Small additions to my Belle Époque project

Late last year, a trip to our storage unit yielded some interesting finds, including some figures that would be suitable for inclusion in my Belle Époque project. Whilst waiting for my recent eBay purchases to be delivered, I dipped into these figures and renovated, varnished, and based the following figures:

Burgundian Republican Guard Cavalry squadron ...

... and Republican Guard supply column.

The pre-painted cavalry figures were given away by a Spanish wargame magazine some years ago, and after a simple repaint of their jackets from green to blue, they made ideal figures for a Burgundian Guard cavalry unit. The vivandière figure came from the same source, and with the addition of an Essex Miniatures pack mule, made an ideal supply column for the Burgundian Guard.

Two mounted generals for the army of the Khedivate of Zubia, ...

... three generals for the army of the Sultanate of Sahel, ...

... and a general for the army of the Sultanate of Harabia.

The two Khedival generals are old Peter Laing figures whereas the other generals were all made by Essex Miniatures.

Erith Model Railway Society Exhibition 2026

Yesterday, Sue and I attended the first day of the two-day Erith Model Railway Society’s annual exhibition. It was held at the Harris Garrard Academy in Thamesmead, Bexley, and ran from 10.00am to 5.00pm.

The Erith Model Railway Society's logo. It depicts Invicta, the twentieth steam locomotive built by Robert Stephenson and Company in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. She was built in 1829 and hauled the first passenger-carrying train on the Canterbury and Whitstable Railway on 30th May 1830. She was withdrawn from service in 1839, and eventually placed in storage at the Ashford Works of the South Eastern Railway... and thus became the first preserved locomotive in the world. She was restored in 1892, and from 1906 until 1977 she was on display in Canterbury. Invicta was cosmetically restored for a second time in 1977 and now resides in a specially-built museum in Whitstable, Kent.

Compared to most local wargame shows, I felt that it was about the same size as – for example – Cavalier at The Angel Centre, Tonbridge but that the attendance was greater. The site used is a secondary school, and there was plenty of on-site parking. The various exhibits and trade stands were spread over the school’s central atrium area and the surrounding classrooms, and the school’s cafeteria was open and provide somewhere to buy refreshments and somewhere to sit.

There were eighty-nine exhibitors and traders, with most of the former being club layouts ranging in scale from O-gauge to OO9-gauge. Many of the traders were selling various ranges of new and second-hand model locomotives, rolling stock, and accessories, and I resisted the temptation to buy several cheap bits that I saw on sale and restricted my purchases to some laser-cut OO-scale garden shed kits (I got four for £6.00) and some precision glue dispensing bottles.

The entrance fee was £10.00 each and I felt that it was well worth it. I will certainly consider going next year if I can … and I picked up flyers for three future model railway exhibition that will be held in Kent later this year.

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Some of my regular blog readers might be asking themselves why I didn’t take any photographs at the exhibition. The answer is very simple: it was just too crowded to be able to do so. Some of the exhibits and trade stands had two or three ranks of people trying to see what was on offer, and an elderly man with mobility issues (me, in other words!) needs space to stand and – if possible – brace themselves so that they can use their camera. As it was, I was almost knocked over a couple of times by people who were not looking where they were going and had one of my walking sticks knocked out of my hand by an enthusiastic small child who was running from one exhibit to another.

The army of the Kingdom of the Obele is finished!

I finished basing the army of the Kingdom of the Obele, and it looks like this:

I hope to use this army in a battle with some troops from Sahel in the near future.

Acquiring more figures for my Belle Époque project

I have been trawling through eBay for more figures to add to my Belle Époque project and have made two purchases that I hope will enable me to expand the Army of the Commonwealth of Britannia.

If everything goes according to my plan, the army will acquire an additional cavalry regiment and an overseas service brigade that includes two infantry regiments and an artillery regiment. My working titles for this brigade are the 'Britannic Army of Chindia' or the 'Britannic Expeditionary Brigade'. I will decide which to use once the figures have been renovated, varnished, and rebased.

There might be several surplus figures and I will try to find a use for them, possibly for another small army or as additions to one of my existing Belle Époque armies.

A very convincing scam avoided

From April last year, hybrid petrol-electric cars registered between 1st March 2001 and 31st March 2017 became subject to vehicle tax of £20.00 per year. My car falls into this category and the vehicle tax on it is due for renewal by the end of this month. I received a renewal reminder by post just after Christmas and I put it to one side and put a note in my diary to renew my vehicle tax before it was due.

