Almost the end

 Last club meeting last night and as usual we held a club game, these are just an excuse to have some fun and banter and get to savour some of Julian's home made mince pies, sadly Julian was absent, however we did manage a good fourteen members.

The game had six a side, and where you were placed was decided on which side of the river Lune you were domiciled, Northerners vs Southerners, the North were Late Romans and Byzantines while the South fielded Carthaginians and Greeks. We each had a SAGA type warband and gained points for enemy we killed and the overall winners North or South would depend on the final tally of all players. Dan had put together a back story for our Battle of Watfordium Gap as both armies fought over the ancient service station along the road.

 It's amazing how worked up and noisy a bunch of grown men can be over the roll of a die when victory or defeat lies in the lap of the Gods. My own part in the battle was not decisive but I did manage to have the only full or almost full warband left on the table at the end having vanquished several low point peasant types, elsewhere there was carnage with only the remnants of once proud forces wandering aimlessly over a devastated battlefield and many Warlord's lying amidst the corpses of their retinues.

I used up the last ounce of luck for 2021.

 I had a young lad on my right and he was in charge of a Byzantine warband up against Jimi's Greeks, it looked like he would have some trouble so as I had been successful in routing some of my enemies I sent a unit over to help. In the end it was not needed, the lad put up a spirited fight which turned into one of those incidents which will go down in wargaming history. His warlord and companions fought and died in a legendary encounter leaving poor Jimi forlorn and ruined.

 The end result was a clear win for the Northerners but also a win for all of those taking part in a great evenings entertainment. A superb feat of organisation from Dan with some help from Fran on the night to keep the game moving seamlessly.

I have an away game on the 30th, a large 10mm SYW bash which I suspect is now looking less and less likely as Boris gives way to 'the science' and the numbers of doom. It may also affect my plans for an ACW game on the 9th January, what is it again, a door stop, rain check, breakwater, I can't even be bothered to look it up.

I have started painting the 25th Foot, slowly, but getting there. The Crusader figures are nice but not as nice as Front Rank who are far better detailed, however as there is no word yet when the FR figures will be available, if they ever are, I shall continue to recruit Crusader for the last of my battalions. Having seen a bunch of Dan's Byzantine troops on the table last night I still want that Byzantine army and have penciled it in for 2023/4, how's that for confidence.

I got a visit from Charles Singleton, editor of Helion's Century of the Soldier and new wargaming series amongst other projects and had a good chat over coffee. I quizzed him over the Italian Wars volumes and the upcoming guide to the wars so I shall have a large order to send in after New Year. Charles' dad lives just up the road from me and he got me started on my cartographic journey so always a pleasure when he pops in.

The Memsahib came up with an idea for her Christmas present and then felt guilty so told me I should also get something, although there is nothing I need at this moment in time I managed to send an order off to Rubicon, doesn't do to annoy the boss.

A last word on wargamers, really nice chaps. I got a lovely wargame calendar from David Bickley and a smashing hay barn from Matt Smith, another surprise came last night when Fran handed me two MDF 15mm Gettysburg buildings from Sarissa. Thanks guys.