run up to 50K

Well last September I was thrilled to report the blog had passed the 10K veins mark.  Yesterday Fencing frog got is 40,0000 visitor less than a year out from the 10K mark.  So the question, the challenge is how long to hit 50,000 visits?  Will we see that number before 2014, only time will tell. Thanks very much for reading.

Hobby Bunker Game Day (3): Mockern

Last game of the night was a return to Mockern North of Leipzig. I have done this game as a the French so I took the roll of Prussian General von Horn.

 Chris on the near left and Dan on the near right are running the Prussian Cavalry left and the Prussian infantry and cavalry on the right respectively . You and see Mike owner of Hobby Bunker in the center Chis' dad on the left and Gordon of Adler hobby on the right running the French.

 Turn one the French center and right advance and take the key cross roads town... the Prussians fail all their command rolls and sit still drinking beer or something.

 Finally the Prussians get moving with the Swedes (run by Rich) trailing behind and tossing rockets at the French.  Unlike my game at Huzzah! the rockets got zilch done.

as you can see the French are in a great position two Divisions of infantry in front of and one in Mocker. We are pretty much screwed at this point.

 Dan swept in with two units of cavalry forcing the French into square this keeps us from hitting the infantry but leaves the Artillery exposed. We also hammer the squares with our own artillery causing one of them to fall back.

 Well thats a little better but really the French are still in a very good situation occupying the building

 We press forward engaging the French.

 Chris and his father are engaged in a massive cavalry battle on the left the Prussians win..

 In the Center I have a battle with the french it swings back and forth for three turns... before I finally break them as the night draws to a close the Prussians have won on the left and are winning in the center but the French hold the town of Mockern. A French Victory though a bloody one, perhaps even Pyrrhic.

Hobby Bunker Game day (2): Not so Quiet on Western Front

In the second game I found my self with the German army defending a stretch of trench from a veritable horde of allied troops.

Old Friends Scott and Nimai were across the table.

French infantry and tanks approach on my right.

Monstrous British tanks approach in the center.

Hey Nimai "Welcome to Duechland" (if you don't understand this look at last game days battle report) French Infantry falls to Machine Gun Fire.

the British tank takes out one of the German MG bunkers

Artillery strikes US Marines

Trenches are looking a bit thin...

A hit by German Artillery on a tank... its damaged but grinds ever forward.

More French Storm the wire with support form Allied tanks.

Despite having their tank roasted by a flame thrower Scott and Nimai look fairly please...

An they should the Allies have over run the first trench and the Germans are in full retreat. not a good day for the Kaiser.  The rules used here are some home brew a lot of fun but a hard go for the Germans with all those tanks.

Hobby Bunker Game day (1): With Fire and Sword

I was very excited to get a chance to play this game.  The 17th Century is a colorful period especially in Easter Europe where the cross roads of European and Asian Cultures meet. With Fire and Sword is a game that has gotten a lot of positive buzz both from their Kick Starter and some great reviews form Anatoli and others.

On the left is my pal Chris who you may recall is a Polish enthusiast but he showed up late so he got the Swedish Right Wing Cavalry (I offered to switch spots but he declined)   I ran the Polish Left Wing Cavalry and acted as army commander.  My plan was simple have the Polish infantry hold the town while seeking a win on both flanks. Mat ablely commanded the Polish foot while Paul lead the Right wing Cavalry.

The horse soldiers on the left closed in fast Cossack screening the Winged Huzzars

The battle for the village developed more or less as I had guessed it would with a savage short range fire fight.

On the left my Cossacks engage the Swedish Reiters..

While Paul's Huzzars and Pancernie mix it up with Reiters on the right.

I managed to cut up one Reiter and to do some damage to some other. my Pancernie were put out of position by Chris' cowardly withdrawal and hit pikes instead (not good)

The cavalry swarms on both flanks as the infantry batters each other in the middle

Swedes are running in on the right...

and the Polish are chasing them!

My Winged Huzzars crash into the Swedish Rieters I roll really well and these guys are the best one shot cavalry in the game (after the lances break they are still good but on the first charge with lances they are devastating) Chris and his Swedes don't really have a chance. The break and I ride them down.