I was therefore somewhat surprised to receive a total of five daily email reminders from the DVLA (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency) to renew my vehicle tax, including a hotlink to the relevant webpage on the DVLA’s website.

Now, I’m a careful person and I am always wary about following hot links from unsolicited emails, even though they look official … and these did look very convincing. I therefore checked the email address that the emails had come from … and they were NOT from the DVLA!

If I had followed the hotlink, I would have been duped into giving my debit card details to fake website … and no doubt my bank account would have been cleared out before I realised it.

I was lucky … and decided to share this story with my regular blog readers to make sure that none of them fall for this very convincing scam.

A new Belle Époque army: The Kingdom of the Obele

I recently bought a small 15mm Zulu army via eBay and I have begun the process of renovating, varnishing, and basing it so that it can become part of my Belle Époque collection.

I decided to select a name for the army's country that I had previously used for a tribe in the colonial imagi-nations project that featured British Dammallia, German Mankanika, and the Sultanate of Marzibar ... and thus the Kingdom of the Obele was created.

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The Kingdom of the Obele

A history of the Obele

The Obele originated in what is now part of the Sultanate of Sahel but migrated south many centuries ago. Small groups spread out over the fertile grasslands, and these groups gradually developed individual tribal cultures. Fighting between these tribes was rare and was usually about the ownership of cattle or the use of grazing land.

A century ago, the chief of one of these tribes – Kasha – gradually began consolidating control over the other tribes and eventually became their paramount chief or king. He named his confederation of tribes the Obele … ‘the people of the grasslands’. The current king of the Obele is Mopande, the grandson of Kasha.

The economy of Obeleland

The economy of Obeleland is almost entirely agrarian. They grow millet, sorghum, maize, and vegetables as well as raising cattle. The latter are a measure of wealth – the more cattle a man owns, the wealthier he is – as well as being a vital source of protein and leather. In addition, the Obele supplement their diet by hunting and foraging.

The Obele also undertake a degree of trade with outsiders. They exchange precious stones and metal – particularly diamonds and gold – for cloth, iron goods, and firearms.

The armed forces of the Obele

The army of the Obele has the following units:

• Infantry
• 1/1st ‘Thunder Sticks’ Regiment
• 2/1st ‘Thunder Sticks’ Regiment
• 1/2nd ‘Lions’ Regiment
• 2/2nd ‘Lions’ Regiment
• 1/3rd ‘Leopard’ Regiment
• 2/3rd ‘Leopard’ Regiment
• 1/4th ‘Scorpions’ Regiment
• 2/4th ‘Scorpions’ Regiment
• 1/5th ‘Hunters’ Regiment
• 2/5th ‘Hunters’ Regiment

(NB. The 'Thunder Sticks' Regiment is armed with single-shot rifles and muskets.)

The army is organised into the following formations:

• Obele Tribal Army
• 1st ‘Thunder Sticks’ Regiment
• 2nd ‘Lions’ Regiment
• 3rd ‘Leopard’ Regiment
• 4th ‘Scorpions’ Regiment
• 5th ‘Hunters’ Regiment
• Total bases = 10; Total SPs = 40 SPs

The operation that didn't happen

If I seem to have been a bit distracted of late, the reason is easily explained: For some months I have been waiting for a minor operation on my prostate.

I was diagnosed with prostate cancer March 2023, and since then I have undertaken a course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as well as a TURP (Transurethral Resection of the Prostate). Last year I came down with a serious UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) that showed that I was experiencing a very small amount of bleeding in my prostate. This was investigated by a very senior urologist, and after conducting a flexible cystoscopy, he discovered that my urethra had tiny protuberances. (He insisted that I look at the images on the screen, and it looked like a cave with stalagmites and stalactites.)

He suggested that these protuberances should be removed to stop any future bleeding and booked me into the Blackheath Hospital (a local private hospital that undertakes some NHS work) to have a rigid cystoscopy. The appointed day for this procedure to take place was Thursday 15th January, but before this, I had to go to the hospital three times (Thursday 7th January, Friday 8th January, and Monday 12th January) for various tests and an anaesthetic review. These indicated that I was fit enough for the operation to proceed, and at 4.00pm on Thursday 15th January I arrived at the hospital by minicab and was booked in.

I was taken up to my room, and after a short wait a nurse visited me to take my blood pressure and a urine sample. She also gave me a gown to change into as well as compression stockings and bed socks to put on.

