Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas to All --


I hope that you all have a wonderful day today. May the joys of the Season and the innocence of children wrap you in a warm happy mood . . . and may it continue into the new year.

And may all of that New Year bring each and every one of you good health and pleasant times . . . with lots of new toys and memorable games.

And, finally, yes, that is me in my "Santa" guise . . . and it is okay to smile at this funny old fat man . . . I don't mind at all.

-- Jeff

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Our 2011 Christmas Trees --

Last week we got both of out trees up.

Our "inside tree", as seen at left, is about an 8' Fraser Fir. We like them because while they are fairly full, they do have spaces where you make place ornaments "inside" them.

(note: try clicking on image for a closer look . . . well depending upon just how Blogger is treating photos today)

Our tree is mostly decorated with red and/or white ornaments . . . although there are many "specials" that we've acquired over the years.

This year's "special" is pretty much right in the middle of the tree. It features a cameo. As my Grandfather told me (and he said that his had told him), "the men in our family have always given cameos to the women they love".

Now while I've given my wife a few cameos, this was the first time I found one for our tree.

Out on our front porch we have a 6 1/2' artificial tree that must be close to 15 years old.

We have found that some larger seemingly garish ornaments (when seen up close) look good from the street.

A few of our other trees may be seen in some of my older posts. Click here for the 2009 tree. Click here for the 2008 tree.

Here is wishing that you may have a wonderful holiday season.

-- Jeff

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A Silly Injury --

A few nights ago I got up in the middle of the night to do something. I raised my left arm up to reach something as I was twisting to the right . . . and it happened.

I coughed.

Pain lanced from my spine along one of my lower ribs on my right side. Very sharp immediate yelp-out-loud pain. . . . all from a silly cough at the wrong time while I was doing the wrong thing.

I didn't pop the rib free from the spine, but I sure did mess up the intercostal muscles. You know, the ones that hurt when you breathe or move or (heaven forbid) cough.

So I've been doing little more than taking pain meds and sleeping . . . all because of a little cough . . . oh yeah, I also feel very silly too . . . but I can't laugh about it because that hurts as well.

*sigh*

-- Jeff

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Gout Strikes Me Again --

Yes, being very Eighteenth Century, I am once again afflicted with an attack of gout.

This time it is in my left ankle . . . and it hurts like something that would get this blog censored.

No, gout does NOT just attack the big toes (although those are common and very painful). It can attack in any joint. Besides the toes, I've had it in ankles and knees . . . none of which are any fun.

My only real other gaming news (as reported on Colonel Hud's Colonial Blog) is that my Afristan Campaign is currently in hiatus due to a serious health issue with one of the players (he is facing heart surgery on Monday morning).

Okay, I'll admit that I have also played a few sessions of 1st edition AD&D . . . well I did get my start back in the '70s with role-playing . . . and I've contributed the use of my figures to represent characters and bad-guys on the table top. But it isn't the same as "real" toy soldiers.

-- Jeff

Monday, October 31, 2011

(OT) Trick or Treat Report --

Well it was rather disappointing tonight ala "trick or treaters". Last year we had 108 T&Ters over a 2 1/2 hours. This year we only had 63 over a 3 3/4 hour window. That is 45 fewer than last year


I try to take photos of most of the costumes so that my wife (who is a semi-invalid) can get to see them later. Most kids came in groups like the one above (click on photos for a hopefully better view . . . depending upon how Blogger is dealing with photos this week).


The little fellow above was one of the first; and the girl below (who looks out through the hat) probably had the best costume. Overall it seems to me that we had far fewer "little kids" without a corresponding decrease in teenagers.


Now what are we to do with all of the left-over candy? Both my wife and I have Type II diabetes . . . so we can't eat it . . . ah, well, we'll think of something like having it out for gamers.

-- Jeff

Friday, October 21, 2011

My Paint Rack --

I primarily use "craft paints" . . . you know, the inexpensive ones that come in 2 fl oz (59 ml) plastic bottles. They are usually found in "craft stores" or "dollar-type stores".

