I'm Back.

My first duty on arriving home was to look at the mail, sure enough a small box from Warlord Games was waiting for me. Inside were a few goodies, some dead livestock to litter the Normandy battlefield and the new Fortress Budapest campaign book, this came with not only the special figure, a Hungarian legend of the siege but also a sprue of around six soldiers, I think these too are Hungarian although I have not looked too closely at them yet.

"Sword behind the Shield" Helion.

 I got the book because it piqued my interest and I have drawn maps for a serious history of the campaign in the past, I also wanted to get the scenarios to add to what I have, I will have to adjust the troops used as I do not plan to get Hungarians or Soviets (yet) but don't see that as a problem. I already have a Warlord campaign book and thought it OK, another lazy effort on their part. This book has a completely different feel to it, the historical information is just enough to hook you in but the scenarios seem to be much better thought out and look very interesting. It was obviously written by someone not just intent on fleecing the reader but someone who has put a lot of effort and work into providing a useful tool for Bolt Action players which happily coincides with Warlord's aims. The recent Western Desert campaign book has also received a lot of praise so on the back of this along with 'Budapest' I have pre-ordered their upcoming D-Day campaign book.

What about the holiday you ask, or may close down at this point. It was great, Vietnam is a wonderful holiday destination and the people are wonderful as well. There is a nice contrast from the more old fashioned and restrained North through the slightly more touristy Centre to the madness of the thoroughly modern South. The country has a very young population which is as much preoccupied with Facebook, Instagram and selfies as the rest of the world, they are however very polite, helpful and on the face of it happy. The late war does not seem to overshadow anything although don't make the mistake that the Americans were allies and not invaders or you will be swiftly disabused, unlike John Cleese I did not mention the war and when it was brought up I politely nodded and kept my opinions to myself. The only people the Vietnamese do not like are the Chinese. Chinese investment in the country however is very high and large portions in the Centre and South will soon be turned into the Florida of the Far East, do visit before this if you can. I do have to mention that despite the nation not having any fat people and all the women being impossibly slim they do love their food, it is a foodie's paradise, we had two food tours and a cooking course and I had to beg off half way through them all as I simply could not eat any more. So there we have it, a great time away and back fully recharged wondering what I was doing at this time a week ago .......

Goodbye Vietnam