At home. 30/05/20

            So on the home front.

·         Its is another 'jour férié' here on Monday.  So perhaps another game of Chain of Command in the week coming.

·         Its great weather here, its been hot all week.  So Monday decided to start making this years hay for the winter fodder for the sheep.

·         Started with the mower and after two times around the field the tractor just died.  I know the problem and the fix, because it does not get used a lot the fuel filter in the tank gunges up.  So its drain the tank, clean the filter, bleed the air out of the fuel system and off you go (takes a couple of hours).  So asked a friend to finish cutting the grass as I had to be down at the restaurant for the fixing of some new external doors. Les Sapeurs-Pompiers have inspected and required two external doors to have 'crash bars' and open out.  Took Monday and Tuesday to get the old doors out and the new ones installed so all is well.  More grass cutting for the neighbours and repairing an old greenhouse and planting tomatoes.

·         Then on Thursday afternoon the Prime Minister announced that bars and restaurants' can open next week starting on Tuesday.  So its all hands to get the building clean and all the furniture clean and everywhere presentable.  And then decide on what's required for the bars operation.  All the social distancing marked out and then table and chairs placed.  Fixed and plumbed in a new glass washer for my daughter so that they can get all the glassware washed over the weekend.

            So time for my hobby continues, not this week.

·         This has not been very productive this week.

·         The weeding out.  A unit of 28mm Prussians for the Franco-Prussian War has been sold.

·         The bases are now complete on the 28mm cavalry, a unit of 1846 Mexicans and a unit of US cavalry.  They are now based and flocked.  In the box with the rest of the painted figures for the 1846 Mexican American war.  I know have enough painted for a game of Sharpe Practise.  I still have some German models to finish, a fixed MG42, Wespe, and Panther but they will not be needed in the first games.

            So the clearout.

·         Next up to go, 1:32 scale plastic, CTS Churchill tank.

·         1:32 British Para's by a couple of different companies, Airfix 14 figures and Conte 16 figures.

·         1:32 Airfix Japanese infantry 13 in number.

·         6 Britain's North American Bison.

·         1:32 Airfix British Commandoes, 40 figures.

·         A small contribution and the postage please for the bits and pieces.

·         Oh and I still have a lot of the heads and weapons castings.

      Sorry no time for pictures this week, too busy making hay.      

At home. 22/05/20

            So on the home front.

·        

My MG42  squads for CoC.

Its was another 'jour férié' here yesterday.  I have been amazed at how much more wild life we have been seeing close to home.  We have a family of hedgehogs around in the garden, they seem to be digging up the turf looking for grubs. 

My MG42 squads for CoC.

We have also seen a family of hawks, one of them dropped into the chicken pen after small birds.  The hawk knocked over the chicken feeder and that made the chickens very cautious.  We have a family of Woodpeckers visiting the feeders in the garden.

·         We are still having to wear masks and in some stores gloves as well.

·         Its great weather here , 26° yesterday.  Still some work with the neighbours, grass cutting and clearing out a greenhouse ready to plant more tomatoes.  Monday / Tuesday I, with Louise's help, finishing off the ceramic tiling for her restaurant kitchen.  That finishes the tiling in the new kitchen.  Next to fix the stainless steel panels behind the cooker and getting all the sockets mounted into the walls.  Buying and fitting the extract hood.

            So time for my hobby continues.

·         The weeding out.  Next will be the 54mm WW2 British.

Germans Panzerschreck supports.

·         Back to the boxes and getting figures ready to game with.  Bases have arrived for the 28mm cavalry so the 1846 Mexicans and the US cavalry can be based and flocked.  The late war Germans are coming along.  I still have some models to finish but they will not be needed in the first games.

            So the clearout.

·         I am going through my boxes to sort out the figures that I do not intend to use for any project.

Late war German infantry

·         To go all in 1:32 scale plastic, CTS Churchill tank, British Para's by a couple of different companies, 13 Japanese infantry, 6 Britain's North American Bison and British Commandoes.

            So the hobby.

·         I have finished the rest of the late war Germans that I have.  We had a game yesterday, spent a lot of time remembering the rules.  Started to make an M8 armoured car for use by a German forces. 

The other German figures to make the squads up.

·         I ordered some Spanish infantry to go with the irregulars that I find I have painted.  This will allow me to have a force of Spanish Peninsular troops for Sharpe Practise.  These are cleaned up and ready for priming.  I have also found some Spanish cavalry, ready primed, just need to sort out what they are and to find a paint scheme.

·         So for the next week prime my Spanish infantry.  Paint and base two US 1846 artillery crews.  Finish my two oxen drawn wagons.  And I have several markers to finish for Sharp Practise.

Staying at home. 15/05/20

·         Well here in France, we are now allowed out.  Well sort of, no more than groups of ten people, but on the whole we are expected to stay at home unless you are able to go to work with social distancing or able to work from home.  Bars, restaurants, hotels etc., are still closed.  The borders are sort of closed.  We are allowed to go 100km from home without an attestation.  Further without the attestation is 130 euro fine for each person in the vehicle.  And we are expected to wear masks in the shops and even in some shops gloves as well.  Most now have screens around the till, one way systems and gel hand wash everywhere.

Infantry squad from Wayne for CoC.

·         So time for my hobby continues, along with help to the elderly neighbours.

