Cavalier 2025

I attended  the Cavalier show in Tonbridge last weekend.  It was my first show for a while and the first time at Cavalier for possibly 7 years (since we last ran a game there) - I might have made it once in those times but don't remember.

Anthony and I were running the Relief of Fort Pippin Toy Soldier game to promote the Little Wars Forum that I run where a force of dastardly Prussians have attacked Fort Pippin and the British relief force has to set out from Chigley to relieve the fort. 

The rules we used are the Portable argame - using our favourite "instant death" version without strength points.  So, if you take a hit you either save and retreat one square or die.  if you can't retreat you also die.

This make a quick game and is very suitable for a 10 turn 4-player participation game.

We had a lot of interest in the game and met some other 54mm players and other Portable Wargame users.  I was very pleased to put a face to a name with David from the Ragged Soldier blog who had come from Suffolk to the show.  We have interacted in the past then I bought a few books from him and we have commented on each other's blogs.

I didn't get a chance to look at a lot of the other games but there seemed to be a decent standard and a decent mix - the organisers were very careful to pick a mix of games for the show.

Other members of Guildford Wargames Club were there with the Zeppelin Game that was run at Warfare.  In fact, with 6 on that game, 2 members manning the Society of Ancients stand and Anthony and me nearly half the club was there running games!

The show is (like a lot of smaller shows, it seems) smaller than in previous years when I used to trade there and there was a distinct lack of many figure manufacturers.  Warlord were there and I bought a 2 Curassier units and the 2 sets of TYW leaders for my epic scale TYW project.  The council have changed the parking to short term, which was a slight pain, and I unloaded and then moved the car a short distance to the station car park which was £3.50 for the day.

Numbers dropped away after 1pm and we started to pack up at 3pm along with most of the others present.

All in all, a good day with a lot of chatting about Toy Soldiers and meeting some new people.

Glacis build finished

 

As I was on my own today I decided to try and finish off the Glacis so the fortifications are done.

Bit fiddly and I have fingers covered in superglue but it is done.  I still want to cut a couple of end pieces to finish it off - but pretty happy with the build.

I am thinking of covering it with Railway grass paper initially and then adding some flock - that should hide the joins and strengthen it.

Next is cutting the polystyrene supporting the glacis and the painting all the ditch pieces.

Dendermonde - starting the Glacis

 

Spent some time yesterday working out the Glacis and how it would fit around the ravelins and across the ditch.

Cut most of it, but have run out of 4mm MDF (more on order) to cut the side pieces and one more top.

Next will be the back wall and walkway above the covered way.

Then cutting lots of 2mm slopes as triangles and trying to make them fit!

Demi-Lunes for Dendermonde

 

Finished the 2 Demi Lunes guarding the walls.  There will be a bridge from the gate to the demi-lune in front of it and then a road running through the demi-lune onto a temporary wooden bridge to the Glacis.

Walls are a bit bodged but they will be covered up by texturing.

The next stage is to cut the polystyrene to form the ditch properly and paint it.  I then need to make some ramps for the various bastions, ravelins, etc.

After that I hope to work out the Glacis and at least get the base cut this month and then work out how I am going to make the (rather large) grass slopes.

WSS French unit repaint

 

Finished repainting the first French Unit that I bought on Facebook - also added 4 grenadiers to bring it up to 24 figures.

Repainted coats, facings and faces to match the style of my other figures...

I very carefully sorted out some grenadier and officers to expand the units with and put them to one side but still can't find the bag! I did find 8 grenadiers, so I have 4 more painted for the next regiment.

Playing with Polystyrene

 I have bought a box of 600 x 400 x 25mm polystyrene packing sheets to use as the base of the table and give me a sunked ditch.

Spent some time today playing with how it might look.  I need to work out the Glacis before I have an exact idea of the siege lines side of the ditch.  But I think it looks deep enough.  The Ravelins, etc will also be raised out of the ditch as well...