Gaunt's Ghosts

Whilst laid low with a heavy cold/(man)flu these last five days, I took the time to finish off a (average) novel about Alexander the Great and then make a start on a large stack of Warhammer 40k novels that my brother-in-law has kindly lent me. The first one I selected was 'The Founding' by Dan Abnett, which is all about a unit called 'Gaunt's Ghosts'. If you like sci-fi combat novels I can't recommend this enough. Great characters, tremendous vision and attention to detail and good stories make this a real "don't want to put the book down even though its 1:30 in the morning" experience. I'm only half way through the book but can't wait to see what happens next, and then get stuck into the two follow on books, 'The Saint', and 'The Lost'
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German WWII Propaganda film

Found this propoganda film on U-Tube. There are some fascinating clips of some very rare vehicles like the Sdkfz 251/21 - Flakpanzerwagen with the triple 15mm Drilling MG151 AA Mgs. Also of note are the number of Panzerschreks being carried by the Infantry platoon at the end.
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Last trip for one of Britain's iconic aircraft

A very sad day...
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Harrier jump jets flown by the RAF and Royal Navy have taken part in their last operational flights.

The aircraft is regarded as one of Britain's greatest military innovations, but the jets are being retired early as part of Ministry of Defence spending cuts.

A 16-strong fleet took off from RAF Cottesmore in Rutland on today's farewell journey to several other air-force bases before returning home.

BBC Link
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Daily Mail (some nice photos) Link
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Farewell To The Harrier

For those in the UK who live near any of the bases named below, this is a last opportunity to see the Harrier flying with a flypast of 16 aircraft in diamond formation.
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RAF Cottesmore 1300 – 1310 hrs – Depart and form diamond
RAF Marham 1318 hrs
RAF Wyton 1322 hrs
RAF Wittering 1326 hrs
Stamford 1327 hrs
RAF Cranwell 1401 hrs
RAF Waddington 1402 hrs
RAF Scampton 1404 hrs
RAF Coningsby 1411 hrs
RAF Cottesmore 1415 hrs
Oakham 1416 hrs
RAF Cottesmore 1420 hrs – Recover and land
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Nothing feels good about the decision to retire this very capable aircraft early. I suppose it is a reflection of how bad the countries finances are in. Must confess I'm gutted.
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Nebelwerfer Rocket Launchers In Action

Stumbled across this excellent little video on U-Tube of Panzerwerfer Nebelwerfer Rocket Launchers in action. You wouldn't have wanted to be close to one of them when firing off, or on the receiving end of the rockets for that matter !
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Blue Moon - 15mm Heavy Infantry

I found time over the weekend to take a few photos of some 15mm sci-fi figures that I painted up a couple of months back. The boys are made by Blue Moon Manufacturing (15ALN-101 Orion Republic Heavy Infantry) and can be bought either direct or through Old Glory. Link. Casting and detail quality is excellent, and they were a real pleasure to paint. Included in the photos are a couple of vehicles by GZG and Old Crow to add additional flavour :)
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Ig Nobel for 'whale breathalyser'

This is a quite an intersting article about a London-based scientist's use of a remote-control helicopter to get breath samples from whales has led to her being awarded an "Ig Nobel" Prize. Link to BBC web site.
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Best Card Trick Ever

This is very clever and well worth watching. Best Card Trick Ever
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In War and Paint: Diary of a Modern Day War Artist

This is quite good. It shows the work of a modern-day war artist. Link to BBC.
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From trench to tomb: The unknown warrior's journey

This is an interesting article on the BBC web site about how an unknown warrior was carried from a French battlefield 90 years ago, to be laid to rest among kings and statesmen in Westminster Abbey (UK). But how did this symbol of the sacrifice of war come to be chosen ? Link
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The First World War From Above

This is worth checking out on the BBC web site.
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The story of the Great War told from a unique new aerial perspective. Featuring two remarkable historical finds, including a piece of archive footage filmed from an airship in summer 1919, capturing the trenches and battlefields in a way that's rarely been seen before. And aerial photographs taken by First World War pilots - developed for the first time in over ninety years - show not only the devastation inflicted during the fighting, but also quirks and human stories visible only from above. Presented by Fergal Keane. Link
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Amazing Piece Of Flying

This is an amazing piece of flying by this Chinook. Must confess I went cold when I saw how close the blades were to the ground...
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WWII Bomb Detonated in Germany

A 550lb (250kg) bomb from World War II has been successfully detonated during a controlled explosion in a river in Potsdam, Germany. Nine tonnes of straw had to be placed on top of the bomb, to contain the blast and shrapnel.
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We like explosions ! :)
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WWII Bomb Detonated in Germany – Military Videos - Military.com
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Harrier Jump Jet Retired Early - UK Defence Cuts

It was announced yesterday that the entire UK Harrier force is to be retired early. All flying will have ceased by 1 Apr 2011. As someone who has had the privilege to be involved with this great aircraft, I must confess I'm totally gutted by the decision.
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This is an interesting article about the aircraft on the BBC web site: Link
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Five days aboard one of Britain's silent warriors, the submarine HMS Talent

How long could you go without daylight, family contact, or any precise idea of where you are? A submariner on HMS Talent can do it for three months. Andrew Preston survived five days - and surfaced with a new respect for our silent service.
Read more on this rather good article on the Daily Mail web site: Link
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Building A Bomber Plane In Just A Day

In the midst of World War II, workers at a Welsh aircraft factory gave up their weekend off to build a Wellington bomber from scratch in just 24 hours. Why? To set a new world record. Check out this interesting article and short video on the BBC web site. Link.
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A Little Known Tale of War

This is an interesting little essay on Armchair General web about the Italians in WW2. Link
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Britain Remembers 70th Anniversary Of The Blitz

LONDON — The courage of the military personnel and volunteers who suffered the ordeal of the intense Nazi bombing of London was remembered Tuesday on the 70th anniversary of the day the first bombs fell. Link
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To mark the occasion, extraordinary colour film has been released for the first time, showing bombed-out landmarks in flames and prime minister Winston Churchill inspecting civil defence workers.


