Obtained some extra armed monks (a mix of Perry and Westwind), to add to the two I already had. The Brotherhood of Duhn can now appear in greater numbers ...

They Projects - Roundup of the Last Year and looking forward ....

A round up of my gaming projects, achievements for last year and plans for the coming year ...

The Kingdom Of Wittenberg

Last Year:

Finished off the Monrovia V Fenwick campaign 'Into the Bylandt', with a river raid..

Got the 40mm Begovian army read for the next campaign; had a short piece on the Begovians published in Wargames Illustrated 415 July 2022 issue Quick Fire section.

My favourite solo game played - the sedan chair race ...

Plans for this year: 

Develop the Brotherhood of Duhn and other pulp style games set in the 18th century. Figure out some scenarios and get the next instalment of the Begovian War onto the table.

Samurai - Sengoku Period (40mm)

Last Year: 

I've  played a couple of games; including a 'Seven Samurai' defend the village scenario. I wrote this up and it was Published in Miniature Wargames Sept 2022 issue.

Also part way through is the building of two small armies, all the figures have been cast and I'm about a quarter of the way through painting them all.

Plans for this year: 

Finish painting all the figures for the two Samurai armies. Hopefully by the middle of the year the armies will be ready and I can play some suitable games.

WW2: Somewhere in France & Somewhere in England

Last Year: 

In England a sequence of games extracting some German spies, a chance for a submarine pickup

For France added new scenics ( houses, vineyards etc.) A small selection of 28mm Germans and Resistance collected for small scale games.  A nice selection of games with French resistance actions played .... boom !

a closer look at one of the German big guns ....

Plans for this year: More of the same, the theme of the Guns of Nouvions will undoubtably continue.

Carry On Chaps

Last Year: 

Forces accumulated for a sort of early 1920's East Africa conflict; pulp games played on the 'Rule of Six' theme, with new villain Dr Weevil making an appearance.

A small set of pulp games about the pyramidion of Senusret ..

was written up and has been published in Wargamers Annual 2023.

Plans for this year: 

More in a similar vain - hopefully some action in East Africa with the Sultanate of Nambuzo and of course more thwarting of the evil plans of the Rule of Six - I'm aiming to do a Bond style evil villains lair game (a nice modelling challenge).

For Ye Kinge (40mm)

Last Year: 

played through a mini-campaign with WIttenberg gaining the Hoflandt. A few games involved with a nice selection of scenarios, I'll being do a campaign PDF.  From the big battle...

Plans for this year: 

I'll dip into the Polish-Swedish War 1626-29 and maybe the period of the the Deluge for some scenarios and play them through - can't have winged hussars resting in boxes ...

The Nothelm Chronicle

Last Year: Played a small sequence of games - Olaf Sigurdsen's raid.   The saxons attack the vikings camp ....

Plans for this year: Again a few suitable games with a suitable linked theme; maybe following the survivors from Sigurdsen's raid.

Medieval Knights (40mm)

Last Year: Initial set of figures completed for two retinues.  First game played, the two retinues clashed over control over a manorial estate ...

Plans for this year: No plans to make additions to the collection. I'll use the existing figures to play a couple of games - perhaps Robin Hood themed and maybe some about questing knights.

Merry Xmas ....

Shortly before Xmas there is a flurry of snow; the King, Queen and some of the court venture out for an improvised meal of roast pig..

Later on, festive events start in the salons and the ball room; courtiers make their way - while the King and Queen wait to greet those arriving by coach ....

A Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to All

Down-town in Rumsdorf....

At Rumsdorf towards the end of the day ...

Dusk and the town patrol moves along the old wharf...

After the patrol has gone men move some barrels out of a small storehouse.....

The Grey Wolf is smuggling brandy and other goods across the river Oudear from Monrovia; the word is out he is doing a delivery this evening. Mlle Givenchy and her Irregulars have been sent to catch him in the act .....

Grey Wolf and his men, along with a couple of chaps in robes move the delivery through to the street beyond..

Two of the Irregulars head round the block along Kings Street ....

While Givenchy and two other go along by the wharf ...

Grey Wolf and his mean turn the corner into Salt Lane....

Givenchy follows two of her lady Irregulars round the corner, they can see some of Grey Wolf's gang...

But they see them first, one of the gang fires wounding one of the Irregulars who is taken round the corner to safety....

The gang hurry down Salt Lane,  the Irregulars spring their trap ........

Both sides open fire, the Irregulars come of worse....

They capture a couple of gang and the contraband; but Grey Wolf and the rest run off down the lane into the gathering gloom....

---oXo---

Another small scale solo game, enjoyed setting up a town scape and wharf

Quick note on the result:

• Grey Wolf's gang started with 7 and lost two down, wounded but captured.  The captured man in the robe carries a medallion inscribed with three interlaced 'D's (a sign of the Brotherhood of Duhn).
• Givenchy's lady Irregulars started with 9 and had 3 wounded and 1 dead.

A little smuggling ....

A revenue patrol head towards the river (they've had a tip off...)

The smugglers have rope hauled their contraband in barrels up the river ....

The barrels are pulled out as a cart approaches ....

The barrels are loaded up....

The light of the smugglers lantern attracts the revenue patrols attention ....

Two men roll the large barrel over the foot bridge to take it to the mill, while the rest set off with the cart .

"Halt or I'll shoot".. shouts the lead revenue man...

Before he gets the chance he is shot .....

hearing the shooting, the other two men drop the large barrel into the river and run ....

As the smugglers move the cart away, both sides open fire

The revenue men close in...

The cart has gone round the back of the farmhouse ...

and off down the road ..... they've got the contraband away ...

The revenue men see to their wounded and check the dead smugglers for any papers or indication of who they are working for ....

The robed man is of particular interest, he carries a medallion inscribed with three interlaced 'D's; a report will be made on this evenings patrol - the dead smugglers will be taken for further examination and burial at the nearest town.

Meeting over ...

A meeting of the Brotherhood of Duhn had just finished ..

As the last of the brethren made their way out (after removing their robes); the leaders were in conversation..

Are things ready ?  Yes all is ready for tonight, the men are on their way to the river ....

A message to the King: Beware the Brotherhood of Duhn ...

Bergdorf the postmaster with letters and reports from the provincial governors hurried out ...

and flagged down an empty sedan chair .... 

soon aboard and off to the palace ...

at the palace, after a brief check by the guards they were let through ...

off up the steps ....

through the entrance hall and into the Kings chambers, 

and handed the despatch case to the Kings secretary (picking up an empty case Bergdorf left to make his way back to the city).....the despatch case was then left on Count Munster's desk. Opening the case he checked through them, mostly routine stuff to read in due course - but there was a letter  that looked out of place addressed to the King - sealed with wax impressed with the design of a Phoenix...

He quickly took the letter to the King, once it was opened the contents were revealed. The letter was headed with an image of a Phoenix and said 'Beware the Brotherhood of Duhn'  followed by an indecipherable signature, underneath the signature was the latin phrase 'De Phoenice Secta' .

Previous warnings and information from the same source had proved accurate... the King and the Count discussed what action to take .....