After she had left, I was visited by a member of the catering staff who went through the dinner and breakfast menus with me and took my orders for both. The urologist then came to see me, went through in considerable detail what the procedure entailed, and after I had checked the details, I signed the consent form.

I was then left on my own for about twenty minutes, during which I got changed ready for my operation. I was then visited by the anaesthetist (not the one who had conducted my anaesthetic review) who was – somewhat to my surprise – still dressed in her street clothes, including her coat and gloves. She quizzed me for some time about my previous experiences of being anaesthesia ... and then announced that she thought that she had better read my file!

She returned twenty minutes later – still dressed in her street clothes – and asked me another lot of questions. She seemed rather distracted and unhappy with some of my answers, and after about five minutes she excused herself and left.

Another thirty minutes passed ... and then the urologist returned and informed me that the anaesthetist had some reservations about the lack of an onsite ICU (Intensive Care Unit) or HDU (High Dependency Unit) and was not willing to allow the procedure to go ahead. He apologised for this, and made it very clear that he wasn't very happy with the anaesthetist's decision. He then told me that he would try to reschedule the operation but at another larger, local hospital.

Once he had left, I changed back into my clothes, phoned Sue with the news that I my operation was not taking place and that I was coming home, but before I left, my dinner arrived! As I hadn't eaten since breakfast and was very hungry, I ate it with gusto. I then collected my discharge form from the nursing station, handed into the reception desk as I left, and by 7.00pm I had taken a minicab home.

For reasons that I will not go into, I dread having anaesthesia, and ever since the date for this operation was set, I have been feeling increasingly stressed. This got worse as the day approached, and I barely slept during the night before. However, by the time that I had signed the consent form and got changed, I was calm and ready for the procedure to take place ... and then it didn't happen! By the time I got home, I was feeling alternately annoyed and relieved in the full knowledge that I am going to have to go through this all again in the future.

A surprise parcel!

On Tuesday a courier delivered a parcel from my old friend and fellow blogger, David Crook ... who writes the A WARGAMING ODYSSEY blog.

It contained x unpainted resin buildings that will work very well with my existing collection of wargame buildings and especially my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project.

It also included two painted buildings from the range of pre-painted FLAMES OF WAR terrain items ...

... and a copy of Avalon Hill's THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN.

The latter will make a great campaign map for my Eastern Front/Great Patriotic War project.

This was a wonderful present ... and has given me lots of things to think about over the next few weeks. Thank you David!

Junction Jeopardy by Henry Hyde

I've always been a fan of Henry Hyde's wargame books, and several already adorn my bookshelves, including MARTINSTAAT 1744: A DETAILED WARGAME CAMPAIGN SET IN A FICTITIOUS WORLD, THE WARS OF THE FALTENIAN SUCCESSION, WARGAMING CAMPAIGNS, and THE WARGAMING COMPENDIUM. When I read that he had just published a new book – JUNCTION JEOPARDY: LINKED GAMES FOR ANY HISTORICAL OR FANTASY SETTING (COFFEE BREAK CAMPAIGNS) – I just had to buy a copy … and I’m very pleased that I did!

In the book's blurb, Henry makes the following point:

Junctions have been crucial both tactically and strategically ever since the dawn of warfare. Whether it be the ancient Plain of Megiddo, Mortimer’s Cross, Quatre Bras, Chancellorsville or, indeed, The Battle of Heartbreak Crossroads in 1944, the point at which major thoroughfares meet will always be significant.

The book is split into 6 main sections:

1. Introduction
2. The Campaign Area
3. World War 2
4. Horse & Musket
5. Additional Ideas
6. The Individual Maps

The book contains nine maps (and I think that the book is worth buying just for them!) arranged in a 3 x 3 grid. The central map contains the junction that gives the book its name and the others show the approaches from the north, northeast, east, southeast, south, southwest, west, and northwest. The maps are described as being generically European and are suitable for most places that enjoy a temperate climate. That said, with a bit of imagination they could be used for more arid parts of the world.

The maps are drawn to a scale of Movement Units (MUs) and are all 6 MUs x 4 MUs. This makes it easy for users to scale them to suit their table size. For example, if you have a 6' x 4' (180cm x 120cm) table, a MU is 1' (30cm) ... and if your table is 3' x 2', (90cm x 60cm) a MU is 6" (15cm).

The sections covering World War 2 and Horse & Musket contain ideas for different types of mini-campaigns that can be fought over the maps (Encounter, Attack/Defence, and Retreat by Stages) and suggested movement rates ... which are all expressed in MUs. For example, Infantry moving on foot on even ground move 2 MUs and Infantry moving on foot across rough ground move ½ MU.

