Follow your spirit, and upon this charge Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!

Despite a nasty fever (102 degrees yesterday, down to a manageable 100 today) I felt I couldn't let the 600th anniversary of Agincourt pass by without  some fun and games in the newly recommissioned wargames HQ. So I broke out DBA and gave it a bash. I don't have 100YW armies so my Wars of the Roses and Burgundians stood in for the action.

Things went fairly according to "plan", although some poor die rolls on the part of the English as battle was joined made it look a bit iffy for a while.

However, normality was restored as good King Henry despatched d'Albret for the 4th element killed and victory once again went to the English.

Just curious to see that my green sheet looks blue in these photos - obviously the ground was pretty waterlogged :)

Goodbye XH558

Today was a bittersweet day as Vulcan XH558 made her final "tour of the South". I went up to our local airport at Staverton between Gloucester and Cheltenham to join a thousand or so other Vulcan enthusiasts see the old girl stage a flypast of the airport and the Jet Age Museum. I got there early and spent a while watching some of the other traffic, it was surprising how busy the airport is. We were also entertained by a Pitts Special which took to the skies a few times and did impromptu aerobatic displays, often very low and often just seconds after takeoff (for example 3 complete rolls between wheels up and before reaching the perimeter fence)

After a long but pleasant wait in the semi-sunshine XH558 hove into view over Gloucester for a single fast pass along the runway, waving her wings as she went, then off in a roar towards Brize Norton and her next appointment.

It was all over in a minute, but it was well worth the wait. There were quite a few damp eyes at the airport, I can tell you.

Stingray at Blast tastic

Today has been a lovely day spent in the sunshine at Frampton where I have been a fence judge at the FFRC Hunter Trials. Great fun, and spoilt with plentiful supplies of tea and cake during the day :)

But yesterday saw the latest (and probably last) public outing of my "Stingray" participation game at the Blast Tastic sci fi wargames show in Bristol.

We got through a few very enjoyable games using the latest "tweaked" rules and it was interesting to see the development in tactics that the new rules encouraged (especially counter missile tactics). My planned pit crew had to drop out for various reasons but I was ably assisted at short notice by Chris, Neil and the "mystery wargamer" - many thanks chaps.

Of course these games themselves have led to a few modifications which I've implemented today. I think now very close to being the "final" set (until the next time, anyway!)

Blood Moon

Nothing to do with wargaming, I managed to remember to wake up in time to see the lunar eclipse this morning, And what a nice sight it was at some silly time just after 3am. Lunar photography still eludes me but what I managed to snap this time wasn't too bad I think :)

Will try for a better one in 2019!

Doncaster - Day 2

So, the second day at Doncaster and after a lovely breakfast we closed up at the air museum for more games. I played Chris Haigh's "Frigate race" game, pitting my HMS President against four other ships in what was supposed to be a race around all the islands but ended up rather shorter than that.

Other games included an Operation Pedestal WW2 game and a WW1 seaplane game with the Germans trying to sink a British submarine.

The lurgy did its best to kill me off during the morning so I called ENDEX and headed home at lunchtime, but I did manage to finish off the Vulcan part of my weekend with a visit to the aircraft's hangar at Robin Hood airport for some happy snaps :)

Doncaster - Day 1

This weekend I am at the Wings of Glory weekend at the Doncaster Air Museum. I came last year and was struck down by a particularly nasty bug and sod it, its happened again. So as I write this I have a temperature of lots and I'm dosed up on Beechams.

This has of course put  a bit of a downer on the gaming side of the weekend, but regardless today has been a rather lovely day.

The first game at the event that I played in wasn't Wings of Glory, it was Sails. A "fleet action" (actually four ships, one first rate and three 74s a side) where a late call to go independent spelt disaster for our RN squadron. Fortunately some deft manoeuvring (after piling into each other) and some lucky chit draws had my 74 force three of the Frenchies to strike and in so doing won us the game - and me the prize (which was coincidentally the same kind of ship as I was driving in the game). Alas I wasn't in a photography mood so no pics.

Game #2 was a WW1 two seater bash. But I dipped out of this to head over to Robin Hood Airport to see the Vulcan depart for her display today at Southport. As many readers will know this is the last year that the Vulcan will be flying and we missed out on seeing her at Old Sarum when she suffered a fuel leak last weekend. So it was basically see her today or never again.

What a sight!

Well worth bunking off the game for. And having seen her go I was on the verge of heading back when the nice old chap with the lovely daughter to whom I was chatting said "wait until she returns, it'll be worth it"

How right he was, as the Vulcan made her approach the went back to full power, gear up and away for a fast pass across the airport and around again. And the second time a "bolter" as she touched down and then back to full power and back into the skies again to come around for her third circuit, anding and back to the hangar. Apparently this extra "mini display" happens rarely, if ever, and I felt quite privileged to see it. And it brought a tear to many viewers' eyes.

Saying my goodbyes I returned to the air museum where a massive WW1 dogfight was taking place (nearly 30 players, "respawning" aircraft and the biggest single game I've played in). Unfortunately the room was baking hot - one of the younger players keeled over with heat stroke - I was going downhill fast and I never really got into the action, so it wasn't as much fun for me as it should have been, but the others had a great time and everyone won a prize

So now off to bed and Beechams, hoping tomorrow is another - and rather less germ-ridden - day!

A Short Time Ago....

.. at a supermarket not far away...

Just back from the weekly grocery shop at Tesco where I discovered that the old Star Wars Micro Machines have been spruced up and reissued as Episode 7 models. I understand there are at least 2 sets out there but the only sets available at the time contained two TIE Fighters in the new black/dark grey and pale fins scheme and two of the new model X Wings. I think the other set includes two X Wings, a Y Wing, TIE/Adv and a TIE fighter, presumably the original models (as it is entitled "Trench Run").

As before the models fit very well with FFG's X Wing range, and thanks to FFG's policy of putting just about everything son their website to download it is possible to get everything you need to play these ships with the game. They don't come with flight stands but the undersides of the models have the holes from the originals so they are easy to stick on whatever stands you have to hand, As with the originals the lasers on the X Wings are a bit bendy but I think the application of some hot water should sort them out nicely.

Also included are a couple of pilots (one Imperial, one Rebel, and a Stormtrooper "skiff" thing with a heavy laser or similar "50 cal"ish weapon. Ideal for SW skirmish gaming or, if you aren't into this, for general 15mm skirmish gaming as they look like they'll make ideal downed pilots and recce units.

Not bad for a tenner and it would seen that Clubcard holders might get something more off them as I got a £3.19 voucher for my next shop :)