Saturday, December 29, 2012
Monday, December 24, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
A fist full of Plastic: Lucky Products AWI Troops - Recent Reinforcements
A fist full of Plastic: Lucky Products AWI Troops - Recent Reinforcements: Recently an online auction site based in NZ, had some of the Lucky Products AWI troops for sale. They were offered in two separate lots, one...
Thursday, September 20, 2012
Paul´s Bods: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick maker....
Back on the Fantasy Trail (Iron Mitten)
http://iron-mitten.blogspot.com/2012/09/back-on-fantasy-trail.html
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Good By To An Old Friend
female miniature dachshund Baby had passed away in her sleep
right in her favorite sleeping spot by my chair. She had been ill
for a short time but, it did not seem to be that serious,
and I had thought she would recover but, alas no...
She was a big part of our family and will be sorely missed...
Monday, July 30, 2012
Thursday, July 19, 2012
Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved
old friend, Common Sense, who has been
with us for many years. No one knows for
sure how old he was, since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic
red tape. He will be remembered as
having cultivated such valuable lessons
as:-Knowing when to come in out of the
rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm;-
Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was
my fault. Common Sense lived by simple,
sound financial policies, don't spend more
than you can earn and adults, not
children, are in charge. His health began
to deteriorate rapidly when
well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place. Reports of a
6-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens
suspended from school for using
mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher
fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition. Common
Sense lost ground when parents attacked
teachers for doing the job that they
themselves had failed to do in disciplining
their unruly children. It declined even
further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer sun lotion
or an aspirin to a student; but could not
inform parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the
churches became businesses; and
criminals received better treatment than
their victims. Common Sense took a
beating when you couldn't defend yourself
from a burglar in your own home and the
burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to
live, after a woman failed to realize that a
steaming cup of coffee was hot. She
spilled a little in her lap, and was
promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by
his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife
Discretion, his daughter Responsibility,
and his son, Reason. He is survived by his
4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,I Want
It Now,Someone Else Is To Blame,I'm A
Victim.Not many attended his funeral
because so few realized he was gone. If
you still remember him, pass this on. If
not, do nothing
old friend, Common Sense, who has been
with us for many years. No one knows for
sure how old he was, since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic
red tape. He will be remembered as
having cultivated such valuable lessons
as:-Knowing when to come in out of the
rain; - Why the early bird gets the worm;-
Life isn't always fair; - And maybe it was
my fault. Common Sense lived by simple,
sound financial policies, don't spend more
than you can earn and adults, not
children, are in charge. His health began
to deteriorate rapidly when
well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place. Reports of a
6-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens
suspended from school for using
mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher
fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition. Common
Sense lost ground when parents attacked
teachers for doing the job that they
themselves had failed to do in disciplining
their unruly children. It declined even
further when schools were required to get
parental consent to administer sun lotion
or an aspirin to a student; but could not
inform parents when a student became
pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the
churches became businesses; and
criminals received better treatment than
their victims. Common Sense took a
beating when you couldn't defend yourself
from a burglar in your own home and the
burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to
live, after a woman failed to realize that a
steaming cup of coffee was hot. She
spilled a little in her lap, and was
promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death, by
his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife
Discretion, his daughter Responsibility,
and his son, Reason. He is survived by his
4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights,I Want
It Now,Someone Else Is To Blame,I'm A
Victim.Not many attended his funeral
because so few realized he was gone. If
you still remember him, pass this on. If
not, do nothing
Anonymous for cause, its just common sense
Monday, July 16, 2012
Super Galactic Dreadnought: New name, same games: GuadaComaCon
Super Galactic Dreadnought: New name, same games: GuadaComaCon: South Texas Mini Con now has a new name. One hex = 500 feet Taking inspiration from the two rivers that converge in our host city of New ...
Friday, July 13, 2012
Super Galactic Dreadnought: South Texas Mini-Con has a website
Super Galactic Dreadnought: South Texas Mini-Con has a website: That's right, the South Texas Mini-Con now has a website of its very own. It's still pretty much a skeleton right now, but save it in your...
