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Post by macbeth on Mar 18, 2024 1:11:35 GMT
I polished off "A Nasty Little War" twixt the Monday train trip back from Sydney and the following Friday morning - when I was due for another lightning dash to Sydney. This time I took along "Fallen Dragons" a long standalone Military Science Fiction novel.
I like the setting and the characterisation, plus the storyline is quite good.
However I am having trouble with the concept that Interstellar trade is unviable because of the cost, so the various corporations are performing "Asset Realisation" operations - effectively landing on a colony and taking all the industrial output and resources that they can. If that is the case, why is there still Interstellar Tourism, to say nothing of the cost of the military personnel and their sophisticated weaponry.
This is a bit of disbelief I can suspend while reading.
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 17, 2024 23:30:00 GMT
Over the long weekend here in Canberra I took the eldest of the (not so) little warbands to Sydney for the Ramses exhibition and to see the musical "& Juliet" That gave me plenty of reading time on the trains - to say nothing of said daughter is also keen on finding somewhere to sit with a cold drink and read for an hour or so. (We've been doing 'book dates' since she first learnt to read). I polished off "50 Weapons That Changed Warfare" before leaving Canberra and read much of Simon Scarrow's "The Honour of Rome" on the way up to Sydney, finishing it the following day. I then picked up his next offer in that series "Death to the Emperor", which I finished somewhere between Sydney and Mittagong. These books were quite good, but since they are dealing with the lead up to the Boudican revolt and the main characters are in the thick of it, we all know that it will end in tears (however he's strung this out so I'll need to get the next book {No. 22 in the overall series} to see it all play out). In Sydney I purchased "A Nasty Little War" by Anna Reid - a narrative account of the Western Intervention in the Russian Civil Wars. Starting that on the train now sees me just over 1/3 through and it is an excellent read. Cheers David, have you been to see the Ramses exhibition yet, or is it still to come? Saw the Ramses Exhibition Greg - and bought the T Shirt Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 12, 2024 1:07:26 GMT
Over the long weekend here in Canberra I took the eldest of the (not so) little warbands to Sydney for the Ramses exhibition and to see the musical "& Juliet"
That gave me plenty of reading time on the trains - to say nothing of said daughter is also keen on finding somewhere to sit with a cold drink and read for an hour or so. (We've been doing 'book dates' since she first learnt to read).
I polished off "50 Weapons That Changed Warfare" before leaving Canberra and read much of Simon Scarrow's "The Honour of Rome" on the way up to Sydney, finishing it the following day. I then picked up his next offer in that series "Death to the Emperor", which I finished somewhere between Sydney and Mittagong. These books were quite good, but since they are dealing with the lead up to the Boudican revolt and the main characters are in the thick of it, we all know that it will end in tears (however he's strung this out so I'll need to get the next book {No. 22 in the overall series} to see it all play out).
In Sydney I purchased "A Nasty Little War" by Anna Reid - a narrative account of the Western Intervention in the Russian Civil Wars. Starting that on the train now sees me just over 1/3 through and it is an excellent read.
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 4, 2024 8:23:54 GMT
I finished "If Rome Hadn't Fallen" on Sunday - not bad but he bounces around various periods as he theorises.
I am now reading "50 Weapons that Changed Warfare" by William Weir, each section begins with a description of an engagement with the weapon in question in a narrative then the author's opinions on the how and why said weapon was crucial.