Anyway some years ago I purchased a "Provo Craft Spinner Rack". It holds 160 bottles of these 2 oz craft paints. I have found it quite useful for easy view and use of these paints.

Still I had never come close to filling it until this week when my dear wife gave me her collection of craft paints (her "numb hands" prevent her from controlling her brushes) . . . which also explains some of the colors that don't seem very martial.


As you can see from the above photo of the "warm side" of the rack, each side holds 80 paints. (Hopefully if you click on it, you'll get to see a larger image; but Blogger keeps changing the way it acts when you do so . . . so who knows.)

The image below will show you the "cool side" which also contains the varnishes and metallics on the right hand side.


I got my on eBay . . . but you if you want to get one that way you need to take your time. Some folks want outrageous prices for them and others are quite reasonable. I think that I got mine some years back for around $30 plus shipping . . . but check out the cost of shipping before you bid on one . . . again sometimes that cost is unacceptable.

I would suggest that you check with any local craft shops first to see if they carry them . . . or how much they'd charge if you ordered one.

Below is an image of the side of the rack . . . so you can see the central post that the whole thing turns on. By the way, when full of paints like this it is quite heavy.


Finally you will have noticed that I've painted each lid the color of the paint inside. This is because paints can dry either lighter or darker than their "wet" appearance . . . and it makes it very easy to find the shade of color that I want.

By the way, while most come with white lids, some craft paints come with a "gold top" (such as the fourth ones down in the photo above). These I first paint white before painting their proper color on them.

-- Jeff

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Some Thoughts on My Rules --

Over the past few months I have been particularly enjoying Ross Macfarlane's discussion of rules on his "Battle Game of the Month" blog. He, along with Bob Cordery's "Wargaming Miscellany" blog, have had me thinking about my "Tricorne Wars" rules.

When I first wrote them one of my goals was to replicate the steadfastness of line infantry and the slow wearing down of their resolve . . . and I feel that in a way I succeeded in doing so.

The problem is that that also tended to slow up games. Units took hits and then rallied in place too often. Ross and Bob have me re-thinking that approach. I need to keep in mind the fact that I'm writing "game rules" not "copying history".

While I'm not quite sure just how I want to deal with this, I do know that I want to. Mind you there are lots of parts of my rules that I really like . . . but they do need some work in light of my recent convictions.

Finally, if you have not yet read Ross Macfarlane's most recent reworking of his "Hearts of Tin" rules, I certainly suggest that you give them a read. They were primarily written for the 19th century but will flex a bit on either end of that.

-- Jeff

Friday, September 23, 2011

(OT) A Poem of Mine --

The following is a poem I wrote . . . and read to my dear sweet wife on our first night together.

NIGHT SONG

- - copyright 1995, as an unpublished work, by Jeff Hudelson

Come walk the sky with me, My Sweet,
Let's see what wonders we shall meet
As we set forth at setting sun
And journey through 'til night is done.

We'll leave our clumsy bodies here
And dance tonight by yonder sphere.
Oh, yes, of course, I mean the moon,
That giant pearl that's rising soon.

So close your eyes and breathe out deep;
Let your skin feel Wind's mighty sweep.
Now just let go -- and drift aloft --
Carried up by moonlight soft.

You need not fear the ground below
When souls do walk the ether flow.
So open now your spirit's eyes;
And see the sights full of surprise.

See there that beauteous rosy glow?
It's where the sun just set, you know;
And still the clouds are glowing bright
With yon Apollo's fading light.

On other hand, where moon doth gleam,
We shall set forth 'long heaven's stream.
And sail into the starry dark --
Until we hear the song of lark.

For lark doth warn of rising sun;
And by dawn's light we must be done.
For Faerieland of glitt'ring sky
Begins to fade when sun is nigh.

But still there's time for us to dance,
Come, Sweet, we must not lose this chance --
Throw fear and caution far away,
Tonight it's time for us to play!

Below you, see the lights come on,
Houses lit with electric dawn.
They are but pale reflections, Love,
Of all the stars now bright above.