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
ORBIS
Conventional maps that represent this world as it appears from space signally fail to capture the severe environmental constraints that governed the flows of people, goods and information. Cost, rather than distance, is the principal determinant of connectivity.
For the first time, ORBIS allows us to express Roman communication costs in terms of both time and expense. By simulating movement along the principal routes of the Roman road network, the main navigable rivers, and hundreds of sea routes in the Mediterranean, Black Sea and coastal Atlantic, this interactive model reconstructs the duration and financial cost of travel in antiquity.
Taking account of seasonal variation and accommodating a wide range of modes and means of transport, ORBIS reveals the true shape of the Roman world and provides a unique resource for our understanding of premodern history.
http://orbis.stanford.edu/
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Friday, April 20, 2012
Guardians Of The Inner Household
Here we see the official Guardians Of The Inner Household
diligently maintaining their post, woe be tide all who trespass!
They have been known to knock offenders over and lick them silly!
diligently maintaining their post, woe be tide all who trespass!
They have been known to knock offenders over and lick them silly!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Friday, April 13, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Campaign Map
The image below is the mini-campaign map showing an area just off to the north and east of the Hill Cantons proper. Each hex runs five miles across.
The burned out border colony of Trnova is shown on the west side of the map due east from the pass and watchfort leading back into the Overkingdom. Most of the map area resides in the Sea of Grass, a vast steppe of coarse gray-green leafed, purple-veined prairie grass stretching off to greater and greater stretches of the Weird to the east.
Bands of kozaks, smelly horse-lovin' and warlike nomads, maintain two trade camps in the area along an old caravan track. One sits at the feet of an ice-cold, deep-watered lake at the old rounded cone of a massive and presumably extinct volcano.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
20mm Nostalgic Revival: Donald Featherstone
20mm Nostalgic Revival: Donald Featherstone: The Father of UK Wargaming is 94 years young around this time, many congrats to him, his books got me started way back in the mists of t...
PREPARING FOR A WARGAME
( WITH THE HELP OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE )
In peace there’s nothing so becomes a wargamer
as modest stillness and humility;
But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
then imitate the action of the tiger;
Stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood,
disguise fair nature with hard favour’d rage.
Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,
let it pry through the portage of the head
like a brass cannon; let the brow o’whelm it
as fearfully as does a galled rock.
Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide;
hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
to his full height. On, on, you noble wargamer
whose blood is that of fathers who wrote the rules !
Fathers who, like so many Alexanders,
have at these Conventions from morn ‘till even fought,
and pocketed their dice for lack of argument.
Dishonour not your mothers, for did they not sit
whilst those whom you call fathers painted their armies ?
Feel superior to players with troops in other scales,
and teach them how to wargame. And you, good players,
whose hands were made for wargaming, show us here
the mettle of your army; let us swear
that they are worthy of your painting, which I doubt not;
For there are none of them so mean and base
that hath not noble lustre in your eyes.
I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
straining upon the start. The game’s afoot !
Rattle your dice ! And upon the charge
cry ‘God for Scruby! Featherstone! and HG Wells!’
Friday, March 9, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Rape of Trnova
Excerpt from the interview with Three-Eyed Pavol, headman and sole survivor of the border colony of Trnova. As recounted by the scribe of Bohdan, under-senschal to Raugraf Androj Animachus the Younger.
Bohdan: Again from the beginning of the attack, itself. Surely, man, you can't still be drunk? It's been over a day since you've received the hospitality of my most puissant and gracious master.
Pavol: Dzzeruphenated.
[Bohdan slaps the hollow-eyed beet-red headman soundly across the face with the handle of his horse-whip.]
Pavol: Sweet jabberin' black goat of the thousand hills, you overshtufed popinjay! I tolds you what I knows.
Bohdan: Again or I shall reapply the supplications of my whip.
Pavol: It twas earl in the morn and I was sounding out the sturdiness of my tuber-cellar.
Bohdan [impatiently cuts in]: yes, yes you were inebriated and passed out from the debauched rites of your borderlands pagan rites of the night before. [Shudders and makes a two-fingered counter-swirling sign of the Sun Lord as practiced by the Reformed Orthodox Seventh Lodge.] Just what happened man.