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 4, 2024 8:07:21 GMT
Over my extended weekend (I love the semi retired life) I managed to run out a decent batch of painitng
2xSp for the Kyrenean Greeks 2xLH, 1x4Bd, 1x4Bw and 1xPs for the Palaialogan Byzantine. This army is now battle ready (I can field my preferred choice of 12 elements) 1x4Cb, 1xPs and 1x4Ax for the Lusignan Cypriots 1x4bd, 133Bd, 1xPs for the Sea Peoples
AND the d list Libyans are now fully based
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 4, 2024 8:04:34 GMT
I spent much of my weekend basing figures already painted as other things distracted me from the painting desk Most especially my friend Chris painted up a I/7d Early Libyan army for me that will make its debut in my current campaign (Libya is the 13th spot on my campaign map and I already have players queued up for spots 12 and 13). He also painted up 2 elements of Hoplites that I thought I needed for my Eumenes army (turns out I had skipped a line and was reading the list for Alketas). They will now sub into the Athenian army and replace a couple of elements that don't look as good (cos I painted them). At this stage the Libyans are at the painted pumice stage of basing - I just have to put the wash over the base, then add tufts and a second flock BUt when the dust settled I still managed to complete the HCh(Gen) for my new Sea Peoples - it is an exquisite Red Copper 3D printed Sea People general and chariot Cheers Very productive David. I'd be interested in your thoughts on painting up the 3D printed Sea Peoples figures. Especially given that they don't have bases. Cheers, Well Greg - all in all the Chariot was an nice easy model to paint and while I had some issues getting the figures to stand up while I set them on the painting strips it all worked well The first strip of foot on the other hand - whilst overall working well I am concerned about 1) The fragility of some of the figures where there is only one foot on the ground, and even the two footed group might have a weak point at the ankles. 2) Lacking much foot surface area to glue them to the base. That said their poses are excellent and the detail is exquisite cheers
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Post by macbeth on Mar 1, 2024 11:39:04 GMT
And you shall see my Christian Nubians back on the field
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 28, 2024 3:45:15 GMT
I believe it is Vercengetorix - based solely on it being on the cover of a historical novel about same Gallic leader
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 26, 2024 20:50:17 GMT
I spent much of my weekend basing figures already painted as other things distracted me from the painting desk
Most especially my friend Chris painted up a I/7d Early Libyan army for me that will make its debut in my current campaign (Libya is the 13th spot on my campaign map and I already have players queued up for spots 12 and 13).
He also painted up 2 elements of Hoplites that I thought I needed for my Eumenes army (turns out I had skipped a line and was reading the list for Alketas). They will now sub into the Athenian army and replace a couple of elements that don't look as good (cos I painted them).
At this stage the Libyans are at the painted pumice stage of basing - I just have to put the wash over the base, then add tufts and a second flock
BUt when the dust settled I still managed to complete the HCh(Gen) for my new Sea Peoples - it is an exquisite Red Copper 3D printed Sea People general and chariot
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 26, 2024 20:41:51 GMT
I finished 'Arthur the King' last night - and quite enjoyed it. I have vague memories of struggling with Massie's previous book in this (his Dark Ages series) series "The Evening of the World" and that may have been a reason why I have held off reading it since 2005 when I bought it in Melbourne. It is a nice blend of Medieval Romance and Sub Roman British historical fiction.
My next book is "If Rome Hadn't Fallen" by Timothy Venning - a series of counterfactuals examining what might have happened at various turning points in the history of the Roman Empire.
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 19, 2024 6:27:18 GMT
I finished 'Military Thought of Asia' a while back and then dived into "Powers and Thrones" by Dan Jones - a thoroughly engaging history of the Middle Ages with some clever parallels to the modern age thrown in for fun. I finally finished that tome (640 pages) on Saturday evening and then dived into "Arthur the King" by Allan Massie a King Arthur story supposedly taken from the manuscripts of Michael Scott when he was the tutor to Fredrick II the Hohenstaffen Emperor, so it blurs the line between Sub Roman British Historical Novel and High Medieval Romance, not bad but not the best King Arthur story I've read (and let's face it, there are a lot of them to choose from) Cheers David, next up Parzival? Cheers, I have a note from my mother excusing me from that one Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 19, 2024 3:06:46 GMT
I finished 'Military Thought of Asia' a while back and then dived into "Powers and Thrones" by Dan Jones - a thoroughly engaging history of the Middle Ages with some clever parallels to the modern age thrown in for fun.