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M1128 Mobile Gun System

I've always had an interest in armoured vehicles, and thought I'd share some links with regard one I've been following for a while. The M1128 (Stryker) Mobile Gun System is an eight-wheeled armored fighting vehicle mounting a 105 mm tank gun, based on the Canadian LAV III light-armored vehicle. It is in service with the United States. As ever of course there is a Wikipedia page devoted to it Link.
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To get a real feel for the 22 ton vehicle a few clips from U-Tube always help :) It has an unmanned turret and autoloader.
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Warhammer 40k - Space Marine - Trailer

Saw this today, and think it looks quite good :)
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HMS Glowworm

Stumbled across this intersting site about HMS Glowworm.
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On 8th April 1940 The British destroyer HMS Glowworm, alone and outgunned took on the German Heavy Cruiser Admiral Von Hipper and her destroyer escorts. In spite of the heavy odds against her she managed to score hits on her mighty opponent and in a last act of defiance she rammed the Cruiser before she sank. Link
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Battle of Britain Peewit convoy attack remembered

On a cloudy August day in 1940, the skies and seas around the Isle of Wight witnessed the first sustained clashes of the Battle of Britain.

With the Luftwaffe able to fly from occupied northern France, shipping along England's south coast was an easy target for the German bombers.

Convoy CW9 - codenamed Peewit - was hauling coal from Medway before dispersing off Swanage when it was hit.

Three fierce air battles ensued as the RAF attempted to fend off the strikes.

See the BBC web site for more info - Link
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WWII Database

For anyone interested in WW2, this site is an an intersting visit. It is called the WWII Database, and has a simply astonishing amount of detail in it. Well worth a visit. Link
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HMS Dasher

This is quite an intersting site with quite a comprehensive essay about HMS Dasher, and its rather poor in-service career during WW2 which ended abruptly on 27 Mar 1943 when it sank due to an intrenal explosion. Link
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Operation Catapult: Naval Destruction at Mers-el-Kebir

This is a fascinating little essay about Operation Catapult and the Naval Destruction at Mers-el-Kebir. This is where the part of the French Fleet was destroyed by the British early in WW2. Link

HMS Investigator Found

HMS Investigator had been sent in search of the Franklin expedition, but was lost while on a quest to find the Northwest Passage through the Arctic. Link
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Inside the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

This is a very cool little video, well worth checking out.
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The BBC has been given exclusive access to film the world's most advanced fighter jet - the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, built by Lockheed Martin for the US and UK military. Britain had planned to buy around 150 aircraft for the RAF and Royal Navy - but with each plane costing at least £70m that number is likely to fall.
Squadron Leader Steve Long - the first Royal Air Force pilot to fly the Joint Strike Fighter - explained its unique capabilities to Jonathan Beale.
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Link
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Soldier saved by rosary - just like his great-grandfather

A soldier who stood on a landmine in Afghanistan may owe his life to a rosary - just as his great-grandfather did in the Second World War. Check out this interesting article on the Telegraph web site. Link
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Humour - Dad at Comedy Barn

This is very funny :)
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Military Podcasts

I've almost finished listening to the pod casts that you can download from the UK Defence Academy site, so I have been casting around to see what else there is out there. I immediately came across another Blog web site called Military History Podcast. Well worth a look.
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Joke - WICOE

WICOE
(Women In Charge Of Everything)

Is proud to announce the opening of its EVENING CLASSES FOR MEN! OPEN TO MEN ONLY, ALL ARE WELCOME

Note: due to the complexity and level of difficulty, each course will accept a maximum of eight participants

The course covers two days, and topics covered in this course include:

DAY ONE

HOW TO FILL ICE CUBE TRAYS
Step by step guide with slide presentation.

TOILET ROLLS- DO THEY GROW ON THE HOLDERS ?
Roundtable discussion.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAUNDRY BASKET & FLOOR
Practising with hamper (Pictures and graphics).

DISHES & SILVERWARE; DO THEY LEVITATE/FLY TO KITCHEN SINK OR DISHWASHER BY THEMSELVES ?
Debate among a panel of experts.

REMOTE CONTROL
Losing the remote control - Help line and support groups

LEARNING HOW TO FIND THINGS
Starting with looking in the right place instead of turning the house upside down while screaming - Open forum


DAY TWO

EMPTY MILK CARTONS; DO THEY BELONG IN THE FRIDGE OR THE BIN ?
Group discussion and role play

HEALTH WATCH; BRINGING HER FLOWERS IS NOT HARMFUL TO YOUR HEALTH
PowerPoint presentation

REAL MEN ASK FOR DIRECTIONS WHEN LOST
Real life testimonial from the one man who did

IS IT GENETICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT QUIETLY AS SHE PARALLEL PARKS ?
Driving simulation

LIVING WITH ADULTS; BASIC DIFFERENCES BETWEEN YOUR MOTHER AND YOUR PARTNER
Online class and role playing

HOW TO BE THE IDEAL SHOPPING COMPANION
Relaxation exercises, meditation and breathing techniques

REMEMBERING IMPORTANT DATES & CALLING WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE
Bring your calendar or PDA to class

GETTING OVER IT; LEARNING HOW TO LIVE WITH BEING WRONG ALL THE TIME
Individual counsellors available



We always hear 'the rules' from the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side.

These are our rules! Please note... these are all numbered '1' ON PURPOSE!


1. Men are NOT mind readers.

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday football. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one:
Subtle hints do not work!
Strong hints do not work!
Obvious hints do not work!
Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. When we come home from the pub after an all day session we are tired - not drunk. Drinking is labour intensive and requires a huge amount of concentration.

1. We are never looking at the barmaids breasts. We are just wondering how lovely her dress would look on you.

1. We never look for porn on the internet. It is stumbled upon when looking for websites such as:
www.buyyourwifesomethingspecial.com
www.greatcleaningtipsformen.com
www.ballroomdancingskillsformen.com
www.flowersforromance.com

1. When we tidy or clean the house the expression 'man tidy' is good enough. So what you can run your finger through an inch of dust on top of the wardrobe - who goes there anyway.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become Null and void after 7 Days.

1. If you ask 'Does my bum look big in this?'. You KNOW we're lying when we say 'of course not honey, you could be mistaken for Kate Moss's twin sister'.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something Or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, Please say whatever you have to say during commercials..... and NOT ever during Match of the Day.

