Very little to report!

I like to try to keep this blog regularly updated, but hobby time and enthusiasm remains somewhat limited for the time being. I now have a room full of painted figures and equipment and terrain, but it's all boxed up and I have little interest in doing anything with it. Things have been busy on the domestic front, and having our middle daughter Jess living back home with her partner and 12 week old baby Lilly has meant that I don't get that quiet time I used to enjoy. Still, it's temporary - has been for a year now - they are looking for a place of their own and we should get our house back again soon! It's tough for young couples, both have full time jobs (Jess is on maternity leave), but typical private rents down here are around £800.00 per month for a 2 bed flat, I dread to think what they are back up in London where we moved from 12 years ago.

Still, domestic issues aside I did manage to paint up the 'free' Patton figure that came with my copy of Bolt Action 2nd edition rules and finish the two command bases for my French & Indian Wars collection. I must admit that I have now decided that 'Sharpe Practice' are not the rules for me, they have a level of complexity that is simply not for me, I prefer a faster game and my collection has already outgrown 'Skirmish' games so I'm keeping my eyes open for an alternative. I'll keep painting (slowly) and see where it goes. Having learned that the 42nd Regt. were heavily engaged at Ticonderoga where they suffered very heavy losses charging breastworks defended by the French I ordered some lovely castings from Front Rank's ' Jacobite Rebellion' range, Government Highlanders. They are perfect for slightly later period, research shows no obvious change of uniform detail. Of course I had to order more French infantry to keep things even. The Front Rank FIW range is quite limited so most of my French are from the Seven Years War range (the FIW of course was the start of the SYW), with turned back cuffs but coats left unpinned so no turnbacks.

I'm planning to take a trip up to SELWG tomorrow morning, it's been quite a few years and I can use the opportunity to visit my elderly Aunt Vi, who lives just off the bottom end of the park. SELWG aside we used to take our girls there when younger on Sunday mornings, before the farm closed down, and they used to love exploring the ruins of the Crystal Palace, up and down the steps etc so will be a bit of a nostalgia trip too.

As always, a few photos for good measure, 'Old Blood and Guts' Patton, 28mm Warlord special issue,  FIW British Regiment of infantry  being inspected by General Bradock (28mm Front Rank), French command base and finally the complete box set 'Last Levy, The Defence of Berlin' by Warlord Games. I have posted a few pics before but this is the complete set painted including the wonderful Krummlauf rifle with it's attachment for shooting around corners! Note the number of panzerfaust depicted on these figures, V2 of Bolt Action has dropped the +1 to hit modifier for one shot 'shaped charges' so it's a very potent weapon now in the game and capable of penetrating any tank through the side armour.

The foot figure is the Front Rank General Wolfe model.

Montcalm and aide.

Patton!

Last Levy box set complete.