A Sword for Ireland

(Image from:  Warfare History Network)

Most mornings I can’t remember any dreams from the previous night.  But once in a while, something so vivid and coherent will unfold, that it becomes hard-wired to my brain’s memory core.  

I had one such evocative vision when I was still on active-duty and stationed in Asia, over 25 years ago.

It’s stuck with me ever since.

I’m finally writing about it now because, I’ve been dabbling with AI to create art.

Now, through the use of Perchance.org, I’ve generated enough images to illustrate what my mind conjured up so long ago:

It’s sometime in the early 11th Century, and I’m standing near cliffs on the east coast of Ireland.  A striking, red-headed woman sits on a rock in front of me, with the breathtaking view of the cliffs and the sea to my right.  She’s wearing an elegant, full-length, green velvet dress, with a sword encased in a scabbard upon her lap.

She says,  “I’ve taught you everything I know.”  (This was regarding swordsmanship).

I reply,  “Thank you.  I finally feel ready.” 

“What do plan to do now?”

“I intend to join Brian Boru’s army and drive the Norsemen out of Ireland, once and for all.”

She rises from the rock, walks forward, and presents me with the sword and scabbard.

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

“Here then.  I offer you my family's sword.  I pray it serves you well." She draws nearer and drops her voice to a whisper.  "And brings you safely home--back to me."

Her eyes close, she parts her lips, leans closer, and…

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

...I wake up.

<Exasperated sigh>.  Another dream cut short, just when the situation becomes romantic or erotic.

Normally, this frustrates me every time.  However, on this particular night, I had a more pressing issue to deal with.  I couldn’t spare time moping about a curtailed kiss from my dream girl.

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

I sat up, got to the edge of my bed, let out another sigh, and asked out loud:

“What the hell was that all about?  Norsemen? Brian Boru? Who the f*ck is Brian Boru!? And yet, why does this feel familiar to me?”

Fortunately, I lived in a private room, so I wouldn’t disturb anyone with my whispered ravings, and my immediate need to conduct some midnight research.   

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

I was compelled to find an answer that very night.  Fortunately, it didn’t take long.  I turned on a light, and grabbed a book from my bookshelf, then sat down in my lounge chair.  (The internet was in its infancy back then). 

The book I chose was, The Harper Encyclopedia of Military History (4th ed).

I found who I was looking for in the General Index.  There, on page 1590, was the following entry:

Brian Boru, King of Munster, 270, 315.

Okay then.  This guy was real and not a figment of my overactive imagination.  I wasn’t sure if this was a relief or not.

I turned to page 270, part of which read:

976 [A.D.]. Rise of Brian Boru…He steadily increased his power and domains at the expense of Irish and Norse rivals. 

Then on page 315, I found this:

As the 11th Century opened, Brian Boru was consolidating his position as the leading king of the several Irish kingdoms…One further Danish effort to reestablish themselves in Ireland was smashed by Brian at the Battle of Clontarf (23 April 1014).

(Image from:  Celtic Wedding Rings--History)

Well then.  Finding the answers I needed only deepened the mystery.  The additional research I’ve conducted afterwards improved my knowledge of Medieval Irish History, but of course, offered nothing in the way of a dream interpretation. 

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

True, I may have read something in-passing about High King Brian Boru, and then forgot about it.  However, I’ve studied plenty of military history since then.  And still, this moment has been the only time I’ve dreamt of an historical figure, or event.

So my questions remain:  How did I know who Brian Boru was?  How did I know that he was instrumental in driving out the Norsemen?  Is there some ancestral connection?

(Image created by author via Perchance.org)

Some years ago, one of my siblings had a DNA test done.  Just over 40% of our family’s genetic origin comes from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

Maybe, if my siblings and I pitch-in, we can conduct an extensive genealogy search to discover more about our family’s Irish ancestry.

And who was kissing whom on the shores of Ireland. 

 

Pass in Review: Lord of the Rings Monopoly

 It must be more than half-a-century since I last played Monopoly.  And this was back when there was only one version.  The game debuted in 1935, and has spawned a slew of variant editions, starting in the late 20th Century.

One of my grandsons recently received a Boba Fett Edition for his birthday.  

Our respective grandkids are now advancing beyond the Candyland/Chutes & Ladders level of games.  So when I expressed interest about joining in the gameplay, my wife took this as a cue to buy me a Lord of the Rings Edition for my birthday.

The game comes in a hefty cardboard box, with cover art that evokes images of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings (LotR) movies.  The gameboard is matted and sturdy.  The money tokens are small, cardboard coins that come in 1 & 5 denominations, known as M .  It took me a while to discover just what an M  is.  It stands for "Monopole," which it seems has been the case for years.

Funny, I always thought it was "dollars."

Anyway, back to the gameboard.

Starting in the middle, there are a series of circles that track the progress of bearing The One Ring to Mount Doom from whence it was forged.  

The fringes of the game board is a colorful arrangement of locations using images from the LotR films, that players move their tokens around on.