1. Christopher Columbus did NOT need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colours, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a colour. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If it itches, it will be scratched. We do that.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say 'nothing,' We will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, Expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine... Really .

1. Saturday afternoon is for football NOT shopping. It is a recognised religion and we DO have to drink beer whilst watching our favourite team.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as favourite beers, breasts, football or golf.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. Please don't expect conversation re the potential house move, the leaking tap, the new dress etc whilst we are concentrating on lovemaking. It puts us off and makes the chore last longer than necessary.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round IS a shape!

1. Shopping is not a pleasure. It is man torture.
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The Passenger - Video Short

This is excellent :)
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ZZ Top - Rough Boy

Nothing to do with wargaming, but a classic song and video.
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New Vehicles For Company Of Heroes

As I've mentioned before, I'm a huge fan of the Company Of Heroes Blitzkreig Mod (that can be downloaded for free). A small team of incredibly dedictaed enthusiasts, just keep making this great game even better and better. Details of three new vehicles that are about to be included in the latest patch (due out any day) have sufaced on the web, along with the following three short videos on U-Tube.
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Nashorn

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Grille

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Sd251/22

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Eurofighter Typhoon Guided Tour

I saw part of the Typhoon display at RIAT last week. A very impressive aircraft, only the the F22 Raptor being better IMHO. Stumbled across this guided tour video about the Typhoon on military.com. It's worth a quick look if your interested in aircraft. Link
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F22 Raptor At Fairford

Made it to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford on Thursday. I was fortunate enough to see (and video) the display by the United States Air Force (USAF) F22 Raptor. A quite amazing plane.
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Flying Car

I really really want one of these :-)
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The Terrafugia Transition, a light aircraft that can convert into a road-legal automobile, is to go into production after being given a special weight exemption by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Link
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WWII: The Battle of Britain | Memories of 'Britain's finest hour'

This is quite an article on the BBC web site.
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In this collection of programmes and documents, we hear from some of the battle's heroes, see the Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane fighter planes in action and discover why the Battle of Britain should always be remembered.

Veyron regains fastest car title

Absouletely nothing to do with wargaming, but important nonetheless !! :-)
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Bugatti's Veyron has reclaimed the title of world's fastest supercar. A new version of the vehicle, called the Super Sport, hit 268mph at Volkswagen's test track in Ehra-Leissien, Germany. The Veyron's previous record of 253mph was broken in 2007 by the American SSC Ultimate Aero which reached 256mph. Link
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A day in the life of a Royal Navy warship

Final preparations are under way for UK Armed Forces Day on Saturday and the Type 23 warship HMS Kent, one of the busiest in the Royal Navy, is the centrepiece of the event in Cardiff. The BBC's Colette Hume joined the ship in the English Channel to see what life is like on board. Link
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Winston Churchill 'agonised' over finest hour speech, papers reveal

To many, it was Winston Churchill’s finest hour. The address he made to the British nation as it stood alone against the Nazi war machine is one of the most celebrated speeches in history.
Full of passion and Shakespearesque language, his appeal for fortitude and courage was credited with re-galvanising the country in its darkest hour.
But a new examination of his papers shows how he agonised over every famous phrase – even adding one at the last minute. Link
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In pictures: Summer solstice

The longest day of the year today, the summer solstice...Link
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Simon's Cat - 'Snow Business'

Just spotted on U-Tube that Simon Tofield has done another animation about his cat. Fabulous ! :)
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Locations Britain's greatest myths and legends - Slideshow

Here is a link to the Telegraph web site that has an excellent slide show showing the locations of many of Britain's greatest myths and legends. Link
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Humour

OLD AGE

During a visit to my doctor, I asked him, "How do you
determine whether or not an older person should be put in
an old age home?"

"Well," he said, "we fill up a bathtub, then we offer a
teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the person to empty the
bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," I said. "A normal person would use the
bucket because it is bigger than the spoon or the teacup."

"No" he said "A normal person would pull the plug. Do you
want a bed near the window?"

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40 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

A married couple in their early 60s was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary in a quiet, romantic little restaurant.

Suddenly, a tiny yet beautiful fairy appeared on their table.

She said, 'For being such an exemplary married couple and for being loving to each other for all this time, I will grant you each a wish.'

The wife answered, 'Oh, I want to travel around the world with my darling husband.'

The fairy waved her magic wand and - poof! - two tickets for the Queen Mary II appeared in her hands.

The husband thought for a moment: 'Well, this is all very romantic, but an opportunity like this will never come again ; I'm sorry my love, but my wish is to have a wife 30 years younger than me.'

The wife, and the fairy, were deeply disappointed, but a wish is a wish.

So the fairy waved her magic wand and poof!...the husband became 92 years old.

The moral of this story: Men who are ungrateful bastards should remember fairies are female.....
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'Roman gladiators' link to York skeleton find

The mystery of 1,800-year-old remains unearthed in York may have been solved thanks to bite and hammer marks on their decapitated skulls. Archaeologists have exhumed 80 skeletons from gardens at Driffield Terrace over the past decade. The results of forensic work on the skeletons suggests they may be part of the world's only well-preserved Roman gladiator cemetery. See the BBC web site for more on this topic. I found this quite interesting as I used to live only 20 miles away in a town called Knaresborough.
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Company Of Heroes - Blitzkrieg Mod - Version 2

For a Company Of Heroes fans here's a quick heads-up. A new version of the Blitzkrig Mod has been released, Version 2.0
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Follow this link to the Relic News Comminity Forum, and go to message 3601 for more details and options on how to download it.
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The unseen photographs that throw new light on the First World War

This is fascinating article with some great photos on the Independent web site.
"A treasure trove of First World War photographs was discovered recently in France. Published here for the first time, they show British soldiers on their way to the Somme. But who took them? And who were these Tommies marching off to die?
By John Lichfield". Link
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Robin Hood - Film

Went to see the latest take on the Robin Hood story on Monday. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett the film is just over two hours long. For the wargamer there is much to enjoy in this film, and provided you don't take it too seriously you should be well entertained. Four stars out five.
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Lost army finally found after 2,500 years

This is an interesting link about a vanished Persian Army. Bones, jewelry and weapons found in Egyptian desert may be the remains of Cambyses' army that vanished 2,500 years ago. Link
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More Jokes

What is Celibacy?

