Fin de Siecle

 Well that is almost that, I closed the doors last week but still had some admin chores to do, and chores they turned out. The PO did not turn up on Tuesday to take away the remaining cash and stock, a guy on Wednesday went away with all the equipment and the scales, which were not his to take. Today the alarm engineer, and I use the term loosely, did not fill me with confidence, he could not get the Post Office signage down, hardly tried, so said he would cover up the name, he did, he put tape over the small barely seen wording and left the huge 12" high letters 'POST OFFICE' for all to see. And yes I had to call up as it went off hours after him leaving. How did we beat Hitler?

Duh.

George remembered why he had not retired before.

Anyway, I was the Hitlerites on Tuesday at the club as Simon and I settled down for a few hours while pretending to be somewhere in the Ukraine in 1941. It was Bolt Action and a simple meeting engagement, I had three squads, a sniper, an infantry gun, an anti-tank rifle (a first), two MMG's and a Pz38(t), Simon took a T26, a light howitzer, three squads, an MMG and an artillery observer.

Busy club night.

T26.

I put my sniper, tank and infantry gun supported by a squad on my left, with another squad and MMG on my right, in the centre hidden behind a wood I put the rest of my troops as a reserve. Simon brought on his land battleship very quickly along a road and it put fire down on my infantry gun, basically silencing it for the rest of the game as it kept going down in order to survive. The light howitzer and a squad were on his left, another squad in the centre and a further squad on the right along with the MMG. These last guys got hit first and the squad took casualties, the light howitzer spotter who was with them was quickly despatched by the 38(t), I comfortably held this flank for the rest of the game. My sniper was on form and the NCO's of two squads hit the dirt, as the bullets flew and casualties mounted most of the Russian squads kept failing their orders so did not manage to have much of an effect on the game.

My cowering reserves.

Panzer Marche!

I managed to get a shot off on the T26 with my anti-tank rifle and it stunned the crew, it rumbled on however and took a shot at my tank, I now moved my panzer up to close the range and took a shot at the monster, the beast blew up spectacularly. Russian morale failed and we called it a night. I did not play well on my right, I let the light howitzer and waiting barrage scare me into hiding my troops, I have seen what HE can do to squads now, in the event the barrage was a damp squib, I should have been more aggressive, it was a lacklustre game for my guys and a bad luck game for Simon.

A few weeks ago I visited Leven's Hall which is nearby, it was a nice day and the missus wanted to see the gardens and I got lunch. As we entered we were given a quick history and told not to take photographs, Napoleons saddle captured at Waterloo was pointed out and I promptly took a photograph, I was admonished but after explaining I was a 'military historian' (wargamer to you) the lady let me off. Later on in the house was a clasp ripped from the great man's cloak found on the ground during the pursuit and looting that took place, it was two brass bee's, about the size of the palm of your hand, quite lovely, but the old guide in the corner was watching so the camera had to stay off. So you never know what is around the next corner.

I have not completed my Steel Fist gendarmes as I had a priority map project to do and being retired I can now take it easy, I have almost finished the horses so they should be based etc. some time next week. I also received my Charlie Foxtrot buildings and I have built and textured one of them, it now awaits painting. I have one more along with two bags of walls. Julian and I are going to have a small battle in a couple of weeks to try out the rules, I really do not have enough cavalry yet so I am ordering more in a few minutes so that I can get at least one more unit before the big day. After that French pikes for October then on to the Imperialists.

Despite all the doom and gloom and toys raining from the prams of Tolkien fanatics I sat and watched 'The Rings of Power' waiting to have all my prejudices confirmed, but after the hour was up I felt lost, I had actually quite enjoyed it. Okay the women are too numerous, there is diversity present in all races, the Harfoots and Dwarves mangle Irish and Scottish accents but I let it slide, I even ignored the pretentious Lenny Henry and am looking forward to the next episode. I still however have not worked up the courage to watch 'House of the Dragon'.

I can also recommend 'We Own this City' a gritty police drama from the writers of 'The Wire'.

 

Oh, a large ACW game is being organised here for the 18th, really looking forward to that, I also have a game with Matt Crump of Wargaming in the Dungeon during next week in Penrith and a try at the new Lion Rampant 2 on Tuesday at the club.

Somewhere east of Chancellorsville.