This is the first of a planned series of similar 'Coffee Break Campaigns' ... and I look forward to buying each of them as they are published.

(The series is named 'Coffee Break Campaigns' because the cost of the hard copy is roughly equivalent to the cost of a coffee and pastry from a high street coffee shop.)

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JUNCTION JEOPARDY: LINKED GAMES FOR ANY HISTORICAL OR FANTASY SETTING (COFFEE BREAK CAMPAIGNS) has 24 pages and was written by Henry Hyde and published by Gladius Publications (ISBN 979 8 2619 5688 4). It is for sale via Amazon for £8.50.

Some new 'Dominion of ...' books

I have just taken delivery of two of the latest books in the 'Dominion of ...' series of fast-play rule books. They are DOMINION OF THE TRENCHES: FIGHT BATTLES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR ...

... and DOMINION OF BLITZKRIEG: FIGHT BATTLES OF THE EARLY SECOND WORLD WAR.

The former includes scenarios for fighting the following battles:

• Battle of Mons 23rd August 1914
• Battle of Tannenberg 22nd to 30th August 1914
• First Battle of the Marne 6th to 12th September 1914
• First Battle of Ypres 19th October to 22nd November 1914
• Battle of Tanga 3rd to 5th November 1914
• Second Battle of Ypres 22nd April to 25th May 1915
• Battle of Gallipoli (Landing at Cape Helles) 25th April 1915
• Battle of Gallipoli (Lone Pine) 6th to 10th August 1915
• Battle of Salaita Hill 12th February 1916
• Battle of Verdun 21st February to 18th December 1916
• Battle of Lake Naroch 18th to 30th March 1916
• Battle of Lutsk (start of the Brusilov Offensive) 4 to 6th June 1916
• First Battle of the Somme 1st July to 18th November 1916
• Battle of Romani 3rd to 5th August 1916
• Second Battle of Arras 9th April to 16th May 1917
• Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) 31st July to 10th November 1917
• Battle of Mahiwa 15 to 19th October 1917
• Battle of Caporetto 24th October to 19th November 1917
• Battle of Beersheba 31st October 1917
• Battle of Cambrai 20th November to 7th December 1917
• Second Battle of the Somme (German Spring Offensive - Operation Michael) 21st March to 5th April 1918
• Battle of Amiens 8th to 12th August 1918
• Battle of Megiddo 19th to 25th September 1918
• Battle of Vittorio Veneto 24th October to 4th November 1918

The latter book contains scenario for the following battles:

• Battle of Shanghai 13th August to 26th November 1937
• Battle of Khalkhin Gol 11th May to 16th September 1939
• Battle of Mokra 1st to 3rd September 1939
• Battle of the Bzura 9th to 19th September 1939
• Battle of Suomussalmi 30th November 1939 to 8th January 1940
• Battle of Narvik 9th April to 10th June 1940
• Battle of Sedan 10th to 15th May 1940
• Battle of Gembloux Gap 14th to 15th May 1940
• Battle of Arras 21st May 1940
• Battle of Sidi Barrani 9th to 11th December 1940
• Battle of Tobruk 10th April to 27th November 1941
• Battle of Thermopylae 24th April 1941
• Battle of Crete 20th May to 1st June 1941
• Battle of Bialystok–Minsk 22nd June to 9th July 1941
• Battle of Smolensk 10th July to 10th September 1941
• Battle of Kiev 23rd August to 26th September 1941
• Siege of Leningrad 8th September 1941 to 27th January 1944
• Battle of Moscow 2nd October 1941 to 7th January 1942
• Battle of Jitra (Malaya) 11th to 13th December 1941
• Battle of Bataan (Philippines) 7th January to 9th April 1942
• Battle of Singapore 8th to 15th February 1942
• Battle of Toungoo (Burma) 24th to 29th March 1942
• Second Battle of Kharkov (Ukraine) 12th to 28th May 1942
• Battle of Gazala 26th May to 21st June 1942

That's quite a lot to get one's teeth into, and I look forward to playing many of the above over the next year.

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DOMINION OF THE TRENCHES: FIGHT BATTLES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR and DOMINION OF BLITZKRIEG: FIGHT BATTLES OF THE EARLY SECOND WORLD WAR were both written by Stephen Parker and published by Ork Publishing. They can be bought online in PDF format from Wargame Vault (cost £4.40/$5.90) and in paperback from Lulu.com (£6.40).