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26/01/06. Here we are at the beginning more or less of a New year, my DBM gaming and painting has been on the back boiler for nearly a year, Warhammer historical seems to have take over and I have managed to convert Paul also to WAB, I have even bought some Foundry figures.  The rules themselves are interesting, so much so, you can drive a horse and cart through them, but they are fun and simple, the supplements are nearly always good but beware there are some stinkers!

I am finishing off a generic Celtic army, 200 28 mm warrior foot and that is before you get to  the Chariots, Cavalry and skirmishers, I have all the figures it is just getting around to painting.  My purchases tend to be Carthaginians to go with the new Hannibal supplement, further ahead Pontics perhaps an Arthurian army to go with a soon to be released supplement and of course there are my Late Saxons, what is certain, is that there will be no new purchase of a Late Byzantine army! the painting would kill me!   

Vapnartak in another week or so!!

21/04/05.  Well at long last the operation is here, Tuesday 26th April, Lets hope that it does the trick, and then perhaps my employer will allow me  back to work, as my Insurance risk/liability will have been reduced.  so much for being a member of the management team!

The other good news is the the Sassanids are now finished and with the recent release of 'Byzantium, Beyond the Golden Gate' by Warhammer Historical, we may , and I only say may, have an army that might even allow me to win a game or so.

65 Cavalry, 103 Infantry and 2 Elephants.

I intend to put some photo's of the said Sassanids on my page in the near future but don't hold your breath.

12/02/05. 6.30 am thought that I would take the opportunity of updating the page, can't sleep due to the back pain and the painkillers have not kicked in yet!.  I have been off work now since the 7th November after a work related accident, this on top of two earlier back injuries has now put me up for what looks like a serious back operation, I have been told that there is no waiting list for this kind of operation which leads me o believe that it is more serious than I first thought.  Anyway enough of the morbid stuff and back to wargames!

Last Sunday Paul and I made a foray to York for the first show of the year at York racecourse (Vapnartak), now I have written before that this is a good show and this year as before it did not disappoint!  Not for us NDBML matches this time it was to buy stuff and wander round the stands, for me the excellent Gripping Beast stand for more Sassanids, Daylami's and figures for conversion for my Sassanids (recognise the theme?) and of course the WAB rules at last.  This was followed by a stop at the excellent ERM stand (Tony Barr) to collect my order of pre-cut WAB bases, he also market's metal 23 mm round bases that will do for skirmishers under WAB rules so two packs of those were duly purchased, some magnetic tape, steel sheet from Magnetic Displays and the Sassanid command pack from A & A range (Dave Thomas) featuring Shapur (Paul purchased that for me, birthday present) and that was that!!

Great day, NDBML games looked great but it was play or buy so we bought, this time!  Back gave me hell, Paul did the driving thank heavens, Paul purchased WAB rules like me but where I went for the AoA supplement he went for the 'Fall of the West' my next purchase will be 'Shield Wall' for my Late Saxons or if it is out in time 'Beyond the Golden Gate' for my Sassanids also for Byzantines, especially after seeing the figures from Gripping Beast, Paul got some excellent Wargames Foundry Romano British foot that will do for his Early Byzant Isaurians and of course more Malburians! 

First class show, great company and a great day out.    

Thanks Paul.......53 Sassanid Cav. painted and 4 foot

28/01/05.  Well we now have 44 Sassanid painted Heavies!  I must admit I have enjoyed painting the Persian figures, I know there is some dispute over their accuracy by the purists but for me they are just the thing!  I had hoped to use some of the A & A figures in my burgeoning army but the general consensus is that they will not mix so that is a shame as the scans look very good.  I must say that the list as printed under the Cataphract title needs work on it and I see that a number of other lists have been published which look more like the thing. 

02/01/05.  At last the 'Later Hungarians' are finished, this has come about because of my enforced sojourn at home due to an industrial injury, and at last finding the paints from the move in June and also purchasing others.

