Achtung Schweinehund

Achtung Schweinehund!

Another post I don't often do - a book review.

I borrowed this book off good mate Roly, who suggested I should give it a read, and I'm glad he did!

To anyone who grew up as a young boy through the 60s and 70s as I did, this is going to strike a chord, big time!

It did for me especially, as Harry grew up in Teeside, just a few miles south of my old stomping ground of Tyne and Wear, so many places he mentions in his tale, bring back many memories of my childhood life back in the UK...

The link below the above picture, goes to the Amazon site with its own review.

Its a great little book that details Harry's early life and how and why he got into 'Wargaming' and more importantly stayed with it into adulthood.

It plots the trials and tribulations of being a wargamer and figure collector / painter. It touches on our self perceived nerdy geekdom, and our concerns at 'coming out' to the greater community...

Oh and if you're a fantasy player, or gasp even worse a LARP-er , be prepared for a verbal kick in the krackers! You have been warned!

So if you remember playing with Airfix toy soldiers on the carpet, and shooting them down with flaming matches from the end of sprung loaded die-cast toy tank barrels, or throwing Action Man with his parachute out of the upstairs bedroom window or playing classic boardgames like Escape from Colditz, then this book is for you! ;-)

Cracking stuff! Give it a read if you can get your hands on a copy!

The Pyrates

The Pyrates by George MacDonald Fraser.

For those who love things of a pirate nature, this is a cracking read, and will have you in the mood for getting out those pirate models and rolling some dice. Well worth a look.

From the back of the book cover:-

"The Pyrates is all the swashbucklers that ever were, rolled onto one great Technicoloured pantomime - tall ships and desert islands, impossibly gallant adventurers and glamorous heroines, buried treasure and Black Spots, devilish Dons and ghastly dungeons, plots, duels, escapes, savage rituals, tender romance and steaming passion, all to the accompaniment of ringing steel, thunderous broadsides, sweeping film music, and the sound of cursing extras falling in the water and exchanging period dialogue. Even Hollywood buccaneers were never like this."

Firmly tongue in cheek stuff. Grab a copy if you can, you won't regret it.

Wargaming An Introduction

My young son came back from a trip to the library today with this clutched eagerly in his hands. He said he'd got it out for me. I smiled as I took it from him and had a flick through the pages. He excitedly excaimed its "got everything from Alexander the Great to World War II".

Well, I have to say that was a fair summation.

Although not terribly useful to me now, although I wish I'd had a copy about 20 years ago, for a beginner, or someone looking to get in to the hobby but not quite sure where to start, this is an excellent first book to consider. After a nice introduction and preface, which rung several bells for me, in fact in parts it almost felt like a lift from my very first blog post here, it then goes on to detail all facets of wargaming.

It discusses, figure scales, types of wargame and various periods as previously mentioned above.

It also includes some basic rules sets for several of these periods. So with this book you can try out wargaming without having to initially splash out on any expensive rulebooks to start with.

I am quite sure for anyone with an inkling of interest, this book will kick start them off very smartly in the hobby.

You can see more at good old Amazon:

Although my son is already the budding wargamer, and for the first time beat me playing the board wargame "BattleLore" today, although I have to say he did get some very good cards... ;-) , I hope he may sit down and have a read through this book himself.

There are some nice color plates in the centre of various painted wargames armies, and also a simple Napoleonic battle report at the end to set the scene, so to speak.

Well worth a look!