Pavol: There was a screamin' and a yellin' something fierce. I armed myself fir battle with an over-large chleb-root and bravely strode out to meet the enemy.
But them was a quick buggers—and furry. A pack of wolves I tell you but like men. They were up on two legs and all a hollerin' and a hootin' between their big wolf fangs. And they were making a right bloody mess o' the colony village. Killin' and a hackin' away. If it hadn't been for that Svat-cursed malplaced cellar beam, I would have whip 'em a-plenty.
Bohdan: yes, yes, you craven drunken imbecile, you knocked yourself senseless running into it. But how do you account for a complete massacre of every inhabitant? And the failure of them to lift away the pay coffers and other valuables from Trnova? Are the Brazonians that daft and bloodthirsty?
[End excerpt]
Hussite Wars, Full Movie
The whole film of the clip I posted yesterday from the Czech film, Proti Vsem (Against All). Click on "cc" in the bottom right corner to get English subtitles.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Castle Blackmoor
challenged by the sergeant of the watch as he came to halt inside the bailey, "what news of the south?"
the asked. The courier wiped sweat and dust from his face and replied," Sergeant, I bare sad tidings from young Lord Roger, the village of Hasburgh is lost!" The sergeant commanded the courier to
wait where he was and then sent a runner to wake the lords Reeve.
Egbert Baron Fredrick's Reeve was startled awake by loud knocking at his chamber door, throwing
on his robe he called out to see what was the matter. He was briefly told of the courier that awaited
him in the castle bailey. Hurriedly he called his servants to dress him and wake the rest of the castle.
Rushing to the bailey he saw the tired figure standing beside the watch sergeant holding the sealed
message tube in his hand. He asked the courier to describe to him all that he had seen then said,
"the Baron will want to hear this from you, follow me."
Egbert led the courier into the main hall where the Baron was already seated. Baron Fredrick
always a large powerful man had gone fat in his later years but he had lost none of his wit or
intelligence. His dark eyes looked out under heavy brows as he stroked his full dark beard.
The Baron's full voice boomed, "what news Egbert?"
Grave news my lord, the village of Hasburgh has been destroyed and all the people are missing.
As Egbert told his lord this the courier knelt before his lord and held the dispatch out to the Baron.
Fredrick broke the seal and removed the parchment, and began to read his son's hurried but steady hand. The lord's face was drawn as he took in the grim report, at last he looked up at the courier
and said, "Your Tully's son James aren't you? "I my lord" the the courier replied surprised that
the baron would remember the son of a lowly archer. Fredrick had his man give all the details he
could recall then dismissed him to eat and rest.
The Baron sat deep in thought for several minutes then arose and began to give orders to his retainers,
sending riders to summon his banner men here. He dictated a detailed letter to the Lord Marshal and
to the lords to his north,east and west. The castle was now a rush in activity, riders came and went on the hour. The Baron was to gather his forces with in the week and march south........
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Village Of Hasburgh Destroyed
sight as they rode to the southern most part of his fiefdom. As his lance entered the north end
of the valley the village of Hasburgh located on the southern end was ablaze.
The 40 riders galloped their horses to the gate of the stockade that was torn down, Roger ordered
scouts to follow any tracks out of the village, he then ordered the rest of the men to search the
village.
After four hours of searching not one person living or dead was found, the scouts returned and
informed their lord that the tracks of a large body of men and horses disappeared at the edge of
the river to the south. The scouts estimated that the tracks were at least five hours old.
Roger sent word of this attack to his father but, he wondered how any enemy could take such
a well fortified village and where are the people? As is the imperial practise boarder villages
are surrounded with a stockade and have a watch tower manned at all times, furthermore the
village headman was a retired man at arms as were many of the other village men. It is the
custom within the empire to settle old soldiers on the boarder lands and to recruit their sons as
they come of age. These facts weighed heavily on Roger when thought that there were at the
very least 60 well trained men in this village and over 250 souls in total. The strangest thing
of all was that nothing of value was taken, helms, armor, swords left where they fell, shops
burned with goods left inside. The only thing taken were the livestock and people.......
Friday, February 24, 2012
In the Beginning!!!!
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