Paul gets similar results on his flank.  We have to call time had the game continued I think the Swedes would have held the town but the Polish would have had the hills around it.  I call this one a minor Swedish Victory though one the Polish could probably write up as a great triumph on their side as well.

These rules really played well once we got the hang of them. Cavalry actions are fast and furious while infantry is slow and steady.  Each army had a very different feel to it. I look forward to playing it again.

For my Cousins Teamy Conley

Ray and Paula Conley

My cousins Cindy and Nancy are walking on September 28th to raise money and awareness for the Coalition for Pulmonary Fibrosis.  For those who don't know (which would have included me until a shot while ago) Pulmonary fibrosis occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred. This thickened, stiff tissue makes it more difficult for your lungs to work properly. As pulmonary fibrosis worsens, you become progressively more short of breath.

 In their own words: We're walking as Team Conley because three generations of our family have been affected by pulmonary fibrosis with three different triggers - sister Paula (radiation therapy), father Ray (asbestosis), and grandmother Esther (idiopathic.) Each was a fighter in her/his own right, not letting a diminished quality of life affect her/his strong spirit. We are trying to raise money so others don't have to see their loved ones struggling to breathe, struggling to keep food down, and struggling to live. This debilitating disease is not well known, but it takes as many lives as breast cancer each year. Any donation will be very welcome to help find a cure/help for this disease.

There are a lot of worthy causes out there and I am sure you donate to your share. For myself I would not as but for my cousins I am asking please consider a small donation. The greatest works are built from many small contributions.

Please consider donating: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/CindyLeary/3rd-annual-boston-walk

Blacksmith

I got some 18th Century Civilian miniatures from Blue moons pirate collection. One of the best of the male figures is this blacksmith.

  The smith himself is from blue moon the anvil is form Musket miniatures, they work together well.

 I loosely based the figures out fit on my friend Dean who portrays a black smith at Revolutionary War reenactments.  If you have the need you can Hire the real Dean for metal work. The brick pieces are from Flames of war I made the square one into a platform for the fire.  I don't have the bits for a bellows but if I find some the low brick wall will give me a foundation to mount it.

The short breeches give him a way as an 18th century man but other wish he could work a valuable member of a village in any era.

Re-building the French Estate IV (completion)

OK its was good deal of work but the French Estate is ready to be shown in its completed state and ready for armies to fight over it.

 In this over head shot you cannot see the cracks in the court yard they are still visible up close but most of the time on the table you won't notice them.

 The gravel road and road leading up to the gate looks great as does the clump foliage hedge.

 The crack on this side is now hidden behind the tree also it provides a way for young men and women to get out the window.

 Ivy and clump foliage on the cracked garden wall you can just barely see the crack if you know were to look but even when you see it blends now.

 Garden no fills in the hole left when pieces were glued together.

 A look at the main building and the tower window which came out really well if I do say so.

The rear wall of the villa small cracks but as they cross into the exposed masonry I left them as is the blend well with the piece.  This was a fun project how do people think I did?

The Great Re-basing project of 2013 (9)

Bet you guys thought I was done with this but no I just took a break.

 First up are some very old figures of mine.  They are Prussian/Hessian dragoons they are no particular regiment...

 In fact there are 4 different uniforms. It makes a good unit to represent a mixed brigade which you frequently see in British/Hanoverian armies.

 Speaking of Hanover here is a unit of Hanoverian Reuter Regiment 2b

 Reuter is the Hanoverian heavy horse they wear white uniforms like Austrian and Prussian Cuirassiers but do not wear an armored breast plate.

Sturm Platoon more shameless self promotion

These guys were left over from my Gebirgsjages (I mixed them in for extra panzerfausts and to vary the head gear and uniforms a little) and since I had just enough left I decided to paint up a platoon of them to sell.

 Here you have six stands of MG teams each with a Panzerfaust (not all of them have machine-gun figures but that is not an issue in most games)

 I dressed the base with flock, aquarium gravel, and Army Painter's wild flowers and jungle tufts. These are for sale on eBay if you like them.