Two regular contributors from our vast “movement” have been vocal in their opposition to my new policy of cutbacks on my toy military. I devote what follows to my dear friends Ann and Louen…..

Spending Thursday away from work with an ill son meant that I had time on my hands. A better father would have perhaps wrestled the I-pad out of my stricken son’s hands and spent some meaningful father/son quality time. However, he seemed happy enough and I did intend limiting him to just the eight hours i.e. before his mother came back home. Anyway I’d left my glasses in work so painting was out of the question and so I consented to staying in the same room as the little urchin. After three hours of “Cash in the Celebrity Desperate Search for Tat in the Attic/ car boot sale” I hit on TV gold,”How to shop well for less”. There,  all our wargamers’ deliberations on guilty “lead piles ” and unfinished projects were answered. We can calm our desire to buy by giving in to the true pleasures of ownership. We have only to make our possessions “ours”.

No more would I just buy on a whim. There would be no more thrill of purchase followed by recrimination and unopened boxes. No, we must truly “possess” what we own. In simple terms, use the bloody things you have. Two years ago now I started painting an wargames army for Warlord Games “Pike and Shotte.” After two years, the club chairperson has migrated to Norfolk, Grandpa Ken has been exiled, Colon and Mr X aren’t speaking after car-gate and John Gallagher has refused to spend anymore money since he feels that plastic five pounds feel uncomfortable in his money- corset. So that leaves just James and I to carry the torch for the good old English Civil Warre.

But, Mr Churchill was clutching something to his breast last Tuesday, in a manner not seen since he was a teenager “researching” for his “art project”. It was the new set of Osprey wargames rules, “The Pikeman’s Lament”. Lion Rampant was excellent, this set is Terriffic! Daniel Mersey has created a real gem and what else could you expect from Michael Leck

 ( you must visit his blogsite and he will be attending Salute!)

The measly amount of painting I had done so far gave me a whole company, more than enough for a game. The ruleset uses points in scenario games. Twenty four points gave me a unit of twelve pikemen, two units of twelve musketeers, three units of six elite Parliamentary gallopers, plus a regimental gun(more of which later). In common with Lion Rampant, players have to activate units to perform an action. It is frustratingly hard sometimes to get units to move or fire sometimes but hey this is the seventeenth century!

I’ll post the details of the game tomorrow but I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced skirmish level game. It has a number of endearing features and surprises that are sure to breathe life into an old project. I told you I could save money! There is no need to rebase, the game played well with miniatures based on multiple stands. And I have two “armies” now. And, I need to buy all seven packs of Bicorne Miniatures amazing dragoon figures. The desire to purchase is still there but the beast is tamed, momentarily at least.

Pictures from the game. The moral of the tale is, a small project finished is better than the stress of unopened boxes!

Thanks for reading, until tomorrow……..