Every year during the weekend between the second and third weeks of January I join our Berwick Wargames Association colleagues to hold a memorial game for fellow war gamer, Mick Evans.

Mick was an extremely funny, eccentric and likable guy who always regaled you with tales of missed opportunities, fickle dice, and sneaky tactics on the part of his opponent. Mick didn’t win many games but this didn’t seem to deter him as he fronted up next week with a brand new “sure-fire” tactic.

Mick is best known for his daring cavalry tactics, mostly unsuccessful, and his figure painting. His “conversion” of Airfix Africa Corps figures into Confederate Infantry with just a poor paint job still has us in fits of laughter. The club still holds these figures in honour of Mick.

Whilst most gamers would not want to emulate Mick’s painting prowess he said something to me one day that changed the way I paint. I was showing him some figures that I had just painted and was very proud of, when he said words to the effect of “hmm looks great, but they all look the same from four feet away on the table”. At the time I was a little offended but later realised that I am a gamer who paints to play not a painter who plays to show off his skills. I have since developed simple painting techniques that look effective but are quick and easy so I can game with the figures ASAP.

Thanks Mick, and as he would say let’s get to the game(s).

There were three games going on during the short time I was there, a Napoleonic Peninsula mini campaign using the club’s rules, a WW2 6mm game using “All Hell Let Loose” rules and a 28mm WW2 using “Battlegroup” rules.

Napoleonic Game:

Personally I do not like cotton wool all over the table, but to each his own!

World War 2 “All Hell Let Loose” game:

World War 2 “Battlegroup” game:

Although I was only able to stay an hour or so either side of the catered lunch it was good to catch up with some old (in both senses of the word) gaming mates.

I was also able to pick up some bargains at the bring and buy stand:

A series of books on the “Very British Civil War”. Late 2021 I was able to get some of these figures done and I hope to complete the rest this year so I can start gaming this period. I already had one of the books but the rest were great value.

Sixteen 15mm Mycenean chariots were a freebie and will just be used with the rest of my chariots armies. With a change of crew they will easily fit in with my Hittite and Syrian biblical period armies.

Back in March 2021 I put together a post on some figures I painted for Maree. These were based around the cat and dog role play D&D game “Animal Adventures”. I was able to pick up an unopened version of the Sourcebook on the “Secrets of Gullet Cove”.

All-in-all a great way to spend a few hours in the middle of a Saturday, which was only spoiled by drinking sparkling water, as I was on my own and driving. Don’t you hate being responsible!!!!

Deep in the forest ne’er seen by a soul is the mouse kings realm for him to control. To look after his subjects is his main role and to rid meece enemies a never ending goal.

Some time ago I had posted a warrior mice army that I had painted from Eureka Miniatures. The army is to be used for Dan Mersey’s Strongsword rules, but I had not got around to building any terrain for them.

Running all about the house, 

Through the hole your little eye 

In the wainscot peeping sly, 

Hoping soon some crumbs to steal, 

To make quite a hearty meal. 

Look before you venture out, 

See if pussy is about. 

If she’s gone, you’ll quickly run 

To the larder for some fun; 

Round about the dishes creep, 

Taking into each a peep, 

To choose the daintiest that’s there, 

Spoiling things you do not care.

Traditional Nursery Ryyme by Thomas Ravencroft (1582 – 1633)

Finding materials to a create something suitably tongue in cheek has been just as hard as trying to remove the cheese from a trap.

Sarissa Precision do have a Barrows and Badgers range but this was not quite what I was after. I did purchase their Scratch Builders Door Pack as I want to build a suitable “Hall” for the Mouse King that will sit in the side of a hill. With the exception of some “scatter terrain ” like flowerpots etc. I think I now have enough “stuff” to start the project.

Some Fairy Village pieces for the various Mouse Houses

I also wanted some other inhabitants for the little village and found these somewhere:

What better than some Lady Birds trying to “fly away home”, or some of these – “Butterfly butterfly flutter around”

As I said I wanted something tongue in cheek so chose these assorted gems for the pathways.

