South Leicestershire Miners for VBCW

Here are the chaps of the Snibston Colliery Miners Militia ready for action. These fellas of the South Leicestershire Colliery Company are at the ready to help with the defence of the Leicestershire Socialist League and the Socialist Council of the City of Leicester. Armed with the ubiquitous SMLE Mk11 rifle and support from in the form of a Lewis, supplied by the Socialist Council, there main role is the defense of the collieries. The figures are from Ironclad Miniatures VBCW range Miners and are rather nicely sculpted with all of character especially with the faces. The only down side is the weapons especially the Lewis Gun which is a little strange, but all in all not a bad group and a nice addition to any Socialist forces. Well here they are.

I am off to Derby tomorrow for the Derby Wargames Show so if anyone is going please please shout at me, I be wearing my wargamers outfit of grey hair, glasses and overweight so I should stand out. Actually I will be sporting a badge with PanzerKaput on and a T-Shirt with the words Nuts on.

The Tigers get some Heavy Support

Now I love this weapon when I first saw it on Mutton Chop's website and actually got it straight away. Now that was over a year ago and with me getting some regulars I thought it was time to paint it up and add it yo my force. Unlike my regulars who are wearing battledress these chaps are actually in service dress but thats fine as the British Army was changing over at the time from SDs to BDs and I rather like SDs anyway. So here is the finished 20mm Oerlikon Cannon with crew.

Here is what it looked like back in the day

Here Comes the Leicestershires, Up the Tigers!

Having painted all manner of militias and irregulars over the past few years I thought it was time that I actually buy and paint for regulars of the Leicestershire Regiment. So to this end I got me a section of BEF Infantry and a Command pack for Warolrd to see what they were like and to fill in the missing gap in my forces. Firstly having looked on Warlords website I ave to say I was not totally impressed with their BEF Infantry for some reason, it was something to do with the way they looked, but at Partizan I got to see them in the flesh and I have to say They looked rather nice. Now they come with separate heads and in the pack you get a full 10 section. I now that at the start of the war the British section was not ten men, in fact it was either eight men or eleven men, but still it is a good number to be going with. Once the heads where added to the figures the models really came to life and I have to say they are sculpted with the best SMLE MkIII I have seen on any model. They are rather nicely sculpted with a good variety of poses that look rather natural and the uniform and webbing looks rather spot on. Here are a couple of photos of my chaps painted up.

Flags for my Scouts

I have got to the point where I have a number of different ideas for the Scouts flag and I am not sure which one to choose. But I think I have it down to these two. Now the question is which one will it be as both are based of real scout flags, I have added the symbols in the corners for Leicester. The other idea I have for them is to have both flags and change them about, one for the county and one for the city, what do you think.

VBCW at Partizan September 1st and Hands Off Our Richard

Yes its that time on year again and the second Partizan is shortly upon us and the Very British Civil Forum is putting on another Very British Civil War again. Here is the premise for the game.

Hands Off Our Richard

In the sleepy village of Wymonham some visits stop for refreshments at the Red Lion public house before going on their way. While enjoying the local Everard Ale a local has a look in their unguarded trucks and see tea chests and packages and wonders what they are. Over the local public radio a news report states:

“During the middle of the night some vandals and thieves have stolen the statue of Richard III for the Castle Park in Leicester just leaving a small note stating “He is OUR!!!”. Can the general public be on the lookout for a large man shaped object that is perceived to be covered and wrapped. The statue was ……………………..”

So the chap had another look and found that they were the missing statue and went back to tell his wife. Then he went to the phone box and called the Leicester City Council on the number that was given in the news report and they asked him to stall the visitors and they will send some people to collect it from there. So the bloke went back the Red Loin and let the air out of the tyres to stall the visitors from leaving.

However the telephone operator who put the call through listened to the call and then called The Duke of Rutland about this and the Dukes raised some of his forces to collect the statue.

In the meantime the wife of the local contracted the Local Defence Force Commander and he busied himself collecting together the volunteers together to collect the statue for themselves.

All this time the visitors, who had “northern” accents carried on their refreshments and readied themselves to leave just as the LDV and the others arrived on the scene.

Map

Now as some of you might know I live in the city of Leicester, actually on the outside of it in an urban village, and the latest ruling about where Richard III should be buried as gone to the High Court and the hearing is to be opened again and left to a panel of experts and privy councillors to decide. Now under Church of England law it should be the nearest consecrated land which happens to be Leicester Cathedral but the Richard of Third Society, who part funded the dig and the relatives of Richard III, who has been dead since 1485 and had no issue, want him to be buried at York. Now as someone who was not born in Leicester, I was actually born in Bedford, you would think what the heck, but this was discussed in Parliament before the bones were confirmed as Richard III and it is only since they have been confirmed that this stupid argument has happened. So this game is my little dig at the Richard III Society and the relatives with the statue being taken and the various sides fighting over him. Personally I think that Richard III should be buried in Leicester as that is where he has laid for over 500 years.    

Also this is the game but a little smaller that I am hoping to take to Blog Con in November

Partizan is Coming, Yippee

With Partizan coming up quickly, 2nd June in Newark, Mr Smillie of Dirty Paint Pots and myself have been working hard, okay putting things together, planning on making this game the best bloody game that we have put on. To this end we have do a poster come flyer explaining the game, the history of it and explaining that this is the fourth linked game the Attack on Leicester.

We have been thinking about the table which Mr Smillie has done as a vignette on his blog, and to make things a little more interesting than open fields, roads and houses we are adding some sheep and cattle of points of interest and have come up with the following rules to mix the game up.

