Unicorns, Men In Wigs & Tights and KAPPOOW! To mention nothing of Gruffnutt

 Well, I am into the last ten days of my Summer break, and looking forward to another 4 course lunch out at Chatsworth in the Cavendish restaurant followed by a few hours in the Peak District, just 'being'.

I've been mulling over a few things in the last couple of weeks, one of which is the idea of picking a single period for historical gaming, commissioning a couple of thousand models and then once they are all done, adding a unit per month for the next decade or so.

This seems to me, to be a sensible way to go, as I get older and more inclined to larger games, less often in my own games room. It could work...

The problem is, which period to go with. I've discounted Napoleonic and ACW, straight out of the gates, but there's a sense of warmth in my loins for something involving men in tights and wigs - no not the Pink Oyster Club - so it may make sense to go with the Marlburian era, or maybe the Great Northern War.

It's almost that time of year when I cease gaming spending for two months, so I guess I have plenty of time to think about it. I suppose I could simply go with something like the Battle Of The Boyne and work slowly through the orders of battle... That could be fun.

We shall see.

The fantasy project is getting an extension of investment as I have decided to add another 500 models to it to finish it off. I am targeting Elves and more Chaos Warriors in a definitive 'last push' . The trouble is it's the gaming equivalent of the School Christmas Disco... So many 'lookers' wanting a snog, but limited time to fit them all in... And then the teacher doing his DJ slot, has just decided to play three Rock tracks in a row.

Speaking of fantasy, I noticed 300 sets of beady metal eyes, looking at me from under the benchwork in my studio the other day, and heard tiny hissing 'TUT-TUT's from an aged carrier bag containing my Lizardmen. So, I decided that I needed to address the problem, but hoiw to do it dast and dirty?

So, I bought a can of the Green Stuff World  two-tone metallic paint, and experimented. Now, you HAVE to start on a black undercoat, so a light hand is needed. Then you apply the paint itself and sit back for a few moments as it takes on the colourshifting finish.

In ten minutes, I knocked out a Lizardman which is bright, retro and when added into a unit will look gteat in my opinion:



If you go with gloss varnish the effect is even better, but I am very happy indeed with not having to wash and drybrush to see the scaling. One down, two hundred and ninety-nine to go!


I was looking at a pile of old Broo being offered this week on Facebook and had to a double-take when I saw some models I last saw 40 years or so ago, when I was a member of Sheffield Runelords and Andy Ritson, who was arguably ahead of the cure when it came to painting back then, was turning out stunning looking models, in particular Broo which everyone coveted.



As you can see, they were in bad shape, and the asking price was not one I'd normally pay for 4 common models. But, I had to own these classics at any cost and so money changed hands, and they arrived the next day.

Anyway, two days later and some sweat and tears expended, they have been restored and given modern varnishes which, should see them last another 40 years.

They will not be rebased (even though Andy Ritson himself gave me his blessing to do so) because they are 100% original to the paint job, and besides, there are gamers in Sheffield who would lynch me - and let's face it, I make enemies in the hobby easier than most, so why aggravate the situation?





Remember folks, there were no decicted hobby acrylics, so these were donw with Liquitex tube acrylics and Humbrol metallic enamels.

Anyway, these will be the brigade leaders for my 180 or so Broo.

I've also been reflecting on how politics of all stripes has found it's way into gaming, and frankly I am really pissed off with it. Look, I game to escape the real world and all the bullshit that entails. Using the hobby as somewhere to push your politics be they social, gender or white angst is just not on...

Look, the hobby has always been a 'safe place' way before you dungaree wearing, angst ridden youngsters came along, so just pack it in. 

If I field the Rainbow Banner on my fantasy armies, it's noit a show of support for this or that... IT'S THE FUCKING RAINBOW BANNER, AS PER WARHAMMER!

With this in mind, I am today announcing a new grass roots movement to take gaming back for gamers, under the banner of Keep All Personal Politics Out Of Wargaming or 'KAPPOOW' for short.

For fuck's sake people, let's keep wargames shows the welcoming, indifferent place they have always and should always be. 

*Deep breaths taken at this point*

I was awake at just after 4AM this morning, so I went downstairs, took a few meds deemed essential to a man of my age, and decided to go out to the games room to set up a game for Sunday.

I decided on something a bit different, with hordes of assorted goblins and about 140 wolves - some ridden, some not - facing Halflings, Dwarves and Centaurs.

I laid out the terrain and the battle of Orchard Lane was born.

Orchard Lane is as it says, a lane running through an ancient orchard on the edges of the Shireland, where Halflings are the majority, but sharing the region with the Dwarves of the Dingleberry Hills and the sylvan folk of the Great Forest.

Summer is drawing to an and and the harvests will - as always - be good in the Shireland. Knowing this, the Goblin leader Gruffnut has mounted an expedition to loot the Shireland of it's bounties, relying on the mounted might of the Shagdog Tribe which takes pride in it's partnership with the wolves of the Yonderly Mountains to the north of the Dingleberry Hills.

And so, the scene is set, the forces deployed and hopefully a great day of gaming will ensue:

 

 


 

























TTFN



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