All I needed was some vegetation. I have enough Aquarium plants but wanted something quite different so ended up with these in various sizes.

Eureka Miniatures also have some fairies in their Avalon Bleeding range that might fit in well.

Fellow gamer Chris (from the recent SOIAF Batrep) is helping me out with the 3D printing of the picket fences for the houses. Thanks Chris.

Hopefully soon the Grandkids and I can start building our little Grouse Mouse House village.

Needless to say the rulers of Guru’s house “are not amused”, so much so you would think my name was Andrew (without the HRH).

For those of you interested in Zombies and the Marvel Univers, Eric you come to mind, CMON have another kickstarter out there.

After all that effort converting a “Zulk” they now have one.

Not sure that I will be interested, but the “odd figure” certainly appeals to me.

In the summer of 1777, while the British and the Americans were engaged in the bitter American Revolution, a massive campaign was launched from Canada into New York State.

Prisoners with natives and Butler’s Rangers

Brigadier Barry St. Leger led a crucial expedition from Lake Ontario into the Mohawk Valley. The goal was to travel by waterways to join Lieutenant General John Burgoyne in the siege of Albany. But Leger encountered obstacles along the way. While laying siege to Fort Stanwix, Leger received word that Benedict Arnold was leading a massive relief column that was headed their way. Leger and his men retreated, and despite a later attempt to carry on, were never able to help Burgoyne. The Americans then destroyed the British-held Fort Ticonderoga, marking the end of the campaign.

Battle of Oriskany

The results of the failed St. Leger expedition were historic. Not only was the loss of Fort Ticonderoga was a major blow to the British war effort, but the campaign also brought about the disillusionment of the Iroquois Confederacy, and saw the founding of the infamous Butler’s Rangers and the first major campaign of Sir John Johnson’s King’s Royal Regiment.

The book by Gavin Watt is the definitive work on this often forgotten camapign. It is full of quotes and original source material and is not an easy read, however if you are interested in that period of history is a must have.

The campaign reminds me a bit of the old Claudette Colbert and Henry Fonda movie that I have on DVD. Like most of John Ford’s films, Drums Along the Mohawk is loosely based on historical events. A central feature of the plot is the Battle of Oriskany, a pivotal engagement of the Saratoga campaign during the American Revolutionary War, in which a British contingent drove southward from Canada in an attempt to occupy the Hudson Valley and isolate Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts from the remaining colonies. A second, smaller force called the St. Leger Expedition, traveled down the St Lawrence, across Lake Ontario, and marched across the Mohawk Valley heading from the west, and besieged Fort Schuyler, now better known under its original, prewar name of Fort Stanwix.

……when you enter the world of witchcraft!!!

A man is running towards you. He stops with his body contorting. Before your eyes he is transforming into a giant wolf. Snarling it runs towards your group, when a young girl rushes out to meet it with some purple flowers in hand. As the wolf grabs her hand it shrieks back in pain and runs away.

That’s right I am talking about wica rather than wicker!

That small purple flower Aconitum napellus, or Wolfsbane, is the common known cure or weapon against fantastical creatures, especially werewolves. Though this isn’t just a mythical plant whose only purpose is to fight those creatures of the night, it also contains many other dark and deadly secrets. Like this true (I kid you not) story.

Why am I writing about this? Well, as I said, fact is stranger than fiction. In 2020 , at the start of covid, I went to Gameology to pick up a copy of the Dune expansion set for myself and Dave K, and saw the Harry Potter 2nd edition starter tin set. The models looked superb, if a little fragile, but it was soon on the way home with me.

About six months latter I had to pick my wife up from an art and craft class, and had to park some way away. With time to fill in I decided to do some window shopping and ended up buying some plants across the road from where the car was parked. As I was packing them in the boot of the car I noticed a shop keeper looking at me and also noticed that there was a sale bin out the front with what looked like some Harry Potter miniatures boxes. There was a reasonable collection of things and I asked the lady what she wanted for the lot minus any duplicates. I asked why they were in the sale bin and she mentioned that her customers purchased mainly essential oils, and crystals, or wanted a tarot or astrology reading, and the miniatures were not selling. One wonders why she could not read that in the cards before she decided to stock them!!!

