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Tuesday, 28 January 2020

The Best Of Intentions.........

Well my Blogging didn't restart as well as I intended......

Unfortunately my cataract, in my right eye, has got to a point where I struggle to paint and model. It is, to say the very least, extremely frustrating. Luckily I'm fortunate enough to be able to have a lens replacement arranged for the middle of February, so fingers crossed I'll be able to paint again by the beginning of March.

Time will tell!!!

Friday, 10 January 2020

Another Birthday passes.

Oh well another birthday has come and gone!

Wargaming wise I received a copy of Digby Smith's book Napoleon's Regiments which has already proved very useful as it covers the histories of the Regiments of the French Army, 1792-1815.

My partner very kindly bought me a box of the new 28mm Perry Miniatures, plastics, namely the French Napoleonic Infantry Battalion 1807-14. This will be the perfect start to my Sharp Practice Peninsula War campaign. The box contains a full 36 man battalion plus 8 additional Elite company figures in skirmish poses. All figures are in the pre-1812 long tailed coat and overalls. I am particularly impressed with the excellent painting guide which covers details for painting them as French, Swiss, the Kingdom of Italy and Neapolitan troops.

My aim is to check through the Digby Smith book and paint them up as one of the more colourful units that were present in the Peninsula.

Photos to follow once I get my camera and, hopefully, light-box sorted.

The other project that I need to mention here (as I need the motivation to proceed and develop my technical skills) is the use of my 2 3D printers that I acquired in October and November 2019. The resin printer, an Elegoo Mars, is set-up but I've only printed a couple of small items whereas the other on is not even properly set-up or levelled yet. The crazy thing is that I'm a gentleman of leisure but there are still not hours in the day.

The one thing I'm  determined to stick to this year is that any new figures and terrain that I buy this year will be funded from sales of my surplus figures. Time will tell!!!


Monday, 6 January 2020

New Year 2020 and a Restart to my Blog.

The purpose of this blog was to motivate me to paint and game. It worked for a couple of years but then fell into disuse as life rather got in the way.

My last post here was way back in August '17 and an awful lot of water has passed under the bridge since then. I was looking at property in Italy but actually been very happily living in a lovely Longere in Normandy since 28 Jun '18. 

I'm incredibly lucking to have gone from having a 6'x4' table in my spare bedroom to having a  dedicated 'suite' with a 12'x4' table.

I have joined 2 wargame clubs, each and hours drive from home. One is in Carentan and the other is in Fougeres. I will post much more about them once I have spoken to the members to ask for their permission. Both clubs are very welcoming and tolerant of my very poor French. They both meet on Saturdays so I am spoilt for choice.

By pure coincidence there is an expat Brit wargamer also living in Saint-Michel-de-Montjoie, less than 2km from me. We have a regular gaming session every Thursday. At the moment are mainly using Chain of Command and Sharp Practice; although we also play tested two of Peter Pigs rule sets namely his Pirate rules (sorry Martin but the name escapes me at the moment!!) and Bloody Barons.

Painting wise I have been quite busy concentrating on 28mm American Civil War, French Indian Wars and early WWII French.

As to the next few months I hope to concentrate on on more of the above plus a host of Perry Plastic 1415-1429 English.

The only blot on the landscape is a cataract in my right eye which means I need a lens replacement in the near future. In the meantime I will paint as much as I can and game on a regular basis.

It is also my intention to continue with this Blog and develop it further.

Bon journee et au revoir