More Salute Pictures - Not The Cutting Room Floor

For those of you who don't blog at all there are a number of pages "hidden" behind the main the one - I usually just go straight to the "New Post" page and sometimes look in the "Comments" section - yesterday I had a look at the "Statistics" page and the last post on Salute 2014 seems to have gone a bit viral. It is now my second most popular post ever (with about 1250 hits so far). So thanks to you all for popping by and for your very kind comments.

Anyway, here are the remaining pictures I took on the day (not so much the cutting room floor as "I can't remember what game that was from, or who did the hard work to put it on").

I think this was the "less interesting" end of the Gripping Beast Advertorial for their new "Crescent & The Cross" Saga supplement.

I think this is Whitehall Warlords "Iron Butterflies In The Killer Jungle", a 15mm Vietnam game. It was actually much bigger than this, extending out either side.

The above three shots are of the 28mm game from the Continental Wars Society's "Avanti - Capture the Villa Corsini" - a participation game set during the siege of Rome in 1849. It featured some "paint converted" Perry 28mm ACW and set Giles off on a "forgotten wars of the 19th Century" conversation with the chaps running the game - although I think the 19th Century has been having a bit of a resurgence over the last couple of years.

Next up are three pictures of "August 1914" by CTK Wargaming, a 15mm game set at Tannenberg. I've got the Solshenitsyn novel in my "to read again" pile by my bed. Really nice terrain - over three hundred trees and N-gauge buildings various model railway producers, the grass effect was hanging basket liner covered over with flock.

Another two views of the Dien Bien Phu era 28mm game put on by Chemins de Feu, demonstrating masterly use of aquarium foliage (and I mean that sincerely).

And I think the above pictures are of the Abbey Wood Irregulars "21 Into 6 Won't Go" - a demonstration of the Mission Command rules. Correction: This game was by the Jersey Privateers (I'm even more impressed now I know it survived a Channel crossing unscathed) entitled the "D-Day Dodgers". The standard of terrain was really first rate, a beautiful game.

And this is one of the "I have no idea who did this" games - I remember it was quite substantial and the chaps in the last shot were sneaking up the flank - 28mm.

I think this "Escape to New Victoria" by Red Planet Miniatures, a VSF game (duh!) set on Mars. 28mm and very nicely done.

I think this is White Hart Wargames "Allan Quartermaine & The Lost City" game - it wasn't quite this dark at Salute - it's the effect of the flash I used.

And that is it - and no photos of the Newark Irregulars 28mm "Keren 1941", Frothers "The Spice Must Flow" or a number of other super games that I should have taken a few snaps of (my camera being buried at the bottom of my carrier bag is a poor excuse). And looking at the programme trying to identify the games I did take pictures of only makes me aware of the games that we must have passed by - and where was the "diorama" that was to be put on by Ron Ringrose aka the Essex Gamester?

Overall it was a great Salute, extremely well organised by the South London Warlords as usual - I think it says something for the slick way they manage the show that my biggest whine was about something over which they have no control - the lighting. Although I did find navigating around the show challenging part of it was purely me (the map in the guide has the entrance at the bottom and in my "mental map" I entered at the top - as the hall is essentially a featureless box with a grid pattern I struggled a bit) and partly the lack of reference markers - possibly some signs for next year? 

Salute 2014 & Paint Table Saturday

I went along to Salute 2014 yesterday and took a few snaps. Unlike most visitors yesterday, I didn't travel directly to Salute, but took a small detour via the Oval - I'd signed up to do a zip-line from one side to the other in aid of the Stroke Association:

For those of you familiar with the Oval I travelled in a downwards direction from the Corinthian Bar (people in my office will be commenting that this is the first time I've left a bar sober) to the pavilion. It doesn't look very high from ground level but I'm sure the regulars up there will confirm you are high enough to get a good view of London. I did note that the track of the cable didn't cross the wicket - presumably the groundsman had insisted he didn't want to fill in any Malcolm sized dents in the turf.

