Latest in my Nigel Tranter project is the MacGregor Trilogy. Three books focused on the MacGregor Clan in the late 17th and early 18thC. This begins with the story of Rob Roy and continues with his relatives in the 1745 rising. Classic Scottish legend. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/10/the-...

OTD in 1571, the Battle of Lepanto was fought off the coast of Greece. The Holy League gained a decisive victory, with the Ottoman fleet almost completely destroyed. However, the Ottomans rapidly rebuilt their fleet in under 6 months. Some of my galleys using Black Seas rules.

The Pushkin job: unmasking the thieves behind an international rare books heist. “it’s impossible that a group of thieves initiated this action without the involvement of a state.” www.theguardian.com/books/2025/o...

Scotland's historic buildings must not be 'left to rot' as tough choices loom. Faces pressures over rising visitor numbers, deterioration of monuments caused by climate change, increased costs and a lack of traditional skills to maintain its assets. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

The Yugoslavs held off the Nazi hordes, this afternoon anyway. In fairness, the rookie Stuka pilot bombing a German unit helped 😂. Bolt Action at GDWS today.

Bolt Action at the club this afternoon. German invasion of Yugoslavia. Not a good start with my R35 missing his first shot but at least the PkwIII also missed.

Researchers have identified the location of Cadirli Fortress, one of the earliest strongholds conquered by Osman Ghazi the founder of the Ottoman state, in the early 14thC. The finding sheds new light on the formative years and reliability of chronicles. www.turkiyetoday.com/culture/site...

Archaeologists uncover Ottoman-era key (29cm long) at historic Bitlis Castle. Alongside the key, the expert team uncovered a variety of significant artifacts and structures within a 50-square-meter vaulted space, believed to be the palace’s reception area. www.dailysabah.com/life/history...

‘See you in Valhalla’: how the FBI director waded into the far-right’s obsession with the Vikings. It doesn’t require any understanding of the Norse tradition. It comes from the Nazi’s fetishisation of violent death to secure the racial purity of Germany. theconversation.com/see-you-in-v...

My blog on an afternoon spent in Warwick’s three regimental museums. The Hussars, Yeomanry and Fusiliers. Excellent wee museums and my thanks to the volunteers who add so much to the experience. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/10/warw...

‘Laughing at a libertarian crypto dragon? That rules’: Brennan Lee Mulligan on how Dungeons & Dragons took over the world. The games master has accrued millions of fans and sold out Madison Square Garden with his shows where he plays D&D live with guests. www.theguardian.com/games/2025/s...

The Partisan review – the escapades of Churchill’s favourite spy. The Partisan is a film that on paper has some thrilling moments, but somehow they don’t always translate on screen as all that exciting. Unlike the heroine, it never takes much of a risk. www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oc...

OTD in 1918, the Armistice of Salonika came into effect, ending Bulgaria's participation in World War I on the side of the Central Powers. Some of my 28mm Bulgarian troops of the period.

OTD in 1687, Venetian forces under Francesco Morosini captured the Acropolis of Athens. A Venetian cannonball struck the Ottoman gunpowder store, causing a large part of the Parthenon to collapse. The Venetians abandoned Athens on 31 Dec. Some of my 28mm Ottomans of the period.

My first visit to Aston Villa. We have only won once here in 21 games, but records are there to be broken! God loves an optimist.

Popped in to the Birmingham Museum en route to the footie. Displays reflect the city’s manufacturing role providing muskets and swords (exported Tulwars to India!), and later machine guns and Spitfires. They made wings in the chocolate factory.

My blog on a trip around Birmingham today, including the Midland Air Museum and Kenilworth Castle. The air museum has a fabulous range of aircraft with old favourites and some very rare types. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/09/midl...

OTD in 1669, the epic siege of Candia (Crete) ended with a Venetian surrender to the Ottomans. 21 years counts as epic in my book! Some of my 28mm French and Italian volunteers defending against another Janissary attack.

The Fusilier Museum in Warwick covers the Warwickshire Regiment. Monty and Slim were commissioned into this regiment. If you add in Archibald Nye as Deputy CIGS, then you could argue, as the volunteers in the museum do, that the Warwickshire’s won WW2. 👏😂👏

The Warwickshire Yeomanry Museum has a Krupp 75mm captured at Huj in Palestine in 1917. Crewed by Austrian troops attached to the Ottoman 53 Division. The last unsupported British cavalry charge.

Museum of the Queens Royal Hussars in Warwick. A modern tank regiment with a long cavalry tradition.

Kenilworth Castle. After reading Pilling on the disinherited Montfortians, and the epic siege, this was a must visit. Although the focus here is on Dudley’s wooing of Queen Elizabeth.

The Midland Air Museum has a fabulous collection of aircraft, including some obscure and Soviet ones.