Celibacy can be a choice in life, or a condition imposed by circumstances. While attending a Marriage Renewal Weekend, Bill and his wife Ann listened to the instructor declare, "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other..."

He then addressed the men, 'Can you name and describe your wife's favourite flower?'

Bill leaned over, touched Ann's arm gently, and whispered, 'It's Tesco's self-raising isn't it?'

And thus began Bill's life of celibacy...

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Sweet Tea (For all you male chauvinists out there)

A woman goes to the doctor, beaten Black and Blue.

Doctor: "What happened?"

Woman: "Doctor, I don't know what to do. Every time my husband comes home drunk he beats me to a pulp."

Doctor: "I have a real good medicine for that. When your husband comes home drunk, just take a glass of sweet tea and start swishing it in your mouth but don't swallow. Just keep swishing and swishing until he goes to bed and is asleep."

Two weeks later the woman comes back to the doctor looking fresh and reborn.

Woman: "Doctor, that was a brilliant idea. Every time my husband came home drunk, I swished with sweet tea. I swished and swished, and he didn't touch me!"

Doctor: "You see how much keeping your mouth shut helps?"
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The War Over Plunder: Who Owns Art Stolen in War?

Check out a fascinating article on the Historynet.com web site all about plunder in war. A highly recommended read. Link
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Joke - 'What Is Politics ?'

Whether Conservative, Liberal or Labour , I think you'll get you'll like this!
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A little boy goes to his dad and asks, 'What is Politics?'

Dad says, 'Well son, let me try to explain it this way: I am the head of the family, so call me The Prime Minister. Your mother is the administrator of the money, so we call her the Government. We are here to take care of your needs, so we will call you the People. The nanny, we will consider her the Working Class. And your baby brother, we will call him the Future. Now think about that and see if it makes sense.'

So the little boy goes off to bed thinking about what Dad has said.

Later that night, he hears his baby brother crying, so he gets up to check on him. He finds that the baby has severely soiled his nappy. So the little boy goes to his parent's room and finds his mother asleep. Not wanting to wake her, he goes to the nanny's room. Finding the door locked, he peeks in the keyhole and sees his father in bed with the nanny..

He gives up and goes back to bed.

The next morning, the little boy say's to his father, 'Dad, I think I understand the concept of politics now. '
The father says, 'Good, son, tell me in your own words what you think politics is all about.'
The little boy replies, 'The Prime Minister is screwing the Working Class while the
Government is sound asleep. The People are being ignored and the Future is in deep shit !'
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Profile: 3 Rifles Battlegroup

They incurred losses on a scale not seen in the British army for half a century. Now the 3 Rifles battlegroup has paraded along Edinburgh's Royal Mile before loved ones grateful both for their sacrifices and to have them back home. The troops were deployed to Helmand Province in October 2009 and, in a six-month tour, incurred no fewer than 30 deaths from among their ranks. It represents the heaviest casualties suffered by a British army battlegroup since the Korean war. Link to BBC news
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It must be a great relief for the families to have the men back home after such a tough tour. Salute to them all.
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Jagdtiger

The Panzerjäger Tiger Ausf. B Jagdtiger (Sd. Kfz. 186) was a German tank destroyer (self-propelled antitank gun) Jagdpanzer of World War II. It saw service from late 1944 to the end of the war on both the Western Front and Eastern Front. The Jagdtiger was the heaviest armored fighting vehicle to see service during World War II.
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I thought I'd read all there was to read about this vehicle in various books and postings on the web , then I happened on the wikipedia posting and how it performed in combat... Link
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The Five Worst Army Men Of All Time

Over at The Poop, the San Francisco Chronicle’s baby blog, Peter Hartlaub makes a list of the worst plastic Army men. After his own kid discovers toy soldiers at the playground, his wife lets Peter pull out the politically incorrect soldiers from his own childhood and quickly gets around to one of life’s great questions: “Why did toy manufacturers produce such a half-assed fake military force?” Link
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Salute 2010

I had planned to go to SALUTE last weekend, but family stuff got in the way. For those like myself we couldn't make it, but want to see who was there and what was on offer, check out this link which has just a great selection of photos from the event. Link. Perhaps next year I'll eventually make it there...
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How to get a six-pack - and is it worth it?

This is quite amausing article about the proverbal 'six pack'. Worth a read and a chuckle. Link
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Alien Prequel !

Just seen the news that Ridley Scott is to make a 3D Alien prequel film !!! Awesome ! BBC News Link.
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War Of The Roses Campaign

A friend of mine from the Huntingdon club has invited me to join in a short War of The Roses campaign he's going to run. It sounds like fun, and although (like any true wargamer) I have a mountain of unpainted figures, I've just gone and invested in a bunch more. To be precise I've just bought four boxes of Perry Plastics for £55 from a company called Warlord Games. Given that each box contains 40 figures, that's 120 men ! Now that's what I call good value for money.
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Panther Tank

Check this intersting site out all about the 'Military Vehicle Technology Foundation'. They have links to some interesting vids on U-Tube, including this one about the restored 'Jacques Littlefield' Panther. Link
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Plans for Austria's Nazi-era towers spark controversy

This is quite an interesting article about six huge anti-aircraft towers scattered through Vienna, a grim reminder of the city's Nazi past. Link to BBC
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Yorkshireman (Joke)

A London lawyer and a Yorkshireman are sitting next to each other on a long flight to Leeds.

The lawyer is thinking that Yorkshire men are all 'cloth cap and clogs' and that he can fool them easily...

So the lawyer asks if the Yorkshireman would like to play a fun game.

The Yorkshireman is tired and just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and tries to catch a few winks. The lawyer persists and says that the game is a lot of fun.

'I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me only £5; you ask me one, and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you £500.'

As may be expected, this catches the Yorkshireman's attention and to keep the lawyer quiet, he agrees to play the game.

The lawyer asks the first question. 'What's the distance from the Earth to the moon?'

