Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Papal Gendarmes

With eight (!) games played thus far in April (actually Game #8 is today), mustering of new units out from the painting desk has slowed.  Part of the reason for the slowdown in new units is that one unit in work is a block of 52 WotR figures.  That many figures takes a little longer to work through.  Having that many figures in work, it makes sense to bite off a unit smaller in size in order to keep units moving through the production line.

Given the criterion to push something smaller through the painting queue, trotting off the painting desk today is a five figure BMU of gendarmes from Wargames Foundry.  These horsemen I flagged with a Papal banner from Pete's Flags.  Handsome banner, no?  

With the gaming table clear of most debris, my plan is to pull the Great Italians Wars collection from boxes and put them out for a parade.  Almost exactly two years have passed since the collection was out on parade.  It will be fun to see what progress has been made in two years.  Not much, probably, but enough new units to warrant a parade.
On the remote gaming front, today is set a battle in ancient Sumeria.  One of the likely participants asked if the period gamed would be Ur I, Ur II, or Ur III.  The response?  "It's one of them!"  I spent some time yesterday updating a QRS for the rules to be used in today's game including a number of crib notes to jog my memory during the heat of battle.

On the cycling front, weather is improving on the Palouse.  I made it outdoors on the bike four of the last five days.  When cycling returns to the outdoors, the mileage tends to increase.  This past week was no exception.  I logged 185 miles in the last week.  Very good!  One of the rides included a pass by Fish Lake on the aptly named Fish Lake Trail.  Expect more cycling adventures in the months ahead.
Fish Lake

61 comments:

  1. Excellent stuff Jon! And inspiring scenery.

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  2. They look great Jonathan, and I am a big fan of Pete's flags for the Italian wars. It might be a while before I have the confidence to glue mine together though.

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    1. Thank you, Lawrence! Given what you have been through of late, I can understand you reluctance. I still cannot figure out what happened to your flags.

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  3. The gendarmes are a great collection addition. Great looking unit of horse!

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  4. Gaming, painting production (and very nice, too!), and biking: sounds like a good stretch--and may it continue.

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    1. I hope it continues, Ed, although I am running out of free time.

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  5. Great looking Gendarmes, Jonathan. The large "skirts" with the armor looks so iconic for the period.

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    1. Thanks a lot, Dean! Nothing like your beautiful work but it will do.

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  6. A crackin looking unit Jonathan!!!

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  7. Nice troops. My half hour walk would not cut it in the Palouse :)

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    1. Thanks, George! A half hour walk is a good warm up.

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  8. Splendid gendarmes and banner Jonathan, excellent job!

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  9. Awesome replenishment! The gendarmes are great. We are waiting for the parade of troops in the Italian Wars.

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    1. Thank you, Valentin! Parade coming up in a day or two.

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  10. Cracking lokking Gendarme Jonathan. Very Nice indeed.

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  11. Everyone it seems is doing Renaissance Italians wars! Your photos all looks very enticing. I've been re-reading Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall and there are tantalizing references to the young Thomas Cromwell's time as a soldier in Italy. The banners are ace - did you see Richard Clarke's post on making banners based on illustrations from reprints of medieval books?

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    1. Michael, from what I see, everyone seems to be building War of the Roses armies! I did not see richard's post on banner making. Can you provide a link or was this in a mag?

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  12. A great unit Jonathan and good to see it has warmed up enough for you to put in some good mileage on the bike.

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    1. Thanks you, Steve! Yes, it is very good to be back outside once again.

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  13. Lovely work on the gendarmes Jon and the flag is particularly attractive too. Looking forward to seeing more of the Palouse, courtesy of your biking excursions. Covid certainly seems to have been good for the number of games you are playing, silver linings spring to mind!

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    1. Thank you, Keith! Pete's flag are the best. More cycling excursions, for sure. content for blog posts is piling up here. On the gaming front, yes, the pandemic has been very good with an explosion of remote gaming. This is a silver lining, no doubt.

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  14. A really nicely balanced base, with the plate and the red looking good and the flag complementing everything.

    How do you go about varnishing these sort of figs, where there is a mix of large armour areas, plus fabrics and animal hair?

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    1. Glad you approve, Norm! All figures get a spray of the same matte varnish so everything is much the same sheen.

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  15. Nice cavalry unit Jon, always nice to see a parade it just takes so long getting stuff out an indulgence. Good news on the cycling front too 👍

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    1. Thank you, Matt! Parade coming soon. Yes, very good news on the cycling front. The winter weight gain will begin to slip away.

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  16. Gorgeous looking gendarmes! Pete's flags are of course excellent too,I've been trying to stick to Napoleonics but our first post lockdown game is set to be a War of the Roses battle, Barnet and we "need "more artillery! I look forward to the parade with relish!
    Best Iain

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    1. Iain, you are very kind! I look forward to seeing a report on your wotR game. I have my second WotR Battle of 52 figures ready for the photo booth.

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  17. Gendarmes are a fine bunch, well done.

    Looking forward to the parade. I do like a good parade, especially when I can be lazy and view it on my couch!

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    1. Thank you, Dai! I like a parade too. Hopefully, this won't disappoint.

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  18. Very nicely done! Glad you’re getting out more as well for cycling. 😀

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  19. A splendid unit, Pete's flags are a boon for this very colourful period. I must really get back to the pike unit I have started at some point.

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    1. Thank you, Phil! Now, get back to work on your pikemen!

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  20. Nice work on the Gendarmes, Fish Lake looks stunning

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    1. Thanks, Paul! Are you back in the UK now?

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    2. Yes, quarantining for a few more days yet. Does give me time to catch up on the blog and I've also done a little painting.

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    3. You were required to quarantine after flying back from the USA?

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    4. Yes, the US is on the Amber list, so 10 days quarantine and two Covid tests are required

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  21. Any excuse for a parade really....
    I'm looking forward to it.

    Oddly, while admiring the scenery etc, I finally remembered why we had steamed down to Portland to wave the flag: the Rose Festival! May of '78 I think.

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    1. Good! Hope the parade does not disappoint.

      Rose Festival in '78? Were you steaming from Victoria or Vancouver? I bought my first Airfix Napoleonics at a hobby store in Portland in the early '70s. That was my first glimpse of a REAL wargaming hobby store.

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  22. Esquimalt (Victoria) home to the Pacific "fleet" inc the training squadron.

    No slides, too busy...socializing as good ambassadors of goodwill do. Now, what was her name.......

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  23. I'll look forward to the Itallians coming out. Always such a variety of colours and units.

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  24. You've done a great job on these Jonathan, I look forward to a full array of the Italian Wars armies.

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  25. Handsome Gendarmes, Jon. Or are they Jon-darmes?! :-)
    The Lake is gorgeous!

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  26. A lovely looking unit of ‘Jondarmes’ sir...
    I am looking forward to the parade.

    All the best. Aly

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  27. These gendarmes are looking excellent. Unfortunately I had no time to read your blog during the last time but hope to write more comments soon.

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