Looking back to last year, the obvious high point was the move from Oldham to Rhewl, the low points have been the injuries and my employment situation.  Gaming wise it's as bad with two  NDBML League matches (Paul and I were not at our best)  and with only a couple of games against Colin with very little painting as well.  I was going to purchase some 'Early Byzantines' from Museum Miniatures but with us watching the pennies due to me being on SSP that idea soon stopped, but instead I began to look through my mass of unpainted white metal  and behold what did I find... 51!! yes 51 Gripping Beast 28mm Sassanid Heavies!  These were purchased in 2002 when I had an idea of a 25 mm DBM army, but those nice guys at Gripping Beast had designed their figures so that they would not fit DBM bases.  Anyway I have decided try out the Warhammer Ancient Battles set of rules, Colin my wargame Guru assures me that they are easy to use.........

I had already painted 23 of the heavies and have just finished another 4 and with a judicious purchase or two from A & A I should have a reasonable army soon.......say 2006 or so! 

But first to take out a second mortgage and purchase the Rules and lists, only trouble is the list for Cataphracts which for some reason Sassanids fall under, is strange to say the least, but it could be just me! 

21/11/04.  The painting once again has come to a halt and that also means the gaming as well, I can put that down to the move and still having all of my collection in boxes in the workshop, but also the fact that I have two work related injuries.  However to make up for it I have this amazing countryside around me! (See Moel Famau) That's what I can see from my Window, there are the remains of a monumental tower on the summit. 

19/09/04.  Small addition to HOTT page.

16/09/04. Over six months since I have updated this page and so much has happened in that period!  Firstly we have moved at last! and we now live in a beautiful village on the outskirts of Ruthin in Denbighshire, every morning we wake up to a fantastic view of the Clwydian Hills.... must get that roof fixed.  However the move was a nightmare and something that I would not like to repeat

The Job is a job and enough said.  Lynn has turned forty and after a surprise party for her at our village's only Pub we went to stay at Portmeirion, you know, of Prisoner fame,  had a fantastic time with wonderful weather, well recommended.  Other things done this Summer have been White Water Rafting near Bala with Lynn and my Daughter Sarah (19) the Boys are too young for such excitement.  You should have seen the girl's faces when I told them I had booked the event for that day!, but after two runs they both wanted to go again!!

No painting done at all, in fact the paints and figures are all packed away for the time being, Lynn and I with other help are running Ruthin's Beaver Scout Colony and that will take up a lot of our time in the future.

04/03/04. The trouble with shifts, working in Wales and living in Oldham is that you never get a chance to update your Web page !  Anyway it looks like we may have purchased a house in a little village outside Ruthin in Clwyd, North Wales.  First game of the NDBML season in which we used Christian Nubians showed that Paul and I  had learnt little over the Xmas period.

26/12/03. Just a few minutes on the machine over the Christmas period, I forgot to mention the practice games I have had at the end of the year with Colin Betts, in every one he gave me a sound thrashing, so much for practice! 

16/12/03.  So much has happened in the last two months (apart from finishing those damn Serbs) that it is difficult to know where to start, so in no particular order, I have a full time position with Pannkrisp as a Shift Manager, we are trying to sell both our house and my Father's and purchase one in North Wales.

Consequently my gaming and painting have suffered having said that it would be difficult to play any worse than I have done this year.  The high point for Paul and I was winning (7-3) in the last match of the NDBML and winning the 'worst overall score over three events award'  

15/10/03.  Well it has been some time since I out put finger to keyboard, I have been busy but not with Wargaming and with very little painting either, I don't seem to have the enthusiasm to finish a small six element unit of Serbian LH for my Hungarians perhaps it's because the Essex figure just isn't right? 

04/08/03. Update to site with some pictures added and the start of an Army List page, this will reflect the lists that I and Paul use in the search of victory! 

30/07/03. Well Ceasefire has come and gone for another year, certainly my games this year were at both ends of the spectrum. (See Game Reports 2003) I used the Early Nubians, probably some would call them a “Wall of Crap” army but I enjoyed using them on the whole, and of course there was being the kudos in being presented with the ’Unluckiest General Award’!!

I’m seriously going to try and finish my Late Hungarians and then move on to Early Carthaginians perhaps I might start looking at another project such as Nikerphorian Byzantines

05/07/03.  Today the family and I went to the Royal Armouries at Leeds, if you have never been you don't know what you are missing! now that's what I call a day out, even the girls enjoyed themselves, my only concern is that part of the land that was the car park has now been turned over for private development and it does seem to detract from the exterior view. Came away with the Osprey book on the Ancient Assyrians, oh! dear I can feel a new army coming on.... 