The Yorkshireman doesn't say a word, reaches in his pocket, pulls out a five-pound note, and hands it to the lawyer.

Now, it's the Yorkshireman's turn.

He asks the lawyer, 'What goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four?'

The lawyer uses his laptop, searches all the references he knows. He uses the air-phone; he searches the Net and even the British Library. He sends e-mails to all the smart friends he knows, all to no avail. After over an hour of searching, he finally gives up.

He wakes up the Yorkshireman and hands him £500. The Yorkshireman pockets the £500 and goes straight back to sleep.

The lawyer is going crazy not knowing the answer. He wakes the Yorkshireman up and asks, 'Well! What goes up a hill with three legs and comes down with four?'

The Yorkshireman says "Buggered if I know!",reaches in his pocket, hands the lawyer £5 and goes back to sleep.

Don't mess with Yorkshiremen; we only talk different.

Pigeon: Impossible

My brother sent me this link to an outstanding little video on U-Tube. The story line is that a rookie secret agent is faced with a problem seldom covered in basic training: what to do when a curious pigeon gets trapped inside your multi-million dollar, government-issued nuclear briefcase. Link

1/300th Micro-Tank Game (Unusual Force Mix)

Last week an old friend of mine (Steve) was having a clear out, and very kindly passed over to me around 50 1/300th buildings that he thought my son and I might like to add to our collection. This was a great excuse to dig out some other terrain and a bunch of vehicles.
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My (7 year old son) who was in charge of proceedings laid the table out, and picked the force mix, which as you may have spotted was modern South African and Swedish taking on WW2 Germans !
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In the following game (using his rules) the Germans (played by myself) were throughly routed ! LOL :)
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Top 10 Low Pass Jet Flybys

You can't beat a low fast pass by a Jet aircraft ! This is a link to a great compilation video on Military.com :)

Leonardo: An early Dr Strangelove?

Was the great Florentine artist and scientist who painted the Last Supper, designed the legendary Sforza horse and did the first great studies of human anatomy also a sinister military genius whose inventions caused horrible deaths in the wars of sixteenth century Europe? Read this article on the BBC News Today site to find out more. Link
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Battletech At The Harrogate Club

My father-in-law sadly passed away two weeks ago, and the Vulture household has been in a state of turmoil since then. Up north in Harrogate for the funeral last week, there was little opportunity or inclination to do any gaming. That said, on the Thursday evening I dropped into the Harrogate Club and met up with three old friends who had rather than playing their normal fare of Flames Of War (that I'm not very familiar with) had organised a 4 Mech aside 3025 era Battletech bash. Teamed up with Theo, I had a Shadowhawk and a Quickdraw, he had an Atlas and Assassin. Our opponents John and Chris has two Crusaders, a Thunderbolt and an Ostrock.
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I used to play a huge amount of Battletech, although I've only had about 2 proper games in the last seven years. I was initially a little rusty on the rules, however it soon came flooding back, and I barely had to refer to the QR sheet.
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In what was an entertain little battle, we eventually ran out of time, having lost two mechs per side, the game to continue next week. There is no doubt Battletech although now quite an old game system, is still a very elegant one, and perfectly suited to playing on a club night. As an aside, my opinion of Shadowhawks hasn't changed after that game. They are still a under-weaponed piece of junk ! :)
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On board the RAF's Nimrod

This is quite an interesting little video.
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The RAF is bidding farewell to the Nimrod MR2 aircraft at its Kinloss base. It is due to be replaced operationally by the MRA4 in the autumn of 2012. The BBC's James Cook went on board to find out what the MR2 offered the RAF and why it is no longer needed. Link to BBC
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Necromunda Resource

Necromunda is a game I've only played once (many years ago), and I've been toying with the idea of buying a set off E-Bay. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there is a rather good Necromunda rescource page on the Games Workshop webs site - worth checking out. It's possible to download the main rule book ! It is not possibel to link directly to it, but if you go to the main GW site, and type in Necromunda Resources into the search box, it should take you staright to it.
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KINGFISHERS IN ACTION - SLIDESHOW

Nothing to do with wargaming this, but I saw this outstanding slideshow of Kingfishers In Action taken by a very talented guy called Joe Petersburger and thought I'd post a link.
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Predators Trailer

This looks totally excellent :) Can't wait !
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Avalanches And The Military

I found this fascinating article in THE TIMES (UK edition) on 24 Feb, and felt it was worth sharing.
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The deadliest avalanches in history have been in Italy, during the the First World War. The western battlefronts stretched across the Alps into the Tyrol region, where the Austrian and Italian armies faced each other in sever weather winters. "Some had ice on their faces: the conducting office said that three or four of them were frozen to death nightly," wrote one British officer visiting the Italian lines.
Avalanches were another threat. "Entire platoons were hit, smothered, buried without a trace, without a cry, with no other sound than the one made by the gigantic white mass itself," described an observer. One of the worst was in December 1916, when an intense snowfall storm dropped huge snowfalls followed by days of avalanches. About 10,000 soldiers were killed as whole companies of men, guns and animals were buried.
Some historians believe than avalanches were set off deliberately using artillery fire,a although the risks to the attacking side would have been suicidal. Over the war about 60,000 soldiers died in the avalanches - a third of all deaths in the higher parts of the Alps battlefront. Even today, the bodies of soldiers are revealed in thawing glaciers and snowfields.
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Here's a link to some more info on this subject.

Massive VBIED Explosion

A recent video on U-Tube shows an impressive Vehicle Born Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) going off in Iraq. Everyone likes big explosions, provided of course no one is hurt ! :)
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Company of Heroes Blitzkrieg mod

Another Company of Heroes Blitzkrieg mod update is available. We are now up to version 1700. My son and I have been playing lots of this recently. The additions in the tech-tree and extra vehicles that are available, make this a 'must try' for any CoH enthusiast.

You can find it on post 3300 on this page.
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News Link - Hadrian's Wall 'line of light'

Hadrian's Wall has been lit from end to end by a team of 500 volunteers holding flaming torches.

The "line of light" followed an 84-mile (135km) national walking trail that shadows the route of the Roman wall spanning northern England.

Link to BBC
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I'd have loved to have been involved in that.