So let your slender spirit soar
And drink in the wonder evermore,
For all these stars are yours to keep
Within your heart when sound you sleep.

It is my joy to share with you
The sights that only gods can view.
Your hand in mine, we'll journey far,
Even unto the farthest star.

With wonder for our spirits' fuel,
We'll journey out where comets duel.
And talk to constellations bright
As, Dear, I give you all this night.

Ram, Bull and Twins, plus many more
Are here to share with you their lore.
Behold them there, before our eyes,
They've seen so much they must be wise.

They know of ancient mysteries:
They've seen the sights on heaven's seas:
They've watched as Civilizations fall;
And heard nine billion babies squall.

But all their wisdom is but lies
When measured 'gainst your smiling eyes.
Drink moonlight with me, Gentle Heart,
and we shall give cold stars a start.

For fires within me strongly burn
To dance with you in swirling turn.
To sing your beauty to the sky;
And share the bed wherein you lie.

Where better than where stars are dust,
Should ever we find to share our lust --
Our lust of life, of music, joy,
And what are we, but girl and boy?

I give to you, My Gentle Sweet,
All the wonders we've yet to meet.
And ask so little in return,
Please share the heart for which I yearn.

Our spirits journey side by side
As we do take this nighttime ride;
So let our souls give joyous birth
Unto our bodies back on Earth.

There let us join both hand and heart
And Life Together let us start.
Then let us sing out to the sky
Just like the sound that's pealing by.

What sound is that, in heaven's sphere?
Please let it not be what I fear.
Our lives are short, as is this night,
And that sound gives me such a fright.

It is, alas, I know, the lark,
That calls us back from heaven's spark
Unto our bodies far below.
Yet of this journey we shall know.

For this night's dance is ours to keep,
Until we're call'd to Eternal sleep.
So, Dear, I give to you this song,
To keep this night forever long.

I love you deep and long and true --
Body and Soul -- I truly do.
So let me give to you, My Love,
Heaven and all the stars above.


Friday, September 09, 2011

(OT) EARTHQUAKE --

So there I was, sitting at my computer when all of a sudden my head felt funny. My balance was off. I felt wobbly . . . like my inner ear wasn't working. This went on for a good 30 seconds or more.

Well it wasn't me. We had a 6.4 earthquake about 85 miles due west of us (and about 14.3 miles deep). But unlike some of our fellow wargamers in New Zealand, neither myself, my house nor my "toys" suffered any damage.

Earthquakes are funny things in that it really depends upon underlying terrain as to how much or how little one feels. Apparently some folks a hundred miles farther east felt it more strongly than we did.

I am in Courtenay, BC, Canada . . . on the east side of Vancouver Island (which is different from Vancouver -- which is on the mainland, not on the island). Click on the above image for a slightly better view.

Again, there is no damage to my toy soldiers.

-- Jeff

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

1st Colonial Campaign Game --

We played the first battle of our Afristan Campaign on Monday. A report on the action can be seen on Colonel Hud's Colonial Blog.

-- Jeff





Wednesday, August 03, 2011

(OT) Public Service Announcement --

My faithful "PC Concepts" ergonomic keyboard has finally packed it in after 15 years (and several computers). During that time my wife has worn out three (much more expensive) MicroScrap ergonomic keyboards.

Well they still worked for her, but the keyboard letters had worn off. If this has happened to you, there is a company that has come to the rescue.

"Buy PC Supplies" sells peel-and-stick keyboard letters that work very well. That's how we rescued my wife's MicroScrap keyboard this last time . . . and how we will now resurrect one of her old discards which I am currently using in place of my old faithful keyboard.

Sure, most of the time we all just "touch type" . . . but then there are those weird "codes" that we have to type in sometimes . . . and we need to look at the keys.

Anyway, the keyboard stickers are $17.95 USD plus shipping . . . a heck of lot cheaper than buying another MicroScrap keyboard with its planned obsolescence.

-- Jeff

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

New Colonial Post --

For those interested in my Afristan Colonial Campaign, I have just uploaded the results of the February 1876 turn. Click here to go to the post.