The other night Lynn and I went for a 'Live entertainment experience' at the Ashton Hippodrome to see and hear 'Beyond the Barricades' which happened to be past members  of the cast from 'Les Miserables' performing songs from the musicals, excellent and perfect with standing ovations!!

29/06/03. With Ceasefire 2003 coming up very soon, I find myself in somewhat of a quandary on what 400 pt army to take for the singles competition?  I have been painting Arab spears of late so the idea of Berbers appeal but on the other hand my Early Nubians could do with a run or what about Christian Nubians?  Decisions, decisions I just don't know what to lose with!  

24/06/03.  Another extension to my employment contract this time till the end of August, see the game reports link on the left for the latest NDBML results for 'the less than dynamic duo'.

13/06/03.  Sad news, Fiasco at Leeds has been cancelled so the next round of the NDBML has moved back to MAWs at Manchester next Weekend, so Paul and I will sally forth to do battle, in the vain hope of a victory or two.  How's that for positive thinking!  Use the 2003 Game reports link on the left for the results of our endeavours!

06/06/03.  Latest efforts with the paintbrush have been aimed at more Late Hungarians, light horse (LH(F) & LH(O)) and Archers (Ps(O)), I need to purchase some Knights and Serbians and because Essex have made the conscious decision not to come north as often, ( I think the northern weather has a detrimental effect on their soft southern complexions ) that means mail order! also I finished a command group and the started the Bd(F) for the Axumites. Just for those that maybe interested, my erstwhile employers have extended my employment until the end of July 2003!  

26/05/03. Just got back from a weekend away which included a whistle stop at Partizan at Newark, It's the first time for a while that I have seen it so packed! ran into a lot of old friends such as Colin Rumford, Mal Taylor, Dale Rawson, Martin Buck and lots of others it was nice to touch base with them all.  Well the big news is that by late summer we should have the long awaited Rapid fire! Normandy special from Colin Rumford, he's about half way through taking the coloured photos and I believe the text is finished. On the painting scene I'm doing more for my Late Hungarians, Southern Dynasty Chinese and adding to my Christian Nubians so that I can morph them into Axumites.

05/05/03. Still suffering from mine and Paul's double defeat at MAWS in the Northern DBM Doubles league, the truth is that we just don't get to play the games anymore our last game was York on February 2nd. (How's that for an excuse!) 

24/04/03. Its been a long month since I put finger to keyboard but the good news is that I'm still in gainful employment at Pannkrisp, however the title has now changed to Interim Projects Officer!.  If Paul manages to get back from Greece in time and in one piece we will be sallying forth to do battle in the second round of the 2003 Northern DBM Doubles League this Sunday, you can expect to see my brief report next week. (Interesting to note that Paul went missing about the same time that Saddam did?)

17/03/03. Added new sub page to the Rapid Fire! page plus photos.  I have just noticed that the theme 'Blends' that I use for this page has come to the notice of the famous or infamous Tim Porter for his web site, fame at last! 

10/03/03. Myron came around last night and took some more photos, Pygmies for the HOTT page and Hungarians that I have spread through the site.  He has also taken some World War II and I will add those later to the Rapid Fire ! page.  It is nice to see that Essex Miniatures have used my idea about using the Moghul Flying carpet figure, and released it as a Arab Emir type in their recently released Camp series.  Makourian leads the way! 

02/03/03. Less than a month before unemployment!  Finished the painting of the figures for my HOTT Pygmy army, time I started the boy's High Elves.

18/02/03. New additions to the HOTT page plus some general tidying up

09/02/03.  Fantasy Partizan at Newark, took the family and we bought lots of fantasy bits, like more Elves for the boys, Dwarves for Lynn and more Pygmies for yours truly plus additions for our fantasy strongholds for HOTT.

06/02/03.  Received a package from one Robert Dunlop packed with Pass o' the North figures for my budding Early & Late Carthaginians,  Thanks Robert!