Joke - 'GOTTA PEE'

Two women friends had gone for a girls' night out. Both were very faithful and loving wives, however they had gotten over-enthusiastic on the Bacardi Breezers.

Incredibly drunk and walking home they needed to Pee, so they stopped in the cemetery.

One of them had nothing to wipe with so she thought She would take off her panties and use them.

Her friend however was wearing a rather expensive pair of panties and did not want to ruin them..

She was lucky enough to squat down next to a grave that had a wreath with a ribbon on it, so she proceeded to wipe with that.

After the girls did their business, they proceeded to go home.

The next day, the husband of one of the women was concerned that his normally sweet and innocent wife was still in bed hung over, so he phoned the other husband and said:
"These girl nights have got to stop! I'm starting to suspect the worst.. My wife came home with no panties!!"

"That's nothing," said the other husband, "Mine came back with a card stuck to her ass that said.....

'From all of us at the Fire Station. We'll never forget you.' "

Walker - Modular Weapon Fit

You may have seen the 'Gatling Walker' on one of my previous postings. I've took the next logical step a little while back and made up a variety of weapons than can be fitted.

My person favorite is the anti-armour config with the huge railgun ! It's so OTT ! LOL
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Update

Well the exam, went 'okayish' yesterday. It didn't feel like a disaster, on the other hand, it was far away from being a walk in the park either. Good to have it behind me, it feels like normal life can resume :)
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Started reading the HOF Fire Team rules today, also picked up a book on the invasion of Canada called 'Death or Victory' by Dan Snow. Felt inspired to do for two reasons, first his pod-cast on the topic I mentioned a few weeks ago was really interesting, and secondly it was reduced from £25 to £5 ! :)

Exam Tommorrow - Gulp

I've been in work most of the weekend revising in the quiet of the office like mad. Feel completely adrift from the topic, just unable to get to grips with it. It must be sign of my age ! LOL They say its all downhill after your 25. Well 20 years on from that point I seem to be a long way down the hill... Dreading tommorrow, but also looking forward to getting the damn thing over with. I'm on an early train into London to take the exam at the London Met University.
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WW2 20mm Gaming

My son has a selection of my 20mm WW2 figures, tanks and buildings out on our dining room table at the moment. Using his own rules, the Brits are defending hard (and successfully it seems) against the attacking Germans :)
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The figures are mainly by Platoon 20 (bought over 20 years ago), vehicles are a mixture of Airfix Kits and Dragon Armour (the Tiger). Most of the buildings are made home-made using Linka.
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Jed's - 7 Today

Our black labrador 'Jed' is 7 today. In a break from exam revision I took a couple of photos this lunchtime. A better natured hound you will not find anywhere ! :)
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Exam Pressure...

I have an CIPS Diploma exam this coming Monday, so (virtually) all gaming/modelling activity is on hold whilst I inflict some heavy revision on myself over the coming days. This is all very frustrating as I would very much like to read up on the HOF Fire Team rules that 15mm.co.uk are playtesting at the moment. In the meantime here are a couple of shots from a recent photo shoot of a mixed battlegroup of my 15mm sci-fi armour.
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Bloodhound diary: Flaming hot

Nothing to do with wargaming this, but fascinating all the same.
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RAF fighter pilot Andy Green intends to get behind the wheel of a car that is capable of reaching 1,000mph (1,610km/h). Powered by a rocket bolted to a Eurofighter-Typhoon jet engine, the Bloodhound car will mount an assault on the land speed record.

Wing Cmdr Green is writing a diary for the BBC News Website about his experiences working on the Bloodhound project and the team's efforts to inspire national interest in science and engineering. Link to BBC.
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Onslaught 2 - At Game Garage

Guys, this is a web based flash game that is worth checking out. Simple but mildly addictive :) Link
Managed to get to level 80 with my son tonight without too much difficulty. What can you get up to ?
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FAD Game - Almost Unstoppable Heavy Power Armour

I've just got home from my local club (HDWS) having had another game of FAD with my friend James. As we are still getting used to the rules we had a loose scenario of the local militia on a out-flung planet calling in the cavalry after being attacked by some off-worlders. The sides were as follows:

James (unwashed off-worlders)
1 x Walker,
2 x large Heavy Armoured squads,
1 x small squad in Power Armour
1 x HQ in Heavy Armour.

Myself (good guy cavalry coming to the rescue)
1 x Militia unit of 20 conscripts,
1 x Heavy Power unit with double barrelled weaponry,
1 x Improved Armour squad of 10 men,
1 x HQ of 4 men in Heavy armour.
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Both sides were pointed out at approx 500pts each.
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This was the first occasion we have used a Heavy Power Armour unit with twin weaponry in a game. Suffice to say, the unit was virtually unstoppable, and as well as being very difficult to kill laid down totally overwhelming firepower !
Here it is taking on James Walker...
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We need to think about how to use units such as these in a playable way in the future, by possibly either downgrading both their armour and firepower.
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The Boneyard: world's 'biggest' plane cemetery up close

Dubbed 'The Boneyard', but officially known as the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) facility, this sprawling US airbase is reputed to be the world's largest military aircraft cemetery. Link to the BBC
This would be a fascinating place to visit !
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Podcast - 'Death or Victory': Wolfe and the Capture of Quebec.

Stumbled by accident across the fact that the UK Defence Academy has some podcasts on its web site. I've listened to one at the weekend 'Death or Victory': Wolfe and the Capture of Quebec. In it, the speaker Dan Snow gives a detailed account of the seven year campaign and the Battle of Quebec in 1759. He stresses the important role played by the British Navy in charting the St Lawrence River and organising the amphibious landing. It has a duration 39 minutes.
This is an absolutely fascinating listen given with real enthusiasm for the subject by Dan. Very highly recommended. Link
The Academy has over 40 different video and podcasts available to download, and the whole selection is well worth checking. Link
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More Dropship Photos

Here's a few more photos of the dropship. The current paint job is a very simple one. I sprayed the entire vehicle in car primer grey, and then painted it with Citadel Catachan Green. I might pick a little bit of detail out, but to be honest there isn't that much on it, so I think I'll stick with the 'plain Jane' look. That said time permitting I hope to add some 'nose-art' in the next day or so :)
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A few other vehicles shown here as well, for size comparison :)
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New Dropship Enters Service

This last week I've been doing a quick re-paint job on what is quite a large transport craft (for 15mm gaming). Here's a couple of photos of some of my troops disembarking :) You might recognize it...
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From Wargaming BLOG Photos

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New Battle of Bosworth Field site revealed

The true site of one of the most decisive battles in English history has been revealed.

