I would like to wish all my regular blog readers (and their nearest and dearest) a Happy New Year ... and here’s hoping for a great 2015. It is a particularly important year for me as I shall finally be old enough to claim my State Retirement Pension ... and will officially become a Grumpy Old Man.
Good luck trying to claim your pension. I tried doing it online ... and had all sorts of problems with the Gateway. (It kept rejecting my individual passcode, then accepting it, then stalling, then going back to the beginning.) In the end I talked to a very helpful bloke and did it all online.
I get my first payment on 24th February, and from then on once a month thereafter.
Enjoy your Fuel Allowance; once my wife reached 60 years of age she got half the allowance ... and I only got £100 per year thereafter ... and still had to pay the bills!
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The First Rule of Wargaming and the Spirit of the Wargame
The First Rule:
‘Nothing can be done contrary to what could or would be done in actual war.'
- From 'The Rules of the Naval War Game' by Fred T Jane
The Spirit of the Wargame:
‘Wargames are played, for the most part, without the supervision of an umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual players to show consideration for other players and to abide by the rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the wargame.’
- Adapted from 'The Spirit of the Game' in 'The Rules of Golf' as published by the R&A Ltd.
Rescue - A Fantasy Forces Skirmish Game
-
Thanks to Martin S for suggesting a go at *Fantasy Forces, *a
"light-weight" (their words) skirmish type game aimed at introducing new
players to the ho...
It is the Fort that counts….Part 4
-
Despite a bout of the dreaded ‘white varnish on a newly painted model’
syndrome, I have finished the large coastal fort for my American Civil War
collectio...
"The Duellists" Inspired Project
-
A couple of weeks ago I watched Ridley Scott's " The Duellists". As
usual, it got me in a Napoleonic mood. I started looking for some
Napoleonic fi...
Now The Irish Engage
-
Interruptions, always interruptions! But the game carries on.
Friday should see the end of this affair, but another game should follow
soon after..
Sheffield CALF 2025 - Officers don't duck
-
James Langham put on his tactical WW2 game 'Officers don't duck' at CALF
2025. This covers platoon-company sized actions and is specifically aimed
at co...
Imperial Drug Running in the 1840s
-
It was about time I put my recently painted 1840s British to use in China
for the Opium War. When I wrote "Taiping Era" I confidently stated it could
be ...
A couple of face-to face games and a remote game
-
Most of my wargames are played solo, but over the past month I have had the
chance to play a couple of face-to-face games with my son and daughter, as
we...
2025 Update
-
Things haven't been great.
Illness in self and family members don't half muck up your schedule.
However, the paint brushes haven't been completely idle....
More Fantastic Scuffles
-
Nic sent through a new playtest version of Fantastic Scuffles last week, so
over the long weekend I played a couple more games and generated a pile of
ne...
Ingolstadt Campaign – Day Seven
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*Campaign Map*
French occupy Ingolstadt and win the campaign
7th French army – advance to Buxheim
8th French army – occupy Ingolstadt
9th French army – ho...
"Wo ist Waldow?"* A parade
-
*Not the German equivalent of "where's Wally" but something I rather
imagine the denizens of the Soldier King world to say - a rather obscure
Grand Duch...
ACW in 20mm
-
Played an ACW Game this morning with Anthony, my regular opponent, using
the Osprey With Hot Lead and Cold Steel rules and my 20mm collection.
Enjo...
Hawker Demon
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Sorry it's been a while since my last post - busy with work and other
stuff, meaning lots of screen time and a resulting disinclination to write
blog pos...
Red Metal: Nearly there...
-
I have managed further work on the rules, lots of tidying up and
simplifications. I have now completed the counters for the play test. The
pic above is ...
New Bear Range Kicked Off
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In my dwindling free time, I sometimes think about ranges I would finish if
there were interest. I’m more likely to have a free 10 minute block where ...
Warp Speed into 2025
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The last year has been quite challenging. I suffered a stroke in November
2023 and have spent the last year or so in recovery. I'm not there yet, but
do...
The Battle of Prokhorovka
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We’re re fighting the battle of Prokhorovka at the moment using Memoir ‘44.
This was the giant armour clash between the 11th SS Panzer Korps under
Mans...
Update and WIP
-
[image: Merry christmas wallpaper design]
Well, it certainly has been eventful, this year. Shortly after my last
post, far too long ago, some things...
