I am not a D&D player so I don’t know how these ended up in my collection. Mind you that can apply to a large amount of what’s in the cave!

I do, however, play Dan Mersey’s “Strongsword” which is a great set of skirmish rules with some very interesting game mechanisms – well worth a look at for any skirmish games prior to the horse and musket period.

These four figures will fit in with that system quite nicely. I particularly like Halbarad, the Human Cleric and how he has turned out.

Flaming Sword Paladin by Reaper miniatures

This Reaper Miniature is entitled Almaran the Gold, Paladin With Flaming Sword, 03292, sculpted by Bobby Jackson and is from Reaper’s Dark Heaven Legends miniatures line.

Halbarad, the Crusader Cleric (Reaper Miniatures)

A loud, good natured man, Halbarad is typical of the priests of Aurellius at the Tower of the Dawn. He has adopted the Taltain view that pain and death come soon enough, and there is no need to court them before that time; thus, his voice is often heard raised in song or sermon.

The telling of a good joke is his greatest pleasure, and second to that the telling of a good story. He does not distinguish between the needs of Templar, Ivy Crown, Devoted or refugee, and can be found almost anywhere at all hours, often raising a pint and the spirits of those around him. In many ways he reminds Gerard of his grandfather Etienne, and he certainly possesses the gift of being at ease in any company.

An optimist at heart, Halbarad is a staunch opponent of naysayers who claim that Taltos would be better off without Crusader intervention.

His presence often inspires Crusader forces on the battlefield, as his deep voice changes from uplifting sermon to a roar of battle-fury upon sight of the enemy.

“Nolzurs” Elf Clerics Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures – Elf Male Cleric

There are two miniatures in this pack with the first being your more traditional figure pose.

The second figure demonstrates the power of his spells.

Like the post on the Age of War board game a few days ago this gem has been getting a revival as we jump from lock-down to lock-down. We used to play it very regularly and then it was on the shelf for a long time. This will always be a favourite of mine and it is one I always enjoy. Well worth having in your collection.

In the Queen’s service, the Musketeers are trying to acquire three valuable gems. However, the Cardinal and his dreaded Guards are out to sabotage the Musketeers’ mission. Many skirmishes between the Musketeers and the Guards ensue.

The most successful Musketeers will be awarded gems. Those who fail will be sent to prison and will remain empty handed. The game is played to 100 points, with victory going to an individual player.

The easy-to-learn rules and short playing times make for great entertainment in this fast paced cooperative, yet also very competitive, card game.

The “game in a tin” approach makes this one very portable.

The Tupi people were one of the most numerous peoples indigenous to Brazil, before colonisation. Scholars believe that while they first settled in the Amazon rainforest, from about 2,900 years ago the Tupi started to migrate southward and gradually occupied the Atlantic coast of Southeast Brazil.

What is less well known is that they played their own form of the game played in heaven (scouts honour – but seeing I never was one….).

Given the impending Ashes series later on in the year I thought this one should take priority to get finished.

The Tupi Test Team or 4T for short.

The two opening batsmen.

The wicket keeper

Demon fast bowler

First and second slip

Tupi fieldsmen, well known for their catching prowess.

Gully fieldsmen

Deep fine leg

The figures are from Eureka Miniatures.

Come on Tupi come on

The figure is from Warlord Games

I think I can feel an “Eagle Has Landed” scenario coming on!

The “Oddball” pictures are a bit blurry and unfortunately the figures are not near me in yet an other lockdown to re-shoot.

This is my “all time” WW2 movie favourite, with this figure suitable for the final “showdown”. The figure is from “Studio Miniatures“.

With the success of this figure I think I will get the Warlord Games box set.

These Avatars have been around for years and have finally been finished.

An Avatar is the term normally applied to the physical form that the spirit of an Aeldari god has managed to possess and animate in corporeal or real space.

