A make and mend sort of day...

The current state of the War Room

...or in actuality, more a make and mend sort of week. I've been pushing away at a re-organisation in the War Room for the last while. Sorting the Napoleonics has been a big job and trying to get everything fixed to sabot bases and in boxes has taken ages. There's still quite a bit left in it and I'm finding one of the really tricky part is working out when a box is finished. 

I can fit nine bases of troops in a single A4 document box and of the time this is easy. Nine units of French line, all done. The point where it gets tricky is working out which sorts of units go together when I have less than nine. My master plan is to attach labels to each unit and to each box, so that each unit will have a permanent home. 

The problem is of course, if I cram nine units in every box, what happens when I add that one last unit for a particular scenario. A certain amount of wiggle room is required.  The trick is how much. 

Russian Napoleonics/Crimeans 

I took deliver of the last few drummers and officers for my Napoleonic/Crimean crossover Russians from Old John this week and I will get motoring on them shortly. The uniform is simple enough, so I expect Mark will blast through them depending on how much work he has on.  In fact sorting out the Russian army is another one of my jobs as it is entirely possible that I might be able to play some of the Russian scenarios relatively shortly. 

Of course, the business of earning a crust has conspired to tear me away from hobby pursuits. 

I've always really like this scene, though paperwork is rarely as entertaining as this. There's just so much of it. It's like a tidal wave of ironing. There's always more to do. 

It's from Hot Fuzz, which is a wonderful movie and one you should see. 

And then there's this, which is just superb. Mrs. Kinch was making Shepards Pie last night and forgot that she only had four potatoes. She added turnip, swede and carrots to the mash and a dash of tobassco to the mince and frankly gentlemen, Empires have fallen for less. Wonderful stuff. 

Looking for an ID.

Mrs. Kinch's great uncle got this recently. He's an avid collector of militaria and found this carte de visite in a junk shop. 

He reckons that this chap is certainly Second Empire, isn't any more certain than that. I reckon that he may be a Garde Mobile, but I'm certainly willing to be proved wrong. 

Any better ideas? 

Multipurpose Russians

A tray full of Russians

It might seem a bit previous to be working on Russians before we've played all the scenarios in the Spanish expansion, but not only am I thinking ahead with regard to my Napoleonics, the little grey cells are positively vibrating with wizard schemes for the Crimea. 

These chaps are all being prepared to be sent off to Mark as soon as the last few standard bearers and musicians arrive from OldJohn. 

I shall have to write a review of this one, it's holding my attention so far. 

In fact this whole idea started with OldJohn, who has a lot to answer for frankly. Essentially it started like this, Old John pointed out that the undress uniform of the Russian army stayed essentially unchanged for about fifty years. While the Russian infantry of the Napoleonic Wars wore shakos and gaiters and all that, they usually kept them packed away for good wear. Victory marches that sort of thing. 

In the field, they were more likely to wear a sort of flat cap like the one pictured above and a great coat. This uniform persisted and was still worn during the Crimean War. 

Now as it happens, I have five or six battalions of Napoleonic Russian infantry in shakos and fine fellows they are too. However, I realised that if I added some units of flat capped infantry, not only would it finish off my Napoleonic army - it would also give me the start of a Crimean army. 

Note the Crimean era Russian trying to do for one of the Light Brigade.

To be honest, a lot of this Crimean fancy has been spurred on by Bob the Painters 20mm Douglas Miniatures blog, which is about his extensive Crimean collection. This blog is a treasure trove of beautifully painted 20mm Crimean war figures and is criminally under-subscribed, so I would go have a look if I were you. 

A Russian infantryman (or possibly a gunner) next to an artillery caisson

Speaking of blogs that are worth a look, Uwe's History in 1/72 blog is always worth reading, but it featured a particularly interesting post about an exhibition in Germany about the Napoleonic wars 1813-1814.  There are some wonderful pictures there, both of artifacts and of model soldiers. 

Note the chap in the curiously Crimean uniform in the picture above. 

2014: Plus la change

This cat and I have a great deal in common

So, 2013 is in the can and we're gearing up for the new year. It's been a fairly tumultous year here, but from a wargaming perspective there have been a couple of major changes. 

- The War Room. I didn't have a room in which to play games this year and I think it showed in the number of games that were played and the fact I made far fewer blog posts. That is not to say that we didn't get to play games, there was Little Wars and the Cabra-Kildare War and plenty of Cold War shenanigans. There just wasn't quite as much as I would like. 

Better set my mind to changing this. 

- The Cold War Project is beginning to take shape. I still have a lot of writing to do on this, but its beginning to reach a sort of critical mass. A lot of preparation and reading have gone into this one. 

- Writing. I got a lot more writing gigs in 2013 than I did in 2012, almost exactly twice as many in fact. A great of this has got to do with Miniature Wargames and many thanks due to Henry Hyde for taking pieces from me. There have however, been a few commissions that weren't for Miniature Wargames and weren't even wargaming related, which were nice.  More on them anon. 

No luck on fiction unfortunately and not on the novel front, but I shall simply have to apply myself. 

