Big trouble in little Tradgardistan…

 There’s a bit of bother brewing. Intelligence has told the Tradgardistan authorities that the local chaps have got hold of a rather nifty addition to their forces. There may be trouble ahead..

Local chaps admiring their new purchase. Very cheap from a fellow with a Russian accent.

A few driving lessons later the Russian departs leaving an enthusiastic bunch of chaps in and outside the armoured car.  I fear mischief lies ahead…

Footnotes-

The armoured car was a kind gift from Eric , many thanks. I put it somewhere safe and just couldn’t find it  until l chanced upon it the other day. Thankfully rediscovered it has been a delightful thing to paint and get ready for the tabletop.

Readers new to the backstory to Tradgardistan follow the link at the bottom of the post to find out more.

A wee Christmas present to myself was a packet of downed pilots by Empress miniatures. I look forward to them arriving in the post after Christmas…

From painting table to game...

 I finished these figures and here they are on the tabletop. One unit of Tradgardistan Guides and one of tribal fanatics armed only with swords and shields. All Perry plastics.

Using the hills in a Portable Colonial Wargame

 Set up this game today...

Return to Tradgardistan or a virtual table top trip

 I decided to set up my 1930s Tradgardistan figures combined with terrain I had been working on. The idea was from the old General Thingy Gigs wargaming page which was/ is crammed full of inspiration. I haven’t been on it for absolute ages. This was my second attempt at making these hills as I abandoned the original effort as it didn’t look right. The pictures below show what I have done.

We’ve got ourselves a convoy ... in Tradgardistan

 Been working on some transport for our chaps in Tradgardistan. Firstly an improvised armoured car fashioned from an old embassy car with some corrugated iron attached. Secondly the Craigshire infantry have acquired a truck to save them marching-

Intelligence gathering ( or gossip from the bazaars, you choose) suggests that the Man with The Golden Gun and Sword has acquired some advisors in the form of French Army Officers supposedly on leave. We await confirmation of this... 

The long and the short and the tall.

Early weeding in the morning sun gave way to serious sorting indoors with the family. There was however hobby time on and off during the day.

 A garden railway structural item was primed ready for assembly later in the week. I intend to make my own buildings if possible but I got a resin kit to begin the process. Other preparations took place too.

The painting desk p.m with the long, short and tall. The long is a 54mm Homeguard chap who had gone missing and turned up during the sorting process. He , like his fellow platoon members needed, needs a repaint before being used for gaming. The short are some lovely 1st Corps castings of rather familiar looking characters from much beloved children’s books. I had forgotten that I had bought them . They turned up in a wee nook and cranny in the painting desk and I couldn’t resist giving them a whirl. The tall are two 16mm scale railway figures. I can’t recall when I last painted anyone that tall , I am interested to see how I get on with them and their fellows...

Here are the finished  favourite characters. I am quite pleased with how they turned out. They are just crying out to be involved in a game or perhaps a visit to Tradgardistan... 

A bit of bother,part one

The game has begun but not got very far yet. The Colonial Portable Wargame rules are providing a great game so far. One would think I could get the game played but there are so many other distractions, things to do, anyway here is the state of things visually-

As ever click on the photo to read the comments.

A bit of Bother in Tradgardistan, the set up

The figures have a decent plastic box to reside in and the compartments keep them upright and safe . Just enough room for all the Tradgardistani collection so far. I also painted up some Warbases penny movement trays and decorated them with sand and undergrowth to match the figure bases. Three figures represent a company and two figures skirmishers.

The view from the starting position of the Brigadier’s forces. The squares are marked on the mat with a small cross at the corner of each square.

An aerial view of the battlefield and the rules ready to go...

The 

The view from the opposition starting line. The Man with the golden gun and sword commands from the hill top with his drummer for signalling orders. The mortar is ready to fire and the invaders are awaited. Battle report and rules first impressions over the coming days...

Our man in Tradgardistan

In his bright red djellaba and armed only with a pipe and prakirnaka the Brigadier is a larger than life character. Beloved by his men and feared by his foes across the world, he is just the sort of chap to sort out the “Bit of Bother” currently sweeping Tradgardistan.