-- Jeff

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Starting My Colonial Campaign --

Well I've just started my Afristan Campaign over on my Colonel Hud's Colonial Blog. It is designed for myself and three other local gamers.

Afristan is a fictional large island in the Indian Ocean. It is ruled by a much-hated Sultan who has asked for British help to keep the lid on.

Interestingly enough various areas of Afristan have been settled by tribes and clans that echo the various natives that Britain faced in Africa and the Northwest frontier of India.

Anyone who wishes to copy this campaign for their own use is certainly welcome to do so. I should note that while I've modified the system found in Stephen Luscombe's Jarania for my own circumstances, that work inspired my own.

Finally I began painting my first couple of units of Zulus this past evening, since I do not yet have any painted.

Note -- I have now posted the January, 1876 Results on my Colonial Blog.

I have also posted the February 1, 1876 map, which you can see at left. (Click for larger view; click again for an even larger image.)

-- Jeff

Saturday, June 25, 2011

(OT) About Ancients --

For those of you who don't know, we currently have no mail delivery here in Canada. After a long period of fruitless negotiations, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers went on a limited strike. They would take off for two days in a rotating series of major Canadian cities.

After two weeks of this, Canada Post's management claimed that this had cost them $100 million dollars (a ridiculous figure -- if they really were losing that much money for missing a few days business in a few cities when they didn't have to pay any wages, they would normally be making so much that they could easily pay down the national debt) . . . so the Canada Post management locked out the postal workers and we don't have any mail service right now.

Anyway I am now awaiting a number of items that I'd ordered. Among these is "Hail Caesar", the new Ancients rule set. I am hoping that it will help me become re-energized about Ancients.

I got my start with Historical Miniatures back about the time that WRG 7th came out. I fell in with a crowd of fellows who were just starting out playing it . . . . And I started building armies along with them . . . and I collected and painted lots of them (mostly in 25mm).

By the way, while I enjoyed the mental challenge of WRG 7th at the time, I would NOT advise anyone to start playing them today. They have a very steep learning curve and do not in my opinion give a very good simulation of ancient warfare.

Later we switched to DBM, which I felt gave a better simulation of ancient warfare, but which I never really warmed up to.

Anyway I haven't played any Ancients (apart from a few DBA games at Murdock's) for at least 25 years . . . and since I have a lot of large painted armies, I am hoping that these new rules will re-excite me about the period.

Using the WRG List terms, some of the large painted armies in 25mm that come to mind (I think there are more) include:
  • Alexandrian Imperial
  • Hoplite Greek
  • Carthaginian
  • Syracusan
  • Feudal Spanish
  • Feudal Scots
I know that I also have unpainted lead for large 25mm armies of:
  • Indian
  • Gauls
  • Illyrians
  • Early Imperial Romans
  • Ayyubid Egyptians
  • Feudal Germans (partially painted)
In 15mm my painted armies include
  • New Babylonians
  • Hoplite Greeks
  • Early Germans
  • Late Imperial Romans
  • Arab Conquest
  • Feudal Germans
I also have a number of miscellaneous 15mm DBA armies . . . so when I come right down to it, I have a lot of reasons to see if I can re-ignite my long dormant interest in Ancients.

When the lockout ends at Canada Post, maybe the "Hail Caesar" rules will do that . . . and maybe not.

-- Jeff

Sunday, June 19, 2011

It's My Birthday --

Yes, strange as it may seem, I was actually born at 6:48 am PWT on June 19, 1948 in Carmel, California . . . so anyone who wants to draw my natal chart can now do so (although I've no idea of why you'd want to do so).

My dear wife did gift me with a few wargaming related items (okay, she asked me to order a few for myself and have them sent to her -- which I do much earlier in the year so that I don't remember everything and they can come as a surprise).

I got four DVD titles of note:
  • "Khartoum"
  • "The Man Who Would Be King"
  • "Zulu Dawn" (yes, I already have "Zulu")
  • "The Civil War", a film by Ken Burns (actually 6 DVDs)
I also got a number of non-wargaming books and "Flames in the Punjab", a radical variant of "The Sword and the Flame" covering the Sikh Wars of the 1840s.

