My epic imagi-nations battle (le Bataille de Deux Fermes) has finally concluded after 10 full, action-packed turns. Grenouisse eventually managed to wrestle the central hill from Borgenmark’s control, forcing the bluecoats to retreat to the pontoons as the sun sets over the battlefield. Vive le roi!

The epic game continues: turn 7 ends with the Grenouissian pressure finally beginning to tell, with a Borg gun captured, a musketeer regiment breaking after being caught in a crossfire, and another finally beaten in a bitter hand-to-hand fight with elite Schwitzer mercenaries. Still all to play for!

Things you can do when wargaming solo No. 385: pause the game to make a little unit of bargees.

End of Grenouissian turn 6, a stonking turn with too much action to cram in here – become a patron to get the full story! But here are a couple of overview pics, plus one of a Borg battalion surviving a double charge by Grenouissian dragoons – and surviving! Who said resistance was futile?

The imagi-nations battle continues. Grenouissian turn 5 is packed with action as their artillery opens fire, musketry rolls along lines of infantry & cheers ring out as both infantry and cavalry units plunge into close combat. The brave Borg hold firm in places, but elsewhere cave in under pressure.

The imagi-nations game is continuing solo. Here’s the end of the next Borgenmark turn, with reinforcements arriving but pressure building all along the L-shaped defensive line. It’s going to be a very tough but for the Grenouissians to crack, especially as the cramped ground makes deployment tricky.

The imagi-nations campaign game as we left it last night, with Grenouissian infantry steadily grinding forward from the south, while their cavalry & light infantry sweep in from the east. The Borg, meanwhile, encouraged by a new C-in-C, have formed solid defensive lines as they retire. See Alt tags

Imagi-nations game set for tomorrow: the campaign between Borgenmark & Grenouisse continues. Here are the Borg, retreating from their defeat the previous day, heading back to the pontoon bridge they built just a few days previously. The pursuing Grenouissians can enter at bottom (S) or right (E).

Second hand bargain. 1974 first edition! Over 50 years old but still fantastic reference.

Out now, exclusively for paying patrons, the third instalment of The Rise of Borgenmark, an episode in the long-running Wars of the Faltenian Succession. Come on over, join in for the price of a cappuccino, have a listen and read the hand-written campaign journals! www.patreon.com/posts/rise-o...

A couple more classics from Blandford.

Oldies, but goodies – out of print for many years, but absolutely cracking reference if you can find them second hand.

My latest "Off the Cuff" 30-min podcast for all my patrons, both paying and free. Head on over, sign up and listen as I explain my gratitude for our wonderful hobby. www.patreon.com/posts/off-cu...

Planning a little pirate game for tomorrow with visiting editor of Miniature Wargames, John Treadaway. His party of Royal Marines must rescue the kidnapped Bishop Toto from Longbeard and his scurvy crew. We’ll be using the classic Legends of the High Seas from the much missed Warhammer Historical.

I am devastated. I have been following the incredible work of SaveAFox Rescue for years and like everyone, felt huge affection for Mikayla. Everyone who spreads online hate should be forced to watch this powerful message from her grieving husband. www.instagram.com/reel/DLQHXiY...

The next Grant unit on the restoration table is avon Ratzmer Ulanen. The paintwork seems to have survived reasonably well, so just some judicious retouching required. Again, the late Charles Grant did some clever conversion work here from the original Spencer Smith WWI German Uhlans.

The Lanciers de Saxe ready to join the ranks of Grenouisse… And in black and white for those who didn’t recognise them the first time. [Long alt text!]

Just published exclusively for patrons: the Rise of Borgenmark Episode 2, an audio-visual post covering my ongoing Wars of the Faltenian Succession, with the titanic military and political events in the summer of 1752 covered in my detailed, handwritten journals. www.patreon.com/posts/rise-o...

Exclusively for paying patrons, a new video on my Patreon site. You can also access it for a one-off payment but PLEASE NOTE it's far less expensive via the web compared to the Apple Store/iOS, so if you're inteerested, save yourself a couple of quid via the site! www.patreon.com/posts/assaul...

My restoration of the Lanciers de Saxe, formerly in the collection of Charles S Grant, is nearly complete.

Out now for patrons: Battlechat 120 featuring @sabotag3d.bsky.social Paul Edwards. Head on over to listen by becoming a patron for less than the price of a cappuccino a month! www.patreon.com/posts/137182...

Out now for patrons: Battlechat 120 featuring @sabotag3d.bsky.social Paul Edwards. Head on over to listen by becoming a patron for less than the price of a cappuccino a month! www.patreon.com/posts/137182...

Our Oudewater 1575 project is moving along nicely. Plungy has just poured water in this city canal. In the meantime, I'm nearly done with 1000 infantry.

Huge shout-out to @eurekaminiatures.bsky.social for delivering my first ever consignment of beautiful AB Miniatures 18mm British Peninsular Napoleonics. It’s such a long time since I’ve ordered smaller scale minis that I was nonplussed by how tiny the package was! All superbly cast, very clean. 😁👍

A glimpse at something I’m sharing with my patrons: piecing together my imagi-nations timeline for summer 1752, when Borgenmark has invaded Grenouisse, whilst the latter is also embroiled in colonial adventures in far distant Dahlia-Chindrastan. In real time, these events were several years apart!

