September 2023 Hobby update

September has been busy all round including hobby wise.  I'm very pleased with what I've done and enthused with my ongoing projects.  

Completed

  • The end of the month saw the release of  A War Transformed, the Osprey rules for a "folk horror" First World War game.  I liked the look of this since it's announcement and it's encouraged me to revisit the Germans that I'd built in 2021 (here and here) and make some improvements which you can see here.
  • I finally finished off the 15mm Landsknecht pikemen and halberdiers.  Lovely little fellas full of character there's lots more pics here.
  • I completed two batches of Victrix Unarmoured Romans.  I enjoyed doing the first batch so much that I'd started on the second batch as the last coat of varnish was drying on the first.  More pics of them here and here. 

  • To make the 6mm Seven Years War game that I played look a bit more interesting I knocked out some quick roads.  Details are here. 

In progress

Here's what's currently on the table:

  • From last month:
    • Northstar Oathmark Elves.  I started these at the end of August but once I started working on the Victrix figures they’ve fallen by the wayside.
    • 10mm cottage from Warbases that I started in July.  I've still not contacted them about the missing roof.    
    • Warlord Games 28mm cows that I built last month.  As with the Elves I've had better things to work on so haven't touched them. 
  •  Started this month and in progress:
    • Victrix Dark Age Archers.  I cleaned up the legs and torsos and based another five of these when I did the second batch of Unarmoured Romans.  I’m not sure how I’ll finish them yet.
    • I've made good progress on a third batch of Unarmoured Romans which I’m doing as Goths and will finish next month.   

Gaming

I managed to get two games in during September which was very pleasing:
  • Inspired by reading The Seven Years War in Europe last month I dug out part of my collection for a game.  Here’s the AAR.


  • And what with reading about Dark Age battles I decided to dust off my old collection of Gripping Beast figures and have my first game of Ravenfeast.  I haven't had a chance to write up the AAR yet but here's some pics.

Ramblings, Reading & Research

At the start of the month I finished reading Pendragon by James Wilde.  I'd originally got this out of the library last November, but I'd never got round to reading it.  I really liked it, it was a great read.  I've got the sequel Dark Age on the reading pile ready to go. 

Still in the heroic frame of mind I once again reread The Queen of the Swords the second of The Books of Corum by Michael Moorcock.  Still as good more than forty odd years on from when I first read it.  Being older I can appreciate the language more as well as the story.  Superb.

I took a break from fiction but stayed with the heroic theme to read Battles of the Dark Ages by Peter Marren  I really liked this, it's enjoyably written with a full acknowledgement that a lot isn't known and much is conjecture but it’s still very useful. 

And to finish off the trilogy and the month I read Moorcock's The King of the Swords.  A fitting end to a month of heroes.

Incoming!

After last month's abstinence I've had a few things come through. 
  • North Star have been running promotions for A War Transformed and I took advantage to round out my German force.  I also got a pack of Copplestone White Russians while they  were on offer.  I'd looked at these on and off for more years than I care to remember so I thought why not?
  • Working on the Victrix Dark Age figures got me thinking about Ragnarok again which was the original catalyst the other year for getting some Victrix Vikings.  I'd never picked up a copy of The  Abyss supplement and I found one on eBay for £4, yes £4.  I think it's a better addition to the game than the Vanir supplement and worth the full rrp so what a bargain!

  • Right as I was finishing off this update my pre-order for A War Transformed arrived from NorthStar.  As I have the majority of my German force ready, I went for the rules and wizards with the pre-order deal on the Wargames Atlantic British.  The rules are the usual Osprey high quality production and look fascinating.  I've yet to have a proper read through.  The figures are the usual Wargames Atlantic production.  I'm sure they'll be ok once they're painted up.  

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