And tonight we will be going out to dinner . . . so turning 63 isn't all that bad.

-- Jeff

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

My Dad in WWII --

My late father was Captain John Elza Hudelson, United States Army Signal Corps.

Don't rush to your history books, he's not in them although he served from before the war until after it.

He wasn't in a "war zone", but he did have a rather adventurous time during the war. For the most part (well, after OCS anyway) he was stationed in Central and South America . . . and this is what he said to me in the 1950s:

"I wouldn't trade my experiences during the war for a million dollars . . . and I wouldn't go through it again for ten million." . . . please note that that was when a million bucks was worth a lot more than it is now.

As an enlisted man he was on his way to Hawaii on a steamship when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred. The captain turned the ship about and returned to California, saying that the only weapon aboard was a .38 he had in the ship's safe and he wasn't going to sail into an active war zone with just that.

With the war ramping up, my Dad was sent to OCS and came out as a 2nd Lieutenant. He then shipped out to Panama. But being stationed in Panama didn't mean that he stayed there.

Like the bulk of the Signal Corps in Panama, much of his job was to establish and repair communications throughout Central (and northern South) America. I know that at one point he was even sent to the Galapagos Islands . . . and my mother has photos of those big swimming iguanas that they have there.

We also have the skin of a boa constrictor that dropped on him in the jungle. One of the things that he told me was that, while it is almost impossible to unwind a boa constrictor from the head back, it is actually quite easy to unwind them from the tail forward!

We even have a shrunken head that he got in Ecuador. (click on photo if you need a closer look).

We also have coins and paper money from all over Central/South America.

I don't recall which country it was, but he talked about one of the Central American nations whose currency featured an attractive woman. As the bills went up in value, she shed more and more clothing . . . it was a different time . . . and Dad couldn't afford the larger bills so all I ever saw was a single breast uncovered (note: not nearly as good as those old National Geographics).

Only once did he encounter an "enemy". His unit triangulated the signals of a German agent who was transmitting reports on the shipping passing through the Panama Canal.

It turned out to be an old German fellow who'd long lived in Panama, but who thought that he owed his service to Germany. He was unarmed and offered no resistance . . . indeed Dad said that the fellow was surprised that it had taken them so long to locate him.

In a way Dad's scariest moment came when he was detailed to fly as navigator on aircraft flying out to join a carrier. It took a while for him to convince them that he knew nothing about navigating and had never even been in an airplane.

It turned out that someone had transposed some digits on his MOS. He said that it would have resulted in the death of both him and the pilot (and the loss of the plane) if they'd had to depend upon him to navigate.

He also talked of trekking through jungle that most likely no white man had ever seen when they were sent out in search of a lost aircraft toward a "clearing" search aircraft had spotted . . . but when they got there, there was no crash site, it was just a clearing.

One of the more exciting things he was involved in was blowing up the locks in the Panama Canal. Oh, not for real, but with dummy charges that put out a lot of smoke.

As he told it, a new General had taken command and was not at all satisfied with the security of the Canal Zone . . . however the Colonel who'd been in charge of said security insisted that it was fine.

The same soldiers had been guarding the Zone (or at least the portion the new General was in charge of) for years. They knew what they were doing said the Colonel.

No. They were so bored by their duty that they no longer saw anything.

Anyway the new General called in the Signal Corps and Dad got the job of "mining" the locks with dummy charges that would go "bang!" and put out a lot of smoke. He said some of his men even wore political campaign buttons in lieu of proper identification tags . . . but the guards never noticed.

So, the General, with Security Colonel in tow, reviewed the locks . . . and Dad was given a signal and set off the charges. The Colonel was replaced and on his way stateside that night. After that, the soldiers guarding the Canal were rotated every few months.

Dad said that he got his Captain's bars for establishing a needed telegraph line to somewhere (I don't recall where). It was needed but hadn't been approved. Dad's Colonel gave him the job.

