Well, I have been to see IT!

Tuesday evening being "cheap night" at Pukekohe cinema for some reason, tickets are reduced from $21.50 each to $15 - so I persuaded my wife to come on a "date night" to the pictures with me! She agreed with some trepidation - in fact her comment was. "It's the first ever spontaneous night out you have ever organised, and it's a 3-hour long film about a general!"

Her misgivings were fully realised unfortunately - there was actually a lot more time spent on battle scenes in this film than I had come to expect from the reviews!

Now, for my part, I enjoyed it. Even with only a passing knowledge of the real history, I could see holes in it - I don't know much about Austerlitz - was there a frozen lake involved?? The invasion of Russia was handled pretty superficially but the basic elements were included - Moscow empty on arrival then torched by its own citizens and the retreat in mid-winter killing off 90% of La Grande Armee. 

Certain elements of the return from Elba were recognisable from the classic "Waterloo" film eg when Napoleon was confronted by the 5eme (I think) Regiment, and he talks them over to his side. The actual battle of Waterloo was pretty sketchy and as others have pointed out, there were cavalry charges led personally by Napoleon at both Borodino and Waterloo that never happened, but it did not cause me undue angst.

My verdict is it was an ok film without being great and I am happy I have been to see it but doubt I would go out of my way to watch it again, which is not the case of classics like Waterloo, Cromwell, Zulu, The Great Escape, The Battle of Britain, A Bridge Too Far etc all of which I have on DVD and have watched several times each.

My wife, on the other hand, thought it was about two hours forty minutes too long, and the only parts she liked was the music and choirs during the imperial coronation! I am going to owe her some compensation for making her sit through the film, no doubt!

Go see it for yourselves, I would think you might enjoy it - but probably leave your wife at home, or even in the car - she will have a better time there!

Julian's Birthday Bash

 Games with a difference today, as we visited Julian to partake in some aerial combat and a lunch to celebrate his mutter mumble birthday (actually, I don't know the number, but closing in on 70 I think - how the hell did that happen?!)

Not a HUGE amount to say about the games - aerial warfare is real "beer and pretzels" stuff (at least, the way we play it!) so nothing is taken very seriously.

The morning session was WWI - these were the four German planes commanded by Rick, Nick, Chris and me. The Brits were Julian, Barry, John and Mark.

Each side had a photo reconnaissance plane, that had to fly to the opposite end of the table, overfly a target, then get back to its own starting line to win.

We headed straight at each other for about 3 - 4 turns until we were all in long range, then the gunfire started. Johns very first shot at me resulted in this damage card...... just in case it's not obvious, my plane exploded!

The game carried on with me respawning on the start line..

The large British plane in the top of this image was the recce plane, a Bristol F2, controlled by Barry.

Planes circle to and fro over the front-line trenches.

The lines on the stand indicate arcs of fire - the Bristol, being a two-seater with a rear facing mg, has two but my plane is the dead zone between the two arcs - phew!

I managed to maneuver into a firing position but think I may have come off second best in the exchange of fire! 

There were several collisions, in which both planes take damage. With his guns permanently out of action, Nick resorted to deliberate ramming's as a primitive form of midair assault! Despite this, Barry managed to survive, and the Brits won game one. We then swapped ends, with Rick, Nick, Chris and I taking command of the RAF and the other guys becoming Von Richthofen and his Kameraden.

I took the plane with hearts on its wings!

And its ANOTHER collision. We won game two - so one game each although as I pointed out, the Brits beat the Bosches 2- zip!

Luncheon is served - very nice charcuteries et fromages with several accompanying wines, finished with an affogato ice cream - tres bon repast!

The afternoon was a single WW2 game - Nick, Chris John and I being the Luftwaffe, Barry, Mark and Julian the RAF and Rick heckling from the sidelines!

The game was quite balanced as Chris and I were operating JU87 Sturzkampfflugzeuge, so it was two ME109's against three Spitfires and Hurricanes. The German mission was to get at least one dive bomber over the town on the Allied end of the table and the RAF mission was simply to prevent that happening.

The Knights of the Air in a head on charge.

They haven't learned anything about avoiding collisions in the last 20 years, then!

Two on one but it didn't end up well for the Brillcream Boys!

Two JU87 v one RAF fighter. My aircraft is on the left, Chris on the right.

Stuka pilots view of their adversary!

"The Hun is in the sun!"

Spitfire pilots rear vision mirror view!

Chris as a Stuka pilot was obviously a frustrated ME109 ace - he totally ignored the bombing mission and got stuck into dog fights with the enemy fighters!

I managed to slip around the RAF fighter as one of the ME109's came up to assist me. By this stage, there were 4 Luftwaffe planes to a single remaining Brit!

