Ever onwards

One of the things we members of the Wyrley Retinue engage in when we put on a game is try and enhance that game in preparation for further outings.

Our "season" starts with the Wargamer Show in November/ December, at which we like to debut our latest offering. Thus, by the time show number 2 comes around, we want people to see something slightly different to what they may have seen before. With that same show number 2, the West Midlands Military Show (WMMS), just 18 days away, we have been busy doing just that.

One of the problems we encountered with the original layout for "Malta" was warping to the water board sections. Thus, I cut these out and cut some new pieces, which are now painted and have been varnished four times so far, with more layers of varnish to follow to try and build up a watery sheen.

Next, the original layout perhaps lacked a little texture, so some added paint effects and a few patches of scrub grass have been added to the original landscape.

The original quayside was made to represent wood, which we never really felt was appropriate for "Malta" (so I do not know why we went there...), so Nephew Paul has cut and attached some stonework pieces to the original underframe to make it a stone quay, which I have now enhanced with some weathering, waterline greenery, etc. This same waterline effect has been taken around the various cliffs and we have added a couple of small beaches on which to land a few rowing boats.

We still have things to do and things to finish - quayside cranes (having seen them on the "Pyke" episode of "Game of Thrones"), racks for net drying, more harbour side goods by way of barrels and the like, more figures, the aforementioned rowing boats, etc - but what people will see at WMMS on 8th March is not what was on show at Wargamer back at the end of November.

So, in line with our collective aim, we have achieved.

How well we have done so remains the preserve of the viewer however, so if you can make the WMMS show in three weekends' time, come along, say "Hi" and give us your verdict.

We look forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.

G

This is about half the game right here. The land boards fit along the near side and left hand edge to create the full layout. This is about 6 feet by four of the overall 8 by 6. Random foot at top of picture is supplied by Nephew Paul. I think the water is too streaky...

Cliff weathering. Any relation to anyone of that name is entirely coincidental...

Nephew Paul's relationship with a sharp knife and ruler is still in its infancy, so break out the cork bark rocks, filler and a dollop of seaweed to hide the gaps...

I heartily recommend a trip to a model railway show near you when you are building terrain of any sort. The dock is faced with plastic stone sheets from Wills (readily available) and the surface is made from card sheets by Faller (I think but, again, readily available in a model railway shop or at a show). More filler etc to hide the gaps and we are done. I have added more weathering since this photo was taken.

The view from the harbour entrance. Frances is there for effect, but I might just repaint her in a more "Malta" style and bring her along on the day. She is in the position occupied by one of our boom house towers that hold the mechanism for raising and lowering the chain that guards the harbour. The round hole opposite is where the other one sits, removable to access the chain itself and unhook it when the Turks/ North Africans take the tower to allow the galley into the harbour.