"I love the smell of loot in the morning!"

Hello again.

On the basis that you cannot go to a wargames show or shop without spending some money, I thought I would again show what an acquisitive, little wargamer I really am.

Recent weeks have seen me take delivery of a couple of parcels, visit a tabletop sale, attend last weekend's Barrage Show in Stafford and visit "Questing Knight" games in Wellington, Shropshire, for the first time ever. Six weeks or so of inspiration, acquisition and contemplation, all inspired by the magnificent hobby we engage in with its plethora of figures, rules, games, kits and other paraphernalia.

So here goes the pictorial evidence of my customary purchasing excess. As I am utterly convinced I will live to be as old as Methusela, I have every confidence I will not only paint my loot as necessary but also play the various games and periods too!!!

My most expensive purchase, courtesy of Questing Knight in Wellington, Shropshire, was "GKR Heavy Hitters", a fun version of the ancient Battletech genre of giant, killer robots (hence GKR). Battletech was always too slow for my tastes, with players spending way too long calculating heat gain and not fighting, but this quick-fire affair showed a lot of promise when I played a gam at Barrage that I promptly went and bought it the following day! The fact that it can be played solo is a major plus! £100 from Questing Knight, not the £150 I have heard it is going for.

I hope you can see just how much you get for your money. I am looking forward to getting in a few sessions with this.

Going "all in" like all the best poker players, I also picked up the first expansion set, which adds extra options to the core game.

Again, I hope you can see what you get for your £75, again courtesy of Questing Knight.

A few weeks ago, I bought "Burrows & Badgers" from Asgard Games in Walsall, intrigued by the animals with swords vibe. Suitably inspired, I ordered vsome sample figures from Oathsworn and, lo and behold, was overjoyed to find them at Barrage, where I soon purchased a load more, especially those out of stock when I made my preliminary order. Check out the Oathsworn Miniatures website for something that bit different. A maximum purchase of 10 figures and the rules will see you home and hosed!

Roland Hynd, formerly Mr Stafford Games, has a new venture entitled Firepower Games. Keen on "By Fire & Sword", as well as military matters Austrian, I settled on a dainty rulebook (the original was HUGE!) and a boxed set of Imperialist cavalry and dragoons.

A little reading matter for the FIW and my growing Crimean War interests.

And the Penkridge Tabletop Sale yielded this little skirmish set, to add to "Muskets & Tomahawks" and "Sharp Practice 2" for my FIW fun. Worth a try at £5.99!

Another purchase from "Questing Knight" was this tome that took my eye in the wargames media when first advertised. I don't know why I didn't just get it from Warlord at Barrage...

Furthering my interest on Celtic myths, I bought a small warband lists booklet, a Myeri Clan box and a Fae Rade box to accompany the Spriggans I bought a while back. If you don't want the fantasy figures, just turn up with a dozen Ancient British/ Irish and you're away. This is all form Oakbound Studios.

Asgard Games of Walsall also sold me this starter set for the very interesting looking "Wold West Exodus" game. It was a purchase I made after getting a free Robodog on the cover of a recent "Miniature Wargames" issue which, together with an article inside said magazine really caught my eye.

Again, using the poker players' "all in" mantra, I took delivery of another parcel, this time from "PE2 Collectables", to widen my options somewhat.

And that is that.

I only went to Barrage to lay on a game and buy some Seven Years' War French and British cavalry!

I have a couple more units to do to expand my FIW range for the next outing of "The Relief of Fort Nummanmason", then it is skirmishes all the way I think, with some more 10mm Crimean War thrown in and no doubt a few other things (10mm Sassanids, some Dark Age skirmish action that is not SAGA, finally get my Anglo-Danes done for SAGA, etc...)

So, 36 French infantry - underway!
24 British infantry - ready and waiting.
A couple of themed warbands for "B&B" - ideas aplenty, figures bought!
Some Celtic stuff. Hm. Mists, mood and mischief!
The south will rise again with the "Confederate Rebellion". Yeehaw!!!
And some Giant Killer Robot carnage! And I do not even have to paint them, because they are already dome for me in the box!!!

Yeehaw some more!

G