For no other reason than it's yet another sodding wet and windy day here in Bristol (it has been a very wet Winter😞) I thought I'd do a bit of an update on various things to help still feel connected with the outside World. So in no particular order:
Books
The weather has meant that I've spent a fair amount of time reading, which I love and have done for as long as I can remember. I have a mixed bag of stuff waiting to be read as well as some that I've recently finished.
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| An absolute corker of a book on a period that I had only passing knowledge of. Wonderfully written and a real page turner, I not only learnt loads of stuff but it also, rather dangerously, had me pondering new periods to game, such as Russians vs Turcomans in Central Asia in the mid-19thC. Highly recommended. |
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| A book I picked up using a birthday book voucher as I've enjoyed all his books I've read so far, plus it was a part of WWII that I've read bits on, but not much detail. A good book but not one of his best to be honest, which may have something to do with the subject matter, which I felt was hard to make interesting. There are only so many ways you can recount the same sort of air combat, ie Germans bounce bombers, American fighters bounce Germans etc. I had considered some WWII air wargames, purely for the fun of painting the various camo schemes, but having read the book, I feel they would be a 'beer and pretzels' offering only. Maybe some WWI combats might be more in order? |
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| Another book voucher purchase, which I've not read yet, but has had plenty of good reviews and is on a campaign that I've long wanted to game. It will be a while before it's read as I'm reading Duffy's book on 'The Army of Frederick the Great', as I like to chop and change periods to keep things fresh. |
Paint & Flock
A series of hot Summers, lack of painting etc led to some of my paints completely drying up or getting to the point where I could no longer rescue them, especially the metallics. Also my supply of flock was running low and sadly the Expo Mid-Green Flcok I'd always used was no longer available. There were plenty of options online, but it was really hard to tell which ones might be the closest match. Luckily we still have a good old fashioned modelshop in Bristol (Antics) which is full of loads of stuff to tempt one! A trip there soon resolved my flock problem, with PECO Scene Spring grass being a very close match. They didn't have the length I really needed but now I know what to look for, I can buy this online and plenty of it!
Magazines
Some years ago I recycled loads of old magazines that I never looked at, but kep a few that had articles of interest that I knew I would refer back to. They are also great for a bit of bed time reading when the brain is not up coping with a full chapter as the head starts to drop as I try not to nod off. These days I no longer buy magazines as I find little of interest and to be honest was really shocked at how much they cost these days, due to the steep rises in printing costs post Covid. £7.00 for a printed mag is way too much for me, given that I can buy a good second hand book or two for that price. Apparently more pdf copies are being sold than printed ones, at least with WI, and I can see this trend continuing.
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| An issue that I refer to often, as it has excellent articles on ImagiNations by CS Grant, a 1692 Battle for Britain by Barry Hilton and a series of actions based upon British/Canadian intervention in the ACW by Don Effinger. All of these appeal to me and certainly the latter two I hope to game at some point. |
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| Whilst not a magazine per se, it does have a superb article, or the second part thereof, of an Invasion of Britain in 1744 by the late Graham Cummings. Needless to say with the fun we've had around our version of the '45, this more than piques my interest and again is something that I want to return to and game at some point. |
Scenarios
With my recent run of Honours of War games using some 'Old School' classic scenarios, whilst searching my library (well book case really), I picked out the following rules from those Little Wars TV chaps from across the pond. The scenarios contained therein are brilliant but to be honest the sheer number of bases required means I will never play them as written. But it did occur to me that using HoW for the rules, I could quite simply translate the OOB into ones that would work, or at least I'm pretty sure they will. This is on the back burner for a while but I'm looking forward to seeing whether my ideas work or not...
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| Well worth getting just for the scenarios. |
Painting
Well not much has happened on this front, as any spare time I've had has been spent watching tv with SWMBO or playing games. Given that there was a distinct deficit of the latter last year, so far I've really had a lot of fun getting the toys onto the table and rolling some dice. However with some planned games coming up (see below) I actually got my paints out today and started on painting up some WWII US Paras, which to be honest are about as easy a paint job as you can get. Without a dedicated painting area, it can be a challenge to fit painting in, given the set up I have to work with in the kitchen, but progress is progress, no matter how small.
Amazon & Peleliu
In the afternoons I try and get a bit of 'me time' tv in, before all the action aroudn the evening meal kicks off. Last week on Amazon I saw a programme titled: '1st to Fight: Pacific War Marines' and thought I'd give it a go. Not a bad programme but I was very pleasantly surprised when they included a fair bit on the invasion of Peleliu, showing footage and still from the action as well as how the battlefield is today. Absolutely perfect info for my planned Pacific War games at some point in the future.
