The First Post of 2023!

 I have had a quiet start to the New Year, but today I decided to make some trenches for the 20mm SCW collection, as recent film watching, via You Tube, indicates there was quite a bit of trench warfare in this conflict.

Building the basic trench structure seemed pretty straight forward, but I decided to emulate gaming mate Mark, and use match sticks on the trench wall as buttressing. Checking the supplies, I only had about 40 or 50 matchsticks in stock, so a quick trip to one of the local $2 shops was indicated. I always find these places a great source of all sorts of useful stuff, and today was no exception. After locating a bag of 500 match sticks for $3 in the "craft" aisle, I noticed some packs of small trees, in two types, plain green and with added yellow "blossom". These were available for $4 per pack, so I grabbed one with the blossom and two without. 

Between building stages on the three lengths of trench, I cut out some randomly shaped bases from the thick card used in most of my terrain constriction and created a few bases with individual and pairs of trees. 

They have come out pretty nicely and I think I will probably head back to the shop tomorrow and secure a few more packs - or perhaps all they have in stock, just in case I regret not buying them at a later date, The trees are just the right size (to my mind) for 15/20 or 25/8mm figures - see what you think in the images below.

Single Yellow Blossom tree based

Single non blossom tree

20mm SCW figure amongst the trees

1/72 T26 emerging from the trees

28mm 3d printed figure with the trees

28mm Brigade Games metal figures amongst the trees

Construction of trench system - I have cut three lengths the same and will add in a few joins that can make the trench change direction etc

The first section lined with matchsticks

28mm and 20mm figures for scale - I reckon I can use the trenches for either?

Here is the latest SCW film I managed to track down on YouTube!

David Carr (Ian Hart), a committed member of the Communist Party in his native Liverpool, England, travels to Spain in 1936 with the intention of joining the anti-fascist International Brigades in the country's civil war. Instead, he falls in with the POUM, a Marxist splinter group opposed to Stalin's oppressive totalitarianism. Despite falling in love with the politically passionate Blanca (Rosana Pastor), Carr finds the leftist infighting a distraction from the greater struggle.

Below is a link to a 2 min trailer on Imdb

Land and Freedom - Trailer | IMDb

And finally for this post, the advantage of having a son who enjoys fishing and has several mates with access to a boat to undertake the said activity - I think my wife finds his hobby a lot more sensible and useful than mine! Last night's dinner below.... fresh snapper, salad and chips (fries!)

I have a game scheduled at Andrews place tomorrow - fantasy of some type, whether straight Frostgrave or one of his own concoctions, I am unsure, but it will provide more blog fodder and many opportunities for eye candy images of figures!