 But beware, the Eye of Sauron, depicted on the two black 1d6s that players use to determine how far they go.  If a Ring Bearer rolls the Eye of Sauron, he must drop the ring where his playing piece landed.  Otherwise, the symbol is a regular "1."

The Ring Tracker Token advances up the slopes of Mount Doom every turn a player possesses The Ring.  

If a player loses The Ring, or gives it away, he has to pay the amount shown in the circle, and the Ring Tracker Token slides back to the bottom. 

The player currently bearing The Ring will be immune from paying rent, going to jail , or pay the fine if he lands on the Gollum or Ringwraith squares.  However he will be affected by Quest Cards, like every other player.  Quest cards often demand additional actions from the player who drew it.

Otherwise, the game is played like the original Monopoly; buy/selling properties, etc. 

The game can be won by the traditional means of bankrupting your opponents, or if the Ring of Power is destroyed.  The game ends immediately when The Ring is destroyed, and the player with the most money and assets wins.

Here's a look at the storage tray and rulebook:

A close-up of the storage tray containing the player tokens, buildings, currency and Quest Cards:

Instead of Houses and Hotels, players build Outposts (brown), or fortresses (white):

There are 9 player tokens, each representing a member of the Fellowship of the Ring.  From left to right: Gandalf, Aragorn, Boromir, Legolas, Gimli, Frodo, Samwise, Merry and Pippin.  However, the game is for a maximum of 6 players.

Here's a close-up of Frodo bearing The Ring, and Samwise:

What I found odd was the game using the traditional names and images for the corner squares--

--Go,

--Go To Jail,

--Free Parking,

--and In Jail/Just Visiting.

I mean, there's free parking's available at the Black Gates of Mordor?  Who knew?

Now I must admit, I'm an immersion gamer, and found the lack of LotR-appropriate images to be a bit jarring.

So I set out to remedy this.

Using my Comic Life program and PowerPoint, I made alternate corner spaces from images I found online.  (Since the game already utilizes movie images, and I'm not selling this as a product, I should be okay with copyright issues).

Anyway, legalities aside, here are my corner spaces--

--Imprisoned (The Secret Passage), replacing In Jail/Just Visiting,

--Captured! replacing Go To Jail,

--The Gifts of Galadriel, replacing Go, where players collect 2  M , and 

--Hiding From The Enemy, replacing Free Parking.

On a lark, I added one final touch.

I thought the cardboard coins were a bit wimpy looking.  And fake game money is expensive.

Fortunately, I came across a company that made coins for half the price of their competitors.  (I'm sorry, I can't remember who they are).

So I bought two packages each consisting of about 10, gold, silver and copper coins.  They come in 3 denominations, 1, 5, and 10, marked in Roman Numerals I, V, and X, respectively.

I look forward to playing this game.  When I do, I'll be sure to write an After Action Review (AAR).

Na-Den Pedim Ad

(Elvish for:  Until we speak again).

Touching-Up My Millennium Falcon

 

The Millennium Falcon is the most notorious starship within the realm of  Star Wars' Galactic Empire.  

It's also one of the most iconic starships in pop culture, next to Star Trek's USS Enterprise.

Since the movie's debut, the George Lucas, now Disney, marketing campaigns churned-out numerous playsets and action figures over the past 46 years.  Of course, one of the biggest, was none other than the Millennium Falcon.

About 10 years ago, I borrowed my friend Joe's playset.  Then, in 2015, I took advantage of a Christmas sale and bought The Force Awakens version, and returned Joe's Falcon.

What I liked right away about this playset is the plastic is softer, and more durable than earlier versions.  It was as if the playset was designed to be played with, instead of being put on display..

But as usual with the toy industry, the action figures are out of proportion to the starship.  This didn't matter to me, because I had no intention of using them.  I wanted the playset to use with my Star Wars Miniatures collection, or my 28mm sci-fi figures from other gameverses.

If you're interested in the playset as a playset, here's a video review about the Battle Action Millennium Falcon.

A couple years after buying this latest version, I decided to add a bit of detail by painting the recessed areas with  black ink wash.

Afterwards, I'd spend time pondering what--if anything--I could do to add even more detail, without turning this into a major painting project.

Since 2015, I purchased additional ink washes in various colors for my Cruel Seas vessels.  A couple weeks ago I thought I'd give another try at touching-up the Falcon.

I slathered the side hull with a coating of gray ink wash.  While the gray tone darkened the vessel along the side, compared to the top & bottom hulls, it didn't bring out all the details I wanted.  So I used a sparing amount of black ink wash in various spots.  I also added another layer of black to the recesses I painted years ago.

I added touches of a light rust colored ink wash in a few spots, mostly around the hatch entrances and vents.  I figured these areas would most likely collect condensation when in-use planetside. 

Here's my finished project from a few topside angles:

Finally, for the underside, I re-ink washed the recesses, then added an oiled earth wash on and around the landing pads.

Here's the underside view:

My mind's at ease now that I feel I haven't left anything out.  But this was an easy and relaxing project to do.  

So if I think of any more ideas on how to enhance my Millennium Falcon's look,  I may give it a try.

