Rental map of the Underground

This is absolutely fascinating.

It's the average modern rental cost per month of a one bedroom flat (I.e. Two-room)  at each stop on the London tube map.

I came up from rural Cornwall to go to university in Uxbridge, top left.  When I was single I moved to Boston Manor (bottom left) to work in South Kensington, then my first married home was a one bedroom flat in Richmond (bottom left) .

We moved out to Kent to buy and because they had grammar schools.  I couldn't afford to send my children to public school and didn't want to ruin their prospects by dumping them in an inner city comprehensive.

The map is high res of you tap on it.

Kit-bashed Fantasy General

I have no idea what this model started out as. I bought it as a kit-bashed semi-painted second hand miniature and then gave it a further bashing and finished off the paintwork.

Warlord Games Army Painter Varnish

Warlord Games Dark Tone varnishes are a superb way of churning out acceptable painted models quickly.

The above photo shows six models painted identically in fast, bland colours - no shading, highlights or layering. But two of them have been treated with Dark Tone: can you tell which, children?


When you are churning out forty ranked axe-dwarfs for a regiment this is a Godsend.

I don't dip the models but paint the varnish on, thinning with white spirit as necessary. However careful you are the lid will clog up and so expect to throw away about half. The pigment sinks to the bottom of the varnish but can be lifted up by the brush. I use cheap children's paint brushes.

Fenris Peel Tower

 "...In the centre West of the well-travelled edge of the Rubble City Hindal Brightspear claimed and refurbished a tumbledown tower from where to base his excursions into the ruins. Basic, spartan, but solidly built and repaired with reclaimed blocks from its immediate surroundings, the tower has become a landmark for those trying to find their way back to the safely patrolled outskirts of the Rubble...."

Peel (or Pele) towers were tower houses or small fortified keeps along the Northern Marches in Britain on the border between Scotland and England. This area was the Wild North, the land of the Border Reivers (who gave us the modern English word 'blackmail' - Reiv means to take by force) where neither London nor Edinburgh's writ ran very far. The zone was subject to constant raiding and was controlled by the Lowland Clans and Border Families who built fortified homes for themselves.

This is a fair representation of just the sort of Peel Tower that would be found on the edge of a Kingdom, around the Frozen City, or any lawless region.

The model above is new and from Fenris Games here in Medway. It can be had for the very reasonable price of twenty of our English Pounds.

The tower "120mm tall, 80mm diameter, hollow-cast resin and detailed with random stone blocks, timber floor supports, and single reinforced door and rooftop hatch .... an ideal objective or defensive point for any number of fantasy or historical gaming."

Looks particularly useful for Frostgrave or, indeed, any fantasy skirmish game.

Sculpted by Andy Hemming.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhhh!

Da Bad Moons can afford to buy da best gear wiv da shiniest finish.

Me and Monty's Tank

David Drake took this photo at Duxford. The tank is Monty's Hq vehicle in the desert.

Benjamin Bunny 2007 - 2015

One of the original founders of John's Toy Soldiers, rabbit, has peacefully passed away. My daughter plans to put his ashes in his favourite place in the garden, where he's dug a little trench to sleep in.

Rabbit sneaking up on a couple of Dark Eldar skimmers.

Rabbit checking out my painting to see if it passes muster.

Our summer moult.

Berlin '45, Imperial War Museum Duxford

Reaper Bones Goblins

Reaper Miniatures now offer many of their miniatures moulded using a polymer in China for substantial discounts under the Reaper Bones brand.

The material is not great. It is shiny, needs washing, and various bits straightening using hot water BUT it is great value for money. And the results ain't half bad.

I have a vague idea of using these for a Frostgrave team as the soldiers.

Today is the 15th September

Lest we forget.

Dad's Army, Thetford

Went the day well?

I'd heard that they don't like it up 'em.

The office.

Thetford Dad's Army Museum.

The 30th Doctor

A friend sent me this photo that he'd taken at our last game. I think he's trying to tell me something.

Great Military Disasters - The Liche King in Kings of War

Last week I actually managed to get a game in - my first proper game of Kings of War II against Joe's dwarfs and earth elementals. We both fielded about 1200 pts.

I fielded a Liche King army. I concentrated the weight of my army onto my right wing, intending to refuse my weaker left. So from left to right, front to back we have: regiment of skeleton spear phalanx, regiment of skeleton warriors, regiment of revenant battle cavalry; and in the second rank a skeleton king, troop of skeleton warriors, troop of revenant skeletons.

My left consisted of a regiment of ghouls, a regiment of zombies, a standard bearer to improve their morale and a skull chucker on a hill.

Joe's earth elementals were painted resin models of the Lewis chessmen. This is such a wonderful idea that I shall just have to steal it.

So I duly shambled up in echelon right and had some initial success taking out a unit of elementals - but look how damage markers are building up on my elite revenant units.

At this point, Joe the drawf warlord, sprung his trap and I was well and truly in the doggy do.

I had allowed my units to become to seperated and set myself up for a flank charge from his chariot reserve. Movement in KoW is more flexible than in many of the games I have played and one doubles flank attacks in Kings of War!

My revenant elite and most of my skeletons died: well they were already dead, of course. In desperation I threw my king and Liche Lord into the fray before checking their stats: it turns out Liche Lords have little melee capability.

Woops!

The Liche Lord rapidly accumulated battle damage. He was clearly doomed so I resigned.

He will of course be back, when he has reconstituted his body back in the crypt and raised a few undead.

I enjoyed my game immensely and highly recommend the system.

The world of Mantica.