I finally finished that tome (640 pages) on Saturday evening and then dived into "Arthur the King" by Allan Massie a King Arthur story supposedly taken from the manuscripts of Michael Scott when he was the tutor to Fredrick II the Hohenstaffen Emperor, so it blurs the line between Sub Roman British Historical Novel and High Medieval Romance, not bad but not the best King Arthur story I've read (and let's face it, there are a lot of them to choose from)
Cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 15, 2024 7:29:38 GMT
Succession Planning – CRWG Campaign for 2024
Sunday February 11th marked the start of our club’s latest DBA Campaign. This year’s setting was the Successor Wars in Greece and Asia following the death of Alexander
The starting line-up was
Syria – Gary Moriarty – II/16a Asiatic Early Successor (Antigonas)
Egypt – Jon Willacy – II/20a Ptolemaic
Macedon – David Lawrence – II/18c Macedonian Early Successor (Kassandros)
Kappadokia – Dale Daniels – II/16d Asiatic Early Successor (Eumenes)
Thrace – Adam Stone – II/17a Lysimachid
Persia – Chris Cameron – II/19a Selucid
Epirus – Tony Cotton – II/18f Macedonian Early Successor (Queen Olympias)
Free Greece – Geoff Lewis – II/5b Later Hoplite Greek (Athenian)
Bactria – Brenton Searle – II/16e Asiatic Early Successor (Pethion, Pecutas, other minor Asiatic)
Rhodes – Phil Baldoni – II/5i Later Hoplite Greek (Other Hoplite in Greece)
Peloponnese – Charmaine Benfield – II/18b Macedonian Early Successor (Polyperchon)
316BC
Spring
Thrace invades Macedon. Battle of Thessalonike is a tense affair with the Thracians and their Kappadokian allies initially gaining the upper hand before the Macedonians fight back on the wings and win convincingly
Persia attacks Kappadokia with support from Syria. The battle of Ikonion is a brutal affair with all the action on the Persian right wing while the two phalanxes stay back. The Persians overrun the Kappadokian wing scoring resounding victory.
The Peloponnese army rampages into Free Greece. They are supported by Macedon, whilst the Greeks are backed up by Epirus. The battle of Thebes is an overwhelming victory for the Peloponnese, with the only casualties inflicted by the Greeks being the Macedonian commander.
Summer
Persia continues its offensive into Kappadokia attacking the capital Mazaka. The city is placed under siege but holds out.
Rhodes strikes out at Egypt. The battle of Pelusium sees the Egyptian commander break through the Rhodian line but the rest of his force is driven back. The Rhodians then rally and overrun the Egyptian force.
The Peloponnese sweep further into Free Greece taking Chaeronea by surprise.
Epirus moves in on Thrace and attacks Serdica. The Thracians fall back and the city is placed under blockade, but holds out.
Macedon launches a counter offensive against Thrace. The battle of Byzantion is a close and tense affair with the Thracians holding back until their Kappadokian allies arrive. The Thracians seem to gain the upper hand until their phalanxes fall to flank attacks and are wiped out.
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Post by macbeth on Feb 13, 2024 0:54:19 GMT
Now to see if Rose will play this time. James is already practising. He might want to borrow a Blemmye and Nobades army. I might make some dunes and an oasis. Adrian Adrian I have the Blemmye/Nobades army (II/55b) and the Beja (II/55c) which I don't think are yet committed I remember offering several people my dry terrain armies for this event but I can't remember exactly who, but I'm pretty sure those two are uncommitted at this point cheers
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Post by macbeth on Feb 12, 2024 1:11:15 GMT
Sounds Good Paul
I have my eye on a hotel in Newbury and plan to start making firm bookings next month or thereabouts.
So I'm keen to attend Diades, looking forward to meeting you all
Cheers
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