He told Dad that his platoon was on detached duty. He said that certain warehouses would not be guarded at a certain time and that the telegraph line was needed. So Dad had his platoon load everything they'd need up and went to work.

The telegraph line was in operation for six months before it was approved . . . and dad was a captain.

He had much to say about the diseases and the weather (nothing good) . . . the rain wasn't as bad as the humidity. And sadly he also had occasional relapses of some sort of tropical disease he'd contracted . . . one that would lower his temperature. He used to recount how the doctors would be constantly monitoring him and ignoring the guys with high fevers.

All in all, he had a rather eventful career. He never heard an enemy shot fired (although he and his men had times when they had to shoot native fauna). Which reminds me . . . in Central America if you ever eat "chicken" and notice that the "dark meat" is actually light; you aren't eating chicken . . . it's iguana.

-- Jeff

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

"Stylish Blogger Award" --

Clarence Harrison of Quindia Studios and author of the ECW rules, "Victory Without Quarter", has nominated me for the "Stylish Blogger Award".

Thank you, Clarence . . . at least I think so.

For, as Clarence wrote on his blog, "this award may be somewhat dubious since it comes with a 'chain letter' style rules requiring the winner to 'pass it on'."

Furthermore, a recipient (such as myself) is supposed to do four tasks:
  • Thank the nominating blog and provide a link back -- done!
  • Share seven things about myself, presumably beyond the realm normally covered by the blog -- see below
  • Nominate more blogs you deem worthy to share your honor. -- see below
  • Let those bloggers know you nominated them! -- will do
So let's see . . . seven things about myself that you wouldn't know:
  1. I worked as a Theatre Critic for a number of newspapers
  2. I like to fish . . . but the only "big" fish I've ever caught was a 127 lb marlin
  3. I cannot sing . . . but I've been paid to perform in several operas (many operas have non-singing speaking roles -- my best role was Frosch in "Die Fledermaus").
  4. I cannot play a musical instrument . . . but I've been paid to perform with symphony orchestras (Narrator in "Peter and the Wolf").
  5. My wife and I met on the Internet (in a spiritual chat site) some 15 years ago.
  6. When I was with a theatre group in Colorado, I participated in the 5th International Muzzle-loading Biathlon . . . and finished second over-all for shooting (only -- I'm slow on skis).
  7. I've been reading Science Fiction/Fantasy for over 50 years and still have every SF book I've ever purchased (yes -- thousands of them).
Okay, now I need to nominate some new blogs for the "Stylish Blogger Award". Now, while there are a great many blogs that I read and enjoy on a regular basis, I'm going to severely limit my list to a few that seem particularly special:
I strongly suggest that you visit the above blogs -- and do not limit yourself to their current posts, but sample many of their previous posts. Bill's blog should certainly benefit from starting from its very first post and reading forward.

-- Jeff

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Colonial Lead Arrives --

One hundred and twenty-odd Ral Partha Zulus appeared in my mailbox today. When added to previous shipments from Great Endeavors (who have the RP Colonials at great prices), gives me enough troops to begin my Colonial Campaign . . . well, they will once they're painted.

(click on the photo to left for a closer view; click twice for a better view of some of my Ral Patha "small 25s" guarding the Colonel's daughter who found herself in "a spot of bother" a few years back.)

Oh, I don't have nearly enough Dervishes (or Pathans, for that matter), but I figure that I can "flesh out" the Dervishes with Pathans (and vice versa) for a while. And at least now I've now got most of my Pathans painted.

Although I guess I should start calling the Pathans, "Pashtuns", which apparently is a more correct term.

Anyway, now I've got to paint bunches of Dervishes and Zulus . . . but I've almost got enough troops painted for the "Training Game" that I hope to run soon. All I need to finish is some civilians (I'm using Boers) and mules and muleteers. So hopefully that will happen relatively soon.

-- Jeff

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Help! Another Period Threatens --

I have too many wargaming projects as it is. You all know of my interest in the mid-18th century. And I'm concentrating this year on my Colonial Project. I have been acquiring lots of books about the English Civil War (a long range project). And, of course, I have a couple of dozen large Ancients armies; WWI aircraft; Pre-Dreadnought battleships, the "Old West" and various odds and ends.

