Well, I made it back from Historicon 2015 despite the heavy summer traffic; left Fredericksburg about 8:45 AM, arrived home about 3:30 PM, so a little under 7 hrs drive. Much more about Historicon proper in its time, but I thought I'd do a quick post to share the loot with you.
Perhaps fortunately, I found little of much interest in the Flea Market this year, but I couldn't pass up this book for $8! I commented to my habitual roommate, Tim from the UK, that with the passing of 2015, the 200th anniversaries of the great Napoleonic battles would be at an end, and I would be free to run whatever I wanted. He replied, "Didn't something happen in 17906 or thereabouts?" Even if I do explore the Italian Campaigns on the tabletop, I am not raising separate Revolutionary era/Bicorne wearing armies. No, really, I'm not, no sirree! Not me...
I only spent about an hour or less in the Dealer Hall on Thursday (which seemed to me have shrunk somewhat in attendance yet again, although I could be wrong). I got maybe 10% in, and came to the Ral Partha booth. The had a large number of open bins of figures at "bulk Pewter prices.. The "Fantasy" bin turned out to be mostly African animals of various types. I have been looking for some lions for Joe's Darkest Africa/IHMN style games to go along with my small Portuguese Colonial band. The lead character has an affinity for lions and seems to be able to call them up from the wilds almost on demand - some say he was abandoned as a boy and raised by a lioness, others whisper rumors of were-lions. Regardless, lions are required. Well, I found some as you can see, but I couldn't resist a few other various African critters to go with them. Lions and Tigers and Boars, oh my!
The whole lot cost me about $30. The Pack camel was a nice find as well; not sure what it was doing in with the Fantasy figures, but whatever!.
To follow up on the barrels I did last month, I picked up this set of Renedra generic sacks/mealie bags etc, for general scenic use, as well as a sort of Convoy scenario I have in mind for 2016.
I also picked up the order I placed a few weeks ago with Old Glory...
10 bags = 100 British Napoleonic Cavalry: 2 bags of Life/Horse Guards, 2 of Dragoons, 1 of Scots Greys. 3 of Light Dragoons, and 2 of Hussars.
I am running low on the "Alpine Meadow Blend" that I now use for flocking my bases, so I picked up another bottle of it at Battlefield Terrain Concepts. I was once again sorely tempted by their vineyard sections, but I resisted, resolving to make my own (inspired by the how to on Wargamer Rabbit's blog).
The registration swag included this free figure; one that I can use for once . It depicts a British soldier caught red handed with a Purloined Porker! My purchase at Architechts of War also included this voucher; don't know if I'll get a chance to use it, but it's a nice touch none the less!
With my Spanish Napoleonic project on the Horizon, the Spaniards will need guns! My favorites for quality and value are the Sash and Saber ones, so I took at advantage of their usual Convention special and bought 5 items (2 x French Limbers, 2 x French 6# Artillery (=4 guns), 1 x 12# French Artillery, and claimed the pack of French Howitzers as the freebie. This was Saturday afternoon, and they were sold out of most of the other items, so they will be shipping them to me in a few weeks, post free. I like having some howitzers in the mix as both historically appropriate and also being suitable for use with any caliber battery, which makes my artillery contingents a bit more flexible.
I found this item at Silver Eagle Wargames supply, a loyal attendee at Historiucon and also HAVOC, not to mention Connecticut based. I am always on the lookout for good 25/28mm terrain, and had never seen this before, so I decided to spring for it.
While I was there, I decided to spring for a copy of Pike and Shot as well. I have Black Powder and Hail Caesar, and I'd place them both in the category of "will play, but not first choice for the era). There is a fair amount of interest in the TYW/ECW locally, but no agreed upon rule set (as is the case for ancients and most other eras as well, LOL). Worth a look at least!
Not a Historicon purchase, but this book was waiting for me when I got home, courtesy of the latest give away at Jonathan Freitag's excellent blog, the Palouse Wargaming Journal. If you don't follow it already, I'd recommend that you consider doing so!
Peter! That is quite a massive Historicon haul! I did not know Sash & Saber offered discounts at Historicon. I must remember that!
ReplyDeleteSay, Road to Rivoli is an excellent book but lacks much of the detail with respect to exhaustive OBs that wargamers crave. Very interesting period and one to which I am very much attracted. At $8, the hardback is a steal. Very good to see that the Austerlitz book made it safely through the post.
Thanks for the kind words regarding the blog.
Hi Jon,
DeleteSash and Saber: Yes, they have every year for over 10 years.
The seller commented about the same to me about "Rivoli".
Thanks again for the Austerlitz volume!
I hope you enjoy both Austerlitz and Rivoli. I highly recommend both!
DeleteIs S&S convention deal Buy 5 Get 1 Free? I do love their Napoleonic artillery.
I'm sure I will, Jon!
DeleteYes, the Sash and Saber discount is just that, and pertains to their entire line. Czar Barry also took advantage of the discount as well. BTW, in speaking to the owner, they have the plans for Russian guns, and IF they were top add to their existing 28mm guns, that is what they would add. Needless top say, I encouraged him to do so!
Of course, we could hope for Austrian Cavalry guns as well...
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ReplyDeleteGreat haul of goodies Peter! I like your 10 bags of OG British Cavalry and the African animals i.e. Elephant, perhaps a Successor War Elephant? :o) the books are great as well!
ReplyDeletecheers,
Thanks, Phil. Yes, the Elephant could easily be converted to same (and was much less expensive than those specifically modeled for that purpose).
DeleteSome interesting stuff there Peter. I especially like the mediaeval shop. I have been tossing around the idea of ECW for a while now, but daren't as I know another stack of unpainted lead will push me closer to the edge.
ReplyDeleteCloser to the edge of what, Lawrence? :-)
DeleteMy ECW troops are just about the oldest in my present collection, most of them having been painted by me while I was in college back in the mid 1970's - "New" Minifigs (some of their best figures). They have appeared previously on the blog.
At this point, I see it as unlikely that I will add any new periods to my collection, at least not until I retire, which should be 10+ years from now - and at that point accumulating a bunch of new things probably isn't the best idea!
Insanity, Peter. In all seriousness I have got to the stage where my unpainted pile is so large than I dare not start another project as, after the initial excitement has worn off, I feel just that little bit more stressed looking at what is ahead of it in the queue.
DeleteMy thinking at the present time is very similar to yours, and I am sure we are not alone.
My unpainted lead pile is actually failry "small", I'd estimate about 500 figures, of which at least half will get painted in the next 6 to 12 months. The painted lead collection easily exceeds 10,000 figures. I'm hardly complaining about that, but past a certain point, how much does one need? How much can you actually use? Not that I'm going to stop painting (or buying), but some restraint seems in order! b :-)
DeleteI ask that very same question of myself on a regular basis.
DeleteNo, you are not alone!
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DeleteIt will certainly take me another few years to finish the British and do the Spanish. I also have a cadre of Eureka Tyrolean rebels to do, so I'll be painting for quite some time to come regardless, LOL! The key thing for me is not starting any new projects, unless they are rather small and limited.
Delete