Bosworth, fought in 1485, which saw the death of Richard III, was believed to have taken place on Ambion Hill, near Sutton Cheney in Leicestershire.

But a study of original documents and archaeological survey of the area has now pinpointed a site in fields more than a mile to the south west. Link to BBC.

Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov

I've been doing some modelling these last fews days, but I've decided to wait until tommorrow to take the photos in natural light as opposed to electric. In the meantime here is quite an intersting video of the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov.
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Space Hulk - Flash Movie

Just viewed this outstanding Space Hulk flash movie :) Well worth checking out ! Link
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Stuff and a JOKE

Been busy with my 15mm gear this last week, doing some terrain and figures, and a few add-ons for my Walkers. I'll take some photos at the weekend. In meantime, here is a joke I was just sent.... :)
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Dr. Calvin Rickson
Dr. Calvin Rickson, a scientist from Texas A&M University has invented a bra that keeps women's breasts from jiggling, bouncing up and down, and prevents the nipples from pushing through the fabric when cold weather sets in. At a news conference, after announcing the invention, a large group of men took Dr. Rickson outside and kicked the shit out of him.

Hardardous Environments

Whilst browsing the excellent 'From The Warp' blog I came across this inspired download called 'Hazardous Environments'. It's aimed at the 40k gamer, but could easily be adapted for any sci-fi set of rules and scale. Highly recommended.
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News - Vulcan 'could be lost from skies'

The owners of the last airworthy Vulcan Cold War bomber say a financial crisis could see the plane and "a part of British history" lost from the skies forever.

The XH558's distinctive look and "howl" on take-off have drawn crowds of thousands at air shows since a £7m restoration project returned it to the air in 2007.

But the Leicestershire-based Vulcan to the Sky Trust, which owns and operates the plane from RAF Lyneham in Wiltshire, has put its staff on a month's notice amid fears it could go into administration within weeks. Link
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Dodgy Carrier Launch

Stumbled across this astonishing piece of footage on U-Tube of a S-2 Tracker belonging to the VS-38 Sqn on the USS Ticonderoga during the 1971 cruise.
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A Year And 30,000 Hits On

Well, it's exactly a year ago today that I started regular postings on my Blog, and coincidentally today the hit counter clocked over the 30,000 ! The internet is just such a great resource for the gamer, and I find blogging to be such great fun with the sharing of ideas and experiences.
On a personal note I'm really busy with study at the moment for a distance learning course I'm doing, so time to game, paint and model is just incredibly tight. The wargamers cry comes to mind, "so many games to play, so little time to play them in!"
Kind regards to all my visitors :)
Vulture

Joke - Raised Security Levels

This offends almost everyone, and so is quite funny :)
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Raised Security Levels
The English are feeling the pinch in relation to recent terrorist threats and have raised their security level from "Miffed" to "Peeved." Soon, though, security levels may be raised yet again to "Irritated" or even "A Bit Cross." The English have not been "A Bit Cross" since the blitz in 1940 when tea supplies all but ran out. Terrorists have been re-categorized from "Tiresome" to a "Bloody Nuisance." The last time the British issued a "Bloody Nuisance" warning level was during the great fire of 1666.

The Scots raised their threat level from "Pi ** d Off" to "Let's get the B ****** s" They don't have any other levels. This is the reason they have been used on the front line in the British army for the last 300 years.

The French government announced yesterday that it has raised its terror alert level from "Run" to "Hide". The only two higher levels in France are "Collaborate" and "Surrender." The rise was precipitated by a recent fire that destroyed France 's white flag factory, effectively paralyzing the country's military capability.

It's not only the French who are on a heightened level of alert. Italy has increased the alert level from "Shout loudly and excitedly" to "Elaborate Military Posturing." Two more levels remain: "Ineffective Combat Operations" and "Change Sides."

The Germans also increased their alert state from "Disdainful Arrogance" to "Dress in Uniform and Sing Marching Songs." They also have two higher levels: "Invade a Neighbour" and "Lose".

Belgians, on the other hand, are all on holiday as usual, and the only threat they are worried about is NATO pulling out of Brussels .

The Spanish are all excited to see their new submarines ready to deploy. These beautifully designed subs have glass bottoms so the new Spanish navy can get a really good look at the old Spanish navy.

Americans meanwhile are carrying out pre-emptive strikes on all of their allies, just in case.

New Zealand has also raised its security levels - from "baaa" to "BAAAA!". Due to continuing defense cutbacks (the air force being a squadron of spotty teenagers flying paper aeroplanes and the navy some toy boats in the Prime Minister's bath), New Zealand only has one more level of escalation, which is "Sh ** , I hope Australia will come and rescue us".

Australia , meanwhile, has raised its security level from "No worries" to "She'll be alright, mate". Three more escalation levels remain, "Crikey!', "I think we'll need to cancel the barbie this weekend" and "The barbie is cancelled". So far no situation has ever warranted use of the final escalation level.
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15mm Sci-Fi Game - 'Battle For The Ruin' - AAR

