Dispatches from the Front IX

The end of May and as the country slowly creeps out of lock down I look back on another successful month with another major project complete with no more bare metal hanging around for the English or the Forces of Darkness in the Elizabethan Zombie Project.

The new "normal" in terms of working practices has seen an extra couple of hours of hobby time each day which really helps keeping the painting queue moving, whether it's a quick basing session or undercoating its far better than the usual commute. 

Whilst physical gaming has been sparse I have been able to grab a number of Standard Games Cry Havoc and Siege skirmish games over face time. With both of us owning the game we swap pic's of the set up a few hours earlier matching the characters on the map before grabbing a couple of hours gaming time.

The rules have really stood the test of time, I still have an urge to re-create this in miniature but let's see plenty of other projects on the list at the moment.

Whilst Osprey might been offering free downloads when C19 kicked off it does not mean it costs us gamers nothing, reading the pdf on Japanese Infantry it got me thinking using Bolt Action to refight Henderson Airfield, I have a number of 28mm US marines and Japanese Infantry but spotted these from company B on the Great Escape Games website. I needed to add a couple of items from them for the Seven Days to the Rhine Rules and well these would make up the postage.

I found myself flicking through Kickstarter one evening and came across Command and Colors latest offering. I have always fancied gaming the Jacobite Rebellions, but it's not going to happen unless someone really does invent tartan paint.. So this is the next best thing.

Estimated delivery September.... So looking forward to playing this at Christmas based on my usual track record of projects backed.

Meanwhile the boss had the great idea to clear out the loft and I came across my original inspiration for getting into gaming. I remember finding a copy of this in my local library and a poster on the wall for the local historical gaming club, wow that was over 30 years ago.

The Ancient game showed a confrontation between the Sassanid Persians and Romans circa AD363.

Over the years I have only dabbled with ancients but have always thought back to these pics and fancied giving it a proper go...  

So as other projects wind down the Egyptian - Hittite lead pile slowly increases. More on this in the months ahead.

Meanwhile the Diplomacy campaign continues with the Wyvern's with a couple of players down and others tittering on the brink it could all be over in a couple of rounds if truces hold and moves play out. Up until now my Turkish forces and the Austrians have had a mutual agreement but we both know that can't last.

So what of June?

So far the monthly project focus has been very rewarding with 4 projects cleared of all bare metal. As tempted as I am kick off the Ancients I have a number of 'fillers' that need to be brought to life with extras for Russia, Africa, The Far East and Other Egyptian stuff.

Meanwhile some light reading as inspiration for the New Kingdom  - Hittite Project.

Four sons. One throne. A world on the precipice. 

1315 BC: Tensions soar between the great powers of the Late Bronze Age. 

The Hittites stand toe-to-toe with Egypt, Assyria and Ahhiyawa, and war seems inevitable. More, the fierce Kaskan tribes – age-old enemies of the Hittites – amass at the northern borders. 

When Prince Hattu is born, it should be a rare joyous moment for all the Hittite people. But when the Goddess Ishtar comes to King Mursili in a dream, she warns that the boy is no blessing, telling of a dark future where he will stain Mursili’s throne with blood and bring destruction upon the world. Thus, Hattu endures a solitary boyhood in the shadow of his siblings, spurned by his father and shunned by the Hittite people. But when the Kaskans invade, Hattu is drawn into the fray. It is a savage journey in which he strives to show his worth and valour. Yet with his every step, the shadow of Ishtar’s prophecy darkens…