JOUSTING WITH DEATH

 

As my regular readers will by now have noted I have been running fewer games this year, particularly of Dog Wars which there have been none, and my participation in playing is way down as well. The explanation for all this is cancer. 

In late November I went into the hospital for what I thought was an appendicitis attack. After a long series of tests, it was determined to instead be stage four colon cancer. Given my family history of this disease which has claimed the lives of the past two generations of my family, I was not all that surprised. To make a long story short I had multiple surgeries to remove a part of my lower intestine, then spent over six months receiving chemotherapy. Following all that was a HIPAC procedure which involves both surgery and more chemo treatment. When all is said and done, I went from stage four cancer to presently they cannot detect any of it at a cellular level. I'm not cured, as that takes five years of it nor showing back up, but I am as healthy as one can be.

On other positive news was I lost a lot of weight, which is good. My blood pressure is excellent now. Now I need to rebuild my endurance and general mobility. The only thing that is holding me back some is neurotrophy which effects my feet and the tips of my fingers. The later makes fine motor skills like painting difficult. This too should pass but could take as long as a year.  

To all the other bloggers a big thank you for helping me feel connected to this wonderful hobby.  

As time goes on and I recover more there are plenty of new projects and games in the works that I will be presenting. 

BACK IN THE SADDLE

 

It has been a strange year. This summer I retired and thought I was going to have more time than ever. I could not have been more wrong. Getting things settled took longer than expected, then my health took a turn, and I spent a long time in the hospital, afterwards came the Holidays, and it's now near the end of January. WOW! 

During that time, I have not been idle as painting continues, campaigns are being worked on, and games have been and are being played. A few highlights follow.

Leviathans Kickstarter Shipped and My Fleets Took to the Air. Having Waited Over a Decade for the Return This Game Got my Full Attention for Months.
British and Germans Over the North Sea.

The British and Russians Clash Somewhere Over the Baltic.

Crusaders Prepare to Battle the Muslims in a 6mm Outing. 

Desperately Trying to Survive the Jungle of Viet Nam. 

British Forces Attempting to Hold Rommel Back in the Desert.

The Great Tanksgiving Day Battle.

The Dog Wars Fall '25 Campaign has been fought to a conclusion, but my phone refused for months to send my computer the images. All is now well as I finally got the problem resolved and the full campaign will be posted in the near future.  

What does '26 hold? Well, if I have anything to say about there will be plenty more gaming.

THE HONORED DEAD of THE BATTLE OF THE FANCY RIVER BRIDGES

 This week's rolls include an unusual honor, the capture of the Empire's Sharpeyes Rifles Light Infantry by the UPC Whinestein Battalion. This is especially an odd moment as it also included the wounding of General Hunter by the Sharpeyes. 

The Empire's Line Infantry Loses were From Left to Right Strongpaw's Battalion, Lord Basset's Battalion North County Militia, Whine's Battalion, and Sir Sniffsalot's Battalion. 

The Other Losses are Beggin's Regiment of Dragoons, the Captured Sharpeye's Rifles, and Pawsworth's Regiment of Dragoon. 

The UPC Line Infantry Loses from Left to Right were Stalker's Battalion, Snarler's Battalion, and Whinestein Battalion. The Last were the Forces that Captured the Sharpeye's Rifles. 

The Remaining Allies Loses were the UPC's Woofington's Regiment of Cuirassiers, and Von Mutts "Mutts the Whelp's" Own Line. 

General Hunter

At day's end there were a number of other forces near to collapse. A very close and bloody battle.  

THE HONORED DEAD of THE BATTLE OF SAINT BERNARD

 In past I have kept lists and photographic records of the loses during games. As of late I had become lax at this but now I am back at it. Whenever a unit is routed in combat, I like to add a permanent remind by attaching a batch of red poppies to the base of the unit. If you are observant, you will have seen these in the battle reports. If instead you spot a purple batch, that is for a unit that has committed a great act of valor, or heroism. These are very few and I will leave you the reader to discover them. 

The Empire's Loses are Two Batteries of Artillery, Lord Pawling's Regiment (Cuirassier), The Onion City Militia, Lord Basset's Battalion of the Line, and Whine's Battalion of the Line. 

The UPC's Loses are Snarl's Battalion of the Line, Husky's Battalion of the Line, Converged Grenadiers, Woofington's Regiment (Cuirassier), Softpad's Regiment (Dragoons), and Snifferbutt's Regiment (Dragoons)

I do name all my General's and units. To save time and space I rarely use them in a report, but am considering expanding things if it clarifies description, or is warranted by some actions. 

NEW YEARS TREAT

 With a new campaign about to start today, I thought I would upgrade some of the forces in the game by finally adding flags to those units lacking them, and with a pair of dedicated C-in-Cs. 

The Grenadiers and Guards get Their Colors. Nearest on the right is the UPC's The United Packs Commonwealth Guard, in the Center the Empire's Great Lakes Grenadiers, and on the Left the Onion City Grenadiers.  

More of the Guards and Grenadiers. 

The Militia Units. 

The New C-in-Cs. On the Left for the Empire, Marshal Lord Birdinmowthe. 
On the Right for the United Packs Commonwealth, Marshal Tailboise.

Later today the new Spring '25 Campaign begins with the Battle of the Lakes. 

NEW UNITS FOR THE FALL CAMPAIGN

 

The Well Blooded and Experienced Cavalry Now with Their Flags. 

This is a bit of fluff to show off the units I have been painting since the Spring. First up are the Militia Units and their General, Liftsleg, known affectionately as "Ol Yeller". As with all these units I am working on getting their flags print ready. Depending on which side they are on they will have different names. 

The Green Militia. This Describes Their Uniform Not Their Quality. 
Empire Prairie County Militia. UPC Cook Country Militia.  

Red Militia.
Empire North County Militia. UPC Lake County "In-a-Minutes".

Blue Militia are the Large Unit of Seven Stands. 
Empire Onion City Militia. UPC The University Pups. 

Militia General Liftsleg. Affectionately Known as "Ol Yeller".

Empire General Howlden. 

The Guard of the Packs Commonwealth. 
First Unit of Mixed Dog Colors. 

Everyone's Favorites the Dead. 

I am going to close this with a couple of pictures of the workhorses of the battlefield, the Line Infantry Colors. 

The Empire. 

The UPC. 

All the Militia on Parade.