18/01/03.  Come the end of March I will have completed my six month contract with PannKrisp at Wrexham, that means unemployment beckons so if you are looking for a competent Manager or Buyer for short or long term contracts contact me 

On a happier note I should have some pictures to publish including more Hungarians and for the proposed Early Carthaginian army Ligurians. 

13/01/03.  Addition of a couple of new pictures to the Rapid Fire! page and some small text alterations.

06/01/03. Site Counter added to Home page. 

05/01/03. New additions to the site including 'Rant and Rave'

For all Battle reports from the beginning of 2003 use this link. 

01/12/02. Last weekend was the final game in the 2002 Northern DBM League held at the superb Tower Armouries at Leeds, Paul and I had to field a class three army so we decided to take my Early Nubians the post 1645 b.c. derivative with Egyptian mercenary troops. Our first game was against Anglo-Danes with Welsh Allies fielded by Richard Watts & Peter Davis.  I confidently informed Paul that they only had three commands (Well who expects an Anglo-Danish army to have four commands, and they did put down three die...at first!)  The idea was simple, use the single LH(F) element to hold one enemy wing of Sp(O)/Ps(S), we had the odd 30 elements of Bw(O) backing up our LH(F) so we felt fairly ok!  Their centre was made up of Bd (O) backed up by other troops on a hill, facing them was Nubian Wb(F), Ps(I) and Ps(S), not so sure here!  Their right flank was all Welsh ally, Ax(X) and Cv(o), facing them we had Bw(O), Ps(I) and Ps(O) plus a portion of the command was situated on a hill.  their forth command hovered in the back ground, I cannot remember  the make up, but probably Sp(I).

Plan (Of sorts!)

So our right would skirmish with their left and try and maximise casualties with bow fire as they closed.  Our left would refuse and hold around the hill awaiting the onslaught of the Welsh, and our centre would launch a fanatical attack uphill into the Housecarl blades!!!, talk about desperate!  

Events

Well what really happened is the Welsh became unreliable and remained so for the rest of the game, our opponents moved two elements of Bd(O) over from the centre to shore up the Welsh wing, however they didn't need to worry because we never had enough pips or courage to seriously help our centre.  With their right wing stationery the Housecarl Bd(O) on the hill in the centre came down to attack the Nubian Wb(F) with great expectations!! and guess what? the Nubians creamed them! but slowly. On our right we slowed their spear down but our archer's fire was next to useless and the spears began to kill Bw(O), time called, thank what ever Gods the Nubians worshipped!.

 Result 5-5, Nice guys, but lost opportunities on both sides.  

Game 2

This time against Sagar Kumaraswarmy & Thom Richardson with Kimmerian, Skythian or Early Hu (Massagetae hybrid. I think?).  There is not a lot to say about this game except that we were like 'Lambs to the slaughter'.  Sagar and Thom are very well organised and proficient, they took us apart with surgical precision, just using the LH(F) part of their Army.  The only good thing about the game apart from them being nice guys and teaching us about Wargaming with DBM!! was the fact that Early Nubians are a big army and take a long time to die.  Result 8-2 to them.

03/10/02. This is the second week at my new employment and it involves three hours travelling per day so everything else has had to take a back seat including wargaming. I'm now a Supply Chain Officer for a food company that supplies ASDA and J. Sainsbury.  Somewhat of a culture shock when compared to the Steel industry.

Went to Phalanx at St Helens the other week, nice friendly show came away with more Early Nubians from that nice Allan Lumley from Lancashire Games and some 25mm Pygmies from Kallistra, the idea of the pygmies is for a fantasy army to take on my lad's (Adam and Timothy) Elven armies.

09/09/02. More work on the Later Hungarians, I hope to be able to publish some photos of the said Hungarians in the near future.  Paul is working Hard on his Teutonic's and guess who he will be fighting first?

01/09/02. Sorry for the delay in updating the pages but there has been a lot happening of late, such as, I have found myself a job, I think! then Paul went on Holiday to France so that made a buggar of the next DBM round at Newcastle.  Keith Nathan stepped into the breach and offered to partner me, but then I had to pull out due to a last minute family commitment, but to make matters worse I was then offered an interview with Spartan UK .......at Newcastle on Friday!! 