All the paperwork and kitting out was done in the Long Room - this is me post-plunge with the mother and daughter team who came down right after me. I did try to suggest "ladies first" but they were having none of it. Still, so far, I've raised just over £940 (including cheques and Gift Aid) for the Stroke Association. If any kind souls would like to help me breach the £1000 mark then you can contribute here: Malcolm's Big Plunge Page

And then it was on to Salute - I arrived at just gone 11.00 and my first impression was that there were more gamers there than usual, and that the venue was darker than usual. My first task was to collect my pre-ordered purchases (some more AB Spanish infantry and cavalry, and some bases) and then wander a bit until Giles (of Tarleton's Quarter fame) arrived.

This was the Barbastro 1837 game by South London Warlords using mostly Perry figures, with some conversions (I of course fell for the little details, while Giles got excited by the whole thing).

Giles and I had gone to Salute a year or two ago and been generally unimpressed at the standard of presentation of games - nothing had floated our respective boats. This year was rather different - there were lots of games of all sizes that had knockout scenery and nice troops.

These three pics are from the Gripping Beast demo game publicising their new "Crescent and the Cross" Saga supplement. Not co-incidently they had their new box of plastic generic North African / Berber archers and Spearmen on sale - the Little Big Man shield transfers to go with them looked lovely.

I'm a bit embarrassed that I didn't make a note of the name of the game or the guys that put this WWI game on (and, worse, I only seem to have taken one picture) - I think it belongs to the South East Essex Military Society and depicts the "Race to the Sea" in 1914. Not too many troops on the table (overcrowded tables are a pet peeve of mine - I'm just as anti "wall to wall" Napoleonic infantry battalions as I am wall to wall WWII tanks), absolutely gorgeous terrain that perfectly evoked the location, time and period - with lots of lovely details like a dog peeing up against the foot of a statue). And friendly guys on hand to chat about the table, figures and game. I think I'd have probably given this game "Best In Show".

Close behind would be this game from 1953 Vietnam, "The Weapons Cache" by Chemins de Feu (a small Belian club Chemins de Feu) who were pitting French troops against Vietminh insurgents. A beautiful board that really evoked the damp and difficult conditions, beautifully painted 28mm figures (the camouflage on the French guys was absolutely excellent) and there were lots of lovely details.

This game, was (I think) Sword Beach D Day 1944 and was clearly a case of not "less is more" but of "more is more" - beautiful models on a grand scale (lets put all we've got on the table until it groans under the weight), and very good scenery. But it didn't light my fire much - I'd be surprised if it wasn't up there in the show awards though, because this is exactly the kind of the thing the organisers seem to like.

   

Dave Brown (author of General de Brigade and Battle Group Panzer Grenadier) pontificating, sandwich in hand, to a fellow Loughton gamer (I cut off the top of his head on purpose - I don't want to embarrass Dave by revealing the poor guy was nodding off with boredom!). In front of them, of course, is a 15mm "Attack on Ponyri" during the battle of Kursk in 1943, and this game was a high standard as we've come to expect from the talented chaps from Essex.

For those of you who like pike blocks, something a little different - Arklow 1798 - there was a distinct dearth of Napoleonic games at Salute 2014 (despite a range of 1814 battles hitting their 200th anniversary this year) and I guess 1798 is "almost" Napoleonic. It looked wonderful - but I can't help feeling that there is a distinct lack of utility with these figures (substituting French in bicornes for French in shakoes is one thing but there isn't much else you can do with these bad boys). this was put on by WI and Trent Miniatures (who make the figures).

I commented that there were very Napoleonic games at Salute - there do seem to be an increasing number of fantasy games there - I've no idea which game this was but I thought the terrain was spot on, they did a lot in a small space without overdoing it. 

Every year I look at the wonderful terrain produced by Oshiro Terrain, and think 'I really might try a few Samurai' and every year fight off the urge. You can see the top of Giles' head as he snaps away in the first picture.

