News from the Front! – COW2009: Odds and Ends 2

I spent some time over the past few days sorting out the stuff I brought back from COW2009. Besides the money and cheques given to me by people who have already booked for COW2010 (18 to date!), I bought some bits and pieces from Nick Huband and was given a couple of books.

Solferino 1859

Richard Brooks very kindly gave me a copy of his latest book for helping him produce both the game SOLFERINO IN THIRTY MINUTES and the PowerPoint presentation for his talk A TRANSITIONAL WAR – ITALY 1859.

This was an unexpected gift, and I look forward to reading it sometime during the next few weeks.

Donald Featherstone’s Wargaming Airborne Operations

This is one of the latest additions to John Curry’s HISTORY OF WARGAMING PROJECT reprints. John gave me a copy because he had very kindly included my wargames rules RED FLAGS AND IRON CROSSES – TARRED AND FEATHERSTONED as an appendix to the text of Don’s original work.

Don read my rules and I understand that he was quite complimentary about them, which is why, when he suggested that they be re-titled for the book TARRED AND FEATHERED, I had no objection … well I couldn’t be churlish and refuse him of all people, could I?

20mm – It may be passé but I love it!

Knowing that I love 20mm/1:87th scale figures and models, Nick Huband contacted me before COW2009 with the offer of a large boxful of ROCO Minitanks and 20mm AIRFIX figures. He duly turned up with a large cardboard box brimming with models and figures that Tim Gow and I split between us.

A column of ROCO Minitank Tigers, following an armoured half-track and Kubelwagen, are about to pass between some ordinary German Infantry.

Tim had all the US tanks and vehicles whilst I had all the German tanks and vehicles as well as a large number of old 20mm AIRFIX German and British infantry. All had been painted to a very reasonable standard and will be appearing on my tabletop in due course. Nick also gave me several boxes of painted 15mm World War I figures – all of them Americans – which I hope to rebase in the near future for WHEN EMPIRES CLASH! He charged me a very reasonable price for the stuff he sold me, and I intend to put it all to good use as soon as possible.