Paul brought his Ghaznavids round to the loft for another game this time against my Dynastic Bedouins at 450 points, the Ghaznavids had a Rajput ally again and three commands but you really don't get many elements compared to a four command Dynastic Bedouin army especially if the Bedouin is irregular.  450 points is a bit big for the Bedouin and it takes a bit of handling, it still did the job on the Ghaznavids but I cannot say that my control of the troops was very Professional.  

Addition of new Photo to the Homepage.   

10/08/02.  I have a confession to make, my doubles partner Paul has just finished painting his Ghaznavids and he wanted a game last Wednesday.  To make matters worse he has a Rajput ally (Elephants, Kn(f), Bw(I) and Wb(F)) there's not a lot of troops for 450 points with that kind of army.  I wanted to use my Early Nubians (you know, lots and lots of Bw(O)) and surprisingly Paul agreed to play me! shows how desperate he was to get a game for his new army!  I defended with maximum ideal terrain, one command of mine never got into combat, his three commands bravely attacked my Bowline and Warband, twang!, twang!  and end of the game.  He could have skirmished me out for the evening but that's not Paul's style. It was a silly match up for a friendly and all my fault.  I do apologise to Paul, so next time I'm going to use my Dynastic Bedouins.   

03/08/02. Just back from a week in Northumbria with the family, sorry there has been little to report but what with the imminent closure of my Company, a visit to the Commonwealth games, holiday and the urgent need to find new employment then you can perhaps see that my mind has been on other things other than wargames, I hope you will forgive me.

Now this should not be construed as an advertisement, but if you get chance you should get yourself along to Northumbria, one of the Great Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms, home of early Christian England, packed with Medieval Castles, battlefields, Holy Island and friendly people.  We stopped near Berwick upon Tweed with its magnificent Elizabethan defences just a stones throw away from Flodden field where James IV of Scotland came to grief against the English host in 1513.  

Redundancy!!!!

20/07/02.  Well it has happened at last....Redundancy!  With the collapse of the Allied Steel & Wire (ASW.) Group recently, my company Manchester Steels Services will cease to trade and finally close on the 20th September 2002, until that time we will process and straighten steel as normal. The decision has not been made lightly, but with a worsening financial situation and a major customer now in receivership there was no alternative.  So on behalf of my boys and I ...Gissa job!!

16/07/02.  More of the same with the addition of a new link also see breaking news on Nubian Navy Manoeuvres on the DBM page.

15/07/02.  More pictures added to 'Photo Album' and to the 'DBM page', sorry to say that Colin let me down over the pictures (Joking, honest!) but my mate Myron Stepped into the breach! 

12/07/02.  Additions to the 'Places we like', 'Photo Album' pages and a general tidying up.

Would you like to see Colin's game winner for Britcon?? Sorry Colin but the truth must out! and your Public demand to know how big it is!!  The Big'un 

11/07/02.  His was really big, honest! Time intervened and he let me off with a 6-4 in his favour, high point for me was killing his Murabit Allied General (Sorry Colin, I hope I haven't given too much away) and all those lovely PIP scores, high point probably for Colin was breaking my Kn(O)/LH(O/S) Command. But I must say in my defence his was huge compared to mine!!

10/07/02. That nice Mr Betts has invited me round to his house for a nice friendly game in his bedroom! He says that he wants to try out his super weapon before Britcon in August. He Suggests that I use Later Hungarians and as mine are not finished he will provide the army and the list, isn't that kind of him!

But dear reader, do you think his intentions are honest and noble ? or will he take advantage of my innocence and virtue, not to mention the Hungarians !!

03.07.02. Website is uploaded at last!!

Latest Results

29/06/02.

Northern DBM Doubles League, 3rd Round at Fiasco I at Armley Leisure Centre in Leeds. 

Paul and I took his Class one army, Patsy R*m*ns (Eastern)

First game against Keith Murphy & Tim Kohler with their Medieval Spanish, good game with friendly opponents, 5/5 draw. (I should have sent the Kn(X) against the Bw(I))

Second game against  Tony Robinson & Jonathan Smith from Sunderland with Later Hungarians.  Once again friendly guys, but they outplayed us and they deserved the 10-0 victory.

Came away with 5 points but we had a first class day playing against some really nice guys.

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