Old School Wargaming

I got back into gaming a couple of years ago.  I had much different aims than when I used to game.  When I was younger, I thought that I was simulating warfare.  I am closing in on retirement, and realized that the reason I game now is mostly social.

I have been working on armies I want for retirement.  I have been painting 40mm homecast figures for Not Quite the Seven Years War.  I have made good progress and should have an army on each side by spring.

I also have gotten interested in the early 20th century, something that utterly bored me in my 30s and 40s.  I also wanted larger figures.

So, last spring I bought a bunch of figures from Spencer Smith figures, their Shiny Toy Soldier line.  As with most projects this one has been on the back burner since I bought the figures.  Last night I assembled a unit of infantry.

I say assembled, because  you order a basic body type, a separate head and right arm.  I got the arms  all in the marching pose.  The figures are sort of Prussian.  The other army will be sort of Austrian.  This is Imaginations in the 20th century.

It was necessary to pin the head and arm to get them to stay.  I bought samples, and I had problems getting them to stay assembled without pinning them.  I must admit, I kind of enjoyed it.  I used to just paint figures as quickly as I could.  Now the process is more enjoyable.

So, next spring I will move from Kansas City to Longmont, Colorado.  I will miss all my friends here, but I know a lot of gamers in Colorado.

I am enjoying this hobby more than I have in years, and look forward to many more years in retirement.

Been gone to Puerto Rico

My wife made all the arrangements for a trip for my 60th birthday.  We went to the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn in Luquillo, Puerto Rico.

This is a picture from our snorkeling trip.  Well, it was intended to be a snorkeling trip.  Truth is, neither of us could get the hang of it.  :)  After falling down trying to walk with fins (yes, we walked backward like they told us) and generally not being able to do much of anything, we enjoyed an afternoon on the water.

The Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn is a 17 room bed and breakfast in the little town of Luquillo, Puerto Rico.
www.luquillosunrise.com/ 

It is a terrific bed and breakfast right on the beach.  Most of the rooms face the ocean, and the second floor rooms have balconies.where you can enjoy the sounds of the surf.

The beach in front is a surfing beach.  There is a very good public beach for swimming and snorkeling about 5 minutes away by car.

I had read about an awesome restaurant around the corner from the hotel.  Its called Pasta Y Pueblo.  We drove right by it the first night, thinking it was a boarded up shack.  Its a small addition to a home made into a restaurant.  It has a small menu, but unbelievable food.  We went twice.  If you are going to Puerto Rico, look up Pasta Y Pueblo on google.  

I will be back to wargaming now that I have a sunburn and great memories.