The League of Augsburg

By now I was really in to it. The ideas were coming thick and fast. Some good, some not so good. I decided that when the basic construction was ready I would undercoat it in my favourite chocolate emulsion paint. This got rid of the distracting patterns on the mats and made the model begin to look like something which was going to be of real value.


I was beginning to fret over the level of detail...

Sail Ho! Where away?

I really enjoyed working on this model. Perhaps I was all the time considering what I was going to use it for; The siege of Derry, actions in the Baltic, The Dutch Wars, maybe even something to do with Pirates... well no, that is done to death.

nice perspective

and another

I decided to partially rig the ship but of course the problem is then transportation and storage. As I do a...

There was some degree of hit or miss with the making of this piece. I am too impatient to measure everything like a craftsman and tend to size things up by sight and judge it. As a result one or two distances are marginally off. I satisfied my OCD by making up the excuse that the Russians constructed the platform in haste and so did not themselves seek perfection, rather functionality.
The idea of...

Sometimes when you get an idea you just have to run with it. I wanted to get back to the kind of creativity which go the League of Augsburg a good reputation in the first place and I have not been able to find the time to indulge that for quite some time.

LoA 1720 White Death game at Claymore - Donnybrook with boats

Having bared the soul in the Fighting Talk therapy column of Wargames Illustrated's last issue concerning my attitudes to shows, I was determined that Claymore 2015 would be a reboot of what got me into show demos in the first place. Claymore was the very first wargaming convention I displayed a game at.

deep view of the 9 x 4 table

Famous...

Stern view of my merchantman

I've had my eye on this for long time. I nearly bought the fleet deal but that would have been like eating a large Indian meal after three weeks in the desert... it looks brilliant but would have ruptured me if I'd eaten it.

The flag is just for show

I am glad. I made a wise choice because the work that went into this was pretty substantial. I didn't count, but probably...

The Games of War (http://www.gamesofwar.net/) model which I most enjoyed building was this coastal sailing ship. It is small enough to be able to feature as table dressing on some scenarios but large enough to take troops and cannon and play and active part in some scenarios.

The model is extremely well made and for someone as unfamiliar with rigging ships as I am it proved not too complicated. I...

My search for suitable boats to use in scenarios during the period 1660-1720 let me to the trade stand of a company called Games of War (http://www.gamesofwar.net/) at the Carronade show in Falkirk. They have a very useful collection of craft with the right look and adequate internal capacity for figures,

I had in mind several scenarios for the Ireland book but also Camaret Bay in 1694, action in...

busy little harbour but of course this is just a line up

I have resisted buying much at the various shows I have attended over the last several years. This has been a lot easier than may first be imagined. I, like most of the people reading this Blog have far too much stuff. I buy on a whim and store for decades. I am almost cured of that now. I have however two weaknesses (that I can talk about on...