He has arrived as the self styled “ Man with the golden gun and sword “ is uniting the local tribesmen in an attempt to throw the British out of Tradgardistan. Brigadier Laudian Falls has a force consisting of  A, B,C and D coys of Gurkhas, two coys from the Craigshire Highland Light Infantry, some signallers, members of the Tradgardistani Guides, tankettes and a biplane. Tomorrow he will set out and see if  a bit of bother can be nipped in the bud.

I am looking forward to my first game with “The Portable Colonial Wargame “ rules. The table has been set up and Reggie and his chaps will fight their first battle...

Paper folding Portable Wargame

I just remembered recently about the arcane paper folding my middle daughter did as part of her time at art school. I recall chatting to her about how one might use similar methods to made three dimensional paper terrain. I can’t recall where those conversations went, I will revive them next time on the phone to her. Anyway having watched Kirsty Allsop crafting I decided to see if I could make a n incredibly simple gridded board by folding alone. I borrowed paper from my daughter and did this-

 I like the grid marked out with no intrusive lines or dots. I used too thick paper and folding was hard.

Felt squares and lengths as woods and dried up river beds with plastic trees. Recyclable board and easy to store.

The simple set up. Not rocket science but easy to make. If you have a whim for Naval gaming, the Winter War etc get the correct colour of paper out and fold. Easy.

McVities Gurkhas etc

Yesterday I finished these Gurkhas which are Copplestone Castings. They were in the shed with the figures I posted here yesterday. They are splendidly sculpted and cast. I really like their uniforms.

They will form part of Tradgardistan Force. They are commanded by Captain McVitie, a Scotsman from the Lothians. 

When I was growing up I often went to my father’s office to get a lift home after school. One of his partners was called Mr McVitie and he had commanded Gurkhas during the war. Sadly I never found out any more about him or asked him anything, it just wasn’t the done thing.  So I have named my officer after him.

I also finished the opposition so far-

I am pleased with how they came out. One or two additions have been ordered to allow a small but hopefully entertaining Portable Wargame to take place. Tradgardistan Force will be getting some kilted infantry, a radio on a mule ( just couldn’t resist) and a carrier mounted machine gun. Air support is here already in the form of my interwar biplanes purchase of some time ago. The locals will be getting some more riflemen and a mortar. 

Return to Tradgardistan

I was in the shed the other day and found some Empress Miniatures from their Jazz Age Imperialism range of 1930s figures. They are lovely figures sculpted by the very talented Paul Hicks. As I needed a change in what I was painting and fancying a different focus I came upon this old travel poster-

A little research reacquainted me with this place, how it had originally been a Danish Colony sold to the Duchy of Tradgardland and then came under the protection of the British Crown. That was enough to encourage me to have a go at the figures with a view to some Colonial Portable Wargame games. Here are those I have painted so far. Firstly some fearsome locals-

Time for some figures depicting the Tradgardistan Police-

Note the mix of uniform and non uniform in this unit. Hopefully I will get some more painted up in the next day or so , I can almost feel the stifling heat of the Tradgardistani hills...

Sunday pm in the shed

A recent post  http://baronvonj.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/tsatf-head-em-off-at-pass.html sent me scurrying to the shed to find the hills I created a few summers ago.They were just what I needed for Tragardistan but more were needed-

The result of sawing,cutting and glue. Anything to hand was used to weigh them down-

They were dry enough to start adding the scrunched up paper that will be the outer surfaces.Hopefully I will finish them next weekend...

Friday night favourites at the Tradgardistan Officers Club

A hobby holiday in Tradgardistan

Sunday morning in the Duchy and I feel in the need of some sun and adventure,then I remembered a far flung corner of Empire.I ascended the stairs to the attic and some rummaging later produced this travel poster from the 1930s-

Originally a Danish colony, it was passed onto The Duchy of Tradgardland quickly in the 18th cenutury as it was a place of "grave mischief,wild warriors and vexing rule."
In the 19th Century it was once more passed on (rather like a hot potato) to the British Goverment and Crown.Now in the Jazz Age rebellion was once again brewing...