The winter painting challenges have stuck the usual spanner in the works.
I will hopefully still post a second “afterglow” post wrapping up the whole thing.
Right now though my head has finally been turned. After analogue hobbies painting challenge (AHPC) finished at the end of March, I had a tidy up while finishing some figures slated for the other challenge. I have posted my afterglow about AHPC while I have yet to finish those figures that complete the afterglow for “paint what you got”.
First thoughts were plough on through the paint queue. That idea was ended pretty quickly. That’s despite some of the queue counting the years they have been in it – somewhat sadly.
And then as usual a book triggered some thoughts followed by digging out figures from the hoard and then embarking upon a great book sort out.
This is one of my top ten books on military history. Michael Mallet makes every word count in this journey through medieval Italy. Don’t let the title deceive you as the story begins in the 12th century Although they overlap I find both books very useful for Italian medieval armies
The end result is I am back in medieval times and I plan to paint my tumbling dice 1250 era samples. I also hope to progress my 100YW plastics who have been in the queue awhile. Then again they’re competing with some other figures washed and stored that have also been gnawing away at my brain.
I dug out my tumbling dice 1250 figure samples bought a while ago. Some mounted knightsSome foot knightsMilitia spearmen They prime up nicely
September is a busy month for battle anniversaries in Yorkshire not least in 1066.
On the 20th the Vikings of King Harald defeated the Saxons of Earls Edwin and Morcar at Germany Beck in what is now Fulford. There are not many references to this battle – given that two climatic battles followed, its understandable.
The battle was according to records fought near where the beck joins a sharp turn in the river Ouse.
Crucially the defeated Saxons made good their escape as a rising tide flooded the beck. This meant they could fight another day.
There is a tapestry of the Fulford battle displayed at various locations over the years since it was made in 2012 after ten years effort!
On the 25th September the Saxons under King Harold of England defeated Harald and the Viking host at Stamford Bridge.
It was the end of the Scandinavian Viking threat after hundreds of years of invasion.
A tapestry of the Stamford Bridge battle can be seen in the old railway station at Stamford Bridge.
It was another Viking Scion – the Norsemen who took land in the Carolingian Empire and called it Normandy – who a few generations later then defeated the English in turn at Hastings.
It can be argued that without Fulford and Stamford Bridge there would have been no Hastings and maybe a different war between Harold and William might have played out.
So maybe instead of waiting for yet another Norman invasion (the bayeaux tapestry is en route to the UK) you could visit these other tapestries when they are on show instead or as well as.
People remember William for what followed yet Harold had marched 500 miles with his household troops and won a great victory putting together two separate regional armies before arriving at Hastings: William fought an outstanding adversary.
Back in 2020 I put together some shield wall armies and had some fun trying out various rules.
This time of the year you can encounter fully armed Vikings strolling through the city of York even picking up their Cornish pasties at Cooplands the bakers (I missed that pic opportunity).
The last wargames show of the year for me is Recon. It takes place at Pudsey Civic Hall. It used to be run by Wakefield Wargamers but since last year The Pit Gaming Shop have taken over. While it is one of the smaller shows its still a great day out and in the case of the venue you get free parking on site, level access to a well lit two storey event space with civilised toilets (yes I have been to Partizan many times….) and a decent licensed cafe bar on site selling a good hot food range.
The show supported “models for hero’s” who were at the entrance – no queuing as the show is FREE entry. You could make a donation as I did and also Pit Gaming ran a raffle.
Pit gaming had a good range cowboy skirmish material – notably dead mans hand
And if thats not enough a great range of traders and lots of participation games were to be had not to mention some life size sci-fi warriors wandering the aisles.
Hopefully The Pit Gaming Shop will host this enjoyable, relaxed and friendly wargames show again in 2025.
No apologies for pens – this was a to be played game not a demo.
This year I managed to take part in two medieval games at the lance and longbow stand. They were very enjoyable with veterans and beginners playing a modified version of Lion Rampant.
The game was designed for a balanced play and it delivered with both battles being close run affairs. It is always a challenge to design a scenario that gives enough opportunity without a walkover by one side. “Show” games are peculiar with the dynamics of unfamiliar players, unfamiliar rules and the distractions of other games, demos and traders. So they need to be interesting.
In this case the heavy mounted knights (attackers) looked like they would steam roller the bow and bill (defenders) albeit behind stakes. However in the first game just as the defenders looked to collapse the knights leader fell to his death and the attackers lost their will to press home the attack.
In the second battle the defenders were again overrun but no lucky leader death seemed forthcoming when the battle ended – so a sort of draw maybe:Exciting to the end though.
At the end of the day I had plenty of enjoyment from these games.
In fact I neglected to take many photos around the show.
Yarkshire gamer brought 1867 Italy – garibaldi trying to knock over the papal state despite French resistance You can never have enough red shirts!
There were plenty of traders but at the moment I am on a clear the iron mountain and plastic pit push. Of course impulse buys override such plans and I indulged at blotz.
28mm (but in 20mm) Bronze Age fortress starter pack made up there and then with a nice discount-thanks blotz
To be fair I had previously gazed at their Bronze Age fortress yet held off. Now though I have some converged plans which mean the fortress bit the dust or rather my wallet did!
Next door is the national armouries https://royalarmouries.org/leeds and if you have never been it’s fantastic and even if you have been it’s worth a revisit every now and then.
I did a selective tour to fill out my visit to Fiasco wargames show next door in the dock hall.
Lots of medieval kit on display Arrow storm Central armour display Dioramas featureThere are slots round the edge so you can view the diorama at ground levelA lot of figures1840’s revolver 1911 self loading rifle Swiss built Mexican 1891 design – below is up a Lewis air service machine gunLots of mechanisation Triang, minic cars, frog aircraft and sten guns…….All the weapons a platoon (German and here British) had plus the occasional rationed item like the piatA bit of renaissance Pom Pom A Gardiner is in the background Diorama from floor above I noted the two in the middle to back centre……OutsideLooking to dock hall centre leftLocation-rejuvenated canal areaThe arms tower – take a closer look
So take a trip to Fiasco 2025 and get a free entry military museum into the bargain.
The pirate city shown in my last post also offered up a train – sponsoring the giro of course. They often carry the trophy in these trains and the train matches the riders usually on a coastal stretch for photo opportunities! Obviously don’t catch a train when the giro is near your route…..
Here is one castle that fell under eye of the giro pro cycling helicopter. A classic hilltop location. It still has some nice details especially the main gateway area.
Late Spring sees the first of three top pro cycling events – the Giro d’Italia which are helicopter televised from start to finish.
This means you get about 4000 km of Italian countryside.
And with Italy that means castles.
Fortified cities are also favourite visits on two wheelsThis year saw a couple of stretches of the white gravel of Tuscany Everyday the cyclists head out castle hunting!
The Wargaming Erratic 