Campaigns
My planned Normandy campaign has stalled due to my lack of painting, despite and early blast of basing and priming at the start of the year. However as part of my magazine bedtime reading, the following issue gave me an idea for something based around Arnhem 1944.
Although the scenarios are for Chain of Command or similar skirmish level rules, it would be pretty easy to scale things up for some linked BKCII games to form a mini-campaign, albeit it on focused on just one days action. Sadly my British Paras are still in the various bags as they have been for many a year now, but with a few additions currently on the painting table, my US Paras will take their place. Heresy I know but it works for me and will allow me to play this out, something that I've planned to do on and off for a few years now. I'm pretty sure I have all the Germans I need and have been checking Kershaw's 'It Never Snows In September' to get some additional info for the campaign. Hopefully this will hit the table in the next week or so...
TTFN.
Excellent assortment of books and magazines. You are keeping yourself busy during these wet times. Hopkirk is terrific and I have Russian and Native forces building for something along the lines that you suggest. You should have no trouble converting scenarios to fit HoW. I readily translate OBs in both directions. Besides, SoA's hardcopy Slingshot, the only wargaming zine I buy is digital WSS. Dimbleby's book looks very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI have no problem with ideas Jon, just lack of time, energy and focus to implement them😉! I look forward to seeing what you come up with 'Great Game' wise, as I suppose I could use my Afghans and other ImagiNations troops for some small engagements. I think digital will be the way forward for multiple reasons, but I'm old fashioned and just love to have a physical copy in my hand. I do have some pdf's of WS&S from their vouchers when completing the survey, which reminds me that I really should print off relevant sections as I always forget I have them.
DeleteI much prefer hardcopy zines too but the digital version of WSS is a mere pittance. I often go back to look through hardcopy but rarely consider doing the same for digital. Out of sight out of mind, I guess.
DeleteOn The Great Game, having had Russians and Natives built for years, I am still awaiting my first action against a buddy's British and Natives. One day...
I think the e-zines are half the price of the printed version, so a no brainer on many levels. However as you say, it's not so easy to flick back through a digital copy compared to pulling one of the bookshelf.
DeleteI didn't realise you've had these forces for so long and let's hope you can finally get them onto the table top. In the meantime maybe a small parade to show them to the World?
On WSS, I think my three issue rolling subscription if less that $7. I have a Russian infantry unit working its way to the painting desk. Perhaps when it is finished, I will the Russians out for a parade. Likely to have forgotten what I actually have but it is not a large force.
DeleteI'll have to check out the pdf subscription as that's pretty good value:).
DeleteOne way or another all of that should keep you out of mischief Steve.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I don't buy magazines anymore unless they pass a critical mass of articles of interest... which is hardly ever!
Hopefully Richard, hopefully😉! I agree that the magazines don't seem to have enough articles of interest these days, but maybe I'm looking through rose tinted glasses...
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DeleteVery interesting books sir!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading now a Fighter Aces of the Luftwaffe in WWII by Philip Kaplan
They are Michal and your book sounds interesting too.
DeleteThat’s a broad reading list Steve. I’m a big fan of Hopkirk - very tempting to get some Cossacks, assorted central Asian troops and maybe Afghans or even British. Don’t whatever you do read Hopkirk’s ‘Setting the East Ablaze’ as it’ll have you spending your pocket money!
ReplyDeleteLive Free or Die looks good, based as it is on Loose Giles & American Scramble. But you do need lots of bases. Small bases to be fair.
Chris/Nundanket
I like to have a wide variety on my stack to read to keep things fresh. The 'Setting the East Ablaze' does sound good and so has been added to my list:)!
DeleteNice post Steve, I find myself going back to older copies of Miniature Wargames where the articles seem deeper and of more general interest.
ReplyDeleteI also picked up a copy of Live Free or Die you were right about the number of scenarios and there relevance for other rule sets ;-)
Thanks Stu! I see copies of old magazines at shows now and then for about 50p per issue, so might have to check them out one day...
DeleteAs Chris/Nundanket suggested above - Hopkirk’s Setting the East Ablaze is a real corker. At some stage Steve, you WILL need to read this book. It had me constantly off at tangents - who is that fellow? whatever happened to…? etc. Luckily these days we have Google to provide a steady stream of clarification around the more obscure people, places and events.
ReplyDeleteI’m still a steady buyer of hard copy magazines, but in the last couple of years did “drop” a couple of titles - naval and aircraft mags (but still pick up the occasional issue, especially on the conflict in Ukraine).
