents and comprises: Prussian - painted professionally by Ged Cronin (now of Gringo 40’s) Frederick the Great, mounted plus 2 foot figures 12 Mounted Commanders 1 Dismounted Commander 12 17/22 Grenadier Battalion 12 8/46 Grenadier Battalion 12 35/36 Grenadier Battalion 12 1/23 Grenadier Battalion 12 6th Guards Regt 24 7th Regt 24 10th Regt 24 14th Regt 24 15th Regt 24 16th Regt 24 18th Regt 24 22nd Regt 24 23rd Regt 24 25th Regt 24 27th Regt 24 37th Regt 24 40th Regt 24 46th Regt 24 47th Regt 12 Le Noble Freicorp Musketeer Battalion 12 Van Hardt Freicorp Musketeer Battalion 12 Angelleli Freicorp Musketeer Battalion 12 Mayr Freicorp Musketeer Battalion 12 Le Noble Freicorp Jagers skirmishers 12 Zu Fuss Freicorp Jagers skirmishers 12...

      Well another year is over, and apart from a second day of stripping, cleaning and restocking the studio (yes, those boxes are full of materials including 400 paints which need sorting into colour groups) I am now closed until 7AM on January 4th 2022. The plan is to relax, play a few games, and visit some galleries and restaurants. Well, I better go and sort out those boxes but I do want to say a big thank you to both my clients and my Facebook followers. Check out my website at http://www.conflictincolour.com Have a great festive season! Mark