HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA  HA HA HA HA HA
. . . .
. . .
. .
.
. .
. . .
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Why do I put myself through this each year? Following the phone call I have just ended my wife has told me that I am not allowed to organise another Broadside. I think she found the fifteen minuets of dangerously hysterical laughter followed by another ten of sobbing too much to handle.

I now know why the ad did not go into the Miniature Wargames issue this month! After not receiving the call I was promised by young Alex, she who organises the advertising, I decided to chase her and see what was going on. Her phone was answered by another who was a little reserved once I explained the situation and passed me onto a higher manager. I explained to this third party all that had gone on (or hadn't) and she promised to get back to me too. I decided to call Henry Hyde himself, a passing acquaintance who loves Blood Bilge and Iron Balls BTW, and raise the issue with him.

It seems that lovely Alex did not raise the invoice for the ad despite her emails to me and so the ad was never passed along. Alex has also left her job and started another elsewhere so is unavailable for comment or summary execution. I know. This is the point at which the worrying laughter started.....I can still hear it you know, just there, on the edge of my senses...can you hear that?

Henry is now dealing with this personally and I have again sent him details and ads. I am sure things can be helped along via the web etc. In fact, Henry has just posted the ad onto the Wargames Illustrated facebook page. This will be a great help and go some way to filling the gap. Many thanks Henry! :) I knew I could rely on you! :)

Following this I have just confirmed that the ad in Wargames Illustrated is alive and well and in the shops today. Isn't that nice....I can still hear that laughing you know....its a sort of orange colour.....anyway. All I need to do now is fill one final stand and we are done-skie! Other than all of the other bits and bobs and stuff that still needs to be done of course.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

Let down by Miniature Wargames

Bloody Miniature Wargames!

Organising a wargame show is bloody tricky at the best of times, always something to do or a metaphorical fire to put out. It is made all the bloody harder when 'Miniature Wargames Magazine' fails to publish the Broadside 2014 advert I placed!!!!!

This is not the first time we have been let down by the magazines and so I am extra careful to ensure everything happens in the right order at the right time. I even make a point of calling the relevant person to check things are okay. Imagine my disappointment of reading through the latest issue of Miniature Wargames...sent to me because I am running an ad, not because I subscribe, only to find a complete lack of sodding advert despite the promises!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This sort of thing is deadly for an event such as Broadside, we are still only in our fourth year and so advertising is a major issue. I can only hope that the one in the other mag goes through now....although I will now call them too to make damn sure!

Can I call on all of you to do what you can in helping to spread the Broadside word? All you bloggers and club members, Facebook users etc. please pass on the news and help make sure that we do not loose a single visitor. Thank you in advance for the help.

Maori Wars and why I hate me

A simple wargame discussion can get so out of hand. The shouting, the recriminations, the accusations, name calling...things thrown across the room; that once sacred boundary crossed......a relationship perhaps permanently destroyed. Some may consider it a tad disturbing that such unpleasantness occurred with me being the only person in the room. The Greek proverb, 'Know thyself' is all fair and well but what if it turns out that you are, in fact, a bit of a twat?

It all started with me thinking about wargames, as I often do in one form or another, and thinking about Donnybrook and Saga and Muskets and Tomahawks and Bolt Action and Wings of Glory WW1 and Hail Caesar and Black Powder and....well, you get the idea. The sad realisation dawned that I did indeed have a problem and one that affects so many of us wargamers....I am talking, of course, of OLABS or 'Oh Look, A Butterfly Syndrome'. Does the following sound a little familiar to you?

Mark: "Wow, Alan, your Marlburian French are coming along nicely. Many more to go"?

Alan: "Yeah, quite a few but I am really getting there now I ha.....oh cool, there are the new Donnybrook rules. I will go build a unit or two for them an......oh, hang on, I just need to go and buy some more Maoris...and some of these WW1 planes....and....."
Mark: "Oh for crying out loud...."

 

A Skaven Vermin Lord that I accidentally painted the other day. I have no idea.

 

I now have more projects underway than I have completed...ever. So, as terrible as the above row I had with me was, it did at least allow me to see a few things in a clearer light. I can now admit that I have a problem and that is the first step towards any form of recovery. After Salute I now have almost enough Empress Miniatures figures to complete my Maori Wars project; bar the odd command figure and perhaps four more Brits. The Wings of Glory stuff I picked up is actually self contained and needs no painting so will not affect much day to day so I can progress. My plan is simple and achievable, I will commit to running a Maori Wars game at a club meeting later this year.  

 

Here, in front of you all, I declare my intention to paint all of the figures I have and promise to run a Maori Wars game using Muskets & Tomahawks for several players on 

Tuesday 28th October 2014.

There. I have done it. I feel sort of ....odd, but actually very positive. I can do this. I shall use this blog to record my progress and my mental state....perhaps others will take comfort from my efforts.

 

A few figures completed previously, a few a quarter done...and a big box full of castings....deep breath....

 

So, what do I have to do in that time? Quite a bit. The Maori force consists of ten units of six warriors plus half a dozen chief/commanders. Six units are Braves with three officers, two are Blood Thirsty (increased attack but poorer shooting) plus an officer and two are Young Warriors with an officer. Then there is a force leader. This comes to some 618 points, or there abouts.

 

A few of the very nice Maori figures...notice how they are all looking at me in a funny way.....

 

The British force is made up of four units/sections of nine Imperial infantry plus three officers; forming a company. This is supported by two units of eight Provincial New Zealand troops with an officer and, last but by no means least, three units of five civilians/militia; settlers grouped together for safety during this uprising. This force comes to about 608 points, or there abouts.

This is quite a few 28mm figures to paint and no doubt other paint jobs may suddenly occur that need urgent attention but, I am confident. There, said it.