·         In going thorough my boxes I am starting to sell stuff that I have but do not anticipate using.  First to go have been some 28mm Prussian figures for the Franco-Prussian war.

·         Back to the boxes.  I am now working through which have part finished projects that I may finish and which to leave for another day.  And then which to sell as I no longer have any interest in, or at least I would rather do other projects.

                So the clear-out.

·         I am going through my boxes to sort out the figures that I do not intend to use for any project.

·         To go all in 1:32 scale plastic, CTS Churchill tank, British Para's by a couple of different companies, 13 Japanese infantry, 6 Britain's North American Bison and British Commandoes.

                So the hobby.

So at the moment I am finishing a CoC German force for a pint sized campaign in the Ardennes.  Pierre at the Carantan club has a US force and hopefully this campaign will help him with the motivation to finish painting them.  Started to make a M8 armoured car as a captured German unit.

Some of the Germans that Wayne painted.

Wayne had started some of the German figures and I have added to them to create the units for CoC, some figures, a couple of vehicles and guns.

I am continuing to finish re-basing my 15mm 1846 Mexican figures for the 1846 war, their are just so many bases.

I have been working on a couple of small 28mm MDF buildings for CoC.

                So on the home front.

The view from my studio window showing the chicken pens in the garden.

The strong winds last weekend caused a bit of damage in the neighbours gardens, Georgette had a flowering tree blown over.  We went with the tractor and chainsaw to help her to cut it up ready for a fire.  Adrienne had a length of fence blown over, so we went and reaffixed it for her.  And Bernard had a sheet of corrugated iron blown off his barn, it was hanging a by a nail and the wind had torn it in half.  So got it down safely onto the ground.  An other friend came and helped me get a replacement sheet back into place. an standing.  So that took a couple of mornings to sort out.  We have now planted out peas, courgettes, pumpkin, gourds and French beans in out garden.  And planting tomatoes in Anneke's and Adrienne's greenhouses.

I had a day down at Louise's cutting tiles in half to make skirting tiles to go around her kitchen.

Another week of lock down. 08-05-2020

More 1846 Mexicans that have been re-based.

Another week of lock-down has passed. Busy painting my collection ready for gaming.  So this past few days I have been continuing to get my 15mm 1846 Mexican American wars based up with all the figures I have painted over the years.

  At the moment I don't know which rule set I will use.  I have a copy of 'Santa Anna Rules' both volumes.  The rules are written by Buck Surdu and Pete Panzeri.  They were written in two volumes, one as a skirmish system, the other for tactical games.  But more than likely it will be Black Powder, a rule set that I have played before.

Finishing off some late war Germans for CoC.  One club member has late war US so we were going to play the Bloody Bucket pint size campaign when we can get together as a club.  I have some of the extras, but probably more than the US players.

28mm Mexican Marine Regiments.

28mm Mexican Marine Regiments.

I now need to finish the bases for my 28mm SP Mexicans..

 And finished some civilians and markers for Sharpe Practise.

Staying at home. 08/04/20

·         Well here in France, where I live, we have now been told to stay at home for the last four weeks and it looks like several more to come.

·         So I have had more time for my hobby.

·         I have been back through my boxes to sort out the figures I have and get some painted.

·         And then get the figures ready for forces the rules.

Found all these walls in my boxes just wanted painting to get them on the table

For the past 18 month's I have been able to game with a friend (Ralph) who move to the other end of the village about 1.5 k away.  We used to try to play once a week on a Thursday.  Ralph has a large 28mm collection which has been packed up for several years.  I have been going to a small club at Carantan.  They have lots of ideas and like 28mm figures but are not very quick at getting into projects.  They have been playing 'SAGA' 'Bolt Action' and 'Dead mans hand (DMH)' all in French of course!  Most these rules have French translations' or English translations, SAGA and DMH were originally published by a French company.  But for all these rules you need not only the main rule book but cards and boards as well.  These are expensive to buy, but the cards are difficult to understand even if my French was very good and it is not!  So after joining in for a few games where a lot was lost in translation and Ralph's arrival we have started to get them into new rules.

So the rules.

Canadians for my French and Indians wars Sharpe Practise company

Too Fat Lardies Sharpe Practise and Chain of Command.

Both these sets of rules are straight forward for the playing of the games.  The big difference is that the game revolves around 'Force Morale'.

The firing, fighting, command structure are similar to a number of other sets of rules.  One is bad, a 6 is dead or a success.

So all these figures have been attached to their horses with green stuff

The force morale is set at the start of the game.  It is dependant on the quality of the troops and their weapons, and their training.  So a well trained and equipped force would have a rating or 11, a poorly trained force with rudimentary weapons and training a rating of 8.  But well equipped force will only have half the number of figures.  So as you progress through the game 'bad things happen'. This will be caused by the unit losing a number of figures, being pushed back after a fight, or an officer injured or killed.  A dice roll will determine how many points will be lost off your morale.  The number left on the 'Force Morale' determines how many activations you may make in the next turn.  When this drops to only one or two you become unable to continue the fight.  We have played these as part of a simple campaign so when the morale drops it is better to stop, sort out what's lost and prepare for the next game, the loser will have some loses and the winner will improve his force.  This then tends to make you think when to stop the game rather than continuing until last man standing.