My friend James and I battled it out at the Huntingdon club again on Thursday night using the basic FAD rules. We both took 500 points to start with, which gave a Platoon of Infantry and one Walker. To this we then each added another Walker and Heavy Grav Tank. We used this game to explore the vehicle rules and the effect of vehicles on Infantry. I had three small 8 man squads, James opted for two 12 man squads each with a squad weapon attached (gulp).
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We had the game objective as a small ruined building in the middle of the board, and both sides deployed 6" in. FAD ranges are huge, so to make the game somewhat different we decided that it was in the morning and a heavy fog was in the process of lifting. To start with visibility was down to 12" and every turn this would increase by 6".
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Initial Set-up
James went for an equal spread of vehicles along his start line, with more of his infantry deployed on his left, including a small Power Armour squad. I concentrated my armour opposite the objective.
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Turn 1
Both sides were out of visibility and everyone move forward unmolested. I occupied the church with an RPG Tank Hunter element, and moved all vehicles forward, along with remaining troops who went to cover. James moved all his troops forward, one of the big squads occupying a hill top.
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Turn 2
I got lucky with the initiative roll and moved my Gatling Walker forward at a cautious 6" walk.
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CONTACT !! Five heavy gatling guns made a mess of one of his squads, which although in cover was reduced from 12 to 3 men ! I moved my second Walker up to provide flank protection, but he got knocked out immediately by James's Walker. Seeing the carnage my Heavy Grav tank waded in and immobilised his second Walker with a well placed shot from his Railgun.
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Turn 3
With the fog lifting my RPG team opened fire on James's walker on the hill, near the objective, and with a lucky shot Immobilised that one as well. I dashed my Power Armour infantry squad forward and occupied the objective. My Gatling Walker feeling confident after last turns slaughter off-loaded on James Power armour squad. Their extra armour made a huge difference though, and only one man was killed. His Heavy Grav tank then powered in from the flank and immobilised my Gatling Walker :( which was also fired on from his immobilised Walker in the hill, to no effect. The driver of the Walker turn his chin Gatling onto my squad in the objective, but with them in heavy cover from the ruin, they only took one casualty.
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As this point we stopped the proceedings as we had run out of time.

This was a very good natured game with the actual result unimportant to both of us. It was great fun using the Walkers, and James enjoyed using his new one, and his recently finished Rebel Minis troops, which look great in the paint scheme he had done.

The rules as whole worked well again, although IMHO the armour element could do with a couple of slight 'tweaks'. We may introduce our own house rules to cater for them. I look forward to our next game :)
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Low Pass

I'm pretty sure I'd have ducked here... :) Turn the sound up loud !
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Audio Slideshow: 'Shaped by War'

Don McCullin is one of the world's most acclaimed photographers, whose thought-provoking images have helped our understanding of modern conflict and its consequences.

To mark his 75th year, Imperial War Museum North in Greater Manchester is showcasing his work. From Berlin, to Vietnam and Cambodia - take a tour with him. Link
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Company Of Heroes - Eastern Front Mod - Patches

Four patches have been released for the excellent Company Of Heroes Eastern Front mod.
Link.
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Jagdtiger Rare Photo Collection

Spotted this great slideshow on U-Tube of rare Jadgtiger photos. If you are interested in WW2 German armour, this is definately worth checking out.
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Gatling Walker - 'Firepower Test' - Stop Motion Movie

I've been thinking about another stop-motion movie for a while now. The main issue as ever is time, or should I say, lack of. Anyway, in-between entertaining youngster and pushing on with a homestudy course I managed to find time to rattle off a quick one today. I find the editing always takes 3 to 4 times as long as actually taking the photos, although on this occassion to my amazement Windows Movie Maker behaved, and didn't crash once ! :)
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Figures - The Colour Dilemma

I'm sure you've all been there. You have some nice new figures, and can't decide on the scheme to go for. Well, that's been me over this last week with some Critical Mass Games infantry. I wanted a different scheme from my other troops, but these guys have so much details on them (amazing really) that I've had difficulty setting on one was
(a) something I liked,
(b) something I could paint, and
(c) something that wasn't going to take hours.

Anyway, I'm just about there with them now. Pictures to follow in a couple of days when I've more of them sorted, along with the bases.
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Jims Product Lab

Whilst following a thread on the TMP I came across this interesting site selling some great looking terrain. Worth checking out. Link
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News Link - Fallen Fromelles Soldiers Laid To Rest

The first of 250 unknown British and Australian soldiers who died in World War I have been reburied in France amid chilly conditions. Link
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News Link - Russia launches plane to rival 'US stealth fighter'

Been very busy these last few days, so little time to get on the PC, or do any gaming / modelling, sadly. Did come across this interesting link however about the new Russian fighter. Link 1 and Link 2.

Towing the Tiger 2 - King Tiger 104

Towing the (UK) Tank Museums King Tiger back into the museum after a brief stay in the workshop area. It's a great shame IMHO that they haven't restored it so it can move under its own power...
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15mm Gatling Walker Arrives And Brings Platoon Up To Full Strength

Just about finished painting my latest Critical Mass Games walker, the one I mentioned on my Sunday posting. I couldn't resist banging some photos off this evening, even though the lighting conditions do leave a lot to be desired.
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This is my most heavily modified Walker to date.
1. Both main guns have been replaced with spare twin mounted gatlings.
2. Both gatlings are fully elevatable thanks to being fitted with Rare Earth Magnets.
3. The torso is twistable, magnets have been fitted between that and the hips.
4. The chin mounted gatling can swivel, as that too has been fitted with a magnet.
5. A GZG missile launcher has been installed on a fixed mount direct to the body.
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Painting pretty much as described in my previous posting regarding the Walkers, with the exception that the legs were given a Citadel Gryphonne Sepia Wash.

Just working on a script for another Stop Motion Movie.... :)
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Long March To Freedom

This is an interesting article on the BBC Today page.
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This week, a group, including relatives of the survivors and young RAF recruits, retrace the 1,000-mile march which followed the evacuation of the Great Escape camp, Stalag Luft III, and which resulted in the death of 200 POWs. Andy Wiseman, a former POW at the camp and a veteran of the Long March, tells his extraordinary story. Link

Walker In Progress + Terminator Hunter Killer

A few weeks back James (who incidentally has started his own blog) and I swapped unbuilt vehicles. He took a Critical Mass Games tank off me, and in exchange I took a Walker off him. Well yesterday I finally finished assembling it.
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Currently I'm on with the painting, and making fair progress. Base colours are all sorted, and the base is sanded. Just need to give it a good dry-brush, and add some extra detail. With a fair wind I should be able to post some photos maybe Wednesday.
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A posting on the TMP last week pointed me in the direction of Toys-r-Us who had a sale on. They have been selling the Terminator Salvation Hunter Killers off for £5.99. I was so sure they would be the right size for either 28mm or 15mm, I bought two ! Anyway they came on Saturday, and are excellent. I'll post some photos later in the week.
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