Skip to main content

A Small Milestone and Other Errata. . .

Sometime in the night, the number of visitors to the Grand Duchy of Stollen passed the 80,000 mark. Not bad for slightly over three years. I imagine cannon are going off, to mark the occasion, around the city of Krankenstadt in the Grand Duchy of Stollen as the sun rises this morning!

The writing spirit seized me over the weekend, so I've been taking a couple of days away from the painting table to work on "the wargaming book". Remember that? This particular chapter is a longer one, and, remarkably, it seems almost as if it is writing itself. I have done considerable work with young Paul asleep in my lap. It's almost finished, and then the time comes for proofreading and editing, to make things more concise and cohesive.

Many of the intended chapters are finished with not that much outstanding work remaining other than some reorganization of said chapters and adding a few other bits and pieces. But I think it should not be too terribly much longer before I'll have a finsihed product to show publishers, and then we'll see.

Finally, have a look at the Hinchliffe Range (link at right under "Links"), now sold by Hinds Miniatures in the U.K. While I don't especially like the 18th century figures themselves (funny pposes with spindly legs and odd looking horses), there is all manner of equipment that might be suitable for use in your old school games, including various 25mm bridges, wagons, carts, barrels, gabions, and etc. And you need to click on the different periods to find everything as it's not all listed under the generic title of "25mm Equipment".

In particular, there is a pontoon bridge set, mentioned by Charles S. Grant in The War Game Companion, that has caught my eye. And possibly just in time for Christmas.
We'll have to see if I can manage to get my letter written and sent to Santa Claus/Father Christmas in time for the big day. In any case, adding items like these to one's collection would open up all kinds of additional Grantian scenario possibilities for actions and battles of various types on the table top. Just think of the potential!

In the meantime, it's back to those Austrian cuirassiers this evening to finish their red saddlecloths. Charge!


Comments

A J said…
Congratulations on the milestone!

I echo your thoughts on Hinchliffe figures. They do look spindly, but I have to say their artillery pieces are second to none.
johnpreece said…
Your blog is one of lifes small pleasures. I can always be assured that I will enjoy a cup of coffee more while perusing yor entries.

Popular posts from this blog

Presenting the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere!!!

Here they are, with the rearmost nine figures still drying, three squadrons of the Anspach-Bayreuth Kuirassiere, now in the service of the Grand Duchy of Stollen. And now, it's onto that artillery!

Keepin' an Eye on the World Going By My Window . .

'The Nap at the Palace' by Jose Triado Mayol N ot much in the way of hobby-related activity happening here in the Grand Duchy lately.  Sigh.  And no surprise there really since there are only so many hours in the day, only so much mental and physical energy to spare, and you sometimes simply just have to give in and know when to say, um, "When!"  A glass of wine and/or evening yoga by the hearth with the Grand Duchess (who has practiced for over 20 years), and then off into la-la land.  Zzzzzzzzz.   More immediately, I'm recovering, mentally speaking, from a grueling Friday in which I was involved with three (online) conference sessions, one right after the other, followed by a 90-minute meeting at the end of the day. Also virtual. My brain has been mush ever since, so an easy, completely unproductive Saturday watching intermittent snow fall outside (no accumulation however) and drinking coffee while the visiting handymen completed some repair work down h...

And It's the End of September!!!

  Saxony's Ploetz Cuirassiers, an illustration lifted from the Kronoskaf website, which has thus far guided my spectacularly glacial painting of 30 28mm Eureka Saxon cuirassiers purchased all the way back in October 2016. A gray, cool Saturday here in Mid-Michigan with rain in the forecast. The Grand Duchess is away at a conference, so it's just "The Boys" here at home. The Young Master (almost 15) has retreated to his room for something or other following breakfast while I have stolen back down here to Zum Stollenkeller (masquerading as my office) with a second mug of coffee and both cats comfortably ensconced nearby. Enjoying the late morning and still in my pajamas! Not much planned for today beyond designing a couple of promotional flyers for workshops my department is presenting (small parties we will throw?) in October and November.  With maybe a bit of on the next podcast script. More important,  I am toying with the idea of returning for an hour or...