An Avatar is the physical body possessed by a fragment of the spirit of the Aeldari god of war and strife Kaela Mensha Khaine, though the term can actually apply to any divine entity of the Warp that has found some way to take on a corporeal form on the mortal plane of existence.

“Once a year, one of the Exarchs of a Craftworld is chosen by its Farseers to hold the title of Young King. When a Craftworld prepares for a major war, its Exarchs begin to feel the Avatar’s call. The Exarchs go to the door leading into the Avatar’s chamber. There they begin the ancient ritual to rouse the Avatar, where they anoint the Young King and sing battle hymns. Then the chamber’s door opens, and the Young King enters. The Exarchs continue the ritual at the entrance. It may take hours or days, but finally a terrible scream echoes from the chamber and the Avatar rises. There is no sign of the Young King – it is unknown whether the Young King is united with Khaine or is destroyed.” (40K Lexicanum)

I have had this game for a while and had have played it a few times. Lately we have been playing it more frequently and really enjoying it.

Age of War is a fast-paced dice game for two to six players, designed by Reiner Knizia and set among the warring states of feudal Japan. In the game each player takes on the role of a rival Daimyos attempting to unite the Japanese clans by mustering your troops and conquering castles.

Age of War is a quick-playing game of conquest. Fourteen cards are laid out at the start of the game, each showing one castle and the symbols required to conquer this castle, with the symbols separated into battle lines. Each castle belongs to a clan, with some clans having only a single castle and some having up to four castles.

You gain victory points for the number of castles you have captured with additional points gained if you capture all of the castles in one clan.

With four players we have found that the game takes from between 15 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of Sake consumption!The more you drink the longer it takes!

This is the last of the three Anglo Saxon/Viking books which arrived a few days ago for me to have had a detailed look at.

The book debunks the myth of the Viking Age as a time of warlords pillaging their way throughout Europe.

Byock describes Icelandic Viking culture as an independent “almost republican Free State, almost like a great village: a self governing community of settlers who adapted to the harsh Icelandic climate”.

Again, for me this is not a book to read from cover to cover but to use as a reference when required. It covers all aspects of life in Viking Age Iceland, including farming, battling the elements, feasting, family life, the role of women and kinship and of course the power of the church and the great chieftains.

Well illustrated, noted, referenced and indexed – a superb edition to one’s bookshelf.

Ever since we played our annual Memorial Game in Honour of a great mate, Mick Evans, way back in January 2017 I have been wanting to learn more about both Offa and his dyke. The link has all of the puns so I will leave them well alone!

This one has just arrived:

The Pen-and-Sword series of books can be a bit hit and miss, but I found this one excellent.

The book covers Offa’s thirty year reign and the 8th century rise of Mercia’s power to be one of the dominant Anglo-Saxon Kingdom’s. The book also describes how Offa was able to build in the work of his predecessor, Penda, who was able to bring the tribes of Middle England together and develop a militaristic warrior culture.

I fully recommend this one if you are interested in the early Anglo Saxon period.

A couple of books have arrived over the last few days and “I am excited”!

Firstly this scholarly work on the Frankish Kingdoms:

Bachrach makes the point that for the Early Carolingian armies to have been successful there needed to be a complex military, political and social structure in place. As far as I know this is the only book which comprehensively looks at the way in which the Early Frankish dynasties established their power and developed there military expertise which eventually enabled Charlemagne to revive the Western Roman Empire.

The book has extensive notes, bibliography and Index which makes searching for events or people very easy.

This is not one that I will ever read “cover to cover” but to have on your shelf as a reference it is priceless.

I cannot recommend this one enough to anyone interested in 8th century Anglo Saxon history.

Another one from the same time period tomorrow.

Searching through the cave I found these figures that have quite distinctive head gear. Unfortunately the bases have been filed flat, but I can just make out “Mithril” on some of them, but no numbers. I am assuming because they are from Mithril that they are Lord of the Rings figures and that the funny hat guys are Mirkwood Elves but am not sure. Can anyone out there help?

Guru

Is this a Chelsea fan?