After haggling for a little while over the price she asked about the pots of purple flowers that I had bought from across the road. She counter offered that if I also gave her the three purple plants she would agree to my price. As they were only a few dollars each I agreed, and she said you know they are Aconitum don’t you? This meant nothing to me and I quickly paid and left, before she changed her mind and turned me into a creepy crawly!

It wasn’t until I arrived home and looked the flower up that I realised that Aconitum is “wolfsbane” which fitted right in with her “metaphysical” wica supply shop! I am not sure who she needed to ward away but it obviously was not me as I was able to handle it with complete impunity!

The gloves may have helped Mwahahaha!

What’s that slight burning sensation and feeling of weakness that I have?!

Again where am I heading with all of this?

As I have had this Harry Potter collection for well over eighteen months just sitting in the back reaches of the cave, I have decided that they will be one of my 2022 projects.

As the figures are quite detailed and very accurately represent the movie characters they will probably take me most of the year, but it will be worth it in the long run.

These will not be batch painted but completed individually so will appear as individual posts as they are finished.

So there you have it, my experience with the supernatural caused by a trip to the Leaky Cauldron and a stroll down Diagon Alley!!!!!!

This post will concentrate on the Curse of Dead Man’s Hand “funnies”!

Ungodly Horde (1)

• 2 Wendigo models
• 3 Cannibal Dwarves models
• A Murder of 10 Crows
• 3 Corpse Carrion models
• 1 Haunted Bear model
• 1 Storm Crow model
• 3 Dread Wolves models
• 1 Cursed Reverend model

Ungodly Horde (2)

A murder of 10 crows

At the start of any turn “The Baron” can place a murder of crows on the roof of any building preventing any opposing models from using the roof as a vantage point. Any on the roof must use their activation to evacuate.

A “Haunted Bear”

The bear must be placed in a building when deploying and will attack anything that get in his way. This is a great “chunky model” that can also be used for the bear in Z Nations “Sisters of Mercy” episode (Season 1 Episode 11)!

“Storm Crow”

The “Thunderbird” of Plains Indian Mythology has been replaced by a monster that drags itself along the ground to do The Baron’s bidding.

“Dread Wolves”

Dread wolves do not fear humans and will skulk in the shadows in search of their prey. Their “ungodly terrifying howl” that cause a nerve test with negative modifiers.

Walking and seated Wendigos

Wendigo were once men transformed by their unquenchable thirst for human flesh. Their limbs are extended and their skin drawn tight. They have speed of a cougar and a swipe attack, but their poor sight means they may not see a close enemy and go after one that is further away.

“Corpse Carrion”

Corpse Carrion fly high above attacking only when a model has become vulnerable by receiving two under fire markers.

“Cannibal Dwarves”

Native American legend talks of little people, dark skinned, and very aggressive. To move to the afterlife they must be killed in battle. They are fast, strong and vicious and work together to attack their foes.

Ungodly Horde (3)

In Test of Honour forces can have up to 3 Samurai a side. This means when you buy a couple of boxes of them like I did there a lots that you will not be able to use. I had two choices give them away or sell them, or paint them up as spares for other games systems. I obviously chose the later or you would not be reading this post. I have divided them up into the original clans I had put together, Oda and Mori, and painted them accordingly.

Here are the Oda Samurai:

Afgantsy is the Russian term for the Soviet soldiers who fought the war, and Braithwaite recounts many of their individual stories with special empathy.

“Sir Rodric Braithwaite has produced what will become the definitive account in English of the Soviet experience in Afghanistan, from the time in autumn 1979 that the gerontocrats in the politburo reluctantly agreed to accede to Afghan requests to intervene, against the Russians’ better judgment, to Gorbachev’s decision to staunch the “bleeding wound” and withdraw nearly 10 years later.” The Guardian.

