Retirement Arrives

Well, it's here at last. As from 4.30 this afternnon I am officially retired and my time is all my own. According to my wife I can now call myself as a 'househusband' as I can do the housework while she continues in her job!

I've had a quick look at the current projects and see I have some way to go. My 54mm toy soldier 'Heptarchy' project has about 50% of figures ready, the 28mm Grand Duchy of Humperstein project has half the troops and I'm researching a suitable oponent (this project has a considerable background, and may be the subject of a seperate blog), while the 30mm 18th century project is hardly off the ground. All of them need an infrastructure. There's also the numerous ship models (wargame and static display) and general woodwork I want to do.

Plenty to keep me out of the pub. In the meantime, here are a few more photos from the Musee Des Blindes in Saumur, apologies for the lack of captions.

Musee Des Blindes, France

I promised some photos from my recent visit to the French Musee Des Blindes (Tank Museum) at Saumur in the Loire Valley, here are a few of the 80 odd that I took. First a brief tale of the museum itself. Please excuse any poor facts, but I'm translating the french guidebook, as the english version is reprinting. thankfully the museum signage has english translations.

The museum is very close to the French Army Cavalry School, and the basis of the collection was started by a Colonel Aubry and built on by the Mistere de la Defense from 1965. It now houses some 850 vehicles with 250 operational, often taking part in local and national commemorations. there is a website -  http://www.musee-des-blindes.assoc.fr/

The museum extends over 10 large rooms, and these are
1914-18 war
Campaign of France 1940
German Room WW2
Room of Heroes - (Rommel, Patton, Kuthozov, Monty, Leclerc, and of course De Gaulle)
Room of Curiosities (including a 'training tank' with road wheels)
Allies of WW2
French post war room (including Indochina)
Room of engines
Modern Room

All in all a good three hours viewing, an enthusiast could be there all day. It is very underused, with only 7 visitors during our stay (including the three of us) and this on an Easter saturday.

The foyer, with a life size paper soldier on the wall. Unfortunately they've missed an opportunity here, as we didn't find any on sale.

Schneider CA61 from WW1.

A view of about half the German WW2 room

Voiture Pliable. Designed for airborne use, a very light 4 man vehicle that folds up into a packing case. and can be set up in 'several minutes'.

Part of the Warsaw Pact room

View of the WW2 Allies room.

AMX 30B - If I've got this right this vehicle is the only one of its kind. Developed by the French during the Iraq war for mine clearance, it is radio controlled.

I only regret that I couldnt get a picture of the anti-tank Vespa. A scooter fitted with a 75mm canon. You don't see many of those on model battlefields!

So that is just a taster. I hope you agree that it is well worth a visit. The Chateaux and wines of the area are great as well.

A Little Teaser

Well, I'm fully (?) recovered from recent ailments, 14 working days left to retirement, and just back from ten days caravanning in the Loire Valley, where a number of us (three caravans in convoy, I bet the local road users loved us) indulged in a bout of wine-tasting and purchase, museum visiting, and Chateau ogling.

During the second we visited the Musee Des Blindes at Saumur, the French museum of armoured vehicles. I'm not well up on tanks, but the museum has approximately 800 assorted vehicles, from WW1 to date, covering all nations. I took so many photos the battery in the camera died. Eventually, after I've weeded out the rubbish, out of focus, and camera shake ones; and identified the rest (I did make a list as I went round), I will post the best. So keep an eye out.

In the meantime, here is a photo from another visit, this time to the Chateau du Clos Luce, final home of Leonardo Da Vinci (no, I didn't know he died and was buried in France either). This is of one of his inventions, models and replicas of quite a few are on show.

and his tank. I can see how this wouldn't catch on, as it seemed to be worked by four (big strong) fellows turning handles while the artillerists (?) worked the guns in very cramped conditions.

Only God can make a tree

As I mentioned before, one of my other hobbies is woodwork, and I occasionaly pick up old Hobbies model and toy plans for my collection (going back,in some cases, to the early 1900s). Among a batch that I received recently was a toy farm, and on the sheet was a silhouette drawing of a tree. A light bulb moment. I shall be needing trees for my battlefields. Accordingly I scanned the design and printed it out at twice size, then fixed it to a piece of spare 1/4 inch poplar I had laying about. It's not just kit bits that go in the spares box!

Then threequarters of an hour with the hand fretsaw, a bit of work on a base,

Apologies for the lighting, but I think it shows the shape nicely. A quick undercoat, a coat of humbrol brown and green, gives us a tree,

The chap under the tree is  Tradition 30mm Stadden figure, (I think it's the Duke of Cumberland) and he will be C-in-C of my Minden British troops eventually.

That, for the next 10 days, is that. Julia is insisting that I now go and help pack the caravan, as tomorrow we are of to the Loire Valley until Easter. If I can get fuel for the journey, that is. Isn't our government wonderful, possibly a tanker drivers strike, so they tell everyone not to panic buy, with the inevitable result of massive quese and garages running out! But I musn't start to rant.

