ALY MORRISON'S "BUTTERFLY" ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF WARGAMES AND TOY SOLDIERS

Sunday, 15 November 2020

New Stuff... Terrain,Books and a bit more Nostalgia.

 Greetings...

Over the last couple of weeks I have taken delivery of some more lovely things...

I suspect my post person is getting a lot more exercise these days...

First up is a terrain mat from Geek Villain...

https://geekvillain.co.uk/collections/gaming-mats


This is it straight from the package... there are some crease lines visible but I draped it over a clothes rack in a warm room and most have disappeared , I think the remainder will come out with a light iron.

I saw this on Phil Robinson’s blog...

http://newsfromthefront-phil.blogspot.com/2020/11/in-with-new.html

And thought I would try one...I chose the same one as Phil... Sicily.

My plan is to use it for my 3rd Century Roman games rather than construct a lot of new desert boards.

I really like making terrain but I am getting a bit short of space so if this works out I may get some more.

The Butterfly thinks this is a good idea as it opens up opportunities  for lots more pretty desert based toys.😂

Next up are a couple of books from Osprey.

https://ospreypublishing.com/store/military-history/series-books/men-at-arms



I have no plans whatsoever to dive into either of these periods/subjects but I have always found them interesting... (Yeah if you believe that I might even get you to vote for me in the next election)

I have had a quick look through them and they are what I would expect from Osprey.

Last we have a touch more nostalgia...

Well I say nostalgia but when I was a lad this kind of publication was well above my pay/pocket money grade...

Seventeen and sixpence.... I think you could buy a car for that back in 1969...

They are absolutely filled with useful stuff... I wish there were magazines like this nowadays.

Here is a pick of what I consider the highlights...






Flutter Flutter Flutter...

I am busy painting shiny things and tomorrow Mharaid and I have planned another FaceTime session so she can continue stomping all over me in our current game...

All the best    Aly

 



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35 comments:

  1. Jonathan Freitag15 November 2020 at 22:39

    Good looking mat. You know, that Osprey on the Boshin War caught my eye too since it reminds me of the movie, "The Last Samurai."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:32

      I have not seen the film but I believe it is set around the Satsuma Rebellion...
      So far there are no mentions of Tom Cruise in the historical accounts... there was however a French Officer involved in the Republic of Ezo 1868-69... after the Republic was overrun by Imperialist forces he made his escape and eventually returned to France...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Mark Strachan21 November 2020 at 04:17

      Is there a mention of a certain Scot called Connolly in the book?

      Delete
    3. Aly Morrison21 November 2020 at 15:09

      Alas Mr Connolly makes no appearance...
      There actually was a Scotsman who contributed to Japanese history... but not as a sword wielding samurai...

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blake_Glover

      Delete
  2. Norm15 November 2020 at 23:01

    I like the Sicily mat, I bought the ‘39 one and am also pleased.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:33

      I am looking forward to getting mine on the table...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  3. Rob Young15 November 2020 at 23:07

    New stuff is always good. Terrain has always been a weakness of mine - trying to build up these days but it has a lot time to make up! I generally go for basic stuff - lots of S&A Scenics stuff, https://scenics.co.uk/ , but I think books and things I should keep away from - got way too much, lots of it 19C...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:44

      I have always tended to make most of my own terrain but with all the lovely products out there I may be changing my approach a bit...

      I think I am to much of a Bibliophilie to give up buying books... I have however over the years had clear outs... only to find myself buying some of the books all over again.😱🙄😂...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  4. Unlucky General15 November 2020 at 23:13

    Aly, it's clear to me you are already managing your lock-down more than competently.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:46

      There is one thing for certain... I will never get bored...😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  5. marinergrim16 November 2020 at 06:53

    Nice Aly. Funny, but I've been having similar thoughts about magazines recently too. Most of the current mags have been little more than an expensive way to fill my recycling bin and yet purchasing some old Military Illustrated have had me riveted.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:54

      As much as I enjoy reading modern /current wargame magazines I very rarely feel any desire to go back to them again when I am finished... but my older...’vintage’ publications get regular revisits...
      Having said that I haven’t actually bought any new magazines since March...😲

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  6. Matt Crump16 November 2020 at 07:54

    Lots of nice stuff Aly which is good to keep up the spirits in these difficult times 👍