In reading the book what came across most strongly, however, is his humanity. In every chapter, we feel his sympathy for the suffering that the intervention brought for tens of thousands of Soviet citizens, and for scores of thousands of wretched Afghans. Yet, as Braithwaite points out in his epilogue, for all the agonies that the Afghanistan episode brought a dying Soviet Union, it was, in Soviet terms, a relatively small war. And Russia has managed, more or less, to bind its wounds and move on.

The Soviet war in Afghanistan, which began in December 1979 and ended a little more than nine years later, remains a painful chapter in former Soviets’ collective memory. It hastened the bankruptcy and 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. After Russia, Ukraine suffered the second-largest losses from the war, with at least 2,500 dead soldiers and thousands more wounded.

The toll on Afghanistan, meanwhile, was horrific: One million people were killed, the country’s agriculture was destroyed and a third of its population fled, creating the largest single-country refugee crisis the world had then known — not to mention that Moscow’s invasion sparked a cycle of violence that continues today.

I thoroughly recommend this book to any one interested in modern conflicts.

Footnote:

There is evidence of the return of the Afgantsy in the current Ukraine conflict where the middle-aged and battled-hardened, but veterans of the Soviet war in Afghanistan are back on the front lines in Ukraine.

Fighting on both sides, and despite their age, for many Afgantsy, the nearly 8-year-old Ukraine conflict, which has killed almost 9,000 people and displaced at least 1.4 million, is a natural next step. It is their third war in at least 25 years, with the 1990s Chechen wars sandwiched in between. The middle-aged fighters’ hardened reserve, combined with much-needed combat experience, makes them desirable in a conflict defined by poverty and incompetence, in which recruits on both sides have been accused of robbery, drug-dealing and hard drinking.

Val is a beautiful young woman with blonde hair the color of dark honey and reaching to her waist, which she sometimes wears in a golden braid across one shoulder. Val has high sharp cheekbones and eyes which appear pale grey or blue. She is slender with a full bosom.

Val is the sister of Mance Rayder’s wife Dalla and aunt of Aemon Steelsong, and a love interest for Jon Snow. She plays an important role in helping Jon unite the Wildlings.

Val sometimes wears all white: white woolen breeches tucked into high boots of bleached white leather, white bearskin cloak pinned at the shoulder with a carved weirwood face, white tunic with bone fastenings. She alternatively wears white and gold beneath an ermine cloak, or a large bearskin cloak. She wields a long bone knife.

The graceful Val is resourceful, brave and capable. She is fierce and a capable rider.

There are a plethora of theories that surround Val’s Princesshood, especially given the Free Folk disdain of “kneelers”. Despite this Stannis repeatedly calls her “princess”. I do not find it plausible that Stannis would make this mistake, and continue to make this mistake even after it was pointed out by Jon Snow. Therefore, I believe he knows something that we don’t, and that Jon Snow doesn’t, and this something explains the title Princess Val. What that is who knows. I am not that much of an oficiando of Song of Ice and Fire literature to conjecture any further. Suffice it to say there are a pelthroa of theories out there in ether space.

Information from A Wiki of Ice and Fire

I will use Val as non combat unit to provide additional movement for the Free Folk forces.

My objective was to paint her as if she was in the field being battered by snow and the elements.

House Goliath, also known as the House of Chains, is one of the six houses whom make their home in the “Hive City” part of Hive Primus, the capital of Necromunda. The Goliath’s domains are situated unfavourably in the Hive City, occupying the lowest and harshest areas, close to the Underhive. As a result, most Goliaths are notoriously tough and robust by necessity, and they view everybody else as soft and weak.

Gang Leaders and Heavies

Gang Leaders and Heavies

Gang Heavies

Gang Leaders

Gang Leaders

Gang Leaders

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Juves

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

Gang Members

A these were bought as a job lot on eBay years ago I did not have a choice of figures. There are too many Juves and duplicated figures but I am still happy with how they look.