Good luck with your gaming efforts - I look forward to reading how you get on 😉
Cheers,
Geoff
Another recommendation for the Hopkirk book! Luckily there are enough regular subscribers to keep these mags going, as they do have good stuff, just not of interest to me. Fingers crossed something will get onto the table this weekend...
DeleteGeoff, if you haven’t already done so, it’s worth subscribing to Helion’s newsletter. They’ve got a big series on Ukraine now. Occasionally they do virtual book launches- one I ‘attended’ on Ukraine was interesting.
DeleteChris
Thanks for the heads up Chris 👍
DeleteI enjoyed the Barbarossa book. His highlights of what the population had to endure, serves as a good reminder to the wargamer of the wider horrors of war. Look forward to seeing whatever falls from Live Free or Die rules, as it is the number of bases needed that caused me to pause.
ReplyDeleteThe book does look good and I'm sure I'll learn something new from it etc. I can see the reasoning behind the LFoD basing, but frankly it put me off straight away as being something beyond my means and ability to maintain the will to live!
DeleteThe only way I know how to judge a book by it's cover is that if the author's name is in bigger font than the title, then it usually means the author is pretty good.
ReplyDeleteLots of ideas and WIPs. It can be a good state to be in, but after awhile I get frustrated if nothing gets done, but that's because I'm obsessed with results. 😁
I'll beat the font thing in future Stew and see if it holds true or not! Due to my parent/carer role, I know most of my gaming stuff will be a WIP, but that's fine with me as something is better than nothing. It can get frustrating if I've got a game set up then a curve ball appears to put and end to that, which happens now and then.
DeleteShame about the run of bad weather Steve - but it is England in mid winter! It certainly looks like you have put the time to good use, though! I agree with you about aerial warfare (and naval, in my opinion) - I don't find reading about either all that interesting, nor wargames either for that matter - Wings of Glory type games once in a blue moon are enough for me, although I do understand about the attraction of the actual kit - maybe just paint up some support aircraft for BKCII??!
ReplyDeleteI recently finished Hollands book on the Blitzkrieg period - Germany Ascendant - which I quite enjoyed, although I thought he overdid some of his "revisionism" - according to his version, an Allied victory was basically a foregone conclusion and most of the early German successes were down to incredible luck! (or maybe I am not clever enough to understand him....?)
It has been a very mild Winter, hence the wet weather, which is one of th epossible outcomes for global warming here. I just wish we'd have some sunshine for once and a good few days of it, as the ground is sodden everywhere. Most of my painting fix for aircraft is for BKCII, even if they are only on the table long enough to take a photo!
DeleteOne could argue that the Germans did have good luck lots of times, but then that is true of all conflicts. Couple that with poor Allied planning (ie leaving the Gort line you've just fortified) or where they refused to believe the aerial reports of the 100km long line of vehicles in the Ardennes. A foregone conclusion is too much for me for sure and from the reading I've done, the Germans were just as surprised as the French and British at the speed and 'ease' of their advance.
I have long been a defender of wargames magazines, as long as you check out the contents online before buying. But even my support is waning now. So few articles have any real meat for someone who has been in the hobby for a while. I keep thinking 'I could have written better myself'. And the WSS obsession with Chain of Command is really irritating - I even wrote to the editor about it!
ReplyDeleteIf you haven't already found it, LWTV have a great video on their wargame of Peleliu from last year. Well worth finding.
I used to be an advocate for magazines, but like you, I rarely find anything to justify purchasing a copy, whether digital or print. Both WS&S and WI are to focussed on certain company's rules and products, which reduces the appeal further. I can inderstand why the publishers need this partnership, but some variety of articles wouldn't go amiss. One could argue that I should put forward articles, which I did look into, but personally I'd rather 'publish' them on this Blog, as the hoops you have to jump through are too much for me at present.
DeleteI did see that video Keith, which was great and really put me onto this little known action as a basis for some interesting Pacific War games.
Nice mix of reading stuff you have there! I don't read often, it's taken me a year to get through one book on Napoleon's Imperial Guard! I'll buy a magazine if there is an article I'm interested in and it makes a nice change that my local WH Smith's stocks wargames magazines whereas where I used to live they didn't!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain caveadsum1471
I like a mix of periods so my reading doesn't feel too 'samey'. I've always loved to read and learnt this literally on my mother's knee with the Famous Five books. If there is enough interest in an issue, I will be a copy of a magazine, but nothing has ticked enough boxes to do so for quite some time.
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