Finally, this is the Capitan Games / Warmodelling Battle of Talavera, played in 15mm with Napoleon's Battles rules. As I slate their figures with some frequency in this blog I was a bit embarrassed to hang around too long but I thought the terrain was absolutely superb.

My purchases were modest:

4x32 AB Spanish Infantry Battalions

3x16 AB Spanish Dragoons

2x4 AB Saxon Gun Crew (to stand in as Hesse Darmstadt gun crew for Laval's Division)

Some of the new Xan Miniatures Highlanders and Light Infantry.

Some Warbases "Premier" bases - these have smooth sides and that slightly barbecued smell from the laser cutting, and are very nice.

The Gripping Beast Arab Spearmen and Archers set - I'm collecting the figures (and bases, see above) for a late Reconquista project.  

And I suppose (like a Government PR Officer slipping out the bad news on a busy day) I should announce that this week I completed no figures at all - I have a lot of half painted figures but nothing completed. So as of Week 14 (140 figure target) I have slipped back to 99 figures behind schedule. I'm thinking I should be able to catch up in Week 15 when a good number of the Hesse Darmstadt infantry should be complete - those AB Jena Prussians do look the business.

Paint Table Saturday - Week 13

Apologies - a day late and a dollar short as my brother in law used to say.

So Week 13 - and a drop in output. Last week I said I'd start logging my numbers again and managed 23 figures, and as I'd lost count of how many I had painted earlier in the year, I'd start from scratch. So, 23 from 120 left me 97 figures behind schedule. This was even more embarrassing as I've bought a huge number of figures this year (even by my standards). And next Saturday is Salute when I'll be picking up some more AB Spanish.

So Week 13 and I've completed 18 more figures:

4 French Legere Carabinier

4 French Line Fusiliers in Greatcoat

10 Spanish Militia

I'm thus 89 figures behind schedule as of this week.

The French Legere chappies, along with the couple from last week gives me enough for a stand - so I'll add to the battalion as and when while tackling the Erb Prinz. I've also made a serious start on the Erb Prinz, painting their trousers, facings, hair and knapsack. I have an early finish tomorrow so I plan to put a dent in them then - before the new series of Game of Thrones begins (despite my general dislike of "dungeons and dragons / fantasy crap" I'm rather enjoying this show) - I've been catching up over the last few weeks on Sunday nights. I'm not sure if it is because the "fantasy" elements are fairly dialled back (so far at least) or because every time you see a good looking woman you can be fairly sure she'll be naked within the next five minutes.

I've also primed some more French Legere and the last few Spanish Militia to complete the battalion. As you can see, my clearing the decks plan is failing dismally. I think it is about time I had another stocktake so I can list just how many 15mm Napoleonic figures I own - I'm fairly sure I have more ABs than Ian Marsh at Fighting 15s. 

This week my big moan was about Amazon - I buy a lot of books from them (at least one order a month plus what I buy elsewhere) and my moan wasn't about the pricing, or the deliveries or anything like that. My moan was about their "if you like that, then you'll like this" feature that "recommends" books for you to buy. I'm being pigeonholed by Amazon's algorithms - just because I buy one "whodunnit" doesn't mean I want to buy the entire output of the crime fiction writing community. My recommended reads include so many sword and sandals books you'd think I read nothing else (okay I enjoy the "Oathsworn" series, and the Harry Sidebottom "Warrior of Rome" books - but really, Conn Iggulden? Do me a favour.).

If they are going to do a "if you like this..." recommendation then how about working on the corollary? "If you tell us you hate this author we won't recommend X, Y and Z authors" 

Paint Table Saturday & More On The Erb Prinz

Apologies for no posts for almost three months - I had a busy work schedule for the first few weeks of the year that has now abated and then we had a domestic disaster that stopped me painting for a week or so.

