Thursday 12 August 2021

The end of the beginning….almost

Still no wargaming activity but much deep background prep. Three weeks ago I wrote about the start of the preparation work in the garden for the new command centre-cum-office-cum-yoga studio-cum-hangout pad. That work is virtually complete now. One final dump run on Friday and a bit of final pathway clearing for the installation team, who are supposed to be arriving Monday. I say “supposed to be” as we’re still all subject to the Pingdemic and general lack of labour.

At times the digging work was like archaeology. As well as countless bricks and pieces of concrete rubble, I found a piece of metal drainpipe about 9 feet long. Picking it up I understood how our tiny Hoplites must feel with the thick spears they come armed with. This got reburied to confuse future diggers. I also came across a charred layer. Evidence of the Great Burnings, when the local males were allowed to build huge edifices with anything remotely ‘wooden’ and to put effigies of 17th Century terrorists on top and set fire to them. The chronicles tell us that this ancient Anglo-Saxon custom was initially tolerated by the Finnic matriarchs, but the practice was eventually stamped out. Even attempts to celebrate Finnic festivals like ‘Vappu’ (aka Valpurgus) with bonfires met with silent disapproval.

I digress. All being well we will have a structure with mains electricity and the interweb, ready to be painted* in about a week. Then we have to furnish it and I have been ‘promised’ a trip to the great yellow and blue temple to the Scandi Gods. From a wargaming perspective I am thinking about a 4’ wide desk/table permanently against one side wall and then add one or two 4’ long foldable tables as required depending on the size of battle. Maybe a paint shelf above the desk. And then a cabinet for the toys to the left of the desk. The far end will be a comfy seating area with light pieces that can be carried outside easily. Then I’m in a battle to keep other objects (or ‘clutter’) down to a minimum whilst avoiding it feeling Spartan. And thus the constant negotiation between different cultures continues, between the underlying substrate and the newer elites.

In the meantime reading continues apace. I’m gradually working my way through a collection of ECW books bought from David Crook. Currently I’m reading a collection of essays called The Civil Wars: a military history of England, Scotland and Ireland 1638-1660. This is surprisingly readable  and is widening my understanding of the complex series of wars. But no, I am not going to ‘do’ the Montrose campaigns or anything in Ireland. I have an unfulfilled wish to do ‘something colonial’ and a growing itch to do the Spanish Civil War. And I have the long/delayed ECW campaign……

* what I would call ‘RAF blue’ seems to be the preferred choice for the outside.

18 comments:

  1. I recently picked up a volume of Wally Simon articles on the ECW, which are giving me ideas, and I ended up ordering a starter set of Wofun figures. I also ordered the SCW ruleset For Whom the Dice Rolls from the WargamingForGrownups blog. When I mentioned this to my group in email and asked if anyone had collections I might borrow for a future game, I got an offer of free figures.

    Since I haven't the room for gaming that you're clearly blessed with, I have no idea where I'll store even more figures...

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    1. It’s an iron law of wargaming that however much space you have you will fill it.

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    2. The gamer's corollary to Parkinson's Law...

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  2. Great to hear the road does not go on for ever and an end is in sight. I do hope you have a great trip to the Scandi Temple and partake of the sacred meatball feast.
    Looking forward to seeing the end result and following the games that will take place there.

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    1. I am indeed looking forward to partaking of the ritual meal. 😆

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  3. Replies
    1. We also have one of those on order to replace the one I demolished.

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  4. Looking forward to seeing the end result, of which I'm sure to be jealous!

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    1. It’ll probably be a while before it’s ‘inhabited’ as I’ve deliberately held off from buying furniture until the cabin has arrived.

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  5. Good that you are making progress with the preparations. I am nervous about this drainpipe you removed. You don't suppose you caused the local flooding...?

    [Blogger is allowing me to comment on other people's blogs today. I don't like it - things are too quiet - it may be trap]

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  6. I was nervous too at first. The school field behind us gets very wet despite the fact the whole area is on higher ground.

    You’re probably right to be wary of Blogger co-operating. Or maybe I think that because I’m British* too and we know that life is about finding new ways to be disappointed.

    * and being a fan of Grimsby Town adds to the expectation of misery

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  7. I’m we’ll jell mate…as the youth say.

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    1. I need to brush up on me MLE bruv. Ahl arks me fam coz I ain’t got a Scooby, ya get me? But dis ting, isn’t me sayin I is all dat.

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  8. Sounds like great progress! I'm off to the scandahooligan shed this weekend to equip my daughter for university, I hope to avoid an argument, I live in hope!
    Best Iain

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  9. I am very much looking forward to seeing games in your shed and cannot begin to tell you how envious I am that you will have one! :)

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  10. Most excellent for you. I know the value of a good field of mars.

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  11. Spanish Civil War - excellent choice!

    Just focus now on all those cups of tea and bacon butties you'll be rustling up next week.

    Tony S

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    1. That’s the benefit of only having Earl Grey, meat free bacon and Artisan Spelt bread in the house. 😆

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