September 2025 hobby update

September has been a busy month both work and family wise.  I also got away for a week at the end of the month.  Therefore, hobby time has been limited, but the main thing is that I’ve enjoyed what I’ve worked on and my summer slump is well behind me.  

Completed 

Here's what I finished off during September:

  • I made a couple of diseased warriors for a scenario I’m putting together for Verrotwood, using the bodies and heads from Victrix Ancient Germans and other bits from the Frostgrave Cultists and Barbarians sets.  And while I had the plastics box out I made up a Frostgrave Cultist as a reanimated also for Verrotwood.  
  • 6 Heroics & Ros 6mm Taliban, 60 1980's Soviet Motor Rifle (Iraqi) infantry and 60 1980's German (Iranian) infantry.   After spending far too much of my limited brain power agonising over how best to base my 6mm Moderns, I hit on a scheme with enough flexibility to work for most rules.  I have a great big box full of different bases and I really wanted to make do with what I already have.  Inspired by Ted Rogers (showing my age here), I settled on a 3-2-1 scheme: three figures or a prone two man team on a penny; two figures on a 15mm base; and singles on 10mm bases.  I think these look good together and allow full flexibility for different rules.  The 10 and 15mm bases are magnetised so I can use a variation on my Midgard basing using thin magnetised sheet to group the bases together to form sections if required.  

In progress

On the table as the month ends are:

  • A load more bases for the 6mm Iran-Iraq War project.  The pennies have had their edges painted in Humbrol enamel Matt Dark Earth.  I’ll then paint them Citadel Foundation ?? before giving them a couple of coats of Vallejo Satin varnish.  The last thing I want is for a shiny penny to show through. The MDF bases have had their magnets added.
  • The base for a 15mm Mediterranean villa.  On the back of doing the farmhouse last month I made a base for the Empires of War villa.  I used the same principles as before, but refined some of the steps.  I'm still deciding how best to do the inner courtyard area, but I'm pleased with how it's looking so far. 

Gaming

I only managed one game in September:
  • I played my first game of What a Cowboy, which was very enjoyable.  It’s a great game with huge potential for use in other periods and genres.  The AAR is here.

Ramblings, Reading & Research  

Usual situation here - I'm still looking at possibilities for my next projects.  It's frightening to think that it's nearly time to think about next year's projects and the Ovelists they spawn. 

Talking of which I noticed that my August gaming Ovelist update and a couple of other blog posts have been viewed a ridiculous amount of times.  Whilst it would be splendid to think that this is all genuine, over 700 views when the April Ovelist update has yet to reach 40 is suspicious.  My What a Cowboy AAR  is at over 2,000 views.  Nonsense!  A few other bloggers have experienced the same and it's the work of AI bots.  I find this very disappointing and has invalidated the stats for my blog.  I'd rather have low numbers of genuine viewers rather than this Artificial Intrusion.  

On to reading: 

  • The first  book I finished was “The Fall of the Ottomans” by Eugene Rogan.  A really fascinating book, it covers all the theatres and campaigns that the Ottomans were involved in during The Great War.  As well as the better known ones such as the Dardanelles and the Arab Revolt, it was good to see coverage of campaigns against the Russians in the Caucasus and the actions in the Sinai.  With a balanced viewpoint providing the Ottoman side for once, I thoroughly recommend this book. It’s a great starting point for the period and full of inspiration for an intriguing and often overlooked part of The Great War.
  • “Arnhem Black Tuesday” by Al Murray.  Arnhem was my wargaming starting point, when I was about 11 years old.  I have always maintained an interest, it does seem to hold a morbid fascination.  When a title that offers something a bit different comes along I will read it, which is the case with this book.  It's a very accessible work, drawing on the latest research and from Al Murray's life long obsession with the battle.  I really enjoyed it and of course it had me thinking about gaming possibilities.  Maybe one day I'll return to it but not just yet.
  • Osprey Essential History “The Soviet-Afghan War”.  Another of those late '70s/80s conflicts that I find myself routinely drawn back to.  This is a very good primer, and possibly one of the best of this series I've read.  I particularly liked the cultural background it gave with some great maps.  This was a  library copy that I can see being renewed for some time.

Incoming and Outgoings

I bought a few bits this month:

  • Volume Two of the "III Germanic SS Panzer-Korps" by Helion.  I've been waiting for this.  When I got back into Second World War gaming I decided to try and focus on the  Eastern Front and I read a lot about this formation.  This is an excellent book (as is the first one).  There's none of the SS-apologist nonsense that you get from some quarters. There's no disguising that the Waffen SS (especially the officers) were NOT "soldiers like other soldiers".  Like the first version, it's almost a series of essays by experts on the subject.  It's packed full of superb photographs as well.

  • B&M and it's eclectic mix of stock at low prices is well worth a look for any hobbyist.  I picked up a couple of Hot Wheels cars which will be repainted and used in my neo-Soviet post-apocalyptic games for only £1.50 each.  I also got a 4ftx3ft fleece blanket for a fiver, which will be perfect for fields. 
  • My final purchase was a copy of John Keegan's classic "The Face of Battle".  This was the first "proper" military study I read when I was about 12 years old or so, and probably the one book that really hooked me into military history.  I was very pleased to pick up a copy printed around the age I would have first read it for only £2 from a second hand bookshop. 

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