This Starfighter reminds me that I have the Turkish version kit waiting to be done. Midland Air Museum. They also have a Super Sabre and a Sabre here!

Another day, another Vulcan. Midland Air Museum.

How the war detectives solved the mystery of two missing Scottish soldiers. CWGC recovery unit and the war detectives have found and buried the remains of more than 300 British soldiers. Their work has identified 60 of those who died in battle. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

OTD in 1371, Ottoman forces commanded by Lala Shahin Pasha defeated Serbian troops commanded by King Vukašin Mrnjavčević at the Battle of Maritsa. A night attack is always a tricky operation, but it helped that the Serbs had a few too many beers. 😂 Some of my sober 15mm Serbs!

My blog on Norwich Museums, including the Castle Museum and the Royal Norfolk Regimental Museum. I also went to the Aviation Museum near the airport, and stopped off at the formidable Castle Rising on the way home. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/09/norw...

Castle Rising near King’s Lynn. A seriously formidable defence. A big ditch and walls followed by a solid keep. One of Bishop Odo’s pads according to the Doomsday Book, followed by the lion gouging William d’Albini.

It doesn’t matter how many Vulcans you see, they never fail to awe. And you always learn something new in a museum. This bizarre Liberator paint job was used on an old plane to help bomb groups assemble in the air before a raid.

A Lockheed T-33A trainer with an interesting story. Former French Air Force, 314GE, it came to RAF Sculthorpe and was going to the Turkish Air Force. However, the engine wouldn’t start so it came to the City of Norwich Aviation Museum instead.

A fine memorial to Edith Cavell, outside Norwich Cathedral. She hailed from these parts. A decent haul from the Tombland second hand bookshop over the road.

A meeting in Norwich today. So, a trip around the castle and museum. This is Boudicca and Iceni territory. What did the Romans do for us?

The Book of Kells was likely to have been created 1,200 years ago in Pictish eastern Scotland, rather than on the island of Iona, according to research that challenges long-held assumptions about one of the world’s most famous medieval manuscripts. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/s...

My blog on a visit to the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Museum and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Centre at RAF Coningsby. Plenty of the RAF’s latest and best roaring around the skies as well. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/09/linc...

OTD in 1396, an allied Crusader army (assisted by the Venetian navy) was destroyed by the Ottomans at Nicopolis (in modern Bulgaria). Basically, it was all the fault of the French! Some of my 28mm Janissaries, with a soup kettle!

Not much left of Bolingbroke Castle after the pesky Roundheads visited and the locals nicked the stone. But it was once pretty impressive.

Another working Lancaster, plus a Mosquito and a Mitchell, at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Museum.

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight centre. Brilliant tour around the hanger housing the aircraft that still fly.

Tattersall Castle was built by Lord Cromwell ( not Oliver!) and very splendid it is. The church is cathedral size. Even the moat built of bricks. Somewhat incongruously, one of the RAF’s main fighter bases at Coningsbury can be seen from the roof. Lots of aircraft taking off.

Tattersall Castle this morning. Built in 1434, a rare example of a brick built British castle.

Your age shouldn’t put you off learning a new language – what the research says. There is no age limit to our ability to learn a new language. Not sure about that. After 375 days learning Turkish, I doubt I could converse with a six year old!😂 theconversation.com/your-age-sho...

OTD in 1789, the Battle of Rymnik was fought between the Russians/Austrians and the Ottomans. There is a fine statue of Suvorov on the battlefield today. My late 18thC Russians in 28mm in the Potemkin uniforms from the North Star range.

Heading south today for golf and a couple of book talks. Some reinforcements arrived just in time. www.balkanhistory.org/cyprus-1974....

Widow’s Creek scenario from Rebels & Patriots this afternoon. Although as we are in the Adriatic, Austrians v French, so perhaps ‘Udovica’ instead.

I found a bit of time before the football last night to finish off the Carthaginian medium/heavy cavalry. 2mm figures from Warbases for my Strength & Honour project.

Book review: Rebellion Against Henry III - The Disinherited Montfortians by David Pilling. I am pretty familiar with Barons Wars, but my knowledge comes to a halt after the Battle of Evesham in 1265. This book opens a whole range of skirmish scenarios. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/09/rebe...

I think he means Brexit was worth it even though it made OTHER people poorer. Twat.

Not much time for painting recently, but squeezed in two units of 2mm Numidians for my Strength and Honour project. Utter madness at my age!

Miniature Qur’an from Norfolk dolls’ house linked to Ottoman history expected to fetch £3,000. Measuring only one-and-a-half inches in height, the Qur’an was originally a sancak—a protective talisman carried by Ottoman soldiers and travelers. en.abna24.com/news/1726785...