Wargame Table ready for action ...

The table is now ready for action after having spent some time this morning sticking on the rear backscene papers.   I put some scenic items on the table to get some idea of how things look, the hill sections although a little faded help with transition to the backscene.

Mars, god of war, inspects the table and gives his approval ....

New table surface (4)... getting near the end ...

I have managed to get the table surface done, the underlay and the surface cloth were stretched over the frame and secured with upholstery tacks. The backscenes arrived in the post today so I have made good progress....

Backscenes (from Guagemaster), laid out so I could decide what goes where

 Fixing the backscene boards, they have some small screws to fix the boards into the correct position and then a piece of wood to hold them tight to the table frame and provide extra strength ( the backscene boards were re-used from the old table and are veterans having been used on at least two model railway layouts as well)

just have to get the rear backscenes stuck on then the table will be ready for action again (hoorah ! :) )

New table surface (3)...

What I thought would be an easy job, turned out to be a lot more work. The old table top made from Contiboard rested on a wood frame;  once I started dismantling it I found the frame and the board sections held each other together ! (I made it quickly 9 years ago, what a bodge :) )

 I was left with part of a frame which was useful, so yesterday I had to add to it to get a decent frame for the table ....

Today the frame was made a bit more robust and the top skin of 3mm MDF is going on...

In the next couple of days I plan to cover the table with an underlay of felt and then the new playing surface on top of that ....

Wittenberg is 10 Years old this month - Hoorah !!

His august majesty King Leopold ascended the throne 10 years ago (or there-abouts).

I found my old web games diary which started its first entry in June 2006. Gosh doesn't time fly !

I joined the blogo-sphere in January 2007. The gaming table I built in January 2007 is now undergoing refurbishment;  the first small palace diorama was completed in the same month.  So much fun since then - games, modelling, painting .....

Something form the archive, the king reviews his guard troops after his coronation

So some special events will have to be planned to celebrate the Kings 10 years on the throne......

New table surface (2)...

The fabric has arrived , a quick test ...

works with the hill edge, but the faded fabric on top may need replacing. The priority is to get the table done, can then get the secondary scenics upgraded as needed. Next thing to order up before I get started are the new backscenes.

New table surface ...

The hunt is on to find some suitable fabric to re-cover my gaming table. The existing table surface has faded off over the years and has some accumulated some damage. The table itself is in need of a re-build - as it is really too heavy to move. So the gaming table has to be replaced,
---- lightweight table (to allow removal to access the windows behind)
---- to be covered in green fabric
---- new higher backscene boards
---- increase the table depth if possible

I have a candidate for the gaming surface, I bought some fabric a couple of years ago to make roads with - I had a couple of spare strips leftover and tried a quick check on how it looks with figures and some terrain items

not bad, there is a slight pattern in it that looks like variation in grass length. Now if I could only remember where I got the fabric from !

Poetry Evening in the palace grounds ....

Recently the Wittenberg Royal Poetry Society provided entertainment for the court in the place grounds, a number of the society's most well know poets are reciting excerpts from their works ....

Each poet was given a small secluded area to recite their works (out of earshot of others). The poet Karl Kippen ...

  .. Twas evening and the rosey sunset
did glow amidst the woodland trees
 wimsy were the elven faeries

.....

 On his way round the King meets with Cardinal Meisner..

King: My dear Cardinal so nice to see you again, while you were in the Sackwald forest did you find them ?
Meisner: Yes your majesty, I have some specimens of the different types
King: More than one ?
Meisner: Amazingly so sire, I found three variants of the Sackwald fritillery - wing tips either orange, white or red ...
.. they stood for some time talking of butterflies and moths until the Queen reminded the King to pay attention to his other guests ....

The poet Wilhem Deiters, reads from his epic poem "The Quest of King Wadras" ...

 .. On the shores of fanghorn east lake

stood the great King Wadras
 gazing westward o'er the water
.....

The refreshment area where a selection of food and drink was available ....

A couple of gentlemen chat about the poetry, one taking snuff and the other smoking his pipe...

.. Man with pipe: What are you partaking of ...
Man with snuff box: My favourite snuff, it has a real kick to it - Wern's black powder with a mint supplement..

The poet Helmut von Wortevert...

... I wandered lonely as a sparrow

until I came upon a field of yarrow
it was not as wondrous as the marrow
that I espied upon a barrow

.....

The court painter tries to capture the evenings proceedings ....