Modifying "Liberia: Descent into Hell"

(Cover art for Liberia: Descent into Hell)

 Just over five years ago, my friend Joe and I played a session of Liberia: Descent into Hell.  This is Counter Strike Mini-Game, by Platinum Dragon Productions, published in 2008, and currently out of print.

(Cover Page for our Liberia AAR)

We liked the game.  However the subject matter of The First Liberian Civil War (1989-1999), isn’t for everyone.

The game designers didn’t spare any gory details: Cannibalism, child soldiers, prostitution rings, and the drug trade; just to name a few topics that factor into the game.  

(A Second Civil War erupted shortly afterwards and ended in 2003).

Nor does the game spare any international relief or charity organizations, because all the donated money from such groups go towards lining the pockets of the two faction leaders.

The first big problem Joe & I had was playing on the small 17” x 11” map.  During playtime, the districts would become crowded with unit and leader counters.  During combat, we'd have to line-up counters off the gameboard.

We also wish the map colors were more natural, or at least subdued.

Shortly after our game, I went to a local print shop and had 2 poster-sized maps made (3’ x 2’).  I gave one to Joe, and put my copy in a closet.

(Poster-sized map mounted on cardboard)

And there it stayed until a few weeks ago.

(A comparison of the original with the enlarged map)

I’m still dealing with health issues, mostly chronic pain and fatigue, as a result of my lung transplant in December 2021.  However, I’m a bit stronger and more mobile than I was last year.  So I figured I could tackle an easy game project.

I thought it was long over due to dig out my Liberian Poster Map from its hiding space.  My wife unrolled the map and secured it on a large sheet of cardboard using clear packing tape.  She’s asked me throughout our marriage if she could help with any of my game projects.  Now, after all these years, she got her chance and did a great job.

Another issue Joe and I had was with the game’s several charts & tables.  For such a small game, spreading them out took up nearly all the table space.

To remedy this, I photo copied all the info-graphics, except for the optional Random Events Chart, which wouldn’t fit in my copier.  I trimmed the excess white spaces and taped them on to a display board.

(The game’s status board)

My original idea was to make a “gamemaster’s screen,” with the display board standing upright. Unfortunately, there were two too many charts to fit on the single side of the screen, and 5 of the charts required counters to be placed on them to indicate the status of various leaders, money, international support, and Juju.  

Yes, “magic” is an issue in this game and treated as popular support.  The side which has the most in a combination of money and Juju, wins the game.

When Joe & I get a chance to play this game again, I’ll write another post about whether or not my upgrades made the session more player-friendly.

Pass in Review: Italian Vessels of the Regia Marina for Cruel Seas

 

(Cover Art for the Regia Marina Starter Kit)

Hi folks!  I hope you've all been well since my last post of 29 April 2022.

I'm still in Recovery Mode: Dealing with chronic pain and fatigue, along with doing physical therapy. The need to exercise and rest gives me little time, or energy, to write.  However, I'm a bit healthier, and mobile than I was this time last year.

Plus I have a topic that's motivated me to start writing again. 

Several months ago I came across some nicely painted Bolt Action figures for sale on e-Bay.  These high-quality figures were being sold by Artist Joe Keister of NE Miniatures and Models.

I was so impressed with Joe's work, that I asked him to paint, not just remainder of my Cruel Seas collection, but my entire Mound of Shame.  

But taking things one step at a time, and thanks to Joe, I'm closer to having my "Mosquito Fleet" completed.

The first batch of figures I received, was my Regia Marina (article) vessels, and wrecked structures.

Nearly two years ago, I posted about the lighthouses I painted (8 July 2021), and the difficulty I had painting the structures white.

Joe painted-up the wrecked versions I had in a dull grey, so they can represent recently destroyed, or long abandoned lighthouses.

Here's the result of Joe's handiwork, who by the way, also took photos of his accomplishments:

I have a couple of coastal tankers and a merchant ship, so naturally I had to have a wrecked version.

One of the most neglected figures I had were the aircraft that needed painting.  I had another guy paint the few that came with the Starter Kits I bought.

But they didn't turn out anywhere as great as these planes did: 

(Aircraft of all factions painted and photographed by Joe Keister)

Now for the vessels themselves: 

First up, is the MZ-Motozattera, (motor barge), used to ferry troops and supplies.

Next, are a pair of marine fahrprahm-f-lighters used as escort vessels. 

For a "flagship," there's the Gabbiano-Class corvette, one of nearly 50 built, with 14 serving after the war.

The mainstay small vessels of the Regia Marina were the MAS Boats.

But Italy had help from Germany in the construction of  M5 CRDS-60t Series-1boats, schnellboots used by the Regia Marina.

Here's my entire Regia Marina vessel collection in a Pass in Review pic.

I'm currently working on packaging my remaining Cruel Seas vessels, this time, of the British Royal Navy.

Once I ship the package out, the only task I have for now is gluing the itty-bitty Italian flags on to the itty-bitty masts.

Before my British vessels "roll down the slipways," I hope to come up with other blog-worthy topics.

Thank you for reading!