Blog Closing…
-
This blog will be closing down on 1st July. I have a fairly expensive
hosting package that I no longer need as I am only running Black Hat and
selling pain...
New Accessions – tidying up …
-
So, 3 items under the camera … Chris gave me a P&G SU-76i quite a while
ago, and I’ve been meaning to get round to it … the SU-122 I did years ago.
It’s a ...
Solo Play Testing
-
The next Seven Years Wargame with the "Usual Suspects" has moved to the
right by a couple of weeks. One of our group, who has been unavailable for
a few ...
Fighting for Hearth and Home
-
When word came from the Watchers that the host of Iron Men in the pass had
taken the North East road, the Elder of Smawlton was quick to send word to
Duke ...
Warplan 5/5 Campaign System
-
I'm afraid I couldn't find a way to reproduce the snazzy double headed
arrow in 5/5 in the text so will have to do with this instead.
Warplan 5/5 came o...
Take the High Ground
-
“Take the high ground”. These were Captain Scarlett’s latest orders in the
ongoing campaign to repel the Teutonians from Albionia’s green and pleasant
lan...
Focus on 2020
-
*G*reetings my fellow wargame bloggers. Instead of doing the annual recap
of 2019 I'm just going to skip that and focus on what I plan to achieve in
this n...
Initial...
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...deployments.
Seconds out...first two rounds, of 15. In the Blue corner (US invaders):
On the right flank, a unit of US Regulars, an artillery battery, a...
I have been wargaming for as long as I can remember. One of the first toys that I was bought was a wooden fort that was garrisoned by assorted lead soldiers ... and I have never looked back!
The first wargames book I bought was CHARGE! (although I had taken out [and repeatedly read] Donald Featherstone's WAR GAMES book beforehand [and many thanks to John Curry for republishing it!]).
My first 20mm figures were the good old Airfix Guards Infantry and Band (in shocking pink!), soon followed by others as they were released, and by 1968, when I bought my first metal Hinton Hunt 20mm figures, I had a large collection of World War II figures, tanks, guns, and aircraft.
I was a founder member of WARGAME DEVELOPMENTS and have been the treasurer and membership secretary ever since. I have also organised – along with Tim Gow - the annual conference (COW – Conference of Wargamers) for more that fifteen years.
My main interests are wargaming any wars from 1850 onwards, although I have a special interest in Colonial, the Spanish Civil War, and World War II wargaming. I also have a special interest in wargames that use square or hex grids for movement and weapon ranges.
Happiest New Year to you too Bob.
ReplyDeleteI got my State Pension advice booklet today. I must read it sometime soon to see what applies to me and what doesn't.
In the meantime the Festive Season continues and there are still figures to paint too!
Jim Duncan,
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you and your family!
Good luck trying to claim your pension. I tried doing it online ... and had all sorts of problems with the Gateway. (It kept rejecting my individual passcode, then accepting it, then stalling, then going back to the beginning.) In the end I talked to a very helpful bloke and did it all online.
I get my first payment on 24th February, and from then on once a month thereafter.
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year. I'm claiming my fuel allowance this year - £200 in February - but State Pension still has to wait.
ReplyDeleteXaltotun of Python,
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your Fuel Allowance; once my wife reached 60 years of age she got half the allowance ... and I only got £100 per year thereafter ... and still had to pay the bills!
Happy New Year to you and your family.
All the best,
Bob
Happy New Year from Pete.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Bob! I hope that you enjoy every minute of your "Grumpy Old Man Phase"...you've earned it!
ReplyDeleteAnd to you sir!
ReplyDeleteAlan & family
Happy New Year
ReplyDeletePete,
ReplyDeleteAnd a Happy New a Year to you too!
All the best,
Bob
Martin,
ReplyDeleteA Happy New Year to you too!
One of the joys of getting older is the fact that you can be grumpy ... and people expect you to be!
All the best,
Bob
Tradgardmastare (Alan) and family,
ReplyDeleteI do hope that you all have a great NewYear, and that 2015 is a better year than 2014 was.
All the best,
Bob
Grigork,
ReplyDeleteMay I wish you a Happy New Year as well!
All the best,
Bob
A Happy New Year to you and yours , Tony
ReplyDeleteA.W. Kitchen (Tony),
ReplyDeleteMay I also wish you and your's a Happy and Prosperous New Year!
All the best,
Bob
A happy new year to you too
ReplyDeleteDannoc,
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for your best wishes, and may I personally wish you a Happy New Year.
All the best,
Bob