The last of my Grantian units about to begin their preservation/restoration: the Gardes Françaises, the only unit I inherited that is not just at full strength, but actually seems to have a couple of spares!

The latest Charles Grant unit on the workbench is Navarre, mentioned but not pictured in The War Game (1971). Considerable delicate restoration required, not least on the sheet brass flag where a large patch of the enamel paint flaked off. I’ll also have to replace 6 musketeers lost to plastic rot.

My third and final attempt at Substack has come to a close. It’s become so dominated by Notes that it’s more like a kind of Instagram and much harder to reach ‘my people’. I’ll be concentrating on my Battlegames Patreon and blog, and choosing a different venue for my other creative efforts.

Another busy day in the Loftwaffe as three more vintage Grant units begin their restoration journey, all now sporting PVA protective coats: Von Ratzmer Ulanen, Wolfenbüttel Kürassiere and the Fusiliers de la Morlière.

@janefriedman.com Thank you so much for alerting me to this superb article in your latest newsletter – deeply thought-provoking and I’ve been sharing it with others. open.substack.com/pub/gurwinde...

Read this. Seriously, read this please. open.substack.com/pub/gurwinde...

Now those AWI British are off my desk, I’m turning to a long overdue project: restoring the units of Spencer Smiths purchased from C S Grant a while ago – figures that appeared in The War Game (1971). First, the Lanciers de Saxe get a careful dust, then a coat of diluted PVA to stabilise the surface

Out for paying patrons & available for sale as a one-off, the opening spread of my campaign journal for the latest stage of the Wars of the Faltenian Succession, in which I describe the opening of the conflict between Borgenmark and Grenouisse with audio and visuals! www.patreon.com/posts/rise-o...

Arthritis update: just had my phone appt with Sussex MSK who tell me that recent X-rays have revealed that my condition has reached “severe” levels (no shit!) so they’re referring me to a private hospital to get the op done ASAP. A weird mixture of relief and terror (fear of general anaesthetic).

Today, I will find out whether I shall be able to get a new hip from the NHS. Trying to be creative whilst plagued with chronic pain and increasing difficulty walking due to osteoarthritis is proving <British understatement> tiresome</British understatement>. Any of you coping with chronic pain too?

Bluesky do your magic. I found this chain on 8.8.25 on the ascent to the Col de la Bonnette in the Alps. A pet name is engraved on the side. Anyone who knows it will get it back.

Decided to chill out this afternoon and dig out the watercolours I don’t get to use very often. A little view of Venice, San Giorgio from near Arsenale, in a Moleskine sketchbook using Winsor & Newton pan colours and masking fluid.

Decided to chill out this afternoon and dig out the watercolours I don’t get to use very often. A little view of Venice, San Giorgio from near Arsenale, in a Moleskine sketchbook using Winsor & Newton pan colours and masking fluid.

@yarkshiregamer.bsky.social Listening to your conversation with Robbie Roddis and the subject of wargaming on TV. Have you not seen my little stop-motion films? 😆 youtu.be/dkCLV_TMmOg?... and youtu.be/frySeE_zDlM?...

This evening, for the first time in ages, we are having a few friends round for dinner. The weather has obliged and the sun is shining. Have a great weekend, everyone.

I’m having another go at Substack, this time featuring more about worldbuilding & gaming as well as my other interests, kind of a long-form BlueSky, but not designed to compete with my Patreon and in the hope of getting a wider audience for my wide-ranging stuff. open.substack.com/pub/henryhyd...

I’m having another go at Substack, this time featuring more about worldbuilding & gaming as well as my other interests, kind of a long-form BlueSky, but not designed to compete with my Patreon and in the hope of getting a wider audience for my wide-ranging stuff. open.substack.com/pub/henryhyd...

Question: does anyone here paint their minis – or at least the majority of a plastic mini – _before_ assembly? Or do you always make the complete mini and then paint it. Asking for a friend traumatised by recent experiences…😑

You may recall that I took a commission from @profgsheffield.bsky.social to paint a few AWI infantry for him. Now, a mere 11 months later, I have finally finished them! Lessons learned: 1) never take on another painting commission; 2) my hand-eye coordination sucks; 3) I hate painting AWI British!

The troopers of the Light Brigade, who wore the finest Milanese armour. Oh, hang on…🤔

Dontcha just love AI? Not.

What an utterly dogshit rebrand. Take something unique, characterful and distinctive and make it look like every other bland corporate unbrand out there.

A new post for both paid and free members of my Patreon. Come and join the discussion. www.patreon.com/posts/manife...

A recent video originally made for my patrons, which I’m now making public after a decent interval. An imagi-nations campaign and game report, showing a challenging scenario using my “Shot, Steel & Stone” horse & musket era rules. Carry On Beside the Carillon youtu.be/knam5AG_hmU

A recent video originally made for my patrons, which I’m now making public after a decent interval. An imagi-nations campaign and game report, showing a challenging scenario using my “Shot, Steel & Stone” horse & musket era rules. Carry On Beside the Carillon youtu.be/knam5AG_hmU