Monday, 11 June 2018

Silent Invader Terrain Boards

I have now purchased some terrain boards from Silent Invader on the Lead Adventure Forum. The boards described as temperate look so much like Dartmoor that that is what I'm calling them now. SI said that he was influenced by Dartmoor when making them. They are absolutely superb workmanship. SI is a real craftsman and a gentleman scholar! I have not yet had time to play any games on them but I took some photos this morning for your delectation. There are 15 tiles in the main set and then by removing some tiles and using the 4 extra you have a board without the road, inn or ruined castle.




The boards on my table.


The inn and stable.

A Bit of Whimsey!


Looks like the Company of the Ring are meeting at the inn.


They enter knowing it's Gimli's round. However, he seems to have forgotten his wallet!


A familiar figure lurks atop the ruined keep, looking for a chance to snacth the Preciousss!


Looks like Gollum has called on the assistance of his friends from The Paths of the Dead.


Meanwhile elsewhere, some dastardly Spaniards are escorting two Jesuit priests on a secret mission across Dartmoor. They are in search of a Holy Relic, the Big Toe of St. Ignatius of Loyola, stolen in a raid on Cadiz by Good Queen Bess's trusty swashbuckler, Sir Francis Snapcase. Sir Francis was ever after known as the Man Who Singed the Queen of Spain's Bush. At the conclusion of the Cadiz raid, Sir Francis had fired the port and the fire had damaged a particularly lovely lavender bush which Queen Anna cherished.


Although the Spanish remain unaware, their mission has been betrayed by one of Sir Francis Walsingham's spies. Sir Francis Snapcase is setting up an ambush in the ruins of Okehampton Castle.


Meanwhile the Spanish, led by Esteban Enrique Núñez García Ramírez Vasquez Cortés Martínez Roberto Rodriguez a la Dominican el Gonzales Garcia Santiago de Hernandez are crossing the River Taw and heading for the The Tors Inn at Belstone. Don Speekingleesh as the interpreter, brings up the rear.


Sir Francis and his men buckle on their swashes, spring their ambush and try and effect a rear entry on the Spanish.


Bob, Sir Francis's manservant completes the entrapment of the relic-seeking Spaniards. Bob and his hired ruffians have been hiding in the stable at The Tors Inn.


But now it's Bob's turn to be surprised. Two burly Spanish secret agents burst out of the back passage intent on mayhem. They are code-named El Mono and El Mejillón.


Let battle commence, flashing steel and Bob's harquebus are the order of the day!


Meanwhile, back at the castle, with the Spanish safely out of the way, Sir Francis's minions take the Big Toe of St. Ignatius of Loyola from it's hiding place and continue on in the opposite direction ready to deliver it to Sir Francis Walsingham, who is lodging at the Two Bridges.

More tomorrow................................


















Tuesday, 5 June 2018

Futtock's Motor Services

Futtock's Motor Services is now open for business in Much-Piddling. Old Futtock runs the garage and his son, Young Futtock is the chauffeur up at Snapcase Hall. Old Futtock is something of a character and can usually be found covered in oil, ferreting about under someone's Austin 7.


"You want it by when?!"




Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Terrain Boards

I have purchased some terrain boards from Silent Invader on the LAF. He intended them originally for the 2nd Afghan War and I have bought his unique converted figures for it as well. The boards are superb and SI is a genius terrain maker. There are more boards on their way to be shown in a later post. I haven't had time to set them all up yet (there are 24 x 30cm square tiles) but here are some teaser pics of just a few boards and the minis.




Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Handley Page 0/400

The Handley Page 0/400 makes a visit to Much-Piddling Aerodrome.


Fokker for scale.

Tuesday, 1 May 2018

Taking to the Skies!


My Gotha G IV from Red Eagle Miniatures arrived. It looks great, if a little fiddly for my sausage-fingers! Wings of Glory Fokker for scale.


Also from Red Eagle Miniatures, Parseval-Sigsfeld Drachen with winch lorry and basket. A chance for Biggles and chums to do a bit of 'sausage-busting'!



...and also a bit of work done on some of my Blood Red Skies planes.



Thursday, 12 April 2018

The long-awaited Blood Red Skies arrives...

Blood Red Skies arrived yesterday at Snapcase Hall. My lovely wife had pre-ordered it for me as a birthday present last year. This is the Battle of Britain bundle, so I now have 13 Spitfires, 13 Me 109s and a Boulton Paul Defiant.

Herewith the unboxing, game to follow ASAP.










Tuesday, 10 April 2018

Sir Francis Snapcase

A statue to be erected in Much-Piddling village square. The village's greatest hero, the Elizabethan swash-buckler and explorer (some would say pirate but b'damned to them), Sir Francis Snapcase. Born in Much-Piddling in 1540, 'tis rumoured he died in El Dorado in 1599.


The inscription reads: Sir Francis Snapcase, 1540 - 1599, "Singed the Queen of Spain's Bush"

Monday, 9 April 2018

What a Tanker!

I've pre-ordered the new rule set by TooFatLardies, What a Tanker! available here:

https://toofatlardies.co.uk/product/what-a-tanker-rules/


Being something of a lazy twat, I decided to order some 1/72 diecast tanks so that I could play a game as soon as the rules arrived. I found a great deal on eBay, 3 Tigers for £10.00 so I had to buy them. Then I bought 5 Shermans. The PDF of the rules arrived today and checking the rules I found that by serendipity I had managed to purchase two equal forces using the points system in the rules. 64 points cost to the Allies, 63 points for the Axis.


Three Tigers from 'Großdeutschland' Panzer-Grenadier-Division




Three M4 Shermans with 75mm gun


One M4 Sherman with 76mm gun and a Sherman Firefly



Thursday, 5 April 2018

Beware, sheep on the road!

It looks like a flock of sheep are blocking the road by the cricket club. Jonesy can't get through with his sausage for Mrs. Kenwood-Chef, the retired Colonel's wife!

First Rule of 'Countdown'...

Snapcase Hall


As Jesse says, I have been working on Snapcase Hall. It's not much to see but I had to do the first test piece to make sure I liked the way it looked. I think I'm happy with this, so on with the rest now.


The left wall is internal, the right side with the window will be external.


Both these walls are internal, different rooms when built.


Sunday, 1 April 2018

New Buildings in Much-Piddling

Chulmleigh, the Snapcase family bulldog gets his kennel at the gates to Snapcase Hall.


A new house in the village, this is pencilled in as the home of Edith Pilchard, spinster of the parish.


Edith is of course, a keen gardener.


A strange blue box has appeared next to the pub, obviously waiting for someone to paint a sign on it so that we know what it is!


.............and with great excitement, the construction of Snapcase Hall begins.



Wednesday, 28 March 2018

Much-Piddling Motor Services

The Much-Piddling garage is now open for business


as is the village bandstand