The iron horse

As Mr Tone has been kind enough to mention my shiny new train, here are a couple of pictures.

Undoubtedly the priciest single piece of set-dressing I have ever bought, probably the most expensive I ever will buy.

Getting wargaming and rail modelling scales to agree is notoriously difficult. In theory the closest match for '28mm' figures is provided by S scale (1:64). However that's very much the preserve of scratchbuilders or extremely expensive brass masterpieces. In practice I have gone for On30 (1:48 scale, representing 2' 6" narrow gauge by using 16.5mm track). Whilst O scale standard gauge models definitely look overscale compared to 28mm figures, the smaller narrow gauge stock works well enough.

Locomotive is Bachmann's 28303. I'd have preferred the slightly more ornate 28302, but that's the only model I couldn't find on Ebay. Combine car is also by Bachmann, whilst track is Peco (marketed as O-16.5).

Gaming projects

My experience of historical wargamers is that very few are capable of picking one period and sticking to it, and I am no different. As time, money and storage are all limited, I cannot indulge every topic that appeals to me and am concentrating on the following.

1. Old West in 28mm. Westerns are my first love, and this project is more cinematic than historical in flavour. Rules are my own, currently in development.


2. World War 2 in 15mm. None of that German tanks business for Mr Grizzly: current collection includes US Marines, Japanese, and the beginnings of US Army. Australians, and possibly Anglo/Indians for Burma will be added at some point in the future. Rules are Piquet's Field of battle : WW2, possibly supplemented by my own if I ever finish them, and Blitzkrieg commander for lower-level actions.


3. World War 1 in 28mm. East African campaign of 1916: Anglo/Indian/Rhodesian/East African against German. Originally I planned to use Piquet's Barrage rules, but may well rebase and reorganise for Field of battle.


4. Colonials in 28mm. An outgrowth of the Western collection, this will deal with cinematic, Kiplingesque, and Boys own paper style skirmishes in the Sudan. Rules modified from the Western set.


5. Vietnam in 15mm. Currently in hibernation. Rules a mixture of Piquet's Forgotten heroes; Cold war commander; possibly a modification of Field of battle : WW2; or homegrown, depending on scale of action required.


6. Horse and musket in ??. I have space for one further project of reasonable size, and for the sake of variety it will be horse and musket of some description. Candidates include Grand Alliance/Spanish Succession, American Revolution, fictitious 18th century middle-European statelets, or maybe something completely different.

In addition I have several small naval collections in some degree of progress, but those cost less in space or money.

Early morning on the Yare

Berney Arms Reach.

If you would like a wargaming connection, Gariannonum Roman shore fort is behind the trees in the distance

"Start the ball, Tector."

Well here we are at last. Having considered this blogging lark for ages, I've been prompted to take the plunge by Mr Tone going live at http://notquitenormalfornorfolk.blogspot.com/

This blog will be primarily for wargaming subjects, with a seasoning of movies, local interest, and anything else that takes my fancy

My gaming preferences lean towards rules with card-based systems and top-down mechanics; less popular periods; and either skirmish or operational-level focus. My favourite commercial rules are the Piquet family.