Saumur - Taking bows and arrows to a tank fight...

As L'Art de la Guerre continues it's inexorable advance in popularity right across the world (it's set to be the biggest competition at the upcoming "The Worlds" in Belgium later this month, with almost 50% more players, drawn from more countries than any other ruleset on offer there), the opportunity to take part in an overseas holiday competition was inevitably going to come around sooner rather than later - and where better do do so than the home of the rules, France, and an event held in one of the most amazing wargaming spaces imaginable - the French Tank Museum in Saumur in the stunning Loire Valley.

I had chosen to take an Early Achaemenid Persian army, mainly on the rationale that I had a lot of Sparabara figures that hadn't seen light of day in years as well as some new cavalry from Xyston (very nice) and Forged in Battle (not quite as impressive). The competition mandated an allied contingent too, which for the Persians was an armoured hoplite Greek command.

After a "fantastique" drive down to Saumur (after getting around the brain-bender of crossing the channel and going into Europe the day after the Brexit vote..) the competition est arrive, giving me 5 games in which to see if my ADLG knowledge and skills stood up to the test of playing against French experts, in French.

The end result was plenty of good learning experiences as various French players gave my army some stiff lessons about new and different ways to play (yes, barbarian armies are more than viable in ADLG!), and the even more surprising appearance of the use of "tactics" and "maneuver" by my forces as we battled to hang on in there and not get crushed underfoot

See for yourself how the Persians did in these "incroyable" 5 fully-featured battle reports ...

Normandy Beaches - D-Day tour

Another summer trip, this time a guided tour of the Normandy beaches including a stopoff in Portsmouth to see Southwick House where the invasion was planned and where the decision to "go" was taken.

Here are the photos:

The invasion map at Southwick House - made by workers from a jigsaw making company in the Midlands

Pegasus Bridge - the new version (the old one was too small for modern traffic so has been replaced and is kept off to the right of this photo)

Cafe Gondrian. Painting tips if you have one yourself

The plastic chairs are not very WW2 vintage

 Looking back across the bridge to the 50mm gun position on the far side.

Not been repainted since the war...?

Sword Beach

Juno Beach

Omaha Beach

Omaha Beach

Sherman at Gold Beach. I think this is a Jumbo?

More Dead Mans hand....

Just a random game from the club - buying those buildings sure is addictive...

Don't forget, this site also has a Cowboy Name Generator so you can easily cook up your own gang...

RIAT 2016 - the RAF Fairford Airshow

In July I just happened to be on holiday and staying in Cheltenham when the RAF Fairford Royal International Air Tattoo took place... and so a visit to it somehow snuck onto the week's agenda...

Here are some of the photos and videos from Europe's (or possibly the worlds) best military Airshow.

F16 lineup with some Mirages too

The A400M is big...

 USMC V22 Osprey

Tigermeet F16

 A400M's ridiculous display

A line of multinational Typhoons

More Typhoons (well, the same lot from a different angle)

Subtle squadron mottos #134

Greece - still flying the F4

View from the top of the aircraft steps

Same, but seconds later...

Erm... probably a Typhoon?

Typhoon, F35 and the Red Arrows in formation

And slightly nearer...

And hen going away..

F35B in hover mode.  

 Hopefully a video /..

F35B

F35A

Both flavours together

The Red Arrows

Both F35's, B in the foreground

The Red Arrows.  All 10 of them....

F22 Raptors

F22's again.

Slate Ridge Mauler

Given the summer, painting and writing up match reports have taken a bit of a back seat to sitting in the garden and drinking imported session IPA whilst grilling chunks of chicken on the bbq.

However, in the midst of all of this excitement, a Malifaux monster, in the shape of the Slate Ridge Mauler has taken to the tabletop.

Mounted on a 50mm round base and pinned to a chip of actual slate (which was surprisingly easy to drill) he and his 4 arms are ready to appear sporadically when I next get in a game and want to try out what is often regarded as an under powered but potentially situationally useful model.

Grrrr!

Saumur Tank Museum

The Musée des Blindés tank museum in the Loire Valley town of Saumur is one of the world's largest tank museums - and I managed to take a load of photos there a couple of weeks ago!

According to Wikipedia the museum has the world's largest collection of armoured fighting vehicles with over 880 vehicles, although less than a quarter are exhibited. Over 200 of the vehicles are fully functional, including the only surviving German Tiger II tank still in full working order!

Gordon Bennett, it's El Sid! 5 more ADLG Reports

ADLG has reinvigorated a whole host of previously little-seen armies and figures, and next up on the rehabilitation trail are some Two Dragons Normans (and dubiously Viking-esque Almughavar morphs) who take part as a Feudal Spanish army in 5 games of 300 point large-army L'Art de la Guerre 15mm action at the 2016 BHGS Challenge.

Marvel at how these brave Norman-esque warriors emerge blinking into the light after so many years with flocked (rather than more modern grass tufted) bases.

Thrill as they double-base themselves to form ADLG units.

Gasp in horror as they still appear to have learnt nothing about tactics and planning despite their years of free time in which to study the classic military manuals.

And chortle with smutty delight as El Sid James provides the General's Commentary in all 5 match reports