    ReplyDelete
  7. Phil Robinson16 November 2020 at 08:21

    Pleased the mat did not disappoint, I hung mine over the bannister rail, the crease dropped out over night. A couple of esoteric periods covered in those Ospreys I thought I was bad🙂.
    I think magazines these days are a sign of the times.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 19:59

      An excellent recommendation old chap...
      Of course these periods are only esoteric to us...
      To the countries involved it’s history. 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  8. David16 November 2020 at 08:57

    If Phil and yourself like the mat I'd think no further recommendations would be needed. As a student teacher Tradition was beyond my Grant as well...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:05

      Thank you David...
      I get the feeling that the target audience were collectors of uniforms, arms and armour as opposed to boxes of Airfix ACW miniatures...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  9. rross16 November 2020 at 09:35

    That's a nicely coloured mat Aly. 17/6 in 1969 - I was 7 at the time but that is a LOT of money - not a car but certainly more than anyone other than a "gentleman" would have had to fork out on a magazine about historical uniforms - I would seriously imagine that would translate into £25 or more in todays money for one magazine!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:22

      I think I got about 5 shillings for a paper round in 1969... it may actually have been less... I hated it...
      I can’t imagine the 12 year old me saving up for a month or so to buy a magazine...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  10. Phil16 November 2020 at 09:47

    Wow, this mat looks great!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ed M16 November 2020 at 13:13

    Well, seeing this wonderful clutch of Tradition mags has brought on a similar bout of nostalgia for those days--and brought a halt to a recent urge to purge old paper. On the contrary, time, they're just the thing to have on hand to get through this winter of the plague until the vaccine (fingers crossed) is available this spring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:33

      They certainly evoke... an imagined... more elegant time...

      Back home from ‘the club’ , pour a brandy and peruse the latest copy of Tradition...
      If only...😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  12. Pan Janek16 November 2020 at 14:58

    The gaming mat looks graet! Is it in a form like a mouse pad? I find these as the best one. I'm now having a dilema if to make a new "desert" modular table, or get few of these.
    The Tradition magazines look great. Will have to dig some out on the ebay.

    Best wishes,
    Jan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:38

      The gaming mat is made from felt... I would say it weighed a lot lighter than the ‘mouse pad’ versions...
      Am not sure how modular a desert would have to be...
      The magazines are well worth a look...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
    2. Pan Janek18 November 2020 at 14:31

      As to the modular table I thought of standard 2x2' squares, with desert, but not flat. Rather 3D with some hills, rocks, road marks, oasis etc, that could be moved around and have changed setup. Just like the "standard" modular table, but with rocky desert ;-)

      Best wishes,
      Jan

      Delete
  13. caveadsum147116 November 2020 at 16:13

    Nice books, of course you're not starting a new period, I believe you implicitly! Lovely posh old mags too!
    Best Iain

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:40

      You are perfectly correct... honestly... no really I mean it... you can trust me...🤔

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  14. Moiterei_198417 November 2020 at 18:21

    The map looks excellent and I'm very much looking forward to your exploits in the Italian-Turkish war ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison17 November 2020 at 20:44

      It actually looks quite interesting...
      I’m doomed 😳

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  15. Jason20 November 2020 at 17:54

    Some lovely acquisitions there Aly. The mat looks especially nice. Those old magazines do look lovely. I have to say that the Osprey Japanese book is probably the first one I have seen on the topic of Samurai etc not written by Stephen Turnbull! I clearly don't research that period enough!
    Best wishes,
    Jason

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison21 November 2020 at 15:12

      Stephen Turnbull has indeed written a lot of books on the subject but It’s nice to see new writers getting involved with the period and Osprey...

      All the best. Aly

      Delete
  16. Mark Strachan21 November 2020 at 04:21

    Great acquisitions Aly...you just have to love those Tradition mags though...so wonderfully presented and great to wade through the old advertisements...they can be equally nostalgic with names like Greenwood & Ball, Lamming...

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    Replies
    1. Aly Morrison21 November 2020 at 15:17

      Thank you Mark...

      I was surprised to find out that you can still buy copies of the magazine from Tradition of London...
      https://www.traditionoflondonshop.com/Magazine_and_Books&osCsid=p98uk7j6ojujst9iej1hv7gv23

      The are not cheap though 😁

      All the best. Aly

      Delete

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