ABERDEEN RAILWAY MODEL CLUB EXHIBITION 2014.

Another week, another show! Fortunately this one was within walking distance. I have been a regular attender at the Aberdeen Model Railway Club Exhibition for the last dozen or so years. This is the fourth year that it has been held in the sports hall at the Robert Godon University.

General view of the hall

Another view of the hall.

Aberdeen Wargames Club was in attendance. Look out for a separate post on their Bolt Action game on the liberation of the French town of  Nouvion.

Terminus of the Dundee Model Railway Club display.

A view along the display.

Aberdeen Model Boat Club.

Thomas!

Aberdeen Modellers Society: Schnellboote.

More from the Aberdeen Modellers Society.

And some more.

My area of modelling interest.

Cardale Halt: Fourdon Club.

The engine had real steam effect.

Another view.

 

Inverness Club: I can remember those billboards!

Black Road: Real steam engines!

 

Elgin Club.

Track runs over a dam.

Through rural scenery.

Into a tunnel.

I followed this train along the route.

And over this spectacular bridge.

 

This display is made from simple card buildings.

Second hand and recycled engines, rolling stock and track.

It shows what can be done on a budget.

Disapointingly, the Museum of Transport display did not travel north this year. Just as well. Having taken a lot of pictures at Skelp! last week and during the week, my battery died on me. I was not able to take photos of the dolls houses, transport collections and the Embroderers Guild display, which had a wonderful embriodered armour breastplate on show.

I was there late morning, when there was not a huge attendance, and was able to visit the traders. I made a dent in Squires stock (as usual) and picked up some resin walls from Aberdour MR Co. It was good to see Mutineer miniatures attending, although they only had scenics on their stall.

By all accounts, it was a busy afternoon. This is a really good show for all the family.

IHMN: CATCH THAT PIGEON NOW!

Our most recent game of In Her Majesty's Name saw David's Prussians taking on Del's Star Theatre Players.  

 The scenario was 'Stop the Pigeon'. Having played this scenario before, I know it can be tricky chasing down the randomly moving pigeon to recover the message. The scene was ' Cathedral' so David came up with terrain representing a ruined place of worship.

 The pigeon didn't move far from it's starting position, finding some succulent bugs in the temple. Meanwhile both factions converged on it.

 The Prussians set about things in their usual, efficient way. Using a grenade launcher to fire poison gas at the poor bird (and anything else that got in the way!). The pigeon expired and was collected by a Prussian wearing a primitive gas mask.

 The Star Theatre will be short of two stage hands following another well aimed gas grenade.

 An overview of the contested area. Showing off David's own design gas grenade burst markers, complete with a counter to mark the durstion of the cloud.

 The early design gas mask was going to need some more work on it: the pigeon collector had been affected.

 The Prusian medic rushed to his assistance. The Players moved round to try to cut off the line of escape. Good use of the 'Mesmerism' talent allowed them to fight off a Prussian attempt to stop this move.

 The pigeon, with the all important message, was now making it's way to the Prussian lines in the firm grasp of the Prussian Medic.

Two further gas grenades, this time thrown, ended any attempt to stop the pigeon leaving the table.

Another interesting and entertaining game. The gas grenades had a significant effect on the outcome of this game. They are effective, but at 7 pts each, can be expensive as 4 or 5 can be equivalent to a character. David had 8 in total. 4 out of 6 used hit their target. The use of gas masks is not foolproof, but does increase the odds of surviving. I think that they may now become standard police issue!

IHMN: BATTLE FOR THE ATTIC.

My Scotland Yard company took on Del's Star Theatre Players. 

The scenario was 'King of the Hill'. The 'hill' in this case was a great looking house, intended for Morheim, that David had put together.

           My coppers make their way onto the table. Where is the Great Detective?

                                   

                                    The Players make their way towards the target.

 The Good Doctor and a Special Branch plod make it into the building and head for the attic.

                  One of the Players attacks and disrupts the copper's supporting units.

  A view of the combat in the house.

 Most of the coppers had gone round the back of the building to come in the back door, so that allowed the Players to concentrate their forces, The Good Doctor fell early. One by one the other coppers were picked off.

After losing all but three of my coppers, and only taking down two Stage Hands, I conceded, as Del was well ahead on VPs.

Even though I lost this game, it was enjoyable. Our nrrative style of gaming helps to create atmosphere. One thing I should mention: the Great Detective was involved in the game. He has aquired the Master Of Disguise talent and was one of my Special Branch plods. He did not get an opportunity to reveal himself (ooh, er, missus!) to his advantage.

EAGLES!

No game this Thursday as I was at a funeral.

Last week, thanks to upheaval caused by BT trying to sort out a phone fault (now fixed!), I went with a game with an easy set up. This is a blast from the past: Eagles, the Napoleonic card game by Columbia Games (similar to the Dixie series). 

For the first game, we tried the Quatre Bras scenario. Rick's French won this game quickly. We then changed sides. Rick's British won so quickly that I had no time for a photo!

The second scenario was Ligny. These are the initial deployments.

The early game was defined by artillery duels.

The Prussians attack.

The French fight back.

A final attack overwhelms the French flank. Victory came soon after this photo was taken.

 The first couple of games went so quickly that we thought we were playing the game wrong: it didn't have the back and forth and didn't last as long as we remembered. The third game played like the games that we remembered from back in the day. It lasted for an hour.

A good game that is a useful standby for a short notice game.