I hope that do add to the fun for the players and make the table interesting and better than anything we have done before.

I have just found out that this friday my little blog is to be featured on House of Paincakes blog network in their Weekly Top X section when I will be happily discussing Very British Civil War to people. I was rather shocked to be given this honour and it shows that the world of VBCW must be making head way in America, lol, okay they like me blog.

The Duke of Rutland's Alpine Club WIP

Here is the first four figures completed for the DoR's Alpine club. Now being a good member of the King's inner circle and all and a member of the BUF he has forged links with some Bavarians chappies to help with his cause in ridding the Socialists from Leicester and the East Midlands. The reason for these link is two fold, firstly extra help, weapons and expertise at someone elses expense and secondly as these chaps are catholics it helps in keeping Lord Quenby on his side and shows a willingness to support the Catholic coarse, politics hrmm.

These chaps or rather Burghers are Baron Von Flinkenstinchen and is personnel from Bavaria, which make up the command of the unit. Shortly these will be followed by the units specialists once I have decided how to paint them. I am hoping and aiming for them to be finished by Partizan on 2nd of June, but in truth I bet they won't be finished.

He is the Baron and the rest of the command.

Baron Von Flinkenstinchen

Sergeant Weisswurst, Veteran of the Great War and the German Civil War

Sergeant Steiner, the Baron's groundskeeper

Doctor Brezeln

Hesh's Hosiery is Open for Business

I have actually finished Hesh's Hosiery factory and it is ready for both Partizan and my better half, she is the one who wanted it. The factory is from Warbase as are the roof tiles and I have to say I am rather chuffed with it as it has turned out better than I hoped for. The rendering with a bit of a pain to do as I wanted that 1930s factory look and I think i have got it. It is a big building about the size of two of Warbases terraces side by side but it does look good. Well its over to you chaps.

May Day

A message for the Socialist Council of the City of Leicester

Fellow Brothers
Today is May Day, a day of celebration of the Socialist cause but today we have found that the Duke of Rutland is mobilizing his forces once again and is planning an assault on the city directly. As the Fascist forces of the King are planning their assault shortly, it is looking likely to June 2nd, (Partizan), the socialist council is calling out to all brothers to come support and help with the defense of the city. So Brother are you prepared to let the city and its valuable industries fall into the hands of the Fascist government of the King? This would be a great loss for the socialist cause and means the King will have a strong and important foothold in the Midlands with the Social councils of Nottingham and Birmingham coming under threat.

So Brothers are you willing to lend your support to save the city?  

From the Socialist Council of the City of Leicester, member of the Midlands Socialist League. 

Remember to celebrate the People's Day Brothers.

Chaps just to let everyone know its Partizan soon, June 2nd, and once again Mr Smillie, myself and the good people of the Very British Civil Forum are once again putting on a game, The Assault of Leicester. So if you are interested in joining the fun or simply just coming to the show, please let me know.

The Duke of Rutland's Mobile Artillery

Here is the latest device for the Duke of Rutland to help crush the Socialists in the city of Leicester, a mobile artillery piece. Having received aid from Moseley's government for the attack at Houghton on the Hill, (the last Partizan game), the Duke purchased a 3' naval gun to mount on his yacht. But this gun was too big and cause the yacht to be unstable, so the Duke "acquired" a stream truck from the local brewery, Ruddles Brewery, and mounted the gun to this. Now the wagon is being mobilised to be used in the Assault of Leicester, (the nest Partizan game).

The Hedges of Leicester

I have started on the miles and miles of nice, trim, municipal, city hedges and I am think of doing 12ft of them and then see how it goes after that, I am hoping that 12ft is enough but we will see. So far I have managed a whopping 2 and 1/2 foot of the things and thought it would be nice to get for views on them. They are rather simply made from a green scouring pad, from the best and finest modelling supplier, Wilko, cut to a inch tall and pulled to buggery in all directions, painted black, drybrushed green and the applied Noch leaves in two colours, dark and light green, to it. Here are the results and please feel free to comment.

The Bishop of Leicester's Guard

Continuing the Humberstone Militia series the next up is the Bishop of Leicester's Personal Guard. These chaps armed uniformed in the blue serge uniform of the British Army Parade Dress which they acquired from the Leicestershire regimental stores. Then the uniform had cuffs and collars added in pale blue, the colour of Canterbury and armed with Long Barrelled Lee-Enfield Rifles. With the Bishop of Leicester being a believe of the Anglican League cause he allied himself rather early with the Leicester City's Socialist Council as it is better to fight the Edwardite forces from a position of strength and fight with rather than against the city. These fellows have been at the forefront of some the attacks against the King's forces, being some of the best troops the city has, but this is more down to believe in a cause than any real military training. Everyone in the unit is a Great War veteran though and this has helped the unit in the past. So here they are.

The Bishop of Leicester's Guard

The Bishop of Leicester's Guard

Also here are the first prints or rather test prints of the Event Cards for Went the Day Well for the June Partizan game. I have printed then on 220 gram card and they seem to have the right "feel". I have to say that I am rather pleased with the way they have come out and though they are not exactly aligned, something I have now sorted, I think that they fit the bill. There are sixteen different cards which should be more than enough and I am going to get a slightly heavier card and try then out to see if there is any real differences.

Event Cards for WtDW for Partizan

Event Cards for WtDW for Partizan

 

The Completed Leicester Trenches

I have completed the trench works for the Partizan game, all six foot of them. I have to say that I am rather pleased with the way they look especially when laid out on the tabletop. I have taken some pictures of them in "action" so to speak. I cant wait to see them in action specially when laid out with the rest of the table.