So what did I dream about all night?

American Civil War miniature gaming! I don't have the troops or terrain or rules or any inclination . . . so why am I dreaming of playing them? (It looked like in 54mm too . . . a scale I've never even contemplated).

Why?

And why am I trolling the TMP ACW Message Board looking for comments on various simple fun rule sets?

Am I going mad?

I fear so . . . *sigh*.

-- Jeff

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Ugh! Gout Again --

Well, I've been very 18th century of late . . . at least my left foot has been (and continues to be). I came down with another attack of gout a few days ago.

For those who've never had it, count yourselves as lucky. It is very painful. While the typical area of attack is a big toe, it can strike any joint. This time it is my left heel. So I've been mainly confined to bed, but occasionally hobbling about the house with a walker, zonked out of my head with pain meds (that don't seem to allow me to sleep).

One of the most frustrating aspects of the meds is that coherent thought seems to be impossible . . . and one of the blessed aspects is that they really do reduce the pain.

All-in-all not much progress with anything . . . but fortunately the bout seems to be easing a bit . . . but it still HURTS.

-- Jeff

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Colonial Map Updated --

Those interested in following my Colonial campaign should take a look at my updated map at Colonel Hud's Colonial Blog.

-- Jeff

Friday, February 11, 2011

Colonial Blog Updates --

Over the past few days I've added a few posts to my "Colonel Hud's Colonial Blog" for those who would like to find out more about my Colonial project plans:

http://colonelhuds.blogspot.com/

-- Jeff

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

A Change of Pace --

After reading Stephen Luscombe's Jarania Campaign rules, I've decided to put together a somewhat similar campaign using my troops . . . and, yes, that means that I intend to concentrate on Colonials this year -- although be assured that I will not be forgetting the 18th Century (or those vile Stagonians).

By the way, Mr. Luscombe is the author of the extensive "The British Empire" website . . . which is well worth some time spent exploring it.

To the left you will see an early version of my heavily revamped campaign map. Each player will be responsible for one of the "rivers" (roughly a quarter of the map).

Each "river" command will contain nine territories . . . only one of which is truly under the control of the ruling Pasha.

The rest will, as in the Jarania rules, need a constantly roving Imperial presence. The longer a territory goes without being visited by Imperial troops the more likely it will be that they will rise in a revolt and attack.

If you look closely (click on image for a better view), you will see that each river has two settlements in a single territory . . . those are the "loyal" ones. You will also see some purple-outlined triangles . . . those are missionaries (and you KNOW that they'll get in trouble).

Each player will have some starting troops and slow replacements (sort of per Jarania) . . . and will have to try and keep the peace in their territory. Of course, when a battle does happen, the other players will get to play the Natives.

Of course there is a lot still to do. I'm painting more Pathans at the moment; then I'll have to paint Zulus, Dervishes and Egyptians . . . so it looks like I'll be spending more moola at Great Eneavors as I get a bunch more Ral Partha Colonials (via their subscriptions, which also allow one to get existing figures at a substantial savings).

I should have enough troops ready soon, so I'm hoping that a "learning battle" can be set up soon.

-- Jeff

Saturday, January 01, 2011

Thinking of Colonials --

Lately I've been wanting to play some Colonials.

And I think that I want to play some "The Sword and the Flame" as opposed to the rules I wrote about ten years ago.

Why?

Well because TSATF is a very good set of rules. It has been the leading (as in most played) set of Colonial rules for over 30 years . . . and, as in the photo above, fights often come down to a very exciting finish.

Okay, that's fine . . . but I have a problem.

I last played Colonials in California. I had (and still have) the Imperial forces . . . but my friend Bill S. had (and still has) all of the Native forces. So we're now 1200 miles apart and in different countries.

That means I need to get (and paint) a lot of natives before I can do much . . . *sigh* . . . so I guess that that will be one of my projects this new year.

-- Jeff