- Napoleonic Armies. Despite the fact that we got precious few games of Napoleonics in, my Napoleonic armies have grown quite considerably.  The Spanish are almost done and are simply lacking a few units here and there. The Russians are certainly over the half way mark and thanks to the purchase of some complete units from Krisztian, I've made a start on the Austrians.  Quietly confident, that we will at least get through the Hundred Days and all the Spanish scenarios this year. Possibly not the cavalry engagements that require ridiculous amounts of horse, but quite a few. 

- Rogue Trader 40,000.  There have only been a few games of this in 2012 and I'm not sure that Savage Worlds wouln't be a better fit for the kind of rpg with figures sort of games that I enjoy running. However, as a means of getting to play games with old friends, most of whom don't care for historicals, this has been a great success. 

- The Sword and the Flame. If I have a wargaming regret for 2013, it's been not playing more of this game. We've only managed two games and they've both been crackers. Raising forces for this may take a while, but I think it will be worth doing. 

There have been other ups and downs outside this wargaming life. 

- The house is further along and we're almost done in the kitchen and bathroom. The War Room just requires decorating, but the structural stuff is all done. 

- Mrs Kinch and I are both fitter and trimmer than we were last January.  This has come with its own challenges, I spend vastly more time stretching in the gym than I used to, but there have been concrete improvements in my strength and stamina in the last twelve months. Consistency and forethought are key. Mrs Kinch is still working away at swimming. 

- I've managed to achieve more of a work/life balance and become a more regular attender at Church, the lack of which was making me unhappy.  I've also managed to get more involved which is good. 

- I'm learning to drive and I am well on my way to sitting my driving test this year. Passing it will be another story of course. 

- I passed a professional exam, which I'm happy with. 

- Mrs Kinch has had more professional success in the acting line this year than ever before despite a number of quite serious health scares.  I am fiercely proud of this. 

All in all, we've a great deal to be grateful for and can look forward to the rest of 2014 with cautious optimism. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year, may it be blessed, peaceful and prosperous. 

- 

Merry Christmas

The aftermath of the carol service

Last nights party was a roaring success, everyone was very impressed with the War Room and how the house has progressed. It was great to see everyone and the drinking, chatting, dancing and merriment lasted long into the night.  There was also some very nice wargaming related loot - which will have to wait for another post. 

. 

Santa is on his way

I woke feeling slightly delicate - though Mrs Kinch who is made of sterner stuff had risen early. She advanced on the prostrate Kinch with eggs and bacon and list of jobs that needed to be done. We had a wonderful day. We took in the Nine Lesson & Carols service at Saint Patricks, where we got to see Mrs. Kinchs ten year old cousin sing for his first Christmas service. Then on to my parents where we swapped presents and had a rare old time.

All is well

I am reminded by Lee of what a pleasure it is to be part of such an electic bunch of bloggers. It has been a very up and down sort of year, but J&F has always provided me with somewhere to retreat to. It's been a pleasure reading you all this year and long may it continue.  If my rambling have offended, remember they are a story told by an idiot signifying nothing.

And if you really want to see how to write a Christmas blog entry - look no further. 

All that remains to do is to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from Mrs. Kinch, Flashman, Sissi and I.

May God bless us every one.

And to all a good night. 

Parcels & Progress

A surprise in the post from Young Master Gow

I was very happy to arrive home the other day to discover a parcel waiting for me from Young Master Gow, who took some time away from scrumping apples and skinning his knees on things to send me a surprise. This was a boxful of American Civil War spares in 1/72.  Now as it happens I have no intention of doing the War between the States in 20mm, however, I have learned from Carlo that there is an extraordinary number of mid 19th century European armies that can be produced using these figures and I will be sorting them with that in mind. 

Many thanks and the compliments of the season to Young Master Gow - I only hope he gets something just as nice underneath the tree. 

Which reminds me I still have pictures from Old John of some Danish ACW conversions to share with you. Must get weaving on that. 

A surprise for my father in law

My father in law told me a story while we were away about a particular cake that his mother used to bake that had white icing and that was always topped by an iceskating lady mounted on a small mirror. My father in law has been doing trojan work here at Chez Kinch and this seemed like a nice surprise and the least I could do considering all his hard work. The basic models is a ballerina from Prince August's Steadfast Tin Soldier set. Adding iceskates was actually the trickiest aspect of the conversion.  I tried wire, which looked odd, plastic card, which was far too big and then settled on paper, which worked. 

A hat and scarf were added with greenstuff and the base trimmed to sit an a small mirror. Mrs. Kinch sacrifised an old compact to provide the mirror and I gingerly levered it out without causing seven years bad luck for which I am very grateful. 

There has also been some more good news - 

- The War Room floor is finished. We have to wait 72 hours before the last coat of varnish can take "heavy traffic", but the long slog is finally over. Hurrah!

- Even better, there is a new addition to the extended family. Ed & Aoife have had baby Alexander, ten fingers and ten toes, all healthy and well. There is much rejoicing. 

The couple that paints together

So there are paintbrushes flying in the Kinch household

I hadn't actually anticipated that these would be as awkward to paint at they proved to be.  Unlike most normal flats they don't have a base, so there isn't really anywhere one can hold them that doesn't take paint. I'm just working in shifts and flipping them as needs be. 

Fortunately, Mrs. Kinch has her eye on something a little more sensible (to say nothing of easier to paint) for next year. 

And speaking of Mrs Kinch. 

Three coats of varnish done, one to go!