See you in two weeks.

The Lost Weekend

I was going to do some work on trees in the shed this weekend (a bit of fretwork) as it's the first time for three weeks that i've a)been breathing fairly normally, b) not aching in some joint or other. But a phone call from my elder sister (there are two younger ones about as well) informed me that my 93 year old mother had been taken into hospital after a fall. This meant a rush trip from Ipswich up to Boston and hospital visit. So nothing got done to my arborial endeavours. Next week, I promise.

Big Wars Battle

The following is a report on my first battle for many years, and was fought with the excellent aid of an umpire over a number of weeks using e-mail. The battle report was penned by Hagen Von Tronek (my alter ego) as commander of a small Russian force.

BATTLE REPORT.

Having been kicking my heels around Odessa I was sent for by the Count Gueule De Bois, to be informed that there had been a Turkish incursion and I was being sent to take command of a small force that was to restore order and destroy the enemy forces. Iwas led to understand that there was a possibility of agents from a foreign power with the enemy, hoping to buy support for an insurrection.

I was given an Army Corps that was undergoing training in the area, along with with a number of displaced units known as the 'Legion of the Damned', as well as a few units of regular cavalry and artillery.Also, the Tsars cousin, Grand Duke Michael, would accompany me.

When my staff reached our forces I saw that the enemy and I occupied parrallel ridges, with that of the enemy crowned by a ruined Abbey. Most of their forces were hiding behind the hill tops. There was a small village on my left, skirted by a river. Iimmediately sent some units to check the village while forming the rest of my forces into line and moving forward. The cavalry were sent out to locate and report on the enemy positions.

As the units cleared the village they crossed the river to join my left flank, my Cuirassiers with Hussars in support, charged the enemy cavalry, driving them back, but a counter charge by their irregular cavalry forced us to retire. Meanwhile our infantry continueed to move forward.

During the general advance my right flank was held up by rough ground, but reformed and moved on. The line infantry were attacked by enemy forces pouring over the hill from the vicinity of the Abbey, and hard fighting took place. On our left we began to push back the enemy, and our infantry began a long slog along the ridge line. Our cavalry made a charge in support on the enemy centre, but were decimated by enemy fire.

The fight became a general slogging match along the whole front and it was debatable which side held the upper hand. Iwas confident that, should the light hold, we would be the victors. Unfortunately darkness descended quickly and it was impossible to continue. Both sides disengaged as best they could, and by morning the enemy forces had retired, soundly thrashed. Unfortunately we were unable to find the foreign agent or cammandeer his warchest.

During the night, it appears that Grand Duke Michael and his entourage left our camp heading back to Odessa. No doubt your honours have received his report in person. I shall return to Odessa as soon as the army is stabilised, fed and re-munitioned, in case of any further incursion.

xx

As I said, my first battle for a long time, and using the Big Wars rules of Stuart Asquith and Jack Alexander, specially formulated for 54mm figures. I found the rules easy to follow, not too complicated by modifiers, and quick to reference if neccessary. I do find the four figure cavalry unit a little small for my taste, and will probably double this for my own use. As it was a 'postal' game I didn't have the actual set-up to work from, but did draw out a scale size table and used Monopoly houses and hotels as unit counters. Even so, I still managed to lose track of one unit for a couple of moves (it wasn't where I thought it was). I am grateful to Alan for being my oponent, and Brian for setting up the game, using his figures, following our moves, working out the results and forwarding photos of the action (the two accompanying this post are just a couple of many sent).

When the weather improves I intend to use these rules out in the garden with the small forces currently at my disposa, and no dobt the go General will be sending furthe action reports. In the meantime, I believe that Jeff Chorney is preparing a review of the rules to appear shortly in the Lone Warrior Blog.

Anyone wanting the full story can read a blow by blow description, along with many more pictures and umpires comments, on Brian's own blog  'Collecting Toy Soldiers'. (follow link on my 'blogs followed' list.

ADDING A HEADER

For the last two weeks I've been spending time sitting on the sofa, breathing heavily and getting nothing done. The slightest movement seems to set me off into a heavy coughing spasm and I'm getting really p****d off with it. I can use my keyboard though, so thought I'd try adding a header picture to my blog. It hasn't worked as well as I wanted, but it adds more interest. The picture is actually a group of Staff Officers from the North London Yeomanry Brigade of 1900.

In the meantime, I continue to fight a cyber-battle over the e-mails, with Alan as my oponent and Brian as umpire and hardworking umpire. After all, he does all the hardwork of moving, dicing, ruling success (or failure) and sending us photos and detaqils of the results while we just e-mail our moves.

Hopefully I'll be ready to pick up a paintbrush again soon, then I can get on with things.