As you can see - the room was in a state of disarray. We had a major toilet problem and our hall had a small flood (our tenants in the flat below had a rather bigger flood) - this was the incentive we needed to finally replace the carpet throughout our flat (Archie and Toby had pretty much trashed this over the last seven or eight years). And so, some of the junk scattered throughout the flat made its way to my room (the carpet in here is fine, I like it and it would mean disturbing my soldiers so this room kept the carpet it has).

I'd like to say I'd been a busy bee over the past three months but it wouldn't really be true. I've done a few bits and pieces but not really done much. I lost my painting mojo - and generally had a sense of ennui. However, I finally got round to priming my first batch of AB Jena Prussians (along with a couple of other bits), which are standing in for the Hesse Darmstadt Erb-Prinz Regiment of Laval's Division in the absence of any real alternative. And they do look the business - each variant has an individual face with real character, the detail is as well defined as you'd expect from Mr B and they will look great en masse.

So my plan for the last couple of days was to sort out a few odds and ends (I've slightly undermined my "clear the paint table" resolution with these chaps but I'm planning to keep on at that) and paint my trial figure for the Erb Prinz. I took a look at the calendar and the end of Week 13 of 2014 falls tomorrow - I can't believe the first Quarter of the year has ended already (so next week more BS reports to do at work). Anyway my painting total for last week (Week 12) was as follows:

2 French Legere Grenadiers
2 French Line Voltigeurs in Greatcoat
4 Hesse Darmstadt Erb-Prinz
15 Spanish Militia

So 23 figures. I didn't keep a proper count at the beginning of the year so forgetting those figures from January, I should have painted 120 figures by now. So I am a mere 97 behind schedule!

The Hesse Darmstadt figures for the Peninsula have been giving me a few issues (not painting - they seem quite straightforward) - you will recall that the troops were originally organised in the Prussian manner (the German states seemed to think that following the lead of Frederick the Great in all things was the route to military success) with a regiment composed of three battalions - two line and one light. The Line infantry had blue jackets, while the Lights had green - each battalion had a four company organisation.

Prior to the march across France to get to the Peninsula the three battalions were merged into two - my problem is that I've seen two conflicting descriptions of how they were organised. The first says that the Light battalion troops were simply mixed in with the Line battalions to give stronger four company battalions (which I guess would have the advantage they didn't need to learn new drills for battalion deployment). And that the un-military mix of green and blue uniforms within each company caused the French to insist on new uniforms for them - this wouldn't be a huge issue except it would mean each company would be very large in GdeB terms - which isn't ideal.

The other story is that the Erb Prinz adopted a six company organisation with the Lights being mixed in with the Line. While mixing blue and green uniforms on each stand has some attraction, I'm going to go with a variation on this - the flank companies will be dressed in green and the centre companies in blue; my rationale being that, should I ever need to field units for an 1806 game I can reorganise the battalions into three 24 figure units. Such is the kind of mental pickle you get into when adopting a slightly "alternate history" version of the Peninsula!

One thing I noticed after undercoating the AB Jena Prussians is that some figures seem to have axes hanging down at their backs - were these issued to particular companies?

Speaking of trial figures - here is my trial figure for a private from the Irlanda Regiment of the Spanish Army - by the time of the Napoleonic Wars there probably precious few Irish soldiers in the regiment but many of the officers were descendants of the Wild Geese. I'm not too sure when I'll paint his colleagues (the regiment wasn't at Ocana) but I rather like him.

Finally, I'm taking the plunge (literally) on the 12th April in aid of the Stroke Association - I'll be "zip-lining" in a generally downward direction from one side of the Oval Cricket Ground to the other. If it all goes horribly wrong I'll be hitting the pavilion face first (a prospect some of my staff are rather looking forward to I suspect):  http://www.justgiving.com/Malcolm-Rose1

For those of you wondering - I booked a 10.30 slot so I can still make it to Salute in time to fill my shopping bag (assuming all goes well and I don't wind up in A&E).