Pilot Officer Julian (for twas the birthday boy himself who was the lone survivor) in pursuit of my Stuka.

But he was too late - target acquired and neutralised - a Luftwaffe win in game III!

And that was it, 6 hours had passed in a flash and the birthday party was all done and dusted - thanks to Julian, his wife Jane and daughter Lizzie for hosting such an enjoyable day - many happy returns mate, and hopefully many more birthday games to come!

Ye Ballade o' Fair Lady Mary Bell - Verse I

 Tonight, I played "Verse I" of a small Border Reivers campaign I have half thought out in the days that have passed since I posted the recently painted Border Reiver figures. I have a rough concept in mind, we will just have to see how many games I actually manage to get played and where the nascent mental screenplay leads us! 

These are the very simple rules used to play the game.

Initial layout. Fair Lady Mary Bell and her maid Mistress Jessie Nixon and their escort wend their way along a quiet Border valley.

A short distance away, a small hamlet beckons, promising a brief rest and perhaps some food and drink to sustain them on their journey, for the Border folk are renowned for their hospitality towards travellers.

Suddenly, Jessie screams, as from the wooded hill to their right, three fearsome horsemen canter towards the small party.

Ahead, another mounted trio thunder past the awestruck farming folk.

The air is rent as shots ring out and smoke billows around as the Calivermen of the escort send their lead balls hurtling towards the closing attackers. One of the closer group is affrighted and takes to his heels back towards the safety of the wooded hill!

The other two horsemen press on, the mounted Heidman charging towards the leader of Lady Mary's escort.

Whilst his lance armed companion closes in on a caliverman.

A flash of steel and clash of blades - and despite the advantage of being mounted, it is the Reiver Heidman who comes off worse, reeling back with a bloody wound - he will take no further part in the combat this day!

The caliverman, however, is not so staunch to his lady's cause, dropping his weapon in terror and waving his empty hands in a show of surrender.

"Quickly, my Lady, take cover behind this stone dyke" shouts one of the escorts, as the Reivers mill around on their tough little horses, slashing down with their wicked blades.

As the wounded Heidman heads towards the safety of the woods, four of the remaining horsemen dismount and advance menacingly towards the wall.

The second Reiver heidman and a Reiver take on the English leader, whilst the other two Reivers line up on one of the calivermen.

"Hurry, ladies, back down this way" the remaining caliverman shouts to his charges, as the last mounted Reiver, previously driven off by a whistling ball of lead, returns to the fray.

Disaster for the foot party - their leader is mortally wounded in the melee and falls to the ground, breathing his last.

But his sturdy caliverman wins his combat and wounds one of the attacking Reivers - that's one less of the rogues in the fight!

The one remaining mounted Reiver overcomes a caliverman in combat and the latter throws up his hands in surrender. Meanwhile, the remaining foot troops, although now leaderless, continue to resist, letting loose a round of fire, but to no effect!

The victorious heidman, having made sure the enemy leader is dead, moves along the wall towards Lady Mary and Jessie Nixon.

One of the local farmers has rushed over to help the ladies party, but he is easily defeated by an experienced Reiver, and driven back, wounded.

The ladies cower behind the protection of the last two calivermen and the wall.

"Look out, m'Lady!" cries one of the calivermen as he fires at the mounted Reiver - but misses!

Behind him, his coverman is engaged by the Reiver heidman, and suffers the same fate as his late leader, dropping lifeless to the wet, boggy moor!

Away from the immediate vicinity of the ladies, the struggle sways to and fro - one defeated caliverman is being led away by the victorious Reiver, when another charges in and overpowers him - now the Reiver is a prisoner!

General view of the action - the one mounted Reiver (top left) has just about reached Lady Mary, whilst to the mid right, two more villagers are rushing to the aid of the ambushed party.

Secret words pass between the Reiver and the ladies ........

The captured Reiver is dragged towards the village......

..... as Lady Mary and Jessie follow the Reiver over the stone wall and mount the two pack mules.

Meanwhile, the remaining Reivers also remount, and head back the way they came, into the shelter of the wooded hillside.

Leaving behind one unfortunate colleague, who will likely feel the Wardens noose around his neck before too many days have passed!

The butcher's bill was relatively high, for so few engaged - the leader of the escort and one caliverman killed, and a caliverman and local farmer wounded, whilst the Reivers had a heidman and Reiver wounded and another Reiver captured. (The Reivers, in their haste to be gone, released the two calivermen who had surrendered earlier in the fight)

Overview of the final situation as the Reivers withdraw with their "captives."

Strange to relate, but the Fair Lady Mary does not appear to be too concerned about the turn of events......

To Be Continued!